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Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

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Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#76: Aug 1st 2015 at 9:12:31 PM

[up][up][up][up] Also basically how Tony Abbot is seen here in Australia by many people, no wonder that he and Harper are also seen as best buddies on the world stage. Abbot's government has been trailing in the polls behind Labor ever since barely a couple of months after the previous election, which might only get worse now that Labor actually has policies of substance, including an ambitious 50% renewable energy target for 2030 and a "Buffet rule" to make it a lot harder for the highest income earners to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Unsurprisingly, Abbot is trying to bring back the old 'carbon tax' scare campaign, trying to equate Labor's Emissions Trading Scheme plans with their old carbon tax (which was actually working and not nearly a burden on the economy as the government tries to paint it as), and basically claiming that Labor loves taxes (and thus the government is "anti-tax", except that they're out to raise the GST to desperately try and plug the rapidly increasing deficit caused by the end of the mining boom, which was a result of the Howard government irresponsibly squandering the revenue potential of the boom in order to win political points).

edited 1st Aug '15 9:16:54 PM by Cronosonic

editerguy from Australia Since: Jan, 2013 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
#77: Aug 2nd 2015 at 3:39:46 AM

[up]Still possible that the Abbott govt will win on security issues (worked for Howard in 2001) and okay the TPP after the next election.

Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#78: Aug 2nd 2015 at 4:50:32 AM

National security as an issue isn't nearly as potent as it was back then, especially since the 9-11 fervour has long died off and people are sick of foreign wars. Plus, Abbot's repeated attempts to use it to drive up his government's standing hasn't worked for anything more than one or two polls. It'll take a terrorist attack on our soil (which is extremely unlikely) to change the mood, but that might actually make the government look incompetent in terms of national security, if all their measures since coming into power doesn't prevent an actual terrorist attack.

Australians care a lot more about the economy right now, and the government collectively looks incompetent on the issue, especially Abbot and Hockey. Labor's most recent poll standings have actually improved, and that's not even getting into the recent mess over Bronwyn Bishop. While there's plenty of time before the next election, Labor actually has policies, while the government is entirely paralysed by their fear of doing anything that might somehow be unpopular, which is one of the reasons there's a deadlock over the phrama stuff in TPP.

Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#79: Aug 4th 2015 at 2:57:09 AM

This would be a lot more depressing if it couldn't have been seen coming from low Earth orbit anyway:

The US State Department watered down their human trafficking report

In all, analysts in the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - or J/TIP, as it’s known within the U.S. government — disagreed with U.S. diplomatic bureaus on ratings for 17 countries, the sources said.

The analysts, who are specialists in assessing efforts to combat modern slavery - such as the illegal trade in humans for forced labor or prostitution - won only three of those disputes, the worst ratio in the 15-year history of the unit, according to the sources.

As a result, not only Malaysia, Cuba and China, but countries such as India, Uzbekistan and Mexico, wound up with better grades than the State Department’s human-rights experts wanted to give them, the sources said. (Graphic looking at some of the key decisions here: reut.rs/1gF2Wz5)

Of the three disputes J/TIP won, the most prominent was Thailand, which has faced scrutiny over forced labor at sea and the trafficking of Rohingya Muslims through its southern jungles. Diplomats had sought to upgrade it to so-called “Tier 2 Watch List” status. It remains on “Tier 3” - the rating for countries with the worst human-trafficking records.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#80: Aug 4th 2015 at 3:20:03 AM

[up]

The age-old adage "Diplomacy is negotiating with terrorists" comes to mind.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#82: Aug 11th 2015 at 11:58:36 PM

While isn't TPP but rather its US/EU-centric cousin, TTIP/TAFTA, this does relate to ISDS provisions.

The European Commission's plan to put lipstick on ISDS provisions by proposing a formal, permanent international court was rejected by the US on the grounds that it would "violate the US' national sovereignty".

Yes, because ISDS provisions don't already do that... The irony is delicious.

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#83: Aug 12th 2015 at 1:05:26 AM

Let's hope it convinces them to reject this "trade agreement".

edited 12th Aug '15 1:05:44 AM by Medinoc

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#84: Aug 12th 2015 at 1:47:20 AM

It won't. TTIP will go through, in one form or another. Too much money is riding on it.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Cronosonic (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#85: Aug 12th 2015 at 3:19:21 AM

Well, ISDS is a huge sticking point in the agreement. Some EU countries have outright said they won't recognize the agreement if ISDS remains in it. But the US really, really wants it for some reason.

It wouldn't be the first time a multinational trade agreement involving the whole of the EU collapsed because of extremely controversial provisions, the EU killed ACTA by voting against ratifying it.

edited 12th Aug '15 3:20:51 AM by Cronosonic

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#86: Aug 12th 2015 at 9:36:24 AM

@Cronosonic (82): US corporations expect to win most arbitrations. An independent court might not go their way.

edited 12th Aug '15 9:37:16 AM by DeMarquis

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#87: Aug 12th 2015 at 10:45:41 AM

I still don't get how these arbitrations are enforceable, though. You're basically killing any and all regulations in the cradle, and who would stand for that?

TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#88: Aug 12th 2015 at 11:00:00 AM

[up]

I suppose that the big corporations will simply blackmail the country by moving business away from them, and telling the others to avoid it too. After all, there's no point in doing business in a country that doesn't follow the agreement.

Beautiful in such a sinister way.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Ogodei Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers from The front lines Since: Jan, 2011
Fuck you, Fascist sympathizers
#89: Aug 12th 2015 at 11:04:35 AM

Which is understandable to push around smaller countries like the Philippines or Hungary, but do they think they can undermine progress in, say, America or Germany?

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#90: Aug 12th 2015 at 11:10:46 AM

Or stop non-American corporations winning some arbitrations?

edited 12th Aug '15 11:11:12 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#92: Aug 13th 2015 at 1:05:38 AM

[up] That is the scariest thing I have read about this... This thing needs to die in a fire like right now.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#93: Aug 13th 2015 at 3:09:57 AM

[up] Agreed. This is pretty much why I wanted SOPA to to be obliterated.

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#94: Aug 13th 2015 at 3:12:59 AM

All these "trade agreements" lately have been trying to pass SOPA (and worse) at world level, right?

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#95: Aug 13th 2015 at 3:14:15 AM

Japanese media companies are notorious for not really understanding the concept of "Fair Use". It could be more targeted toward foreign displays of characters (youtube etc.), at least in their minds. How it will all work in practice is another matter entirely.

edited 13th Aug '15 4:31:20 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Memers Since: Aug, 2013
#96: Aug 13th 2015 at 3:17:00 AM

This one is worse if they are pushing that kind of crap on other countries, I am sorry but trying to kill an entire industry just so you can make a buck doing something completely different is way over the line. The death of Doujins and Cosplay would outright ruin pretty much every anime but the most mainstream kids crap.

You have no idea how much of a benefit series get from stuff like that and how much of a boost Comiket does to cities revenue every half a year, think of the biggest Sci Fi con you have ever been to then times that by 10 and all for fanworks and free series promotion for studios and a way for promising upstart artists to get their start like Ken Akamatsu and so many others usually under a pen name.

Studios don't officially sign off on it because much of, but not all, the doujinshi market is Hentai and they don't want to be seen supporting porn but with this...

edited 13th Aug '15 3:49:35 AM by Memers

TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#97: Aug 13th 2015 at 4:38:01 AM

Oh, I know very well. Like I said, outside of Japan the media companies simply hate giving any rights. I find it a tad bit bizarre that they're even bending over for this, considering how much publicity they get from Doujin in the first place. The government has been very keen on selling the "cool Japan" image all over the world. But then again, Japan's economy is stagnant with only a little improvement with Abe in charge, so who knows what the actual plan here is.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
murazrai Since: Jan, 2010
#98: Aug 13th 2015 at 5:03:55 AM

Doujinshi, as a whole, can not be killed by TPP, but will be severely crippled. Original doujinshi is big enough to have its own event. Still a big nightmare, though.

Copyright extensions, however, won't benefit dead creators in anyway as in being dead, the money won't be used anywhere and extending them doesn't makes sense.

[up][up]By the way, your current profile picture is a character from those "mainstream kids crap". And I think most of those while certainly not decent, they are certainly not crap as well.

Psyga315 Since: Jan, 2001
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#100: Aug 13th 2015 at 8:18:44 AM

I've come to the conclusion that the TPP is fundamentally a power-grab by American multi-nationals, using the leverage of the US government to get what they want.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.

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