Trip Savings

I’m just back from two car-free weeks in Maryland/Washington DC. My local transport costs.

  1. $24 round trip (fossil fuel powered) bus fare to DIA
  2. $20 round trip (fossil fuel powered) Metro fare from DCA
  3. $60 (fossil fuel powered) taxis
  4. $10 (fossil fuel powered) Marc train
  5. $10 Bicycle brake pads

Total $124

Had I used cars :

  1. $20 round trip driving to DIA
  2. $120 parking at DIA
  3. $500 car rental DCA

Total $640

I saved over $500 and was happy on my bicycle vs. miserable in the traffic. Plus the airport buses are much more convenient than driving.

About Tony Heller

Just having fun
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41 Responses to Trip Savings

  1. Robertv says:

    How much longer does it take to get from A to B ?

    • Marvin Zinn says:

      Hey, time ain’t worth nothing, unless you are paid for some activity.

    • saveenergy says:

      He’d have been quicker without brake pads….. & would have saved $10 (:~()

    • Airport trips are much faster by bus

      • AndyG55 says:

        And you don’t have to find and pay for parking !!

      • Ernest Bush says:

        Amen to that. We did rent a car in September of 2014 after flying into BWI. Car rental was horrendous at the airport with a huge additional fee and we had a 20 minute bus ride from the terminal to the car rental place both coming and going. Driving to actual terminal parking appeared to be a suicide run to me. We should have taken a bus to Laurel at the terminal and rented the car we needed locally there. Our trip from the BWI area by car was no faster than the bus ride would have been due to ridiculously heavy traffic. Without our Garmin I don’t think we would have ever found Laurel.

        Next time we visit Williamsburg we will fly into and out of Raleigh or Richmond.

        • Nobama says:

          The legislature here in the Emerald state added fat fees to car rentals to pay for a stadium to give free, to Paul Allen, the billionaire. To exempt oneself from this Billionaire charity, travelers must grab a bus into town, and rent a car – I just checked…for half as much. Parking fees are just as bad. I started parking my car in Renton, near the bus facility. Then I grab a bus to the airport. This works well when your stay is long.

  2. gator69 says:

    I saved at least four hours by not riding my bike today. Now I have time to do chores and maybe even a little target practice before it gets dark.

    • Gail Combs says:

      Today I didn’t take out a gaggle of cyclists clogging the road on a blind curve with my truck and trailer.

      Given the twisty country roads the cycle clubs choose to ride on around here and the fact they run in packs of 25 to 100 close packed bikes, I am expecting to read that a driver managed to kill and injure several of them. The roads are marked 55 mph and have a decent amount of traffic so it is just a matter of time before someone has to decide on whether to have a head on collision with a combined speed of 110 mph, flip his car in the steep ditchs and jam it into the big pines that line them or take out a bunch of bikers like they were bowling pins. Or a combination of the three.

      Coming around a blind curve and seeing a group like this stretched out in front of me for a 100 feet or more scares me witless!

      http://bccutah.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Tricky-Treat-Group-2014-1140×460.jpg

      Bicyclist injuries in 2013 were 48,000 with an increase in bicyclist injuries between 2001 and 2011 of 8.9 percent. The average age of bicyclists killed in crashes with motor vehicles continues to increase, climbing to 44 years old in 2013. 83 percent of those killed were male. 20 percent of bicyclists killed had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 g/dL or higher.

      The data is pretty rotten since much is never actually reported.

      Both my husband and I used to do a lot of cycling but the roads are now too crowded and the drivers too nasty. I would certainly never cycle with in a crowd like that. It offers false security and allows no room for error.

      • gator69 says:

        I am fortunate that even as remote as I am, I still have a wonderful network of bike trails available to me, just a few country miles from the house. My road has very little traffic and is too rough for driving fast, which makes it a good safe route that is used by bike clubs on weekends. My state’s largest park is just 7 miles up the trail from me, I enjoy recreational cycling, and have no issues with other cyclists except when they insist on playing in traffic. The main trail here follows a National Scenic Byway and is a terrific ride, yet some cyclists insist on sharing the road with 18 wheelers, a road which is on average about 6 feet from the damn trail. Given the number of rubbernecking winery visiting tourists and cyclists sharing this road, I am surprised more people don’t end up spandexed roadkill.

        • Gail Combs says:

          Gator, I was driving home from my daily run around the reservoir in Rochester NY which had a great path for running. Not a half mile from that trail I watched the driver coming toward me take down a runner.

          There was a stone wall going up the hill at one edge of the road and a stone wall going down on the other edge with barely enough room for two cars to pass without exchanging mirrors and that fool was running in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic.

          The car just took out the guys leg but I felt very sorry for the driver. I am afraid some people deserve the Darwin Award it is just too bad they traumatize someone else when they earn it.

          This is the Reservoir

          http://scaredycatfilms.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/reservoir-300×225.jpg

  3. itsnotco2 says:

    Joanne Nova asked on her climate blog for this one-sentence summary of my book and paper on core and surface temperatures:

    THE HYPOTHESIS TURNS PLANETS AND MOONS INSIDE OUT, PROVING THAT THEY ARE NOT COOLING FROM THE CORE OUTWARDS, BUT WARMING FROM THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE INWARDS, SO THAT WE FIND THAT THE SUN IS IN FACT MAINTAINING ALL TEMPERATURES FROM THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE TO THE CORE.

    There is more detail in this comment and in comments starting here on the previous Weekend Unthreaded. Also see my blog: https://itsnotco2.wordpress.com

  4. Krakatoa says:

    Until the gov bans private transpo, I will drive my own vehicle no matter how inconvenient, or how much it costs. Since I was a child, driving meant freedom. I’ll take freedom til my last breath.

    • Robertv says:

      There is no ‘freedom’ in driving a car. Big Brother is following you wherever you go here in Europe.
      http://www.bnr.nl/incoming/602673-1306/trajectcontrole-a2-578.jpg/ALTERNATES/i/trajectcontrole-a2-578.jpg

      • Robertv says:

        Of course in the name of ‘safety’. The world wide Big Brother spider web.

      • Gail Combs says:

        China now owns significant public infrastructure in the contiguous United States and has requested public land and “special economic zones” free from U.S. labor controls as collateral on future loans. — http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/18f4530c-1e54-11de-830b-00144feabdc0.html

        • Gail Combs says:

          You need to go to the wayback machine for the article
          https://web.archive.org/web/20090408071635/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/18f4530c-1e54-11de-830b-00144feabdc0.html

          This is not the first article I have seen that the USA is selling off its public works.

          The Department of Homeland Security says 80% of our ports are operated by Foreigners and they are buying and running US bridges and toll roads.
          http://www.alabamaeagle.org/issues.asp?action=form&formID=2105&recordID=131006

          (May be on wayback but server is down)
          >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
          OUR FOOD SUPPLY:

          “Cattle crossing facilities on the U.S. side of the border are operated primarily by private firms (in Arizona and Columbus, NM) and the Texas Department of Agri- culture. However, at Santa Teresa, NM, Chihuahuan cattle producers operate both sides of the cattle port-of-entry”
          http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/Agoutlook/june2001/AO282d.pdf

          THE RESULT of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Ag that bans quarantine:

          . Dr. Logan. pointed out that, in the early l900s, nearly five percent of U.S. cattle herds were infected with TB. Today, she said, the disease is extremely rare in U.S. herds. However, more TB-lesioned cattle are being detected at slaughter, and ear tags indicate that many of these animals are of Mexican origin.” http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/news/pr/2002/302TBMx.pdf

          …“The high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Mexican cattle was discussed. A multiagency investigation in New York city identified 35 cases of human M. bovis infection. Fresh cheese from Mexico was identified as the likely source of infection” (Winters et al., 2005). http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/science/riskprofiles/FW0320_Mbovis_in_meat_final_May_2006.pdf

          In response to the importing of TB infected cattle the USDA CUT testing to one tenth!
          A chart shows how USDA cut back testing after WTO was created and addressed farming in 1995.

          ………….Summary of Tuberculosis Surveillance in California Cattle
          # of Cattle Tested……..1995…..1996 …..1997…….1998……1999.. …2000…….2001
          By Health Officials..10,576….5,100…..2,861.. .. 3,530…..1,425. …1,967…….2,500
          By Private Vets……..15,921…17,100…19,930.. .18,189…22,863. .19,930…..19,587
          at Slaughter……………….39……….58………64………..39……….58……….64……… 385

          Additionally, it is anticipated that both New Mexico and California will lose their TB “free” status in 2008, from AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN: FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 2009-2013 PERIOD BY TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION
          >>>>>>>>>>>>>

      • gator69 says:

        One more reason not to live in Europe. Looks like my ancestors were right.

      • Gail Combs says:

        Gator, they just put up those cameras on the I-540 loop around Raleigh NC so they are in the USA

        Here are the locations of cameras in the Raleigh area:
        http://www.wral.com/traffic/

        They call them ‘public safety cameras’ — Phillipsburg NJ Police Department
        http://www.pburgpolice.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/CCTV-Security-Camera-Phillipsburg-Police-Department-960×540.jpg

        • gator69 says:

          That’s nice, we have none of that nonsense out here. I chose wisely, just like my ancvestors.

        • gator69 says:

          My brother lives near DC, and has to put up with Big Brother’s monitoring on the roadways. You could not pay me to live on either coast.

        • Gail Combs says:

          Gator, it is even worse than I thought. I just stumbled over this.

          Did the UN Really Install a Global Police Force at the Local Level?

          http://www.thedailysheeple.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/UN-police-state.jpg

          the launch was announced on the margins of U.N. General Assembly in New York on September 29 by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. [Now doesn’t that give you the warm fuzzies?] To a lot of people, that match-up doesn’t bode well. The Keynote address came from U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.

          All cities are encouraged by them to join up, but the major U.S. cities that are currently a part of it are actually among the founding “Steering” committee. New York, Denver, Atlanta and Minneapolis are among the couple dozen founding cities across the world. They will all “steer” simultaneous action among city authorities and officials. And while SCN tries to portray itself as for the little guy, that couldn’t be further from the truth if you really browse around their website and cut through the B.S. language. Citizens will have virtually nothing to do with their decisions and actions unless they are of high community affluence. Just look at the information of their first global summit and see who it’s intended for and who will speak.

          SCN’s Internation Advisory Board is run by by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) which considers itself a leading international “think-and-do” tank. It began as The Club of Three, started in the mid-1990s by Lord Weidenfeld. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue was created in 2006 as an umbrella organization and also created initiatives like Against Violent Extremism, Extreme Dialogue, Counter Extremism and European Muslim Women of Influence.

          October 2 2015 — Obama Administration and UN Announce Global Police Force to Fight ‘Extremism’ In U.S.

          On Wednesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced at the United Nations that her office would be working in several American cities to form what she called the Strong Cities Network (SCN), a law enforcement initiative that would encompass the globe.

          The United Nations is a sharia-compliant world body….. So will the UN, driven largely by the sharia-enforcing Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the pro-Islamic post-American President Obama, use a “global police force” to crush counter-jihad forces?

          What is a global police force doing in our cities? This is exactly the abdication of American sovereignty that I warned about in my book, The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration’s War on America. The Obama Department of Justice made it clear that it was exactly that when it distributed a press release last week announcing the “Launch of Strong Cities Network to Strengthen Community Resilience Against Violent Extremism.” …

          Lynch made the global (that is, United Nations) involvement clear when she added: “As we continue to counter a range of domestic and global terror threats, this innovative platform will enable cities to learn from one another, to develop best practices and to build social cohesion and community resilience here at home and around the world.”

          This internationalist character was brought to the fore by the fact that the Strong Cities Network was launched on September 29 not at the White House or the Department of Homeland Security, or at the FBI headquarters or anywhere else that might be fitting for a national project, but at the United Nations.….

          Assert American sovereignty and individual rights. Contact your representatives now. Exhort them to oppose SCN now. Exhort them to keep America free – while it still is.

          This is NOT fighting TERRORISM but EXTREMISM. The US defense department defined EXTREMISM.
          The whole document was obtained by Judicial Watch.
          http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-defense-department-teaching-documents-suggest-mainstream-conservative-views-extremist/

          D. Extremist Ideologies
          1. Introduction
          • As noted, an ideology is a set of political beliefs about the nature of people and society. People who are committed to an ideology seek not only to persuade but to recruit others to their belief. In U.S. history, there are many examples of extremist ideologies and movements. The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule…

          2. Ideologies
          a. Nationalism – The policy of asserting that the interests of one’s own nation are separate from the interests of other nations or the common interest of all nations. Many nationalist groups take it a step further and believe that their national culture and interests are superior to any other national group.

          b. Supremacy – The belief that one’s race or ethnicity is superior to all others and should dominate society. Supremacy, as with racial supremacies in general, has frequently resulted in anti-Black and anti-Semitic violence.

          c. Separatism – Setting oneself or others apart based on culture, ethnicity, race, or religion.

          d. Anarchism – A political ideology that considers the state to be unnecessary, harmful, or undesirable. National anarchists appeal to youths in part by avoiding the trappings of skinhead culture—light jackets, shaved heads, and combat boots—in favor of hooded sweatshirts and bandanas. They act the part of stereotypical anarchists as envisioned by most Americans outside of far-left circles: black-clad protesters wreaking havoc at political conventions and anti-globalization rallies.

          e. Religion – Extremist ideology based on intolerance toward other religions.…..

          So it is all about making patriotic, anti-globalization, Anti-illegal immigration people criminals.

          VERY, VERY, scary. We are to be shoved into a world government whether or not we wish it with no say and no vote.

        • gator69 says:

          Once again, where I live that will not fly. I moved out of the city many years ago because I saw the writing on the filthy alley wall. If people are intelligent, have the means, and love their liberties, they will move away from the communist bedlam of the urban jungles.

        • Gail Combs says:

          Possibly the most horrifying thing I’ve ever heard from the leader of a supposedly free nation:

          “For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens: as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone.” – David Cameron

        • Gail Combs says:

          Gator, my question is how long can Flyover Country hold out against a corrupt government with international backing?

          Canada-U.S. pact allows cross-border military activity — Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other’s borders during an emergency,

          …More recently, the Obama administration even invited “Airborne Assault” terror troops from Russia to train on U.S. soil in Colorado last year. “The Russian soldiers are here as invited guests of the U.S. government; this is part of a formal bilateral exchange program between the U.S. and Russia that seeks to develop transparency and promote defense reform,”

          Legislation mandating the establishment of “national emergency centers” to be located on military installations.
          The purpose of such facilities is to provide “temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency or major disaster,” the expansion of which under FEMA is codified under HR 645, otherwise known as the National Emergency Centers Act.
          https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/hr645/text

          January 30, 2004, Bush signed Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9, “to defend the agriculture and food system against terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies.” USDA’s Jeremy Stump, says, “It’s from farm to fork.” The order covers animals and crops – the entire food supply chain – and includes shared operations with the CIA. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/04/terror/main597948.shtml

          Executive Orders don’t define what specifically constitutes a national emergency.

          executive order 10998
          From Disaster Center
          http://www.disastercenter.com/laworder/10998.htm

          Executive Order 10998 — ASSIGNING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUNCTIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

          By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, including authority vested in me by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958 (72 Stat. 1799), it is hereby ordered as follows:

          SECTION 1. Scope. The Secretary of Agriculture (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) shall prepare national emergency plans and develop preparedness programs covering: Food resources, farm equipment, fertilizer, and food resource facilities, as defined below; rural fire control; defense against biological warfare, chemical warfare, and radiological fallout pertaining to agricultural activities; and rural defense information and education. These plans and programs shall be designed to develop a state of readiness in these areas with respect to all conditions of national emergency, including attack upon the United States….

          More here: Can Our Government Really Tell Us How Much Food and Supplies We Can Keep? — The short answer is YES

          SWAT teams are now ROUTINELY used often on “misdemeanors and nonserious felonies.” SEE: Who’s to Blame for Battlefield America? Is It Militarized Police or the Militarized Culture?

          Comment a few years ago from another site

          I work in a large school district. Even though we are unable to find any illegals, our school district is about to install a magnetic card reader that will screen parents in just a minute and let the authorities know if they are wanted for anything. We also have a police officer on duty so we can arrest them post haste. Isn’t this Big Brother watching and gaining power under the heading of “public service?”

        • gator69 says:

          The further out you move, the longer you have. I will likely die a relatively free man.

        • Gail Combs says:

          That is my hope too.

          I also am hoping the rank and file is not as brainwashed as the Nazi youth was.

          Big problem for the Regressives is the military is mainly Fly-over country patriots and not pansywaist leftists. The troops may be inner city types serving in the military instead of prison but they are usually apolitical and not in favor of removal of the right to bare arms.

          They are hoping to redirect the loyalty of the police via Fusion Centers.

          The Soviet Union found the best bet was using troops foreign to the area so there was no sympathy for the civilians. With the internet, that is not as easily done.

        • gator69 says:

          … the right to bare arms.

          Surprisingly, Michelle is a big proponent of the right to bare arms.

          http://www.livinthefitlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MichelleObamaArms-300×190.jpg

        • Gail Combs says:

          Gator,

          It occurs to me the drive in the USA to control ALL frontage on rivers under the guise of wildlife corridors, may have military implications…

        • gator69 says:

          Gail, it is far more sinister and simpler than that. In fact you stated it in your comment, it is about “control”. Period.

        • AndyG55 says:

          Pat Connell let’s fly

          https://youtu.be/TIfMAP4Q1yk

        • Gail Combs says:

          Shooters Grill has the answer to the problem Pat is talking about

          https://www.youtube.com/embed/AhH25xLkvz8

          And of course CNN is Outraged Over Armed Waitresses

          Love the first comment.
          “And this is why I always say no to going onto TV, you will get ambushed with bullshit like this. Reporter went full retard.”

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXNDwy0VSfg

          Note that CNN is owned by Prince Alwaleed Ibn Talal the Saudi billionaire
          AOL Time Warner is owned by Prince Alwaleed Ibn Talal the Saudi billionaire. Alwaleed already has high-profile stakes in media groupsNews Corp, Time Warner (CNN’s parent company), and Walt Disney.“

          Now wonder we get fed the islam is the religion of peace pig feces!

        • catweazle666 says:

          Seen this, Gail?

          Replacement Migration:
          Is It a Solution to Declining and Ageing Populations?

          United Nations projections indicate that over the next 50 years, the populations of virtually all countries of Europe as well as Japan will face population decline and population ageing. The new challenges of declining and ageing populations will require comprehensive reassessments of many established policies and programmes, including those relating to international migration.

          Focusing on these two striking and critical population trends, the report considers replacement migration for eight low-fertility countries (France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States) and two regions (Europe and the European Union). Replacement migration refers to the international migration that a country would need to offset population decline and population ageing resulting from low fertility and mortality rates.

          http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/migration/migration.htm

        • Gail Combs says:

          Thanks,

          I am aware of the low birthrate problem. The Regressives created the problem with all their Population bomb preaching.

          E.M. Smith has several essays on the subject.

  5. Gail Combs says:

    Grumble that did not display well.
    Summary of Tuberculosis Surveillance in California Cattle
    # of Tested……1995…..1996……2000…..2001
    By Officials…10,576….5,100…..1,967….2,500
    By Vets……..15,921…17,100….19,930…19,587
    Slaughter…………39………58……….64……..385

    So much for the food SAFETY modernization Act. As usual the name is the opposite of the intent.
    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    MORE:

    , March 5, 2003
    Up for grabs at the negotiating table is worldwide privatization and deregulation of public energy and water utilities, postal services, higher education and state alcohol distribution controls; a new right for foreign firms to obtain U.S. Small Business Administration loans; elimination of a list of specific U.S. state laws about land use, professional licensing and consumer protections, and extreme deregulation of private-sector service industries such as insurance, banking, mutual funds and securities…
    [Lots of other good info]
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131207015630/http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0305-02.htm

    And what do you know… it wasn’t a lie.

    Thursday they just released the 5,544-page text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership The agreement involving 12 countries comprises nearly 40 percent of global economic output and is modeled after the European Union that destroyed national sovereignty in Europe.

    I did read ALL of the Obummercare bill and the Food Safety Modernization bill but I just don’t have the will to read this monstrosity.
    Instead I read Synopsis FROM THE US GOVERNMENT This of course will gloss over the really nasty stuff but it is bad enough.

    First
    ENFORCEMENT
    The enforcement applies to ALL treaties the US has signed and probably any presidential agreements since those are considered treaties under international law even if they are not under US law.

    DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

    The Dispute Settlement chapter is intended to allow Parties to expeditiously address disputes between them over implementation of the TPP. ….TPP Parties aim to have these disputes resolved through impartial, unbiased panels. … hearings will be open to the public unless the disputing Parties otherwise agree, and the final report presented by panels will also be made available to the public. Panels will consider requests from non-governmental entities located in the territory of any disputing Party to provide written views regarding the dispute to panels during dispute settlement proceedings.

    Should consultations fail to resolve an issue, Parties may request establishment of a panel, which would be established within 60 days after the date of receipt of a request for consultations or 30 days after the date of receipt of a request related to perishable goods. Panels will be composed of three international trade and subject matter experts independent of the disputing Parties, with procedures available to ensure that a panel can be composed even if a Party fails to appoint a panelist within a set period of time. These panelists will be subject to a code of conduct to ensure the integrity of the dispute settlement mechanism. … The final report must be presented no later than 30 days after the presentation of the initial report and must be made public within 15 days, subject to the protection of any confidential information in the report.

    To maximize compliance, the Dispute Settlement chapter allows for the use of trade retaliation (e.g., suspension of benefits), if a Party found not to have complied with its obligations fails to bring itself into compliance with its obligations. Before use of trade retaliation, a Party found in violation can negotiate or arbitrate a reasonable period of time in which to remedy the breach….

    CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN SERVICES

    Given the growing importance of services trade to TPP Parties, the 12 countries share an interest in liberalized trade in this area….market access, which provides that no TPP country may impose quantitative restrictions on the supply of services (e.g., a limit on the number of suppliers or number of transactions) ….TPP Parties accept these obligations on a “negative-list basis,” meaning that their markets are fully open to services suppliers from TPP countries….TPP Parties agree to permit free transfer of funds related to the cross-border supply of a service. In addition, the chapter includes a professional services annex encouraging cooperative work on licensing recognition and other regulatory issues, and an annex on express delivery services.

    TPP Parties share an interest in accessing each other’s large government procurement markets through transparent, predictable, and non-discriminatory rules….

    And what about our government services like the Post Office, drivers license bureau… Can’t leave those out.

    …In addition to updating traditional approaches to issues covered by previous free trade agreements (FTAs), the TPP incorporates new and emerging trade issues and cross-cutting issues. These include issues related to the Internet and the digital economy, the participation of state-owned enterprises in international trade and investment…

    How about Immigration? And the adding of other countries without the approval of Congress?

    …. The TPP facilitates the development of production and supply chains, and seamless trade, enhancing efficiency and supporting our goal of creating and supporting jobs, raising living standards, enhancing conservation efforts, and facilitating cross-border integration, as well as opening domestic markets.

    Platform for regional integration. The TPP is intended as a platform for regional economic integration and designed to include additional economies across the Asia-Pacific region.

    TEMPORARY ENTRY FOR BUSINESS PERSONS

    …The Temporary Entry for Business Persons chapter encourages authorities of TPP Parties to provide information on applications for temporary entry, to ensure that application fees are reasonable, and to make decisions on applications and inform applicants of decisions as quickly as possible. TPP Parties agree to ensure that information on requirements for temporary entry are readily available to the public, including by publishing information promptly and online if possible, and providing explanatory materials. The Parties agree to ongoing cooperation on temporary entry issues such as visa processing. Almost all TPP Parties have made commitments on access for each other’s business persons, which are in country-specific annexes.

    • Gail Combs says:

      The Trans-Pacific Partnership has not yet been ratified so we still have time to scream bloody murder.

      The Trans-Pacific Partnership: The Uncertain Path from Agreement to Ratification to Implementation

      It clinches the CAGW low carbon deals too BTW. In other words it is an agreement to implement Agenda 21 dressed up to look like a trade treaty. They just call Agenda 21 “…conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and transition to low-emissions and resilient economies. “

      ENVIRONMENT

      As home to a significant portion of the world’s people, wildlife, plants and marine species, TPP Parties share a strong commitment to protecting and conserving the environment, including by working together to address environmental challenges, such as pollution, illegal wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, illegal fishing, and protection of the marine environment….
      They reaffirm their commitment to implement the multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) they have joined. The Parties commit to provide transparency in environmental decision-making, implementation and enforcement….. Finally, the Parties commit to cooperate to address matters of joint or common interest, including in the areas of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and transition to low-emissions and resilient economies.

      This treaty literally strips the USA of sovereignty and allows totalitarian rule by Corporations and bureaucrats with a bit of help from NGOs to add a veneer of ‘democracy.’

      Back to the DISPUTE SETTLEMENT

      ….TPP Parties aim to have these disputes resolved through impartial, unbiased panels. … Panels will consider requests from non-governmental entities located in the territory of any disputing Party to provide written views regarding the dispute to panels during dispute settlement proceedings.

      Panels will be composed of three international trade and subject matter experts independent of the disputing Parties, with procedures available to ensure that a panel can be composed even if a Party fails to appoint a panelist within a set period of time. These panelists will be subject to a code of conduct to ensure the integrity of the dispute settlement mechanism.

      To maximize compliance, the Dispute Settlement chapter allows for the use of trade retaliation (e.g., suspension of benefits), if a Party found not to have complied with its obligations fails to bring itself into compliance with its obligations. Before use of trade retaliation, a Party found in violation can negotiate or arbitrate a reasonable period of time in which to remedy the breach….

      • Robertv says:

        5,544-pages.

        God just needed 3 tablets.

        https://youtu.be/I48hr8HhDv0

      • Gail Combs says:

        America’s Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution

        ….Laws and regulations nowadays are longer than ever because length is needed to specify how people will be treated unequally. For example, the health care bill of 2010 takes more than 2,700 pages to make sure not just that some states will be treated differently from others because their senators offered key political support, but more importantly to codify bargains between the government and various parts of the health care industry, state governments, and large employers about who would receive what benefits (e.g., public employee unions and auto workers) and who would pass what indirect taxes onto the general public. The financial regulation bill of 2010, far from setting univocal rules for the entire financial industry in few words, spends some 3,000 pages (at this writing) tilting the field exquisitely toward some and away from others. Even more significantly, these and other products of Democratic and Republican administrations and Congresses empower countless boards and commissions arbitrarily to protect some persons and companies, while ruining others. Thus in 2008 the Republican administration first bailed out Bear Stearns, then let Lehman Brothers sink in the ensuing panic, but then rescued Goldman Sachs by infusing cash into its principal debtor, AIG. Then, its Democratic successor used similarly naked discretionary power (and money appropriated for another purpose) to give major stakes in the auto industry to labor unions that support it. Nowadays, the members of our ruling class admit that they do not read the laws. They don’t have to. Because modern laws are primarily grants of discretion, all anybody has to know about them is whom they empower….

        Best article I have seen that describes American Politics.

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