[Peace-discuss] Trans-Pacific Trade Talks Resume With Almost No Media Coverage

Wed Dec 10 09:56:18 EST 2014

OpEdNews Op Eds 12/9/2014 at 11:17:04 

Trans-Pacific Trade Talks Resume With Almost No Media Coverage

<http://www.opednews.com/articles/Trans-Pacific-Trade-Talks-by-Dave-Johnson-
Corporations_Economy_Jobs_Media-Blackout-141209-733.html>
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Trans-Pacific-Trade-Talks-by-Dave-Johnson-C
orporations_Economy_Jobs_Media-Blackout-141209-733.html

By  <http://www.opednews.com/author/author4387.html> Dave Johnson
<http://www.opednews.com/populum/group_add.php?t=a&i=185772&from=page> (s)

 <http://www.opednews.com> opednews.com

Headlined to H2 12/9/14

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Reprinted from
<http://ourfuture.org/20141208/trans-pacific-trade-talks-resume-with-almost-
no-media-coverage> Campaign For America's Future

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_20141209-481.gif
(image by
<http://www.occupy.com/article/trash-tpp-why-its-time-revolt-against-worst-t
rade-agreement-history> Occupy.com)

Shouldn't it be a trade violation to threaten to move someone's job to
another country? Shouldn't we negotiate trade agreements that increase
people's wages on both sides of a trade border? These are the kinds of
agreements we would make if We the People were negotiating trade agreements
with representatives of the working people in other countries. Unfortunately
that is not the kind of trade agreements that our current trade negotiation
process produces.
The secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations resumed this week,
this time in Washington. TPP is a massive agreement that sets up new rules
for over 40 percent of the global economy. It will have profound effects on
our jobs, our standard of living now and in the future and our ability to
make a living as a country. Oddly, though, as of Monday morning you have to
read about it in Japan Times because few-to-no U.S. media outlets are
covering it.
In spite of the lack of American media coverage of this tremendously
important agreement, representatives of labor, environmental, family farm,
consumer, Internet freedom, public health, faith, human rights and community
organizations held a rally Monday outside the office of the U.S. Trade
Representative. These organizations represent "stakeholders" from all
countries that are denied a seat at the TPP negotiating table.
Here's what the Japan Times reported, in "
<http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/08/business/leaders-reaffirmed-see
king-early-conclusion-deal-tpp-talks-set-resume/> TPP talks get back
underway in Washington":

"Chief negotiators from 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific
Partnership initiative resumed negotiations in Washington after their
leaders reaffirmed last month they will conclude an agreement as soon as
possible."

Media Blackout

Here are a few stories about the media blackout of this important treaty --
all in the non-corporate media:

Common Dreams,
<http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/02/06/tpp-opposition-soars-corporate-
media-blackout-deafening> As TPP Opposition Soars, Corporate Media Blackout
Deafening Media Matters,
<http://mediamatters.org/research/2014/02/05/study-media-leave-viewers-in-th
e-dark-about-tra/197932> STUDY: Media Leave Viewers In The Dark About
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Nation of Change,
<http://www.nationofchange.org/2014/11/21/mainstream-media-blackout-trans-pa
cific-trade-agreement/> Mainstream Media Blackout of the Trans-Pacific Trade
Agreement
Project Censored's 2013 news that didn't make the news #3
<http://www.projectcensored.org/3-trans-pacific-partnership-threatens-regime
-corporate-global-governance/> Trans-Pacific Partnership Threatens a Regime
of Corporate Global Governance
CREDO petition from February:
<https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/tell-the-media-it-s-time-to-expose-
the-tpp> TELL THE MEDIA: IT'S TIME TO EXPOSE THE TPP

Events This Week
At today's rally in Washington, George Kohl, senior director of
Communications Workers of America, said, "We believe in trade. We are
fighting against old trade policy that literally guarantees corporate
profits at the expense of working families in all nations. In the weeks
ahead, we will mobilize like never before against Fast Track authorizing
legislation and the TPP, and for 21st century trade that gives workers'
rights, environmental issues and other concerns the same standing as
corporate profits."
Here are scenes from the rally...

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(image by
<http://ourfuture.org/20141208/trans-pacific-trade-talks-resume-with-almost-
no-media-coverage> Our Future (credit: Roger Hickey, Arthur Stamoulis))

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<http://ourfuture.org/20141208/trans-pacific-trade-talks-resume-with-almost-
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(image by
<http://ourfuture.org/20141208/trans-pacific-trade-talks-resume-with-almost-
no-media-coverage> Our Future (credit: Roger Hickey, Arthur Stamoulis))

Wednesday at 11 a.m. the AFL-CIO is holding a TPP briefing on "What
Negotiators Should Be Discussing Behind Closed Doors," at their Washington
headquarters at 815 16th St, NW.
"While the Obama administration meets behind closed doors this week with
representatives of the countries involved in negotiating the Trans Pacific
Partnership (TPP), the AFL-CIO will host a briefing outlining what the
negotiators should be discussing. The briefing will highlight what must be
included in the negotiations for it to truly work for working people and how
the TPP will only gain labor's support if it will create American jobs and
promote high labor and environmental standards. The briefing follows a week
of increased Congressional scrutiny on the negotiations and the involved
countries' history of labor abuses."
Secret Negotiations

The TPP negotiations are secret, and the kids of people at that D.C. rally
are not represented at the bargaining table. But corporate representatives
have access to drafts of the treaty, and the negotiators typically come from
and expect to go to lucrative corporate positions after the treaty is
finalized -- assuming they "play ball."
While we do not know exactly what is being negotiated,
<http://ourfuture.org/20131114/why-do-we-the-people-have-to-read-tpp-on-wiki
leaks> we do know from leaks -- and previous "NAFTA-style" trade agreements
-- tell us what to expect. Much of TPP is about "investor protections" and
not trade at all. These provisions allow corporations to sue governments for
doing things that infringe on profits -- like laws and regulations
protecting the environment, worker safety, consumers and the health of
citizens. For example, under similar agreements already in effect tobacco
companies are suing governments to block anti-smoking efforts that protect
the health of citizens!
Members of Congress are very concerned about the transparency of the TPP
negotiating process. On a call Monday, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Louise
Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and (
<http://ourfuture.org/20140721/manufacturing-a-middle-class-with-quality-job
s> rock star) Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) expressed their concerns about the
secrecy of TPP as well as the failure to address currency manipulation in
the agreement.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) put her finger on the secrecy problem when
she said, "Why are the trade talks secret? You'll love this answer. Boy, the
things you learn on Capitol Hill. I actually have had supporters of the deal
say to me, 'They have to be secret, because if the American people knew what
was actually in them, they would be opposed.'"
Currency Manipulation
Currency manipulation is a major trade problem. For example,
<http://ourfuture.org/20140226/want-5-8-million-new-us-jobs-do-this> we
could restore up to 5.8 million American jobs, cut our trade deficit by $500
billion a year and increase our gross domestic product by $720 billion just
by addressing currency manipulation. (
<http://ourfuture.org/20140226/want-5-8-million-new-us-jobs-do-this> Click
through for details.)
Congress is very concerned about this. Last year 60 senators, a bipartisan
majority,
<http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/press-releases/entry/60-senators-urge-
action-on-japans-currency-manipulation-aam-statement> sent a letter to
President Obama asking him to tell TPP negotiators to address currency
manipulation. Also last year, a bipartisan majority (230) of members of the
U.S. House
<http://michaud.house.gov/press-release/majority-house-members-push-obama-ad
dress-currency-manipulation-tpp> sent a letter to President Obama saying
they want him to tell TPP negotiators to address currency manipulation.
Sixty senators and 230 members of the House want the negotiators to address
currency manipulation -- but TPP still does not address currency
manipulation. What else do you need to know about the negotiating process,
and respect for democracy and national sovereignty?
For more information about the TPP, visit these sites:

 <http://www.exposethetpp.org/> Expose the TPP.

 <http://www.stopfasttrack.com/> Stop Fast Track.
 <http://www.flushthetpp.org/> Flush the TPP!
 <http://stoptpp.org/> Stop TPP.
Sum of Us:  <http://action.sumofus.org/a/tpp-lawsuits/> Sign the petition to
governments worldwide.

<http://www.cwa-union.org/issues/entry/c/trans-pacific_free_trade_agreement>
CWA's TPP info, their
<http://action.cwa-union.org/c/1372/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=
9291> Stop Fast Track petition and send this letter to Congress:
<http://action.cwa-union.org/c/1372/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=
7357> Oppose Fast Track and the TPP

<http://www.cwa-union.org/pages/10_ways_the_tpp_would_hurt_cwa_represented_w
orkers> 10 Ways the TPP Would Hurt U.S. Working Families

 <http://www.citizen.org/trade/> Global Trade Watch
 <http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/> Eyes on Trade

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