Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Editorial: (TPP) undue influence
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/editorial/editorial-undue-influence/
The biggest issue in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations is how much lobby groups are controlling the US position.
Editorial: undue influence
By The Listener In Editorial
28th November, 2013
The real cliffhanger in these closing phases of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations is not whether New Zealand will fold, but whether the United States will.
Recently leaked documents from the talks suggest the US is the country on the spot, trying to defend special treatment for its pharmaceutical, agricultural, entertainment and other sectors.
Domestic critics of the 11-country free-trade deal would have us believe the Government is in thrall to the US and is, for instance, considering neutering our world-leading drug-buying agency Pharmac as part of the price for getting this deal done.
The reality, however, appears to be that the US Government is in thrall to the pharmaceutical and other lobbies. Few, if any, of the other countries wish to make sovereignty-denting and budget-busting concessions to those lobbies. It is very possible the TPP will fail precisely because the US cannot bring itself to rein in its powerful business-sector friends.
