Paul Krugman is a progressive economist, but he does have a history of being a "free trader." Don't believe me? He'll tell you the same thing:
I am in general a free trader, but I’ll be undismayed and even a bit relieved if the T.P.P. just fades away
NY Times, Paul Krugman: "No Big Deal"
As the quote shows, notwithstanding his free trading tendencies, Krugman opposes this deal.
Krugman thinks that proponents and opponents overstate the importance of the TPP because there already is extensive trading without barriers between many of the nations in the TPP negotiations. So what's TPP about?
What the T.P.P. would do, however, is increase the ability of certain corporations to assert control over intellectual property. Again, think drug patents and movie rights.
NY Times, Paul Krugman: "No Big Deal"
And he thinks that it's not a deal in this nation's interest:
Is this a good thing from a global point of view? Doubtful. The kind of property rights we’re talking about here can alternatively be described as legal monopolies. True, temporary monopolies are, in fact, how we reward new ideas; but arguing that we need even more monopolization is very dubious — and has nothing at all to do with classical arguments for free trade.
Now, the corporations benefiting from enhanced control over intellectual property would often be American. But this doesn’t mean that the T.P.P. is in our national interest. What’s good for Big Pharma is by no means always good for America.
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So don’t cry for T.P.P. If the big trade deal comes to nothing, as seems likely, it will be, well, no big deal.
NY Times, Paul Krugman: "No Big Deal"
Add his voice to Reid, Pelosi and many other Democrats. It's time for the TPP to just fade away.