TPP What?

       Here's something I've heard mentioned many times, but never really knew what was good or bad about the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP, trade pact. But it turns out that it's been 'fast tracked'. By that I mean Congress would have to hold up or down votes on it. And that might be a good idea except for the fact that nobody outside the negotiators will know what's in this trade pact bill.
       What's even more surprising is that the President and a majority of Republicans and even quite a few Democrats are favoring the bill. But as I said in the previous paragraph, they don't know what the bill says, what we have to give away to get in on the action. Some small tidbits have leaked out and the odor isn't so great. Like for instance, if a foreign company has a beef with America for some law, they can sue America in an international tribunal made up of corporate lawyers. And if the company wins their case, it can't be appealed in American courts, or anywhere else for that matter. But America, and the taxpayers, will have to pay the settlement.
       This is just an example of the foul smell coming from this trade pact bill. Who knows what else is in the bill? That doesn't seem to bother President Obama or the Republican and Democratic members of Congress. Ya know what this sounds like? It sounds like the multi-national corporations wrote this bill. Or at least their lobbyists did.
       That's the problem with our government. Lobbyists have too much power. Lobbyists actually write a good portion of our laws for the Congressmen and Senators. And of course our legislators love to have them do it. Why? Because it gives them more time to raise funds from the lobbyists and corporations for campaigns and besides they have no idea what should be in such laws. When it comes to what should be in the language of these laws, you can bet the lobbyists do know. And it will all favor the corporations they represent. As for you and me? Wellll. Lets just say that you and me don't donate enough money, to campaigns, to matter. And you can thank our Supreme Court's decision in the Citizen's United case for that.