Posted on 11/12/2015 5:44:52 AM PST by RoosterRedux
Donald Trump lambasted the Trans-Pacific Partnership at Tuesday night's Republican presidential debate, contending that China would use it to "take advantage of everyone"--generating snickers from journalists and a withering refutation from Rand Paul, who said "we might want to point out that China is not part of this deal."
But Trump never suggested that China was part of the TPP, only that the country would "come in, as they always do, through the back door" of the agreement. And he was right.
The TPP does indeed allow China and other non-members to reap benefits from the deal without having to abide by any of its terms.
Here's how it works: TPP and other free trade deals allow signatories to exchange goods without tariffs. But we live in a complicated world, with source materials derived from one country often traveling through a supply chain to another and completed in a third before moving to a retail market.
To cope with this, TPP adds a "rule of origin" chapter to determine whether an amalgamated good qualifies for tariff-free status. This is particularly important in Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam or Malaysia, which get a significant amount of production materials from China.
TPP says that all materials that go into a good, outside of a de minimis 10 percent, must derive from TPP countries. However, there are numerous exceptions and exemptions, along with a confusing set of calculations to determine eligibility. Through these cracks in the agreement, as Trump alluded, China can deliver goods to TPP countries without tariffs.
Right now, the U.S. reserves the right to slap large tariffs on China, as it has done on steel (up to 236 percent), solar panels (up to 78 percent) and tires (up to 88 percent). But under TPP...
(Excerpt) Read more at theintercept.com ...
Check this out.
So again Trump is several moves ahead of the competition on the chessboard game of election.
He reads several newspapers from cover to cover everyday with his cup of tea. Wonder how fast he reads or if he just peruses the articles absorbing the relevant facts
Wow.
I get why, when they argue about TPP, nobody talks details. They just argue platitudes: for trade, against trade, free trade good, free trade bad... no one wants to talk about what is actually in the treaty.
Trump is so far ahead of the SHEEPLE once again.
Trump/Cruz 2016
But Trump is right....There's a reason they didn't join.
The Donald never comes to the negotiating table unprepared. Its what made him a Billionaire.
I find this very interesting. The imposition of tariffs on solar panels contribute to the higher costs of renewable energy in this country, much to the dismay of the left; this same left who rail against businesses outsourcing to produce cheaper product in a choice driven economic system. Without this tariff, you could have the choice of buying a solar panel system at WallyWorld that might not last as long, or buy a higher quality US made system at a higher price. Eliminating consumer choice is a bullet point of communism.
Charles Krauthammer was salivating last night thinking he had caught Trump in a lie.
Disgusting to watch.
I already knew China would have a window of opportunity with this bill, and of course Trump knew this.
But I don't even care that he got it wrong. Trump also misspoke on China and TPP before the debate; why do you think Paul was so ready for him at the debate. So my concern is his staff, not the comment. No one on his staff caught this and coached him how to correctly mention China indirect benefit..
With regard to the TPP, I imagine that Trump had someone read it and summarize it for him...with particularly emphasis on how China might take advantage of it.
What did you find wrong with the logic?
That may be. But, knowing Trump as we do, it is quite possible that Trump set Paul (and others) up for a story that hasn't come out yet. Such as the point of this article.
Trump is a very sly negotiator.
I knew Trump was correct about it and was wishing he would school Rand Paul on it when he opened his squirrel-brained mouth. Kerry invited China to join TPP last week.
The big 'detail' I care about is whether TPP benefits America. Reality is that U.S. taxes are too high and TPP cuts taxes. Yeah, I know the unions want me to pay more taxes for them to live off, but their harping about how TPP supposedly benefits China doesn't wash. First, unlike the unions I care more about than America than China. and second China that is not part of the agreement anyway.
He reads profusely. Wonder how fast. All those contracts he’s read searching for loopholes has honed his skills
Trump said he was really good at reading contracts.
Supported by Speaker Paul Ryan and Candidate Ted Cruz specifically; Joint Op-Ed in that regard.
Those who don’t:
♦ Donald Trump – Position Outline
♦ Mike Huckabee – Position Outline
♦ Rand Paul – Position Outline
♦ Rick Santorum – Position Outline
♦ Chris Christie – Position Outline
Notice that Candidate Donald Trump is the only Top Tier Candidate who stands in opposition to Obama Trade. Borrowing something succinct from a previous comment:
[When it comes to the elimination of Globalism diminishing America] …it’s Trump and only Trump. There is nobody else. We can quibble about who changed their mind about abortion and when, and who said what nice thing about which democrat and when, but none of that matters. None of it. The globalists have unleashed the four horsemen of the American apocalypse.
*They are:
♦ TPP
♦ Amnesty
♦ ObamaCare.
♦ and Common Core.
…and Donald Trump is the only one who rides against them ALL. It’s Trump or no one.
*Notice Specifically these Four Globalist Issues are the Specific legislative priorities of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. THIS IS NOT COINCIDENTAL (link)
The U.S. CoC has spent tens of millions, via K-Street, purchasing legislative support (buying votes) for these issues, the Trans-Pacific Trade Deal specifically. There are TRILLIONS of dollars at stake.
Please expand on exactly how (you feel) ‘Trump got it wrong’ and ‘misspoke on China and TPP before the debate’.
Maybe Trump got it right, and Paul got it wrong. There are arguments to that effect, as well.
If you have links to support your claim, it would be appreciated. TIA.
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