TPP negotiations to be held in Hawaii, March 9-16

Like the Clinton Administration in the disastrous NAFTA episode, the Obama White House is also pushing for a "fast track" process--in which Congress cannot fully debate nor propose amendments. But the actual historical record of NAFTA proved that the Big Sell of creating tens of thousands of U.S. jobs simply never materialized(instead, estimates of up to 200,000+ American jobs were lost after the agreement was implemented). And tens of thousands of Mexican campesinos lost their livelihood after massive American goods and produce flooded their markets; now many of them became reluctant illegal migrants crossing the southern U.S. border, further exacerbating the already volatile immigration debates.

But perhaps worst of all, the TPP will also incorporate the ISDS(Investor-State Dispute Settlement) process, in which multi-national corporations from developed nations can sue the other member national governments if the corporate chieftains deem that the local laws(environmental or labor)will adversely affect corporate profits. And guess who will arbitrate the dispute? Yep, you guessed it--it will be a panel composed of corporate "experts"!

That will be the end of national sovereignty, or any true meaning of democracy, because the will of the corporate Dollar will outweigh the decisions made at the ballot box.

Activists across the entire Pacific Rim are outraged, and many are planning to mobilize popular actions and movements to oppose this Pacific version of the "Citizens United"-type of corporate hegemony. Stay tuned for possible popular mobilizations similar to the recent outbreak of massive worker reactions in Greece. Imua!