This is why we can't have nice things...

[shcrane71]

A draft agreement leaked Wednesday shows the Obama administration is pushing a secretive trade agreement that could vastly expand corporate power and directly contradict a 2008 campaign promise by President Obama. A U.S. proposal for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact between the United States and eight Pacific nations would allow foreign corporations operating in the U.S. to appeal key regulations to an international tribunal. The body would have the power to override U.S. law and issue penalties for failure to comply with its ruling. We speak to Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, a fair trade group that posted the leaked documents on its website. "This isn’t just a bad trade agreement," Wallach says. "This is a 'one-percenter' power tool that could rip up our basic needs and rights." [includes rush transcript]

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/6/14/breaking_08_pledge_leaked_trade_doc

[TheWraith]

1. Why don't we leave the conspiracy theory shit to the right-wingers?

Anyone who believes that a trade agreement gives the right for a foreign organization to override US laws is, frankly, either hyperventilating or an idiot.

[JoePhilly]

2. +1

[Zalatix]

3. NEWS FLASH!!! The WTO does that all the time.

[TheWraith]

5. No, it doesn't. nt

[Zalatix]

7. Yes it does, and I have proof.

"Anyone who believes that a trade agreement gives the right for a foreign organization to override US laws is, frankly, either hyperventilating or an idiot."

Here are two examples of the World Trade Organization doing exactly that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp-Turtle_Case

Have a nice day!

[shcrane71]

13. Thanks for the link, Zalatix. Have a nice day back atcha!

[girl gone mad]

4. Right. Anyone who doesn't share your uninformed opinion is obviously an idiot.

[TheWraith]

6. My opinion is quite informed, thank you.

This hype about a trade agreement supposedly overriding US law is no less insane than the people who think that the United Nations having sustainability goals is somehow the death of national sovereignty. It's utter, unmitigated crap.

[EFerrari]

8. Why don't you do yourself a favor and watch the segment

where it is explained why you are wrong about the WTO.

[Zalatix]

10. Perhaps the video is a bit confusing?

[uponit7771]

12. +1!

[sad sally]

9. "TPP threatens to become a regime of binding global governance..."

LORI WALLACH: Well, the reason why it is so incredibly important that this agreement be exposed is this could well be the last agreement that’s negotiated. So, many of your listeners and viewers have been involved in the sneaky way trade agreements have been used by corporations to limit regulation and to foster a race to the bottom since NAFTA. And each of these agreements has gotten bolder, more expansive in its limits on government regulation and in its granting of corporate powers. This one could be the end, because what they intend to do is leave it open, once it’s done, for any other country to join. So, this is an agreement that ultimately could have the whole world in it as a set of binding corporate guarantees of new rights and privileges, enforced with cash sanctions and trade sanctions. It is not an exaggeration to say that the TPP threatens to become a regime of binding global governance, right at the time that the Occupy movement and movements around the world are demanding more power and control. This is the fightback. This is locking in the bad old way plus. And in addition, the way that the agreement is being negotiated, these rules would require that you not only change all of your existing laws—so good progressive laws would have to be gotten rid of—but that, in the future, you don’t create new laws.


Is this really what Americans want their President to be a partner, an architect of...binding global governance?

[shcrane71]

17. No. And no other journalists will cover why people protest the WTO,

IMF, or what is in these trade agreements. Our leaders just sign them, and Americans get a lot of photo shoots of leaders doing all their leaderly things while signing "agreements". These agreements don't have any sort of ramifications on our lives do they?

[2on2u]

11. When I was a child, I was running with scissors through the parlor and I knocked over

a McDonalds cup on the tv table..... my mother went all ballistic and shouted, "See see, that's why we can't have nice things!!!". The cup was unharmed I might add being it was made from plastic.

[FSogol]

14. How is that Obama's fault?

Just trying to keep up with the theme of this thread.

[2on2u]

15. He should have invented plastic.... not McDonalds. n/t

[xfundy]

16. Say, what kinda pizza you like?

Just curious.

[2on2u]

18. Not sure what you mean. n/t

[librechik]

20. lol

[Autumn]

19. That's funny

welcome to DU

[2on2u]

21. You talkin to me? You talkin to me?? I'd like roses with my pizza, por favor... n/t