The constitution has its issues; but beware anyone who feels the need to go forum shopping above it…
This is part of a larger process of the “concealment of the state” that has been part of our larger neoliberal era.
Here’s a book about it that I would recommend: http://www.amazon.com/Concealment-State-Contemporary-Anarchist-Studies/dp/144110206X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1384463787&sr=8-3&keywords=concealment+of+state
So this is all Disney’s doing… I suspected as much.
I don’t think the political will exists to enforce this BS. Passing bought laws? Yes. Enforcing them? No.
Enforcement is handed directly over to the corporations, so no problem there.
And considering that the Justice Department is currently arguing in court that treaties trump US law including the Constitution then you get a truly frightening scenario.
As awful as this is, I doubt that it’s actually TPP’s worst evil. The intellectual property issues are getting the most attention at the moment, but there are other provisions of it that could erode governments’ ability to regulate the financial sector, protect worker rights, enforce environmental protections, and regulate food safety. It is not about removing trade barriers in the way that most people think but about deregulation and transferring power from governments to multinational corporations. It’s being negotiated in secret and set for fast-track congressional approval to prevent any organized opposition. The more leaks and public discussion of it, the better.
This whole TPP monstrosity, if it passes, will be the death knell for what remains of our tattered constitution. The incredible arrogance and outright treason this “trade agreement” represents is the culmination of 40 years of corporate rule via the WTO: first they created trade tribunals where companies could sue nations for loss of “expected profits” when nations decide whatever pillaging the corporation wanted to do was against the interests of the nation. These tribunals could only be used in very narrow circumstances, but they opened the door. Now with the TPP, and its transatlantic counterpart “TAFTA”, they are trying to fling the door wide open so that corporations can totally dominate nation-states, all under the false banner of “free trade”. We already have free trade with these nations – tariffs are incredibly low or nonexistent (which is a terrible thing given the way it helps destroy entire industries via wage and environmental arbitrage). So these are not trade agreements, but sovereignty destroyers.
And there is Obama, at the head of the charge for the US government to give up its power to the global corporations that will shower him with money once his second term is over. We used to joke that W was a corporate PR flack masquerading as president. What does that make Obama, who has already created a nationwide captive customer base for the health “insurance” industry to pillage and plunder? Now he proposes to give up OUR sovereignty to the tender ministrations of the neoliberal international corporate cartels. Something tells me Obama doesn’t lose any sleep worrying about average Americans. After all, he has presided over the largest transfers of wealth from the people to the banks and multinationals in the history of the world in his two terms in office, shielding criminal banksters from the law at every turn, and protecting BP for its criminal acts that destroyed the Gulf of Mexico. What more fitting final act for his abomination of a presidency than to deliver the TPP to his corporate cronies and masters? Too bad its getting leaked and people are starting to wake up.
I’m starting to see a trend here. For some reason it appears that all government policies and treaties are written by self interested arseholes. Anyone else suspect this? I must be mistaken though because these guys are always banging on about democracy and freedom but on the surface it appears that all they do is the exact opposite. You would have thought that the general media would have spotted this discrepancy and reported on it, but no. Maybe they are just too incitefull and can see the subtleties that escape me.
Absolutely true. The only reason the IP and copyright provisions are front and center now is those are the sections that have been leaked… so far.
This “trade agreement”, and its transatlantic counterpart “TAFTA”, are anything but trade agreements. They are a corporate cartel wish list to destroy every rule or law that has ever limited their attempts to trash and pillage the world for profit. Its the final dream of a vicious neoliberal cabal to dominate the world in every imaginable way. What amazes me is the sheer gall on display here. The idea that the entire world, and the freedom of billions of people, should be subsumed by their incredible greed and lust for power and money; the sense of entitlement these corporate monsters are displaying is just astounding. They are clearly psychopaths. How else can we describe this maniacal power grab?
The media is owned by the same multinational cartels that write the laws. Its only independent media that is reporting on these monstrosities.
Exactly. International arbitration, where the arbitrators are paid by the corporations to decide cases between the corporations and nation-states. Gee, I wonder who the arbitrators will side with?
We could describe it as ultimately shortsighted and likely to end badly for them.
But but but… Haunted Mansion!
I’m not getting the “neo-liberal” part of it. It’s about capitalism, not any political ideology specifically. In fact, I’d argue that there is only one real political ideology and it’s called “money and greed”.
This government has so completely failed and betrayed the American people I’m completely convinced that change has to happen. There is no other way forward.
When will you who read this stand up, take responsibility, and do the hard work to beat, bend, and break this government to commit itself to act in the benefit of US citizens.
I’ve been ready for a long time and I’ve committed considerable effort to get this country moving in the right direction. I am baffled by my neighbors stupidity, ignorance and inaction. Most Americans are suffering and do nothing. When the hell will you get off your ass?
Welcome to the watchlist.
Who cares?
