The Trans Pacific Partnership is no laughing matter. It's a fast track to lower wages, environmental disasters and the undermining of democracy. But, hell, I think maybe the president has a sense of humor on all this. Or, on a serious note, he's unintentionally showing how weak support is for TPP and the odious "fast track" legislation. Which is it?
You be the judge. Presumably, to show what great support there is for his trade agenda, the president and his minions rolled out--drum roll, please--a list of mayors who back TPP, fast track and his overall trade agenda.
Twenty. 20. TWENTY...
The White House mouthpiece for this good piece of news is Jerry Abramson, the White House' recent newly-minted Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, who was once mayor of Louisville. Jerry has some happy talk:
That’s why American mayors from all over the United States are actively voicing their support for this element of Middle Class Economics.
Really, Jerry: In a country, which,
according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has 1,401 mayors ruling over cities with more than 30,000 people, you could find TWENTY mayors to be listed publicly supporting this fantastic agenda? From fourteen states? Jerry, quick civics lesson: there are, in case you didn't check, 50 states, so you are stretching your rhetorical bandwidth here when you claim mayors "from all over the United States" are pimping for TPP/fast track.
Now, you just know that if there was a long list--and maybe there is (can we see it please?)--of the huge numbers of mayors backing this pile of TPP-fast track crap, it would be happily promoted. Kind of a shock and awe to blow away the opposition.
Crickets.
TWENTY. Really?
It made me laugh. And feel a tinge of sympathy for the president (sort of).