NAFTA and the end of government by the people, of the people, for the people

[JDPriestly]

So you think that we have government by the people, of the people, for the people. Think again. NAFTA courts overrule the laws we make at the state, local and even national levels, and will eventually destroy democracy.

Here is an example:

Vermont prohibited from protecting its environment:

International trade tribunals seen trumping state laws
Email|Print| Text size – + By Dave Gram
Associated Press Writer / December 2, 2007

MONTPELIER, Vt.—A Canadian company wants to open a new plant in Claremont, N.H., to bottle fresh water from a source in Stockbridge, Vt.
more stories like this

But if Vermont wants to limit how much water the company takes, it may run afoul of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

States around the country are growing increasingly worried about the threats posed to their laws and regulations by the secret tribunals that resolve disputes in international trade. Experts say everything from environmental rules to the licensing of nurses and other professionals could be affected.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2007/12/02/international_trade_tribunals_seen_trumping_state_laws/


Rhode Island responded to this incursion on its people's right to govern themselves.

Nov. 1, 2007

Rhode Island Passes Legislation to Safeguard State Legislative Authority and Federalism

Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto of Trade Bill; Heeds Public Call for New Accountability in Trade Negotiations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – By overriding the governor’s veto of groundbreaking legislation, the Rhode Island General Assembly has ensured that the state cannot be forced to comply with non-trade regulatory constraints imposed through trade agreements unless state lawmakers agree to it. The legislation, passed Wednesday, fortifies Rhode Island state sovereignty and indicates the nationwide political discontent with current U.S. trade policy, Public Citizen said today.

The legislation (HB 6032) gives the Rhode Island House and Senate the authority to approve or reject any request from the federal government that would make the state conform its policies to non-tariff provisions of future trade agreements. This applies to rules in trade agreements pertaining to the service sector, procurement and investment. While state governments currently regulate a wide array of industries and issues, this authority increasingly is diluted by binding rules in international trade agreements that drastically expand the scope of the agreements. Within these broad parameters often fall non-trade domestic policies over which state and local governments traditionally have had jurisdiction, including those concerning the environment, financial services, economic development and health care.
. . .
Since the passage of NAFTA, the U.S. trade deficit has ballooned from under $100 billion to $800 billion, three million manufacturing jobs have been sent offshore and median real wages have remained flat – even as worker productivity has soared. Meanwhile, scores of domestic non-trade laws have been challenged before foreign tribunals established under the “trade” pacts, including state laws on zoning, toxics and mining.
http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2536

Other states including Hawaii have considered taking action on this. The power of the NAFTA Court and other such trade organizations is immense and is the means through which powerful business interests are grabbing the power that generations of Americans fought and died to safeguard.

Remember, treaties overrule American law. Thus, trade treaties are the simplest means through which the very wealthy can disenfranchise American voters. Who needs to fix elections if a secret NAFTA tribunal can simply nullify the laws passed by elected state and local (and national) governments?

Added on revision:

A list of cases that were dismissed or pending before the NAFTA Court in 2005. It's worth looking at some of these cases.

TABLE OF NAFTA CHAPTER 11 INVESTOR-STATE CASES & CLAIMS
February 2005

http://www.citizen.org/documents/Ch11cases_chart.pdf

[SeattleGirl]

1. I stopped believing we had that kind of government quite some time ago.

I think the main message from DC to the rest of us is a big old FUCK YOU.

[ulysses]

2. American companies have been doing this in Mexico

since NAFTA was passed. The "not in my back yard" attitude now meets the fact that we're all in the corporations' back yard under the pact.