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Obama Dealt Massive, Humiliating Defeat on Trade
President Obama was handed a horrific defeat Friday in Congress as his own Party deserted him to thwart trade legislation for which he had personally lobbied and which he viewed as a keystone of his second term legacy.
The vote, which was on a measure crucial to passage of the legislation, wasn’t even close, as the House rejected a trade adjustment assistance (TAA) package by 302-126. The final “fast track” bill cannot pass without the TAA package – which would help workers displaced by trade – because Obama cannot muster sufficient Democratic votes for fast track without it.
The president made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill Friday morning to implore Democrats to support the legislation. He reportedly asked them to “play it straight” on the TAA measure, which is exactly what they did not do.
Instead, Democrats opposed TAA for the purpose of using the vote to sink prospects for the underlying fast track bill.
A key moment came when House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi abandoned Obama and told the House she would vote against TAA.
“I will be voting to slow down fast-track,”she said. “Today we have an opportunity to slow down. Whatever the deal is with other countries, we want a better deal for American workers.”
Source: http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2015/06/12/obama-dealt-massive-humiliating-defeat-trade/
