Dave Johnson

by Gaius PubliusRecently, in writing about the newly-opened TPP issue — yes, it's about to be finalized, initialed and voted on — I said that three of the four major candidates had known positions. Trump and Sanders are strongly opposed (or so Trump says), and Biden is reportedly in favor. Clinton, the last candidate to declare her position, is going to be forced to make her views known soon, since she has tied her delay to the fact that the final text is unavailable.

by Gaius PubliusOne more sign that Bernie Sanders is ready and willing to take up the "Warren mantle" as a presidential candidate. If Warren were a candidate, she'd be taking Obama apart over TPP and the Nike visit, the way she's taken him to task as a senator.

How the Tea Party sees Fast Track (source)by Gaius PubliusIn covering the TPP battle between President Obama and the CEO class on the one side, and most of the rest of the country on the other, I've noted that the Tea Party right is as opposed as the "professional" left. (My own TPP coverage is collected here.)Now comes more evidence of that.

Fox Business host Melissa Francis yesterday: "Without question, Elizabeth Warren is the devil"Last week we looked at the growing opposition within the Democratic Party to the corporate trade policies-- particularly the Trans Pacific Partnership-- Obama is teaming up with McConnell and Boehner to ram through the Republican-controlled Congress next year.

by Gaius PubliusTwo of the most interesting lame duck battles are shaping up in the Senate. The first is the nomination of Antonio Weiss for an under-secretary job at Treasury. His nomination is strongly opposed by Elizabeth Warren and others.

Predators on the right sense an opportunity. Reactionary sociopath and Tea Party icon Ben Carson is calling the V.A. disaster a gift from God.