Why Hillary Clinton should ditch the Trans-Pacific Partnership

It's a minor deal — with major side effects

Hillary Clinton speaks with President Obama in 2010.
(Image credit: (Illustrated | Image courtesy Miguel Villagran/Getty Images))

Over the last few days, frenzied backdoor negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership — a pending trade deal between the U.S. and 11 other countries — have burst into the open.

President Obama is attempting to get "fast track" authority, which would allow him to present the deal to Congress for an up-or-down vote — with no chance to make changes. Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized the fast-track idea, then Obama criticized Warren, then Warren hit back. Now two potential presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, have come out against fast-track, clearly angling for advantage against Hillary Clinton, previously a strong supporter as secretary of state.

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Ryan Cooper

Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.