Protesting didn’t work. But not voting did!
The Obama Administration has acknowledged that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is dead. The trade deal was the centerpiece of President Obama’s “pivot to Asia,” intended to strengthen ties with key Asian allies at a time when China is exerting more economic and military influence in the region. In a rare instance of bipartisanship, however, the deal has become increasingly unpopular among democrats and republicans alike.
Labor leaders, along with constituents of both parties,
would not be ratified by Congress. Enthusiasm about the TPP was in short supply throughout the entire campaign season:
The deal never had much of a following among congressional Democrats to begin with. Only 28 of 188 House Democrats and 13 of 44 Senate Democrats supported granting Obama the authority to negotiate and finalize a deal last year. And Trump’s rise has decimated support for free trade among Republicans.
[…] Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday there was no chance that the deal would pass during Obama’s final months in office.
After that, it will be up to Trump, whose anti-trade stance is one of his few clear policy positions.