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Common Dreams reports:
Now that official debate has begun, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wants to pass Fast Track bill before Memorial Day.
[...] The U.S. Senate on [May 14] approved a motion to begin debate on the Fast Track authority President Barack Obama needs to advance controversial trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The measure passed 65-33.
Senate Democrats blocked the first attempt to proceed on the trade legislation on Tuesday, but backtracked in the wake of further negotiations--and intense pressure from the White House.
Boing Boing warns URGENT: Senate backtracks on TPP fasttrack--call Congress to oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership
TPP is a treaty negotiated under extraordinary secrecy--Members of Congress were threatened with jail for discussing its contents--and virtually everything we know about it comes from leaks. One thing we do know is that it contains a provision to let multinational corporations sue governments for passing environmental and labor laws that undermine their profits (similar provisions in other treaties have been used by tobacco companies to sue the Australian government over a law mandating plain packaging for cigarettes). We also know that TPP hardens the worst elements of US copyright, trumping Congress's right to review the term of copyright and the scope of the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA (these are the rules that allowed John Deere to claim that farmers don't own their tractors, because of the copyrights in the software in their engines).
The Electronic Frontier Foundation needs your help to contact your Congresscritter to block this. TPP is a fragile monster, and it can really only pass if the Congress abdicates its legislative authority and lets the President make up laws and legal obligations without Congressional input. The Republican Congress--and many Democrats--is vulnerable to messages from voters opposing the extension of these powers to the President.
Related: Fast-Track Trade Measure Fails Key Test Vote In Senate
(Score: 5, Touché) by aristarchus on Monday May 18 2015, @08:47AM
Mon Dieu, Monsieur! You seem to have taken my comment literally, which can only mean you are a moron. We will begin with this. Yes, all citizens of the planet have a vote, that vote is cast at the United Nations. You may not thing that is body is legitimate, but then many of your fellow citizens of whatever benighted nation you belong to no doubt feel the same. Yes, some nations who have representation at the UN do not have governments where their individual citizens have a vote on their representation. The United States and the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland come to mind. But these are mere anachronisms that the course of history will sweep away in due course of time.
(Oh, and despite the AC, we know exactly who you are. Look out your window. Do you see anything unfamiliar? No, you don't., but the suggestion is scary enough, no?)
Now what was your point? Ah, yes, hippie utopians! Well, you know, that is not a bad thing to be. It is certainly preferable to being a "fuck off and die" reactionary fascist type who has nothing to say other than, "Boo"! Are you saying, "Boo"? "Boo" as in, "the world is changing, and in fact has changed, and now I am a powerless former lackey of an oppressive form of government and I don't like it"? That kind of "Boo"? Well, I don't hope you die, but it is inevitable that you shall, we all do. What you might want to consider, at least a little bit, is how has your existence on the planet in some small degree made it a better place. Have you raise children to be good citizens of the world? Have you produced art that brings meaning to existence? Have you produced goods that have made life better for all who have received them? Have you made the world a better place even a little? If not, well, we still all love you, and we are sorry for your failure, you hippie-punching asshole.
(Score: 2) by rts008 on Monday May 18 2015, @01:16PM
Well done! LOL!
I think that was the most eloquent 'piss off, moron...don't come back until you've been out of Mom's basement a while' reply I have witnessed in a long time. :-)
Well done, indeed. *tips hat*