[TheRealThing]

It will seem to some that I am defending Trump with this post. And, I suppose to some degree that is true. That does not dissuade however, my observation of media bias and the failure on the part of Rand Paul to visualize the possible outcome as seen by Trump with regard to the TPP. Here is what I saw on debate night.

Trump was lambasting China for manipulating currency and abusing the US in the process. So far so good, China is definitely guilty. Also suggesting that the TPP would let China come in the back door on trade and continue it's pursuit of world dominance to that end, Trump is very clear on his opposition to the TPP.

Rand Paul at this point, gets in what is reportedly his best zinger against Trump in reminding him that China is not part of the TPP. To which Gerard Baker, FBN debate moderator, Editor-in-Chief of Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal, responded in kind.

BAKER'S RESPONSE TO RAND PAUL:
"But isn't that -- isn't that part of the problem? When I say, Senator, that if -- if this deal is not ratified by -- by the U.S. -- by the Senate, then it would actually give China an opportunity to grow its economic leadership, which it's been seeking to do? And if the U.S. is unable to take part in this trade deal with these countries in Asia, China will take the lead?"

It seemed to me that Mr Baker's comment on what Trump had just said, offered at least some degree of cover. And frankly, no one can say Trump's view is definitely incorrect going in. Trump, and Baker to a lesser extent, are arging here that China will achieve it's aims probably easier, since they are not willing to participate. Everybody else will play fair, and they (China) will take their normal tack in continuing to not play fair. To me, it is a tremendous financial roll of the dice to think that China will be compelled at some point to "dock", into the TPP agreement at a later date.

NAFTA has been a disaster since it's inception, and the TPP merely seeks to expand it to include 12 more nations, with China declining to participate. Dr. Margaret Flowers ---"And where there are about 26 chapters (of the TPP), what we know is what has been leaked. Out of those 26 chapters, only about five of them have to do with traditional trade. So what we see in this agreement is that it's not really about trade; it's about creating a backdoor for corporations (and Mr Trump would argue China) to get some of the changes that they want. So deregulation of the financial industry, longer patent protections for the pharmaceutical industries, internet privacy restrictions, you know, these are the things that these corporations have wanted to get but they haven't been able to so far, and this is a vehicle for doing that." ---END QUOTE

All in all, I find the whole deal disingenuous at best. IMHO, Paul didn't score the slam-the-door-on-Trump moment that has been reported at all. Did not Trump say China would have opportunity, thanks to this trade deal, to achieve their aims by going in the back door? And again, Mr Baker's credentials are impressive by any standard and in his remarks, it is clear that he saw through to the end game here and was agreeing to some degree with Mr Trump.