Republican gains could aid Obama on TPP

"Big Republican gains on Election Day"

How is this even possible? Have the Democrats royally screwed up or what?

How is this even possible?

The democrats are not very good at tooting their own horn. And the Republicans are really good at smear campaigns.

The TPP is being negotiated in secret. What little leaks out seems to favor US big business above overseas consumers (e.g entertainment, pharmaceuticals etc.). It is easy to understand why the GOP would favor the TPP. It is less obvious how it would benefit the Democrats' constituency. The concessions, if any, made by the US might benefit Australian and maybe Japanese farmers, but it would probably be of net benefit to the people of all the trans-pacific "partners" if the whole scheme went away.

Big Republican gains on Election Day would be a blow to much of President Barack Obama’s agenda

On TPP, on helping financial friends on Wall Street, the use of drones, deportations of immigrants, spying on everyone, etc., the Obama government is more Republican than Republicans. Conservatives in the US call him a liberal or a socialist, but his stand on so many issues, including so-called free trade, pushes him far to the right of centre from the view of most progressive countries.

@Warispeace, There you go calling a spade a spade.

I dream of the day Japan joins TPP. My wallet does too.

Yes, this is another example of how President Obama works in a bipartisan manner.

Anyone who suggests the Obama is the "most partisan" politician ever is a complete imbecile.

"The democrats are not very good at tooting their own horn. And the Republicans are really good at smear campaigns"

Or maybe the Democrats are just bad at getting enough votes to win this election.

but his stand on so many issues, including so-called free trade, pushes him far to the right of centre from the view of most progressive countries.

Obama supports free trade? So why doesn't he ever talk about it? Obama is for free trade the same way he is for freedom of religion and freedom of speech - he doesn't say he is against it but does nothing to support it. It's humorous to read how some want to insist Obama isn't an arch-Liberal to the left of any president in American history. How far out can anyone go to be more Liberal than Obama?

Fast-track legislation was introduced in January but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would not allow a vote.

If President Obama went on television and insisted that the Senate vote on fast-track authority does anyone seriously think that Reid would stand in the way? Of course he wouldn't. But Obama will not insist on it because it would force Dems to make a tough decision right before the mid-term election and in the run up to 2016. Harry Reid doesn't believe in allowing the Senate to vote on things he doesn't want them to vote on. As long as he is Senate majority leader there will be no vote on TPP and Obama knows it and is fine with that. It allows Democrats to say they are for something that they are not.

Obama is for free trade the same way he is for freedom of religion and freedom of speech - he doesn't say he is against it but does nothing to support it.

Doesn't sound very liberal by your definition. Liberals are extremely pro-free speech

It's humorous to read how some want to insist Obama isn't an arch-Liberal to the left of any president in American history. How far out can anyone go to be more Liberal than Obama?

And yet here you are calling him extremely liberal. Doesn't make much sense. Especially considering his horrendous record on privacy (NSA anyone?), drone attacks, and willingness to wage war in places the US doesn't belong - all traits that most liberals do not agree with. The only thing that makes him liberal is that he is further left than the Republicans, but only by a thread. He is most definitely a centrist president. Not anywhere near the most liberal in history. This is actually what I think has been his biggest weak point - the republicans hate him for being black, and the democrats think he is too republican. He isn't appealing to the core of either party.

So why doesn't he ever talk about it? Obama is for free trade the same way he is for freedom of religion and freedom of speech - he doesn't say he is against it but does nothing to support it.

I never fail to be amazed at the mindless babbling that some believe represents thought.