Alternative Visions - Free Trade on the Fast Track: The Transpacific Partnership Treaty - 04/03/13

Dr. Jack Rasmus welcomes back Art Stamoulis, Executive Director of Citizenstrade.org, to report on and discuss the latest developments in the ‘Free Trade on Steroids’ deal being pushed by Obama on behalf of transnational US corporations. With an agreement target date of October 2013 set by the US and negotiating parties, the free trade deal that will dwarf prior deals (NAFTA, CAFTA, etc.) to date, appears ‘wired’ and on its way to fast conclusion. What’s the impact on jobs, wages, environment, etc.  Also addressed: the parallel agreement, the TransAtlantic Partership, just announced by Obama, and a ‘Free Trade’ double whammy to US jobs, wages, environment, and sovereign democratic rights of US citizens.

Arthur Stamoulis is executive director of Citizens Trade Campaign, a national coalition of labor, environmental, family farm and consumer organizations that works together on questions of international trade policy.  Their current focus is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP.  Citizens Trade Campaign organized demonstrations outside TPP negotiating rounds in Virginia, California, Texas and Illinois, and were the first to publish leaked text of several proposed TPP chapters.