The Trans-Pacific Partnership

[SR4]

There is an organization in my area holding meetings at the university, and Ive sat in on a few of them. Nothing much yet, but pushing on a campaign of exposure amongst the rest of the populous (this issue seems to be very very quiet in the papers, media channels). Hopefully it won't peter out.

[Guest]

In general, I think it's really striking that there hasn't been a riot in the street.

 

Is apathy that much of a virtue?

[Guest A/D]

*populace sry bro

 

Pls post any campaign info.

[goDel]

In general, I think it's really striking that there hasn't been a riot in the street.

 

Is apathy that much of a virtue?

No. People turn to the streets when there is some direct threat to their current lives. If anyone can specify what they themselves are going to notice from these international agreements, they should give a call. At this point it's even hard to tell what's in these agreements, so it's mostly speculation.

 

It's wise to be concerned though. I'm not sure whether anyone followed the link to the financial times article, but if you did and you read the comments, you could have seen that those illuminati are just as concerned. Strange, isn't it?

[Guest]

I didn't. I've been a complete fraud and just been latching on to popular opinion, and having this shitty one-lineresque say in it.

 

In a way, I wish something like this will happen: it will give me something to rebel against, instead of just putting on a suit, waving and smiling while I help to keep this sick façade going.

 

On the other hand I don't give a shit and wish I just can be welcomed beyond the veil.

[Guest]

I just realized during my yoga routine, that worrying, or pumping energy into world politics, is detrimental to my health and stability.

 

Pick your battles. This one isn't mine.

[goDel]

Picking battles? How about putting more "zen" into your battles? There's no need to waste energy. But you could still make a point without wasting energy, right? Politics might the most humane way of fighting battles at this point in time. (Don't look at american politics for a sec)

[Guest]

You may be right, but whenever I focus too much on these issues, they wear me down and eventually depress me deeply.

 

They are not my arena, so I do not want to focus on them.

[goDel]

It's your party!

[Guest]

[LimpyLoo]

http://brightsideglobal.com/?p=690

 

can someone read this and post a TL;DR

[goDel]

It's mostly text describing the negotiations themselves. The second pdf is quite interesting however as it lists all the various subjects which might be in the agreement. It covers a very broad spectrum. Biodiversity and climate change are part of the talks as well. The position of the various countries are visible as well (r-reject, a-approve).

 

There's a long line of rrrs after a us-proposal about patents... Lol

[goDel]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/08/tpp-trade-agreement_n_4409211.html

 

One of the most controversial provisions in the talks includes new corporate empowerment language insisted upon by the U.S. government, which would allow foreign companies to challenge laws or regulations in a privately run international court. Under World Trade Organization treaties, this political power to contest government law is reserved for sovereign nations. The U.S. has endorsed some corporate political powers in prior trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, but the scope of what laws can be challenged appears to be much broader in TPP negotiations.

 

"The United States, as in previous rounds, has shown no flexibility on its proposal, being one of the most significant barriers to closing the chapter, since under the concept of Investment Agreement nearly all significant contracts that can be made between a state and a foreign investor are included," the memo reads. "Only the U.S. and Japan support the proposal."

 

 

[chenGOD]

It's mostly text describing the negotiations themselves. The second pdf is quite interesting however as it lists all the various subjects which might be in the agreement. It covers a very broad spectrum. Biodiversity and climate change are part of the talks as well. The position of the various countries are visible as well (r-reject, a-approve).

 

There's a long line of rrrs after a us-proposal about patents... Lol

Of course there are. And this is what globalization has brought, the ability for other countries to challenge the economic hegemony of the US.

[chenGOD]

Some backroom insider info - there are negotiations ongoing in Singapore right now, but it looks like the US will backtrack on getting the first round passed this year. The Japanese are upset about this, as apparently Abe had planned to introduce reforms when the Diet reopens in January using the TPP as a trojan horse.

Straight from the head of the BoJ.

[luke viia]

Thanks for keeping this thing alive dudes! Almost done w/ school, almost have time to read about the TPP again...

 

The talks in Singapore ended yesterday and the US didn't get its year-end completion wish, thank the sweet lord's tits.

 

Here's a great article summarizing the effect the TPP is likely to have on the US economy: http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/the-verdict-is-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-a-sweeping-free-trade-deal-under-negotiation-with-11-pacific-rim-coun.html

 

TPP's corporate proponents have tried to sell the NAFTA-style deal to the U.S. public and policymakers by claiming that it will result in gains for the U.S. economy. They often cite a study from the Peterson Institute for International Economics that used sweeping assumptions to project a tiny benefit from the TPP. We brought that study down to size back in January, showing that, even if one accepts the pro-TPP authors' litany of optimistic assumptions, the much-touted "benefit" from the TPP would amount to an extra quarter per person per day.

As this week's CEPR report points out, the pro-TPP study projected a meager 0.13 percent increase to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 if the controversial TPP would be signed, passed, and implemented. By comparison, economists have estimated that Apple's iPhone 5 contributed a 0.25 - 0.5 percent increase to U.S. GDP.

That is, the TPP's total contribution to the U.S. economy is expected, by TPP proponents, to be about one half to one fourth of the contribution of the latest iPhone version.

Well, you might say, a nearly invisible blip in GDP is better than no blip in GDP. (You might say this if you ignore the host of dubious assumptions used to project said blip, and ignore the TPP's expected threats to medicines affordability, environmental protections, food safety, Internet freedom, and financial stability.)

 

And here's a couple papers. One on the most contentious issues still being hashed out in the TPP:

 

http://www.piie.com/publications/chapters_preview/6727/04iie6727.pdf

 

And one on focusing on the actual effects of the bill on US workers' wages:

 

http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/TPP-2013-09.pdf

 

I really am sorry that my posts are turning into compson emulations. That is a sad state of affairs, and one I am trying to correct, honest.

[goDel]

Thanks!

 

And I'm thankful for Luke's Thanks as well. I'm almost starting to think the "Fuck Off" helped (...it didnt ;D).

 

Also, on the economic benefits of the TPP: the economic effects of the other countries should be considered as well. Big fucking TSK TSK. An entire continent might actually have economical benefits with the US still a small benefit as well. That would be what is known to the rest of the world as "Win-win". Apparently not the US way of thinking...LOL

 

Fucking capitalists ;D

[SR4]

meetings like this never benefit the majority of people, otherwise the majority would be involved. people have to make themselves involved, but it's difficult to know how.

 

don't worry the Pope will take care of it

[delet...]

praise be.

 

[Guest]

bumping this

[goDel]

?

 

Is that how you treat your exes as well? Just bump that shit a couple of years later...no warning. No context. Just a bump.

[doublename]

Give it a bump for old time's sake.

[spratters]

bumpity bump

[Guest]

?

 

Is that how you treat your exes as well? Just bump that shit a couple of years later...no warning. No context. Just a bump.

haha

 

just that the plans to push through this behemoth are getting more concrete with the minute.

 

see it as a reminder.

[goDel]

My takeaway is that phoenix's ex is a behemoth in need of a push through. Not sure whether that's a new kind of bra, btw.