The text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement was released by TPP Parties on 5 November 2015 and can be accessed by chapter. The text will continue to undergo legal review and will be translated into French and Spanish language versions prior to signature.
All 30 Chapters and all Annexes are available for download as a single .zip file.
Note: Subsequent to this story being submitted, Ars Technica published an article Obama praises Trans-Pacific Partnership accord as full text is released which notes:
The President Barack Obama administration and other countries released the entire 2,000-page Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement on Thursday—a proposed 12-nation pact dealing with everything from intellectual property to human rights. It took five years of secret negotiations to finalize but only a moment for Obama to praise the pact publicly.
[...] The nations in the accord include the US, Japan, Australia, Peru, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore, Canada, Mexico, and Brunei. They represent about 40 percent of the global economy.
The article goes on to list some of the benefits (tariffs lowered or removed) and controversies (exports US copyright law regarding how long a copyright lasts to be life of author plus 70 years after death.)
So, now that the full text is out and available for review, what say you Soylentils? Does it provide a good balance for all parties involved? What are the upsides and downsides? Who are the winners and losers?
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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 Nerdfest on Thursday November 05 2015, @09:46PM
From what I can see, there's little or no benefit for any citizens, and plenty of benefits for large corporations. That seems to be the current definition of "balance" though, when it comes to rights, freedoms, the environment, privacy, etc.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Mr Big in the Pants on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:36PM
e.g.
"The TPP means that America will write the rules of the road in the 21st century,"
Should read:
"The TPP means that Large American corporations will write the rules of the road in the 21st century,"
FTFY Obama, you disingenuous sell out.
PS: In no way am I implying any of the other US candidates are any different.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @11:29PM
The TPP means that Large corporations with allegiance to no one but only want more money will write the rules of the road in the 21st century.
FTFY, because even though they currently "live" in the USA, doesn't mean they won't leave. In addition, you don't really owe a duty to the shareholders as they are either part of the amorphous blob or are large professional investors who know the real game.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @01:49AM
Yep, so many of these companies are doing the Double Irish and Dutch Sandwich to avoid tax.
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/double-irish-with-a-dutch-sandwich.asp [investopedia.com]
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Friday November 06 2015, @02:52AM
Well, there is Bernie Sanders, who has consistently opposed NAFTA, GATT, the WTO, and the TPP. Who knows what he'd do if actually elected, of course, but if his past is any indication he'd probably not be selling out the way Obama has.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by Mr Big in the Pants on Friday November 06 2015, @03:26AM
1) My comment neither confirmed nor rejected the hypothesis and was there to undo any concrete statement.
2) Sanders has not had a chance to sell out the way Obama has as you mention.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @02:50PM
FTFY Obama, you disingenuous sell out.
You think billions in 'campaign donations' dont come with strings attached do you? The do. Big obligations.
I am voting for 'none of the above' next year. I am with Brewster.
(Score: 2) by Mr Big in the Pants on Saturday November 07 2015, @12:24AM
WTF are you ranting about?
As is obvious from my post this is EXACTLY what I think.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @09:58PM
but fix the title: "partership", doesn't look very professional
(Score: 3, Funny) by Fishscene on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:11PM
No no, keep it. A professional communicates things appropriately and properly, makes sure things are on-time, gets the job done, and makes the customer feel good about it all.
The TPP is absolutely the opposite of ALL of these. I feel the title subtly captures this.
I know I am not God, because every time I pray to Him, it's because I'm not perfect and thankful for what He's done.
(Score: 3, Touché) by KilroySmith on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:09PM
I'm waiting for someone with an agenda to tell me what to think.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:46PM
As the President of the Pirate Party of Canada, I can tell you it is bad.
I should be working on a press-release instead of posting here though.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:59PM
Hey, I voted for you Mr President. It's an honor to see you posting on SN.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @10:24AM
They already have - it's called the TPP.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday November 06 2015, @10:42AM
A 2000 page blob coming from 5 years of negotiations behind guarded closed doors?
I am sure it's pretty benign.
It's as if tinfoil hats actually had shielded brains from some harmful radiation.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Gravis on Friday November 06 2015, @12:59PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:11PM
You have 60-90 days to view the document before they yank it and put on a vote.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:28PM
Wal-Mart and Amazon to sue the united states using this trade agreement to get themselves exempt from labor laws. As per part of it that if a law harms the company's shareholders and investors they can take the country to a court set up by this to get themselves exempted from the law.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Alfred on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:38PM
This is always a bad sign.
(Especially from an administration that promised transparency. Kinda shows that the administration is beholden to those who think differently on transparency. )
(Score: 5, Funny) by maxwell demon on Thursday November 05 2015, @11:28PM
The negotiations were transparent. Indeed, they were so transparent that you couldn't actually see them! :-)
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by RamiK on Thursday November 05 2015, @10:41PM
for who got the most screwed through how much exemptions they received.
compiling...
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Gaaark on Thursday November 05 2015, @11:05PM
from what i have seen, this is in response to China's rise as a super power: 'they' (the 1% and the Corporations (ie: execs who want to be a part of the 1%, or who are ruled by the 1%)) don't like that China could SCREW them all: lots of people, little in the way of environmental standards or caring for 'human rights' or 'people need to be able to afford to eat/live/not die a retched fecking life'.
Corporations have too much power as it is: too many part-time jobs, too few full time/good pay jobs. and it is just going to get worse under the TPP.
When the Canadian Federal elections were held, i figured 'it won't impact me, so why not vote not liberal' (feck you if you think i would vote Harper, y'all)'. Then the liberals got a majority, and i thought, 'whelp, it won't really affect me, so, feck it'.
Now the TPP comes, and i think "WE'RE SURROUNDED BY NAZI'S", and who will stand up for ME?!?!
Well, feck it: I will stand up for me and say NO to TPP, NO to 1% greed, and NO to corporations needing too make MORE THAN a few hundred million/billion in profits (cut your hours/feck people as non-objects)...
I am going to start writing MP's. If Trudeau won't do what is right, he will go the way of Harper.
ICH BIN ENIN MENSCHLICHES LEBEN!!! (HEIL SNOWDEN!!!)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 05 2015, @11:56PM
And you'll continue to say "NO" while they fuck you in more ways than you'd ever imagined possible.
The only way for anything to change is for roughly 7 billion people to say no. Don't hold your breath.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday November 06 2015, @01:31AM
Heh. Exactly right.
They'll bitch about it on Facebook and Twitter, but they won't do a goddamn thing else about it.
Zuckerburg will laugh all the way to the bank as almost the entire fucking population of the world trades their rights, standards of living, and dignity for a little vanity.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday November 06 2015, @12:39PM
>The only way for anything to change is for roughly 7 billion people to say no
this is the one-liner explaining the push for the NWO.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @12:50AM
This is actually in 'response' to USA's declining power as the corporations have leeched it dry and are moving abroad to suck the life out of the rest of the world. Lazay Faire capitalism at it's apex. China is smarter than that; the TPP is already screwing us all and they are already powerful enough to not need the USA & it's last desperate grabs for it's receding power. The TPP follows the script of PNAC, though they are blind to the impending failure of the USA and the TPP will only succeed in pulling the rest of us down as the USA slides into poverty, chaos, and fascism. The bigger they are, they harder they fall; there is no economy bigger than the USA. Their fall will be a real doozy and they will do their best to insure the whole world pays for it. Interesting times, indeed.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @02:09AM
Silicon Valley is over. At this point it still innovative in some parts of software. But most of the really crazy things that SV used to do has long ago moved to china. You can look no further than Alibaba and see that. They give two figs about intellectual property. They are busy hardware bending as fast as they can to knock off 2k of something oddball. Then move onto the next oddball thing. Meanwhile SV is busy look at itself trying to figure out how to 'make unicorns'. Instead of building things people want. They are busy aping hollywood in trying to protect its walled gardens it is quickly building. China is the center of innovation on this planet. Their quality is for shit but then so was japan at one point...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @09:20PM
Now the TPP comes, and i think "WE'RE SURROUNDED BY NAZI'S", and who will stand up for ME?!?!
Well, if you were surrounded by real "Nazis" they would be standing up for you. That's the truth. Germany's National Socialists fought against the International Bankers, Banning secret societies / clubs, and unjust "reparations". And in just a few short years your surroundings would have gone from a destitute slum to a world power capable of nearly winning the fight against global bankers and communism. This is why "Nazis" can never be allowed to rise again: They are the ones that value the common man rather than the "1%". Anyone can see this if they just ignored the ridiculous anti-Nazi propaganda, and took another look at WWII. [youtube.com]
Of course most will simply believe bullshit like: "Nazis were evil, they wanted to exterminate Jews", while ignoring they just wanted to exile the subversive element which was dominating the news, radio and film media, owners of international banks which bankrupted the people, declared economic War on Germany before any aggression was taken by Germany, boycotted Germany to destroy its economy in violation of international treaties, were the leaders of the Bolshevik (communist) Revolution, and who attempted treasonous revolts against Germany itself. Unfortunately, when the allies destroyed the supply lines near the end of the war the ongoring Typhus epidemic went wild and people in concentration work camps starved -- just like the rest of Germany.
Typhus was so bad that delousing was mandatory when crossing into some areas of Germany. Everyone had to be shorn and deloused in concentration camps to prevent deaths from typhus. The delousing agent Zyklon-B
was used to gas clothing, not people. This you can see in the blue residue the agent left on the walls of the small delousing chambers, but NOT even in trace amounts on the walls of "gas chambers" in Auschwitz or other "death camps" (as claimed by the owners of western media).
But hey, it's not your fault all you know is propaganda spewed by companies controlled and owned by international bankers and communists. Everyone knows the winners of the war rewrite the history of events in their favor. Oh, but except when it comes to National Socialist Germany and WWII? Yeah right, don't be a fool. Hey, you know what? During and after the Bolshevik Revolution 12 to 20 million Christians were executed. Now that's a Double or Triple "Holocaust"! But, you don't see tear jerking movies about in Hollywood.... huh, I wonder why? Just read the names in the credits of all the films and find the incredibly significant statistical commonality.
Wise up. Hitler had Blacks and Jews willingly fighting on his side. National and Ethnic pride was not to be exclusive to Germans, under National Socialism all peoples should embrace their family, culture, and heritage -- not erase their culture via massive foreign immigration as you see today. Interestingly, replacement of a culture via immigration is also officially classified as Genocide by the UN and NATO, but you won't hear anyone in the Mainstream Media citing this and saying that making ethnic Europeans the minority in Europe is literally a genocide. "Nazi" was a slur invented by the west. National Socialism is vilified so fiercely because it's the only system proven to win against the "1%" you wish to fight against. Look into who owns the establishment. Protip: The Rothschild family is Jewish. I don't hate Jews, and neither did Hitler. But what National Socialists did hate was the vile teachings of the Talmud. If you read the Talmud you will also realize what Hitler did: The Jewish religion incites its followers to lie to, subvert, hate and eradicate the "goyim" (non Jewish people), who are to be treated as cattle.
Indeed, you're being farmed. You're afraid of "Nazis", because they would be your ally. This is PSYOP 101.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anal Pumpernickel on Friday November 06 2015, @03:38AM
This is not a trade treaty, but a corporate supremacy treaty that will give corporations even more power over us. Whether there is "balance" or not is irrelevant. The most important question is this: Will it result in the further violation of our fundamental liberties and constitution? The answer is "yes", so it must be rejected in its entirety. The parts about copyright will give corporations even longer monopolies (monopolies over ideas which they should not have in the first place) and enable further government censorship, which is always bad. Patents violate private property rights and stifle competition. Pretty much every part of it is designed to give corporations massive amounts of unjust power over the rest of us.
We must never accept something that violates our fundamental liberties and principles just because it has a few petty economical 'benefits'; freedom is what matters.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 06 2015, @09:50PM
"We must never accept something that violates our fundamental liberties and principles"
Sorry to tell you, america has been doing that for her entire history as a country. The constitution and rule of law and the free market is myth for the masses.
Our brains are much worse at reality and thinking than thought. Science on reasoning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYmi0DLzBdQ [youtube.com]
Why you can't have capitalist democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mxp_wgFWQo&feature=youtu.be&list=PLKR2GeygdHomOZeVKx3P0fqH58T3VghOj&t=724 [youtube.com]
Crisis of democracy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYFxtNgOeiI [youtube.com]
Bailouts and subsidies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deo4W3NIYEI [youtube.com]
The real news
http://www.therealnews.com [therealnews.com]
Manufacturing consent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwU56Rv0OXM [youtube.com]
https://vimeo.com/39566117 [vimeo.com]
You really need to bone up on your history...
http://williamblum.org/essays/read/overthrowing-other-peoples-governments-the-master-list [williamblum.org]
"I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil intersts in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested."[p. 10]
"War is a racket. ...It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives." [p. 23]
"The general public shoulders the bill [for war]. This bill renders a horrible accounting. Newly placed gravestones. Mangled bodies. Shattered minds. Broken hearts and homes. Economic instability. Depression and all its attendant miseries. Back-breaking taxation for generations and generations." [p. 24]
General Butler is especially trenchant when he looks at post-war casualties. He writes with great emotion about the thousands of tramautized soldiers, many of who lose their minds and are penned like animals until they die, and he notes that in his time, returning veterans are three times more likely to die prematurely than those who stayed home.
http://www.amazon.com/War-Racket-Antiwar-Americas-Decorated/dp/0922915865/ [amazon.com]
(Score: 3, Interesting) by bug1 on Friday November 06 2015, @11:35PM
Article 14.17: Source Code
1. "No Party shall require the transfer of, or access to, source code of software owned by a
person of another Party, as a condition for the import, distribution, sale or use of such software,
or of products containing such software, in its territory."
(summery)
2. Only applies to mass market devices (eg Android)
3. Its ok when a corporation does it for money.
4. Its also ok when being used to create patents.