(Update June 23, 2015) If You Love America...

[Virgil Showlion]

...Call Your Congress Member TODAY and Say NO TPP

So starts the article by "George Washington", one of the regular ZH contributors whose blog I follow. George has been writing about the TPP for months.

Summary:

• The TPP is a massive trade bill years in the making. The secrecy behind it is staggering. We don't know much of what is in it, and most of what we do know came from activist sites like WikiLeaks.
  
  
• The bill will allow foreign corporations to sue American regulatory agencies in foreign courts, sans appeal, for passing regulations contrary to their interests.
  
  
• Certain provisions in the bill could easily allow criminalization of journalism and corporate whistleblowing.
  
  
• At least part of the funding for the bill comes from raiding Medicare.
  
  
• The bill is bought and paid for by multinationals, all of who expect to benefit in select ways at the expense of environmental standards, US jobs, and US national sovereignty.
  
  
• The bill is being built on a grossly undemocratic framework called "fast track". "Fast track transfers the constitutional power of Congress to the president and lets the executive branch negotiate trade agreements with whomever it chooses. Once concluded, the president actually signs the agreement. Then it goes to Congress. Not for real debate or analysis, but a rubber stamp." [ibid.]
  
  
• Certain parts of the bill won't be declassified for four years, and many of YMAM's favourites such as Ron Paul and Sen. Elizabeth Warren have gone on record stating, "Supporters of the deal say to me, '[These sections of the bill] have to be secret, because if the American people knew what was actually in them, they would be opposed.'"
  
  
• "Bloomberg calls TPP a 'corporatist power grab', 'as democratic and transparent as a one-party state,' and shrouded in 'Big Brother-like secrecy'. TPP would increase the cost of consumer loans, make prescription drugs more expensive, destroy privacy, harm food safety, let Wall Street run amok, make it illegal to favor local businesses, and – yes – literally act to destroy the sovereignty of the U.S. and the other nations which sign the bill.' [ibid.]
  

The vote for the TPP is today (June 12, 2015).

There is hope that this bill may not be passed. Many members of congress are undecided. Call yours (the links to find them are available in the articles above) and reason with them.

Let your voice be heard. Don't sit idly by while your nation is sold out to corporate interests.

[Opti]

Do you have a link to the actual bill?

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 12, 2015 10:03:21 GMT -5 Opti said:

Do you have a link to the actual bill?

It's not being declassified until several days after Congress votes on it.

Even then, parts of it will remain classified for several years. You can see leaked parts of it on Wikileaks:

search.wikileaks.org/?q=TPP

ETA: firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/05/12/cant-read-tpp-heres-huge-corporations-can/

[Virgil Showlion]

They just updated the article.

The Senate procedural vote fell 8 votes short of approving fast track!

This is just the first volley, but the US just dodged a massive bullet by 8 votes.

TPTB are not going to take this lying down. We'll wait to see how they try to ram it through next. "If" is not a question.

[mmhmm]

Thank all the stars! Corporations are pouring big bucks into trying to get this monster approved so, yes, it will come back for another try! 

[Deleted]

I was aware of the IP section, but no idea about the other pieces they are referencing.

It is worrisome because often when US hits the "oops, did I do that?" point you find out the bill was so long and involved that the senators didn't actually fully read it. I don't know WTF they think their job is, but reading the bill you are voting on should be part of it!!!

How can Congress vote on something that is not disclosed to them? It makes no sense that parts of a trade agreement would be confidential from them. Those parts should not be in there then; allow them to run through an executive order or different path. Ridiculous that anyone would agree to vote on something that is confidential from them.

Why is it Wikileaks that has to bring this stuff to us? Makes me embarrassed about my government!!

[mmhmm]

The European Parliament was to vote on their side of this issue on June 10 but the vote was postponed (tabled), purportedly due to public outcry. This thing will rear its ugly head again, have no doubt.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 12, 2015 10:26:53 GMT -5 @rockit said:

I was aware of the IP section, but no idea about the other pieces they are referencing.

It is worrisome because often when US hits the "oops, did I do that?" point you find out the bill was so long and involved that the senators didn't actually fully read it. I don't know WTF they think their job is, but reading the bill you are voting on should be part of it!!!

How can Congress vote on something that is not disclosed to them? It makes no sense that parts of a trade agreement would be confidential from them. Those parts should not be in there then; allow them to run through an executive order or different path. Ridiculous that anyone would agree to vote on something that is confidential from them.

Why is it Wikileaks that has to bring this stuff to us? Makes me embarrassed about my government!!

What's especially frightening is that the bill contains a reincarnation of SOPA (the draconian "Stop Online Piracy Act" of 2012).

Yes... the SOPA that was ultimately struck down in 2012 because it was so hated by Americans that they got up the nerve to do something about it.

It's really not surprising that they don't want anybody--including the people voting on the bill--knowing all of what's in it.

[Opti]

Jun 12, 2015 10:32:41 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

The European Parliament was to vote on their side of this issue on June 10 but the vote was postponed (tabled), purportedly due to public outcry. This thing will rear its ugly head again, have no doubt.

So its likely multi-national corporations who are behind this who want some legal assistance.

I want internet voting. (Pouts... and back to laundry. ) 

[mroped]

This should be a no brainier issue: you are in my yard, you follow my rules! Don't like my rules...get off my lawn!

[mmhmm]

Jun 12, 2015 11:04:24 GMT -5 mroped said:

This should be a no brainier issue: you are in my yard, you follow my rules! Don't like my rules...get off my lawn!

That's basically what the big corporations are saying to us. They're going all out in an effort to buy their way around us. They're papering their own pockets and they're doing so at our expense. They don't want us in their yard!

[mmhmm]

Now, let's pause for a word from the late George Carlin:

[Phoenix84]

Scary stuff.

Any bill that's not realted to military or intelligence shouldn't be classified. A bill that is should raise red flags and warning lights.

[dondub]

Don't sit idly by while your nation is sold out to corporate interests.

Hasn't it been already?

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 12, 2015 15:04:58 GMT -5 dondub said:

Don't sit idly by while your nation is sold out to corporate interests.

Hasn't it been already?

Obviously not as much as it could be.

[dondub]

Just so glad to see you come out for union Democrats and against the GOP.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 13, 2015 18:46:09 GMT -5 dondub said:

Just so glad to see you come out for union Democrats and against the GOP.

This has nothing to do with Republicans vs. Democrats.

This bill is being driven forward by Pres. Obama and prominent Republicans alike.

Don't twist it into a partisan issue. That's TPTB's go-to strategy for getting America to embrace terrible bills and revolt against good ones.

[dondub]

Oooohhh...sorry Virg, but I was just reading an article in the daily rag that the union Dems voted against Obama and the GOP and that the GOP would try again to pass the TPP. So yes, it does have something to do with some Demos vs. Repos and Obama and therefore, is a partisan issue. If it wasn't, it would have passed. Don't try to spin this away from your tacit support of union demos vs. repo corporatists. It doesn't fly.

 I also appreciate that your thread implies that the Repos don't love America. Brilliant observation from a brilliant man.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 14, 2015 0:55:04 GMT -5 dondub said:

Oooohhh...sorry Virg, but I was just reading an article in the daily rag that the union Dems voted against Obama and the GOP and that the GOP would try again to pass the TPP. So yes, it does have something to do with some Demos vs. Repos and Obama and therefore, is a partisan issue. If it wasn't, it would have passed. Don't try to spin this away from your tacit support of union demos vs. repo corporatists. It doesn't fly.

 I also appreciate that your thread implies that the Repos don't love America. Brilliant observation from a brilliant man.

Casting this as a partisan issue is just plain dumb, Don.

I don't care how the bill aligns with or against the interests of "union demos" or "repo corporatists". If the pro-union lobby opposes this incarnation of the bill, our interests align on this particular matter. That may not be the case for the next attempt.

The leadership of both parties support this bill. It's evident that whichever one controls the White House, House, and Senate at any given point in time is immaterial. What's important is that Americans band together to strongly impose future incarnations of the bill regardless of how political parties or factions within political parties align.

If you can respect that caveat, then fine: good on the "union demos" for opposing this bill.

[Deleted]

Post by Virgil Sircular on Jun 12, 2015 at 9:53am
...Call Your Congress Member TODAY and Say NO TPP

my congressman doesn't give a rat's ass what I think

[dondub]

Casting this as a partisan issue is just plain dumb, Don.

I better get a hold of that journalist then and inform him he's dumb, according to you, for his reporting of the facts on this bill.

[dondub]

My congressman, McDermott, came out strongly against this bill, as did a couple other Washington Congressmen. We are a heavy trade dependent state.
Unfortunately our 2 D Senators are for this.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 14, 2015 12:17:18 GMT -5 dondub said:

Casting this as a partisan issue is just plain dumb, Don.

I better get a hold of that journalist then and inform him he's dumb, according to you, for his reporting of the facts on this bill.

I have no problem with any reporter or blogger who presents the facts without attaching "defeating the bill would be a huge victory for pro-union Democrats" or "the Tea Party has opposed the bill from its inception".

Why?

Because many Republicans who should be vehemently opposed to the bill might well decide to tolerate it because of the first statement, and many Democrats who should be vehemently opposed to the bill might well decide to tolerate it because of the second statement.

Partisanship is the way power brokers and special interests play America like a fiddle. The CSA and NSA did it with the Patriot Act. The insurance industry did it with the PPACA. Both major parties have done it with expanding the powers of the presidency. All they have to do is cry "Obama did it." or "Bush did it." and immediately 50% of the country supports whatever terrible policy they want to put in.

Stop thinking in terms of Republicans and Democrats, and start thinking in terms of bills that should be passed and bills that shouldn't.

[dondub]

I'm quite sure I already did. But thanks for offering your brilliant instructions.

[Deleted]

Jun 14, 2015 10:43:10 GMT -5 @hickle said:

Post by Virgil Sircular on Jun 12, 2015 at 9:53am
...Call Your Congress Member TODAY and Say NO TPP

my congressman doesn't give a rat's ass what I think

I can't  it because I DON'T "like" it... but I most definitely agree that a "regular, run of the mill, citizen"s Congressman doesn't give a rat's ass what they think. Congressmen (and women) only care about what lobbyists pay them to think.

[dondub]

My congressman has proved that wrong many times over.

[OldCoyote]

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oldcoyote
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Thread started May 24, 2015 at 4:08am QuotelikeEditPost Options Post by oldcoyote on May 24, 2015 at 4:08am
It is pretty easy to tell that something is wrong here, Obama and some of the Repubs want it, Yep something is wrong.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/22/senate-passes-fast-track_n_7425614.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D1360412519


The trade debate has roiled the Democratic Party like no issue since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, culminating in a bitter public feud between two of the most popular figures within the party. Obama assailed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for issuing supposedly "dishonest" critiques and spreading "misinformation." Warren fired back that her concerns are backed by independent experts, and called for Obama to publicly release draft TPP documents to let the public gauge their merits. Obama has kept the texts classified.

It's that transparency thing.

I think that Warren is one of the smartest honest Democrats in D.C.
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Oldcoyote thought something was wrong.

[Virgil Showlion]

Update June 23

Those sons of guns have voted to approve the "Fast Track" legislation that will allow Pres. Obama's administration to ram through the completely opaque TPP "trade" bill without the usual due process.

www.alternet.org/economy/breaking-senate-approves-fast-track-tpp-trade-agenda

The Senate will allow President Obama's trade agenda to move ahead uninhibited, voting in favor of killing the debate around fast-track authority. The motion was 60-37 and will get a final vote on Wednesday.

Fast-Track would allow the president to send trade deals directly to Congress for votes, avoiding the rules and regulations generally associated with such legislation. Obama was looking for fast-track authority in order to pass the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The resistance has admitted defeat on Fast Track, but there is still a faint hope of defeating the major components of the TPP.

www.popularresistance.org/stop-the-transpacific-partnership-tpp/

We must regroup quickly to continue building off of this strong base to create an unstoppable movement that will defeat the triple threat of treaties when they come before Congress. The first, the TP [sic], is expected this fall.

In order to do that, we will continue our regular national organizing calls. The next one is Wednesday, June 24 at 9 pm Eastern. CLICK HERE to register.

And we must not forget those who voted for Fast Track. They must be held accountable for ignoring the wishes and needs of the people!

Remember: Of what we know is in the bill (and there's a lot we don't), it includes a reincarnation of PIPA, criminalization of whistleblowing, the ceding of national sovereignty, and all of the corporatist power grabs previously mentioned on this thread.

If you have any time to spare, spend at least a bit of it combating this bill.

[billisonboard]

And the March of the Imperial Presidency goes on.

[Deleted]

Grrrr . . . Cantwell flipped . . . she was blocking this legislation until it incorporated protection for laid off workers . . . what the heck happened?