There is so much at stake economically and politically with the TPPA.
To date, the Government have relied on the fact that middle NZ loves John Key more than a shark loves blood and have used his incredible political capital against any major backlash in policy. This has been accompanied by a mainstream media in total acquiescence with whatever the PMs Office wants.
Hence most sleepy hobbits blink slowly when the issue of the TPPA pops up.
The problem with the TPPA is that it isn’t a trade deal, of the 29 chapters in the TPPA, only 5 have anything to do with Trade. This is a national security leash America are using to fend off Chinese influence in the Pacific. This is about US corporations having the power to over ride domestic law.
It’s as much a direct threat to our national sovereignty as unregulated speculation by China and other foreign nations in our residential housing market.
The idea of the TPPA’s focus on intellectual property rights is that they don’t care if we watch TV on huge flatscreen made in China, they just want us watching American culture. A country indoctrinated in American values is easier to control than sending the military in.
This is why Kim Dotcom’s case erupted here, America wants to stake out it’s interests and force its jurisdiction into cyber space.
So when such huge games of chess are being played – what is Key and Groser to do.
There are 2 options.
1 – We the patriots – In this scenario, as painted out bleakly by Chris Trotter, Key and Groser can’t get the Dairy restrictions lifted and come home as champions who have effectively told America to go stick it. Both are seen as patriots and romp home for a 2017 win.
2 – John and Tim’s magic beans – In this scenario, Key gets some token move on Dairy which he trumpets as a major win and signs up to the TPPA ignoring the enormous backlash at home because he and Tim are promised cushy jobs at the WTO or IMF and so have little concern that it will cost National the 2017 election.
Either scenario will be a disaster for NZ.
“This is a national security leash America are using to fend off Chinese influence in the Pacific. This is about US corporations having the power to over ride domestic law.”
We will all know by 2pm today JUST HOW COWARDLY corrupted Key was to sell his own country down the drain and get his “Cushy little job at UN or Wold Bank, Wall St or IMF.
Question is will Grosser do the honourable thing and admit he failed and resign?
“Sell his OWN country down the drain.” His parents were immigrants, he stayed around long enough to get an education then left for america, where he stayed for a very long time before he came “home”, to take over as the PM. He has a holiday home in america where he retreats every chance he gets. Does anybody really believe that FJK thinks of NZ as home? As soon as he has inflicted permanent damage on the citizens of NZ he will fly off, back to the waiting arms of corporate america.
Good point Anne Johns, I like that analogy as he is just a shallow “Opportunist” so his life here is nearing an end fortunately but the next traitor waiting in the wings will be ready to take over and carry on his treachery.
tho’ i agree that signing up to a tpp that both sucks and blows will sink key/national in 2017..
..i find it quite strange that both the author of this piece and trotter are claiming that a rejection of a ‘stink’ tpp will guarantee key/national victory in 2017..
i can’t see it myself..
..maybe if this was the only issue nz’ers cared about..ok..but both writers admit most nz’ers are ‘sleepy hobbits’ on this whole tpp-thing..
..so how do they marry that ignorance/uncaring of with rejection of it winning the next election for key/national..?
..key may get a short-term blip of support.. but if rejected – by 2017 it will be a distant memory..if that..
..(i wonder..are they both trying some form of reverse psychology on key/groser/nats..?..that’s the only reason i can see for that guaranteed-victory in ’17 claim..)
(great cartoon from evans..b.t.w..it nails it..)
UMM I think you are forgetting the most important problem facing NZ voters a lack of effective and united opposition.
Bit rich blaming ordinary Kiwis when you can’t get a clear answer out of Labour on any issue, (we support/don’t support everything BUT) and Greens are missing in action.
Much of the public hate John Key but their biggest supported of policy is Labour – leading to their name NationalLite.
I think TPP could go either way and it is up to Labour to make it clear they do not support TPP. Go to a march, whatever, be clear at least on what they do so that they can’t be slandered by the Nats later on.
Any gains in dairy is worthless is the farms are now overseas owned and the money is going offshore, while tax payers clean up the rivers for Gods sake! And they can’t sue or even stop it, under the TPP.
Look at the state of both China and the US. They are full of pollution, sick people and uneducated people. Yep plenty of billionaires, but tell that to the masses.
The global corporates, can’t wait to get their hands into ’emerging’ markets like NZ to buy up all our raw products without having to worry about pollution or health risks and they can just import in, cheap labour from Asia to do it, win win. In fact they can just buy the country.
Even more exciting, is the privatisation of the state services here, courts, schools, prisons, health, social welfare, power, water, housing – councils, all those jobs being outsourced off shore.
JK is just tinkering at present. Wait till he has the mandate from TPP.
I disagree with both your and Chris’s assessments here. National are already spinning the outcome by playing down expectations of a deal. In the event of a deal they will claim that they worked really hard for NZ’s interests. When I step outside my chosen circle of friends it seems to me that the majority of NZ’ers are not engaged with this issue and don’t really care. A deal will be the far worse outcome which is why I’ll be cheering if the talks collapse. National are patently losing control of the economy and it is that issue which will decide the outcome in 2017. Stop worrying about potential negative outcomes of the failure of the TPP.
100% RAYINCE
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