Obama underscores need to finish Asia-Pacific trade deal this year
Source: The Hill
By Vicki Needham - 09/03/13 09:53 AM ET
President Obama reiterated on Tuesday his desire to complete an Asia-Pacific trade deal this year, arguing that it will not only boost economic growth but shore up global security.
During a conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the president once again underscored his stance that the 12 nations involved in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should conclude talks this fall, the White House said.
Both leaders agreed to closely consult with one another on how to forge ahead.
The nation's trade leaders have said they made progress during the 19th round of the trade talks, which wrapped up recently in Brunei. Those talks were the first full round for Japan.
Leaders of the nations beside the U.S. and Japan Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam have agreed to the aim of finishing by the end of the year.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1005-trade/319949-obama-underscores-need-to-finish-asia-pacific-trade-deal-this-year
Learn more about the TPP, and sign a petition demanding that people be put before corporate rights here:
http://act.aflcio.org/c/18/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=7025
More on TPP: http://www.aflcio.org/Issues/Trade/Trans-Pacific-Partnership-Free-Trade-Agreement-TPP
Koko Ware
(107 posts)No question about it - it is a VERY bad deal for the people of the United States.
NAFTA is a massive failure, why compound on this four times that much?
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)passed a resolution calling on Obama to drop out of the negotiations. Love Cali!
myrna minx
(22,772 posts)forestpath
(3,102 posts)OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)it's the "smart" decision to support NAFTA-style trade agreements. It's what could kill progressivism and democracy once and for all.
ForgoTheConsequence
(4,868 posts)I would like to hear it.
emsimon33
(3,128 posts)It has done the opposite
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts):kick:
ForgoTheConsequence
(4,868 posts)But the "Obama at any cost" crown has been completely silent in this thread.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)"You're just a stupid protectionist who never studies David Ricardo" meme
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)his successor will.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)"strategic partnership" "part of the Asia pivot" other similar crap. Supposed to protect us from China. How? By producing more of our military goods overseas? Huh?
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)War and the TPP, definitely NOT our pal.
emsimon33
(3,128 posts)There needs to be an open, national discussion without lies and without hype regarding TPP. TPP should not take the rights of citizens to pass laws that protect them and their country and give these rights to corporations and the wealthy.
That the Obama administration has been so secretive in the negotiations on TPP has been one of my major problems with the Obama administration. NAFTA not only took jobs away from Americans but has been a factor in lowering wages and reducing the middle class. If the little information that we have been able to get on TPP is correct, then TPP will be the death of not only the middle class but of our republic.
On the positive side, if TPP is as bad as it seems and it passes, it will hasten an international revolution that may be bloody but will end the cabal that appears to be trying to enslave the world and the end of vulture capitalism.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)that amount to "hey, maybe this is what finally foments the revolution." Sometimes, that's the only bright side there is.
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)From the Oval Office
Berlum
(7,044 posts)TBF
(32,053 posts)The investor class of course - because this sure ain't gonna make jobs in this country.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,319 posts)Syria
Grand Bargain
TPP
Divernan
(15,480 posts)Thomas Jefferson - "When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty."
Ocelot
(227 posts)The sweatshop nations of the world will make out like bandits, while here in America we'll hear that giant sucking sound once again. Syria, Trans Pacific Partnership... seems that Obama has doubled down on his mission to destroy the middle class in this country before he leaves office and hands the keys over to his REPUBLICAN successor (hey, if he wanted a Democratic successor he'd be using his office to promote DEMOCRATIC ideals, now wouldn't he?)
AllyCat
(16,180 posts)but they never say who the beneficiary will be. It's rarely, if ever, us.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)The banner at the top of the page says "Don't be fooled by the TPP promoters!"
The puppets in the beginning of the video get all excited because they think TPP is going to lead to economic growth, and they're ready to get on the "Kaikoku-yuki" bus headed for a truly "open" country. But hold on! The government isn't being completely forthright about all this.
LoisB
(7,202 posts)tblue
(16,350 posts)ENOUGH!
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Are you suggesting you would go against the wishes of the American people? Don't you believe in democracy?
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)the No-Strings Attached Wall Street Bailout, need I go on? When do we get what we want? That is what democracy is supposed to be, right?
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Populist_Prole
(5,364 posts)Or more accurately, you know it's really bad when this is the one issue that republicans won't fight president Obama on.
Phlem
(6,323 posts)I'm afraid to see what's next.
-p
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)if we're making everyone else poorer. The important thing is to improve our economy, which, of course, means making rich people richer."
This is what I hear.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)By the way, what does Valerief refer to?
valerief
(53,235 posts)Vincardog
(20,234 posts)avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)that "it's none of our damn business." I listened to a speech by former USTR Robert B. Zoellick and he basically said he was "surprised" at the level of secrecy of the current USTR and recommended against it. It would have been funny of it wasn't tragic.
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Update%20July%2026.pdf
The Trans-Pacific Partnership: New Rules for a New Era
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 The Canada Institute, with the Mexico Institute, Latin American Program, Asia Program, Kissinger Institute, and the Program on America and the Global Economy, presented the Wilson Centers latest analysis of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Robert Zoellick, former president of the World Bank and former U.S. Trade Representative, gave a global perspective on what the TPP could mean for future trade negotiations. Ari Van Assche of HEC Montréal spoke on the important aspects of future trade models and how the TPP fits into other regional trade agreements. To view the event video, please click here.
Ocelot
(227 posts)And by extension we're all naive children who can't comprehend his scheming. Now eat your peas, like he told you to.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)GM frankenfood peas, or DDT-laced peas from some third world country?
KG
(28,751 posts)beerandjesus
(1,301 posts)First on Syria, now on this. I just hope they remember all that paranoid shit about surrendering US sovereignty to the UN when their representatives come home and talk about TPP.
Because we can't count on the Democrats to not do the wrong thing.
SO depressing.
pa28
(6,145 posts)Public awareness is the enemy of the TPP.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)So I'll just keep posting.
Poll_Blind
(23,864 posts)PB
AllyCat
(16,180 posts)I did not vote for war and I didn't vote for this. The PTB will not allow a leader of the people ever again, will they.
Zorro
(15,740 posts)"Officials reported today that they achieved further strong progress at the 18th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, which ended today, keeping their eyes fixed on the goal set by President Obama and the other TPP Leaders of concluding a high-standard, comprehensive agreement this year, while welcoming Japans entry into the negotiations. Through the TPP, the United States is seeking to advance a 21st-century trade and investment framework that will boost competitiveness, expand trade and investment with the robust economies of the Asia Pacific, and support the creation and retention of U.S. jobs, while promoting core U.S. principles on labor rights, environmental protection, and transparency.
Following the guidance of the trade ministers from the United States and the other TPP countries prior to this round Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam the negotiating groups covering market access, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, investment, financial services, e-commerce, and transparency reached agreement on a wide range of technical issues in the legal texts of these chapters, which set the rules that govern the conduct of their trade and investment relations. They also found common ground on issues that allowed them to make progress in the negotiating groups covering intellectual property, competition, and environment. In addition, each group developed a detailed plan for closing remaining issues and completing their work.
The negotiators also moved ahead in their efforts to construct the ambitious packages that will provide access to their respective markets for industrial, agricultural and textile and apparel products, services and investment, and government procurement. They agreed on next steps and an overall plan for achieving these market access outcomes in the timeframe agreed by Leaders.
Throughout the talks, negotiators reflected the wide range of views provided to them by their stakeholders on the best pathway to promote trade and investment, regional integration, and jobs in the United States and the other TPP countries. The TPP negotiations were temporarily adjourned on July 20 so the delegates could listen to and share information with more than 200 stakeholders from the United States and across the TPP region. Stakeholders also met informally with U.S. and other negotiators to provide further detailed information. U.S. chief negotiator Barbara Weisel and her fellow TPP chief negotiators also briefed stakeholders on the status of the negotiations and responded to their questions on specific issues and the process going forward.
On July 23, the United States and the other TPP countries welcomed Japan as the 12th member of the negotiations, following the successful completion of the respective domestic procedures of the United States and the other existing TPP members. Japan received detailed updates on the status of the negotiations and participated actively in the work of the negotiating groups that were meeting on those dates, expressing its commitment to integrate quickly and smoothly into the process. With Japans entry, TPP countries now account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP and about one-third of all world trade.
Ministers from the TPP countries have been in close touch on TPP over the past month. Over the past week, USTR Froman met in Washington with Vietnamese Trade Minister Hoang, Bruneian Trade Minister Pehin Lim, and Japanese Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry Motegi, and spoke by phone with Director General Jana of Chiles trade ministry (DIRECON) and Mexican Economy Minister Guajardo. Additionally, Ambassador Froman met with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang during President Sangs visit to Washington, D.C. this week.
Ambassador Froman and the other TPP ministers plan to engage regularly in the coming weeks ahead of the next round to find solutions to the sensitive issues that remain, guide the work of negotiators, and keep the negotiations moving expeditiously toward a high-standard outcome the TPP Leaders agreed to seek."
I don't get why so many reflexively condemn these talks; the US already has preferential trade agreements a lot of the countries participating in the negotiations. Reducing trade barriers will allow US products to penetrate new markets -- and the US does have a powerful industrial base, despite all the specious prattle about its imminent demise.