JUST SAYIN’-The Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership. Fast-tracking. What are the implications?
Just as environmentalists have been able to convince President Obama to oppose Keystone, so do the many labor coalition opponents need to dissuade him from approving what can only be described as draconian TPP policy—“NAFTA on steroids.”
Fair trade (not free trade) activists need to put similar pressure on our Congressional lawmakers to oppose the TPP, let alone fast-tracking it. To me, it is unimaginable that any well-informed person would want to see this piece of legislation go into effect. It is understandable, however, why the Far Right, with its capitalist protectionism, would want it passed, but not the rest of us. Its “significances” (as Jack London used the word) would undeniably change the world as we know it—consider the impact on the environment, pollution, chemical use, work standards, wages; domestic and many international laws would be downgraded or even overturned.
We are witnessing the brightest economy since the Depression and seeing nearly 60 straight months of substantially increased employment figures. Should TPP be passed, however, we would also see most, if not all, of these gains “sucked” right out of the economy, leaving a vacuum worthy of horror. TPP would lead to more outsourcing of jobs while most laborers here would be forced to work at dramatically lower wages. The recent boom in the stock market would be checked forthwith, and employment numbers would experience a freefall.
Fast-tracking would create an obstacle impossible for Congress to overcome—it would limit Congress’s ability to define the terms of the TPP as well as other trade agreements. A major consequence would be the inability to protect women’s rights, LGBT communities, workers, and the environment, thus overturning far too many of the progressive laws that have recently been passed. Fast-tracking would allow only an up-or-down vote by Congress, precluding its ability to discuss the ramifications, modify the wording, and add any amendments before the final vote.
TPP would give nearly a dozen Pacific Rim signatories including Brunei, the power to “challenge a broad array of U. S. domestic laws before special trade tribunals.” So we must ask, Why are so many of these negotiations being conducted in secret if there is nothing to hide from the public, if there will be no surprises, if there will not be new regulations that will neutralize the gains that so many have fought so hard to achieve?
Speaking of Brunei, do you realize the Sultan owns our local Beverly Hills Hotel (not to be confused with the Beverly Hilton) and Hotel Bel-Air? This is the same man who is insisting that sharia law be instituted and enforced to the letter in his country—that means stoning men and women to death for even such minor infractions as questioning secular laws and challenging leadership or blaspheming (according to whom and by what criteria?) the Islamic religion and its prophet (such “laws” are nowhere to be found in the Qu’ran!). Stoning would also extend to those found “guilty” of homosexuality or involved in an extramarital affair. With the passage of TPP, the country of Brunei would, nevertheless, be granted privileged trade status despite engaging in these reprehensible offenses. Should we reward privileged trade status to this or any nation which freely commits these breeches of international law and abominations against humanity?!
Key to all this is the fact that passing fast-track would give our President (and other partners) the ability to determine TPP membership (whether to include or exclude Brunei for example)-- all this without Congress’s input. TPP would prevent institution of regulations which would insist that no partners be allowed to violate human rights (upon pain of removal from partnership status). If Congress does have input, however, it can insist that any nation guilty of authorizing heinous actions against its citizens be excluded from this coalition.
What is especially galling is that upon TPPs implementation, access to affordable health care (including treatment and medications) would be drastically reduced throughout a considerable portion of the world. In fact, Doctors without Borders has cautioned “that the TPP agreement is on track to become the most harmful trade pact ever for access to medicine in developing countries”—much worse than the effects that NAFTA has had on numerous economies worldwide.
Without being overly dramatic and histrionic, the very foundation of democracy here and elsewhere is at stake. Can we just stand around and let many hard-fought gains be overturned and reversed in one fell swoop? Are we going to stand for other nations making decisions for us (isn’t that what the American Revolution was all about?). If you think that working with a conservative Congress is hard now, just wait if TPP is adopted.
Let’s contact our Congressmembers to give voice to the opposition and ask them to vote No on this legislation (call or write them even if you think they might already be against this program—after all, there is strength in numbers, and greater numbers have a way of convincing the fence-sitters).
Contact Senator Orrin Hatch’s office (he introduced the bill) to let him know how much we oppose it and how disappointed we are that he saw fit to sponsor it in the first place. On the other hand, we must commend Senator Elizabeth Warren for raising awareness (and hell) with regard to the TPP proposal.
Furthermore, we should praise House Member Ruben Gallego for his letter to the President, asking Mr. Obama not to give away our ability to control our own mandates. A number of freshman congressmembers, like Ted Lieu (from the Valley), have signed on to this letter, urging the President not to approve this ugly piece of legislation. The letter concludes with the following:
“We are all deeply committed to creating jobs in our communities and across the country, to providing access to affordable healthcare and medicines and to promoting a healthy environment. To do so effectively, we believe it is critical that Congress maintain its authority to ensure that American trade agreements are a good deal for the American people.”
One more thing we can do is to boycott the Beverly Hills and Bel-Air hotels as well as “vetoing” any plans on vacationing or doing business in Brunei (and any other like-minded countries).
Just sayin’.
Please contact the following for more information:
● Unitehere! Local 11 ● Pride@Work ● Feminist Majority ● NOW ● Doctors without Borders ● AFL-CIO ● LAANE ● Sierra Club ● Citizens Trade Campaign
(Rosemary Jenkins is a Democratic activist and chair of the Northeast Valley Green Alliance. Jenkins has written A Quick-and=Easy Reference to Correct Grammar and Composition, Leticia in Her Wedding Dress and Other Poems, and Vignettes for Understanding Literary and Related Concepts. She also writes for CityWatch.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 5
Pub: Jan 16, 2015
