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Barack Obama Brought Silicon Valley to Washington. Is That a Good Thing?
Keywords:
Jenna Wortham asks the question do tech companies have undue influence in Washington especially when they are pursuing their own ecosystem expansion, citing an example from Facebook app Free Basics. There is another question that comes with the election campaigns of Sanders, Trump and Clinton, and issues of upward mobility. With this issue raised also by Janet Yellen of the U.S. Federal Reserve of the loss of intergenerational mobility in the U.S. at a conference in Oct. 2014. This question is whether the tech world in California can be sensitive to the problems of cities depending on manufacturing in the midwest and the eastern U.S. that are recovering from deep recession, because the environments are so different. Working in the tech world in California is so different from the rest of the country, almost a different way of life. It also has deep political implications, because the priorities are different. Sometimes as with the TPP trade agreement they may conflict- this includes an industry such as the auto industry that also is incorporating technology at an accelerating pace and which has employed many times more people than does the tech industry in California, and in many states. This leads to president Obama's support for the TPP trade agreement, an agreement which analysis by some experts shows is more beneficial to the tech industry in California than to the auto industry in the midwestern states. The NYT's Krugman says overall for the U.S. it is marginally helpful as most of the gains in free trade are already behind us. See Lyrarc using search terms-Trans Pacific Trade Agreement, Trans Pacific Partnership. Yet it remains a mystery why president Obama has made it a part of his legacy, when Hillary Clinton realizing the issues in this election has clearly stated she will not support it. It has other implications as well, as it has given rise to demagogic rhetoric in this election, where other issues far more significant such as the condition of western democracy are at stake.
U.S. Congressional opposition to giving trade promotion authority to president Obama, and fast track for TPP, other free trade pacts
02/26/2015
Grouped Articles
Lawmakers Introduce ‘Fast Track’ Trade Bill, Triggering Democratic Discord
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
TPP: Momentum on Trade Deal Bolsters U.S., Japan Efforts to Counter China
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
Deal Reached on Fast-Track Authority for Obama on Trade Accord
New York Times 04/16/2015
Obama Tries Tough Sale of TPP Trade Deal to Fellow Democrats
Wall Street Journal 04/18/2015
Obama Promotes Benefits of Trade Deals to Workers and Smaller Businesses
New York Times 02/26/2015
Changes to TPP and fast track trade legislation by the Obama administration to accomodate critics
05/24/2015
Grouped Articles
Obama Presses Currency Compromise in Trade Pact
Wall Street Journal 05/24/2015
Senate Passes Fast-Track Trade Legislation
Wall Street Journal 05/24/2015
Pelosi Rejects Appeals, Hands Obama a Trade Defeat
Wall Street Journal 06/13/2015
House Rejects Trade Measure, Rebuffing Obama’s Dramatic Appeal
New York Times 06/12/2015
Senate Clears Trade Bill’s Way to Passage
Wall Street Journal 06/24/2015
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Works Globally to Fight Antismoking Measures
New York Times 06/30/2015
WSJ Gerald Seib's interview with U.S. president Obama in April 2015
04/27/2015
Seib's interview covered president Obama's effort to overcome skepticism in his party as he pushes for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP), China, the economy, Hillary Clinton, and the middle class.
Grouped Articles
Obama Presses Case for Asia Trade Deal, Warns Failure Would Benefit China
Wall Street Journal 04/27/2015
Trans-Pacific Partnership Puts Harvard Law School Rivals on Opposite Sides, Again
New York Times 04/27/2015
Obama’s Uphill Push for Free Trade
Wall Street Journal 04/30/2015
Pragmatic Alliance Between Obama and GOP Leaders Got Fast-Track Bill Through
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2015
Barack Obama Brought Silicon Valley to Washington. Is That a Good Thing?
The New York Times 10/25/2016
Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement- winners and losers
04/07/2011
A study by Prof. Petri of Brandeis University, shows economic output going up by 0.4% by 2025 or $77 billion for the U.S. as a result of the TPP agreement. Biologic drugs, with long term patent protection, software engineering services, high tech industry are the winners, losers are the Detroit auto industry facing higher imports, light manufacturing in textiles and paper, and some heavy manufacturing sectors. Douglas Irwin of Datmouth and other experts say it is not clear how much of the benefit will affect consumers and businesses in the U.S. Most of the tariff cut gains are already made and import duties as a percentage of total imports are down to 1.4% today. Experts say 4/5th of the benefits for the U.S. are not from tariff cuts but from new rules for trade in services, and new rules for investment and commerce. The agreement brings together Pacific area countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Agriculture is protected in Canada especially in Quebec, and in Japan, which means tough negotiations to open up this sector. Politically the TPP is a response by the U.S. and Japan to the Infrastructure Investment Bank set up by China with support from Europe and India.
Grouped Articles
Pacific Trade Deal Likely to Have Narrow Reach
Wall Street Journal 08/01/2015
Auto-Parts Dispute Taps the Brakes on Pacific Trade Deal
Wall Street Journal 09/04/2015
Why You May Soon See More Goods Labeled ‘Made in Vietnam’
Wall Street Journal 10/19/2015
Utah Senator, Crucial Ally for the Pacific Rim Trade Deal, Is Now Its Main Hurdle
New York Times 11/12/2015
McConnell warns that trade deal can’t pass Congress before 2016 elections - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/11/2015
Trans-Pacific Trade Pact Would Lift U.S. Incomes, but Not Jobs Overall, Study Says
New York Times 01/25/2016
Hillary Clinton's opposition to the TPP, Trans Pacific Trade Agreement
08/11/2016
In an address in Warren, Michigan, Clinton says she opposes the TPP now, and would oppose it as president.
Grouped Articles
Hillary Clinton Lays Out Economic Plan, While Criticizing Donald Trump’s
WSJ 08/11/2016
More Wealth, More Jobs, but Not for Everyone: What Fuels the Backlash on Trade
The New York Times 09/28/2016
Barack Obama Brought Silicon Valley to Washington. Is That a Good Thing?
The New York Times 10/25/2016
The U.S. sponsored Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
02/05/2011
Grouped Articles
'Three Amigos' Outline Trade Goals at Talks
Wall Street Journal 02/20/2014
In Mexico Meeting, a Show of Friendship With Few Results on Immigration and Trade
New York Times 02/19/2014
Lawmakers Introduce ‘Fast Track’ Trade Bill, Triggering Democratic Discord
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
TPP: Momentum on Trade Deal Bolsters U.S., Japan Efforts to Counter China
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
Wall Street Journal 04/17/2015
Obama Tries Tough Sale of TPP Trade Deal to Fellow Democrats
Wall Street Journal 04/18/2015
Issues raised in Letters to the Editor of the NYT and the WSJ on the Trans Pacific Partnership Trade Pact (TPP)
02/27/2014
The issues raised cover worker protections, and also include some that are not frequently mentioned. Including the right granted to large corporations in TPP to sue the U.S. and other governments on issues where the governments have acted in the public interest as it relates to the environment, health, safeguards related to poor industry practices. A letter to WSJ says president Obama is doing this to look like a centrist president for his legacy, and not for free trade. Separately Krugman points to the issue of intellectual property rights enforcement that has the potential of making it harder to provide access to modern medicine to people in developing countries, a serious pitfall. Response to criticism by the Obama administration has generally talked about the merits of free trade which are generally accepted, and not the specific provisions, or the context in which most of the gains in free trade have already been made in the seven decades to 2015 and the remaining gains are much smaller coming with some losses. The global economy now benefits more from investments in infrastructure both in developing and advanced economies, which is why China's Infrastructure Investment Bank has received such wide support, including EU countries and India. The Obama administration has failed to make the case for investment in infrastructure to the American public, at a time when large productivity gains can be made here following about 2 decades of neglect. A similiar situation exists in Germany, and is especially true of Latin American countries which have serious infrastructure problems that reduce economic growth.
Grouped Articles
In the Heat of the Pacific Trade Battle
New York Times 05/22/2015
New York Times 05/22/2015
New York Times 02/27/2014
No Obama Tears for TPA or the TPP
Wall Street Journal 05/22/2015
Obama Presses Currency Compromise in Trade Pact
Wall Street Journal 05/24/2015
Pelosi Rejects Appeals, Hands Obama a Trade Defeat
Wall Street Journal 06/13/2015
The Trans Pacific Trade Agreement and trade issues dominating midwestern primaries in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois- loss of manufacturing jobs and Hillary Clinton's response
03/09/2016
Hillary Clinton puts more focus on loss of manufacturing jobs and opposition to trade agreements that hurts American workers following her narrow loss to Sanders in the Michigan primary of March 2016. Three fifths of Democratic voters in the Michigan primary saw this as a major issue, especially younger less educated workers who see their job prospects diminish and wages drop. Hillary Clinton has opposed the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement, yet supported this trade policy as part of the Obama administration. She was attacked on this same issue of trade during the primaries against Obama in 2008, at that time for support of Bill Clinton's NAFTA agreement with Mexico.
Grouped Articles
After Michigan Loss, Hillary Clinton Sharpens Message on Jobs and Trade
New York Times 03/09/2016
Trade and Jobs Key to Victory for Bernie Sanders
New York Times 03/09/2016
In Ohio, John Boehner’s GOP Legacy Crumbles With the Rise of Donald Trump
Wall Street Journal 03/11/2016
Simmering for Decades, Anger About Trade Boils Over in ’16 Election
New York Times 03/29/2016
Why Trade Critics Are Getting Traction
Wall Street Journal 03/30/2016
Barack Obama Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
WSJ 06/10/2016
Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement- winners and losers
04/07/2011
A study by Prof. Petri of Brandeis University, shows economic output going up by 0.4% by 2025 or $77 billion for the U.S. as a result of the TPP agreement. Biologic drugs, with long term patent protection, software engineering services, high tech industry are the winners, losers are the Detroit auto industry facing higher imports, light manufacturing in textiles and paper, and some heavy manufacturing sectors. Douglas Irwin of Datmouth and other experts say it is not clear how much of the benefit will affect consumers and businesses in the U.S. Most of the tariff cut gains are already made and import duties as a percentage of total imports are down to 1.4% today. Experts say 4/5th of the benefits for the U.S. are not from tariff cuts but from new rules for trade in services, and new rules for investment and commerce. The agreement brings together Pacific area countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Agriculture is protected in Canada especially in Quebec, and in Japan, which means tough negotiations to open up this sector. Politically the TPP is a response by the U.S. and Japan to the Infrastructure Investment Bank set up by China with support from Europe and India.
Grouped Articles
Pacific Trade Deal Likely to Have Narrow Reach
Wall Street Journal 08/01/2015
Auto-Parts Dispute Taps the Brakes on Pacific Trade Deal
Wall Street Journal 09/04/2015
Why You May Soon See More Goods Labeled ‘Made in Vietnam’
Wall Street Journal 10/19/2015
Utah Senator, Crucial Ally for the Pacific Rim Trade Deal, Is Now Its Main Hurdle
New York Times 11/12/2015
McConnell warns that trade deal can’t pass Congress before 2016 elections - The Washington Post
Washington Post 12/11/2015
Trans-Pacific Trade Pact Would Lift U.S. Incomes, but Not Jobs Overall, Study Says
New York Times 01/25/2016
NAFTA, Trans Pacific Trade Agreement, and free trade- shifting sentiment of the working class in America against trade that leads to loss of manufacturing jobs
03/09/2016
The sentiment against loss of manufacturing jobs as a result of trade agreements and free trade is strongest in midwestern states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, which have seen the loss of manufacturing jobs hurt their economy. Especially hurt are younger less educated workers who see their job prospects diminish and wages drop. Bernie Sanders narrowly won the Michigan primary against Hillary Clinton by bringing up this issue in a barrage of ads.
Grouped Articles
After Michigan Loss, Hillary Clinton Sharpens Message on Jobs and Trade
New York Times 03/09/2016
Trade and Jobs Key to Victory for Bernie Sanders
New York Times 03/09/2016
Simmering for Decades, Anger About Trade Boils Over in ’16 Election
New York Times 03/29/2016
Why Trade Critics Are Getting Traction
Wall Street Journal 03/30/2016
Donald Trump Lays Out Protectionist Views in Trade Speech
WSJ 06/28/2016
Bernie Sanders: Democrats Need to Wake Up
The New York Times 06/28/2016
Krugman on free trade and the Trans Pacific Partnership Trade Pact (TPP)
02/27/2014
Grouped Articles
In the Heat of the Pacific Trade Battle
New York Times 05/22/2015
New York Times 05/22/2015
New York Times 02/27/2014
After Michigan Loss, Hillary Clinton Sharpens Message on Jobs and Trade
New York Times 03/09/2016
Free Trade Loses Political Favor
Wall Street Journal 03/10/2016
New York Times 03/11/2016
U.S. president Obama and the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement, TPP
10/25/2016
Grouped Articles
Barack Obama Brought Silicon Valley to Washington. Is That a Good Thing?
The New York Times 10/25/2016
The White House’s claim that 800,000 manufacturing jobs were added during Obama’s presidency
Washington Post 12/09/2016
Our union celebrates TPP's death. Nafta must be the next trade deal to fall | Richard Trumka
The Guardian 01/24/2017
Trump Abandons Trans-Pacific Partnership, Obama’s Signature Trade Deal
The New York Times 01/23/2017
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