Fuck this policy of the Obama administration: Admin defends investor-state provisions

[cali]

this is bad shit that completely favors corporations over the public welfare. totally. completely. absolutely. unconscionably. The blog post from the USTR is full of straight out lies. Corporations, under other FTAs have already done what they say will never happen.

President Obama couldn't have appointed more corporate fuckwads to the USTR. Froman, Siddiqui, etc. Horrible appointments. Lying creeps carrying water for Monsanto, etc.

They are despicable and the President chose them. I think that says quite a bit about his "trade" priorities.

Investor-state provisions in trade and investment agreements, which allow private companies to sue governments for policies taken that undermine the companies’ investment expectations, have come under recent scrutiny for their potential to undermine the public interest. Today, the United States Trade Representative published a blog post defending these provisions, while the European Union opened a public consultation on the provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US.



“There are a lot of myths out there suggesting that ISDS [investor-state dispute settlement] somehow limits our ability – or our partners’ ability – to regulate in the interest of financial stability, environmental protection, or public health. Some have even suggested that a company could sue a government just on the grounds that the company isn’t earning as much profit as it wants,” USTR said in its blog post. “These assertions are false.”

“The United States promotes provisions in our trade agreements that protect our right to regulate in the public interest while promoting higher standards in many partner countries in areas ranging from labor and environment to transparency to anti-corruption,” it said.

Over the last 50 years, nearly 3,200 trade and investment agreements among 180 countries have included investment provisions, and the vast majority of these agreements have included some form of ISDS, USTR said, adding that the US is party to 50 agreements with ISDS.

<snip>

http://www.ip-watch.org/2014/03/27/us-eu-defends-investor-state-provisions-eu-promotes-ttip-consultation/

[The Magistrate]

1. I Agree, Ma'am: The Treaty Proposes 'Corporate Sovereignity', And That Is An Abomination

I have said this before, and doubtless will say it again:

No investor has any right, repeat any right, to profit from an investment, and any claim he has is absolutely without foundation in law, custom, history, or even economic theory. Laws, regulations, possible changes in them, acts of governments and rulings of courts are simply some of the factors people must calculate and try and anticipate when investing, and if you gauge these wrongly you are supposed to lose your money! That is how the thing works, how it is supposed to work, how it always has worked.

"The trouble with our modern corporations is they have neither souls to be damned nor bodies to be kicked."

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I'm sure the pros will be along shortly

to beat some sense into you.

This country--and the world, for that matter--will either wake up & shift rapidly to the left, or it's all over. It's not one world government we have to fear, it's one-world corporations that control the various governments.

[cali]

5. yes they will. good luck to them. they don't use facts.

they just defend it because it's this admin.

fuck that stupidity to hell.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. You don't need facts

when you have enough self-referential blue links.

[ProSense]

11. "when you have enough self-referential blue links."

LOL! Seems kind of obsessive.

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Indeed.

[A Simple Game]

37. I don't know?

"when you have enough self-referential blue links."

LOL! Seems kind of accurate to me.

[mindwalker_i]

18. You forgot the rofl

No argument can be complete without a rofl.

[ProSense]

19. Here:

[mindwalker_i]

20. That's better

Now God is in his place, the stars are where they should be, and my faith in gravity had been restored.

[deurbano]

35. That made me actually "LOL"! (Thanks! The day has gotten off to a sucky start and I needed a laugh.)

[mindwalker_i]

43. My pleasure :)

[840high]

26. Amen - fuck

[Le Taz Hot]

10. Boy, isn't that the truth?

I've never seen it so bad around here. It is, literally, a "swarm." Man, primary season around her is just going to be all kinds of fun.

[KittyWampus]

15. Where's the swarm? Did you even read the article? Do you even really know what it's about?

Sorry, but it seems that posters such as yourself might be the problem.

And I doubt you did read the article or even bothered to try and understand the ACTUAL issues involved.

[ProSense]

16. That's what I'm wondering

What does the OP post mean?

It links to a piece quoting a USTR blog entry stating:

Over the last 50 years, nearly 3,200 trade and investment agreements among 180 countries have included investment provisions, and the vast majority of these agreements have included some form of ISDS, USTR said, adding that the US is party to 50 agreements with ISDS.

The blog post lists points in support of ISDS, including that they: give legal protection for US investors abroad; protect the right of governments to “regulate in the public interest”; do not interfere with the ability of federal, state or local governments to take actions; do not allow companies to sue based on lost profits; include safeguards against frivolous suits; ensure “fair, unbiased and transparent” legal processes; and ensure independent and impartial arbitration.

And on the EU side:

The Commission is proposing a new approach on investment protection and ISDS for the TTIP, it said, and it addresses concerns that have been raised through two actions.

First, it clarifies investment protection so the “right to regulate” is not undermined, allowing government actions in the public interest, and not protecting “shell companies” in the parties’ territories.

Second, it improves the system by allowing for early dismissal of unfounded claims and preventing investors from bringing multiple claims in various jurisdictions, plus instituting a loser pays system. It also builds in transparency, such as making ISDS claims publicly available, contains a code of conduct for abitrators to eliminate conflicts of interest or bias, uses an appellate body to review awards, allow the governments to agree on how they interpret certain provisions so arbitral panels must follow it, and ensuring that ISDS only applies to investment and not the rest of the TTIP.

[fleabiscuit]

30. That's what I was seeing too.

Not that I'm a particular chum of corporations.

[grasswire]

55. why would primary season matter to the president's team?

I can't imagine that devotees of a lame duck president have any interest or energy in the next race.

[Capt. Obvious]

14. Wait for it

[font color=blue]Blue Links[/font color]

[Rex]

46. Don't be a racist!

nt.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

49. Or a homophobe! (n/t)

[Recursion]

3. Why bother with the TPP if it's already happening?

We already have arbitration policies in all of the bilat treaties we have. (It's kind of pointless to do trade agreements without them, for that matter.) Why do people suddenly care now? Blocking the TPP means... we keep the bilateral investor state arbitration systems that the TPP simplifies

[cali]

4. Actually, this is about the TTIP

And it's not about "suddenly caring". I've cared for many years.

[Recursion]

9. But our Atlantic bilat agreements are even more litigious

And the question stands: what good does it do to block a bloc treaty when the existing bilats already have what worries you?

[SamKnause]

7. Obama turned out to be

a corporate tool.

So sad, so very sad.

He has done everything he can to protect Wall Street and the Bush administration.

His appointments and nominations are all corporate and Wall Street tools; or as he calls them, "The Best and Brightest".

He has been such a disappointment.

No hope, no change, and definitely zero transparency. !!!!

[SidDithers]

56. ODS...nt

Sid

[truebrit71]

8. More lemons being sold to the people at the used car lot...

Soon enough we will have a plethora of blue links to tell us how we are actually all wrong, and that the TPP is actually good for us, and Obama never said he would do anything OTHER than appoint industry hacks and insiders to key administrative positions...

[840high]

27. Don't you know - we're all racists.

[Capt. Obvious]

12. I expect this thread to go well

[KittyWampus]

17. Well, I for one don't think corporations should be able to trump national laws/regulations

The goal should be to raise standards in other countries, not lower them.

And while it may appear that Monsato could litigate to have it's evil-spawn forced on the EU, I wonder if tariffs would serve as shields.

[DeSwiss]

21. Meh. Just another lie......

....he's not even a ''moderate'' Republican.



K&R

[Ed Suspicious]

22. As if corporations didn't have enough sway over government policy already.

If you are a person, not a corporate person, but an actual Irving breathing person, this should be absolutely appalling. It's like corporate regulation over government. So they lobby for policy on the front end, they spend untold billions convincing the American people to elect corpo-freindly candidates thanks to citizens united, and then they now get to influence from the backend through the legal system. It's like class action lawsuits in reverse. I hope my understanding of this is flawed, because I think our government just effectively removed meaningful government regulation. The government just picked the winners and losers and most of us aren't in the winning class.

This administration to me is officially a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[dotymed]

23. K&R. Sad if this passes w/out a national protest. "Feet on the ground." eom

[frylock]

24. i'm going through your title trying to determine which word will be deemed as racist today

[cali]

25. heh. kind of a sad "heh", but hey heh.

[ProSense]

29. It's fascinating how people invent their own spin and hype it.

Exciting!!!!

[bobduca]

34. I guess that explains why you are always kicking your own posts.

You are clearly fascinated with your own spin!

[ProSense]

36. LOL!

Analogy FAIL.

[Rex]

39. Thread win!

[Laelth]

28. k&r for the truth, however depressing it may be. n/t

-Laelth

[cali]

38. thank you, darling Laelth

appreciate it.

[FairWinds]

31. Obama Flat-Out Promised to Renegotiate NAFTA . .

He lied.
Laura Carlsen explains the issue below.
It's not just a US issue, but a global one.
Majorities of people in all three countries - US, Canada & Mexico - want NAFTA changed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-carlsen/obama-reaffirms-promise-t_b_157316.html

[fascisthunter]

32. This makes Regulating by our government impossible

The role of our government is being compromised, and weakened to the point where now corporations are in charge. Is this what the Third Way wants?

[LordGlenconner]

33. OOTD

[bvar22]

40. How much MORE does ANYONE need to see?

Candidate Obama promised he would be "The Transparency President".

I believe he has achieved complete transparency now.

[zeemike]

41. What's to worry about?

I am sure we will all be happy in the Ayn Rand paradise they have planed for us...where selfishness it the main virtue.

[Vashta Nerada]

42. This OP reeks of racism.

[Rex]

45. MMM...might be homophobic too.

YEP. New one going around these parts on GD. Have a problem with the POTUS, you are homophobic. Read it on DU!

[cali]

53. yeah, I just got that in another thread. dogshit.

some piece of.... said something to me along those lines.

[colsohlibgal]

44. The Clues Were There Early

When he went with the Rubin pro Wall Street gang instead of Robert Reich types. Then - what CEO or high Wall Street official was perp walked for obvious and copious blatant financial fraud? Instead many of those suited crooks made off with $500 million of our money.

Obama talked like a liberal running in 2008 but went pretty hard right as soon as he was in office. I can't be the only one who felt conned once again.

[snappyturtle]

51. You definitely aren't alone. These trade agreements will be the final nail in

the coffin. The oligarchs win. Where's our republic?

[cali]

52. pretty much. pretty depressing.

[woo me with science]

47. K&R

[woo me with science]

48. kick

[cali]

50. thank you much. this is just bad, bad shit.

[Douglas Carpenter]

54. That is a pretty extreme philosophy that investers have a "right" to a profit and must be shielded

from the interference of democratically elected governments and the demands of the people.

Considering this extremist view is being promoted by an administration that somewhere around 40% of Americans think is leftist and socialist tells us how far the range of discussion has drifted to the right.

[cui bono]

57. Very true. n/t