We've known for some time that the "investor-state dispute settlement" process is a threat to our national sovereignty. But, now we know that those international trade courts are also a huge benefit to billionaires and massive corporations.

According to a new study published by York University in Toronto, "the beneficiaries of [the] ISDS... have overwhelmingly been companies with more than $1 billion per year in annual revenue - especially extra-large companies with more than $10 billion - and individuals with more than $100 million in net wealth."

In other words, massive trade agreements like the TPP aren't about expanding trade or opening markets - they're about making rich people and corporations even richer. And, that's exactly why we must keep push Congress to say no to the Trans Pacific Partnership.

That study addresses how these ISDS courts have been given the appearance of "legitimacy" by allowing people to believe that these systems would also benefit individuals and small businesses, but that's not how they work in practice.

The authors explained that challenges are not brought to these courts through normal, public processes that could be utilized by the little guy. Instead, cases are only heard by these private panels of arbitrators, who often represent the same massive corporations likely involved in the case in question.

Is it any wonder that nearly all of the money - as in 95% - that was awarded through ISDS challenges went straight to the super wealthy and giant corporations?

As a trade campaigner for Greenpeace explained, "This trade deal is not about trade. It's about the transfer of power from people to big business." As if they need another way to cheat us or rig the system.

The reasons to reject the TPP keep adding up, and it's time to let Congress know that they will vote down this trade deal, or we will vote them out of office.

-Thom

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Professor David S. Reynolds, Lincoln's Selected Writings (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

Free excerpt, read book for free at Truthout, buy the book!

The Daily Stack 

Article: "Science explains Trump? Monkeys with smaller 'sexual weaponry' compensate with louder howls" by The Conversation.

Article: "Donald Trump's Penis Got More Airtime Than These Issues" by Samantha Lachman.

Tweet: "35 years ago today, Bernie was elected mayor by 10 votes. If 10 people hadn't shown that day, we might not be here today. Your vote counts!" by Jane O'Meara Sanders.

Quote: "Former Trump hostage Gov Chris Christie (R-NJ), whose confused, angry and meek - face as he stood behind Trump at the tycoon's Super Tuesday victory speech thrilled Twitter, said in a Thursday presser: "No, I wasn't held hostage. No, I wasn't sitting there thinking, 'Oh my God, what have I done?'" - shocking case of Stockholm Syndrome..." - Victoria Jones.

Article: "Democrat Jim Webb: I Would Not Vote For Hillary Clinton, But Maybe Trump" by Tim Hains.

Article: "Why the Critics of Bernienomics Are Wrong" by Robert Reich.

Article: "Clash of Republican Con Artists" by Paul Krugman.

Article: "Rodney King Beating 25 Years Ago Opened Era of Viral Cop Videos" by Jon Schuppe.

Article: "More than a third of people shot by L.A. police last year were mentally ill, LAPD report finds" by Kate Mather and James Queally.

Article: "LA police testing knife found on OJ Simpson property" by BBC.

Event: April 2 2016 DC: "Democracy Spring".

Event: April 16-18 2016 DC: "Democracy Awakening".

Case: "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" (2010).

Article: "Pramila Jayapal enters Congressional race for Jim McDermott's seat" by Venice Buhain.

Article: "Bill Clinton Just Violated Election Laws at Polling Locations Across Massachusetts" by Amanda Girard.

Article: "NASA's Laser-Powered Spaceship Could Travel To Mars In 72 Hours" by Reuters.

Article: "They Thought They Were Free" by Thom Hartmann.

Book: "They Thought They Were Free" by Milton Mayer.

Site: 350.org

Article: "NASA Climate Scientist Arrested in Pipeline Protest" by Jeanna Bryner, February 13, 2013.

Article: "'Largest-ever' climate-change march rolls through NYC" by Alia E. Dastagir.

Article: "Southern strategy" by Wikipedia.

Article: "AARP: Price hikes doubled average drug price over 7 years" by Linda A. Johnson.

Article: "'David Duke without the baggage' to run for House majority leader" by Laura Clawson.

Law: "Telecommunications Act of 1996" by Wikipedia.

Book: What Would Jefferson Do?: A Return to Democracy by Thom Hartmann by Thom Hartmann.

Book: "Screwed: The Undeclared War Against The Middle Class" by Thom Hartmann. Get "Screwed" by Thom Hartmann!

Book: "The Crash of 2016: The Plot to Destroy America--and What We Can Do to Stop It" by Thom Hartmann.

Book: "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country" by Thom Hartmann (read online).

Book: "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country" by Thom Hartmann.

Article: "The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat" - Harry Truman, Address at the National Convention Banquet of the Americans for Democratic Action, May 17, 1952.

Article: "America is an oligarchy, not a democracy or republic, university study finds" by Cheryl K. Chumley.

Article: "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens" by Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page.

Video: The Daily Show - Donald Trump's Fascist Week.

Article: "Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement" (CAFTA-DR) by Wikipedia. (CAFTA pre January 2004)

Article: "North American Free Trade Agreement" (NAFTA) by Wikipedia.

Law: "Commodity Futures Modernization Act", 2000.

Law: "Glass-Steagall Act", 1933.

Law: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999) (Financial Services Modernization Act Of 1999).

Article: "Carbon Dioxide Levels Reach Highest Point in 15 Million Years" by Dahr Jamail.

Site: Aden Forecast.

Article: "Ted Koppel raps Bill O'Reilly: Interviewing Trump is 'irrelevant' now because of you" by Arturo Garcia.

Article: "Loaded question" by Wikipedia (e.g. "Have you stopped beating your wife?").

 

Talk Media News Segment:
- Victoria Jones 

Article: "No, Turning On Your Phone Is Not Consenting to Being Tracked by Police" by Alex Emmons.

Article: "4th Amendment". "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.".

Article: "Buried Knife Found At O.J.'s Estate" by TMZ.

Article: "Trudeau to U.S.: Pay more attention to the world" by 60 Minutes.

Article: "'How to move to Canada' searches up 1000% in the US after Trump Super Tuesday win" by Madhumita Murgia.

Article: "Ex-Sen. Larry Craig loses appeal of campaign finance violations" by Megan R. Wilson.

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman 

Article: "Former Mexican President Vicente Fox: Trump Is 'Absolutely' a Racist" by David Francis.

Article: "Super-PAC forms to 'Draft Ryan' for the White House" by Mark Hensch.

Hour Three: The District Sentinel update
- Sam Sacks, The District Sentinel    

Article: "Lawmakers Press For Broader Release of Secret Location Surveillance Memos" by Sam Sacks.

Article: "GOP, Dem Lawmakers Call for Online Release of Reports Published for Congress" by Sam Knight.

Article: "Pelosi Reminds Press that Dem Primary Isn't Over, Hits Out at Superdelegates" by Sam Sacks.

Article: "Libya "Sounds like Washington," Says U.S. Senator Who Oversees Foreign Policy" by Sam Sacks.

Book: "Unequal Protection: The Battle to Save Democracy" by Thom Hartmann (read online).

Book: "Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became "People" - And How You Can Fight Back" by Thom Hartmann - new updated version out now!

Law: " No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" (NCLB).

Site: Secrecy News (Steven Aftergood, Federation of American Scientists).

Article: "The Libya Gamble: Part 1: Hillary Clinton, 'Smart Power' and a Dictator's Fall" by Jo Becker and Scott Shane.

Article: "The Libya Gamble: Part 2: A New Libya, With 'Very Little Time Left'" by Scott Shane and Jo Becker.

 

Event: "Flint gets Democratic presidential debate on March 6".

Article: "Great Society" by Wikipedia.

Article: "John Gardner, Engineer of the Great Society" by PBS.

Video: Watch Hillary Clinton's full Super Tuesday speech (2016).

Site: Bernie Man.

Article: "Rachel Corrie" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Hillary Clinton Is Already Talking About November, But Sanders Lives to Fight Another Day" by Sarah Mimms (Hillary 577 delegates, Bernie 386).

Article: "Stab-in-the-back myth" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Huge protests happened outside of the Republican debate in Detroit" by Allan Smith.

Book: "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx.

Article: "Russian Revolution" by Wikipedia.

 

Do you have all the info you need to vote for @BernieSanders? Find it here.

    

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