Letters: 6/2/16

Activism matters
Joel Dyer, in all his wisdom, did it again with the recent cover article [“The evolution of a movement,” May 19.] The two protests that Joel covered on May 12 and 14 were empowering. I was part of the BLM auction protest. Our meager group at the front of the Holiday Inn entrance didn’t look too forboding to the BLM plunderers stationed inside.

Then suddenly, the tide turned.

With great surprise and delight, a cavalry of protesters appeared from across the street, armed with their poetic signs of epic size, carried in formation and singing chants of rebellion. It was thrilling. Chill-up-the-spine thrilling. We had us a protest.

The massive crowd was focused and effective. Speakers spoke words of wisdom and outrage, people sang and chanted, and the police made an effort of intimidation, threatening arrest if we didn’t leave. We didn’t budge and they backed down.

The Thornton fracking pad protest on Saturday had its great glory as well. Though I wasn’t able to attend, I was moved by the people who stood up to the corporate henchmen once again, and won.

Bill Mckibbon was there lending his voice and then the courage of the impassioned protesters, ignoring repeated threats of arrest, planted their beautiful banner on the fracking site and taunted the police to put ’em in the paddy wagon.

The reaction? The paper tiger of authority ran with their tail between their legs back to the main road, no arrests made. We are growing leaders, they are growing weak. The outrage of the situation makes their position hard to defend, morally and ethically. We are voicing the pain of the earth and its inhabitants.

The latest hydra head of corporate greed is the secret TPP trade deal. Their investor-state dispute settlement kangaroo court will have the hyenas ripping apart the matrix of the earth, all legally of course. So, educate yourself, and show up to voice your outrage. It matters.
Martha McPherson /Boulder

Oil takes more than it gives
Government, industry and local chambers of commerce are throwing a lot of money against the petitions to get amendments 75 & 78 on the ballot this fall. These merchants of doubt are suggesting that the result of these amendments would have an adverse effect on Colorado jobs and economy. The reality could not be farther from their not-so-subtle suggestions. What would it do to Colorado’s economy if we lost the blue skies and clear mountain streams that bring tourist dollars here?

How many jobs would be lost if the tourist industry suffered because of our unhealthy air and water? What will happen to tourism when the views of the plains and mountains turn into views of drilling towers and the air smells like rotten eggs? If you really want to know the impact on our economy ask the people of Dickinson, North Dakota. Ask them what it did to their economy.

Read the article in The Atlantic, “A North Dakota Oil Boom Goes Bust.” Yes, be informed. Be truly informed by facts and don’t listen to the merchants of doubt who would have you sacrifice Colorado for a temporary boom for a few large investors and corporations as the sacrifice of your health and safety. Sign Yes on 75 & 78.
Jim Wilson/Longmont

Climate change policies threatened by TPP
Climate destruction is for real and time is running short. Scientists say the world must cut carbon emissions and kick our fossil fuel habit. Sadly, these efforts may be thwarted by corporate greed.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a gigantic new international economic agreement negotiated by 12 governments, and 600 corporate “advisers,” to facilitate unfettered corporate access to Pacific Rim resources and markets, including the U.S., under the rubric of “free trade.” It should be no surprise “climate change” is found nowhere in the 6,000 page agreement.

Rather, the TPP will double the number of foreign fossil fuel corporations able to challenge U.S. environmental policies in TPP “tribunals” empowered to overrule national legislation and bypass U.S. courts. Efforts to reduce carbon emissions, protect public health and promote clean energy will be subject to corporate attacks on an unprecedented scale.

Under the TPP, efforts by Boulder County or the state of Colorado to better protect public health and the environment from the ill effects of fracking will be vulnerable to suits by foreign corporations. If the corporations win, policies will have to change or taxpayers will be forced to pay compensation for lost future profits. The likely chilling effect is obvious.

The TPP will also mandate the unobstructed export of American natural gas to large markets in Japan and Singapore, ramping up fracking here at home with its associated climate and environmental impacts. And that’s not all. The TPP will make it easier to offshore U.S. manufacturing to more carbon intensive factories in Vietnam and Malaysia.

So, let’s not sacrifice our climate to satisfy corporate greed in the name of “free trade.” Please tell Congressman Polis (303-484-9596) to vote “No” on the TPP.
Linda Hardesty/Boulder

Currency manipulation under TPP
Several of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries manipulate their currencies to make their goods cheaper and U.S. goods more expensive. If the TPP passes, this practice will contribute significantly to the U.S. trade deficit and the loss of American jobs, particularly in manufacturing.

The Obama administration failed to include enforceable disciplines against currency manipulation in the TPP despite the facts that hundreds of congressional Democrats and Republicans demanded it. Why? Because key nations refused to sign the TPP if it had any curbs on currency manipulation.

Instead, the Obama administration issued a Joint Resolution that was not part of the TPP that was supposed to take care of the problem. The Joint Resolution is not connected to the TPP nor does it have an enforcement mechanism.

The Japanese government, a known currency manipulator, stated the Joint Agreement wouldn’t affect their currency policy. Ford Motor Company concurred that the Joint Declaration wouldn’t affect TPP countries’ currency manipulation.

This means that Japan and some other TPP countries will continue to manipulate their currencies, which will undermine American jobs and increase our trade deficit.

Congressman Jared Polis will be voting on the TPP. Currency manipulation is just one of the many reasons for him to vote against it. Please call him and let him know what you think: 303-484-9596.
Carolyn Bninski/Boulder