Mass Media

Critics say TPP will enshrine corporate control of decisions previously subject to democratic processes--decisions over intellectual property, the environment,labor rights, food, telecommunications, finance and more. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) has called it "the largest corporate power grab you never heard of." He's right. Over 14 months--from January 2013 through February 2014--TPP was never covered in any detail by ABC, CBS or NBC. It was mentioned once on NBC's Meet the Press (2/23/14), where conservative David Brooks listed a "fast track trade deal across the Atlantic, across the Pacific" as one one several "gigantic, very good policies where there is majority support." On CBS's Face the Nation (2/2/14), White House chief of staff Denis McDonough touted it as a big job creator. But that's it.