Cruz is not giving any victory to Obama. The Trade Deal has been an issue in international trade for decades as previous Presidents could never back their negotiations because agreed points would always be changed or shot down by Congress. Therefore, nations would never deal with the USA because of the weakness of its trade terms.
Obama wants the Trade Deal for many reasons, one is to install Climate Change tax and regulation policies and the other is to end run-around the immigration impasse that is currently in place via a federal court injunction.
Ted Cruz has filed an amendment to stop the end run-around on immigration and he is getting with other members to shoot down any climate change insanity.
Why then does Ted Cruz want the Trade Deal? Because he says Obama has less than 18 months of effective time to do anything with the Trade Deal and Congress retains the power to make a thumbs down on any terms that Obama brings forward. They won’t be able to amend terms but they can vote it down.
So Ted has tied Obama’s hands with Climate Change and Immigration and retains influence to bury any of Obama’s proposals.
But the real reason that Ted Cruz wants the Trade Deal is because he will as President have its power for years to effect trade terms that will benefit Americans.
And democrats are in a panic to think the Ted Cruz will have such trade power. That is the real reason they are against it.
“Congress retains the power to make a thumbs down on any terms that Obama brings forward.”
How do you know, have you seen the agreement? You just can’t take someone’s word (even Cruz) for it.
Then there's the optics of Obama getting yet another victory by a slim majority. Sorry, I fear that Ted Cruz just outsmarted himself.
That was a helpful response, although just because Ted Cruz offers amendments doesn't mean they will pass and shooting down Obama's actions within the next 18 months is not aligned with the reality of 66 votes.
A YES vote seems like madness, given all the damage Obama can do until he leaves office. All, Hillary may win.
There’s a better chance of Clinton winning than Ted Cruz, if people are being honest. That’s who would then be getting this trade authority.
Cruz supports this for the same reason he backs vastly expanding H1B visas. Fill in the blanks, no politician is some sort of hero.
Only with 60 votes in the Senate.
(snort!)
Cruz nor anyone else will have tied Obama's hands on anything if fast track authority is passed by the House as it was in the Senate. And if Obama is given fast track authority, no amendments will be allowed and there is no way the House or Senate will vote down the entire TPP in an up or down vote.