Remember NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) -- a wonderful agreement that did more damage than good? At the end the only winners were large Transnational Corporations and we all, including environment, have lost. Still that agreement 8 years in making had being reasonably discussed if not given a chance for broad public to express its opinion. Remember, how much was promised -- jobs, prosperity, environmental improvements -- none of it materialized (read report NAFTA at 20 - One Million U.S. Jobs Lost, Mass Displacement and Instability in Mexico, Record Income Inequality, Scores of Corporate Attacks on Environmental and Health Laws.)
Today monstrous and disastrous deal is in making--Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)--but you probably even did not hear about it. Do not be upset--you are not alone! According to the Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald a survey
by the Australia Institute found 55 per cent of respondents did not know about the TPP, as it is known. Another 19 per cent said ''I'm not sure.''
Similarly New Zealand's leading news resource for news-makers and the people
Scoop.co.nz is reporting that
Senior legislators from Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand and Peru today issued a joint letter seeking the release of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) before it is signed, to enable detailed scrutiny and public debate. The signatories include political party leaders and legislators who currently or previously held senior political office in their national governments.
As you can see US lawmakers are not among the legislators. The reason is that according to NY Representative in the Congress, Democrat
Louise M. Slaughter
the Obama Administration is negotiating a massive new trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that would threaten American jobs and rewrite laws governing our food safety, access to medicine and intellectual property rights.
Yet the negotiation has been shrouded in secrecy. Special access has been given to corporate lobbyists, but the American people and Members of Congress have been shut out.
Last year
151 House Dems told President They Will Not Support Outdated Fast Track for Trans-Pacific Partnership
However, according to New York Times Obama's administration did not lose hope to push
fast-track authority through the Congress even it had to postponed it.
One of the reasons people are not aware of the TPP is that the main American TV and publishing media scarcely publish anything about this agreement. In fact, you can find only part of the draft of TPP on the
WikiLeaks site. One of the leaked chapters
Environment Chairs Report demonstrates how weak and toothless environmental, bi-diversity and climate protection in the TPP.
Slate magazine last year published an article
TPP Trade Agreement Could Make "Bio-Piracy" Worse exposing weaknesses of the proposed agreement for biosphere. WikiLeaks published several analysis of the Environmental impact of the TTP --
TPPA Environment Chapter & Chair's Commentary. Issues for NZ by Professor Jane Kelsey from New Zealand and
TPP - Sacrificing the Environment for Corporate Interests WikiLeaks. We all need to learn and have a chance to participate in discussion whether TPP is the treaty America needs. We need US media extensive coverage of the TPP and bring to light all its dark sides. This treaty should serve interests of 99% people not 1%.
Please read and consider signing petition created by NY US Congress Representative (D) Louise Slaughter -- Tell the Media: It’s Time to Expose the TPP
Sign the petition Tell the Media: It’s Time to Expose the TPP