A final vote to give President Obama 'fast track' authority to pursue the TTP and TTIP trade negotiations is will take place in the US House of Representatives today, writes Conor J. Lynch. This time, it's final. And yes, it really does matter. A 'yes' vote would represent the greatest corporate power grab of our times - and there's just hours in which to stop it.
There's only one principle behind TTIP, CETA and other 'free trade' agreements, writes Conor J. Lynch. And no, it's not 'free trade' but 'corporate profit' - at the expense of consumers, taxpayers, environment, workers and democracy itself.
Deep in the text of the TPP trade deal lurk little-known provisions to boost the profits of Big Pharma, writes Conor J. Lynch, by extending patent terms and suppressing 'generic' alternatives - as if the industry's 23% margin wasn't enough already. As for the millions that will suffer hardship, ill health or death from higher drug prices ... it's their fault for being poor.
