Is the TPP what it's all been about?

[Puzzledtraveller]

Is the pretense being dropped now, dropped now that America at large, nodding out on the opiate of the masses and convinced that hyper-partisanship can at the very least keep both parties entangled in culture wars as not to do too much harm? As if we didn't have enough reasons to hate republicans, what then does it say about their attempts to get this thing shoved through with full support of the President, even pissing off their own base and on the side of President Obama, his own base?

Perhaps I have been watching too many episodes of The X-Files, I have binge watched them since a reboot was announced. But the thought that some scheme to once and for all erode what remains of a sovereign American is truly frightening in a way an X-File's episode never was.

There is a lot falling into place now, things making sense now. I sincerely hope I am just succumbing to conspiracy hysteria and that this was all be a lot of nothing.

[TBF]

1. It's not a conspiracy - it's business as usual

and this is just the culmination of the turn since Reagan.

After WWII it took countries awhile to rebuild. The US was going strong and had the middle class experiment going. By the time we get to 1980 the other countries have rebuilt and America's wealthy start tightening it up. Taxes are lowered on businesses and the wealthy. Capital gains taxes are cut. It starts with Reagan/Bush (Bush in a particularly odious move also raises taxes on the middle class while cutting the wealthy). Clinton takes over. Different day, same shit. Portions of Glass Steagal repealed which allows banks to merge in an out of control fashion. Signs NAFTA - over the next 10 years over a million jobs lost at minimum. Bush II comes to power - wartime again. Huge government contracts. Huge deficit. Who do you think will pay for it all? Clue: it won't be the wealthy or corporations. Next up: Obama. Gap between rich and poor as wide as the 1920s. Time for more trade "agreements" - TPP being rammed through. Unprecedented power will be given to corporations - we lose the ability to sue them for misconduct. They can move jobs wherever they want. Next: Clinton/Bush - it doesn't really matter which one. One might be slightly more or less friendly to women. Other than that ... it continues.

[Puzzledtraveller]

2. Reading that, it's like some sick road map to global domination.

You begin to really feel hopeless and helpless.

[TBF]

3. It's what PNAC's various incarnations has been after

for awhile. I don't think they have it in for poor people individually (although their police can sure be assholes on an individual level) ... they just don't really think of us at all other than when they need some work done. And then their motto is "the cheaper the better". It's very frustrating and I think workers will ultimately revolt in a global fashion - it has already started with groups like Occupy and Anonymous.

[arcane1]

4. There are indigenous groups like Idle No More that are organizing and fighting back too.

It's percolating at a global level now; it will be interesting to see what happens when the heat gets turned up.