The TPP - The More We Know, The Worse It Gets.
By Thom Hartmann A...
We already knew that the Trans Pacific Partnership is a threat to our jobs, our civil rights, and our national sovereignty, and now we know it's also a danger to our environment. On Wednesday, Wikileaks published a leaked version of the environmental chapter of the TPP, and it's just another example of putting corporate power ahead of public interest. In their review of this chapter, Wikileaks said that the section is “a toothless public relations exercise” that lacks “mandated clauses or meaningful enforcement measures.”
Because mega-corporations took part in negotiating the deal, the purpose of environmental chapter is first and foremost to protect trade, not our environment. It relies on so-called corporate accountability, and emphasizes “flexible, voluntary mechanisms, such as voluntary auditing and reporting, market-based incentives, voluntary sharing of information and expertise.” Because – you know – corporate self-regulation has worked out so well for us in the past. This chapter does nothing to mandate that our environment is protected from the destructive nature of corporate greed, and nothing to punish trading partners or corporations who violate environmental standards.
Just like the other leaked sections of the TPP, the environmental chapter alone should be enough to make our lawmakers reject this deal. Instead, they're pushing forward, trying to take away Congress members' right to debate it, and keeping Americans in the dark about negotiations. For the sake of our jobs, our civil rights, our national sovereignty, and now also our environment, we must demand that our legislators reject the TPP.
Comments
#2
High Treason is defined as any action which jeopardizes the soverignty of one’s state or seeks to overthrow it's government. Since the W. Bush Coup, I have increasingly come to believe that US multinationals have indeed, overthrown our government. Now, these OILigarchs, posing as our elected representatives, are poised to destroy our sovereignty. Obama was elected, true...but under utterly false pretenses. This is the point at which Candidate Obama and President Obama would, if in 2 bodies, wage war with one another. We the People have been deceived and it would appear, Treason is being committed against us. With the deployment and militarization of drones and law enforcement, our government will be poised to wage war against us...indeed, by creating an impoverished Nation, then stealing from our Nations poor to give to the rich, the war is already being waged.
#3
sandals -- Thom really objects to that mild kind of treason "jeopardizes the soverignty". Where is your definition from?
#4
treason |ˈtrēzən|
noun(also high treason )
the crime of betraying one's country, esp. by attempting to kill the sovereignty or overthrow the government: they were convicted of treason.
• the action of betraying someone or something: doubt is the ultimate treason against faith.
Mac book dictionary
Also...Wikipedia goes into greater detail regarding treason and sovereignty... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_treason
Oxford, The crime of betraying one's country.
Google:
trea·sonˈtrēzən/nounnoun: high treason1.the crime of betraying one's country, esp. by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government."they were convicted of treason"
treachery, disloyalty, betrayal, faithlessness;More
Cambridge ...if one considers multinatioal corporations 'enemies' of the people which, in some cases they clearly are
high treason
/ˈhɑɪ ˈtri·zən/ n [U] › the crime of making war against the government of your country, or attempting to help an enemy take control of your country
Interesting to note that my old hard cover Cambridge says, "the crime of making war against one's own country" whereas the online version has been edited to say "...against the government" ..Hmmm. How much longer are we going to turn a blind eye to this corporate coup? It is what it is. I have no solution other than to keep raising my voice. As for what Thom does and doesn't like, I would prefer you let him speak for himself...we are all entitled to our own opinions. I respect yours...Thanks..
#5
sandlewould ~ Let me go on the record saying I agree with you 100%. ANY attempt to undermine the sovereignty of your own country is HIGH TREASON. All these representatives took a vow to protect and defend our Constitution from ALL enemies foreign and domestic; and, that clearly includes Corporate enemies who want to undermine the sovereignty of the government. Thom walks a slippery tight rope in any assertion either way on this topic. If he protects himself by denying that High Treason is being committed he places himself in the position of aiding and abetting the crime. If he admits High Treason is happening then he risks Corporate retribution. It will be most interesting to see the stance he takes.
#6
DAnne...Thanks for that...I also agree 100% that Thom should stay away from this topic at least for now. We NEED him! I was not writing the above to nudge a nod from Thom. I am free as a 'nobody' to speak my mind at least for now! God-dess help us!
#7
When treason has become as deeply entrenched in the goverment as it has in the U.S. the only solution is USUALLY violent revolution. Let us hope and pray that it does not come to that, but I fear our version of the French revolution will happen very soon, in the few years I have left on this planet.
#8
If spying on one's own government for potential 'enemies' of the people is treasoness, .. http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2013/06/21/msnbc-censors-nsa-whistleblow...
#9
Well, DAnne, at the end of his show today, Thom used the "T" word.... here we go...
#10
sandlewood: Massive concentration of wealth and Citizens United are the two critical factors that have allowed those you refer to as OILigarchs to become stronger than our representative democracy. The ownership of our government by this group of private individuals is also known as Fascism.....and yes it is Treason.
The only governmental voice we the people have left is the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Senator Sanders...so all is not lost yet. But keep your powder dry, so to speak!
#11
lol powder dry! Hadn't heard that in a while. I agree w/ you in part...I do see $$$ in politics as a HUGE problem, but the only reason it has gotten to this point in the first place is the loss of control of ubiquitous media in the public interest...media that is fed to the people . W/out obvious media in the public interest, we can not educate, organize or control the dialogue. MLK would be invisible or jailed if he were active today...the media would have helped see to that. We must find a way to take back our media. Abby Martin had a great segment on that tonight..repeated at 9:30 EST and on youtube later...Breaking the Set. I honestly think that with today's media's "help" a ratified amendment in all 50 states to get $$ out of politics would get "lost" on the Federal Registrars desk and the People would NOT be the wiser. If only ALL activists would unite to mobilize around this 1 issue...we might have a chance. Thanks for the Dry Powder! lol
#12
It sure looks to me like Obama is the worst thing that could have ever happened to the middle class in America next to the clintons. We need a third party more than ever.
Why does it cost each Canadian $50.00 per month for health care and we have this "affordable health care" joke of a law?
This November, throw out ALL democRATs and republiCONs. they are the greatest terrorist threat to middle class America.
#13
"Our" government certainly is treasonist. They have trampled the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They are the greatest terrorist threat to the American people. I am very concerned that there are 21 levels of security clearance over what the "president" has. It indicates that our "president" is a puppet and that is a violation of our Constitution in itself.
#14
sandlewould: You're preaching to the choir on the corpse controlled media, man I've beat that to death on Thom's blog and elsewhere, so I couldn't agree more. As you know in a true democracy a major role of a free press is to function as an adversary or watch dog of our government. Without this in place, transparency and accountability over what should be responsible public service from our elected officials becomes lost to the citizens.
I've spoke with several local folks about organizing a group who's sole purpose is to communicate face to face with local citzens the truth about what our public servants have done to or for us. Namely what our Tea Party Rep Tom Reed has done to us.... voted yes on Ryan's budget plans. These bastards think they can get away with this crap just because the corpse media has their backs....well guess what...not in my neck of the woods. It looks like we will be organizing just in time for the midterms.
#15
I agree with Sandlewould. Our president was elected under completely false pretense. I also appreciate her highlighting the contrast between candidate Obama and President Obama, as if they were two different people with objectives so at odds as to have them "at war" with each other. You're spot-on, Sandlewould! Great observation.
It astounds me that someone like Obama who is a "constitutional scholar" (and a constitutional lawyer?!) would sign into law something as brazenly unconstitutional as arbitrary, indefinite detention without charge or trial... And sanction murder-by-drone of innocents in foreign countries, and rob us of our national sovereignty with the TPP; via fast-track, no less! I just can't get over it.
I thought things were pretty bad in the '60s… but I never dreamed I'd witness a freak show of this magnitude. Never again will I support any candidate for high office who has not already proven himself (or herself) as a first-rate warrior for the people! Talk is cheap. Actions always speak loudest; especially when it comes to politics, where the stakes are so bloody high.
As I've said many times, I had reservations about Obama right from the very beginning. But his opponents were so disgustingly, grossly unacceptable, I felt trapped into voting for him anyway. And I'll remember this next time I'm tempted to vote for an unproven candidate, or someone I've already had reservations about.
I'm feeling so duped right now! "Change we can believe in…" detention without trial, kill lists, drones, the Trans Pacific Pirate Ship… Yes he can! And yes he has, that smooth-talking goddam fascist. - Aliceinwonderland
#16
Oh, right on, Aliceinwonderland! Give em 'ell. I concur!
#17
Since reagan democrats have asked like liberals to get elected, tan governed about the same as republicans.. Democrats are less than 10-percent to the left of republicans essentially the same party. Makes sense Because both parties are controlled by big money, and big-money also controls the media, that makes it look like they are polar opposites, that's a smoke screen to conceal puppetmaster big-money.
Below is a post I wrote to argue that clinton was a republican., And it aggravates me that I would have to argue this to another liberal.
Who said, they are totally not the same (dem & rep).
Jack, so how do you explain Clinton's actions then? NAFTA (deregulation), deregulating the news (paving the way for fox news), deregulating Phil-gram, deregulating glass-stegal, and didnt even go after Reagan for war crimes (selling weapons to the enemy).
I don't know what your definition of "totally not the same." That very long list of Clinton's de-regulation benefitted only the 1-percent, exactly the same thing I would have expected Reagan or bush to have done..
Fuck, even the conservative Ross Perot was against NAFTA (he referred to a giant sucking sound of American jobs flushing south to Mexico; pretty obvious expectation of results of NAFTA; and Clinton fired his liberal economic advisor Robert reich)..
Worse, these regulations were key regulations put in place to prevent the Great Depression from happening again., Now, the same thing is happening again, same as last time, like a big game of unregulated monopoly, too much money trickled up to the top, and crashed the economy, because like monopoly, no one but the 1-percent had money to spend.
Yes, Clinton balanced the budget after reagan blew it up (spending like a drunk sailor with a credit card), so he did good there, and did something for gay rights. This is not the lesser of two evils, its the same party (both are authoritarian conservative, one 10-percent less extreme than the other).
Grover norquists two Santa Claus strategy is for republicans to spend like hell, then complain about the deficit and spending when a democrat gets into office. So republicans cal lower taxes, yet there is still money, but they are running up America's credit card..
The only way DEM & REP are totally different in how democrats sound like liberals on the campaign trail. The media owned by big business (The puppet master of both parties) makes it seem they are total opposites, to conceal the puppet master.
#18
Clinton governed like a republican and stole the thunder from GOP opponents. Obama attempted the same pathway [ACA was a Heritage Foundation product], but McConnel was burned the first time around by Clinton. He proceded to reject everything that was proposed, even compromises, to prevent losing market share. He even filibustered his own self sponored bill.
They really aren't ideologues as much as they are Ayn Randian power leeches. Parasites require power to survive, the host's survival is not as important if an alternate host is targeted and vulnerable. Clinton was a host, Obama attempted to be, but the leeches and lesser parasites developed a sophisticated palate. They also saw the Democratic host as a low fat, low cal, host. The real exorbitantly rich hosts were always GOP, and they are so ignorant they don't even know they have an assortment of leeches, ticks, and gastro-intestinal parasites.
Democrats do an occasional exam and remove the ticks and leeches spawned on K street, GOP recruits them and even opens their own pants for crabs [come on in, can I get you something?]. Spreading the infection is a means of survival, and crabs are easily transmitted.
btw, I could have chosen viruses as a metaphore for American politics [herpes fits the narrative] or bacterial infections, but parasites seemed to be more closely related to the subject. Genetic disease might also work. I've already introduced Lesion Heir's Disease elsewhere.
Viruses, bacterial infections, and parasites can be treated. However a vaccine prevents all three disabling infections. The ETHICS vaccine is available, but often refused
Earnest Theorists of Hackneyed Ideologues & Counselors for Salvation developed their product, but innoculations are scant.
60,000 factories and closed 750,000 jobs lost, but no one challenges the lie, except for Sen Sanders.
#19
Brilliant.
Bernie for prez!!!
#20
"Trans Pacific Pirate Ship" AAH-HA-HA! Alice, as sad as this all is, your eloquently stated rightly angry post was not only satisfying to read, but I will be laughing inside every time I think of that accurate characterization of the TPP.
Doug...I heard a guy speak back in 2000 in Atlanta...his name escapes, but he was supposedly staff to someone in the Clinton Admin. He spoke of the illusion of conflict and how behind closed doors, the elites of both parties are in lock step...and it's been all about the money since the dawn of the Republic. The only period that even came close to true democracy, the post new deal era, only came about because global trade was more protectionist, the media actually covered news in the public interest and Industrialists didn't have as much automation, they actually needed human labor to build their fortunes. With NAFTA, deregulation and merger madness came a new era of greed...more $$$ in the hands of fewer and fewer. It became socially acceptable to flaunt wealth and to criticize instead of have compassion for the poor. When I was growing up, people who flaunted their wealth were frowned upon. The wealthy often considered philanthropy and paying taxes their patriotic duty. Being in a high tax bracket was a subtle 'status symbol' of wealth. Today, our tax dollars skip the commons and go straight into the pockets of private military industrial police-state contractors and subsidies for corrupt Congresspeople-'gentleman' farmers, Oiligarchs and Banksters. Corporations have run the show for the most part all along. The laws that have protected us from their abuses in the past did so because an eliment of decency held all out corruption at bay. The corrupt faction of the powers elite have been working tirelessly since the new deal to undermine Democracy and social/economic justice...Remember Edward Bernays? The nephew of Sigmund Freud who big industrialists contracted with to teach them how to use the media to turn us into mass consumers?..the idea that the masses were too stupid, too dangerous to think for themselves? With the vilification of the poor and minorities (unless they're rich) becoming the new 'tres chic', the way was paved for them to destroy us in the name of a 'free' market and 'self responsibility'. The notion of being our brother's keeper was vilified as communism and socialism (as if democratic versions of those would be bad things). The way I see it, unless we go back to the Greek Lottery System (citizens serve on a parliament selected randomly- like jury duty)...we will never truly have self governance.
#21
Sandals -- I thought I was letting Thom speak for himself. I assume you do not listen to all 15 hours per week that Thom is talking, and I only listen to 10 of the 15 hours (on podcast). I thought you may have missed his opinion on the use of treason.
The statement I would make that represents my opinion is that it is hard to find any place that I would trust their definition. Three places I would not trust are Merriam-Webster (since they took private interest out of the definition of fascist in my dictionaries), Wikipedia (since Thom said Heritage foundation had one work area with about 25 computer screens up and everyone was on the Wikipedia) and Google (I have a friend whose whole livelihood is researching Google). I think I would trust the Oxford dictionary more than others, but that might be because of my ignorance of them.
As far as calling multi-national corps treasonous, I think I agree more with you than Thom. At any rate, it really feels good to call them treasonous.
#22
bobbler -- they could not find a single democrat in the house to sponsor the fast track legislation for TPP. That is a lot more than talk.
#23
WOW Chuck, I didn't know that. For once, the Dems haven't let us down!!
I oughta send Obama my advice on what to do with TPP - wipe, then flush.
#24
We must form an international Environmental Protection Agency. With as much teeth as the world banking institutions to save our planet. Those who would destroy a planet for greed and self interests are evil of the worst magnitude. They are stealing the future. Three strikes and your out of our economy for good. This should be our law.
#26
Obama’s NSA ‘reforms’ are little more than a PR attempt to mollify the public
By Glenn Greenwald, The Guardian
Saturday, January 18, 2014 6:52 EST
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/18/obamas-nsa-reforms-are-little-more...
#27
Please help me shame Clinton into opposing the TPP. Sign and promote my petition at MoveON.Org: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/call-on-hillary-clinton?source=c.em&r_by=11982904
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