TPP/TPA could be the biggest issue separating Rand from the rest

[jaymur]

Cruz and Rubio have to please their big money donors. They have to support the trade bill even if they haven't read it.

[Brett85]

Rand hasn't said that he'll oppose the TPP. He just opposed the TPA.

[Brian4Liberty]

Rand hasn't said that he'll oppose the TPP. He just opposed the TPA.

But he is one of the few that actually went into the secret room and read it, and said that he couldn't find any references to tariffs and that is was mostly intentionally confusing legalese.

[Galileo Galilei]

Walker is also firmly backing TPP.

[FreedomProsperityPeace]

Rand should be playing up his opposition today, but I haven't heard a peep. Not even support for Amash, Massie, and Labrador, who voted against. Rand should be grabbing up that conservative base support with both fists, as well as score some points with Dems who oppose it.

[Brett85]

Rand should be playing up his opposition today, but I haven't heard a peep. Not even support for Amash, Massie, and Labrador, who voted against. Rand should be grabbing up that conservative base support with both fists, as well as score some points with Dems who oppose it.

Because he probably doesn't want to be seen as crusading against free trade when free trade is a libertarian principle. The anti free trade sentiment that I've seen among libertarians lately is very disturbing. There may be valid reasons to oppose the TPP, but more and more I hear rhetoric from libertarians which makes it sound like they even oppose actual free trade, not simply managed trade like the TPP. I see that as being a problem. I think the liberty movement should be in favor of military non intervention but shouldn't take the view that we should just hide from the rest of the world and want nothing to do with it. The "isolationist" label that the media labels us with is starting to look more and more accurate to me, unfortunately.

[dannno]

Rand hasn't said that he'll oppose the TPP. He just opposed the TPA.

I think most here would support a trade deal that made the markets more free - just remember who is writing these trade deals and why.

[axiomata]

The people writing these deals give free trade a bad name.

[Inkblots]

Rand has an enormous opportunity here not only to expand his support among the base, but to do it in a way that ties seamlessly in with his strengths. He needs to hammer home that he is the only candidate who opposes secret laws (‘The treaty will be declassified once it’s agreed to’), secret courts, and unchecked government police power.

A free Republic cannot survive such practices. Many voters sense this in an intuitive way, often not in a rational or systematic way, but on a gut level – some fear and loathe TPA being used to foist TPP/TISA/TTIP on us while the treaty texts are kept secret, some fear secret courts and secret warrants, some hate civil asset forfeiture and mass domestic surveillance. But Rand can weave them into a seamless electoral garment by appealing to that gut feeling of revulsion.

"I am the only candidate to oppose these things," Rand can say, and these voters will be drawn to him, even if they disagree with him on many other issues. Bad policies can be reversed, but once the Republic is gone, it’s gone for good.

[Vanguard101]

No it will not. His foreign policy will forever separate him from the rest.

[cindy25]

the base is against it. the only supporters are Wall Street and the establishment. he could ride this issue to the nomination.

[Brett85]

I think most here would support a trade deal that made the markets more free - just remember who is writing these trade deals and why.

I'm undecided on the TPP, just as Rand is. But I'm just saying that the theme of some of these posts in Rand's forum that he opposes the TPP isn't correct. He's said that he wants to see what's in it before he will decide whether he'll vote for it or not.

[FreedomProsperityPeace]

Because he probably doesn't want to be seen as crusading against free trade when free trade is a libertarian principle. The anti free trade sentiment that I've seen among libertarians lately is very disturbing. There may be valid reasons to oppose the TPP, but more and more I hear rhetoric from libertarians which makes it sound like they even oppose actual free trade, not simply managed trade like the TPP. I see that as being a problem. I think the liberty movement should be in favor of military non intervention but shouldn't take the view that we should just hide from the rest of the world and want nothing to do with it. The "isolationist" label that the media labels us with is starting to look more and more accurate to me, unfortunately.Oh, nonsense. You don't need a new law to have free trade, you need to start repealing old ones. This is just more deceptively-named garbage to try and slip a bunch of bad stuff by us. "Rand stood up against the Patriot Act! He must not be a patriot!" Give me a break. :rolleyes:

...and another thing! Who is he going to be "seen" by as crusading against free trade? Conservatives and Democrats alike hate this bill. How can he lose by opposing it?

[dannno]

I'm undecided on the TPP, just as Rand is. But I'm just saying that the theme of some of these posts in Rand's forum that he opposes the TPP isn't correct. He's said that he wants to see what's in it before he will decide whether he'll vote for it or not.

Yes and that is a good strategy - he is showing openness to going on board with a good trade deal that will free up the markets, but then can later battle specifics of the bill and still seem to earnestly want a good trade deal to pass instead of just seeming like a contrarian to anything the government does.

[helenpaul]

He needs to oppose it

[cindy25]

others will oppose it, Santorum, possibly Huck and even Kasich. it's not a free trade bill, it's a corporate welfare bill

[Brett85]

others will oppose it, Santorum, possibly Huck and even Kasich. it's not a free trade bill, it's a corporate welfare bill

The corporate welfare comes from the fact that the Import-Export bank still exists. Rand and other Republicans have fought to put an end to that.