Give a centrist a second and less scrutinized chance to weasel and you will not be disappointed...
On Tuesday of this week, the first attempt to invoke cloture regarding fast-track authority for Obamatrade (AKA the Trans Pacific Partnership), failed with only one Democrat, Senator Carper of Delaware, voting in favor. I called the offices of both Senator Bennet and Senator Gardner to register my opposition to the TPP and the notion of allowing fast-track authority.
Senator Bennet's office politely noted my opposition, yet gave no indication of what direction the Senator would take on this particular vote. Senator Gardner's office was a little more condescending, as the staffer tried to tell me that this vote wasn't actually a vote for the TPP (which I already knew of course, since it was a procedural vote to clear the way for a vote granting fast-track authority). Ahh well, I don't expect anything out of Senator Gardner's office anyway, he represents the wealthy and elite conservatives of Colorado and the flood of out-of-state money that got him elected, not the average resident of Colorado.
All was well and the vote to invoke cloture failed. On Tuesday.
Imagine my alarm yesterday when I heard that the cloture vote would be held yet again with disastrous results...
So it was deja vu all over again as I attempted to call the Senator' offices once more. The cheerful vapidity of Senator Gardner's office was once again on display, my concerns barely registering to the staff of a Senator that was going to vote against my interests anyway, but gee, thanks for the call.
Senator Bennet's office was a different story. It was no story. I couldn't get through. I was taken straight to voicemail. I repeated the process five or six more times. Straight to voicemail every time. The kicker was that voicemail was full (with the majority of messages being against TPP I'll wager) and I was unable to even leave a message.
So I wake up this morning and lo and behold, Senator Bennet is one of thirteen Democrats to switch their votes in favor of allowing a vote granting fast-track authority to be held. And it will pass because Republicans hold the majority.
Weaselly enough for you? Ugh. All I can say is that Congressman Polis is going to get an earful from me, because the reality is that I'm not confident he will stand strong against Obamatrade (TPP).
