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Robert Winner

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Transpacific Partnership

United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk is this week in Singapore conducting trade negoations on behalf of President Obama. These Uber secret meetings have been occuring since 2002 with US participation since 2010.

Anti-globalization advocates accuse the TPP of going far beyond the realm of tariff reduction and trade promotion, granting unprecedented power to corporations and infringing upon consumer, labor, and environmental interests

One widely republished article claims the TPP is "a wish list of the 1%" and that "of the 26 chapters under negotiation, only a few have to do directly with trade. The other chapters enshrine new rights and privileges for major corporations while weakening the power of nation states to oppose them

USTR Kirk has been challenged by many to make the details of the meeting public and accused of lack of transparency and that the US citizens should be kept informed of US trade negotiations.

Do we the citizens have a right to know what is being proposed?

What do we know ....

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    pat gilbert 50+

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    Mar 9 2013: Of course. I did not know this took place. Does this mean that China and other countries have negotiated the value of the Chinese currency and agreed to China keeping their currency tied to the dollar?
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      Robert Winner 50+

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      Mar 9 2013: It is a a proposed free trade agreement under negotiation by (as of December 2012) Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.

      In the NAFTA agreement it related to tariffs and Intellectual property.

      It is so secret that as far as I can tell from the articles only Obama, Kirk, and the participating countries even kinow what it says. One article said there was a leak some time back and that is where the note about the 1%ers dream come true came from.

      Pat ... I am really lost on this one. Another secret agenda in what was promised to be the most transparent administration ever ..... wish that was funny. Bob.
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        pat gilbert 50+

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        Mar 9 2013: I can't help but wonder how much of this is conspiracy and how much is reality. Oh the other hand I have no doubt that at least some of this does occur certainly in the case of George Soros.

        I just have a hard time believing that psychotics like Soros do much long term planning or do much team work.
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          edward long 100+

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          Mar 9 2013: Point of order sir. Based on your wording you seem to think conspiracy and reality are mutually exclusive. That is not correct. Please clarify.
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          Robert Winner 50+

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          Mar 9 2013: Pat, If I was half as smart as I wish I were ... I would watch for some Congressmen that will be needed to pass this and watch their stock investments.

          Years ago it was always follow for a woman to bring the mighty down ... now it is follow the money / investments. Yeah your probally right Soros is probally involved. Wonder if his Soros Investment Fund would give any clues.

          Nancy Polsi will probally give it away by a one off large investment ..... again.
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        pat gilbert 50+

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        Mar 9 2013: Ed the definition of conspiracy infers secrecy and that all of the information is not known. When there is a lack of information as you know people fill in the vacuum of information with all kinds of speciousness. This applies to both the left and the right.
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        pat gilbert 50+

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        Mar 9 2013: Bob that is interesting does anyone follow that? I wonder if Congress is above the freedom of information act as well? I suppose Pelosi and Obama would quick to declare everything sensitive war information...
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          Robert Winner 50+

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          Mar 9 2013: When Pelosi got caught making a killing on insider information on VISA ... she was on the committee that made the favorable decision that made the stock skyrocket so she called her stockbroker prior to the information being released ... thus buying low and selling really high. Even though there was a big stink ... it was determined she did nothing wrong. It is only wrong and a prison sentence if anyone outside of congress does it.

          Since congress has the authority to classify information ... it would take it out of the freedom of information act.

          I am not saying that all of Congress is dirty ... however having access to that information and the ability to cash in on it through stocks, bonds, lobbying, contractors, etc .. the list goes on ... is always present.

          We really need to reel in this elite crap that congress enjoys including all of the bennies and perks. I was under the impression they worked for us and that representing us was a service.
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        pat gilbert 50+

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        Mar 9 2013: Man this would be a great tool if we could take someone like Pelosi and hold her feet to the fire, kinda brings a tear to my eye. This seems like a project for Glen Beck or the Drudge report something.

        As pointed out in a past thread Lincoln himself pulled this crap.

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