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Trans-Pacific Partnership May Endanger World Health, Newly Leaked Chapter Shows
blottsie writes WikiLeaks has released an updated version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) chapter on intellectual property. The new version of the texts, dated May 2014, show that little improvement has been made to sections critics say would hurt free speech online. Further, some of the TPP's stipulations could have dire consequences for healthcare in developing nations. The Daily Dot reports: "Nearly all of the changes proposed by the U.S. advantage corporate entities by expanding monopolies on knowledge goods, such as drug patents, and impose restrictive copyright policies worldwide. If it came into force, TPP would even allow pharmaceutical companies to sue the U.S. whenever changes to regulatory standards or judicial decisions affected their profits. Professor Brook K. Baker of Northeastern U. School of Law [said] that the latest version of the TPP will do nothing less than lengthen, broaden, and strengthen patent monopolies on vital medications."
Prime Minister John Key has said that there would be a full public disclosure before signing, also that he feels the left should also be involved as it is very important to have across the board agreement on these polices, also that he has already signed it, also that it has no affect on snapper quota............
I tell ya, living in New Zealand is a little like living in Night Vale at the moment.
I reserve the write to mangle english.
Actually Europeans have looked up at Americans most of the 20th century. I even distinctly remember a folk song about what kind of celebrations are to be held "now that rich uncle from America is coming".
The change is not as long ago as you might think. It hasn't been more than maybe two decades that people form the US are seen as religious nutjob simpletons who sue everyone and everything if it doesn't go their way. Before that, US people were more seen as rich and self-confident with a "if anyone can accomplish that, I can" attitude that we actually aspired to.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.