The Trojan Horse President

[cali]

58. that is true- and yes, it's on both sides

but it is possible to understand quite a lot. I know that most people don't have the time or inclination to have delved as deeply into it as I've been able to do. My interest in it coincided with the aftermath of a bad accident, so I plunged in. And there is a lot of information available- if not so much on tpp specifics, than on FTAs in general and the process.

Things I wish people did understand:

that trade promotion authority is not simply about dictating a yay or nay vote on future trade agreements, but that it governs how those trade agreements are negotiated and what U.S. priorities for negotiations are- as well as specifics that are to be included in trade agreements.

That passing TPA just about ensures passage of the TPP.

That Investment State Dispute Settlement can't actually change laws, but that it can influence them; whether they're introduced, whether they're revoked, how they're written.

That the TPP isn't just about lowering trade barriers or job loss due to outsourcing. People who claim that outsourcing will continue apace regardless of the TPP are correct. The TPP appears to be more about creating uniform regulation than anything else. that includes, but isn't limited to food safety, the environment and I/P.

I surely don't understand the whole process. Very few people do. I'm quite sure I never will, but I do know that one can become well informed about it.