SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS: THE TRANS-PACIFIC TRADE (TPP) AGREEMENT MUST BE DEFEATED  [pdf]

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy. It will also negatively impact some of the poorest people in the world.

The TPP is a treaty that has been written behind closed doors by the corporate world. Incredibly, while Wall Street, the pharmaceutical industry and major media companies have full knowledge as to what is in this treaty, the American people and members of Congress do not. They have been locked out of the process.

Further, all Americans, regardless of political ideology, should be opposed to the “fast track” process which would deny Congress the right to amend the treaty and represent their constituents’ interests.

The TPP follows in the footsteps of other unfettered free trade agreements like NAFTA, CAFTA and the Permanent Normalized Trade Agreement with China (PNTR). These treaties have forced American workers to compete against desperate and low-wage labor around the world. The result has been massive job losses in the United States and the shutting down of tens of thousands of factories. These corporately backed trade agreements have significantly contributed to the race to the bottom, the collapse of the American middle class and increased wealth and income inequality. The TPP is more of the same, but even worse.

During my 23 years in Congress, I helped lead the fight against NAFTA and PNTR with China. During the coming session of Congress, I will be working with organized labor, environmentalists, religious organizations, Democrats, and Republicans against the secretive TPP trade deal.

Dems Fed Up with Hillary’s Refusal to Take a Position on the Most Hotly-Debated Issue in Washington

Even news outlets like the Washington Post have come out against the former Secretary of State’s lack of position regarding TPP. In a recent editorial, the Washington Post hammered Clinton for sitting this one out:

    Will Democrats look backward, in the vain hope of sheltering America from global economic forces? Or will they confidently embrace change and competition? Ms. Clinton tells prospective supporters that hers is a campaign to “win the future.” Her performance on trade so far implies that it’s just about winning the nomination.

Strangely, when Mrs. Clinton was Secretary of State she seemed pretty firm in her support of TPP. In an article she personally penned for Foreign Policy during her tenure.

See my earlier comments …
○ Tyranny of Naked Capitalism
○ Secret Trade Agreement About to Complete the Corporate Takeover of Democracy
○ Economic Espionage Leaks: NSA Clapper treatens to cut off intelligence sharing with Germany’s BND