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Dissident Voice reports:
A mass mobilization in Washington, DC from November 14 to 18 has been announced to begin the next stage of the campaign to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
[...] "At its root, the TPP is about modern colonialism. It is the way that Western governments and their transnational corporations, including Wall Street banks, can dominate the economies of developing nations", said Margaret Flowers, co-director of Popular Resistance. She continued "The reality is that without trade justice there cannot be climate justice, food justice; there cannot be health justice or wage justice. That is why people are mobilizing to stop the TPP."
[...] The groups will begin their protests [on Monday morning, November 16] at the US Trade Representative building on 17th Street with the message that the TPP betrays the people, planet, and democracy.
This will be followed that evening by a protest that begins at the US Chamber of Commerce and White House then marches along K Street and ends at the Reagan International Trade Center.
The next day, the groups will have an international focus protesting at multiple sites along Embassy Row to stand in solidarity with people around the world who are fighting to stop the TPP.
On the final day, the groups will focus on Congress.
Previously: Trans-Pacific Partnership Text Released
Trans-Pacific Partnership: "Intellectual Property" Fears Become Reality
(Score: 4, Insightful) by turgid on Sunday November 08 2015, @09:25PM
The first four replies to this story are all ACs either cynical about protesting in the modern democratic "free" world or cynical about the reasons people may have for opposing TPP.
Note to self: it's only the internet and we shouldn't take it too seriously.
Life is bad enough without letting it get worse unopposed.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 5, Insightful) by HiThere on Sunday November 08 2015, @09:46PM
Yes. I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from doing something which might stop the TPP. But I'm not very optimistic. I think it's already been bought, paid for, and the bribes spent.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by inertnet on Sunday November 08 2015, @10:45PM
The same goes for TTIP, the European version of TPP. All negotiations are done in secret and both these agreements are going to result in the USA dominating the world economy again.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @11:57PM
Maybe the US government and its favorite corporate buddies will dominate the world economy, but none of this will be good for US citizens.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by inertnet on Monday November 09 2015, @12:32AM
Well it's the same for us Europeans, the general sentiment is that it won't benefit us either.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @12:46AM
TTIP is actually just a decoy for an even more secret trade agreement. From what I've gathered, the participants are only allowed to negotiate that agreement with proprietary sign language.
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Monday November 09 2015, @02:41PM
You jest, but TISA [eff.org] is the capstone.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by TheGratefulNet on Monday November 09 2015, @07:44AM
the 'USA' is not going to dominate or win anything.
certain very very rich people who are american citizens will benefit.
but I won't benefit and neither will anyone I personally know; and I would guess even their friends won't be in the connected-few that will win.
the one-percenters are the winners. citizens of all countries who are not in the top will lose.
this is NOT about america or any one country, but its about all the rich folks who stand to benefit and simply flaunt it in our faces, essentially telling us we can't do a thing about it.
in a way, they are right. they know the system and they control it. for now, at least.
I'm old enough to remember when protests actually had an effect. but now, those in charge truly don't listen and don't care and they have everyone in their pocket would -could- do something about it. I am very sorry to say, peaceful protest is not going to solve this. we have talked and talked and they KNOW we are mad, but they don't believe we will take things to the next level. and even if we did, again, they have planned ahead for it all.
I truly don't know what the solution is. but talk is getting us nowhere.
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Monday November 09 2015, @12:46PM
Fortunately, "they" don't have the skills to carry their plans into action, not even remotely. They depend very much on people like those in this community to shut up and follow orders. They rely on these to figure out the "how" of their "what."
We've all seen with Snowden what a tremendous difference it makes when even one of us determines not to play along anymore. Imagine what could happen if a thousand Snowdens stood up and said flat out that TPP is not going to happen. Even if they did nothing more than straight out leak the secret conversations and emails of those foisting this secret treaty on us, it might be enough.
But imagine further if they actually began throwing spanners in the works. What would happen if all the secret bank accounts in the Caymans suddenly became "unavailable?" What if all the lights were to go off in Wall Street, Westchester, and DC? What if the travel plans of every one of the Illuminati (or Masters of the Universe, or Powers that Be) suddenly were to be published online for interested parties to buttonhole them for a chat about their support for this catastrophe?
If the Illuminati feel menaced enough they'll retreat to their bunkers from whence they'll mean to order martial law. That's when the rest of the world they mean to shaft with the TPP back up the cement mixers and seal them in, dig into & sever the fiber connecting them, and we all sit down for a polite and productive conversation about fixing what they have broken.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday November 09 2015, @03:26PM
Yeah they didn't like it when those we the 99% people did things in secret but protested in public.
They kept trying to find someone to arrest and had difficulty identifying leading rule breakers to apprehend in their pursuit of justice. Instead, they ended up citing that oh you can't protest here because its inconvenient. Go over there, where no one cares (and cannot hear your message). Any complaints, send us your leader to talk.
It took a while, but fizzled out as hoped. However, they must have learned that by hiding the discussions, it is harder to pinpoint who to blame in specific. We blame corporations but do we have names of specific ones that intend to do something really shitty? If we can't vote for change (or it it doesnt work), who or what is on the list of corporations demanding things, and from that list, what services do we need to boycott or decide to not shop at?
Thanks to the people with a different code of ethics than the people wanting this, some people interesting in sharing the news are releasing information that wasn't supposed to get a peer review or public review.
Now us ignorant masses are likely to do another 99% thing again, starting with this. At least there is a specific cause to rally behind.
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Monday November 09 2015, @03:56PM
Don't expect any significant changes. The people that should protest won't, because they have too much to lose. They're all slaves of the banks and tax system. They will lose their house, car, children's education et cetera if they man the barricades for more than a week. Only the people who have nothing to lose sometimes start a riot, but that won't change a thing on this level.
(Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday November 09 2015, @08:14PM
I believe this is why change is oft driven by the youth.
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Tuesday November 10 2015, @01:37AM
However, if they do lose their house, car, children's education, etc, that will be the catalyst for revolution.
The Illuminati have a fine balancing act to perform. Can they pull it off? Most people will accept any loss of liberty as long as the bread and circuses continue. I get the impression that the bread might be in short supply soon. The rich evacuate to their luxury bunkers, then we back up the cement trucks and backhoes as Phoenix suggested and move on. Hopefully.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @10:36PM
Look at how much we have been able to stop over the last twenty years. Nothing. We have stopped nothing. All we have managed to do with millions of man-hours in protest is slow down the march of the inevitable.
My views have completely changed. I don't own a gun, never wanted one, but now I do. It is rather clear the next move is to impose required registration quickly followed by an outright ban utilizing the records for lawful compliance. Add to that the constant fearmongering and woes of the middle class, external threats being trumpeted, and privatization/private control of public resources gets you a perfect tried-and-true formula for fascism. A similar setup was done in every fascist nation that ever was. This time around it will have more of an oligopoly slant and with far better living conditions, but fascism none the less. There is no grand conspiracy but more just a natural evolution with specific conditions. That is where we are headed and I don't know if we can stop it now.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by aristarchus on Sunday November 08 2015, @10:47PM
I just love it when things have come to this! Obligatory and annoying XKCD: http://xkcd.com/1022/ [xkcd.com]
My views have completely changed. I don't own a gun, never wanted one, but now I do. It is rather clear
No, it is not. It has come to this where some AC doesn't own a gun, and now does? Or it has come to this that some AC never wanted one, but now does? Was there something about import restrictions on guns in the TPP? Where's the cat food?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @10:57PM
Look at how much we have been able to stop over the last twenty years. Nothing. We have stopped nothing.
SOPA? Oh, wait, it's only good enough if we stop it and then similar things never appear against for the rest of eternity. Sorry for not meeting your impossible standard; let's all just give up and let it happen without even the slightest fight.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @01:16AM
Yeah, we have to keep fighting and keep winning for eternity. All they have to do is win once. Losing with or without a fight is still losing.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @01:24AM
Yes, freedom requires external vigilance. That's how reality works.
Also, no, they don't just have to win once. Bad laws can be repealed and bad treaties can be gotten rid of. It's difficult, but not impossible.
Losing with or without a fight is still losing.
But losing without putting up a fight is disgraceful. And putting up a fight can decrease your chances of losing.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 08 2015, @10:55PM
The SJWs are out in force. Business is for the treaty, so "the people" should mobilize against it.
(Score: 2) by jmorris on Sunday November 08 2015, @11:22PM
The SJWs hate it for reasons that are often silly. But I hate it too and I'm one of the official Koch Bros stooges according to the SJWs here. I won't be out protesting with the Occupy retards but I will be giving and voting based on opposition to this thing.
It is a crap sandwich buried in tons of additional crap so that no person could possibly read the thing and remain sane. That by itself is reason to oppose it. You want free trade? Fine, in general I do too. So a five page treaty saying we are all going to freely trade and the first and last page is flowery diplomat speak and signatures. Propose that and I'm in. This horror is almost exactly the opposite of free trade, this is crony capitalism defined.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @12:11AM
I will be [...] voting based on opposition to this thing
...and, rather than being reactive after the fact, be proactive and let your Congresscritters know how you feel before the vote.
Know what gets a politician's attention?
A flood of telephone calls to his office.
(DO NOT email.)
The Capitol switchboard is 1(866)220-0044 toll-free.
In DC it's (202)224-3121.
If you don't know your guy's name, just give your zip code and you'll be put through to his office.
Tell his folks what you think.
Have everybody you know do likewise.
Make him aware that you are all watching him closely on this make-or-break issue (with the implication that, if he muffs it, the lot of you will actively work for his defeat|recall).
This is where neighborhood groups, community groups, clubs, bowling leagues, etc. can be useful.
If the group hasn't met recently|won't meet soon, use a cascading notification tree with fall-through and redundancy to make sure -everybody- knows what's happening.
This advice comes from Ralph Nader who knows a thing or 2 about how to get stuff done WRT gov't.
-- gewg_
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @05:53AM
jmorris! Calm down! Right now! Chill pill! Eat it!
But I hate it too and I'm one of the official Koch Bros stooges according to the SJWs here.
There are no SJWs here at SoylentNews. There are only people who agree with you. It is OK! I know this is a new experience, but relax and go with it. After a while, it will feel just as normal as your old self.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Common Joe on Monday November 09 2015, @05:54AM
We've heard stories about three letter agencies and places like the RIAA trying to influence opinion in forums. "Cynical about reasons people have for opposing TPP" sounds like they found their way here. Reminder: Don't feed the trolls.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 09 2015, @03:09PM
Have an even more cynical AC. There are a shitload of paid shills working every major internet community, another shitload of people working for free hoping to get paid in the future, and yet another shitload of gullible idiots going along with the "popular" "consensus". Their tactics include:
* Accuse their debate opponents of an evil agenda ("racist" and "right-wing" are common accusations)
* Say that everything is going to fail and you might as well give up.
* Have another shill politely agree with the first.
* Have another shill ridicule whoever disagreed with the first.
* Cause a shitstorm whenever someone disputes their narrative until admins ban the entire argument to get rid of the shitstorm.
Soylent News is probably on the radar of some of these groups for covering Gamergate and related [soylentnews.org] issues [soylentnews.org].
It is no coincidence that many of the organizations that protested against CISPA and CDA have been silent on TPP.
It is no coincidence that Reddit now denies ever claiming to be for free speech and that the moderators aligned with SRS remove posts about the TPP.
It is no coincidence that the EFF has no statement on its website about the judicial order banning Aaron Walker from writing about the past of Brett Kimberlin.