We see such cynicism on television in Sunday night's political drama House Of Cards, featuring Kevin Spacey playing a cynical American politician. But hopefully that's dystopian fiction.
However, the TPPA may become our reality if National wins re-election and has its way. From past dealings, John Key will claim it's his mandate - even though we've heard nothing about its contents from this Government. As to Chester's comments about the motives of the US, I take that as pure distraction and divisiveness, just as is his claim that criticism of the TPPA comes from the leftist press. What leftist press?
We need not to be distracted, confused and generally fed a bunch of bull. This TPPA is not a US trade deal - it's an attempt to subvert local barriers to US-based multi-national corporations.
Those corporations have a legal obligation only to profit their investors. In practice, that profit often enriches management, and not necessarily stockholders. Here in New Zealand we've seen companies fail, with investors wiped out while the managers walked away with fortunes.
Many so-called US corporations pay no taxes. Some, like Apple, have retained billions offshore and untaxed. This is in stark contrast to the basic responsibilities of citizenship, of paying a citizen's share of the common burden. The limited liability accorded corporations has allowed them to walk away from disasters they've created by means such as bankruptcy of separable subsidiaries. Just ask the victims of asbestos or those miners' families at Pike River. Corporations are not required to be good citizens or good neighbours, and some are neither.
Chester says we've got nothing to worry about with the TPPA because before it's approved it will be vetted by the Cabinet. Really? That's supposed to be reassuring? Let's see ... there's Steven Joyce, who has blown an additional $33 million on Novopay and it still doesn't work; there's banker Bill English who, of course, has no conflict of interest with his brother's heading up of Federated Farmers and who, all by himself, cost taxpayers $1.8 billion in his failing to superintend Canterbury Finance and then bailing out investors.
There's Gerry Brownlee's work in Christchurch's rebuild which has earned him the nickname "Swifty" - in Finland. Abraham Lincoln chose a cabinet of rivals to challenge him. John Key chose a confederacy of dunces so he'd look good by comparison. With these clowns, it is painful to think they'll be the ones standing between us and being over-run by the flesh-eating zombies that corporations - with the blessings of the US Supreme Court - have become. Chester told us to trust him and his lot. Then, afterwards, we'll all get a chance to make submissions - yeah, right. Submission describes it all right.
