[Peace-discuss] #FightFastTrack Protests Across The Country

[David Johnson]

#FightFastTrack Protests Across The Country

Description: People gather at Peace Arch Park in 2012 to oppose the U.S.-led
Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). (Photo:
Caelie_Frampton/flickr/cc)

 <https://www.popularresistance.org/category/resist/> Resist!
<https://www.popularresistance.org/tag/corporatism/> Corporatism,
<https://www.popularresistance.org/tag/free-trade/> Free Trade,
<https://www.popularresistance.org/tag/tpp/> TPP 
By Sarah Lazare,
<http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/02/19/fightfasttrack-coalition-takes-
aim-lawmakers-over-corporate-friendly-trade-agreement> www.commondreams.org
February 20th, 2015

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Note: Environmental, labor, and community groups are organizing rallies,
public forums, and creative direct actions this week urging their
congressional representatives to say "no" to a renewed bid to rush through
the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership "trade" deal by passing "fast
track" legislation.

Photo: People gather at Peace Arch Park in 2012 to oppose the U.S.-led Trans
Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). (Photo: Caelie_Frampton/flickr/cc)

"Senate Finance Committe Chair Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is saying he wants to
reintroduce Fast Track legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
this month - right after Members of Congress return from the Presidents Day
recess,"
<http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/blog/2015/02/10/time-take-action-fast-trac
k/> explains Citizens Trade Campaign, referring to legislation that would
allow the Obama administration to avoid transparency and full congressional
review of the deal. "Now's the time to tell Congress: no Fast Track for the
TPP!"

"Fast track legislation could be introduced as early as next week," Arthur
Stamoulis, executive direct of Citizens Trade Campaign, told Common Dreams.
"Fast track would allow harmful trade deals like the TPP be rushed through
Congress. We need everyone to be telling their Congress members to put the
breaks on."

>From California to Illinois to Connecticut, over 22 events are slated for
the President's Day recess (February 14 to 23), during which lawmakers are
at home, in their districts. Organizers hail from labor, workers' rights,
environmental, and community organizations, and actions span from an
overpass light brigade in San Diego to a public forum in New York.

While some events have
<http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2015-02-18/social-justice/critics-to-color
ado-congressman-no-fast-track-for-trade-deal/a44625-1> already taken place,
additional actions are scheduled for the coming days. Updates and commentary
are being posted to Twitter:

 
<https://www.popularresistance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Screen-Shot-20
15-02-20-at-10.17.14-AM.png> Description: Screen Shot 2015-02-20 at 10.17.14
AM

Critics are blasting the highly-secretive Pacific "trade" deal under
negotiation, which has been called "
<http://www.thenation.com/article/168627/nafta-steroids#axzz2fHNC7YZN> NAFTA
on steroids," as a tool for advancing U.S. and corporate power at the
expense of environmental and public health.

In fact, many
<http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/02/17/how-trade-deals-boost-top-1-an
d-bust-rest> argue that it's inaccurate to refer to the TPP as a "trade"
deal at all, since the real prerogative is to protect corporate profits and
protections.

The TPP negotiations between the U.S. and 11 other nations (Canada, Mexico,
Japan, Vietnam, Chile, Peru, Brunei, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and
Malaysia) are so secretive that even many members of Congress have not seen
the text. This is despite the fact that the pact, if passed, would impact 40
percent of the world's economy.

The information that is available to the public was leaked. Documents show
that negotiators are pushing for inclusion of NAFTA's infamous
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/11/business/nafta-s-powerful-little-secret-o
bscure-tribunals-settle-disputes-but-go-too-far.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm>
corporate tribunals, in which corporations "settle disputes" with
governments in secrecy and trample domestic protections including public
health and environmental regulations, completely circumventing their own
national legal systems.

Furthermore, leaks  <http://www.citizen.org/more-about-TPPA> show that the
U.S. is pushing to expand the power of pharmaceutical companies to establish
monopolies on life-saving drugs, and even laws regulating tobacco companies
<http://callcenterinfo.tmcnet.com/news/2013/09/13/7408205.htm> could be
slashed.

The TPP would affect wages, climate protections, internet freedom, access to
medicine, indigenous rights, food safety, financial regulations, and a whole
lot more," said Stamoulis. "It's really a corporate power grab with the
status of a trade agreement."

 

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