Trans-Pacific Partnership undermines health system

[cali]

Medical corporations seek tools to protect their profits despite harmful effects on public health.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a deal that is being secretly negotiated by the White House, with the help of more than 600 corporate advisers and Pacific Rim nations, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. While the TPP is being called a trade agreement, the US already has trade agreements covering 90 percent of the GDP of the countries involved in the talks. Instead, the TPP is a major power grab by large corporations.

The text of the TPP includes 29 chapters, only five of which are about trade. The remaining chapters are focused on changes that multinational corporations have not been able to pass in Congress such as restrictions on internet privacy, increased patent protections, greater access to litigation and further financial deregulation.

So far, all that is known about the contents of the TPP is from documents that have been leaked and reports from NGOs and industry meetings. Unlike other trade deals, the White House refuses to make the text available to the public. In fact, the negotiators refuse to publish the text until four years after it is signed into law. Why are they being so secretive? Former US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said he opposed making the text public because doing so would raise such opposition that it could make the deal impossible to sign.

From the information available, one thing is clear about the impacts of the TPP on health care: the intention of the TPP is to enhance and protect the profits of medical and pharmaceutical corporations without considering the harmful effects their policies will have on human health.

<snip>


http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/06/201361711230432720.html

Margaret Flowers, MD served as Congressional Fellow for Physicians for a National Health Program and is on the board of Healthcare-Now. She is co-director of It's Our Economy and co-host of Clearing the FOG Radio Show.

[cali]

1. this should not sink

Margaret Flowers is a voice worth hearing and this is a greater threat to all of us then any other single thing I can think of; not just in the U.S. but in countries like Malaysia.

[MrSlayer]

2. "Unlike other trade deals, the White House refuses to make the text available to the public."

Please, someone explain to me how this is good for the People. How this isn't just another example of Obama selling us all down the river for his corporate masters. Please.

Anyone?

[cali]

4. As far as I can see, even if there are some pieces of the TPP that are good for the people

there is so much wrong with it, that the entire thing should be deep sixed. Hopefully, we can keep the administration from getting TPA, also known as fast track, through the Congress. Many dems in the house have already gone on the record as opposing TPA. Without TPA, the TPP is in a world of trouble.

I'm not comfortable with the claim that President Obama is under the thumb of "corporate masters". What appears inarguable, is that corporate influence has way too much sway over this President's administration.

[marmar]

3. k/r

[stillwaiting]

5. The comments section for this article is OVERRUN with libertarian assholes.

The thumbs up likes for their horrifying comments are exceeding those from progressives as well.

It's so sad and frustrating to see.

[mtasselin]

6. why

Can someone please tell why more people are not opposing this garbage, if it gets passed we will be stuck with it forever, unless of course there would be a revolution to undo the corporate takeover.

[cali]

7. working on it every day. got to get more people to understand how bad this is.

[Laelth]

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

-Laelth

[Progressive dog]

9. I love it, negotiations are still going on,

there is no text to release. There is no text to release.

So far, all that is known about the contents of the TPP is from documents that have been leaked and reports from NGOs and industry meetings. Unlike other trade deals, the White House refuses to make the text available to the public.

NAFTA drafts were leaked, not released, so the "unlike other trade deals" part doesn't seem to be true, either.

[cali]

10. Again, there have been leaks of the TPP

and whether NAFTA drafts were leaked or released, do you approve of such a high level of secrecy around trade negotiations? If so, how do you justify it? What about what Kirk said?

And what has been leaked has seriously alarmed internet freedom groups and groups such as Medicin sans Frontieres as well as The Sierra Club, etc.

[Progressive dog]

11. So we had NAFTA leaks which were claimed

to be "releases". Then it can be claimed that "unlike other trade deals" the WH refuses to release the text.
This is your response

whether NAFTA drafts were leaked or released

If what I claimed is true (and it is), then why not remove the "unlike other trade deals" from your OP or if you feel like being really honest change it to "like other trade deals."

[cali]

12. why not answer my questions? You seem stuck. try.