NAFTA on Steroids
Before everyone's eyes all glaze over in a comatose state, you should realize that this Treaty is what our Federal government wants us to ignore... Do not pay any attention to the guy behind the curtain... and it's not the Wizard of Oz!
The Wizard of Oz behind the curtain.
Treaty Terms & Conditions
- Fixes prices with Drug Mfgs in Federal National Healthcare Programs - Big Pharma deals.
- Limits Internet freedom by government controls under the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
- Limits how U.S. federal and state officials could regulate foreign firms operating within U.S. boundaries, with requirements to provide them greater rights than domestic firms;
- Extends the incentives for U.S. firms to offshore investment and jobs to lower-wage countries;
- Establishs a two-track legal system that gives foreign firms new rights to skirt U.S. courts and laws, directly sue the U.S. government before foreign tribunals and demand compensation for financial, health, environmental, land use and other laws they claim undermine their TPP privileges; and
- Allows foreign firms to demand compensation for the costs of complying with U.S. financial or environmental regulations that apply equally to domestic and foreign firms.
How could an International Treaty this extremely dangerous and restrictive to destroy our sovereign laws of the United States have gotten so far? The process has been shockingly secretive. In 2010 TPP countries agreed not to release negotiating texts until four years after a deal was done or abandoned.
President Barack Obama during a meeting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, November 2011.Even the World Trade Organization, hardly a paragon of transparency, releases draft negotiating texts. This means that although the TPP could rewrite vast swaths of domestic policy affecting every aspect of our lives - the public, press and Congress are locked out.
Astoundingly, Senator Ron Wyden, chair of the Senate committee with official jurisdiction over TPP, has been denied access even to US proposals to the negotiations. But 600 corporate representatives serving as official US trade advisers have full access to TPP texts and a special role in negotiations. Why? So they can do behind-the-back-door, under-handed, special interest, good-old-boy, sweet-heart, shady deals?
When challenged about the conflict with the Obama administration’s touted commitment to transparency, Trade Representative Kirk noted that after the release of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) text in 2001, that deal could not be completed. In other words, the official in charge of the TPP says the only way to complete the deal is to keep it secret from the people, the U.S. citizens, who would have to live with the results.
As Nancy Pelosi said: "We Have to Pass the Bill So That You Can Find Out What Is In It" - Is that still good advice?... Oops, wrong! That's talking about another Bill that already passed!
OPEN INVITATION
Had enough of International intrusion yet? I would really like to hear from everyone, especially from my "card-carrying" Obama voters who advocate more taxes and income redistribution along with "United Nations" style government policies. Please click on the "Post a Comment" box below to send your comments.