Congress Admits Jobs will be Lost in Trade Deals

Obama promised the TPP trade agreement would create 650,000 new jobs, not destroy jobs. Big lie. The Washington Post gives this claim "Four Pinocchios" and says it will create ZERO jobs.

Yesterday Congress just voted to pass "fast track" (TPA) to pass more trade deals (TPP, TTIP and TiSA) — but WITHOUT assistance for re-training displaced workers (TAA) who lose jobs because of these trade deals — but Congress did pass "fast track" WITH a promise to pass a TAA bill in another trade deal for Africa. But if it's as Obama and corporate Democrats claim, and no jobs will be lost in these trade deals, then why would we need to pass a bill for TAA for displaced workers?

Below is a comment from "Dr. Jon" about assistance for retraining workers who lose their jobs due to bad trade deals (from a previous post I wrote on TPP):

I don't get it. Why would anyone represent that this bill would be acceptable if it contained funds to retrain displaced US workers?

I am a displaced worker, BTW. I lost my job to several engineers in China, who collectively are paid about as much as I was, and who collectively do not appear to me to be able to get as much done. I'm doing alright, because I saw it coming, but I am still not happy about the situation.

Saying it is better if it has funds to retrain displaced workers is like saying it is OK to import polio, as long as the importer will pay part of the cost of wheel chairs and iron lungs. It's like saying it is OK to kill American workers, as long as you agree to pay part of the cost of their funeral plots. How is that OK?

The things we built, created, invented is being given to people who don't have a clue as to what they are, or how they work, is offensive.

My son, who has more mechanical aptitude that anyone I have ever seen, (and I have seen a lot) will not enjoy the privilege of following me in a technical career, because our technology is being given to people who could never have developed it, don't understand it, and can barely maintain it.

This is not a zenophobic rant. I have worked for years alongside of organizations in Asia which were developed specifically with the idea of eliminating my job. I know these people personally. They are not bad guys, and on a personal level, I like some of them. But I was, to some extent, responsible for their technical development. I have seen their work product over a period of many years. I have reviewed their work. This is a large organization; I am not talking about a few individuals. My observation is that they do not compare at all well with Americans with similar paper qualifications.

There are aspects of American culture and world view which account for American exceptionalism. It isn't an accident.

Right now, there is some money to be made for technical people who are in the business of disemboweling US industry and sending it overseas. But once everything is packed up and shipped off, it is going to get really unpleasant.

So, is this like good cop—bad cop, where the good cop says, "I'll make sure there are bandages for you after the bad cop beats you up?"

The idea that people will sell you out, but who will also want to make sure that before they do, they'll give you 5 cents worth of compassion in exchange for every dollar they take (because they are your "friends") is repulsive. (And by the way, that 5 cents actually comes from you). We might be better off with open hostility rather than feigned affection. The republicans want to rob you and don't care if you know. The democrats (on the other hand) want to rob you, but also want to make sure you know they are your "friends". Do I have that right?

I just don't get it. Requiring funds to retrain displaced workers is an open admission that this bill will injure US workers. No question. It will displace people. Who? People in higher paying and productive jobs. Who will it benefit? Wal-Mart shoppers.

I can understand the appeal of fast track to politicians. After all, it means they don't have to pretend to defend the interests of their constituents.

But why isn't everyone up in arms about the idea that it is "OK" to destroy the lives of American workers, as long as you promise to train them to do something they don't want to do — and that pays less? Why isn't the mere suggestion of this offensive? I don't get it.

* Here is the complete list of all Democrats in the House and Senate of Congress who voted to give Obama FAST TRACK to offshore more jobs in bad trade deals.