Thom Hartmann: Trans Pacific Partnership - The End of American Democracy

[limpyhobbler]

Notice Thom gives a little shout out to someone on DU in this video.

[Berlum]

1. k & r

nt

[think]

2. K&R!

[ctsnowman]

3. Cali got a shot out!!!

Love it.

[mtasselin]

4. warned

I have been warning people for a very long time about this give away program, because that is what it is we the American people are giving away all rights as American citizens.

[rhett o rick]

5. Not so fast. Everyone knows that Hartmann is a racist and his girlfriend is a pole dancer

and he likes to drive fast and take drugs and he once spoke to Ron Paul, Ayn Rand, and Mao Tse-tung, and (i know there is more).

[limpyhobbler]

9. LOL. Picturing him racing a sports car while snorting cocaine with his stripper girlfriend.

This is a funny picture.

I think Hartmann probably drives 5 mph under the speed limit to be on the safe side.

Actually this video is about the angriest I've ever seen him.

[rhett o rick]

10. Yes, I agree. Sadly most of America doesnt care. Even here in DU, there are those that

defend TPP because they have put their total faith in Pres Obama.

[limpyhobbler]

13. True. At the same time it's encouraging to see there are people who do seem to get it,

and who are tired of being ignored.

[antigop]

21. there are also those who support HRC even though she took a leading part in drafting the TPP

according to Business Week:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101667554

[bvar22]

6. The reason WHY the Obama Administration is negotiating this treaty in "SECRET"?

With the full cooperation of our Corporate Owned Media?

...because IF the 99%Working Class found out how BADLY they were being screwed by the International 1%, they would be very, VERY PISSED.



If you Work for a Living,
do NOT trust ANYONE who expresses a belief in "Free Trade", Free Markets", or an "Invisible Hand".
None of those things exist,
and that person is NOT your friend.

[limpyhobbler]

7. People probably figure it must not be too important since they never hear about it on the news.

Hopefully that's going to change somehow.

[rhett o rick]

11. When the poverty level starts to reach 99%, then they may wake up.

Most likely the idiots among us will believe their authoritarian leaders and blame their troubles on the intellectuals and kill them. There wont be a revolution but a civil war between the Oligarchical minions and the left. That's why the Oligarch Cabal isnt disarming the nitwits, because they will want them to fight the left.

[pa28]

8. K&R

[bvar22]

12. This could be the Deal Beaker between ME & The Democratic Party.

For YEARS I ridiculed Working Class Republicans, and taunted them without mercy for being STUPID enough to support a Political party that worked AGAINST their own Economic Interests.

NOW, the Democratic Party Leadership is asking ME to do the same thing?

In Campaign 2008, BOTH Hillary and Obama presented themselves as being OPPOSED to Free Trade where LABOR, Human Rights Advocates, and Encitonmental protection Advocates were Locked Out of the negotiations.
Candidate Obama even promised a UNION crowd that IF elected President, he would immediately
"Renegotiate NAFTA".
(Hillary promised the same thing, but everybody KNEW she was lying.)

That was a big part of my decision to support Candidate Obama,
but, of course, THAT all hit the trash can on Day One.

The FACT that they BOTH admitted in 2008 that NAFTA and Free Trade had caused BIG problems for the American Working Class, and PROMISED to fix it tells me that they KNOW, but are willing to f**k walk over Working Americans to give our money to The RICH anyway.

It is going to be very difficult for a "Centrist" "Free Trading" "Democrat" to win my support again solely on Lip Service and empty promises.

If you are an American who Works for a Living,
this IS Money OUT of YOUR pocket,
and into the pockets of the very small club of The Richest A*****S in the World.


If you think that I am bitter, angry, and feel betrayed over the broken promises on "Free Trade",
you are 100% correct.
I pray that the a coalition of Pro-LABOR & Working Class Democrats are successful at getting OUR voices and concerns heard before the Party selects the 2016 Nominee.
I don't believe we can survive another NeoLiberal, Free Trading, Economic Centrist.


You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS,[/font]
not by their promises.
[font size=5 color=firebrick]Working American Solidarity![/font]

[limpyhobbler]

14. Your sig line says it: Know them by their works.

I want to vote for people with a positive track record on this issue. Not sure who that is going to be at the Presidential level.

On the local level I do want to focus on working with a small network of people to pressure candidates on a few key issues in the 2014 primaries, and take it from there.

[bvar22]

15. You are correct. The real fight is in the local Democratic Primaries and local elections.

We had a good one going in Arkansas in 2010 to replace DINO Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic Primary with a popular Pro-LABOR, Pro Health Care Democrat with a proven track record of WINNING elections.
We had the nation wide support of Organized LABOR and enthusiastic support of the Grass Roots activists who were more than willing to work [font size=3]to give President Obama exactly what he had asked for: Progressive Democrats who wouldn't obstruct his agenda[/font],

AND....we were WINNING.
The Wicked Witch of Arkansas who crowed about Killing the Public Option has ZERO chance
against the Republican in the upcoming General Election,
and Halter was pulling ahead in the polls.
It really felt like we had a chance for "CHANGE".
We were All Fired Up and Ready to Roll!!

But guess what happened?
Our BIGGEST enemy turned out NOT to be "Conservatives",...or "Republicans".
It was the Obama White House that stepped in at the last minute and rescued Lincoln's Failing Primary Campaign!!!

President Obama cut an Oval Office Endorsement for the woman who killed his Public Option that played 24/7 in Arkansas.
The DSCC refilled Lincoln's depleted Campaign funds,
and "they" even sent the Old Blue Dog back to Arkansas to help rescue Lincoln.
Needless to say, THAT was a kick in the guts,
AND a "Learning Experience".

[font size=3]White House Steps in to Rescue Lincolns Failing Primary Campaign in Arkansas Democratic Primary[/font]

"So what did the Democratic Party establishment do when a Senator who allegedly impedes their agenda faced a primary challenger who would be more supportive of that agenda? They engaged in full-scale efforts to support Blanche Lincoln. Bill Clinton traveled to Arkansas to urge loyal Democrats to vote for her, bashing liberal groups for good measure. Obama recorded an ad for Lincoln which, among other things, were used to tell African-American primary voters that they should vote for her because she works for their interests. The entire Party infrastructure lent its support and resources to Lincoln — a Senator who supposedly prevents Democrats from doing all sorts of Wonderful, Progressive Things which they so wish they could do but just don’t have the votes for.

Ordinarily, when Party leaders support horrible incumbents in primaries, they use the “electability” excuse: this is a conservative state, the incumbent has the best chance to win, and the progressive challenger is out-of-step with voters. That excuse is clearly unavailable here. As Public Policy Polling explained yesterday, Lincoln has virtually no chance of winning in November against GOP challenger John Boozman. And while it would have also been difficult for Halter to beat Boozman, polls consistently showed that he had a better chance than Lincoln did. That’s unsurprising, given how much better non-Washington candidates are doing in this incumbent-hating climate than long-term Washington insiders. And it’s rather difficult to claim that Halter is out-of-step with Arkansas given that they elected him their Lt. Governor. Whatever the reasons Washington Democrats had for supporting the deeply unpopular Lincoln, it had nothing whatsoever to do with electability.

What happened in this race also gives the lie to the insufferable excuse we’ve been hearing for the last 18 months from countless Obama defenders: namely, if the Senate doesn’t have 60 votes to pass good legislation, it’s not Obama’s fault because he has no leverage over these conservative Senators. It was always obvious what an absurd joke that claim was; the very idea of The Impotent, Helpless President, presiding over a vast government and party apparatus, was laughable. But now, in light of Arkansas, nobody should ever be willing to utter that again with a straight face. Back when Lincoln was threatening to filibuster health care if it included a public option, the White House could obviously have said to her: if you don’t support a public option, not only will we not support your re-election bid, but we’ll support a primary challenger against you. Obama’s support for Lincoln did not merely help; it was arguably decisive, as The Washington Post documented today:"

<much more>

http://www.salon.com/2010/06/10/lincoln_6/

Unable to resit the impulse to add insult to injury, a "White House Spokesperson" ridiculed and Taunted Organized LABOR and the Grass Roots for "wasting their time and money" supporting a Pro-LABOR, Pro-Health Care Democrat in the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010.

Ed Schultz on White House insults to Organized LABOR after Arkansas Democratic Primary.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ed-schultz-if-it-wasnt-labor-barack-obama-

So Be Prepared.
The Party Leadership don't cotton to uppity peasants with Dirty Fingernails who have to Work for Living making waves for their comfortable little Money Boat.

One thing about us Union Thugs,
we might take a Whipping from time to time,
but we NEVER give up,
and we NEVER forget a Sucker Punch.

[limpyhobbler]

19. yep. Every once in a while the mask come off and what's underneath is pretty ugly.

Sounds like Arkansas got a good look at it in 2010.

[jakeXT]

23. NAFTAGate I remember

Clinton, Obama NAFTA talk mostly rhetoric, says U.S. ambassador

NAFTA debate within the U.S. presidential campaign is mainly rhetoric and likely won't result in any change to the agreement, the American ambassador to Canada said Wednesday.

David Wilkins made the comments during an address to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, an audience made up of many exporters concerned about any threat to free trade with the U.S.

The trade pact has factored heavily in the Democratic contest between rival candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who have both suggested they would renegotiate NAFTA.

Wilkins urged the B.C. audience not to take the threat seriously.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/03/13/wilkins-nafta.html

[Enthusiast]

16. Kicked and Recommended! Yay, Cali!

Mr. Obama, we do not want this fucking TPP!

[blkmusclmachine]

17. Super Duper NAFTA

[fasttense]

18. The TPP along with NAFTA and SHAFTA

make corporations much more powerful than any government. We should get rid of governments so the corporations can govern us directly. Oh wait that is the RepubliCON plan.

[antigop]

20. it's also what corporate Dems support... don't kid yourself. nt

[bvar22]

22. These DEALS actually give the Global Corporations the ABILITY to Levy Taxes (Impose Fines)...

..through their Secret Tribunals at which NO representative of "The People" are allowed to attend.

[Quantess]

24. I was not aware of this.

Thank you for the video!

[marmar]

25. k/r