The left’s unremitting hostility to the deal – often on the grounds that the US Congress was kept in the dark about its content during negotiations – carried two dangers. A worthwhile effort could have been blocked, or President Barack Obama’s Democratic administration could have been compelled to be more generous to American corporations, in order to pick up needed votes from Republicans.
围绕TPP的诸多问题被定性为左右之争，至少在美国政治界是如此。左派对该协议抱有坚定不移的敌意——其理由常常是美国国会在谈判期间一直对内容一无所知——这带曾经来了两大危险。一项值得为此付出的努力可能被阻挠，或总统奥巴马的民主党政府可能被迫对美国公司采取更慷慨的态度，这样才能从共和党手中争夺必需的选票。事实上，那些关心劳工权利和环境的人可能搬起石头砸自己的脚。既然他们表现出在任何条件下都不会支持TPP，那么奥巴马也就没什么动力追求他们的所求。