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From Jim Hightower's "Lowdown"

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a massive new international trade pact being pushed by the U.S. government at the behest of transnational corporations. The TPP is already being negotiated between the United States and other Pacific Rim countries, including Canada and Mexio that already belong to the NAFTA with the US.

Here are examples of what corporations want from the Trans-Pacific Partnership: 

• Cheaper Labor Costs. The TPP would grant corporations easier access to labor markets in countries such as Vietnam, where the average minimum wage is just a third of what it is in China.

• Special Powers to Attack Environmental Laws. TPP would enable corporations to challenge virtually any new law, regulation or even court decision that adversely affects their expected or potential profits as an “indirect expropriation” through international tribunals that "trump" domestic judicial systems.

• Longer Drug Patents. TPP would have the effect of extending monopoly drug patents for big pharmaceutical companies, making it harder for countries to produce or procure low-cost generic medications for people with HIV, tuberculosis and other life-threatening diseases.

• Further Financial Deregulation. TPP would handcuff the steps governments can take to protect against “too big to fail” banks, regulate trade in toxic assets, erect firewalls between different financial service firms and control the flow of short-term capital into and out of economies.
  

• Caps on Food Safety Protections. TPP would make it harder for countries to adopt and maintain strong food safety regulations based on the precautionary principle.
  

• Dismantling of “Buy Local” and “Buy America” Preferences. TPP would prevent governments from instituting public purchasing preferences designed to keep taxpayer dollars circulating in local economies.

The Public Is Being Kept in the Dark

The Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations have taken place since 2008 behind closed doors with nearly 600 lobbyists for U.S. corporations as official advisors—which gives them steady access to the negotiators—and to the “secret” negotiating texts. This includes representatives of companies like Walmart, Cargill and Chevron.

Yet, civic groups, journalists, and private citizens whose lives will be affected by the corporations demands and negotiators’  decisions will not be able to see the texts until the negotiations have concluded—at which point, it is more-or-less impossible to change them. The few members of Congress that have access to TPP texts have pledged to keep them secret. 

Stopping Fast Track is the most effective way to ensure we

aren’t saddled with a major corporate power grab.

Fast Track, officially “trade promotion authority," would allow the TPP to be rushed through Congress and signed before the public sees any proposed texts—bypassing extensive Congressional review, debate and amendment procedures. Over 400 US organizations, representing more than 15 million Americans, have already urged Congress to oppose Fast Track for the TPP. Members of Congress must hear opposition to Fast Track directly from their constituents—now! 

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