Friends and allies, If the Trans-Pacific Partnership (which makes NAFTA look like a gift to U.S. workers and sustainability activists) is passed into law (see more below), either via a "fast track" -- allowing the president to approve it before Congress even considers it -- or otherwise, every single aspect of every issue we're working on, including our access to safe food and water, will be adversely affected. This law is insidious and all-encompassing and will flush our constitutional and legal rights down the drain. Who will benefit? Take a guess.
Like fracking and economic inequity, this affects every one of us. We can't leave it to others to fight back against this monstrous global corporate-state collusion. I know you're already working your butt off to make this a better world and keep fracking and pipelines and related heavy industries out of your community and state, and fighting for justice, peace, equity, civil rights, worker rights, immigrants' rights, LGBTQ rights, women's rights, Nature rights, constitutional rights, health, veterans' services, a free and unfettered media, environmental sensibility, and more. But it's critical: Please take on this one more thing. And recruit others. As our friend and one-woman dynamo Toshia Hance says, "Contact YOUR congressperson AND federal senators - it has to clear both houses. Dont accept it if the federal senator's office says its the other side, REMIND THEM that it has to clear BOTH sides of the house (we've had people given that line from a federal senator's office). Congress is composed of members from ALL of the U.S. states - YOU need to contact YOUR representatives - too many people don't know what is going on. WE need YOU." Please also read the important letter (at bottom) about UPCOMING ACTIONS from Margaret Flowers, MD, and follow the links. Get to DC or NYC if you can, and let's get on this locally so we can show our solidarity nationwide. NONE of our antifracking/sustainability/peace and justice and rights work will mean much if TPP goes through. If anyone is already planning actions in Central or Southern Tier New York, please let us know and we'll spread the word. Maura ===== This is from a PopularResistance message that came out last week: http://www.popularresistance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1tppfairtrade.jpgA right-left coalition is also developing around another issue where President Obama is leading in the wrong direction. He is pushing the secret globalization agreement; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (http://www.flushthetpp.org/) , and is urging Congress to give him sole authority to negotiate it through “Fast Track.” Under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3, Congress is given the responsibility “to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations.” Just as with war, where the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and they asserted that power when nearly 200 demanded Obama get Congressional approval; when it comes to trade, Congress needs to assert itself and fulfill its constitutional mandate by refusing to allow “Fast Track,” holding hearings, listening to experts and citizens and making amendments to the proposed TPP. A bipartisan coalition is developing in Congress to stop Fast Track. For the Democrats, it is led by Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro; for the Republicans, by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). These Members are all aware of the secrecy over the past four years of negotiations – secret except for the more than 600 corporate advisers to the US Trade Representative for President Obama – and therefore Congress has not played its role in designing the TPP. Outside of Congress, we are also seeing views from across the political spectrum in opposition to the TPP. Mayor Bloomberg (http://www.flushthetpp.org/bloomberg-opposes-tpps-threats-to-public-health-and-sovereignty/) wrote an op-ed criticizing the TPP for risking U.S. public health and undermining our sovereignty. On the same day Jim Hightower (http://www.flushthetpp.org/trans-pacific-partnership-corporate-coup-detat-against-us/) wrote an excellent report on the TPP calling it a corporate coup d’état—against us. http://www.popularresistance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1TPPpatent.jpgAnd, the TPP is a big deal, the largest trade agreement since the WTO, that will affect every aspect of our lives from the food we eat to whether water becomes a commodity; whether we have health care (http://www.popularresistance.org/stopping-the-trans-pacific-partnership-essential-to-universal-health-care/) as a public good or whether workers (http://www.popularresistance.org/tpp-is-job-killing-trade-deal-with-bipartisan-support/) get paid a fair wage and work in a safe environment; whether Big Banks and their economy-risking, derivative deals are regulated to whether we have Internet freedom or a clean environment (http://www.popularresistance.org/tar-sands-a-dirty-outcome-of-free-trade-failures/) . The list goes on and on. As with stopping the war in Syria, stopping the global corporate coup of the TPP is possible. An overarching issue for our movement is putting people and planet before profits. To accomplish this, people must take action. On September 17, the anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, protests are planned (http://www.popularresistance.org/s17-global-solidarity-for-global-justice-stop-tpp-ttip/) to push Congress to oppose Fast Track. And, there will be atraining camp and protests (http://www.flushthetpp.org/upcoming-stop-fast-track-training-camp-and-days-of-action/) in Washington, DC beginning on September 21. This will be something you will want to be part of, but space is limited, so register today. -------- Forwarded Message -------- From: Margaret Flowers <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: We are causing movement - time to keep building on it Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 12:57:34 -0400 For the first time in US history - a President announced a bombing strike and the people rose up to stop it. Thanks to people who organized rallies on short notice in their communities and CODEPINK for keeping the pressure on Congress, that was a strike against the military-industrial complex and a win for democracy. While we have the momentum, we must continue to build it. We can't take our eyes off Syria, but we also can't forget another crisis that is looming. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is in the final stages of negotiations and the President has asked for Fast Track so he can sign it into law before Congress is allowed an up or down vote. The TPP affects all that we care about - food safety, internet freedom, jobs, healthcare, the environment and more. It will prevent us from moving forward on our issues and will change our laws even down to the local level. You can learn more of the details (from what is known) at FlushtheTP.org<http://FlushtheTP.org>. My ask from you now is to help us stop Fast Track and demand transparency and a democratic process when it comes to trade. We can stop Fast Track. Just like the Syrian war, there is a bipartisan opposition to Fast Track that is growing. We must support that opposition by creating visibility in the streets and in Congress. Please sign up and attend the actions below. Come for a day or more. If you can't come to DC, support the actions with local actions. And please spread the word! For more information, contact Cassidy at [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ACTIONS: This week - There will be numerous actions in NYC focused on the TPP - see OccupyS17.info for details. Fri, Sept 20 - Rally to Bring the TPP Out of the Shadows - lead negotiators for the TPP will be in DC to conduct secret meetings. Let's tell the world! Join us at the Office of the US Trade Representative for a rally at noon. The address is 600 17th St NW Washington, DC. This rally is sponsored by CWA, Friends of the Earth and Global Trade Watch. Sat and Sun, Sept 21 and 22 - Stop Fast Track Action Camp - Bill Moyers of the Backbone Campaign and Steph Cascadia of Rising Tide will lead us through a weekend of training and preparation for high impact actions to expose the TPP and stop Fast Track. The training will be held at First Trinity Church at 4th and E Sts NW in Washington, DC. Lodging is available but you must register. Space is limited. See http://www.flushthetpp.org/stop-fast-track-training-camp-and-days-of-action/ for more details. Sat, Sept 21 - Movie "Just Do It" and TPP teach-in at Bus Boys and Poets - free, open to public, 5th and K Sts, NW Washington, food and drink available. Mon and Tues, Sept 23 and 24 - Days of Action to Stop Fast Track - beginning Monday morning, we will hold high visibility and creative actions to bring attention to the TPP. Details on locations forthcoming. Watch our Facebook page for details. https://www.facebook.com/events/426996234075963/ Wed, Sept 25 and onward - Join the Fair Trade Brigade as we keep an eye on members of Congress and track their support for their constitutional responsibility to oversee trade in a transparent and democratic way. We will chart in a way for all to see who stands up for the Constitution or the corporations. Materials will be provided. Together we can stop Fast Track. The people stopped 14 free trade agreements in the last decade. This will be a win against transnational corporations and for democracy that will carry us forward in all of our struggles. Let's put people and the planet before profit! Fair trade, not corporate trade! Contact us for more information @ [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> and please spread the word! In solidarity, Margaret -- Margaret Flowers M.D. 410-591-0892 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Twitter: @MFlowers8 Shift the Power Its Our Economy (www.ItsOurEconomy.US<http://www.ItsOurEconomy.US>) PopularResistance.org<http://PopularResistance.org> (www.PopularResistance.org<http://www.PopularResistance.org>) Democratize the Media Clearing the FOG (Forces of Greed) Radio Show (http://www.ClearingTheFOGRadio.org) Warning: Myriad government agencies can read this message WITHOUT: warning, notice, warrant, probable or any cause, judicial or legislative oversight, and in violation of other Fourth-Amendment and Constitutional requirements. For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ If you have questions about this list please contact the list manager, Tom Shelley, at [email protected].
