General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWe Are in the Midst of Defeating the Largest Corporate Trade Agreement in History
http://www.alternet.org/activism/awakening-mass-political-consciousness-happening-and-corporate-elites-arent-able-put-stopThese are times of great secrecy and misinformation. Government and corporations hide their actions to avoid public disapproval and accountability. Courageous truth-tellers are persecuted for exposing the deep corruption. We depend on whistleblowers to expose the lies and shine light on information that is hidden from the public so we can understand what is happening around us. We need to know the truth in order to participate in the great debates that shape our futures.
This week, we learned that a brave whistleblower gave the text of the full intellectual property chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to Wikileaks. This text was released to the public on Wednesday and has spurred quite a stir as we discover that our concerns about the TPP are justified. We learned that the United States stands out in bullying other countries on behalf of multinational corporations and that the TPP will provide extraordinary patent protections and internet restrictions designed to further enrich the wealthy while the race to the bottom accelerates.
A confluence of events this week has weakened the chances of the TPPs survival. On Tuesday night, there were light brigade actions in 13 cities from coast to coast. And three letters signed by 180 members of the House of Representatives were submitted in opposition to the Presidents request for Fast Track, an authority that would allow him to negotiate and sign the TPP before it would go to Congress for limited debate and only an up-or-down vote. Two letters were signed by Democrats, another by Republicans. Three-quarters of Democrats oppose Fast Track and one-third of Democrats on the committee responsible for Fast Track oppose it as currently constituted. The former US Trade Representative said in 2012 that to complete the TPP Weve go to have it. Now, Congress will not consider Fast Track until the do-nothing election year of 2014, if even then.
Opposition to the TPP continues to build. Next week, negotiators will be in Salt Lake City, UT and actions are being planned to protest those meetings. Communities are starting to pass resolutions saying that they will not obey if the TPP changes laws in a way that harms them. You can learn more about this on an open training call on November 20. A global day of protest against toxic trade agreements is being organized for December 3. And that same day, two members of the Australian Parliament will submit a request that the text of the TPP be made public.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)fasttense
(17,301 posts)KG
(28,751 posts)TPTB to give up on this without a real fight....
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
OneGrassRoot
(22,920 posts)mattclearing
(10,091 posts)And even then, they'll keep pushing this stuff. Eternal vigilance.
djean111
(14,255 posts)Almost all of Washington does not feel that it needs to answer to or represent citizens any more.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)zeemike
(18,998 posts)They will just seek another back door to achieve their goal...the ruthless and greedy never sleep.
The ultimate victory is in making corporations irreverent, and that is a tall task.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)It will be a grave injustice if it is not defeated. Just like NAFTA and the others. Why is the President on the wrong side?
Android3.14
(5,402 posts)Both parties represent different factions of the the same elitist interests. By controlling the intellectual property, the MIC is able to determine which archetypes the masses see, thus controlling and limiting how people view and respond to the story of their lives to those views and responses which benefit the elites.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)While the President may sympathize with the 99% on social issues, like ending DOMA and supporting same sex marriages, he has never shown an interest in supporting the 99% economically.
A one word answer for, "Why is the President on the wrong side"? Penny friggin Pritzker (the female Mit Romney).
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)What kind of person would behave like this for personal gain? Well, obviously I cannot express my true feelings on this. Remember the Lost in Space robot, "This does not compute." Just horrible!
cali
(114,904 posts)but please don't think that fast track won't be introduced in Congress until after the elections next year.
Lets keep up the pressure and stop this once and for all
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)K&R
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Buns_of_Fire
(17,173 posts)Keep jumping up and down on it until it's squashed squishy. Don't forget several wooden stakes into its greedy heart. Stuff its mouth with garlic and bury it in a lead-lined container encased in concrete.
And then be ever-watchful over the crypt, because, as Freddy Krueger said, "I'll be back."*
* Yes, I know that was Arnold, but I'm sure that Freddy thought it.