Secret Trade Agreements Threaten Food Safety, Subvert Democracy

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/271-38/17962-secret-trade-agreements-threaten-food-safety-subvert-democracy-

If you think the U.S. government is doing a sub-par job of keeping your food safe, brace yourself. You could soon be eating imported seafood, beef or chicken products that don't meet even basic U.S. food safety standards. Under two new trade agreements, currently in negotiation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could be powerless to shut down imports of unsafe food or food ingredients. And if it tries, multinational corporations will be able to sue the U.S. government for the loss of anticipated future profits.

More frightening? Negotiations for both agreements are taking place behind closed doors, with input allowed almost exclusively from the corporations and industry trade groups that stand to benefit the most. And the Obama Administration intends to push the agreements through Congress without so much as giving lawmakers access to draft texts, much less the opportunity for debate.

Designed to grease the wheels of world commerce, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would force the U.S. and other participating countries to "harmonize" food safety standards. That means all countries that sign on to the agreement would be required to abide by the lowest common denominator standards of all participating governments. So for instance, say Vietnam allows higher residues of veterinary antibiotics in seafood than the U.S. allows, and Vietnam and the U.S. both sign on to the TPP. As a trade partner, the U.S. could be forced to lower its standards to allow for imports of seafood from Vietnam – or face a lawsuit by the seafood exporter for depriving the company of future sales of its products in the U.S.

[msongs]

1. constitutional scholars pimping trade agreements that forfeit our own rights. way to go! nt

[Savannahmann]

2. Can someone remind me why President Obama was our choice again?

I mean, I thought it was Republicans who wanted to poison the food and water for profit.

[djean111]

3. He will sign those agreements with a big big smile.

I do wonder whether the signing will wait until after the 2014 elections.
In any event, I will not vote for another corporatist. And that is the Democratic Party making the choice that gets my vote or not; I don't believe I am presented with valid choices any more.

[ReRe]

4. Well, then can the imported foods be...

K&R

... be sold in their own stores, or will they be allowed to sit on the shelf right along with American products in the same store? Can they not be SEGREGATED if sold in the same store?

GDit! If we have to accept this, then the foods need to be well labeled as to where they came from. Bet that stipulation would go over about as good as it is with Monsanto, i.e., not at all or like a lead balloon. We might as well move back to the farm, if we want food we can trust. Wonder how many people this treaty will kill? Good luck kids!

[djean111]

5. We will also have to worry about imported ingredients.

I guess either grow your own or foods labelled for non-GMO ingredients and labelled with the country of origin for ingredients.
My prediction - corporations will push for not much labeling at all - after all, like Monsanto says with a straight face, some labels are the equivalent of a skull and crossbones, and trade and profit are more important than any health considerations.
That's the message I am getting from Washington.
I wonder if Hillary quit SOS when she did in order to avoid working in this administration when a lot of crap is coming down the pike - trade agreements, Syria, Keystone.
After all, the Democrat way now is to campaign on one thing (or against another thing) and then blithely proceed to do the opposite.

[ReRe]

6. Boy, oh boy, do you and I think alike..

Now, if someone could INVENT a digital device which would tell us whether something is foreign or domestic, or if it was frankenfood, they'd be a billionaire eventually, if the price was right, huh? Small enough to fit in a pocket or on a key-chain.

As for Hillary, that's debatable. I think she quit to rest up and get her health back for the campaign which will begin in two years. If she runs, she will win, hands down. As for whether she would be an improvement over PO, I just don't know. My first guess is yes, she would be better. Hope she would be more of an Eleanor Roosevelt than a Magie Thatcher, though. Hope springs eternal.