The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a massive trade deal that the United States is negotiating with 11 other countries. Critics say that it doesn’t contain enough protections for workers; it will lead to jobs leaving the United States; and it could undermine regulations here in the U.S. Supporters say it will be an economic boost by allowing more trade between the nations that sign on.
President Barack Obama is seeking fast-track authority that would allow him to negotiate a deal that would face an up-or-down vote in Congress.
The politics are curious: Obama is counting on Republicans to support the deal because Democrats are mostly against it.
Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-CD3) is a big opponent. In March, he signed onto a statement from the Progressive Caucus that noted: “The United States is leading a global race to the bottom that isn’t good for families anywhere. Good trade deals should not expose our consumer protections to legal attacks by foreign corporations.”
Grijalva will be hosting a forum with TPP opponents at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at the IBEW Local 570 Hall, 750 S. Tucson Blvd., if you want to learn more.
Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (D-CD1), who tends to be a good deal more moderate than Grijalva, opposes giving the Obama administration fast-track authority to negotiate the deal. In an email this week, Kirkpatrick said: “Free trade can be a good thing. But free trade done in secret can lead to serious problems—including offshoring of American jobs, an uneven playing field for American business, and the erosion of labor, environmental, and safety standards. : American workers depend on us to make sure they are protected in free trade agreements. We cannot allow that power to be taken away through fast track authority.”
Congresswoman Martha McSally (R-CD2) is leaning toward supporting the TPP, according to spokesman Patrick Ptak:
Rep. McSally recognizes that the global economy is changing, and for Arizona businesses and workers to continue to be competitive, they must keep pace. Over 95% of the world’s consumers now live beyond our borders. Expanding access to these consumers for local businesses means more jobs for Southern Arizonans. A great example is PACE Technologies in Tucson, which Rep. McSally recently visited, who were able to grow from 4 to 15 employees during the economic downturn by focusing on boosting their exports.
Last year, Arizona businesses shipped over $11 billion in goods to Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries. Lowering barriers to markets in these countries can build upon this trade, providing more opportunity for workers here. While Rep. McSally will consider any potential TPP deal once it is reached, she supports measures to expand trade such as passing Trade Promotion Authority legislation.
You can Google all sorts of background info, but here’s a primer from The New York Times:
Like a huge container ship pushing its way into port, the trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership is about to drop anchor in Washington. The document is weighty and secret, stretching to perhaps 30 chapters, and is still being negotiated after nearly 10 years of talks. It would set new terms for trade and business investment among the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations — a far-flung group with an annual gross domestic product of nearly $28 trillion that represents roughly 40 percent of global G.D.P. and one-third of world trade.
Supporters say it would be a boon for all the nations involved, that it would “unlock opportunities” and “address vital 21st-century issues within the global economy,” and that it is written in a way to encourage more countries, possibly even China, to sign on. Passage in Congress is one of President Obama’s final goals in office, but he faces stiff opposition from nearly all of his fellow Democrats.
Continue reading the main storyOpponents in the United States see the pact as mostly a giveaway to business, encouraging further export of manufacturing jobs to low-wage nations while limiting competition and encouraging higher prices for pharmaceuticals and other high-value products by spreading American standards for patent protections to other countries. A provision allowing multinational corporations to challenge regulations and court rulings before special tribunals is drawing intense opposition.
This article appears in Jun 4-10, 2015.
If the Republicans support it, can there be anything good in it for me?
It’s a great deal, but only if you’re a movie/music industry executive or have a vested interest in off-shoring more jobs to countries that have no labor standards. It’s not a partnership, it’s a “how can we get even bigger bonuses for corporate executives” treaty. That’s why Wall Street and the Republicans think it’s so awesome.
“The document is weighty and secret, stretching to perhaps 30 chapters, and is still being negotiated after nearly 10 years of talks. ” NYT
Obama seeks fast track authority for an agreement that is legalistically dense, secretive and still being negotiated. He has a lot of selling to do and sound bites using Nike (of all the usual suspects) as an example of how US companies will benefit and return its outsourced jobs to our shores is laughable. For the congress to understand and approve the pact in a short time period invites the ultimate politician’s lament, “I didn’t actually read the proposed treaty, my advisers gave it the green light. Sorry, if I knew then what I know now, I would have voted against it.”
Sounds like this administration’s version of trickle down economics. “Fast track authority” and global trade agreements do not pass the smell test especially with the US congress acting as the final arbiter of its value to the US economy, its workers and consumers.
So how many times does Obama need to stab you in the face before you realize, he’s in this for HIMSELF and noone else.. .. He asks for the Republicans to support this because YOU dont.. and YOU still lick his boots every chance you get? Thats one Dumb Dog.
Either you in or your out and its happening regardless. You lose a little or a lot. So that is TPP. There is no option but to join.
There are so many Brokers on the west coast that handle a majority of commodities and products. These brokers are a bottle neck working on agreements that are being renegotiated to allow more brokers and ports can handle different products a wider variety, Such, Portland is the only port on the west coast allow to ship barges of recycled metals or be loaded into containers that prohibit competition. Cotton has to go to brokers in CA that take 20% off the top that can go to our cotton producers. Is there a question why the new highway from Hermosillo allows 120,000gvw trucks while trucks that come from Nogales to 80,000gvw. Resulting in the train yard in Tucson to close and the one in Yuma is huge. All of these are diversions are companies that contribute to the DEM party for exclusive market control. In ports all over the world containers are physically bar coded read by using a scanner the Long Beach port they have to be read entered manually. The Teamster that does that make with benefits $150,000.00 annually. The teamsters don’t want to pay income tax on benefits while that is What affordable is al about equalizing the disparity with benefit cost figured in. While they hire non-union workers to build the business hall after having a agreement with the Brother hood of Carpenters
TPP & Global Treaties/’Arrangements’.
Teaching the Gordan Gekko’s of Wall St. & Congress some Humility & Integrity?
by David E.H. Smith
If Not ‘Treason’, then, there are very compelling arguments for concluding that the corporations, whether they be, foreign, domestic, &/or, a blend, that do not respect the ‘lesser’ jurisdictions, ie. individual provinces, territories, &/or, states, or, municipalities, are not good corporate citizens of the host countries & thus, can be treated as ‘persona non grata’.
The Global Treaties/’Arrangements’ with their Secret ‘Death-Star-Chamber’ Tribunals that The Global (non BRICS) Corporate Economy is in the Process of Secretly Passing will Finally Legitimize its Ability to secretly move money around, ie. ‘launder’ without Fear of Legal/government Regulation. It’s their Own Jurisdiction & they Insist that you Pay for & Not them.
Will TPP be Okay if ‘US’ corporations can Prove that they Won’t Benefit from Partnerships that Try to Disguise that Corporate USA is Circumventing Other ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions (State/Municipal)?
ie. Corporations Need Proof of Non Circumvention of ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions, or else, ‘Non Good Corporate Citizens’, &/or, ‘Persona Non Grata’
What is Governors’ Rationale for not Defending Taxpayers; States Colluding with Feds?
Corporate America’s Last Chance to Fleece the Little Guy (95% – 99% of U.S.) Before Tanking the Global (non BRICS) Economy? Exploitable ‘Vulnerabilities’, Holes & Back Doors to Close.
2 Republican Senators Admit that They Have read the TPP.
Should Congressmen & Parliamentarians Have to Sully Their ‘Beliefs’ & Sales Pitches with
‘Sordid’ Facts that Come from Actually Reading & Understanding Global Treaties/’Arrangements’?
Congress; Deluded, or, Deluding; ‘IGNORAMUS et IGNORABIMUS’ (I do not know & I will Not Know)?
Can ‘your’ Federal Representatives Willingly Answer ‘your’ Questions below If They haven’t Read the TPP & other Global Treaties? All You have to do is Ask them ‘For Your Record’ & then Share Their Inability with Others.
Don’t Forget to Demand Your Money Back for ‘Supplementing’ Fed Rep’s Wages & Future Considerations at Incompetency Tribunals.
How many ‘Preferred’ Shares are You Selling Your Right to Sue The Global Corporate Economy for?
Will TPP be Okay if ‘US’ corporations can Prove that they Won’t Benefit from Partnerships that Try to Disguise that Corporate USA is Circumventing Other ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions (State/Municipal)?
ie. Corporations Need Proof of Non Circumvention of ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions, or else, ‘Non Good Corporate Citizens’, &/or, ‘Persona Non Grata’
TPP, TTIP, CETA & Global Treaties;
Corp.’ U.S.’ Need to Fast Track TPP & Global Treaties.
TPP & Global Treaties part of corp. US’s attempt to Increase $17+ Trillion
Debt ‘Earning$’ & to Legitimize Hidden Earning$ in Untouchable Foreign Banks.
Time to REPATRIATE ‘Earnings’; NO FOREIGN Accountants, Banks, Services, etc.
NO Trickle Down from Hiding ‘Earnings’ in Secret Off-Shore Accounts.
Global Treaties Not about How Much Trade, but, How to & Who to Trade with to ‘Undermine’ AIIB.
Shifting Costs to harmless Non Shareholders to Inflate ‘Profits & Dividends’.
Is it Time to Cool off the ‘Stockbrokers’ again; Buy Gold?
‘Schadenfreude’ & the Public; Too ‘Unenlightened’ to Figure out ‘The Global Sleight of Mind’ Illusion.
– David ‘Copper’ Smith
Will Individual States Jump at Opportunity to: Refuse, or, ‘Over Charge’ Business Licenses, Raise Targeting State Taxes, ‘Road’ Taxes, etc. to Recoup Global Treaties’ Suits (plus Earn Lucrative ‘Punitive Damages’) from Non Good Corporate Citizens (non-Compliant of State laws), Associated/Support Corps., Securities Exchanges, et al?
Are TPP & Global Corporate Treaties/’Arrangements more about Tort ‘Abolishment’ than Tort ‘Reform’?
But, Do YOU know the various different ways to Make the leaders of TPP, Shareholders, et al, ‘Persona non Grata’; Shareholders’ Meetings I.D. Toxic Neighbors, In-laws, et al?
But, If Not PUTIN; ‘The WHITE KNIGHT’, then Who Do YOU Want to Bankroll the Saving of the harmless NON shareholders of the World from Fast Tracking TPP’s, CETA’s (TTIP) Secret ‘Death-Star-Chamber’ Tribunal Penalties? Will China, Iran, the Muslim World, et al, Support Putin in Suits?
How about Warren Buffett, &/or, the ‘coveted’ Hong Kong investor, et al?
***
FULL Article, see; http://davidehsmith.wordpress.com
***
Please consider sharing the enclosed information & questions with 10 friends who will share it with 10 others…
TPP & Global Treaties/’Arrangements’.
Teaching the Gordan Gekkos’ of Wall St., Congress, et al, some Humility & Integrity?
by David E.H. Smith
2 Republican Senators Admit that They Have read the TPP.
Should Congressmen & Parliamentarians Have to Sully Their ‘Beliefs’ & Sales Pitches with
‘Sordid’ Facts that Come from Actually Reading & Understanding Global Treaties/’Arrangements’?
Congress; Deluded, or, Deluding; ‘IGNORAMUS et IGNORABIMUS’ (I do not know & I will Not Know)?
If Not ‘Treason’, then, there are very compelling arguments for concluding that the corporations, whether they be, foreign, domestic, &/or, a blend, that do not respect the ‘lesser’ jurisdictions, ie. individual provinces, territories, &/or, states, or, municipalities, are not good corporate citizens of the host countries & thus, can be treated as ‘persona non grata’.
The Global Treaties/’Arrangements’ with their Secret ‘Death-Star-Chamber’ Tribunals that The Global (non BRICS) Corporate Economy is in the Process of Secretly Passing will Finally Legitimize its Ability to secretly move money around, ie. ‘launder’ without Fear of Legal/government Regulation. It’s their Own Jurisdiction & they Insist that you Pay for & Not them.
Will TPP be Okay if ‘US’ corporations can Prove that they Won’t Benefit from Partnerships that Try to Disguise that Corporate USA is Circumventing Other ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions (State/Municipal)?
ie. Corporations Need Proof of Non Circumvention of ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions, or else, ‘Non Good Corporate Citizens’, &/or, ‘Persona Non Grata’
What is Governors’ Rationale for not Defending Taxpayers; States Colluding with Feds?
Corporate America’s Last Chance to Fleece the Little Guy (95% – 99% of U.S.) Before Tanking the Global (non BRICS) Economy? Exploitable ‘Vulnerabilities’, Holes & Back Doors to Close.
Can ‘your’ Federal Representatives Willingly Answer ‘your’ Questions below If They haven’t Read the TPP & other Global Treaties? All You have to do is Ask them ‘For Your Record’ & then Share Their Inability with Others.
Don’t Forget to Demand Your Money Back for ‘Supplementing’ Fed Rep’s Wages & Future Considerations at Incompetency Tribunals.
How many ‘Preferred’ Shares are You Selling Your Right to Sue The Global Corporate Economy for?
Will TPP be Okay if ‘US’ corporations can Prove that they Won’t Benefit from Partnerships that Try to Disguise that Corporate USA is Circumventing Other ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions (State/Municipal)?
ie. Corporations Need Proof of Non Circumvention of ‘Lesser’ Jurisdictions, or else, ‘Non Good Corporate Citizens’, &/or, ‘Persona Non Grata’
TPP, TTIP, CETA & Global Treaties;
Corp.’ U.S.’ Need to Fast Track TPP & Global Treaties.
TPP & Global Treaties part of corp. US’s attempt to Increase $17+ Trillion
Debt ‘Earning$’ & to Legitimize Hidden Earning$ in Untouchable Foreign Banks.
Time to REPATRIATE ‘Earnings’; NO FOREIGN Accountants, Banks, Services, etc.
NO Trickle Down from Hiding ‘Earnings’ in Secret Off-Shore Accounts.
Global Treaties Not about How Much Trade, but, How to & Who to Trade with to ‘Undermine’ AIIB.
Shifting Costs to harmless Non Shareholders to Inflate ‘Profits & Dividends’.
Is it Time to Cool off the ‘Stockbrokers’ again; Buy Gold?
‘Schadenfreude’ & the Public; Too ‘Unenlightened’ to Figure out ‘The Global Sleight of Mind’ Illusion.
– David ‘Copper’ Smith
Will Individual States Jump at Opportunity to: Refuse, or, ‘Over Charge’ Business Licenses, Raise Targeting State Taxes, ‘Road’ Taxes, etc. to Recoup Global Treaties’ Suits (plus Earn Lucrative ‘Punitive Damages’) from Non Good Corporate Citizens (non-Compliant of State laws), Associated/Support Corps., Securities Exchanges, et al?
Are TPP & Global Corporate Treaties/’Arrangements more about Tort ‘Abolishment’ than Tort ‘Reform’?
But, Do YOU know the various different ways to Make the leaders of TPP, Shareholders, et al, ‘Persona non Grata’; Shareholders’ Meetings I.D. Toxic Neighbors, In-laws, et al?
But, If Not PUTIN; ‘The WHITE KNIGHT’, then Who Do YOU Want to Bankroll the Saving of the harmless NON shareholders of the World from Fast Tracking TPP’s, CETA’s (TTIP) Secret ‘Death-Star-Chamber’ Tribunal Penalties? Will China, Iran, the Muslim World, et al, Support Putin in Suits?
How about Warren Buffett, &/or, the ‘coveted’ Hong Kong investor, et al?
***
FULL Article, see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com
***
Please consider sharing the enclosed information & questions with 10 friends who will share it with 10 others…
If Obama wants it it is not good for the Republic. Watch out!