Both candidates have done a bit of badmouthing of this deal. This sounds strange coming from The Donald. Republicans are traditionally in favor of free trade. But, since the details of TPP have never appeared in the public press, it's impossible to form an real opinion about it. If it lowers other country's tariffs against American products, it's a good thing. America's tariffs are already pretty low, which accounts for all the Chinese product in Wal Mart, and all those Japanese and Korean cars on American roads. With the exception of sugar, I doubt that American tariffs can be reduced much, I mean you can't go below zero can you?
The scary part is what we don't know. Rumor says the TPP covers a lot more than tariffs. Perhaps equal pay for all countries, or a world wide minimum wage. Patent and copyright protection for 75 years. Fixed exchange rates. World wide safety standards, world wide green house gas regulations, universal freight rates, gun control, universal labor laws.
Since the text is secret, it could be anything. I assume the Obama administration is keeping it secret to damp down opposition. Or, perhaps the newsies are so ignorant of nearly everything, that they don't want to publish it.
Could be anything. But discussion of TPP would be more meaningful if we knew what was in it.
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