Oct 3: Wikileaks predicts 80% chance TPP deal
On the 3ed of October, Wikileaks reported that there was an 80% chance that a TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) deal would be announced at the end of TPP talks on Saturday, October 3. They linked to a NZ Herald article claiming "breaktrough on the TPP" and that dairy imports were the last major blocker. The NZ Herald also says if there is no deal, only one more attempt will be made, at the APEC negotiations in the Phillipines in November.
Update Oct 3 6:40PM: Australia is making a "goal line stand" refusing US demands to extend patents on biologic drugs! News Zealand Radio News is saying the US will have to eiher abandon it's demand for an 8 year patent extension on these high priced drugs, or not have a TPP deal within 24 hours.
In the New Zealand Herald article, American National Foreign Trade Council trade boss Alan Wolff was quoted as saying "I'm pretty optimistic it will come together - 80-20," Wolff is a former US trade negotiator. The talks have been going on since 2010, with any treaty delayed again and again by furious public resistance. One of the early rounds of the talks in Virginia was disrupted by protesters who gained entry and vomited all over the venue, saying "TPP makes us sick." Ever since, one of the strongest issues breeding resistance and opposition to the TPP is longer drug patents and the probability of more ultra-high priced drugs. Recent controversies over Big Pharma's jacking up some drugs to over $1,000 per dose bode poorly for the fate of health care if the TPP goes through.
In Canada, elections are coming and the opposition NDP was vowed not to be bound by the TPP even if it is ratified by Harper's friends currently in Parliament. This means the treaty could be repudiated by Canada even before going fully into effect. In the US, the approaching election also makes ratification much more difficult, as campaign cash is less able to override voter anger months before an election. Both progressive elements within the Democrats and nationalist elements within the GOP are likely to oppose this deal. The current showdown over Planned Parenthood funding and danger of a Dec government shutdown are also likely to delay any TPP ratification vote too far into the election cycle. Of course, after the election is over, a coalition of lame ducks who fear no voters and pro-business Dems and GOP'er could ratify this deal.
Now is the time to mobilize, to be prepared to fight with all available resources and everything on the line to stop this deal! If the TPP goes through, the TTIP is next, and that pair of deals will reverse the victory won at Seattle and later against the "Doha Round" of WTO deals. The TPP will compel state and local governments to stand out of the way of fracking and gas export, tar sands, coal export, and make any real action against climate change almost impossible. For those who survive the coming storms, there will be more cancer and diseases as countries are forced to accept imports of dangerous food. GMO maker Monsanto is already licking their chops. For those who get sick from the TPP's results, drugs costing $100,000 a year will be the only treatments offered. Either we the people must stand together to kill the TPP, or it will surely kill us separately. Let's not let the efforts and sacrifices of those who fought in Seattle 16 years ago be for nothing!
