politics

U.S. pushes Pacific trade agenda despite shutdown

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By ELAINE KURTENBACH

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The TPP is the final assault on local farmers by big corporations. Don't fall for it, Japan!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The TPP is a terrible, secretive deal rushed through under the radar that favors special interests and is deeply un-democratic. It threatens free speech, privacy and online innovation, and exports the requirement that all signatory countries now repeat the last 12 years of DCMA mistakes that the US has actually lived. Read all about it here:

https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There are two problems with The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.

It goes far deeper than a trade agreement, rewriting laws and giving totalitarian power to the huge corporations like Monsanto and Halliburton, the power to command and sue governments. Monsanto could sue the Japanese government for allowing Japanese farmers to save seed from one crop to use the next year, for example.

The negotiations are held in secret. So we, the people who will be most affected by them have absolutely no say in what agreements are made. This includes:

Domestic court decisions and international legal standards (TPP would override domestic laws on both trade and nontrade matters. It would give foreign investors’ the right to sue governments in international tribunals that would overrule the national sovereignty) The agreement covers 29 areas, but only 5 have to do with traditional trade matters, such as tariffs or quotas. The other chapters describe new rights and privileges for major corporations while weakening the power of nation states to oppose them.

Environmental regulations (nuclear energy, pollution, sustainability)

Financial deregulation (giving even more power and privileges to the bankers and financiers)

Food safety (lowering food self-sufficiency, Genetically Modified products would not be labeled as such, nor would it be noted whether the beef came from a cow with Mad Cow Disease, for example,)

Government procurement (local farming would become illegal. We wouldn't be allowed to buy local produce)

Internet freedom (monitoring and policing user activity)

Labor (welfare regulation, workplace safety, relocating domestic jobs abroad)

Patent protection, copyrights (no generic medicine)

Public access to essential services may be restricted due to investment rules (water, electricity, and gas)

The TPP is described as a “free trade” agreement, but it actually has nothing to do with fairness and equity. It gives totalitarian power to large corporations.

We may as well just tell the Chinese to come and take over. Life under TPP would be a similar level of restriction. Holding negotiations in secret is not part of democracy or freedom.

See more at: http://www.japanfocus.org/-Sachie-MIZOHATA/3996#sthash.ng6CxkqP.dpuf

3 ( +4 / -1 )

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