Globalization/Anti-globalization

On the 14th of October, hundreds of people turned out for a march on the American Petroleum Institute (API) against the climate chaos they are lobbying for. The march also was in opposition to the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnershop) a trade deal the oil industry had a strong role in shaping. With popular groups now doing everything possible to block ratification of the TPP, turnout for this protest mushroomed, with everyone from the SEIU to opponents of the PEPCPO/Exelon merger showing up.

video of street theater in front of API(4 min 15 sec)

As the world mobilizes to kill the TPP trade treaty finalized in Atlanta last week, two related deals are also in the works. One is the Trade in Services Agreeemnt (TISA) which just lost one country's participation in the talks. The other is "Euro-NAFTA" the TTIP best known as the Atlantic version of the TPP. Not yet finalized, it faces huge dissent. Some contries are talking of pulling out of the talks as protests mushroom. On the 10th of October, one of these protests in Berlin was reported by Revolution News to have drawn an estimated 250,000 people.

On the 5th of October, the negotiating parties to the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) announced they have signed the TPP trade deal. It has yet to be ratified by any nation. In the US, there is "fast-track" in Congress meaning no filibuster, little debate, and no Amendments. On the other hand, it cannot be voted on for 90 days, putting the vote into Presidental primary season. In Canada, the opposition NDP party has announced they will not be bound by the treaty if ratified prior to the election. All over the world, progressives are mobilizing for the fight to stop the TPP trade deal from ever going into effect.

On the 3ed of October, Wikileaks reported that there was an 80% chance that a TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) deal would be announced at the end of TPP talks on Saturday, October 3. They linked to a NZ Herald article claiming "breaktrough on the TPP" and that dairy imports were the last major blocker. The NZ Herald also says if there is no deal, only one more attempt will be made, at the APEC negotiations in the Phillipines in November.

Update Oct 3 6:40PM: Australia is making a "goal line stand" refusing US demands to extend patents on biologic drugs! News Zealand Radio News is saying the US will have to eiher abandon it's demand for an 8 year patent extension on these high priced drugs, or not have a TPP deal within 24 hours.

Update Oct 3 6:40PM: Australia is making a "goal line stand" refusing US demands to extend patents on biologic drugs! News Zealand Radio News is saying the US will have to eiher abandon it's demand for an 8 year patent extension on these high priced drugs, or not have a TPP deal within 24 hours.