The Trans-Pacific Partnership is Dead

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, also called TPP, was one of the political machinations Donald Trump railed against in the primaries and in the general election. Now, we’re getting word that the TPP could be dead. According to New York Times Labor Reporter Noam Schieber.

News from a labor source: Chuck Schumer just told AFL-CIO exec council he talked w/McConnell & TPP is dead. Won’t be brought up in lame duck

— Noam Scheiber (@noamscheiber) November 10, 2016

Along with Mitch McConnell, we’ve also gotten reports that Paul Ryan has essentially said the same thing.

That news could be an early indication that the Republicans in Congress intend to work on implementing Donald Trump’s agenda (whatever that may end up being). TPP, which had bi-partisan backing originally, had become a hot-button issue with voters becoming increasingly suspicious of government deals. Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side spoke out against it from the beginning, with Hillary Clinton joining in the chorus later. On the Republican side, Trump was the loudest voice, although he was joined by another GOP populist candidate in Ted Cruz.

Scott Lincicome, a trade attorney and Cato Institute adjunct, has written prolifically on trade deals in the U.S. and has been a big backer of TPP. He tells RedState the decision to drop the deal is “unfortunate.”

“There is no indication from anyone on the Hill to consider passing the implementing legislation necessary to enact the TPP,” Lincicome said. “And Trump promised on day one he would withdraw.”

The president is the only person in government with the power to submit the legislation necessary. If he doesn’t withdraw on day one, he could let the legislation sit there with no action. However, it does not stop other nations involved from passing the deal, which would, according to Lincicome, give those nations access to markets that we wouldn’t have.

“Another thing he could do is renegotiate the deal,” Lincicome added. “My personal opinion? I give him about a fifty-fifty chance of doing that. He’s likes to put his name of big things.”

It’s unclear what Trump will ultimately do with the deal, but it does leave supporters of the TPP very concerned. Past presidents, like Barack Obama, took shots at NAFTA as candidates, but largely left them alone when they came in to office. Trump appears to be the first one willing to continue taking shots after he’s won the election.

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