Subject: another BIG worry for ya--the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP)
[I have added to this post two significant followups, both dated 10/6/13]
Yes this promises to affect you and yours, bigtime. It's about the secret behind the scenes development of a new so-called free trade agreement among Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. Those who have been developing it are seeking a fast-track process for its adoption by Congress, so that our legislators will not have time to read it after it is released and before voting on it.
This new treaty would override local laws in the various countries including laws of the states and local areas, mainly including laws that have been developed for the protection of workers and residents. Free trade agreements in general have worked out to be bad news for the people of the United States in general, with resulting job reductions and wage reductions, good only for the wealthiest few.
We are called upon to act to oppose this new development:
It is time to end the era of rigged corporate trade and begin fair trade that respects all people and the planet, and that is developed in an open and transparent manner. Join the Fair Trade Brigade either in Congress or where you live. Tell your member of Congress to vote "no" on fast track and pass a resolution locally that declares your community to be a TPP-free zone. Visit FlushtheTPP.org for more information on what you can do.
October 2, 2013
http://truth-out.org/news/item/19135-the-trans-pacific-partnership-we-wont-be-fooled-by-rigged-corporate-trade-agreements
and
September 27, 2013
http://atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JAP-02-270913.html
I haven't acted on this yet except to send this to you for starters, but I expect to do more. I expect that this may occasion another mass call-in to federal legislatures such as the mass American uprising that stopped the U.S. military attack on Syria. We did not need that, and we do not need this either.
Larry
[I have added to this post two significant followups, both dated 10/6/13]
Yes this promises to affect you and yours, bigtime. It's about the secret behind the scenes development of a new so-called free trade agreement among Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam. Those who have been developing it are seeking a fast-track process for its adoption by Congress, so that our legislators will not have time to read it after it is released and before voting on it.
This new treaty would override local laws in the various countries including laws of the states and local areas, mainly including laws that have been developed for the protection of workers and residents. Free trade agreements in general have worked out to be bad news for the people of the United States in general, with resulting job reductions and wage reductions, good only for the wealthiest few.
We are called upon to act to oppose this new development:
It is time to end the era of rigged corporate trade and begin fair trade that respects all people and the planet, and that is developed in an open and transparent manner. Join the Fair Trade Brigade either in Congress or where you live. Tell your member of Congress to vote "no" on fast track and pass a resolution locally that declares your community to be a TPP-free zone. Visit FlushtheTPP.org for more information on what you can do.
October 2, 2013
http://truth-out.org/news/item/19135-the-trans-pacific-partnership-we-wont-be-fooled-by-rigged-corporate-trade-agreements
and
September 27, 2013
http://atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JAP-02-270913.html
I haven't acted on this yet except to send this to you for starters, but I expect to do more. I expect that this may occasion another mass call-in to federal legislatures such as the mass American uprising that stopped the U.S. military attack on Syria. We did not need that, and we do not need this either.
Larry
-------------------------------
(This article likely shows a good consequence of the government shutdown)
"For Obama, domestic politics make foreign policy that much harder"
October 4, 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/10/04/for-obama-domestic-politics-make-foreign-policy-that-much-harder/
========================
Subject: a needed comment Re: another BIG worry for ya--the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) [sent 10/6/13]
The first of these two comments from Anon points out something that I should have pointed out in the first place, about the major consequence if Congress were to agree to use "a fast-track process" toward enacting and buying in to this super-ugly "Trans-Pacific Partnership" (TPP).
from Anon: If I remember correctly, and it’s quite possible I don’t, “fast-track” isn’t about not giving the legislators time to know what it says, it is about not giving Congress the space to make changes in it that would need to be re-negotiated. Just an up or down vote.
LS: I think it's both, since the contents are being kept secret until the last minute, apparently. But what you point out is the more important concern in fact: After approving "fast-track," Congress agrees there will be no changes and no discussion of what about the document ought to be changed. That is talked about in the principle article linked below. I have an idea that at least some legislators would want to question the overriding of laws of the states and localities, for one obvious example.
Anon: The main point you make, about overriding laws in particular places, is quite worrisome. As I recall, the implications of such a thing is to facilitate a kind of race to the bottom. At least I think that’s what’s happened in other cases.
LS: Right. Thank you for taking the time to emphasize these important things.
Larry
======================
There's another big thing I just thought of: Any such treaty that proposes to affect 40 percent of the world's economy would, I think, "necessarily" involve an increase in the size and activity of the U.S. military and probably an increase in the size of police forces in the U.S. as well, to "supervise" it all. I don't know about you, but I do not think that would be a good thing at all, especially since it would be some of the huge number of people whose lives it would be making worse who would be trying to fight back. And if you happen to think it is a good thing, might I at least ask, do you have lots of extra money lying around with which to pay for all that new and extra U.S. military activity in the world, with all its related business contracts, not to mention local taxes for increased police activity in the U.S.?
Larry
(This article likely shows a good consequence of the government shutdown)
"For Obama, domestic politics make foreign policy that much harder"
October 4, 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/10/04/for-obama-domestic-politics-make-foreign-policy-that-much-harder/
========================
Subject: a needed comment Re: another BIG worry for ya--the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) [sent 10/6/13]
The first of these two comments from Anon points out something that I should have pointed out in the first place, about the major consequence if Congress were to agree to use "a fast-track process" toward enacting and buying in to this super-ugly "Trans-Pacific Partnership" (TPP).
from Anon: If I remember correctly, and it’s quite possible I don’t, “fast-track” isn’t about not giving the legislators time to know what it says, it is about not giving Congress the space to make changes in it that would need to be re-negotiated. Just an up or down vote.
LS: I think it's both, since the contents are being kept secret until the last minute, apparently. But what you point out is the more important concern in fact: After approving "fast-track," Congress agrees there will be no changes and no discussion of what about the document ought to be changed. That is talked about in the principle article linked below. I have an idea that at least some legislators would want to question the overriding of laws of the states and localities, for one obvious example.
Anon: The main point you make, about overriding laws in particular places, is quite worrisome. As I recall, the implications of such a thing is to facilitate a kind of race to the bottom. At least I think that’s what’s happened in other cases.
LS: Right. Thank you for taking the time to emphasize these important things.
Larry
======================
Subject: another big part of the problem with the TPP proposal Re:
another BIG worry for ya--the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) [#2 sent 10/6/13]
There's another big thing I just thought of: Any such treaty that proposes to affect 40 percent of the world's economy would, I think, "necessarily" involve an increase in the size and activity of the U.S. military and probably an increase in the size of police forces in the U.S. as well, to "supervise" it all. I don't know about you, but I do not think that would be a good thing at all, especially since it would be some of the huge number of people whose lives it would be making worse who would be trying to fight back. And if you happen to think it is a good thing, might I at least ask, do you have lots of extra money lying around with which to pay for all that new and extra U.S. military activity in the world, with all its related business contracts, not to mention local taxes for increased police activity in the U.S.?
Larry
