Now Is a Critical Moment to Stop Some Scary Global Corporate Deals That Are in the Works

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/visions/now-critical-moment-stop-some-scary-global-corporate-deals-are-works



The moment facing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its sibling the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (known as ‘TAFTA’) and the future approach to trade is reaching a critical stage. The TPP and TAFTA are attempts to get past the failed World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, but like the WTO, these new agreements are meeting significant opposition and obstacles. We are poised to stop these attempts to rig the international economy in favor of multinational corporations and move to a new model of trade that respects the rights of people and nature, but it will take a coordinated effort. We must be prepared for moves to thwart that effort and organize to avoid them.

The TPP and TAFTA represent a new era of deception and back-room dealing to pass laws that have nothing to do with trade, but that hand even greater power to multinational corporations to profit from everything no matter the consequences for the health of people and the planet. For the first time, the text of the agreements has been classified and they are being negotiated in secret with hundreds of corporate advisers and minimal involvement by Congress. In order to complete the agreements without transparency and public input, the President has asked Congress to grant him the authority to sign them, ‘Fast Track,’ a form of Trade Promotion Authority.

As elections get closer, Democratic Party leaders in Congress are getting the message out to inside-the-beltway activists groups that they are unifying to support giving President Obama some form of Fast Track. Recent letters from member of Congress to the President indicate support for trade with particular stipulations, but the overall message is to continue negotiating. Washington advocacy groups believe that they must also show support for Fast Track or they will find themselves without access or influence.

Rather than kowtowing to the usual ‘on the table’ threat from the corrupt bi-partisan Congress, the movement needs to tell them that the only thing on the table is a complete transformation from the failed global trade that rigs profits for big business at the expense of the ecology of the planet and the necessities of the people. It is time to declare the TPP, TAFTA and the Services agreements as dead, develop a new approach to trade and begin to renegotiate past trade agreements like NAFTA that are doing ongoing damage to the economy, planet and people.

[djean111]

1. I believe India just backed out of a trade deal because of the part where

corporations can sue countries.

How politicians vote for or support this reeking shit absolutely affects my vote.

And these trade deals, by the way, are not ponies or unicorns or whatever fucking word is used to marginalize them by the Third way acolytes. These trade deals are rotten and rig the world's economy to shift whatever is left to the corporations and the 1%.

[xchrom]

2. +1

[woo me with science]

3. These trade deals are the dismantling of democratic government by fascists.

They are how corporations gain power over the lives of human beings previously protected by democratic governments.

Third Wayers are allied with the most dangerous Republicans in our government. They are not just a more "centrist" Democrat within our democratic, representative system. They are fascist, authoritarian infiltrators backed with corporate money, and they are a menace to our Constitution and our democratic system.

[xchrom]

4. well said. nt

[TBF]

5. I hope folks learned from NAFTA as millions

of jobs whizzed out of the country.

I could almost buy into the "raise all the boats" third-way party line if they actually gave a shit about the people involved. But they don't. Do they give decent wages to the new folks doing the jobs in other countries? Nope. They shift jobs to other countries for greater profits. Do they retrain people here? Nope. They work on PR to "adjust expectations" and pretty soon everyone here will be making $1/hour comparable to other third world countries. If they cared there would be a minimum living wage WORLDWIDE, rather than billionaires pocketing all the profit they can along the way. Notice how the wages of the 1% never decrease but instead increase. And the more jobs they move for greater profit the more bonuses they get at the top. It's a racket and only a few benefit.