Give me a break. Yes there are problems in the US and EU with regards to spreading the benefits of increased productivity in the last few decades, but our soci

Give me a break. Yes there are problems in the US and EU with regards to spreading the benefits of increased productivity in the last few decades, but our societies are far from fascist states. Yes the TTIP has to be scrutinized and yes we should be skeptical of public officials going into the same industries they regulate, however, trade negotiation isn't necessarily the same sort of situation. Frankly, negotiating trade deals in the open is difficult precisely because trade usually creates winners and losers. Protected groups, like Europe's coddled farmers, are on the losing end of liberalization, but ALL citizens when with liberalization with falling food prices. But in an open negotiation the future beneficiaries have neither interest nor motivation to fight for their small price improvements, but the protected industry has every reason to marshal all its resources to spread FUD. And this is what happens all the time. Right now I'm witnessing car dealerships in America spreading FUD about Tesla. Right now I'm witnessing taxi companies spreading FUD about Uber/Lyft. Hilton and other hotel chains are spreading FUD about AirBnB. Always there is some cosmetic argument about some social protection, but it never stands up to scrutiny. The logic of protecting EU farmers from competition rests on the concept of preservation of traditional landscapes, traditional ways of life, etc. But nobody analyzes the total cost placed on urban dwellers in EU to sustain these quaint things. If the true accounting is made and everyone is aware of the costs its one thing ... but rather the true costs are hidden behind layers of obfuscation, and people only suspect something is badly wrong when they come to Asia or America and see how cheap food actually is on the world market. Being vigilant against corporate abuse doesn't mean you fall for every bullshit anti-establishment flavored FUD pushed by people trying to enforce the status quo so their favorite little protected industry survives.