October 8, 2015

"Hillary Clinton: I Totally Oppose The Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement I Negotiated In 2012..."

"... even though 'In her 2014 memoir, Hillary Clinton listed the negotiation of TPP as one of her key accomplishments as Sec. of State.'  As Twitchy asks, 'Did TPP flip-flopper Hillary even READ her book before sending it to GOP candidates?'"

I have the book in my Kindle, so let me do a search:
So we worked hard to improve and ratify trade agreements with Colombia and Panama and encouraged Canada and the group of countries that became known as the Pacific Alliance— Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile— all open-market democracies driving toward a more prosperous future to join negotiations with Asian nations on TPP, the trans-Pacific trade agreement....

As President Obama explained, the goal of the TPP negotiations is to establish “a high standard, enforceable, meaningful trade agreement” that “is going to be incredibly powerful for American companies who, up until this point, have often been locked out of those markets.” It was also important for American workers, who would benefit from competing on a more level playing field.

And it was a strategic initiative that would strengthen the position of the United States in Asia. Our country has learned the hard way over the past several decades that globalization and the expansion of international trade brings costs as well as benefits. On the 2008 campaign trail, both then-Senator Obama and I had promised to pursue smarter, fairer trade agreements. Because TPP negotiations are still ongoing, it makes sense to reserve judgment until we can evaluate the final proposed agreement.

It’s safe to say that the TPP won’t be perfect— no deal negotiated among a dozen countries ever will be— but its higher standards, if implemented and enforced, should benefit American businesses and workers....
It "won’t be perfect," but perhaps the imperfections mounted after her involvement ended. I see a loophole she might be able to exploit.

50 comments:

Bay Area Guy said...

The woman is shameless and devoid of principles - other than the will to power.

traditionalguy said...

I never had sex with that Treaty.

MadisonMan said...

I was for it before I was against it!

Where have I heard that before?

Tank said...

It depends on what the meanings of "for" and "against" are.

Roger Sweeny said...

I am presently reading Pat Buchanan's The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose From Defeat ... and couldn't help thinking of:

It was early '68 and Alan [Greenspan] had written a speech for Nixon on farm policy that had fallen into the hands of Senators Karl Mundt of South Dakota ... and Milt Young of North Dakota. And all hell had broken loose on the prairies. ... Mundt was calling Greenspan's speech "Bensonism at its worst," a reference to Ezra Taft Benson, Ike's agriculture secretary, who was not beloved in the farm belt, as he had believed that farm subsidies and price supports were socialistic. Nixon told me to fix it. I wrote a new speech calling for the preservation and extension of existing farm programs, and on a trip to DC took the text to Mundt's office. The speech said exactly what Mundt had wanted to hear ... Senator Mundt smiled, said it was beautiful, and that I was a fine young man. As Nixon had said, "We have to talk in terms of principle," but "we may have to do what is pragmatic." (p. 118)

YoungHegelian said...

So, HRC's running against her husband's record from the 90's. She's just added running against parts of Obama's record that she helped craft. Does this woman think she's running on the Democratic Party's new Year Zero Platform? Clearly so.

As Insty points out, this is just going to alienate a good chunk of Obama's supporters (including the moneymen) now that she's stabbed him in the back, and for who? The socialist left of the Democratic Party, who see her as a tool of Wall Street? Riiiiight. Sander's supporters will never willingly support her.

Richard Dolan said...

"I see a loophole she might be able to exploit."

Yes, Hillary! is all about finding loopholes to exploit.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hillary lies.

I tuned into "Democracy Now!" the other evening and the left are totally against TPP.

It was amazing how they wouldn't even mention Obama's name. They also made endless excuses for Hillary. They were certain they could pressure her to change her mind.

Brando said...

I really wonder about that 10% of Americans who still consider her honest and trustworthy.

And on the "pragmatic" front, what a stupid strategy Hillary is using here--disowning her husband's centrist legacy and the bulk of Obama's record, even where she was directly responsible for that record! Who on earth would think that the swampies who are in Sanders' corner right now would fall for this and get in line behind Hillary? The only smart move for her would have been to stay close to the middle, claim that she's being "principled" and wait out the primaries--Sanders was not about to win over the center-left of the party, and Hillary would be well positioned to make a play for the moderates in the general (probably helped by whatever boneheaded thing the GOP does next year). Trying to be an ersatz Liz Warren will only alienate moderates and leave leftists wondering what she would actually do in power.

AllenS said...

Not a problem. She can swing back in the other direction, and quote herself from the book. The same people will still vote for her.

SteveR said...

Its not that she does this-flip flopping, lying, etc.- its whether enough people will care. There are people who despise HRC but would vote for her in a second over any republican. We already know much of the MSM will support her campaign.

damikesc said...

So, she's a terrible negotiator. Got it.

She is running on a record that she is actively reputing as being bad. Solid plan.

Alexander said...

Only lawyers, politicians, and professors would look at the state of the world today, note the growing anger, and think...

'Aha! A linguistic loophole, that's what's going to save us!'

I bet you there were French aristocrats who saw the mob coming and came up with the bright idea of pointing out to the peasants, that "Technically..."

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

How can she be on both sides at the same time so everyone will like her?

Anonymous said...

Blogger AllenS said...
Not a problem. She can swing back in the other direction, and quote herself from the book. The same people will still vote for her.

10/8/15, 12:06 PM
----------------------------

Thread winner.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

45 times.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, perhaps Hillary can show us which features of the TPP were negotiated during her term as Secretary of State (and therefore she presumably approves of them), which were negotiated between 2012 and 2014 that she approves of, and which were negotiated between when the final galleys of her novel were submitted and today, and presumably she doesn't much like.

Otherwise she's just trying to have it both ways, no matter what sort of loophole you and she may find.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, that's she's ever read it.

Sebastian said...

"I see a loophole she might be able to exploit"

You are so sweet and trusting sometimes, always assuming other people might be inclined to act in good faith, seeking good reasons for good actions.

As if she needs a "loophole." As if she needs a reason of any substance to oppose something that might hurt her election chances. As if anything more than the lust for power matters to the Clintons.

This woman will do anything that damn well suits her. Matt Yglesias has just told us that is exactly the way the Left likes it. From a Prog standpoint, she's right and he's right.

William said...

That brief excerpt was truly stultifying. It's amazing that she was able to inflict such boredom in such few words. Does anyone know anyone who has read her entire book--save for those poor souls who do oppo research. Writing about trade agreements is inherently boring, but she takes it to a whole new level of torpor.

Drago said...

This is precisely the sort of courageous political stance one would expect of a politician who braved machine gun fire in Bosnia.

Larry J said...

AllenS said...
Not a problem. She can swing back in the other direction, and quote herself from the book. The same people will still vote for her.


"We have always been at war with East Asia!"

To believe otherwise is double plus ungood and thoughtcrime.

Drago said...

I'll bet Sydney Blumenthal is happy he included that key caveat in Hillary's book!

Qwinn said...

So the only way Hillary can be held to account for this Mother Of All Flip Flops is if she originally claimed the TPP was, in fact, absolutely and utterly perfect in substance, in style and in execution?

Man. Must be nice to be a Democrat. Just having once admitted to being human qualifies as a loophole.

traditionalguy said...

The famous line by Vladimir Lenin was to always analyze who does what to whom to decide which side you should be on.

Bernie lets you know he is on the side of American job holders, as does Trump and Liz Warren.

But Clinton Inc. is always on the side of the biggest donors on Wall Street they can service. Those guys only want more Pacific Rim cheap labor jobs while American workers wither away and die.

So HilLIERy adjusts with a straddle position according to the which LIE is needed at the moment. No wonder all she touches has to be kept a total secret forever. The Internet memory has made the Clinton Scams old fashioned.

Sammy Finkelman said...

Hillary Clinton inserted that loophole into the book really in case there was no agreement. I don't think she anticipated opposing it.

Wince said...

Citizen: Well, Mr. President, it’s the bees and spiders again! They stole my food stamps, and sold ’em to the rats. And I tried to get down to my car, for to honk the horn for help, but the snakes has gotten it for the cockroaches. I go back upstairs, but the spiders has jammed the police lock! I ain’t been inside for a week, and I know that my wife is sleepin’ with the bees!

President: Could you state that as a question, please?

Citizen: Well sure, Mr. President! Where can I get a job?!

President: Many busy executives ask me: What about the job displacement market in the city of the future? Well, count on us—”Jim!”—to be there! Because if we’re successful tomorrow—we won’t have to answer questions like yours, ever again.

Firesign Theater, "I Think We’re All Bozos on This Bus", 1971.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Looks like you're missing a "things not believed" tag--either for her repeated support in the past or for her vocal opposition now.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Why is this woman not in prison?

Big Mike said...

Question #1: How much of the TPP has she even read?

Question #2: Don't you think she looks tired?

Michael K said...

She cannot be parodied.

Dan Hossley said...

Hillary is so, what's the word?...authentic.

rcocean said...

Yeah, she'll oppose it till the primary is over. The Democrat establishment is just like the Republican establishment - they are both bought and paid for by wall street. The Repubs will say "Just build the Dang fence" during the primaries then go back to supporting open borders. The Democrats always oppose trade deals which screw over American workers - during the primaries - then go back to supporting them after Election day.

sinz52 said...

"perhaps the imperfections mounted after her involvement ended. I see a loophole she might be able to exploit. "

That sounds like the contortions Romney went through to defend Romneycare while attacking Obamacare, even though Jonathan Gruber said publicly that the latter had been inspired by the former. (As can be seen by comparing the two systems)

Goju said...

Hilary downs't need loopholes. She will just lie. Again.

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

Why is Hillary Clinton not in jail?

BN said...

Hillar...iously.

That is all.

ndspinelli said...

Mark this post as Exhibit #84 to show why all you rubes should have known when Mrs. Althouse does her horribly predictable, "Why I'm voting for Hillary" post. It will be in about a year from now.

Drago said...

SomeoneHasToSayIt: "Why is Hillary Clinton not in jail?"

Fen's Law, as much as anything else.

Phil 314 said...

She's feeling the Been.

n.n said...

Why is Hillary Clinton not in jail?

Leverage.

Jon Burack said...

"I see a loophole she might be able to exploit."

After all, Hillary is the one camel that was able to thread that eye of the needle. Why not this as well.

JAORE said...

Those that are paying attention at all (over the past 30 years) know Hillary is a liar of the highest degree. Sadly for a very large portion of the population it does not matter.

She doesn't need your "loophole" professor. But I'm sure she appreciates the effort.

Paul said...

So, Hillary is saying that every fuckup she has done is actually a reason to vote for her.


Does not matter if she was right or wrong, negligent or on the ball, it was a success.

Drago said...

Paul: "So, Hillary is saying that every fuckup she has done is actually a reason to vote for her."

Well, that's certainly what some of the young cutups at Vox are saying.

Phil 314 said...

"She's feeling the Been."

Yes, that should be "Bern"

She's not yet a (has) been.

Bob Boyd said...

Hillary 2016
Lady Parts and Loop Holes

MikeR said...

"That sounds like the contortions Romney went through to defend Romneycare while attacking Obamacare, even though Jonathan Gruber said publicly that the latter had been inspired by the former." Is that supposed to make sense? Romney was bound never to disagree with any bill that bears a resemblance to one that he supported? Because Gruber says so. Maybe there are important and even obvious differences, which he pointed out?
We are discussing here the _same treaty_ that Clinton helped craft, and boasted about her role in it.

mikee said...

Althouse is voting for Hillary, despite the obvious problems with her candidacy, her past history, her future plans, and her present odiousness. And then will be surprised after three, maybe two years, of Hillary's horrible reign that she voted for someone with so many obvious flaws.

retired said...

Has anyone seen Clinton and althouse together?