TPP: The Scary Truth POTUS Wouldn’t Tell, But Others Will

http://www.salon.com/2015/02/10/what_potus_didnt_tell_ezra_klein_the_scary_truth_about_americas_new_trade_deal/




http://www.vox.com/a/barack-obama-interview-vox-conversation/obama-domestic-policy-transcript?utm_campaign=promo&utm_content=shortener




However, with Republicans in Congress for the rest of Obama’s term in office, what matters more for the immediate future is where he differs with his party, and agrees with the other side. And the Vox interview section on foreign policy touched on that with a discussion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a so-called “free trade” deal with eleven countries on both sides of the Pacific rim.




I say “free trade” with scare quotes because the deal has less to do with trade than with setting a global regulatory ceiling for multinational corporations to follow, in the name of “harmonizing” commerce across countries. The TPP will limit government policies on everything from financial services to the environment to food safety, and give corporations an alternate judicial system, known as “investor-state dispute settlement,” to seek monetary awards if countries constrain their “expected future profits” by imposing regulations above the agreement caps.




So what does Obama say to a wonkish center-left outlet when asked about this? Well, for one thing he doesn’t dare mention the regulatory implications, which always get weirdly pushed to the side in the TPP discussion despite their prominence. And he starts in the way of all conciliators by acknowledging the grievances of the other side.




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No Jobs from Trade Pacts:  http://www.epi.org/publication/trade-pacts-korus-trans-pacific-partnership/




Free Trade Agreements Have hurt american workers:  http://www.epi.org/publication/infographic-free-trade-agreements-have-hurt-american-workers/




How Trade Agreements Facilitate Short-Term Profits for Multinational Corporations:  http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/how-trade-agreements-facilitate-short-term-profits-for-multinational-corporations




US must target currency manipulation in trade deals:  http://www.cnbc.com/id/102386088#




‘Secret’ Trade Pact Stirs Up Suspicion:  http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/secret_trade_pact_stirs_up_suspicion_20150203




Beware of False Rationales for Supporting Trade Deals:  http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/28905-beware-of-false-rationales-for-supporting-trade-deals




Debunking the Corporate Case For Fast Track Trade Authority:  http://billmoyers.com/2015/02/02/lets-take-apart-corporate-case-fast-track-trade-authority/

Currency Manipulation and the 896,600 U.S. Jobs Lost Due to the U.S.-Japan Trade Deficit:  http://www.epi.org/publication/currency-manipulation-and-the-896600-u-s-jobs-lost-due-to-the-u-s-japan-trade-deficit/

Why the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is a Pending Disaster:  http://robertreich.org/post/107257859130






Increased U.S. Trade Deficit in 2014 Warns Against Signing Trade Deal without Currency Manipulation Protections:  http://www.epi.org/publication/increased-u-s-trade-deficit-in-2014-warns-against-signing-trade-deal-without-currency-manipulation-protections/