U.S. interests are being trumped

“Pact among 11 nations is goal of trade talks in San Diego” (Business, July 4) missed the fact that very little of the Trans-Pacific Partnership has to do with trade. The reason that representatives of 600 corporations are sitting at the table with the negotiators, and not our federal representatives, is that these corporations want drug patents extended; environmental regulations removed; medical procedures patented; control over what you can say, show or sing on the Internet; intellectual property rights restricted; less information going into the public domain; and the ability to sue governments if any laws or regulations stand in the way of their profit. In fact, the U-T ran an article on July 3 saying that the U.S. will not be allowed to label country-of-origin of food such as meat and produce, despite U.S. laws, because of [World Trade Organization] agreements (“U.S. loses appeal,” Business briefing). These “trade” agreements trump U.S. law.

We the people are being shafted by our own government.

Eleanora Robbins

La Mesa