This should make you really angry.

[cali]

The last round of TPP talks is scheduled for this month. Next Up? Pushing Fast Track through Congress

It cannot be stressed too much how bad this agreement will be in any number of areas. Just to touch on a few of them:

Agriculture: The Chief U.S. Negotiator is former heavy weight lobbyist for Big Ag, including Dupont and Monsanto. It would make GMO labeling a near impossibility, elevate the rights of investors (corporations) over farmers, consumers and governments, and dilute the safety of food systems.

Public Health and Pharmaceutical Drugs: The HIV/AIDS community is legitimately alarmed as are other patient and care giver groups. Generic drugs are a particular area of concern.

Internet Freedom: The Electronic Frontier has done great work letting folks know that the TPP poses a serious threat to internet freedom

http://tppinfo.org/
http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_Public-Health.html
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/08/stop-congress-taking-fast-track-one-sided-copyright-laws

In brief- and I've gone into more detail in other OPs- the TPP will effect everything from financial regulation to copyright laws to environmental laws and regulations; and not in a good way.

The administration and its allies in Congress on both sides of the aisle and its corporate allies have already begun the big push to shove the Trade Promotion Authority through Congress. Passage will shut down any debate in the Senate, allowing only a straight up and down vote; no amendments, no filibustering.

This is a press release from last week:

U.S. Senate Committee on Finance : Baucus Welcomes President's Request for Trade Promotion Authority

-Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) welcomed the President's request today for trade promotion authority (TPA) alongside worker adjustment assistance, which Senator Baucus has said are critical to a successful trade agenda. The Senator announced his intent to move TPA alongside the worker job training program Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which he introduced a bill to extend last week.

"Trade promotion authority and worker training give America's workers the skills and opportunities they need to compete in the global marketplace," Senator Baucus said. "Trade supports good-paying jobs, and boosting our exports creates new opportunities for America's farmers, ranchers, businesses and workers. Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance are two sides of the same coin, and together they make trade work. Passing both is critical to America's trade agenda."

Senator Baucus paired with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) last week to introduce a bipartisan extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance, which uses job training and assistance to make the American workforce more competitive.summarized here, extends TAA through 2020.
http://www.4-traders.com/news/U-S-Senate-Committee-on-Finance-Baucus-Welcomes-President-s-Request-for-Trade-Promotion-Authority--17139915/

[LWolf]

1. I'm beyond angry at this point. nt

[msongs]

2. more change we can believe in nt

[Octafish]

3. Not the change I'd hoped and voted for, based on what I was told.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/8/11/obama_reverses_campaign_pledge_to_renegotiate

[leftstreet]

4. We'll Fix it Later™

DURec

[theHandpuppet]

15. Yeah, just like they fixed the Patriot Act.

God, when will we ever learn?

[Scuba]

5. Secret government, secret treaties, secret laws, secret courts, secret spying ... what a democracy.

[safeinOhio]

7. Freedom and democracy for the

1%, zilch for us.

[99th_Monkey]

21. I think you mean "democracy" eom

[Brickbat]

6. K&R

[spanone]

8. congress is corrupt to the bone.

[truedelphi]

68. Nicely stated.

Concise and to the point - and so simple, even they can understand the statement.

[cali]

9. Those who defend the administration against any criticism are always absent from threads about

the TPP.

Their silence speaks volumes.

[heaven05]

24. it's

an abomination. that's the truth. Okay, stop it from being passed. rethug-democrat, going to push it through and damn dissent. We can scream to high heaven what you wrote about TPP to our elected officials< how do we stop it??! We can't.

[cali]

30. You can let your congressional delegation know you're paying attention to it and

urge them to vote against the TPA.

[heaven05]

32. yep

okay. have done.

[antigop]

29. those who support the one who played leading part in drafting the TPP are absent as well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=67554

[Enthusiast]

47. That's because the TPP is indefensible..........nt

[Marr]

70. I've noticed that, too. /nt

[bunnies]

10. Angry is an understatement.

The fact that corporations from other countries can sue us for enforcing our laws at the taxpayers expense is fucking infuriating. I cant believe anyone with this countries best interest in mind would support such a pile of garbage. Its disgusting.

[cali]

16. it is crazy making. That may be the worst piece of this agreement

It's mind boggling that such suits go before a panel composed of lawyers who when they aren't serving as judges in these cases are representing the very corporations bringing said suits.

[bunnies]

20. And people wonder why some of us dont want to vote for Hillary.

This is reason #1 in my book. Makes me sick that I voted for a man who is pushing this anti-American bullshit. We cant afford healthcare but millions for corporations based on a rigged system? No problem.

[WCGreen]

25. It's the way the Big Money people want it...

it's the back way getting rid of domestic regulations.

[bunnies]

52. Yep.

With the added benefit of funneling more money to the 1%ers of the world. Everyone else be damned. Again.

[forestpath]

11. As far as I'm concerned this makes Obama the worst American president in history.

He's turning over our government and sovereignty to corporations, foreign and national. America will no longer be a democracy (if you could call it one now).

No other president, not even Reagan or the Bushes, managed to do that. And of course the corporate stooges in congress will go along with it.

Obama must be getting a really big pay day for taking us back to the 19th century.

[cali]

14. I disagree. not even close. Look, he's really not doing anything different

from the last few presidents- from Reagan through shrub. That's hardly a commendation but he for sure isn't the worst president in history.

[forestpath]

17. I voted for Obama. I didn't vote for them. And I do not expect to get screwed over

so royally by people I vote for. Maybe you do. But I don't. And Obama is the one who destroyed my faith in the Democratic party.

[cali]

23. gratuitous and silly dig you took at me.

it has zip to do with expecting to get screwed over by the people I vote for. I care about facts. I present a lot of them here- you're welcome for all the information about the TPP, btw- and when someone posts something that isn't factual, as you did, I challenge it.

sorry you don't like that.

[GiaGiovanni]

45. .

.

[forestpath]

64. You're insulting my intelligence by defending Obama on this.

No other president has ever done what Obama is trying to do. So when you act like it's not really so bad, don't be surprised if that's exactly how I take it.

[PETRUS]

34. I won't say you're wrong.

I the simplest explanation for pretty much any politician's behavior is the same - they respond to political pressure. Right now political power is concentrated in relatively few hands - more or less coinciding with ownership of capital. Every now and then a large enough group of "regular" people manage to organize themselves and display some solidarity and become a constituency to be reckoned with. But that's not really going on right now, so here we are.

[cali]

36. I think that's accurate.

The TPA may not pass the House and it will an odd coalition of progressive dems and tea party reps who stop it.

[PETRUS]

40. Could be.

I have a libertarian type friend and we have rather different ideas about why certain things are wrong and what should be done, but we often point our fingers at the same problems (symptoms). Strange times...

[westerebus]

38. He's got what two more years in office.

Not all the chickens have come home to roost, so there's potential and time.

[FiveGoodMen]

63. "turning over our government and sovereignty to corporations"

Exactly.

What could be more treasonous than that?!

[forestpath]

65. Thank you.

[senseandsensibility]

12. K and R

It does I assure you.

[SomethingFishy]

13. So I guess these trade negotiations

are a matter of NATIONAL SECURITY!!!

They are going to ram this shit through like the fucking Patriot Act. People are going to vote on it without ever knowing what is actually in it. And we will not find out how bad we are getting screwed until it's too late.

[cali]

18. The Senators have the opportunity to read the Agreement

but under the TPA they can't do anything to change any given provision.

[riderinthestorm]

19. K&R so I'm on the DU record as being "angry" but sadly, in real time, nothing's stopping

this train I fear...

Disgusting. Despicable. Horrific.

I'm heartsick over this. Thanks for your continued links on this Cali. They matter. Don't stop.

[cali]

27. thank you, ris. I'm with you. I too am heartsick over this. the more I dig

into it, the more appalled I am. I'm so afraid that the TPA will be voted through. Last time, in 2002, it was 215 to 212 in the House. The Senate was not nearly so close.

At least I know my Congressional delegation will vote against it.

I don't know where you live but here's a link to the vote of the Senate the last time it was authorized. kind of ironic that Biden and Kerry both voted nay when now they're obligated to arm twist for its passage.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00207

I won't stop posting about it.

[99th_Monkey]

22. So many things to be angry about, so little time. K&R eom

[raouldukelives]

26. Thank a Wall St investor for bankrolling it. nt

[MotherPetrie]

28. K&R

[Jackpine Radical]

31. To paraphrase Lilly Tomlin,

no matter how many things you get pissed off at, you can't keep up.

[cali]

33. Here's how the vote for the TPA went in the House and Senate in 2002

not that one can make a prediction based on that; lots of changes in those bodies since then. In the House, the vote was 215-212 for passage, in the Senate it was a pathetic 54-34.

I actually believe there's a chance that it could fail this time in the House. The tea party contingent won't vote for it and neither will a lot of dems who have already pledged to vote against it. Get ready for the most intense arm twisting you've ever seen with votes held open, etc.

It will be interesting to see what Pelosi and Hoyer do. They both voted nay in 2002. I expect them to vote yay this time around. Reminds me of posters here who would object to this (and other things) if a repub was President. Biden and Kerry also voted against it.
They're now very much about pushing for it.

It's infuriating and nauseating.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll370.xml

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00207

[daleanime]

35. What a surprise.....

it does make me angry. All the work that needs to be done and the only things that pass their muster are projects that screw us over.

[bvar22]

37. This is HOW to Make the American Worker "more competitive" in the World Market:

Cut the American Worker's Wages & Benefits to 3rd World Slave Labor levels,
and then run Unemployment UP to about 15%.

The American Worker CAN WILL compete with EVERY Worker in the World, (just as soon as he gets hungry and desperate enough).


It took someone REALLY smoooooooth to SELL this nonsense to a gullible American Working Class, and they are STILL Selling that Nonsense today,
despite the observable data and evidence to the contrary!!!

PT Barnum underestimated the number of SUCKERS born in America.



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

[cali]

51. but that's only a small part of what this does.

It's bad on so many levels and in so many areas. It's an understatement to say it's far reaching.

[bvar22]

66. I agree. The downward pressure on Wages & Benefits...

...is only ONE of the many design features of the coming "Treaty".

The TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) is the "Ring that Will Bind Them",.....and it is being forged in secret as we speak.

"TPP: Corporate Power Tool of the 1%

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “free trade” agreement is a stealthy policy being pressed by corporate America, a dream of the 1 percent, that in one blow could:

*offshore millions of American jobs,

*free the banksters from oversight,

*ban Buy America policies needed to create green jobs and rebuild our economy,

*decrease access to medicine,

* flood the U.S. with unsafe food and products,

*empower corporations to attack our environmental and health safeguards.


Closed-door talks are on-going between the U.S. and Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam; with other countries, including China, potentially joining later. 600 corporate advisors have access to the text, while the public, Members of Congress, journalists, and civil society are excluded. And so far what we know about what's in there is very scary!

http://www.citizen.org/TPP

Scarier that anything in the above are the Secret Tribunals (like NAFTA Chapter 11, but MUCH MORE POWERFUL) composed of High Judges FROM the Global Corporations themselves, with NO Spokesperson or representatives of the Defendants (the citizens and governments of participating countries),
that will essentially have the power to impose FINES (levy taxes) on Countries that they decide have interfered with a Corporations RIGHT to Make-a-Profit.


This is ONE issue where EVERYBODY who Works for a Living (Republican, Centrist, Independent, Democrat, Libertarian, Tea Party, Professional Leftist) should be able agree.
THIS is NOT a Good Thing.

...and NOBODY on the TV is talking about it, unless you have RT, FSTV, or Current. (What is that total... about 10 people, counting me?)

Unfortunately, In Today's America, where we are STILL Number ONE,
if it ain't on TV,
then it ain't real.

Bigfoot and Zombies...now THEY are on TV a lot,
and so they are REAL to too many Americans.
Much more REAL and WAY MORE Important than the TPP.


Note from the "You Can't Make this shit UP Dept":
My Wife recently took a certification Class for EMT in our rural area.
She was STUNNED to find that TWO MEMBERS of her class actually BELIEVED that ZOMBIES were REAL.




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

[Marr]

71. Except he never sold it. He ran as a liberal. People voted for a liberal.

Once in office, he removed his mask and started fellating big business and the (secret) national security state.

[another_liberal]

39. This is a huge sell-out.

We should not allow anyone who becomes a millionaire to hold a national office. That kind of person is far too often utterly unconcerned for the welfare of ordinary Americans. We need middle class and working people in positions of power for awhile.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

41. Don't you know this is all part of a master plan?

.....from the Trilateral Commission.

[GiaGiovanni]

42. "GMO labeling a near impossibility" This ALONE should be enough to upset everyone here

How do we fight this thing?

[cali]

48. I don't know where you live and why your congresscritters are

it may seem like it's not much and maybe it isn't but call your congresscritters, let them know that you' know about this and that you oppose the TPA and the TPP- lots of members of the House will vote against the TPA. The TPP will only be voted on by the Senate. Stopping fast track is the most important thing.

[Autumn]

43. It doesn't make me angry cali, it just makes me sick.

I don't think I have any anger left. Thanks for your post.

[wildbilln864]

44. k & r! n/t

[liberal_at_heart]

46. any politician who votes for this piece of crap will not get my vote.

[cali]

49. I hope we can make this an issue in upcoming elections.

[whttevrr]

50. K & R

[Buns_of_Fire]

53. It figures that Baucus would be in on it.

The bastard will be long gone (he's not seeking reelection in 2014) before TSHTF. I guess some of these "representatives" are driven to leave a nice, stinking turd behind for us to remember them by.

Another good link (I don't recall it being listed above) is the Public Citizen site: http://www.citizen.org/TPP

[Omnith]

54. Why would you want to make me angry?

[cali]

56. well, partly because this should inspire anger in people

as what we know about the TPP will hurt so many Americans- and others. Partly because I hope that people will contact their reps and Senators in opposition to the TPA so that the TPP doesn't arrive in a Senate that is limited to an up or down vote; no amendments and no filibustering.

[Omnith]

59. I see

However, all that can be accomplished without being angy. I guess its a matter of attitude. I suppose its only a minor point.

[cali]

62. most people get galvanized to act and speak out

by getting angry over an issue. That's been my observation.

[stillwaiting]

55. This really is the one issue that I don't see defenders of all things Obama running to defend him.

And it is possibly the most egregious.

This will fundamentally change how America operates.

Talk about handcuffing "our" Congress Critters from passing regulations!

It's fascist bullshit.

[cali]

57. No, they just pretend it doesn't exist

cowardice squared.

Yes, it certainly is egregious.

[truedelphi]

69. But undoubtedly, issues that involve

Obama appealing to the officials from other nations is one reason he was selected to run as President, even though he lacked experience.

[wtmusic]

58. Sorry I'm not seeing the link between TPP-TPA

Two different things?

[cali]

60. Here's how it works. In order to pass the TPP as negotiated with

the other countries, the administration (as did all previous admins) is reliant upon the TPA (fast track) being in place. The TPA expired in 2007 so it needs to be voted on again. Without the TPP, Senators could introduce amendments to change provisions and have the right to filibuster. The TPA dictates just an up or down vote. The TPA and trade agreements are inextricably linked. Without the TPA, no TPP.

Hope that clarifies things for you.

[wtmusic]

61. thanks nt

[woo me with science]

67. K&R