[Peace-discuss] Obama begins sales pitch on trade to wary U.S. public

[David Johnson]

 <http://www.oann.com/obama-begins-sales-pitch-on-trade-to-wary-u-s-public/>
Obama begins sales pitch on trade to wary U.S. public



 <http://www.oann.com/obama-begins-sales-pitch-on-trade-to-wary-u-s-public/>
http://www.oann.com/obama-begins-sales-pitch-on-trade-to-wary-u-s-public/

 

By Roberta Rampton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday began a broad
sales pitch to the U.S. public about the merits of free trade deals, an area
in which he faces stiff resistance from many in his own Democratic party.
Obama has said he wants to work with Congressional Republicans to finalize
the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, an agreement that would
stretch from Japan to Chile, covering 40 percent of the world economy.
"I'm the first to admit that past trade deals haven't always lived up to the
hype," Obama said in his weekly address. "But that doesn't mean we should
close ourselves off from new opportunities."
The first step in working with other nations to finalize the TPP deal is to
pass "fast track" legislation to streamline the passage of trade deals
through Congress.
Polling data from the Pew Research Center shows Americans from both parties
are skeptical about trade. Only one in five Americans think trade creates
jobs, and only 17 percent believe trade leads to higher wages.
Congressional Republicans have been supportive of trade deals. Senator Orrin
Hatch, the Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has said he
hopes to introduce a "fast track" bill in February.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that Obama needed
to "continue what must be a sustained effort to move his own party forward"
on working on trade legislation.
Labor and environmental groups allied with Democrats have been pushing hard
against the idea. Even among the Obama-friendly crowd at the Democratic
National Committee on Thursday, several people wore "Stop Fast Track"
stickers.

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