Obama Pitches Trans-Pacific Partnership To American People
Hi, everybody. This week, after five years of effort with eleven other nations, we reached agreement on a new trade deal that promotes American values and protects American workers. There’s a reason this Trans-Pacific Partnership took five years to negotiate. I wanted to get the best possible deal for American workers. And that is what we’ve done. Here’s why it matters. Ninety-five percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders -- 95 percent. They want to buy American products. They want our cars; our music; our food. And if American businesses can sell more of their products in those markets, they can expand and support good jobs here at home. So it’s no wonder that exports played a huge role in helping America recover from the Great Recession. In fact, last year, we set a new record for American exports for the fifth year in a row, selling more than $2 trillion in goods and services. Our exports support roughly 12 million American jobs -- and they’re jobs that typically pay better than other jobs. But here’s the thing: Outdated trade rules put our workers at a disadvantage. And TPP will change that. Right now, other countries can cut their costs by setting lower standards to pay lower wages. This trade agreement, TPP, will change that, holding partner countries to higher standards and raising wages across a region that makes up nearly 40 percent of the global economy. Right now, other countries charge foreign taxes on goods that are made in America. Japan, for example, puts a 38 percent tax on American beef before it even reaches the market. Malaysia puts a 30 percent tax on American auto parts. Vietnam puts taxes as high as 70 percent on every car American automakers sell there. Those taxes and other trade barriers put our workers at a disadvantage. It makes it more expensive to make goods here and sell them over there. Well, TPP is going to change that. It eliminates more than 18,000 of these taxes on American goods and services. And that way, we're boosting America’s farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and small business owners -- make it easier for them to sell their products abroad. That’s what it means to level the playing field for American workers and businesses. And when the playing field is level, and the rules are fair, Americans can out-compete anybody in the world. Now, I’m the first person who will say that past trade agreements haven’t always lived up to their promise. Sometimes they’ve been tilted too much in the direction of other countries and we haven't gotten a fair deal. And that makes folks suspicious of any new trade initiatives. But let’s be clear. Our future depends not on what past trade deals did wrong, but on doing new trade deals right. And that's what the TPP does. It includes the strongest labor standards in history, from requiring fair hours to prohibiting child labor and forced labor. It includes the strongest environmental standards in history. All these things level the playing field for us, because if they have to follow these rules, then they can't undercut us and sell their products cheaper because they’re violating these rules. And unlike past trade agreements, these standards are actually enforceable. Without this agreement, competitors that don’t share our values, like China, will write the rules of the global economy. They’ll keep selling into our markets and try to lure companies over there; meanwhile they’re going to keep their markets closed to us. That’s what’s been going on for the last 20 years. That's what’s contributed so much to outsourcing. That's what has made it easier for them to compete against us. And it needs to change. With this Trans-Pacific Partnership, we are writing the rules for the global economy. America is leading in the 21st century. Our workers will be the ones who get ahead. Our businesses will get a fair deal. And those who oppose passing this new trade deal are really just accepting a status quo that everyone knows puts us at a disadvantage. Look, you don’t have to take my word for it. In the coming weeks and months, you’ll be able to read every word of this agreement online well before I sign it. You’ll be able to see for yourself how this agreement is better than past trade deals -- and how it’s better for America’s working families. You can learn more at WhiteHouse.gov. And I look forward to working with both parties in Congress to approve this deal -- and grow our economy for decades to come. Thanks, everybody. And have a great weekend.
Comments
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How would you enforce higher wages in 3rd world countries??? Bullshit
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what a fucking liar
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Wait let me get this strait america fucks all these other countries in the ass like fuck your taxes and your success MURCA BITCH FUCK YOU!
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Damn bro. Goes to show you that any politician, and I do mean ANY politician is not above selling out.
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im sorry and regret voting this lying piece of shit in 08 and 2012 ......he's so full of shit these trade deals has destroyed American good manufacturing jobs and more google it or look it up!
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This TPP deal is just one more attempt by this bastard to bring down America.
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time for the obama-cans of 2008 to vote for hillary again! weeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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One word , ISDS smfh
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Trump, Bernie and Hillary ALL 3 OPPOSE the TPP - Transpacific trade partnership. That tells you for sure that it's bad news and proves that B.0. is not on the side of America- yet again. READ IT HERE: http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/the-thing-sanders-trump-and-clinton-agree-on-its-that-bad-20160323
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That thing about every country having to follow our rules is bull shit. He sounds like a fascist pig
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FU OBAMA YOU WANT TO DESTROY US MORE SO. GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND ADMIT YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE AND LET THIS SLIDE. GO TO HELL YOU FRAUD.
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HOOOLY Shit...President Obama, either you are being incredibly mislead by your advisers or you are committing a level of fraud that is that is unprecedented.
what ever it may be you are not a true "representative" of the people. It's time to end neoliberal politics. #BernItDown #BernieOrBust #JillStein2016 -
The WSJ: Speaking to a group of supporters, President Barack Obama said that the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership deal was "nothing like the North American Free Trade Agreement that many Democrats bitterly opposed in the 1990s." EXCUSE ME?! NAFTA was signed under Bill Clinton (DEMOCRAT) second term - correct me if I am wrong), and Senator Joe Lieberman was the first DEMOCRAT on a plane to sign NAFTA into legislation!! So what is Barry talking about? Same BS politics for now for TPP. Whenever OUR politicians are trying to make deals ... KNOW this: You are getting screwed.
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The Cabaña Boy of his corporate masters. The only thing that's transparent in this guy's administration is how eager he is to fuck over Cuba so his masters can pulverize and alienate another source of disgustingly cheap labor. He--and the last four presidents--is a product of the plutocratic New World Order megalomaniacs who host Council on Foreign Relations meetings, wherein they discuss ways to destroy borders, freedom, and human spirit. Despite how you might feel about any particular politician or world leader, very few of them got where they are without the concurrence of key movers and shakers (David Rockefeller, for one) of the Council of Foreign Relations.
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TPP is a disaster!
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"It makes it easier for our small farmers to sell their products abroad" Sorry but small farmers do not sell their products abroad, you were thinking of Monsanto and Co.
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If your sick of the bullshit games our government has been playing become a proud Bernie Sanders voter. I've never before been 100% confident in a candidate or their intentions. Bernie is the real deal. And if you aren't in the social media loop you probably know little about him. Because all of the media companies will do everything they can to discredit him and retain their power.
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What a fucking liar!!!
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Fuck you
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