Jonathan Chait, you are absolutely right. Last October, Chait wrote in New York magazine that "Hillary Clinton Pretends to Oppose Pacific Trade Deal." And as further proof of Hillary Clinton's pretense on this issue, we have verification today from Politico in an article written by Doug Palmer. Of course, Palmer wanted the readers to believe that Hillary was really really sincere in her supposed opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership. Unfortunately for him a line buried in his story overturned his premise about Donald Trump and Hillary being equally opposed (snicker!) to the TPP.
So let us now join Palmer trying oh so hard to make the case for Hillary's sincere opposition while accidentally revealing the quote that makes a mockery of that premise.
Donald Trump has vowed to kill the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal — and as president he’d be empowered to stop the agreement even if Congress passes it.
Between the voluminous TPP text and the “fast-track” trade promotion authority law passed last year, there are a pair of provisions that allow the president to slow-walk or even kill the landmark 12-nation pact.
The next president could refuse to verify that other countries have implemented their early commitments under the pact. Or he or she could simply delay sending the paperwork to inform other TPP members that the United States has completed its own implementation.
Ironically, the same fast-track authority intended to give a president the power to push complicated trade deals forward could easily be used to do the exact opposite, giving a President Trump — or Hillary Clinton — more leeway than most people realize to indefinitely delay the pact regardless of what Congress does.
"Or Hillary?" Really, Doug?
"I oppose it now, I'll oppose it after the election and I'll oppose it as president," Clinton said during an economic policy speech at an automotive manufacturing plant in Warren, Michigan, earlier this month.
And if you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you.
...on the chance that President Barack Obama succeeds in winning House and Senate majorities to make it the law of the land before he leaves office, POLITICO's reading of the two texts found several obscure provisions that give the next president potential room to maneuver. Clinton or Trump’s refusal to exercise the fast-track certification requirement, for instance, would thrust the pact into limbo: passed by Congress, but not yet in force.
So, Doug, if you had to bet your entire net worth on whether Trump or Hillary would refuse to to exercise the fast-track certification requirement, on which candidate would you place your money?
The TPP can’t go into effect until the United States and the 11 other countries notify New Zealand, the custodian of the agreement, that they have completed all the legal procedures. If Trump or Clinton refused to forward the required paperwork, it would scuttle the pact not just for the United States, but for all 12 members.
...Many TPP opponents say they doubt that Clinton would block the will of Congress, should the deal pass in the lame-duck session of Congress after the election.
Oh ye of little faith. Don't you believe Hillary when she pretends to oppose TPP? He then continues:
...Meanwhile, there is a history of presidents abandoning their uncompromising trade statements on the campaign trail once they’re in office, said Scott Miller, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Hmm. And which of the two candidates do you think would abandon their "uncompromising trade statements?" Actually, we don't really have to speculate much on that since the article has revealed it with this brief money quote:
The Trump campaign’s vow to kill the deal puts pressure on Clinton to follow suit. Her campaign did not respond to an email asking whether she would block implementation of the agreement if Congress passes it in the lame duck. But the Democratic nominee has been equally forceful about her opposition to the deal on the campaign trail, although she supported it as a member of the Obama administration.
Millions of dollars of Wall Street TPP-supporting money would lead most people to believe that's why Hillary's campaign did not respond on whether she would commit to blocking implementation of TPP if a lame duck Congress passes it. Everything else is the mere window dressing of Hillary's pretend opposition to TPP. So while the MSM continues focusing on Trump's supposed flip flop on immigration, we know Hillary will flop back to TPP support after her pretend flip.
Right Jonathan?
