The left against free trade rather than the US

I’m a strong supporter of free trade agreements. Freer trade has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, and the empirical evidence that trade helps both exporting and importing countries is very strong.

Whether any individual trade deal should be supported comes down to the details of it. There are provisions being pushed by the US in the proposed TPP deal which I oppose. There are provisions being pushed by NZ which I strongly support. If there is an agreement, then we’ll be able to see whether the deal over all is a good one.

(Some of) The Left in NZ is very anti the TPP. They do nothing but highlight the worst aspects of the provisions being pushed by other countries, and never ever focus on the benefits. Their opposition is often seen as being traditional anti-US sentiment.  It is painted as the US bullying NZ to get a deal that sells out NZ interests to benefit the US

But the left in the US is just as opposed to free trade, as much of the left in NZ. Politico report:

The most important trade bill in a decade has pitted Harry Reid against President Barack Obama. Liberal Democrat Rosa DeLauro against moderate Democrat Ron Kind. Labor unions against pro-business Democrats. And Elizabeth Warren against virtually everyone who supports a landmark piece of legislation that would allow the president to close what could be the biggest free-trade deal in history. …

Most other Democrats in Congress, too, are skeptical of Obama’s free-trade agenda and are expected to vote against the trade promotion authority legislation, which will fast track trade deals through Congress by limiting amendments and subjecting the agreements to up-or-down votes.

So the NZ left think the TPP will be bad for NZ and the US left think it will be bad for the US. Why? Well basically because most (not all) of the left don’t think free trade is a good thing. They are protectionists.