Does anybody here know about TPP

[Ed Oscuro]

And what do you think of it? Some guys are saying that Japanese are quite against it.

What's TPP? Briefly, intellectual property and arbitration rules changes being marketed as a NAFTA-like deal.

Don't have many sources on it but this could be a big thing. Example:
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/bea ... an-and-tpp

[rancor]

I've actually done quite a bit of research on it, but only on the food tariffs portion for a project at my work. It seems that most older Japanese are against it, while the younger generation are for it. It's protectionism vs. cheaper food, so there are vocal parties on both sides.

[trap15]

TPP is pretty terrible. At least, it will be if the US gets its way on most of its issues. Look at the Wikileaks "stances" chart, it's kind of hilarious. Everything the US supposedly stands for (better access to medicine, freedom, etc.), it essentially is lobbying against. TPP just stands to make me more depressed about the state of affairs in my country, really. World Police, etc. If the Anglosphere wasn't in this (so kick out US, AU, NZ, CA), then I could see it being a good thing (the rest of the nations aren't nearly as entrenched in corporate lobbying), but I feel like the 4 aforementioned countries will seriously harm the end-result.

[BulletMagnet]

Everything the US supposedly stands for (better access to medicine, freedom, etc.), it essentially is lobbying against.

Au contraire, we're totally in favor of all that stuff...for the deserving people.

[Skykid]

Everything the US supposedly stands for (better access to medicine, freedom, etc.), it essentially is lobbying against.

Au contraire, we're totally in favor of all that stuff...for the deserving people.

All 3% of them.

[ED-057]

It is a whip, with which corporations wish to make governments submit to their will.

Public Citizen and EFF are both against it.

[BulletMagnet]

All 3% of them.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's not get too carried away here, commie.

It is a whip, with which corporations wish to make governments submit to their will.

Because government influence hasn't been commoditized enough as it is.

[greg]

The Trans Pacific Partnership (or TPP for short) is basically NAFTA and the Monsanto Protection Act on steroids. I was glad to move to Japan, where there are laws that stipulate that any GMO products be declared as such on the packages. For instance, any corn or potato chips in Japan will have a disclaimer saying whether or not the ingredients are from genetically modified crops. TPP will allow lawyers from the likes of Monsanto to abolish laws in other countries to suit their own purposes. Monsanto has shown their true colors by not only developing their Frankenstein vegetables that are affecting everyone's health, but they also bully American farmers by doing things like suing them for "copyright infringement" because of uncontrollable cross-pollination (ie contamination,).

With TPP, not only can such an evil corporation such as Monsanto sue American farmers, citizens, and local governments alike with their lawyers, but TPP will open the floodgates to allow them to sue companies like Japan, its farmers, and its citizens for opposing their madness. However, this isn't up to the citizens of the affected countries to decide. This is happening behind closed doors with the leaders of the involved countries with only leaked information coming out. So much for Obama's promise of "transparency." Obama proved popular for being vocally against lobbyists, but after appointing nothing but lobbyists to his cabinet, he has proved to be just as big of a hypocrite as anyone else. For us Americans, it doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you are on. It is abundantly clear that our politicians give their ears to lobbyists.

[BulletMagnet]

Obama proved popular for being vocally against lobbyists, but after appointing nothing but lobbyists to his cabinet, he has proved to be just as big of a hypocrite as anyone else. For us Americans, it doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you are on. It is abundantly clear that our politicians give their ears to lobbyists.

Which is why we should expel from office any charlatan who considers the spending of exorbitant amounts of money to be an unlimited and untouchable form of free speech, as those lobbyists aren't getting their well-compensated jobs done by virtue of their persuasive personalities.

[Ed Oscuro]

Still waiting for Krugman to weigh in on TPP - unfortunately some other things (Obamacare: not dead! David Brooks: Funny guy!) seem to be taking up the attention.

Tantentially related, then:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/201 ... ve_in.html