Ten Reasons Why the TPP Must Be Defeated

[polly7]

Published on
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
by Common Dreams

byBernie Sanders

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The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world.

The TPP is a treaty that has been written behind closed doors by the corporate world. Incredibly, while Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies have full knowledge as to what is in this treaty, the American people and members of Congress do not. They have been locked out of the process. Further, all Americans, regardless of political ideology, should be opposed to the “fast track” process which would deny Congress the right to amend the treaty and represent their constituents’ interests.

The TPP follows in the footsteps of other unfettered "free trade" agreements like NAFTA, CAFTA and the Permanent Normalized Trade Agreement with China (PNTR). These treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories. These corporately backed trade agreements have significantly contributed to the race to the bottom, the collapse of the American middle class and increased wealth and income inequality. The TPP is more of the same, but even worse.

During my 23 years in Congress, I helped lead the fight against NAFTA and PNTR with China. During the coming session of Congress, I will be working with organized labor, environmentalists, religious organizations, Democrats, and Republicans against the secretive TPP trade deal.

Full article: http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/12/31/ten-reasons-why-tpp-must-be-defeated

[blkmusclmachine]

1. TPP = Corporate Fascism.

[Jefferson23]

2. Highly recommend.

Happy New Year, polly

[polly7]

3. The TPP scares the heck out of me, it really is NAFTA on steroids.

I worry about social programs being cut, among everything else ... especially for the already poor in so many nations that will be affected. Our corporate rulers do not care about us, that much has been clear for a long time.

Happy New Year to you and yours, Jefferson23! I hope your year is one filled with good health, peace and love. Very nice to read your posts again.

[Populist_Prole]

4. Timely OP: Great article by a great man

Among the numerous new revelations along with the known corrosive effect that "free trade" has on the US; let us ask another question about this TPP?

What does it say that this is the only issue that the rank-and-file GOP does not oppose the president on? Hmmmm?

[marmar]

5. K/R