General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Fast-Track Treason and the Coming Corporate Coup: Calling Out TPP Traitors [View all]cascadiance
(19,537 posts)And anyone who believes in it, shouldn't allow such a process that allows those who could corrupt the process to their benefit with the most power to shape and access to its details when everyone else is not, and when something like Fast Track is passed, it is mandating a simple majority to pass TPP instead of a super majority that most trade treaty bills require, and it is mandating a limited time frame to look at it before voting on it without any opportunity to amend it. And few of our congressional officials have been able to see even part of it let alone all of what is in it, and are kept from talking about it with their constituents.
"Accomplishing anything"? Accomplishing anything for WHO should be the big question being asked. There's a reason why we just don't want to "accomplish anything" for those that would want to usurp the power and sovereignty of our elected government to create and execute our laws. That is the kind of power I don't want anything accomplished for. If there are real problems that are affecting a majority of people now in this country that could be fixed by a "trade" treaty, then these should be discussed out in the open, and be set as pretexts as what this bill should be accomplished before the details are being worked on (even if in secret), and those who are working on it in secret should be representatives of our government, and even labor unions and environmental groups amongst others if corporate entities are also involved in shaping these details. Then it is more apt to be a democratic process.
If they are afraid of these other entities "leaking" information that would screw up negotiations, then:
a) these leaks have already happened even with the limited group of people that have access to it with a lot of alternative press groups publishing leaked details.
b) what's stopping corporate entities from leaking information to other corporate entities that will help them game the markets, etc. too based on secrets they know of a newer landscape that will be made with TPP passing? Why should they be viewed as any more "secure" than our government representatives or representatives in other groups that could also be bound by commitments to secrecy agreements.
If these guys come up with some truly revolutionary changes to trade agreement that work *better* than what NAFTA and the WTO gave us before to help codify global labor and environmental standards for trades, and that would allow some degree of protection for local labor forces, etc. in a way that "raises" the bottom that these companies all like to lower so that they can race to it, then I would think that it being more public would help gain acceptance, and provide even more input to those involved with negotiations on how to refine these agreements to do the best for everyone. If what Obama and others are saying that they are doing to have this round of free trade "improve" things is true, you'd think he want this kind of approach instead of the heavily secretive approach they have now that looks to try to "sneak" some really bad legislation through.