(NaturalNews) The race to "globalize" — that is, offshore American economic power and assets — quickened recently with the finalization of a new trade deal that once again puts U.S. workers behind the eight ball.

As reported by The Washington Post, the Obama administration, after five years of negotiations, has come to an agreement with 11 other mostly Asian nations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal that is anything but the epitome of free-market capitalism — the economic model adopted by our founders and which has served to catapult the United States to become the world's No. 1 economy.

Understand first that this is not an economic model that Obama favors, so when he complains about opponents of this the trade deal being anti-capitalist or anti-globalist — which he has done — he is being disingenuous. With his policies — on the oil and gas industry (regulatory burdens and a refusal to approve the Keystone XL pipeline); the health industry (Obamacare); U.S. labor markets (enabled an influx of illegal immigrants); and the power industry (massive new regulations on coal) — Obama has repeatedly demonstrated he is no fan of capitalism and that his economic policies are in fact regressive, not progressive.

Which brings us to this new TPP deal. What exactly does it enable or accomplish for American workers and the U.S. economy?

According to the Post:

"Obama pledged that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the largest free-trade agreement in a generation, would open new markets for U.S. goods and services and establish rules of international commerce that give our workers the fair shot at success they deserve."

If only.

Boosting the economies of lagging countries

As reported by Bloomberg Business in June, U.S. manufacturing has been shifting away from Asian markets, in favor of nations doing business in our own hemisphere.

"If you wanted to figure out where Asian exports were headed, U.S. manufacturing data used to be a logical place to start. Not anymore," the financial news site reported, adding:

"The U.S. is buying more goods from neighbors such as Mexico instead of Asia, and the shale-gas boom has kept demand within the country, said Christy Tan, head of markets strategy for Asia at National Australia Bank Ltd. The recovery in the world's biggest economy is also more services-oriented this time, and some of the increase in wealth and employment is being used to pay off debt rather than on consumption, she said."

"Asia's definitely lagging behind the U.S. recovery, and so if you're talking about an export-led recovery, I'm afraid that's not happening in Asia," said Tan. "It's the structural shift in terms of the U.S. recovery where demand is now more domestic oriented."

So, really, is TPP more about lifting Asia's economy — given that Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, among others, are signatories whose exports to the U.S. have been falling?

Big Pharma will be a big winner

And what about Big Pharma? According to the Post, TPP affects global pharmacy trade. As Natural News has previously reported, the agreement will result in massive marketing of dangerous Big Pharma drugs with little recourse for the general public.

Independent investigative journalist Jon Rappaport noted specifically:

"Question: 'Who said that drug was safe? Where did that assessment come from? People are dropping like flies.'

"Answer: 'We all said it was safe. Remember? All twelve members of the TPP. We all agreed. So now we have to stick to our guns. Admit nothing. Keep your mouth shut.'

"This 'trade treaty,' the TPP, will, if passed, eventually morph into a close-knit international collective of government agencies that collaborate on medical-drug safety."

The winner, of course, will be Big Pharma, many firms of which are big donors to both major political parties in Washington.

Big Pharma help. Offshoring U.S. jobs. Boosting foreign exports and growth at the expense of the American worker. Sounds like a typical global trade "deal" American presidents and congresses since Bill Clinton and NAFTA have been making.

Sources:

WashingtonPost.com

NaturalNews.com

Bloomberg.com