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Why we really need the TPP

Shouldn’t this have been front page news:

On June 24, foreign oil company TransCanada filed a lawsuit against the U.S. under NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, arguing that the U.S. rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline violated NAFTA’s broad rights for foreign investors by thwarting the company’s “expectations.” As compensation, TransCanada is demanding more than $15 billion from U.S. taxpayers.

TransCanada’s case will be heard in a private tribunal of three lawyers who are not accountable to any domestic legal system, thanks to NAFTA’s “investor-state” system, which is also included in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The controversial TPP would empower thousands of additional corporations, including major polluters, to follow TransCanada’s example and use this private tribunal system to challenge U.S. climate and environmental policies.

From Ecowatch via Angry Bear

Yet another reason why it wasn’t insane to vote for Brexit, as the British are saddled with a similar “justice” system in the EU.

By the way, our future president, who was telling us a few months ago that she was against the TPP is making sure the Democratic Party Platform doesn’t hold her to that position. I’ve speculated several times on when she will announce that for one reason or another the problems she perceived with the TPP have been solved. This is just laying the groundwork:

Remember her appointees on the platform committee killed a Medicare-for-all plank, killed strengthening the $15 minimum wage plank, killed an anti-fracking proposal, killed Keith Ellison’s attempt to stop the TPP… all the stuff Republicans get woodies over.

via Down with Tyranny

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