Merkel: EU-US trade deal ‘cannot be concluded now’

[webfact]

Merkel: EU-US trade deal ‘cannot be concluded now’

Robert Hackwill

 

 

BERLIN: -- US President Barack Obama had wide-ranging talks with Germany’s Angela Merkel on Thursday as part of his valedictory European tour.

 

In two months he will be gone, but he was fulsome in his praise for the woman he called his “steadiest and most reliable ally.”

 

As for his successor, in answers to journalists’ questions afterwards Obama had this to say:

 

“I don’t expect that the president-elect will follow exactly our blueprint or our approach, but my hope is that he does not simply take a realpolitik approach and says that, ‘If we just cut some deals with Russia, even if it hurts people, or even if it violates international norms, or even if it leaves smaller countries vulnerable, or creates long-term problems in regions like Syria’ that we just do whatever’s convenient at the time.’”

 

Angela Merkel focused on another key issue, international trade, and the TTIP deal Trump says is bad for US businesses.

“The EU and the US are the two largest trading regions and I have always been very committed to the conclusion of a trade agreement with the USA. We have done well, the negotiations cannot be finished now, but we will stick to what we have achieved. I`m sure we`ll come back to it someday.”

 

Obama also participated in round-table talks with the German government where Syria and refugees were discussed, among other things. He meets the other major European leaders collectively on Friday

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-11-18

[daveAustin]

Oh dear, how sad, never mind. 

[Usernames]

This is the picture of the globalist elite. The people who don't give a damn what their own fellow citizens want. The people who have interests only with and among themselves.  A would-be aristocracy that sees the rest of the population of the planet as their serfs, peasants useful only as cannon fodder in their pointless wars.  Well, the peasants have arrived--with pitchforks and burning torches in hand.  Time to blow up Mrs. Frankenstein's castle.

[craigt3365]

18 minutes ago, Usernames said:

This is the picture of the globalist elite. The people who don't give a damn what their own fellow citizens want. The people who have interests only with and among themselves.  A would-be aristocracy that sees the rest of the population of the planet as their serfs, peasants useful only as cannon fodder in their pointless wars.  Well, the peasants have arrived--with pitchforks and burning torches in hand.  Time to blow up Mrs. Frankenstein's castle.

Increased trade helps societies grow.  It's a good thing.  Maybe not perfect, but better than putting up walls and avoiding trade all together.  Like it or not, we are a global civilization.

https://www.moneyinstructor.com/doc/internationaltrade.asp

 

 

[Usernames]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Increased trade helps societies grow.  It's a good thing.  Maybe not perfect, but better than putting up walls and avoiding trade all together.  Like it or not, we are a global civilization.

https://www.moneyinstructor.com/doc/internationaltrade.asp

 

 

 

It for sure has helped the US trade deficit grow.

Quote

The U.S.trade deficit rose more than expected in August as a rise in imports offset higher exports. The Commerce Department said on Wednesday the trade gap widened 3 percent to $40.73 billion.[/quote] http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/05/us-international-trade-deficit-aug-2016.html

Edited November 18, 2016 by Usernames

[craigt3365]

11 minutes ago, Usernames said:

 

It for sure has helped the US trade deficit grow.

It will be interesting to see if Trump stands up to his election promises of getting tough with China.  From your link:

Quote

Imports from China increased 9.5 percent, while the politically sensitive U.S.-China trade deficit widened 11.6 percent to $33.85 billion in August.

 

[Retiredandhappyhere]

How much of global businesses' growth in profits finds its way into the pockets of ordinary relatively poor people who work for them? 

The giant corporations are getting bigger and bigger, often by means of takeovers, and the smaller businesses fall by the wayside.  This is all done for "economy of scale" and the introduction of robots is to "maximise profits" but at the end of the day, who are the real beneficiaries of all the additional profits?  Very seldom is it the ordinary worker trying to support his family.  The wealth of most countries is gradually being transferred to an elite set of people, many of whom can count their wealth in billions.

 

It was partly this feeling that ordinary working people were being left behind and largely ignored that produced the astonishing result for Donald J Trump in the USA Presidential election.  

[tifino]

 

Obama, the 555 'non-globalist', has gotten into her head

 

 - stirring up the ashes in the bottom of his burnt pot.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Angela Merkel's attempts at building a United States of Europe are gradually falling apart.  How sad that her "steadiest and most reliable ally" in Obama is now a goner and his replacement will probably not regard her in the same light.   In any event Angela will probably be a goner after next year's elections in Germany and her French puppet, Hollande, will in all liklihood not be around either to comfort her.  Her dream is beginning to fade into obscurity along with her.

[Saradoc1972]

If Obama so likes that old witch, can he please - pretty please with sugar on top- take her with him, doesn't matter where?

Because they are going to put her up in the next German general elections 9/2017 because there is nobody else there, and she is going to make it because otherwise it's going to be red-greens-leftists and/or the drunk from the EU-Parliament for chancellor, and frankly, there will be nothing left by 2021 if that comes true.

[Mosha]

How much of global businesses' growth in profits finds its way into the pockets of ordinary relatively poor people who work for them? 
The giant corporations are getting bigger and bigger, often by means of takeovers, and the smaller businesses fall by the wayside.  This is all done for "economy of scale" and the introduction of robots is to "maximise profits" but at the end of the day, who are the real beneficiaries of all the additional profits?  Very seldom is it the ordinary worker trying to support his family.  The wealth of most countries is gradually being transferred to an elite set of people, many of whom can count their wealth in billions.
 
It was partly this feeling that ordinary working people were being left behind and largely ignored that produced the astonishing result for Donald J Trump in the USA Presidential election.  

Hardtalk on BBC and Stephen Sackur talking to an Obama advisor. Every time Sackur tried to bring up the blue collar working class, Obama's mate immediately went back to talking about the middle class. That's why Brexit happened, and Trump won. They left the working class behind, and they don't care that they did.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[craigt3365]

8 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

How much of global businesses' growth in profits finds its way into the pockets of ordinary relatively poor people who work for them? 

The giant corporations are getting bigger and bigger, often by means of takeovers, and the smaller businesses fall by the wayside.  This is all done for "economy of scale" and the introduction of robots is to "maximise profits" but at the end of the day, who are the real beneficiaries of all the additional profits?  Very seldom is it the ordinary worker trying to support his family.  The wealth of most countries is gradually being transferred to an elite set of people, many of whom can count their wealth in billions.

 

It was partly this feeling that ordinary working people were being left behind and largely ignored that produced the astonishing result for Donald J Trump in the USA Presidential election.  

A lot more than many think.  I was in the country of Georgia not long ago.  A guy who owned a small vineyard was just expanding into China.  He was super happy and all profits are his.  Also super risky.  There are a myriad of transportation issues.  There are plenty of cases like this.

 

Worth a read:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/strauss/2004-05-17-globalization_x.htm

Quote

 

In a fragmented world, globalization creates bonds. In a world where too many people yearn for freedom, globalization offers hope. In a world where totalitarianism is all too present, globalization fosters democracy. And in a world where small businesses face increasing competition, globalization creates markets and opportunities.

Free trade and globalization often get a bad rap because there is a belief that they allow huge multinational corporations to act without concern for human rights or democratic values. But the fact is, free trade helps small business far more than anyone else.

 

 

[Stargeezr]

Ha Ha Ha    I am laughing at all of these Elite  world leaders  like Merkel and the rest.  It sounds like  they  are

real  trying  to be ready for tough times  with Donald Trump    Good!

Geezer

[Grubster]

On November 18, 2016 at 9:56 AM, craigt3365 said:

Increased trade helps societies grow.  It's a good thing.  Maybe not perfect, but better than putting up walls and avoiding trade all together.  Like it or not, we are a global civilization.

https://www.moneyinstructor.com/doc/internationaltrade.asp

 

 

Yes the increased trade helps third world countries economies, but it is killing the developed countries economies, unless of course you feel that big Business is the economy in developed countries, leaving the common folks out of the equation.

                   Western economies were built by producing for themselves and trading for things they could not produce, not by outsourcing  labor. Why shouldn't the rest of the world work the same way? I do not like supporting the Rich from the west exploiting slave wages, none existent safety and non existent environmental laws of third world countries do you? That said there is absolutely no chance of stopping big business now as they rule the world at this point.

            Big business is bringing the standard of living down in the west much faster than it is raising the standard of living in the east and they will never be happy with their share of the pie. The CEOs of these companies can only be judged on bottom line performance. They can only increase the bottom line by increasing production and reducing expenditures.  They will have to keep wages, safety expenses and environmental expenses down in order to keep that bottom line moving up. Sad really sad.

          I don't see a cure short of a massive revolt by the people some day.