TPP signed; Sen. Portman would oppose passage through Congress

The TPP, or the Trans-Pacific Partnership, was signed yesterday in Auckland, New Zealand amid protests with demonstrators numbering in the thousands.

The agreement, which has been called “the dirtiest trade deal you’ve never heard of,” is also the largest international trade deal ever struck, including at least 12 countries from four continents, including the U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

In spite of its signing, the deal still has to be passed through Congress, and Republican Ohio Senator Rob Portman announced today his opposition to the treaty.

He said in a statement that it does not provide a “level playing field” for American workers.

This comes from a man who was the top U.S. trade representative under George Bush, and has voiced his support for international trade in the past.

Don’t expect the TPP to be discussed in Congress any time until after the presidential election, especially given Barack Obama’s opposition to the deal.

Those who are opposed to the deal say that it gives corporations too much power, clamps down on internet freedoms and makes it easier to outsource jobs to developing countries, while those who are for the deal say it would be a boon to business.

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