If there is one good
thing that came out of the Democratic Primary was that the Bernie
Sanders supporters made a big deal about the TPP (Trans Pacific
Partnership) and forced the media to talk about it.
There has been some
coverage of the TPP, but it has been very simplistic at best and
often as a swipe against Wikleaks. Otherwise, no coverage at all.
The TPP is a
monstrous trade deal that would basically set corporate law over
national law. It would enshrine a corporation's ability to make a
profit over the citizenry's right to choose how they want their
country governed.
Now, because of the
Sanders supporters, the cat is out of the bag and people are
starting to look at the TPP and are seeing it in an very unfavorable
light. Even the Buffalo News admits this in the Sunday paper (July
31 2106 – Downside to trade deal would be no deal at all.)
As someone that
lived through NAFTA (forced through Congress by President Clinton and
VP Gore in the 1990's, this trade agreement made it possible for
capital to move freely and screw over workers any and every where in
North America. It made it possible for capitalists to move finances
and jobs wherever they wanted to and the government could do nothing
to stop them. Former Presidential Candidate H Ross Perot had it
correct when he said that the “great sucking sound that you hear is
jobs leaving this country.” They – jobs, good high paying union
jobs – left this country for Mexico. Further trade agreements
made it possible for the capitalists to move American jobs to South
and Central America and to Asia.
We, the people,
need to stand against the TPP and demand that our representatives
vote against it.
Via e-mail I have
been told that both NYS Senators oppose it and that Congressman Reed
opposes it. We need to keep the noise and pressure up and make sure
that the entire WNY delegation is opposed to the TPP and that
Seantors Schumer & Gillibrand remain opposed to the TPP. We also
need to school the Buffalo News to represent our interests and not
the capitalist class interests.
The following
resources are good to educate yourself on this terrible trade deal:
Wikileaks has a searchable database on the TPP and other agreements on the front page.
No to the TPP –
Yes to workers' rights and citizens' ability to govern their country.
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