From Wikipedia: “The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known as TPP11[2][3][4] is an agreed in principle trad

From Wikipedia: “The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known as TPP11[2][3][4] is an agreed in principle trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The CPTPP incorporates most of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) provisions by reference, but suspended 22 provisions the United States favored that other countries opposed, and lowered the threshold for enactment so the participation of the U.S. is not required.[5] The TPP was signed on 4 February 2016, but never entered into force as a result of the withdrawal of the United States.[6] All original TPP signatories, except the U.S., agreed in May 2017 to revive it[7][8] and reached agreement in January 2018 to conclude the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The formal signing ceremony was held on March 8, 2018 in Santiago, Chile.” TPP11 is less favourable than TPP for the US because 22 provisions which favoured the US were removed! Not only that, by abandoning TPP the US actually made it possible for the remaining 11 nations to drop the provisions that they felt favoured the US (perhaps because they were strong-armed into accepting them?). “On January 25, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview announced his interest in possibly rejoining the TPP if it were a "substantially better deal" for the United States.” Given that TPP no longer exists, how is the US to join? Given that TPP11 is explicitly worse for the US than TPP (because the US abandoned it) how does the US think it is going from negative back to status quo and from there to positive territory? Presumably it must convince 11 nations, some of them sizeable, to renegotiate a deal that would be to their collective detriment. In word bonkers. Less inflammatory out of touch with reality. In other news. “In January 2018 the United Kingdom government stated it is exploring becoming a member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership to stimulate exports after Brexit in March 2019 and has held informal discussions with the members.” (T1) "I know, let's leave the world's largest common market on our doorstep!" (T2) "I know, let's join this other trade area half way around the world!"