General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFTAs aren't trade agreements. They're vehicles to deregulate international investment
in other words, they're huge corporate giveaways. And that's not much of a simplification. FTAs free corporations from government regulations. They enable corporations to override laws and regulations to protect "expected profits".
The 20th round of talks will take place in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 20 to 23.
What we do know about the TTP from leaked documents on Public Citizen is truly frightening. If the public knew what 600 corporate representatives were negotiating behind closed doors, there would surely be such a global outburst of protest, it would make the ground shake.
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As The Guardian explains, The TPP is an effort to use the holy grail of free trade to impose conditions and override domestic laws in a way that would be almost impossible if the proposed measures had to go through the normal legislative process. The expectation is that by lining up powerful corporate interests, the governments will be able to ram this new free trade pact through legislatures on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
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http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15565614-obamas-free-trade-deal-creates-poverty-pollution-and-attacks-freedom
http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/lwp/nafta.pdf
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
Mnemosyne
(21,363 posts)truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)The righties are always ranting about the UN and the loss of sovereignty and the New World Order blah blah blah....but somehow they don't seem to have a problem with this.
It should be enough to know that all this bargaining is going on IN SECRET. Which means by definition that it couldn't be done in daylight.
pampango
(24,692 posts)I think "fast track" will not pass in the House due partially to their influence.
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)because the ones I've spoken to don't have a clue or a care. It's good for business and job creators after all.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)are constantly on this--in fact, that their coopting and bastardization of lefty analysis and rhetoric seriously muddles the issue and lets the Dems' right wing get away with much more conservative plotting than they would have otherwise, since they can paint opposition to them as the LW critics casting in their lot with with the RW militia types (Alex Jones and Pat Buchanan HATE the global bankster elites, too!)
annabanana
(52,791 posts)Designed to steal as much from as many as humanly possible.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)Thanks for your work on this issue.