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unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:11 AM Sep 2013

TPP a Trojan horse

http://atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JAP-02-270913.html


TPP a Trojan horse
Sep 27, '13
By Sachie Mizohata and the Association of University Faculties

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement is a proposed trade pact that Japan is negotiating with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam (as of September 2013). The TPP aims to increase the liberalization of economies in the Pacific region through abolition of tariffs on trade as well as reregulation. [1]

In 2008, the United States joined the talks "and has espoused a hard core complete free trade policy", which has vastly expanded the scope of the negotiations. [2] With both the US and Japan as participants, the pact would cover nearly 40% of the world's economy. [3] Japan officially joined one of final rounds of the negotiations in July 2013 in Malaysia, as the participating countries intend to finalize the TPP negotiations (at least partially) by the end of 2013. [4]

The TPP agreement affects not only trade issues, but also non-trade matters that immensely impact lives of citizens in all participating countries. [5] The areas at stake include, for example:

* Domestic court decisions and international legal standards (eg, overriding domestic laws on both trade and non-trade matters, foreign investors' right to sue governments in international tribunals that would overrule the national sovereignty);
* Environmental regulations (eg, nuclear energy, pollution, sustainability);
* Financial deregulation (eg, more power and privileges to the bankers and financiers);
* Food safety (eg, lowering food self-sufficiency, prohibition of mandatory labeling of genetically modified products, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy - BSE - or mad cow disease);
* Government procurement (eg, no more buy locally produced/grown);
* Internet freedom (eg, monitoring and policing user activity);
* Labor (eg, welfare regulation, workplace safety, relocating domestic jobs abroad);
* Patent protection, copyrights (eg, decrease access to affordable medicine);
* Public access to essential services may be restricted due to investment rules (eg, water, electricity, and gas).
36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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TPP a Trojan horse (Original Post) unhappycamper Sep 2013 OP
Hopefully more and more people world-wide will recognize that the TPP is a huge pile of corporate djean111 Sep 2013 #1
Your reply implies you think US supply is safe JayhawkSD Sep 2013 #6
And the underlying disease occurs NATURALLY in about 1 in a million cows... truebrit71 Sep 2013 #18
Bookmarked - A Very Big Thank You. Divernan Sep 2013 #2
Kick and Rec JustAnotherGen Sep 2013 #3
Not even close Cryptoad Sep 2013 #11
So they sit JustAnotherGen Sep 2013 #12
Seems to be,,,,,,,, nt Cryptoad Sep 2013 #16
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for the 99% is more the case. westerebus Sep 2013 #4
Excellent summary jsr Sep 2013 #5
K & R AzDar Sep 2013 #7
From the beginning this globalization movement has been about getting rid of borders and setting up jwirr Sep 2013 #8
And the guy we voted for twice CAN'T WAIT to make this a reality FiveGoodMen Sep 2013 #17
Yeah, I am afraid you are right. He seems to be working both sides of the street. jwirr Sep 2013 #19
Im against it,,,,,,,,,,, Cryptoad Sep 2013 #9
somebody knows what it is. that they need to keep it such a deep, dark secret magical thyme Sep 2013 #20
ummmmm Cryptoad Sep 2013 #21
+10000 n/t whathehell Sep 2013 #24
Plus one. Enthusiast Sep 2013 #31
We know what it is and we don't want it. TBF Sep 2013 #28
How do you know what it is when it has not been created? Cryptoad Sep 2013 #29
Info about TPP for all - TBF Sep 2013 #33
We have much speculation about what ttp might be Cryptoad Sep 2013 #35
You're completely ignoring the info TBF Sep 2013 #36
K & R BelgianMadCow Sep 2013 #10
I am scared MichaelKelley Sep 2013 #13
There are so many of these things, who can keep up. lonestarnot Sep 2013 #14
They are suggesting the contents won't be publicly revealed for 4 years? WTF pa28 Sep 2013 #15
Game over if they pass this Hydra Sep 2013 #22
Correct. This needs to be Dead on Arrival, otherwise, we may be, literally or metaphorically whathehell Sep 2013 #25
Don't Worry! The Giant Invisible Hand of the Free Market will take care of EVERYTHING! bvar22 Sep 2013 #23
Plus one................nt Enthusiast Sep 2013 #32
Excellent post. nt TBF Sep 2013 #34
Quick! Someone hide all the pens in the White House! Phlem Sep 2013 #26
Best line of the article -- TBF Sep 2013 #27
K&R emsimon33 Sep 2013 #30
 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
1. Hopefully more and more people world-wide will recognize that the TPP is a huge pile of corporate
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:33 AM
Sep 2013

excrement.
I hadn't thought about mad cow disease - guess I will have to either stop buying beef or find a local source.
The shining new free trade world, as brought to us by the corporations and banks - all of life will be a crap shoot, except for their profits.
No excusing what we have found out so far.

 

JayhawkSD

(3,163 posts)
6. Your reply implies you think US supply is safe
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 10:15 AM
Sep 2013

It's not. One cow herd out of 1000 (at best) is monitored for mad cow disease. Fallen cows at slaughter houses are essentially never tested for cause.

 

truebrit71

(20,805 posts)
18. And the underlying disease occurs NATURALLY in about 1 in a million cows...
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 11:50 AM
Sep 2013

...there are 98 million head of cattle in the US which means that there are at least 100 cows (give or take) that already have the disease, and the likelihood that they get caught by the random USDA tests is highly unlikely...

But still, I think the bigger health care impact with the lack of testing is the amount of fecal matter that gets into the burgers...

Bottom line? Buy locally (if you can)

(The actual solution is to massively INCREASE testing to secure the food chain, but there's no way on god's green earth the corporations or the teahadists in Congress will allow that sort of 'gummint' expansion....)

JustAnotherGen

(31,683 posts)
3. Kick and Rec
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:33 AM
Sep 2013

No one is paying attention to this. Call me a myopic protectionist - and correct me if I'm wrong - but Tariffs imposed by CBP creates the second highest revenue stream (after IRS) in the US.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
8. From the beginning this globalization movement has been about getting rid of borders and setting up
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 10:39 AM
Sep 2013

a corporate ruled world. One world government by the corporations, for the corporations. We are way behind in stopping this movement in its tracks. We do want trade between countries but we do NOT want to give up sovereignty to get it. We want our own laws in our own countries and we want those laws to be strong enough to stop the kind of globalization we see going on right now.

Cryptoad

(8,254 posts)
9. Im against it,,,,,,,,,,,
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 10:39 AM
Sep 2013

neither I or anybody else knows what it is....but I'm against it...

I am not against what if might be,,,, I'm against it even though it doesn't exist yet.

How can that kinda logic go wrong?

 

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)
20. somebody knows what it is. that they need to keep it such a deep, dark secret
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 12:11 PM
Sep 2013

even from the government officials who will vote on it -- while including hundreds of corporate heads in the negotiations -- is pretty damn frightening.

Trying to fast track it to ensure that the officials who vote on it have a minimum amount of time to review does not add to the warm and fuzzies.

Cryptoad

(8,254 posts)
21. ummmmm
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 12:24 PM
Sep 2013

"Trying to fast track it to ensure that the officials who vote on it have a minimum amount of time to review does not add to the warm and fuzzies. "

No,,,,,,where have i heard that argument before?????


No, matter,,,,,, im still against,,,,, don't what in it,,,, but Im against it!

gs

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
31. Plus one.
Sat Sep 28, 2013, 07:51 AM
Sep 2013

If the TPP is so wonderful why is it the greatest secret since Cheney's secret energy meetings?

TBF

(31,921 posts)
28. We know what it is and we don't want it.
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:36 PM
Sep 2013

This agreement is like NAFTA on steroids and we WILL fight this.

TBF

(31,921 posts)
33. Info about TPP for all -
Sat Sep 28, 2013, 08:21 AM
Sep 2013

The TPP is rumored to contain many issues - not just free trade. We know some from links of drafts and others are speculative. Socialists will fight bitterly against this as we see this as a continuation of NAFTA - which has killed roughly 700,000 good paying manufacturing jobs (cite: http://epi.3cdn.net/fdade52b876e04793b_7fm6ivz2y.pdf) Some folks will try to trick you and show that there have been jobs added to the US since NAFTA was passed - but we know any jobs are added are in places like WalMart where the associates are often hired part-time or temporary and only make it from week to week with the help of food stamps, etc.

I have been keeping a list on another site of info about TPP and will keep adding to it:

http://forexblog.oanda.com/20130918/tpp-negotiators-start-meeting-to-reach-an-agreement-by-year-end/
http://www.citizen.org/TPP
http://tppinfo.org/


My challenge to you Cryptoad is to encourage the democratic party to RELEASE THE COMPLETE TEXT of all issues being discussed/negotiated. I have a slight suspicion you will not do so because you prefer to try to ram this through in private. IT WON'T WORK. Too much has been leaked, too many activists have heard about it and will keep writing.

Cryptoad

(8,254 posts)
35. We have much speculation about what ttp might be
Sat Sep 28, 2013, 08:39 AM
Sep 2013

but until it is created you can no logically argue you are against it.

you may Argue against for what is might be, that is logical ,,,

Don't misunderstand and think I am for TTP.

I am just pointing out that we Democrats need to make logical arguments, anything less weakens out positions!

MichaelKelley

(55 posts)
13. I am scared
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 11:17 AM
Sep 2013

I am very much afraid of this name Trojan Horse as I have suffered a lot because of this virus and until now, I do not have some solution for this, so I get scared after listening this.

pa28

(6,145 posts)
15. They are suggesting the contents won't be publicly revealed for 4 years? WTF
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 11:23 AM
Sep 2013
Although the TPP negotiations have been held in the name of the people, the draft texts have been shrouded in secrecy not only from the public, but also members of the Diet in Japan, and civil society, thereby precluding public scrutiny and public input. Reportedly, the countries have signed up not to reveal the contents of the agreement for four years after the signing of the agreement. All public information comes from leaked texts. Bizarrely, the TPP makes a special exception to "a group of some 600 trade 'advisers', dominated by representatives of big businesses."


This agreement may supersede years of hard won progressive legislation in one shot and if this is true the public will be completely excluded even after passage by Congress.

Damn.

Hydra

(14,459 posts)
22. Game over if they pass this
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 04:42 PM
Sep 2013

The law will be straight from the worldwide 1%, our Gov't will be irrelevant.

whathehell

(28,969 posts)
25. Correct. This needs to be Dead on Arrival, otherwise, we may be, literally or metaphorically
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 08:41 PM
Sep 2013

as a nation, maybe as a world.

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
23. Don't Worry! The Giant Invisible Hand of the Free Market will take care of EVERYTHING!
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 07:06 PM
Sep 2013

...but FIRST, we have to get rid of all these "job killing" trade regulations demanded by Organized LABOR, Human Rights Groups, and Environmental Protectionists that are riding the backs of the Job Creators!

The Pundits, Party Spokesmen, Talking Heads, Chamber of Commerce, and Centrist Big Business Democrats tell me that there is a NEW God in town.
They tell me that I can't SEE this new GOD because, like the old GOD, this one is Invisible too.

This new GOD is so ALL POWERFUL that when the "Free Market" makes a mistake, a Giant Invisible Hand reaches down from the heavens,
[font size=3]and CORRECTS the Market ALL BY ITSELF!!![/font]
There is No NEED for Regulations or Government Intervention to Keep things Fair.
There is NO NEED to protect Citizens, Consumers, Small Businesses, or The Environment.
There is NO NEED for Humans to get involved AT ALL,
because the Invisible Hand will DO all that for us!

In fact, ANY interference from Governments, Consumer Groups, Organized LABOR, Workers Rights, Humanitarian Groups, and ESPECIALLY those whiny assed Environmentalists only makes things WORSE.
The Invisible Hand Knows ALL, and works BEST all by himself,
so we have to be careful NOT to interfere,
or it will Piss Him Off.

That is WHY our Democratic Party Leadership is working on another BIG "Free Trade" Deal, and have Locked Out all representatives from Labor Rights, Human Rights, Consumer Rights, Citizens, and Environmental Protection Groups so they don't Piss Off the Invisible Hand.
[font size=1]but Shhhhhh! They want to keep it a SECRET so everybody will be surprised,
and the Invisible Hand will be happy!!!
So don't tell anyone.[/font]

Here is a picture of the altar in this New Church where our Political Leaders, Democrat & Republican, all go to worship.

[font color=white]....................[/font][font size=4]The Graven Image on the altar
[font color=white].............[/font]of the Church of the "Free Trade"[/font]



TTIP=The Transatlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA) or Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed free trade area between the United States and the European Union.

TPP=Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed free trade agreement under negotiation by (as of August 2013) Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, Vietnam and South Korea.



Sorry, Virginia.
But there is no such thing as "Free Trade".
There is no such thing as a "Free Market,
and there is no such thing as an "Invisible Hand".
The rich people who own the corporations and hate Organized LABOR and Environmental Protections [font size=3]Made That Shit UP[/font] so they could Bust Unions, dodge Environmental Protections, and get more money for themselves.
They used smooth talking politicians and Glossy Madison Avenue Marketing to sell their SCAM to a gullible America.


You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS.[/font]


Phlem

(6,323 posts)
26. Quick! Someone hide all the pens in the White House!
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:04 PM
Sep 2013

Fuck it, and pencils, permanent markers, The crayons in Ted Cruz's office, and any piece of charcoal you can find!



-p

TBF

(31,921 posts)
27. Best line of the article --
Fri Sep 27, 2013, 09:34 PM
Sep 2013

"The TPP is a Trojan horse, branded as a "free trade" agreement, but having nothing to do with fair and equitable treatment. In reality, it is precisely "a wish list of the 1% - a worldwide corporate power"."

Exactly.

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