[snowwrestler]

Secret: substance and existence is not intended to ever be disclosed. For example, PRISM, MUSCULAR, and other NSA progams revealed by Snowden.

Confidential: existence is well known, substance not disclosed.

In the case of the TPP, the existence is actually strongly publicized by the negotiators, and only the negotiations are confidential--the final text will be made public and debated in Congress.

What is happening right now is that groups that dislike the IP provisions of the TPP are attacking the process for the whole TPP--which is the standard process for any international agreement.

They are taking advantage of the fact that most people don't know, or don't think about, how these deals are always done. So they are able to scare people by using the word "secret".

I don't disagree that the IP stuff bears very close watching, and could be damaging. I just don't think it's a good idea to be so manipulative along the way.

[jdimov]

Oh, but it's ok for the USGOV and it's "free media" to be manipulative to an extent that would make any mafia boss blush?

[snowwrestler]

Did I say that? No.