That's nonsense. First of all, even during the "secret" negotiations, the current drafts were routinely leaked and widely discussed.
Second, there was an official release of the draft text on April 21, 2010. An updated "near-final" draft (which was quite close to the April 21 draft) was released on October 6, 2010. The final draft was released on November 15, 2010.
The idea that people are misinformed because a document that has been officially and readily available for nearly two years (and unofficially available long before that) was at one time years ago secret is ridiculous.
Right, so we have to rely on leaks in the future to get visibility on how our rights are being stripped away, this is the democratic process our predecessors shed blood for?
Am reminded of this passage from HHGTTG.
"But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months."
"Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything."
"But the plans were on display ..."
"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."
"That's the display department."
"With a flashlight."
"Ah, well the lights had probably gone."
"So had the stairs."
"But look, you found the notice didn't you?"
"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard'."
Second, there was an official release of the draft text on April 21, 2010. An updated "near-final" draft (which was quite close to the April 21 draft) was released on October 6, 2010. The final draft was released on November 15, 2010.
All of those drafts are readily available on the Office of the United States Trade Representative site: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/intellectual-property/anti-...
The idea that people are misinformed because a document that has been officially and readily available for nearly two years (and unofficially available long before that) was at one time years ago secret is ridiculous.