Posted on 05/12/2015 12:04:31 PM PDT by GIdget2004
Senate Democrats on Tuesday delivered a stinging blow to President Obama’s trade agenda by voting to prevent the chamber from picking up fast-track legislation.
A motion to cut off a filibuster and proceed to the trade bill fell short of a 60-vote hurdle in the 52-45 vote. Sen. Tom Carper (Del.) was the only Democrat to back it.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) switched his vote from yes to no to reserve his ability to return to the measure at a later date.
Fast-track is a top legislative priority for the White House, but it has run into significant Senate opposition that has been led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). It faces even more opposition from Democrats in the House, and the surprise Senate failure will raise doubts about whether the legislation will make its way through Congress.
Labor unions and other left-leaning groups have declared war on the fast-track bill, which they argue has shipped jobs overseas. The Senate is generally a more pro-trade body than the House, and it has been easier to move trade agreements through the upper chamber.
The standoff Tuesday focused on procedure, though there is significant opposition to fast-track itself in the Democratic conference.
Senate Democrats demanded that McConnell combine the fast-track bill with three other pieces of trade legislation, including a customs bill that would address currency manipulation.
The opposition included Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and other pro-trade Democrats who back the fast-track bill.
“The group is concerned about the lack of a commitment to trade enforcement, which is specifically the customs bill,” Wyden told reporters in explaining his opposition.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the Senate is so eager to give away its power and duty to a Marxist president.
Democrats in R jerseys working harder for Obama’s agenda than real Democrats.....
Why is Warren and the others against this?
Why wouldn’t every single Senator insist that the whole bill be available for reading without going through a security gauntlet, 100-0?
The Republican Senate is all about the failure to maintain their Democrat-lite status.
They are all part of the Marxist agenda, so they want the very same things, it doesn’t matter if they are D’s or R’s, they all come from under the same rock.
Democrats - Doing the job republicans won’t do!
Democrats voted it down but for the wrong reasons.
Republicans should have been 100% against this.
5.56mm
Two Republican presidential candidates, Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.), voted in favor of moving to the trade bill.
Another candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), missed the vote, as did Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is considering a White House run. Rubio and Graham also missed Monday’s votes.
This is some sort of deal.
Maybe payback for not flushing Obamacare.
There’s all sortsa goodies in there for RNC clients. Perhaps Soetoro didn’t want to let on to his Compadres that he sold them out.
I'm a big supporter of free trade and agreed with fast track for previous Presidents, but I don't trust Obummer with any kind of authority.
We’ve had trade deals for a couple of centuries, but now, in a time effortless communication and travel, we need to allow a President to “fast-track” these things?
Nope. No, No, No, No, No, No.....
I think it's as simple as the fact that virtually nothing can get done without McConnell and his buttboy team supporting it...they get the Dems to go along, a few Republicans, somebody out there (Chamber of Commerce, Wall Street, La Raza, other legislators) get their pet project passed.
But first they have to go to McConnell and kiss his ring or whatever.
And afterward they have to go do it again.
Last week he even got a personal note from Obama, which I wouldn't use to wipe with.
But he and his pals live for that s---. The voters mean nothing.
Dang, I wish they'd all run for president. They wouldn't be able to get a quorum.
/s
I may be wrong, but I think Warren is sincerely against the Oligarchy who runs both parties.
Why would McConnell want to bring it back?
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?
What am I missing that Democrats rejecting Obama isn't good enough for McConnell?
-PJ
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