Trans Pacific Partnership is a Threat To National Sovereignty

[antigop]

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/07/10/trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-threat-to-national-sovereignty/

The negotiations — the 18th round of which will commence in Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) on the 15th of July 2013 — are shrouded in secrecy though representatives of major corporations such as Monsanto, Walmart, Bank of America, JP Morgan, Cargill, Exxon-Mobil, and Chevron, among others, it is alleged, have had full access to the draft and have been “suggesting amendments.” One of the issues that has caused grave concern is a set of rules in the TPP which apparently would empower foreign corporations to bypass domestic laws and courts and challenge government policies and regulations aimed at protecting the public interest via tribunals linked to the World Bank and the UN. If this is true, it would be an affront to national sovereignty.

The TPP also prohibits governments and central banks from imposing capital controls or banning risky financial products. Central banks would have diminished capacity to regulate the entry and exit of speculative capital. Countries that are part of the TPP would be compelled to create an even more conducive environment for casino capitalism. Given Malaysia’s relative success in developing regulatory mechanisms during and after the 1998 Asian financial crisis, this aspect of the TPP would be particularly galling.

The adverse impact of this trade pact upon national sovereignty and the economic wellbeing of countries such as Malaysia is underscored by yet another provision which questions our procurement policies. Apart from seeking to rectify economic imbalances, government procurement policies have also attempted to expedite technology transfers to local industries, enhance export capabilities and curb foreign exchange outflows. These are goals that do not conform to TPP objectives.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. Isn't that what the CONS are always saying about the U.N.?

Just sayin'

[merrily]

2. "Just sayin'" what? What does the UN have in common with the TPP?

That's like comparing Congress with with the Patriot Act.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

6. I mean the same over the top rhetoric is used in both cases

and is a bunch of hooey.

[merrily]

16. That does not make lumping the two together valid.

Over the top praise is used for the Framers and the Mona Lisa.

Yet, trying to say we should like the Mona Lisa simply because people praise the Framers would make no sense.

As far as your "hooey" comment, you don't seem to have any grasp of the terms of the TPP that have been leaked so far. If you did, maybe you could say something about it, positive or negative that is more to the point than people criticize the UN too.

http://www.labornotes.org/2013/07/secret-tpp-deal-would-void-democracy

[cali]

8. a spurious comparison.

Do you know anything at all about the TPP? Last year, leaks confirmed that the same tribunal system as is present in NAFTA's Chapter 11 and is mimicked in just about every other U.S. trade agreement, is present in the TPP. Results from these tribunals have favored investors (read corporations) 70% of the time, with disastrous and tragic results. Yes, they've damaged sovereignty. Tribunal findings override national laws and in this country, state laws. This has caused and will continue to cause environmental damage. Environmental laws and land use laws are the laws most frequently challenged to tribunals.

[merrily]

3. TPP will "void democracy" according to

the author of this article.

http://www.labornotes.org/2013/07/secret-tpp-deal-would-void-democracy

We are so screwed.

[antigop]

4. and according to Business Week, Hillary took a leading part in the drafting of the TPP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101667554

[HiPointDem]

7. so what? it's not about hilary, or obama, or jeb bush for that matter, it's about the damn policy.

[antigop]

9. it's a policy that the corporate Dems are supporting. nt

[HiPointDem]

11. the entire party is corporate, not just certain players.

[antigop]

12. I'm going to continue to call out the players. I disagree that the "entire" party is corporate.

Almost all, but not entire.

[antigop]

10. and I'm going to continue to call out the corporate Dems on their policies. nt

[Catherina]

5. Gawd, make it stop please. Teamsters, unions, workers have been sounding the alarm

If you do not use your eyes to see, you will need them to weep. Jean-Paul Sartre

[pampango]

13. Warren, Brown, Sanders want the negotiations to continue - just with the right focus.

Losing some national sovereignty is not a bad thing if the result is more progressive. Many Europrean countries have had national labor, environmental and other laws overruled by the EU because they were not liberal enough.

The liberal senators above have not called for a halt in TPP negotiations. They support the inclusion of labor and environmental standards in the agreement. Meanwhile, the right wing Heritage Foundation believes that "TPP negotiations to date have included excessive U.S. posturing on environmental standards and labor regulations. There is a danger of further such posturing as a proposed U.S.–European Union FTA moves forward."

[merrily]

15. "Liberal U.S. Senator" is an oxymoron and losing democracy and jobs seems

more to the point than losing national sovereignty.

http://www.labornotes.org/2013/07/secret-tpp-deal-would-void-democracy

[byeya]

14. Yes, it's being designed to promote corporate sovereignty at the expense of national

sovereignty.
What did you expect from this administration?