Sold Down the River

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Sold Down the River
A song by Jack Chernos©1999 Jack Chernos

The President signed the GATT treaty into law
Fast-tracked through Congress with only hours of debate
We've ceded our authority in the blink of an eye
To a group of corporations that have purchased the right
They call it 'free' trade, I'll tell you what that means
You can have your unions here, but the factory is overseas
Putting poisons in the water and paying pennies
We're being sold down the river to the WTO
Sold down the river, sold down the river
Sold down the river to the WTO!
They're meeting in Seattle to plan the next century
And we need to be there in the streets
When the size of corporations exceeds the finances of nations
The democratic process can not compete
They call it 'free' trade, and I'll tell you what that means
Your health and safety laws, democratically made
Can be challenged from abroad as barriers to foreign trade
We're being sold down the river to the WTO
Sold down the river, sold down the river
Sold down the river to the WTO!

Notes

Many thanks to Jack Chernos for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection

Jack writes: " "Sold Down the River" is the song that was played in continuous-loop from the Steelworkers' billboard truck for five days on the streets of Seattle during the tear gas-shrouded WTO protests of 1999."

For sheet music and sound clips visit Jack's website: http://www.department-of-justice.org/

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