TISA

“Sentence First, Verdict Afterwards”: The Alice in Wonderland World of Fast-tracked Secret Trade Agreements

`Let the jury consider their verdict,’ the King said, for about the twentieth time that day. `No, no!’ said the Queen. `Sentence first–verdict afterwards.’ `Stuff and nonsense!’ said Alice loudly. `The idea of having the sentence first!’ `Hold your tongue!’ said the Queen, turning purple. `I won’t!’ said Alice. `Off with her head!’ the Queen […]

Corporations Paid a (Very Small) Bundle to U.S. Senators to Fast-Track the TPP Bill

Senators asking big spenders at Monsanto to pony upby Gaius PubliusWhile we're waiting for the Fast Track drama to deliver its next non-final event, I thought I'd offer some background. The big money behind the scenes is paying a lot to get this bill past the goal line (but as you'll see, not a whole lot).The Guardian offers this report (my emphasis):

Why what are smilingly being passed off as "trade agreements" should strike terror in our hearts

"These are agreements negotiated on behalf of corporations by governments to divide up the ways that money will be made."-- from GP's post yesterday, "Fast Track Will Also Apply toTISA, the 'Scariest Trade Deal Nobody's Talking About' "by KenDo your eyes glaze over when the subject of "trade agreements" -- NAFTA, TPP, PTA, etc. -- comes up?

Fast Track Will Also Apply to TISA, the "Scariest Trade Deal Nobody's Talking About"

An army of lobbyists knocking down the doors of Congress (source; click image for the full effect) by Gaius Publius Fast Track is not just a path to TPP ... it's evil all on its own. There's now another leaked "trade" deal, called TISA, and Fast Track will "fast-track" that one too. Want your municipal water service privatized?

WikiLeaks, Anonymous, Bitcoin, and the First Amendment Revolution

Since 2011, from the Arab Spring and Spanish Revolution to Occupy, waves of global uprisings have been erupting as never before. The crisis of representation helped spawn decentralized movements as a manifestation of people’s aspiration to take the reins of their own destinies. For many, the presumption of legitimacy of their governments has been crumbling. What triggered this widespread global crisis?