Let’s be clear: The Senate is not where the action ultimately is going to be when it comes to defeating “Fast Track” and the TPP. It will be in the House. Eventually, in my estimation, “fast track” and TPP will pass the Senate–the Senate has always been much more pro- so-called “free trade.
But, today, “Fast track” is stopped. When the actual vote comes up, I’ll be blogging it.
I think this is probably accurate:
With those votes committed to opposing “fast track” today, the bill will not move forward. But, for people like Wyden, Nelson, Cantwell, Feinstein, Bennet, this is a temporary vote that, IMHO, is just a PR gimmick on their part–they will be votes for “fast track” and TPP at the end of the day.
Pre-vote rhetoric:
Barbara Boxer gave a good floor speech earlier. She recalls voting FOR “Fast track” in 1988 (she was in the House then) and said she then could not try to change NAFTA when it came up for a vote in 1993 (when she had just been elected to the Senate in 1992). She won’t be fooled again, she says.
Orrin Hatch, on the other hand, whined about having to support “Fast track” and TPP even though it includes money for Trade Adjustment Assistance, which he doesn’t like at all (“I wish we didn’t have to pass that”)–TAA is bullshit, by the way, because it’s basically a pittance thrown at workers to retrain some of them for jobs that don’t exist at wages way below what they earn.
Durbin tried to make sense of the alphabet soup of acronyms, mostly for the CSPAN audience–what do all these different bills means?
Senate gavels backs in 2:15 p.m.:
Cory Gardner is the first up, Republican to speak…blah blah…TPP will create jobs…(how do these idiots get elected is always beyond me). Pursue policies to grow economy…blah blah…”made in America” flag waving…
Sherrod Brown: “Even supporters…those cheerleaders…acknowledge there will be winners and losers.” Goes through impact of past deals. “How do you ignore the losers…?” Need strong currency provisions. Provision to prohibit child labor that passed Finance Committee is not part of the current package!
Jeff Merkley, the workers Senator from Oregon: stages of trade, well said, “for those who want to put forward the mirage…that somehow this will increase American production, that is a false promise.”
(by the way caught the little huddle behind Merkley between Bernie, Sherrod and Sheldon Whitehouse).
Orrin Hatch is back…blah blah…not really worth writing this, eh? Oh, and he hates the Trade Assistance program in case you didn’t know.
Voting soon…
VOTES (in the process just picking out ones on the fly). “No” votes are good–opposed to proceeding to the “Fast track” bill.
Elizabeth Warren: thumbs down
Casey voted no.
Schumer just voted NO
ALL NOS ARE FOLLOWING DEMS–(yes, missed a few in the rollcall; will come back around at the end but this puppy is going down…)
Bennett
Blumenthal
Donnelly
Brown
Boxer
Cardin
Cantwell
Murphy
McCaskill
Franken
Coons
Gillibrand
Markey
Angus King
Leahy
Menendez
Manchin
Merkley
Mikulski
Harry Reid
Reed
Hirono
Nelson
Peters
Durbin
Klobauchar
Feinstein
Heinrich
Shaheen
Kaine
Tester
Udall
Warner
AND DRUMROLL…WYDEN
So far only Republicans voting YES…how does that feel POTUS?
Ooopppp, first Democrat…Carper voted yes...
McConnell voted NO but that is just a procedural vote that allows McConnell to bring up the bill again–if you are in the majority you can’t. But, McConnell is shocked, shocked, shocked…
