Issues Mount as Negotiators Gather to Wrap Up Trans-Pacific Trade Pact

[Purveyor]

Source: New York

By JONATHAN WEISMANJULY 27, 2015

WASHINGTON — The top trade negotiators of the United States and 11 other Pacific nations are gathering this week at a luxury resort in Maui for one last push to complete the largest regional trade accord in history, roping together 40 percent of the world’s economic output.

But even though it is billed as the “final round” of Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, trade representatives from the United States, Japan and Pacific nations from Canada and Chile to Australia and Vietnam have high hurdles to clear.

Australia and New Zealand are resisting American rules on access for pharmaceutical companies to their national health systems. Vietnam, Mexico and Brunei have far to go to comply with international standards on labor organizing. Canada is so reluctant to open its agricultural market to competition that it might drop out of the talks altogether.

And just Monday, the State Department’s decision to upgrade its rating of Malaysia’s efforts to combat human trafficking caused an uproar among labor and human rights activists, who accused the administration of a political maneuver to ease Malaysia’s inclusion in the Pacific accord at the expense of wage and sex slaves.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/business/international/issues-mount-as-negotiators-gather-to-wrap-up-trans-pacific-trade-pact.html?_r=0

[Plucketeer]

1. IF ONLY!

that this horrific swindle could crash of it's own discords! I will NEVER forgive Obama or any of the traitorous enablers with a (D) next to their names, if this gets instituted.

And as an aside - in spite of the words that come out of the mouth of one presidential contender, the passage of this plan will be a sample of what her reign will really look like!

[JDPriestly]

3. I'm with you!

[davidpdx]

4. We are going to have to fight like hell to get the votes to kill this

It will take both Democrats and Republicans, a rare bipartisan effort, to slay the beast.

[GeorgeGist]

2. We can hope ...