DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE ACTIONSACTIONS ROLL ACROSS THE NATION DEFENDING INTERNET FREEDOM BEFORE HISTORIC FCC VOTE & IN OPPOSITION TO CONGRESSIONAL FAST-TRACKING OF LARGEST U.S. TRADE DEAL EVEROn February 26th the FCC made their historic vote on Net Neutrality. Simultaneously, when Congress reconvenes after the congressional recess, they are preparing to bring Fast Track of the Trans-Pacific Partnership up for a vote. The Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy is confronting these two current issues of people power vs. corporate power that will have a major impact on people's lives.Firstly, the issue of Net Neutrality. A people-powered movement has convinced the FCC to reclassify the Internet to ensure equal access for all without discrimination. Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance notes that âNet Neutrality is essential for the exercise of Freedom of Speech in the 21st Century. Now the telecom companies are trying to convince their puppets in Congress to undermine the FCC's decision and once again, the people are fighting back.âSecondly, TPP and Fast Track. For three years a movement opposed to secretly negotiated corporate trade agreements has stopped Congress from giving President Obama Fast Track trade authority. Fast Track would allow him to sign these secret agreements and then push them through Congress without hearings or amendments, with only brief debate on and an up-or-down vote. These trade agreements are structured solely in the interest of corporate gain. The TPP and Fast Track are bringing together odd bedfellows like in Spokane, WA where Tea Party members and Occupiers are coming together in opposition. Eleanor Goldfield a musician with Rooftop Revolutionaries and activist with the Rolling Rebellion says passage of the TPP and Fast Track would âturn corporate personhood into corporate nationhood by creating international court systems and trade tribunals that allow corporations to challenge laws enacted by countries in the interest of public health, safety and justice.â With this sovereignty, corporations would hold sway over nearly every facet of our lives, from food to Internet access. As Julian Assange wrote, âIf you read, write, publish, think, listen, dance, sing or invent; if you farm or consume food; if youâre ill now or might one day be ill, the TPP has you in its crosshairs.â In the months of February and March, people are protesting at the grassroots level, combining their efforts into a national movement for equal access Internet and against secret trade deals. Years of organizing have brought these issues to a head. Now, activists have been mobilizing and coordinating high-visibility actions in cities from coast to coast. In Washington and Oregon a âFair Trade or BusTourâ complete with hand-painted murals and packed with constituents payed visits to undecided members of congress. In San Diego, CA community-members took to highway overpasses to deliver to their representatives their message emblazoned on LED light panels. Across the U.S. activists are using guerrilla light projection to illuminate monuments and building facades with slogans like âDon't Let Comcast Choke Your Freedom,â âNo Slow Lanes, Open & Equal Internet For All,â and âTPP Dismantles Democracy - www.stopfasttrack.com.â Multiple actions were organized at telecom companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner Cable who are second only to defense industries in the amount that they spend lobbying and buying favors from representatives who are supposed to serve "We The People." On February 25th in Washington, D.C. a new documentary âKillswitch: The Battle to Control the Internetâ was screened before members of congress and activists from across the country. Then, activists unveiled a larger than life killswitch to dramatize the stakes of the historic FCC vote. The FCC's announcement to vote in favor of Net Neutrality is a complete paradigm shift from less than a year ago; a true show of the effectiveness of focused, dedicated grassroots action.If we continue to fight and win these battles, they will stand as tremendous victories of people power over corporate power. The people will have stopped some of the most powerful corporate lobbies in the United States including the telecoms and hundreds of transnational corporations.Using high visibility, creative actions, the Rolling Rebellion has and will continue this fight. For more information, please visit www.rollingrebellion.org.Popular Resistance, Backbone Campaign, www.occupy.com, and more teamed up to launch the rolling rebellion and reignite the fight for a real democracy." data-caption="DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE ACTIONSACTIONS ROLL ACROSS THE NATION DEFENDING INTERNET FREEDOM BEFORE HISTORIC FCC VOTE & IN OPPOSITION TO CONGRESSIONAL FAST-TRACKING OF LARGEST U.S. TRADE DEAL EVEROn February 26th the FCC made their historic vote on Net Neutrality. Simultaneously, when Congress reconvenes after the congressional recess, they are preparing to bring Fast Track of the Trans-Pacific Partnership up for a vote. The Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy is confronting these two current issues of people power vs. corporate power that will have a major impact on people's lives.Firstly, the issue of Net Neutrality. A people-powered movement has convinced the FCC to reclassify the Internet to ensure equal access for all without discrimination. Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance notes that âNet Neutrality is essential for the exercise of Freedom of Speech in the 21st Century. Now the telecom companies are trying to convince their puppets in Congress to undermine the FCC's decision and once again, the people are fighting back.âSecondly, TPP and Fast Track. For three years a movement opposed to secretly negotiated corporate trade agreements has stopped Congress from giving President Obama Fast Track trade authority. Fast Track would allow him to sign these secret agreements and then push them through Congress without hearings or amendments, with only brief debate on and an up-or-down vote. These trade agreements are structured solely in the interest of corporate gain. The TPP and Fast Track are bringing together odd bedfellows like in Spokane, WA where Tea Party members and Occupiers are coming together in opposition. Eleanor Goldfield a musician with Rooftop Revolutionaries and activist with the Rolling Rebellion says passage of the TPP and Fast Track would âturn corporate personhood into corporate nationhood by creating international court systems and trade tribunals that allow corporations to challenge laws enacted by countries in the interest of public health, safety and justice.â With this sovereignty, corporations would hold sway over nearly every facet of our lives, from food to Internet access. As Julian Assange wrote, âIf you read, write, publish, think, listen, dance, sing or invent; if you farm or consume food; if youâre ill now or might one day be ill, the TPP has you in its crosshairs.â In the months of February and March, people are protesting at the grassroots level, combining their efforts into a national movement for equal access Internet and against secret trade deals. Years of organizing have brought these issues to a head. Now, activists have been mobilizing and coordinating high-visibility actions in cities from coast to coast. In Washington and Oregon a âFair Trade or BusTourâ complete with hand-painted murals and packed with constituents payed visits to undecided members of congress. In San Diego, CA community-members took to highway overpasses to deliver to their representatives their message emblazoned on LED light panels. Across the U.S. activists are using guerrilla light projection to illuminate monuments and building facades with slogans like âDon't Let Comcast Choke Your Freedom,â âNo Slow Lanes, Open & Equal Internet For All,â and âTPP Dismantles Democracy - www.stopfasttrack.com.â Multiple actions were organized at telecom companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner Cable who are second only to defense industries in the amount that they spend lobbying and buying favors from representatives who are supposed to serve "We The People." On February 25th in Washington, D.C. a new documentary âKillswitch: The Battle to Control the Internetâ was screened before members of congress and activists from across the country. Then, activists unveiled a larger than life killswitch to dramatize the stakes of the historic FCC vote. The FCC's announcement to vote in favor of Net Neutrality is a complete paradigm shift from less than a year ago; a true show of the effectiveness of focused, dedicated grassroots action.If we continue to fight and win these battles, they will stand as tremendous victories of people power over corporate power. The people will have stopped some of the most powerful corporate lobbies in the United States including the telecoms and hundreds of transnational corporations.Using high visibility, creative actions, the Rolling Rebellion has and will continue this fight. For more information, please visit www.rollingrebellion.org.Popular Resistance, Backbone Campaign, www.occupy.com, and more teamed up to launch the rolling rebellion and reignite the fight for a real democracy." data-credit="Backbone Campaign/Flickr">
Την Παρασκευή 9 Οκτωβρίου ο οργανισμός Wikileaks δημοσίευσε το τελικό κείμενο της συμφωνίας για το κεφάλαιο δικαιωμάτων πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας του «Σύμφωνου Συνεργασίας των Δύο Πλευρών του Ειρηνικού» (TPP). Το εν λόγω σύμφωνο αφορά στην εμπορική και επενδυτική συνεργασία 12 εθνών που αποτελούν το 40% του παγκόσμιου ΑΕΠ. Παρόλο που τα έθνη έχουν καταλήξει σε συμφωνία, το συγκεκριμένο έγγραφο παραμένει στα συρτάρια, μέχρι την δημοσίευσή του, πιθανότατα μετά τις καναδικές εκλογές της 19ης Οκτωβρίου.
Σύμφωνα με τον οργανισμό Wikileaks, το έγγραφο έχει ημερομηνία 5 Οκτωβρίου 2015, την ημέρα που ανακοινώθηκε στην Ατλάντα των ΗΠΑ ότι τα 12 έθνη κατέληξαν σε συμφωνία μετά από πέντε χρόνια διαπραγματεύσεων.
Το κεφάλαιο που αφορά τα δικαιώματα πνευματικής ιδιοκτησίας είναι ίσως αυτό που προκάλεσε τις περισσότερες διαφωνίες, λόγω των μεγάλων επιπτώσεων που θα είχε στις διαδικτυακές υπηρεσίες, στις φαρμακοβιομηχανίες, τις εκδόσεις, τις πολιτικές ελευθερίες και τις βιολογικές πατέντες.
«Εάν το TPP επικυρωθεί, οι άνθρωποι που κατοικούν σε (χώρες που) βρέχονται από τον Ειρηνικό Ωκεανό θα πρέπει να ζουν κάτω από τους κανόνες αυτού του εγγράφου», δήλωσε ο Peter Maybarduk, διευθυντής του Προγράμματος Παγκόσμιας Πρόσβασης σε Φάρμακα.
«Τα νέα μονοπωλιακά δικαιώματα για μεγάλες φαρμακοβιομηχανίες θα παρεμπόδιζαν την πρόσβαση (των πολιτών) σε φάρμακα στις χώρες του συγκεκριμένου συμφώνου», δήλωσε.
Σύμφωνα με τον Wikileaks, εκατοντάδες εκπρόσωποι μεγάλων επιχειρήσεων είχαν άμεση πρόσβαση στις διαπραγματεύσεις, τη στιγμή που εκλεγμένοι αξιωματούχοι είχαν περιορισμένη ή και καθόλου πρόσβαση. Η αντίθεση των Αμερικανών πολιτικών προς αυτή την συμφωνία έχει αρχίσει να αυξάνεται -την στιγμή που οι ΗΠΑ είναι το ισχυρό μέλος των 12 εθνών στις διαπραγματεύσεις-, γεγονός που σχετίζεται με την δημοσίευση σχετικών εγγράφων. Την Τετάρτη η υποψήφια για το χρίσμα των Δημοκρατικών στις προεδρικές εκλογές των ΗΠΑ, Χίλαρι Κλίντον, δήλωσε την Τετάρτη ότι είναι αντίθετη προς αυτή την συμφωνία. Στο παρελθόν η ίδια είχε χαρακτηρίσει το σύμφωνο «χρυσό πρότυπο των εμπορικών συμφωνιών».
Τον Ιούνιο οι Αντιπρόσωποι του Αμερικανικού Κογκρέσου ψήφισαν υπέρ της συμφωνίας (218 έναντι 208). Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι μόλις 28 Δημοκρατικοί ψήφισαν υπέρ.
Σύμφωνα με την εφημερίδα The Guardian, το συγκεκριμένο κεφάλαιο της συμφωνίας δίνει μεγαλύτερη δύναμη στις χώρες να αποτρέψουν την δημοσίευση συγκεκριμένων πληροφοριών. Αυτός είναι και ο λόγος που πολλοί φοβούνται ότι η συγκεκριμένη συμφωνία θα περιορίσει την ελευθερία του λόγου και θα παρεμποδίσει την πρόσβαση σε σημαντικές πληροφορίες που αφορούν την ιατρική και άλλους τομείς.