No wonder the Obama regime kept the Trans-Pacific Partnership secret as long as it could. It’s far worse than even its greatest critics imagined: 5,544 pages of bureaucratese that will help only international lawyers and big companies, while slamming small companies and middle-class workers in America.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll need to know if, for example, you’re an Ohio auto parts company who wants to export to Japanese auto companies. Excuse the bureaucratese, but this actually is one of the simpler parts:

Introductory Note for the ANNEX II of Japan

In the interpretation of a reservation, all elements of the reservation shall be considered. The “Description” element shall prevail over all other elements.

For the purposes of this Annex, the term “JSIC” means Japan Standard Industrial Classification set out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and revised in October 2013.

Say what?

This is from a section a little further down:

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the central level of the Government of Japan will not adopt any prohibition, limitation or measure referred to in paragraph 1 by new laws or regulations following the initial transfer from the central level of government of Japan to an investor of the interests or assets referred to in paragraph 1. For greater certainty, the central level of government of Japan can maintain such prohibition, limitation or measure that is adopted or maintained at the initial transfer.

There also are sections in foreign languages. And numerous pages have posted at the top:

Subject to Legal Review in English, Spanish and French for Accuracy, Clarity and Consistency Subject to Authentication of English, Spanish and French Versions

This is advertised as a “free trade” treaty, but it isn’t that. A free trade treaty, or a treaty with tariffs, only would list the countries involved and the tariffs on each. A couple of simple pages. An appendix would list sensitive military technologies, such as nuclear triggers, that could not be exported. That’s it.

Instead, the TPP is treaty of, by and for Crony Capitalists and international law experts. The experts’ fees begin at $500 per hour, plus expenses for junkets to Singapore, Tokyo, Brunei, etc.

Obamacare was “only” 2,700 pages – so many even the U.S. Supreme Court griped about the length. Too bad the court didn’t then heave the whole unconstitutional mess out the window, instead of approving it, twice. And Obamacare was so complicated then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Pyongyang) said, “We have to pass the bill before you can see what’s in it.”

Yet TPP is more than twice as long as Obamacare.

The TPP’s critics, especially Sen. Jeff Sessions, were right along about this monstrosity. As Sessions said about the release of the TPP:

The text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership runs 5,554 pages. This is, by definition, anti-democratic. No individual American has the resources to ensure his or her economic and political interests are safeguarded within this vast global regulatory structure. The predictable and surely desired result of the TPP is to put greater distance between the governed and those who govern. It puts those who make the rules out of reach of those who live under them, empowering unelected regulators who cannot be recalled or voted out of office. In turn, it diminishes the power of the people’s bulwark: their constitutionally-formed Congress.

It’s not to late. Congress still can axe the TPP – all 5,554 pages of it.