Obama caught with his trousers down

[cHodAX]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/obama-trade-document-leak_n_1592593.html

New details leaked that suggest he is going to allow foreign companies to operate on U.S. soil and be able to appeal to an international tribunal to circumvent any U.S. enviromental laws that they don't feel like obeying. America will be forced to let them break the laws or face santions!

Under the agreement currently being advocated by the Obama administration, American corporations would continue to be subject to domestic laws and regulations on the environment, banking and other issues. But foreign corporations operating within the U.S. would be permitted to appeal key American legal or regulatory rulings to an international tribunal. That international tribunal would be granted the power to overrule American law and impose trade sanctions on the United States for failing to abide by its rulings.

The terms run contrary to campaign promises issued by Obama and the Democratic Party during the 2008 campaign. "We will not negotiate bilateral trade agreements that stop the government from protecting the environment, food safety, or the health of its citizens; give greater rights to foreign investors than to U.S. investors; require the privatization of our vital public services; or prevent developing country governments from adopting humanitarian licensing policies to improve access to life-saving medications," reads the campaign document.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Go New Rome!

F*ck up everything before the new guy comes to play

 

[BloodOmen]

Doesn't matter either way does it? all US presidents are the same, getting their strings pulled by the corps to sell out their country for abit more $$$

 

[DaGaffer]

Since most international tribunals will generally have a higher level of environmental standards than anywhere in the US except California, this is probably a good thing.

 

[cHodAX]

Since most international tribunals will generally have a higher level of environmental standards than anywhere in the US except California, this is probably a good thing.

No it is not a good thing, undermining national laws implemented by accountable polititians who won that right with a free and fair vote, that is never a good thing. It is faceless bureaucracy, the tribunal is an appointed panel and not accountable to any electorate.

 

[DaGaffer]

No it is not a good thing, undermining national laws implemented by accountable polititians who won that right with a free and fair vote, that is never a good thing. It is faceless bureaucracy, the tribunal is an appointed panel and not accountable to any electorate.

Like the WTO for instance? Or GATT? This is more of the same. Its being couched in terms of the threat to Americans, but the same tools are available for American corporations to appeal in other countries. This just levels the playing field, taking away a layer of backdoor American protectionism.