Trans Pacific Partnership to Over Power Governments?

I felt inspired to look at this and I know it is significant intuitively.  It is about a corporate takeover of government by controlling government decisions on legislation that may adversely affect profits.  We are in a time period where control and power is not governments but those influencing governments. There are statements about the US seeking dominance and trade wars.  The mask is the US government the reality is the US coprorations as the puppeteers pulling the strings. Issues of secrecy are key. World multi-national corporations have influence and VIP influence in respect of government.  This is a deregulation strategy which models corporate Fascism. The vibration around this is Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely’. In the case of Australia, British American Tobacco sued Australia for passing a law that limited cigarette advertising. I worked for a research company in Britain, the last client project I worked on was BAT which ended my career in research as I saw how we were supporting companies that were not in the public interest. I saw the interrogation through survey design about people’s lives in the insance pursuit of profit over people rather than serving people.  I saw how reseach was used to intrude into people’s lives rather than understand their needs in order to meet those needs.  I saw the shift from service to domination as greed expanded and corporate executives lost sight of who they are and what they are there for, they lost the true meaning of their role in a economy to supply demand not to demand more supply through manipulation of needs and wants..

This form of power and control now exercised more overtly through trade deals that control government decision making is a visible sign of how democracy is subverted.  I am observing it in attiudes of those in power who have disconnected from their humanity and somehow regard this as a bleeding heart rather than people suffering given the externalities (toxic impacts) of business fear and ruthlessness. The weakness in government has come from it being controlled and influenced by business and indeed funded.  Governments have lost their sovereignty and indepndence as representatives of the people.  In truth democracy is thrown overboard as a inconvenient impediment to progress.  The internet and global cyber expansion has been seen as a way to control, observe and target those who are costs of production.  I observe the juggernaut that knows no boundary as an ethics free zone is the free trade zone that was never free for all. I saw this in central and south America, I saw the tribal people vulnerable to economic interests replacing natural foods with processed, markets with factories and brand images seducing those ignorant and innocent to a way of life where they become enslaved in reality.  Fear is used to shutdown debate and over surveillance is used to intimidate as people are profiled and contained in a military type strategy based on division.

We will free fall.

As we must let go of control as it was never true. Real power is to ‘know thyself and be true’. This is the free energy that changes the world and it is not in the hands of any one person, it is a wave of a rising consciouness on the planet that is the power of nature responding to imbalance.  I regard these grabs for power as signs of losing control in truth and the fear of a global population who are becoming awakened. This cannot be stopped as it is nature responding to changes that are undermining life support systems. nature has intelligence, it is not negotiable as it responds to homeostasis.  Harmony is the future model of a planet that thrives. The real power is love in action, do not fight against the TPP reclaim your own power and live the democracy you believe you have. That requires you to SPEAK UP. Again, do this with intelligence and respect for all involved.  Those in power positions are disconnected and unaware of the big picture, it just appears that have control. I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

One last point there metadata collection is the core issue.  https://wpas.worldpeacefull.com/2018/04/uk-court-of-appeal-re-metadata-retention-inconsistent-with-eu-law/

https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/tpp/tpp/the-dirtiest-deal-you-ve-never-heard-of 

The dirtiest deal you’ve never heard of

 
For years, there’s been negotiations behind closed doors for a new trade deal that would span countries bordering the Asia-Pacific, including the US, Canada, New Zealand, as well as several countries in Latin America and Asia. The deal is called the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement – or “TPP” for short. 

The TPP agenda is primarily being driven by big business, big pharmaceuticals and big tobacco – but its impacts will affect everyday Australians. 

Between foreign corporations suing our governments over public health measures and environmental protection laws, higher prices for medicine, and surveillance of Australians’ internet usage, there’s a lot for citizens to be concerned about. 

What we do know from leaked parts of the agreement is terrifying. But most Australians haven’t even heard about the TPP. That’s why we need to sound the alarm now, and sound it loudly. 

Can you sign the petition calling on our politicians not to sign our rights away? 

 

Want to know more about the TPP?

 
If the trade agreement includes Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions, it could mean that foreign-owned companies will have the power to sue the Australian Government for decisions that adversely impact on their investments in Australia. Worst of all, these cases would be played out in private international courts which only corporations have access to. 

For more on the potential dangers of ISDS provisions, see ABC Radio National’s story here.

 
 
 
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (or “TPP” as it’s known) is a major trade deal being negotiated by Australian and 11 other countries. If agreed to, the deal would account for 800 million people and 40 per cent of the world’s economy – making it one of the world’s largest trade deals. 

Australia joined the TPP negotiations in 2011 under the Gillard Government, and negotiations have since continued under the Abbott Government, which have been largely led by the US. 

The 12 negotiating countries include: Australia, the US, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Chile, Mexico, and Peru.

 
 
 
This is already being seen in the case of tobacco giant Phillip Morris, which is using an ISDS provision in the Australian-Hong Kong treaty to sue the Australian Government over its plain-packaging laws. When Quebec placed a ban on dangerous fracking processes in a local river, a trade agreement similar to the TPP made it possible for a foreign-owned energy company to file a $250 million lawsuit against the Canadian government. 

It’s already happening in El Salvador, where a Canadian company is suing the government for $315 million in “loss of future profits” because local citizens won a hard-fought campaign against a gold mine that threatened to contaminate their water supplies. 

It’s happening in Argentina, where the government imposed a freeze on water and energy bills during the GFC and was sued by an international utilities company. 

It’s even happening in Canada, where American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is demanding $500 million in compensation — as well as changes to Canadian patent laws — because courts revoked two of its patents for lack of evidence around the drugs’ supposed benefits. 

For more on the potential dangers of ISDS provisions, see ABC Radio National’s story here.

The treaty gives global pharmaceutical companies far-reaching power to extend their patents in order to prevent or delay the manufacture of cheaper generic medicines and curb subsidy programs that keep drugs more affordable in Australia and elsewhere. Imagine having to pay $50-$100 – or more – for a simple asthma inhaler. That’s the average cost in the US, when they currently sell for less than $10 here.

 
…and dob you in for possible copyright infringement. We all know piracy is illegal, but this treaty gives US companies the power to pull strings that could make heavy-handed spying, fines, internet service disconnection and even criminal charges the norm for even the most minor and potentially unintentional infringements. And what about privacy?

 
When Quebec placed a ban on dangerous fracking processes in a local river, a trade agreement similar to the TPP made it possible for a foreign-owned energy company to file a $250 million lawsuit against the Canadian government. We really don’t need foreign-owned mining companies bullying our government or preventing us from protecting our land.

 
For more information about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, click here to read the Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network’s (AFTINET) explainer.

 

 

 
Mohandas Gandhi

“Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.”

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