Letter: Trans-Pacific Partnership a raw deal
Post# of 63824
Posted On: 03/06/2015 6:08:01 AM
Letter: Trans-Pacific Partnership a raw deal
By Joe MacTurk
03/02/15, 5:36 PM PST |
I am disappointed by the column written by Steve and Cokie Roberts (“Trade is good for America,” http://tinyurl.com/mglj4zz ). What their simplistic and poorly written piece actually concerned is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multi-national trade deal that will have grave ramifications for decades. Progressives are opposed to the TPP not because of “anti-trade phobias” but because this deal, negotiated in secret and without public input, would allow multi-national corporations, through an unelected body of government bureaucrats, to overturn laws democratically passed in this country that they perceive as being detrimental to their ability to profit. This could happen even if the laws in question were designed to protect the environment and/or consumers from products and substances found to be dangerous and life threatening. And fast-track status means our legislators have no ability to alter the treaty once it is negotiated.
It is interesting that the article did not even mention the TPP by name. Nor did it address the actual concerns progressives have with this treaty. Sen. Bernie Sanders said, “This free trade agreement is another step in a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.” It would have been nice if the Roberts could have found room in their corporate diatribe to address these concerns.
Joe MacTurk, Eureka
http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/2015030...a-raw-deal
By Joe MacTurk
03/02/15, 5:36 PM PST |
I am disappointed by the column written by Steve and Cokie Roberts (“Trade is good for America,” http://tinyurl.com/mglj4zz ). What their simplistic and poorly written piece actually concerned is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multi-national trade deal that will have grave ramifications for decades. Progressives are opposed to the TPP not because of “anti-trade phobias” but because this deal, negotiated in secret and without public input, would allow multi-national corporations, through an unelected body of government bureaucrats, to overturn laws democratically passed in this country that they perceive as being detrimental to their ability to profit. This could happen even if the laws in question were designed to protect the environment and/or consumers from products and substances found to be dangerous and life threatening. And fast-track status means our legislators have no ability to alter the treaty once it is negotiated.
It is interesting that the article did not even mention the TPP by name. Nor did it address the actual concerns progressives have with this treaty. Sen. Bernie Sanders said, “This free trade agreement is another step in a global race to the bottom to boost the profits of large corporations and Wall Street by outsourcing jobs; undercutting worker rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health, food safety and financial laws; and allowing corporations to challenge our laws in international tribunals rather than our own court system.” It would have been nice if the Roberts could have found room in their corporate diatribe to address these concerns.
Joe MacTurk, Eureka
http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/2015030...a-raw-deal
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