Mike Huckabee Calls TPP 'Obamatrade'

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., came out swinging at the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on Friday. Huckabee is currently making a second bid for the Republican presidential nomination. After his 2008 bid, Huckabee moved to the Florida Panhandle. 

"Obamatrade is a secret deal that most members of Congress who support it admit they haven't been to the secret room to read the secret deal,” Huckabee said on Friday. “Well, here's something that's no secret: Since 2000, America has lost 5 million manufacturing jobs and seen 60,000 manufacturing plants closed.  Since 1990, our trade deficit has mushroomed to nearly $11 trillion.  Giving more power to a president who has abused his power with unlawful and overreaching executive orders makes as much sense as giving car keys and a bottle of whiskey to an alcoholic who doesn't know how to drive.”

Despite his opposition to the TPP, Huckabee defended free trade. 

"Free trade is a great thing, but if we fail to enforce the current trade deals, what makes Americans think we'll enforce this one,” Huckabee noted.  “Haven't we made the workers of other countries rich enough?  Shouldn't we be focusing on good jobs for American families?  This might be a great deal for the donor class on Wall Street and the political class in Washington, but I think someone needs to be fighting for the working class because they're getting punched in the gut with these deals."

Huckabee noted that WikiLeaks disclosed details of the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) earlier in the week. 

"Why do some Republicans in Washington think we can trust President Obama?” Huckabee demanded. “Leaked documents from the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) revealed that President Obama could outsource vast chunks and control of our economy, especially the Internet, to foreign diplomats and regulators. This information should be a loud wake-up call for Republicans in Congress who think we can trust President Obama with a new TPP trade deal."