After nearly a decade of secret negotiations, twelve Asia-Pacific countries reached a historic free trade agreement on Oct. 5, 2015. The goal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is to reduce and eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on goods, services and agriculture throughout the Pacific Rim. Additionally, this agreement establishes trade rules that directly address global economic issues and expand on current World Trade Organization commitments. All of this sounds good, but is it?
In 2012, Hillary Clinton claimed that TPP was “the gold standard” of trade agreements. Now she has pulled a 180 and does not support it after finding out more and more about what is in the agreement. I don’t know the motives for her change in position but, to my surprise, we both agree.
