[Language warning, might not be suitable for work]

Episode Two of the Moment of Clarity Show: Have you heard of the Trans-Pacific Partnership? The lobbyist-penned trade deal that could give global corporations the right to sue America for getting in the way of their profits? It's larger than NAFTA and Obama is a fan.

This episode features well-known activists Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese.

Activists gathered Sunday in Leesburg, Virginia, to protest covert negotiations of the Trans Pacific Partnership. "People think Citizens United was bad?" one demonstrator said. "You ain't seen nothing yet. The TPP is the most dystopian agreement that could possibly exist."

The TPP, a so-called "free trade" agreement, represents a threat even greater than the Citizens United ruling. Of the agreement's 30-something chapters, only two have to do with trade and the rest are a list of corporate giveaways. The TPP is being negotiated in secret and not even members of Congress and the Senate have access to the text. If implemented, this agreement will hardcode corporate dominance over sovereign governments into international law that will supercede any federal, state, or local laws of any member country. This document should set alarm bells ringing.

The Yes Men, along with Occupy Dallas, have struck again:

Two dozen rogue "delegates" disrupted the corporate-sponsored welcome gala for the high-stakes Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations yesterday with a fake award ceremony and "mic check." Other activists, meanwhile, replaced hundreds of rolls of toilet paper (TP) throughout the conference venue with more informative versions, and projected a message on the venue's facade.

The first action began when a smartly-dressed man approached the podium immediately after the gala's keynote speech by Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative and former mayor of Dallas. The man (local puppeteer David Goodwin) introduced himself as "Git Haversall," president of the "Texas Corporate Power Partnership," and announced he was giving Kirk and other U.S. trade negotiators the "2012 Corporate Power Tool Award," which "Haversall's" partner held aloft.

The crowd of negotiators and corporate representatives applauded, and "Haversall" continued: "I'd like to personally thank the negotiators for their relentless efforts. The TPP agreement is shaping up to be a fantastic way for us to maximize profits, regardless of what the public of this nation—or any other nation—thinks is right."

At that point, the host of the reception took the microphone back and announced that the evening's formal programming had concluded. But Mr. Haversall confidently re-took the microphone and warmly invited Kirk to accept the award.

Kirk moved towards the stage, but federal agents blocked his path to protect him from further embarrassment. At that point, a dozen well-dressed "delegates" (local activists, some from Occupy Dallas) broke into ecstatic dance and chanted "TPP! TPP! TPP!" for several minutes until Dallas police arrived.

Continue reading »