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Rep. Tim Ryan was worked up, telling reporters thatthe Trump administrations promise to start renegotiating NAFTA was too flimsy to trust.

Our workers unbolted the machines from the factory floor and put them in a box to ship them to China! said Ryan (D-Ohio) at a midday news conference with fellow Rust Belt Democrats. Weve got to get off the dime here! Im ready to be part of fixing this problem, but we need a little more seriousness from the executive branch.

But despite booking a studio underneath the Capitol, Ryan and the rest of his trade-skeptical Democrats had attracted almost no media interest. A podium for TV cameras was empty; a couple of staffers, with iPhones trained on Facebook Live, were recording the remarks for posterity.

Trade, the issue that Trump used to cleave reliably Democratic voters away from Hillary Clinton last year, could be a weakness for his administration. A president who told Midwestern voters that he would start tearing up the single worst trade deal in the history of economics had taken until Thursdayto start doing so.

Even then, the White Houses first move as required by the treaty was to start a 90-day clock, a period for Congress to consult the administration. According to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, whose landslide confirmation vote attracted most Rust Belt Democrats, the goal was to build on what has worked in NAFTA but change and improve what has not, hardly the sledgehammer approach suggested during the campaign.

In that campaign, Democrats gritted their teeth as Trump rounded on Clinton for backing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and even for NAFTA, signed by her husband. Butthe partys leadership and potential 2020 leaders have no such trade baggage, which allowed them to spend Thursday predicting a Republican sellout.

Simply saying youre going to renegotiate NAFTA doesnt get us where we need to go, said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who represents the city of Flint.

So far all weve seen are tepid talking points, said Rep. Marc Pocan (D-Wis.).

Trumps objective is to change as little as possible while saying he changed as much as possible, snarked Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.). He will seek something visual that he can go visit.

Comments such as those reflected not just the long-term preferences of the Democratic Party but months of hand-wringing about how Trump absconded with one of the partys issues and how Clinton lost blue-collar white voters. But as the Trump administration announced its new NAFTA position, Democrats were gasping for airtime. Democrats in swing states often responded like Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who said the announcement is a welcome step before asking for real details. Democrats in safer seats quickly predicted a sellout.

Instead of being clear that Mexico will be required to change their laws and bring their practices into compliance with internationally recognized labor standards, they have stated that these are sensitive issues, said Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich.). There will be no change in NAFTA, and there will be no stemming the loss of the U.S. jobs, unless this issue of labor costs is fully addressed. It must be front and center in any renegotiation.

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Democrats predict a Trump sellout on NAFTA - Washington Post

Common Dreams

For Democrats, Resistance Trumps Ideas Common Dreams Democratic Party luminaries and 2020 presidential mentionables gathered this week for an ideas conference organized by the Center for American Progress, the Democratic establishment's premier think tank. Its stated purpose was to focus not on what ... At D.C. conference, Democrats look towards 2020, but can't get past TrumpPBS NewsHour all 3 news articles »

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For Democrats, Resistance Trumps Ideas - Common Dreams

New York Times

Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump New York Times WASHINGTON When House Democratic leaders hastily called a news conference Wednesday to demonstrate their outrage at President Trump's latest dramatics, they took great pains to show they were not seeking to railroad him out of the White House. Democrats, GOP show little appetite for Trump impeachmentWashington Examiner Democratic leaders seek to stifle impeachment talkPolitico It's the Beginning of the End for Trump. Even Elected Democrats Can Feel It.Slate Magazine New York Daily News -McClatchy Washington Bureau -VICE News all 346 news articles »

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Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump - New York Times

RICHMOND Virginia Democrats Tom Perriello and Ralph Northam are battling in a very close contest for the partys gubernatorial primary, with divisions reemerging from last years Democratic presidential race, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll.

Democratic likely voters say Perriellos endorsements by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), icons of the national progressive movement, carry at least as much weight as Northams support from Gov. Terry McAuliffe and nearly all other Virginia Democrats in Congress and the state legislature.

With less than one month before the June 13 primary, 40 percent of likely Democratic voters support Perriello, while 38 percent support Northam, a difference that is well within the surveys range of sampling error. Perriello is a former congressman, and Northam is the states lieutenant governor.

More than 2 in 10 Democratic voters are undecided or have no current preference, a sign of fluidity leading into the final weeks before the June 13 primary, according to the poll co-sponsored by The Post and George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government.

I like both the guys, said Shantanu Sharma, 46, of Sterling. Im torn between the guy with the establishment backing versus the guy with Bernie Sanderss backing.

Among the broader group of Democratic-leaning registered voters, Perriello holds a slight edge over Northam, with 35 percent support to Northams 29 percent.

Northams supporters are more apt to fit the profile of likely voters, though a factor that could prove decisive given that fewer than 10 percent of voters have participated in nonpresidential primaries in the past decade.

Age is a clear dividing line in support, with Perriello, 42, leading Northam by 20 percentage points among Democratic-leaning registered voters ages 18 to 39, while Northam, 57, leads by 16 points among those ages 65 and older. The two run more evenly among voters in between.

As one of only two gubernatorial races nationwide this year (the other is in New Jersey, which is less competitive), Virginia has drawn national attention as a proving ground for how Democrats move forward after Hillary Clintons defeat in November.

Perriellos upstart candidacy has attracted national money and national media as he bashes President Trump at every opportunity, while Northam has patiently built support within the state and has campaigned on his ability to work with the Republican-controlled legislature.

[Shades of blue: Northam, Perriello may clash mostly on style]

Opposition to Trump clearly resonates with Virginia voters, only 36 percent of whom approve of his performance, according to the poll.

Bridget Hewlett, 48, of Richmond, said she has been distraught and disillusioned with politics after watching how Trumps administration is playing out.

I am not that type of Democrat who is hateful. I want him to succeed, she said. But he is getting on my nerves, and he is acting too childish. I want a governor who will come in and help the country calm down. I want the country to feel better again. I dont feel happy.

Hewlett said she is leaning toward Perriello but hasnt made up her mind.

Perriello leads by 18 points among Democratic-leaning registered voters who wanted Sanders to win the partys presidential nomination last year, while Clinton voters split 35 percent for Northam and 34 percent for Perriello.

Judging from last years outcome, a Sanders strategy would seem risky in Virginia. Clinton beat Sanders by nearly 30 percentage points in the states primary, though voters then were also split along generational lines. Exit polling showed Sanders won nearly 7 in 10 voters under age 30, while Clinton won clear majorities of older voters.

But the poll suggests that Perriellos Sanders-like approach is finding traction. A 57 percent majority of Democratic likely voters say the Sanders and Warren endorsements make them more inclined to back Perriello. Thats slightly higher than the 50 percent who say the support from McAuliffe and other Virginia Democratic officials makes them more likely to back Northam.

That might suggest a shift in the state party.

In the past, the Democratic Party of Virginia has always proudly bucked against the more progressive trends on the national party side, said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School. Theyve always had their success when they projected a more moderate image than the national party. I think things have flipped in some respects. Were seeing a much more progressive wing of the Democratic Party active in Virginia.

Lucas Atkins, a 19-year-old college student from Roanoke, said he was drawn to Perriello after reading about his plans to increase taxes on the wealthy to expand social programs and learning he had the endorsements of Sanders and Warren.

That means a lot to me personally because Bernie and Elizabeth Warren arent the average Democrat. They are not the same old centrist Democrat, said Atkins, who said the election of Trump should send a signal for Democrats to embrace the partys progressive wing. Id like to be optimistic and say some people might have learned the lesson that centrist establishment Democratic policies are not necessarily what the American people want.

Northam and Perriello agree on most major issues and are seen by voters to possess similar attributes. But Perriello has a slight edge in the perception that he could stand up to Trump (38 percent to 30 percent), while Northam has a similar edge in perception that he could work with state Republicans (38 percent to 31 percent). Still, those results are within the polls range of sampling error.

There are a couple of key regional differences. Perriello enjoys a massive advantage in the southwest part of the state, where 58 percent of Democratic-leaning registered voters say they support him compared with 20 percent for Northam. Perriello is from Charlottesville and represented the rural 5th District during his single term in Congress.

Northam, who represented Norfolk in the state Senate, holds a smaller edge in the Hampton Roads region, with 40 percent support compared with 28 percent for Perriello.

Between his career in the legislature and heavy TV advertising in Hampton Roads, Northam is a far more familiar figure in that part of the state. I havent had much knowledge of Mr. Perriello, no advertisements, nothing that would make me kind of think maybe I would prefer him, said Sandra Wilson, 58, of Norfolk, who said she supports Northam.

The two are running virtually even in Northern Virginia, with 28percent favoring Perriello and 26 percent for Northam. But more than one-third of those voters remain undecided, making the vote-rich area a major opportunity in the final weeks before the primary.

One part of the national story line that doesnt hold up: Perriello has been claiming the progressive mantle, but registered voters who identify as very liberal are about equally split between the two.

Similarly, Northam has been portrayed as the more conservative of the two, but Perriello has a statistically insignificant lead among moderate and conservative Democrats, 35 percent to 27percent.

The two are vying to take on one of the three Republicans running for that partys nomination in the primary. Those candidates are former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie, state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach) and Prince William County supervisor Corey Stewart. The poll found Gillespie with a commanding lead in that primary battle.

[Post-Schar poll finds Ed Gillespie with big lead for GOP nomination]

The Post-Schar School poll was conducted May 9 to 14 among a random sample of 1,602 Virginia adults reached on cellular and landline phones. The margin of sampling error for individual percentage results is plus or minus 4.5points among the sample of 654 Democratic-leaning registered voters and six points among the sample of 351 likely primary voters. The range of sampling error for the difference between candidates support is 10 points among likely voters.

Emily Guskin, Fenit Nirappil and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.

Continued here:
Race between Democrats running for Virginia governor is neck-and-neck - Washington Post

Rep. Frank Pallone is like many Democrats in the U.S. Congress: Hes itching for a fight over net neutrality.

To the New Jersey congressman, the Obama administration did its job when it acted in 2015 to stop internet providers from meddling with the way that consumers use the web. The telecom industry didnt like the rules, of course, but Pallone saw them as the only way to prevent AT&T, Charter, Comcast* and Verizon from blocking or slowing down online content.

So when the Trump administration begins its work Thursday to kill the open-internet protections currently on the governments books, Pallone and his allies intend to return fire. Theyre already pledging to embark on a take-no-prisoners political crusade one that also threatens to make the internets most intractable debate even louder and harder to solve.

Nobody believes the Republicans [who] are saying they want strong net neutrality, [or] theyre going to come up with a better way, said Pallone, the top Democrat on the House committee overseeing the FCC, during an interview with Recode. Im not interested in this nonsense.

Itll be a campaign issue if they repeal it, he added. Our focus now is to say to the FCC, please dont do this.

In many ways, net neutrality is the internets longest war: So far, it has spanned two decades, four presidents, scores of court challenges and multiple, wonky rulemaking proceedings at the nations telecom regulator, the FCC. It has pitted the countrys cable and broadband giants, which abhor regulation, against the likes of Facebook, Google, Netflix, Twitter and a host of startups that firmly believe net neutrality rules are critical to their existence.

This time, the agencys new Republican chairman, Ajit Pai, seeks to undo the work of his Democratic predecessor. In 2015, the Obama-era FCC subjected broadband providers to the same sort of utility-like regulations that long have applied to old-school telephone giants. The telecom industry vehemently opposed that approach, as did Pai, who then served as a commissioner. Now that he holds the reins to the FCC, hes scheduled a vote to begin debating a repeal of the rules on Thursday.

Of course, the legal wrangling wont end after Pai prevails, and he likely will. Another court challenge appears to await the FCC, for one thing, this time potentially coming from tech companies or consumer advocates who want the existing net neutrality rules to stay put. Thats why Congress is so critical: It could put an end to the bickering. Instead, Democratic and Republican lawmakers arent writing some new law theyre doubling down for a long fight.

Huddling with reporters in the basement of the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz put it plainly: I just dont think [Republicans] understand the ferocity of the resistance that theyre about to encounter.

When the FCC last considered net neutrality, roughly four million comments flooded the agency, many of which urged it to rein in the countrys cable and broadband giants. This time around, lawmakers like Schatz, D-Hawaii, want to supercharge the grassroots outcry. The hope: They can generate an even louder, more aggressive groundswell of opposition, and in the process, imperil Republicans so politically that they have to compromise.

Part of our approach right now is to educate the public about the need to weigh in, Schatz explained. Asked about a more peaceful solution in Congress to the fight, he added: I think the aperture for legislating in this moment is vanishingly narrow.

One of his allies in the House of Representatives, Rep. Anna Eshoo, said she felt similarly. With legislation, she told Recode, it doesnt look like the ingredients are there now.

Eshoo pointed to the tweets, Facebook posts and other social media backlash that greeted Republicans when they rolled back another effort by the Obama-era FCC: A set of rules that would have required internet providers to seek customers permission before selling their web-browsing history to advertisers. In the aftermath of their efforts to repeal online-privacy protections, Eshoo said the political winds have shifted. People have had it with being rolled over by interests that are absolutely massive and gigantic, she explained.

In the minds of Republicans, though, its Democrats who now need to compromise at a time when their party is not in charge. I think part of it is their base: Their constituency has to be convinced the FCC is actually going to undo what was done by [Obamas FCC], said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the leader of a committee that oversees the agency, in an interview with Recode.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn, another opponent of the FCCs rules, similarly chided Democrats. I think that on issues, on several different fronts, the Democrats are trying to say that they are not going to work with Republicans, the Tennessee lawmaker said.

I think as we move forward, theyre going to hear from their constituents just like I have from my constituents, Blackburn added. She said the internet was not broken when the FCC sought to introduce its net neutrality rules in 2015. And Blackburn pointed to a number of folks who have come to her and said they do not want a ban on paid prioritization. Thats the idea that internet providers could charge Netflix, Hulu or other web companies for faster delivery of their content online fast lanes, in the words of Democrats, who want clear rules outlawing the practice.

Lacking much negotiating power in Republican-led Washington, though, Democrats are doubling down. Schatz and his colleagues even took to the Senate floor on Wednesday, mounting their latest public stand for net neutrality. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., for one, slammed Pai for his short-sighted and in this case unworkable approach to net neutrality. Fellow Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said the Obama administrations rules were common sense.

In the House, Pallone insists that Democrats early efforts to rile voters and convince them to weigh in on one of Washingtons wonkiest debates has resonated. During a meeting last week with about 50 local Democratic activists in Middletown, New Jersey, the congressman said net neutrality was the biggest issue they were concerned about.

Asked whether Congress could come together and fix the problem once and for all, however, Pallone repeatedly demurred. Instead, he said: I think the Republicans dont understand how strongly people feel about this issue.

* Comcast, through its NBCU arm, is an investor in Vox Media, which owns this website.

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Democrats are readying an all-out war to stop the FCC from killing net neutrality rules - Recode