In April, Human Rights Watch wrote a "Letter to President Obama re: Vietnam":
"As you know, Vietnam's government remains among the most repressive in the world. Basic freedoms of expression, association, and assembly are extremely limited. The media and Internet are controlled and censored. The Vietnamese Communist Party controls all public institutions and uses them to maintain its hold on power. Genuine elections do not take place; those being held in May for the National Assembly are a form of political theater. The courts are party organs and lack independence. Similarly, independent trade unions are not permitted.
"In short, Vietnam is a police state. In our view, the main priority of the leaders you will meet is to maintain their party's hold on power...
"There are many human rights issues that you could raise during your visit, including freedom of speech and assembly, political prisoners, and labor rights, among other topics."
THAT is who we are "partnering" with if Congress passes TPP. (Never mind Malaysia's slavery problem...) The corporations want tariffs dropped with Vietnam so they can move production there, lowering wages and removing costs of protecting the environment and workers. They want to use that to extort lower wages and fewer protections here. The rest of us want better.
TPP advocates try to manufacture consent by telling us that the deal will improve human rights, labor rights and environmental protections. They also tell us it will bring jobs. Because that's what people want to hear. But it is not what will happen.
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