Wyden To Obama: Hollywood Shouldn't Know More About TPP Than Congress
from the transparency? dept
Senator Wyden has been at the forefront of raising concerns about the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (as with many other issues we follow), specifically over the total lack of transparency from the USTR on the issue. While USTR Ron Kirk has pretended that "listening" to a few people is transparency, it's not. Actually sharing what you're doing is transparency.Now, it's one thing for the USTR to refuse to share with the public what it's supposedly negotiating on their behalf -- but what if it is refusing to share with the very people in charge of overseeing its actions? As you hopefully know it's Congress, not the Executive branch, that has the authority to regulate foreign commerce. While the USTR is often granted the power to handle negotiations, it is only to be done with oversight from Congress.
So, you would think that the staff director on the Senate Finance Committee's Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness, would be able to "oversee" what the USTR is doing by getting a copy of the USTR's positions. That staffer, who works for Senator Wyden, got all the proper security clearances... and the USTR basically gave him the finger. According to Wyden:
As the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, my office is responsible for conducting oversight over the USTR and trade negotiations. To do that, I asked that my staff obtain the proper security credentials to view the information that USTR keeps confidential and secret. This is material that fully describes what the USTR is seeking in the TPP talks on behalf of the American people and on behalf of Congress. More than two months after receiving the proper security credentials, my staff is still barred from viewing the details of the proposals that USTR is advancing.But you know who's not having any trouble seeing the details? The MPAA, Comcast, PHRMA and others. Again, from Senator Wyden:
The majority of Congress is being kept in the dark as to the substance of the TPP negotiations, while representatives of U.S. corporations – like Halliburton, Chevron, PHRMA, Comcast, and the Motion Picture Association of America – are being consulted and made privy to details of the agreement.Wyden is introducing some new legislation in response to this, called the Congressional Oversight Over Trade Negotiations Act, which is actually just a clarification of legislation passed in 2002 that created the Congressional Oversight Group in an attempt to increase coordination between Congress and USTR on such matters. Again, Senator Wyden:
Congress passed legislation in 2002 to form the Congressional Oversight Group, or COG, to foster more USTR consultation with Congress. I was a senator in 2002. I voted for that law and I can tell you the intention of that law was to ensure that USTR consulted with more Members of Congress not less.How ridiculous is it that a Senator in charge of oversight of the USTR has to introduce special legislation just to find out what's being negotiated by the USTR, supposedly on the public's behalf? The ridiculous levels of secrecy from the USTR are shameful. It's sad that it hasn't received more attention.
In trying to get to the bottom of why my staff is being denied information, it seems that some in the Executive Branch may be interpreting the law that established the COG to mean that only the few Members of Congress who belong to the COG can be given access to trade negotiation information, while every other Member of Congress, and their staff, must be denied such access. So, this is not just a question of whether or not cleared staff should have access to information about the TPP talks, this is a question of whether or not the administration believes that most Members of Congress can or should have a say in trade negotiations.
Again, having voted for that law, I strongly disagree with such an interpretation and find it offensive that some would suggest that a law meant to foster more consultation with Congress is intended to limit it. But given that the TPP negotiations are currently underway and I – and the vast majority of my colleagues and their staff – continue to be denied a full understanding of what the USTR is seeking in the agreement, we do not have time to waste on a protracted legal battle over this issue. Therefore, I am introducing legislation to clarify the intent of the COG statute.
The legislation, I propose, is straightforward. It gives all Members of Congress and staff with appropriate clearance access to the substance of trade negotiations. Finally, Members of Congress who are responsible for conducting oversight over the enforcement of trade agreements will be provided information by the Executive Branch indicating whether our trading partners are living up to their trade obligations. Put simply, this legislation would ensure that the representatives elected by the American people are afforded the same level of influence over our nation’s policies as the paid representatives of PHRMA, Halliburton and the Motion Picture Association.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: mpaa, obama, ron kirk, ron wyden, tpp, transparency, ustr
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
So...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: So...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: So...
Next to Wall Street, where do you think Obama gets most of his campaign money? The MAFIAA's donations are the only reason anyone has even ever heard of "Dentures" Biden - the liver-lipped old guy with the flabby jowls (giving Hollywood all those blow-jobs has taken its toll) and the smile like a demented rat.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: So...
Look, lemme lay this out simply: this is not a democrat/republican thing, this is not an obama vs. (insert republican here) thing, it's a politics thing.
Both sides are quite guilty of listening to the money, rather than the people they are supposed to be representing, and when you just blame one side for the wrong-doings of both you're just picking your particular brand of poison, instead of refusing to accept either as acceptable.
Also, by only blaming one side for the actions both are guilty of, it makes you more likely to ignore it when 'your' side commits the same wrong-doing, which you just provided a nice example of.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: So...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: So...
He's probably got them on wiretap, State's Atty. Pearlman on hold with Mayor Schwarzenegger
Jimmy McNulty right now is probably aproaching the premise from the front, coz that just the way he rolls
and Bunk' round the back........probably having a cigar right now
and ofcourse down town lester brown saying cool cat things over the coms
LolZ, sorry, vivid, some might rightly say, stupid imagination
But in my defense, they used the word hollywood in the title, and i think its safe to assume that im speaking to hollywood........soooo, you like my 6 lines of script? First come first serve fellas
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: So...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
What is the point of keeping it secret? It's not like it would be giving giving away troop positions or sensitive nuclear information, which is the scaremonger talking point for justifying secrecy.
At what point and to what extent do people need to go in order to fix these problems that many people obviously see?
The current approach does not seem to be working. We are continuing to see an erosion of rights and a ramp up in corruption to keep the game the way it is. Isn't it time for real action? What is the tipping point? Can we use the ends to justify the means... as they do? It is getting close to the point that we need to forcefully turn everything completly upside down and eliminate the cancer.
Fuck your false sense of security and your modern comforts.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
The American people don't care about facts, they care more about large showy things to fix huge problems that have no actual solution. They are glad to have money poured at the problem, even if it is being wasted completely. (ex. TSA)
This is where the long history of special deals between corporations and the officials they purchase special access have lead us to. Many people are no longer willing to accept what they are told without being able to see the facts, and they are fighting to get the truth out there. This threatens the entire Government system they have devolved to.
If you had easy access to see your congresscritter slipped in an amendment to make sure the large corporation would never be held responsible for polluting the ground water in your town, how long would they still have their job? Instead this is buried in a bill of several thousand pages and behind a few layers of war on drugs, for the children, to keep cyberwar from happening and no one looks at all the parts.
Until we can get people to stop voting for kneejerk soundbites, and look past their own selfish desires we will never see change. The system as devolved to the idea of - well my senator voted to try and have all abortion providers shot and that is more important than him gutting FDA oversight. And they refuse to care until they get sick from e coli tainted meat that the FDA was blocked from stopping.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: your boat
2. i am pretty much at the head of the line in bashing fat, stupid, lazy, violent, gluttonous 'merikans, *but*, there are other factors at play which i think widen the circle of blame, to wit:
A. i have 100% sympathy for nearly ANY parents, especially with wee ones, 'cause rugrats are a blackhole for time...
*of course* it is not 'impossible' to stay informed and on top of issues, keep abreast of technical developments, blah blah blah, but really ? ...it is generally impractical, at least, for *most* parents, especially working two+ jobs...
(not a prob for exceptional and nerdy techdirtians, though... /sarc)
B. here is the thing: that 1984 shit is WORKING: people ARE afraid to speak their minds if it contradicts 'conventional wisdom'; people ARE -justifiably- concerned that their business, their job, their livelihood is in jeopardy should they champion some 'unpopular' issue or person; people ARE -reasonably- afraid they will end up on secret lists for no-travel, or possibly no-life...
C. the cherry on top, is that the media, the press, the so-called journalists of the day working for Big Media are NOT working on behalf of the 99% of us, but the 1% who own Big Media... this is so common-place and beyond argument, that it is trite and naive to repeat it; yet that doesn't mitigate the horrible damage 'our' (sic) in-activist media continuously inflicts upon our body politic...
that is all, you may now resume your regularly scheduled programming...
art guerrilla
aka ann archy
eof
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Bill text can be found at:
(scroll to the bottom of Mr. Wyden's introductory statement to see the bill)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Bill text can be found at:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
There's a law for you, im sure we can get loads of corporate support on this one lads
Alrite lads, chop chop, we can do it, raise the flags and all that.........tally hoe
International support
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Not a bill - that's what's so dangerous about this situation. Bills are subject to approval by congress/the senate (presumably both, but I'm not completely sure how your system works - out here it's both houses for any bill).
This agreement is subject to approval by US, Australian and Asian diplomats. Period. Your country's representative agrees to something that your and the rest of your country's population doesn't want? Sucks to be you. And you can't directly vote out the asshat who signed up on your behalf. Yay.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
More Wydens please
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Don't forget...
Makes you think...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Don't forget...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Don't forget...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Don't forget...
(Note: i'm not American...)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Don't forget...
We know it's going on.
Most people didn't even know about ACTA until it got to Europe.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Don't forget...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Don't forget...
Have you SEEN the TPP negotiations? No? Then they must be pretty damn transparent right?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
So, if you destroy a corporation's headquarters with a bomb, you've just committed murder?
Can we do abortions on the corporations yet?
I'd like to see those buildings fit into the voting booths too!
And why don't they have a Social Security number?
I bet they're all illegal immigrants! Quick! We must deport all the corporations!
Can I get a restraining order against corporate ads? They're harassing me!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The really smart thing (which won't happen) is if congress got their back up and decided that in order to ratify the treaty some of their own should be in the process or it doesn't enter into congress.
I've already problems with the way ACTA was signed. The Executive Branch does not have the authority to sign trade agreements. Period. No matter if the laws don't have to be changed or if they do. I've no doubt that the signing will not be legal if it becomes a case in court as the precedents are quite well laid out.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Give it a rest
Are you serious?!?!? Were you not alive during the King Bush era???
Save your partisan bullshit for another blog. The issue here is about corporations buying both sides and acting against the public welfare.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sad
We got "I am Sick" card users, "I'm doing my job but actually not." and "Report good but actual not." in anywhere we go...
Medieval Politicians or Prehistoric Politician? I really don't know what to think...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
You will never see a dime out of my wallet for the rest of my damn life.you have paid off Politicians and even our President to do your bidding.You are so greedy you would rather see this World Censored and locked up and forced to your MAFIAA Contnet but many of us will not be buying into your garbage.
Buy & Support INDIE !
Censor the MAFIAA from your Wallet please.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
I haven't gone to a movie since Spider-Man 3.
I'll support the anime industry and buy their DVDs, but I refuse to support Hollywood.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
I think we should let Yuri(from RA2:YR) take over Hollywood... :P
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just like with technology laws.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The elite class understands nothing until you start breaking their toys.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I was hoping someone would say it. Playing defensively in this game only changes the amount by which you lose. In order to win anything, you need to fight back.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why is anyone surprised>
Amazing how far this one great nation has fallen in only 12 years.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]