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PROGRESSIVES PUSH BACK

President Obama claims the Tran-Pacific Partnership is the “most progressive trade deal in history.” It’s not.

The majority of Democratic members of Congress and a nearly unanimous cross section of progressive organizations oppose the TPP and fast-track authority. When the White House touted supposed support from environmental organizations, the groups disavowed the endorsement.

“Trust me” won’t cut it. We remember the promises made during the NAFTA debate. They were broken.

Obama claims it’s unfair to hold him accountable for previous administrations. But it was this White House that re-negotiated the Korea Free Trade Agreement. What happened? Our trade deficit with South Korea increased by 84%, and that deficit cost our economy 85,000 jobs.

Progressive opposition to TPP is based on a long history of watching jobs disappear. No amount of pressure from the White House will change that.

Ari Rabin-Havt

“The Agenda” host

U.S. DROWNING IN THE RED

Our fiscal situation is no secret, but consultants in both parties are advising their presidential candidates to steer clear of it.

Republican Mike Huckabee rules out any changes to Social Security; Sen. Bernie Sanders, IVt., proposes expanding it. Both proposals are detached from reality.

The next president will see public debt grow from $14.4 trillion in 2017 to $21.2 trillion in 2025 unless changes are made. According to the Tax Policy Center, we couldn’t fix the debt by raising taxes on those making over $250,000 a year even if their tax rate was 100%. There is also not enough waste to cut to make our entitlements sustainable. Our problems require both tax reform to generate revenue and spending reform.

We must prepare voters for this in a presidential campaign that offers serious policy proposals. Don’t accept anything less from the candidates.

Judd Gregg

Former senator, R-N.H.

Ed Rendell

Former governor, D-Pa.