Trans-Pacific Partnership Passes Preliminary Senate Vote in the US

[Lewellyn]

The TPP, criticized for it's possible harsh copyright punishments similar to SOPA among other outcomes, has now passed through a Senate preliminary vote. The trade negotiations are made in secret without public participation.

 

The 62-38 vote, two more than the 60 needed, came from a solid phalanx of Republicans and more than a dozen Democrats. But the decisive thumbs-up came — literally, and long past the allotted time — from Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington after she and a few others seized the moment as leverage to demand a vote next month on legislation to renew the Export-Import Bank.

-apnews

 

Democratic opponents nearly halted that ambition for the second time this month. But last-minute deal-making on the Senate floor secured a 62-to-38 vote, just over the 60-vote threshold. Thirteen Democrats broke with the Senate leadership to back the president, giving manufacturers, farmers, Hollywood studios and pharmaceutical companies a huge lift, while knocking back the coalition of unions, environmentalists and liberal activists that oppose the trade accord.

-The New York Times

 

The Senate is now set to vote on changes to the bill, including one that would force the Obama administration to use trade deals to crack down on countries that manipulate the value of their currencies to give their exports a price advantage in the United States — an amendment the White House opposes because it would add a huge new complication into trade negotiations.

 

Even though Senate passage is ultimately now much more likely, the House could be tougher. There, tea party conservatives are linking up with liberals to form a broader populist opposition than what existed in the Senate.

 

The measure would hand the President six years' worth of "trade promotion authority" — the power to submit trade deals to Congress for an up-or-down vote with limited debate and no amendments.

-CNN

 

The bill must also pass the House of Representatives, where an even tougher fight is expected. Some conservatives oppose giving the White House more power, and many of Obama's Democrats worry about the impact on jobs and the environment.

 

Obama has campaigned aggressively for fast-track over objections from the left wing of the Democratic Party, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, the influential liberal from Massachusetts.

 

Warren is pushing an amendment to take away fast-track authority for any TPP deal that allows companies to sue foreign governments, which critics say would allow them to dodge health and environmental standards.

 

Supporters of the provisions argue they will keep governments from discriminating against foreign investors.

 

The pact is the biggest trade deal since the North American Free Trade Agreement freed up trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

 

More than two decades later, many blame that deal for factory closures and job losses, and see the TPP as producing more of the same.

-Reuters

 

[Pugs501]

[spartaman64]

the bill also lets companies sue the government if they feel the government caused them losses so basically all the tobacco companies will sue the US for saying smoking is bad for you

[Trik'Stari]

Oh joy, more legislation written in secret, in near incomprehensible lawyer speak (at least to the general public it will be incomprehensible), that will claim to make things better, but in reality will make things worse, so that someone else can look good a decade down the road by "fixing it".

 

Aliens....please abduct me. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

[SurvivorNVL]

Oh joy, more legislation written in secret, in near incomprehensible lawyer speak (at least to the general public it will be incomprehensible), that will claim to make things better, but in reality will make things worse, so that someone else can look good a decade down the road by "fixing it".

 

Aliens....please abduct me. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

Time to move to Denmark.  Let's go Trik.  We'll get a flat, and find some beautiful tall blonde women.

[Will_Man_Dude]

Time to move to Denmark.  Let's go Trik.  We'll get a flat, and find some beautiful tall blonde women.

Leave room for one more.

[Trik'Stari]

Time to move to Denmark.  Let's go Trik.  We'll get a flat, and find some beautiful tall blonde women.

I'll take the redheads lol Well....blonde would be acceptable, as long as they're pale.

 

What are the gun laws like in Denmark? I don't do countries that disallow private firearm ownership.

[SurvivorNVL]

I'll take the redheads lol Well....blonde would be acceptable, as long as they're pale.

 

What are the gun laws like in Denmark? I don't do countries that disallow private firearm ownership.

Uh... okay.  We'll go to Germany!  

[Trik'Stari]

Uh... okay.  We'll go to Germany!  

Lol how're their gun laws?

 

Don't know much about Europe. All I do know is that I'd like to go to amsterdam once before I die.

[Mattrixx]

Lol how're their gun laws?

 

Don't know much about Europe. All I do know is that I'd like to go to amsterdam once before I die.

"Gun legislation in Germany is considered among the strictest gun control in the world.[1][2] The current law, the German Weapons Act (German: Waffengesetz), dates from 1972, and includes as well as modifies previous gun laws. This statute regulates the handling of knives, firearms and ammunition as well as acquisition, storage, commerce and maintenance of weapons. It also defines certain forbidden items such as nunchakus, switchblades and brass knuckles and bans their possession and distribution." - Wikipedia.

 

EDIT: Compared to many European nations' gun laws, it's pretty lenient though.