Obama Finally Figured Out Where Congress Is, But It Was too Late to Save his Trade Bill

Belatedly realizing that he was facing defeat in what he considered a trophy trade bill, President Barack Obama went to Capitol Hill in person this morning to plead for his own Democratic Party's support. But, Democrats ignored him, leaving in tatters the prospects for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the biggest free trade deal in history. In a dramatic vote, Obama's own Democrats, as well as Republicans, failed to produce enough support to approve a bill that would have given aid to workers who lose their jobs as a result of US trade deals with other countries. The measure was soundly rejected in a 302-126 vote. Its chances for adoption now look grim, unless Republicans can quickly revive the set of bills and save Obama's biggest second-term legislative priority. The House decisively rejected the first in a series of trade bills today, with Democrats voting against a program that would have helped workers displaced because of the free trade bills. Because of House procedural rules, the defeat meant the vote on the so-called "fast track" bill that followed was only symbolic. ~~~~~ Obama’s unscheduled lobbying visit to Congress was his first in two years and put his reputation on the line in a very personal way. He met privately with the entire House Democratic caucus, making what one pro-trade Democratic representative called a “powerful presentation.” Less favorable members pushed back, and Obama left the meeting unsure whether his party would support him : “I don’t think you ever nail anything down around here. It’s always moving.” House Democrats, unhappy at being asked to take a series of “yes” votes on issues they usually don't support, decided against supporting their President. They voted overwhelmingly against a measure needed to pass the overall package. ~~~~~ Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the defeat was that it took Obama's White House so long to realize what everyone else had known for a long time -- it was not going to be easy to get the free trade bills through Congress. After the defeat, White House spokesman Josh Earnest described the defeat as a tactical loss, noting that the Senate last month rejected the package before voting to adopt it. “It’s déjà vu all over again,” Earnest said. “To the surprise of very few, another procedural snafu has emerged. These kinds of entanglements are endemic to the House of Representatives.’’ Earnest normally would have blamed a "dysfunctional" GOP House caucus -- but today he had to indirectly admit that it was the Democrat caucus that abandoned their own President. Earnest said he was optimistic that the House would find a way to pass the bills. ~~~~~ However, the New York Times disagrees with the White House, saying it is unlikely that Obama will get his legacy-defining trade accord covering America's Pacific partners : "In a remarkable rejection of a President they have resolutely backed, House Democrats voted to kill assistance to workers displaced by global trade, a program their party created and has stood by for four decades. By doing so, they brought down legislation granting the President trade promotion authority -- the power to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended or filibustered by Congress -- before it could even come to a final vote." ~~~~~ The Democratic congressional leadership also seems to disagree with the White House. Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, said : “We want a better deal for America’s workers.” Pelosi has guided President Obama’s agenda for two terms and was personally lobbied by Obama until the last minute, to no avail. ~~~~~ Republican leaders tried to find enough support from their own party for trade adjustment assistance, a program they derided in the past as an ineffective waste of money and a sop to organized labor. Not enough Republicans were willing to save the program. So, Republican leaders then passed a stand-alone trade promotion bill, 219 to 211. But, that measure cannot go to the President for his signature because the Senate bill combined both trade adjustment and trade promotion. Republican leaders now have the difficult task of finding in two legislative days, beginning Monday night, enough votes to save the trade adjustment legislation. Representative Kevin McCarthy, the GOP majority leader, said : “We are not done with this.” Republicans now hope that House Democrats will panic at the prospect of trade promotion authority passing the Senate alone, without worker assistance. But the large number of lawmakers who would have to change their votes makes passage a second time unlikely. ~~~~~ Dear readers, today's vote was an extraordinary blow to President Obama. His lameduck status is now confirmed. But, his loss today is the result of his hands-off indifference to his Democratic congressional delegations and to the Republican congressional leadership. It started with his election in 2008 and has continued until today. A President who has long kept Congress at arm’s length paid the price in today's trade defeat. Representative Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, put it in clear terms. Cuellar said today that Obama mustered rousing applause this morning as he went through the battles he had fought with fellow Democrats -- on labor organizing, health care access and environmental protection. But Cuellar said Obama could not change minds, : “I wish there had been much better outreach.”