White House threatens to hold up key trade deals

[Enrique]

I recently asked on DU, Obama's giving the GOP all these concessions recently, what's he getting for them? What's he even asking for?

Well, in this case he's actually asking for something. This is what I'm talking about. :thumbsup:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jhS3lw5FsU07-qLLf4sZgTMesRhA?docId=6a33387e500b4a7788b39e7532831162

White House threatens to hold up key trade deals

(AP) – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is threatening to hold up final passage of three coveted free trade agreements unless lawmakers expand retraining assistance for American workers who lose their jobs because of foreign competition.

The move comes as administration officials begin talks on Capitol Hill to finalize the agreements the White House reached to expand trade with South Korea, Panama and Colombia. President Barack Obama has said the deals are an integral part of his economic agenda, and the pacts have broad Republican support.

While administration officials have long said they supported expanding the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, or TAA, Monday's announcement was the first time aides said they would be willing to delay the deals without it.

"We will not submit the FTAs without an agreement on an enhanced TAA," said Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council. "But we also believe we can work on congressional leadership to get that accomplished."

(...)

[dkf]

1. Retrain to do what? That green jobs idea doesn't seem to be working.

[Armstead]

4. That was my initial reaction -- Reminds me of the 1990's

"Lost your job because it was sent overseas? That's okey, we'll put in call centers."

"Ooops, all those call centers were sent to India? Well, you can educate yourself to become a nuclear physicist."

[DCBob]

5. I think retraining is working in some case like short term technical training..

to operate high tech devices used in health care, manufacturing, etc. Also accounting training has helped some get decent jobs. It doesn't always work but it sure doesn't hurt.

[JVS]

10. Full time training removes one from the unemployment numbers.

You also don't get counted if you are a graduate of a training program seeking a job. You have to get a job and hold it long enough to qualify for unemployment and then lose the job.

You can see how promoting retraining helps the metrics by which policy is measured.

[dkf]

11. Hmm that's actually smart but cynical.

[Jakes Progress]

2. Retraining! Retraining! Really.

That is the best we can do. How about holding up the FTA's until we get jobs legislation? How about holding up the FTAs until there is a tax penalty for taking jobs overseas?

Retraining just gives some for-profit corporation another chance to run a school on government money. What gets cut to fund these "retraining schools"?

This is just another example of how the administration doesn't get it. This sounds like some idea from a "brain-storming" session at some Holiday Inn retreat.

[AndiMer]

3. It's not a dictatorship

Obama can't merely wave a wand.

[Enrique]

6. true, but alo he doesn't want it n/t

[eilen]

7. He has a pen. He can put it in his pocket and walk away from the FTA table. nt

[Jakes Progress]

8. Do you not understand how government works?

If he can demand a training program, he can demand taxes on jobs sent overseas.

Yours is the lamest excuse for Obama's shortcomings and is always brought out when there is no earthly way to defend some action. I always know I have been accurate in my analysis when this tired old cliche is trotted out.

[davidpdx]

9. I don't think the KFTA has a chance of passing anyway

Both countries are engaged in protectionism of certain products. With Korea it is rice, beef and other agricultural products. The US it is cars.