Here's the deal with the TPP. It is a critical component of the financial and strategic future of the United States. Put plainly, Asia and the Pacific Region i

Here's the deal with the TPP. It is a critical component of the financial and strategic future of the United States. Put plainly, Asia and the Pacific Region is forecasted by both OECD and the International Monetary Fund to be the primary area of financial growth for the next several decades (while down in the latest report the long term prospects are encouraging). China continues to grow despite recent staggarings; Taiwan is projected to continue acceleration of growth; South Korea with support from China and the United States are planning for reunification with North Korea (and the subsequent acquisition of resource rich lands). The region's development index is cresting a knee on the curve - pairing nicely with its large population, strong trading routes, and stability (compared with the European pressure cooker). China, the new kid on the block, now the largest creditor nation and second largest economy is leading a trade deal in the Pacific (and a few other invited nations) called AFTA - a trade deal the United States has not been invited to, despite her vocal interest. The US has done what it can to dissuade allies from joining in on AFTA, and has offered these allies instead membership to an alternative trade deal - one that curiously lacks China, despite its vocal interest... The Trans-Pacific Partnership represents a keystone in America's 'pivot' to Asia (/'rebalancing'); a bid to win key influence on the rules for international trade policy in the region that will benefit the US - and will exclude China unless it agrees to the some longstanding US wishlists (especially with regard to intellectual property). It is an unfortunate fact then that what is know from leaked drafts of the trade that it comes with certain trojan horses - administrative and corporate wishlists that could not pass the muster of even a generally distracted domestic voting population, such as requirements mentioned in the article for internet service providers to filter and monitor customer traffic. It's a sort of damned if you do damned if you don't scenario. The TPP is important for navigating future global financial and international policy options, but bundled with it are laws that would otherwise be rejected at the ballot box. To summarize it's important to understand the issue broadly: it is dangerous to be a single issue voter. It would be a shame to trade major strategic opportunities for the ability to share ripped DVDs. It would also be a shame to take another step back on internet freedom for international trade whose benefits in the short term are bound to be largely captured by large and multinational corporations. Thus enters the important of a representative government - only a representative government has the perspective to both barter at the macro scale for the benefit of whole of the nation as a singular identity at the same time brokering for the interests and the preferences of the daily concerns and liberties of the regular citizen.