# Stupid Government Idea Of The Day

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-government-idea-of-the-day/714096>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [March 3, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-government-idea-of-the-day/714096 "2015-03-03T15:05:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-government-idea-of-the-day/714096/1 "2015-03-03T15:05:29Z")

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New thread, because some of them are neither [Republican](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=511831) nor [liberal](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=605448)

Take, for example, this excerpt (quoted verbatim without the slighest elision) from [the Administration’s defense](http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/26/investor-state-dispute-settlement-isds-questions-and-answers) of its efforts to push through a trade deal on “pass it if you want to find out what’s in it” terms:

> [@](#):
>
> The reality is that ISDS does not and cannot require countries to change any law or regulation. Looking more broadly, TPP will result in higher levels of labor and environmental protections in most TPP countries than they have today.

[Oopsie.](http://dilbert.com/strip/1995-10-02)

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-government-idea-of-the-day/714096/2 "2015-03-03T15:10:13Z")

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Incoherent post. Dismissed without prejudice.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-government-idea-of-the-day/714096/3 "2015-03-03T15:10:25Z")

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What’s the contradiction?

Something can result in something else without requiring it.

More broadly, ISDS can cause better labor and environmental protections abroad without also causing lowering of labor and environmental protections in the US.