Obama Administration's TPP Hopes Dashed

By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Facebook Page

02 August 15

he Administration's hopes that the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal could be finalized soon were dashed yesterday when trade ministers from the 12 participating nations failed to reach a final agreement. Talks will resume in November. Apparently the reason for the impasse is that different nations are being pressured by different industries. Dairy interests in Japan and Canada want better terms, sugar interests in Australia want better access to the American market, and several nations are objecting to U.S. demands that they give American pharmaceutical companies longer patent protection.

My information comes from leaks. The talks are supposed to be secret and the U.S. position is still classified. The administration says the public cannot know what the U.S. is advocating in the negotiations because that would make it harder to reach a deal. Baloney. This is the biggest trade deal in history -- likely to affect our jobs, incomes, health and safety. Americans have a right to know (1) what the United States government is pushing for and why, (2) what we're willing to sacrifice in order to achieve those objectives, and (3) whether U.S. negotiators are still demanding so-called “investor protections” that will allow global companies to be reimbursed by the U.S. and other nations for any health or safety or environmental protections that might reduce corporate profits.

What do you think?