Stephen Lendman

US trade deals are jobs-killing weapons of mass destruction. They destroy fundamental freedoms. They ignore eco-sanity.

They’re abominations vital to end. America needs fair, not Orwellian free trade. Preventing TPP’s enactment into US law is crucial for all working-age Americans and their families.

Obama intends going on the offensive publicly to get Congress on board for its passage. Last October, he touted it in his weekly radio address - featuring a litany of Big Lies, one of many examples of how he consistently betrayed the public trust throughout his tenure.

He claimed (then and now) TPP is “the best possible deal for American workers.”

Fact: It’s an abominable jobs, wages and benefits destroyer. Obama, of course, knows it but lied claiming the opposite of what’s true.

Obama: TPP lets “American businesses…sell more of their products (abroad so) they can expand and support good jobs here at home.”

Fact: “American business” want TPP enacted to offshore more jobs than already, accelerating the nation’s race to the bottom.

Obama: “Outdated trade rules put our workers at a disadvantage. And TPP will change that.”

Fact: TPP is anti-worker, anti-consumer, anti-vital freedoms too important to lose.

Obama: TPP will hold “partner countries to higher standards and rais(e) wages across a region that makes up nearly 40% of the global economy.”

Fact: TPP lowers the fairness and equity bar in all signatory countries, notably America if it’s enacted into law here.

Obama: TPP “means to level the playing field for American workers and businesses (under) rules (that) are fair…”

Fact: TPP prioritizes corporate profits at the expense of worker rights and fundamental freedoms.

Obama claims TPP will undo sins of past trade deals. It’ll exacerbate them on steroids. “It includes the strongest labor rights in history,” he said. FALSE!!

“It includes the strongest environmental standards in history.” FALSE!!

“Without this agreement, competitors that don’t share our values, like China, will write the rules of the global economy.” FALSE!!

He shamelessly blamed China and other low-wage countries for the sins of corporate America offshoring millions of US jobs abroad.

TPP will greatly accelerate the process - transforming America into a nation of maids, waitresses, bellhops, fast-food workers, janitors, bus and cab drivers, along with other poverty wage service jobs for most workers able to have any employment.

Obama intends taking his destructive TPP-touting message on the road to various US cities. He’ll deceitfully lie about the most destructive deal in history if it becomes US law - economic and financial warfare against the rights, welfare and futures of working-age Americans and their families, already suffering under neoliberal harshness he and his successor will maintain with or without TPP.

At an August 2, East Room White House press conference, Obama shamelessly said “I’m president and I’m for” TPP. He intends formally submitting legislation to Congress later this year.

It faces stiff opposition, hopefully enough to kill it. Progressive groups like Global Trade Watch lead the fight against it.

GTW highlights its enormous danger, saying enacting TPP “will expand corporate power over our daily lives and our government.”

It’ll “make it easier for corporations to ship jobs overseas.” It’ll “flood US markets with unsafe food.”

It’ll “cause a pay cut for 90% of American workers.” It’ll “undermine critical environmental and climate policies.”

It’ll “raise medicine prices (much more than already) and give expanded powers to Big Pharma corporations.”

It’ll “tie the US closer to known human rights abusers.” TPP is “a partnership between governments and big corporations” against the interests of the vast majority of their citizens.

It’s outrageous unfair trade legislation too destructive to permit.

“#STOP TPP,” GTW stresses!

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Networkve Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network