And there goes the TPP...

[Galant]

"Trump executive order pulls out of TPP trade deal.

President Donald Trump has fulfilled a campaign pledge by signing an executive order to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)."

BBC Link

Not sure if this is exciting, refreshing, scary...or all of the above.

On the one hand, this trend in American Executive politics to press things forward with 'Executive Orders' isn't something I think I'm a fan of. Although, maybe it's not so much a recent trend as much as there's more coverage of it. I think people like it because it 'gets things done' outside of the often bogged-down in molasses congressional processes. Still, maybe there's a point to all that 'democracy' - albeit abused and bogged down.

I think a big part of Trump's attraction was that he would be a 'no-nonsense' President who would 'get things done'. This would go right along with that.

The big problem with this (whichever side you fall on), is that democracy continues on down a slow-path to death or decrepitude, where the 'D' word means nothing more than voting in general elections for a new monarch to enforce his will. Laziness wins again, I guess.

Maybe this is all doom and gloom, though. Maybe Trump will be responsible in his use of executive action and will only use it to reverse previous uses of the same power and will instead promote a return to an active democracy and energetic engagement of the citizens of the USA in political process where they relate to one another with mutual respect based on the values laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, with a deep sense of responsibility.

.....

Looks like I know what to pray for!

Whatever the case, the TPP is down and that has to frustrate Obama and the others who worked to drive it forward. So far this election and inauguration seems to be one of the most divisive ever. I hope it doesn't continue that way, but indications are, it will.

[flearider]

ahhh your saying there is democracy in the good old us of a .. wrong since the lobbing got above that and as always money talks .. then trump is playing the only cards he has .. the Executive Order

the usa has been bought and sold .. and trump knows this it's his kind of game so he's either going to a) unravel the money ..b) get shot in the process or c) make a lot more ..
in the world we live in you really can't run around using the d word because it's simply does not exist. it is in fact a figment of our imagination ..we see all the bells and whistles and there for hear them ..while infact we are being herded to the nearest slaughter house ..the only other person I can see that's stood up is Putin first the media loved him now because he stood his ground hes been labelled the nasty one ..

interesting times .. we live in

[Jonatron]

I was going to ask for someone to provide a "too long didn't read / explain like I'm five", but I found a BBC article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32498715

[Corky34]

It's classic Trump, he wants to make deals mano a mano as that way he can bully people into doing what he wants.