Haier’s agreement to buy GE’s appliance division is a reminder that nothing driven by Big Money is for a purpose such as (my paraphrasing):
'keeping the US up, Japan down, and China out'
… although that’s the message from all the TPP-promoting VSP realists — who have spent so much time in line for carrots and sticks from Big Money they have a very cramped view of what is realistic.
The real purpose of the TPP, and the fast-track legislation that was rammed through by assorted villains of the month in safe seats, is (my paraphrasing):
‘keeping workers down, capital owners up, and voters out’
Consumers are supposed to be the big beneficiaries (if they still have money to support their consumption), unless they want to consume public goods like clean air, clean water, and safe living conditions.
The many levels of lying to voters (of course for our own good) are partially deconstructed in these four recent DK diaries:
TPP: Domestic insanity trumps global horse-trading; Ricardo, Krugman, Obama, Bernie & Hillary
TPP Tricks & Truths - Overview Frame Rebuttals
TPP-Negotiating Process: Who’s “Us” & Who’s “Them”?
International Bankruptcy: Law of the Bungle -- 6 Countries Protecting It
Since I did a lot of work in the three TPP diaries, I feel entitled to take a cheap shot (although it’s more truthful than most TPP-promoting arguments), as follows:
...The good news from the GE-Haier deal announcement is that somebody cares about affordable health. The bad news is where they care about providing it:
GE and Haier ... will also work together to develop and grow affordable consumer health initiatives in China