The TPP has been protested throughout the Democratic Convention. Last night, while President Obama was speaking TPP protesters held No TPP signs and when Obama said “There are pockets of America that never recovered from factory closures,” someone from the audience shouted “No more TPP!”
When Kaine began his vice presidential nomination speech protesters from several delegations shouted: “Hey hey, ho ho, TPP has got to go!”While he was speaking many in the California and other delegations delegations were holding up No TPP signs because he voted for fast track for trade and generally supports “free” trade even though he agreed to say he opposes the TPP in its present form when he joined the Democratic ticket.
When Elijah Cummings (D-MD) spoke a protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal broke out on the floor. Delegates, many of them wearing Bernie Sanders T-shirts, unfurled a large banner reading: “Economic Justice, Climate Justice, Trade Justice.” They began shouting “No TPP!” Cummings chaired the platform committee that rejected a plank opposing TPP and its consideration during a lame duck session.
One of the major boosters of the TPP, Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) of Wisconsin was challenged by protesters at a Wisconsin unity event who encircled him. “No TPP! No bringing up the rest of the world at the cost of Wisconsin union workers. I’ve got a daughter that’s 19 months old. If my paycheck has to go down, which it will, so this trade agreement can do what it’s supposed to do, that’s not going to help me with my daughter,” Andrew Walsh, a Sanders delegate from Appleton, Wisconsin said. In a “conversation” Kind said: This has been a great convention so far. We’ve got a lot at stake in the fall,” Kind said.
“No TPP!” a protester yelled.
“Here in the cradle of democracy in Philadelphia…” Kind said.
“No TPP!” a protester yelled.
“And we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Kind said.
“No TPP!” a protester yelled.