January 26th, 2007 by CD
Anyone who has visited China in the early 1990’s and has returned today to see China can certainly tell you, that the Chinese economy has grown enormously. China reported on January 25, 2006 that its economy grew at its fastest rate in a decade 10.7%. China has managed to raise incomes in southwestern china in provinces like Yunnan and Sichuan which have historically been behind the eastern provinces. According to the Chinese Statistical Agency “urban Chinese households grew 10.4 percent in real terms last year, while those in the countryside rose 7.4 percent.” Rural incomes are “still at a comparatively low level,” Xie said, though he stressed that compared with China’s historic poverty, “this is a great leap forward.” Government officials said that “China’s total economic output last year was $20.9 trillion.” Germany’s output was $3 trillion but in terms of growth it was only 2.5 percent which was below China’s.
The 10.7% growth in the economy sector means that China is closer to overtaking Germany as the world’s third largest economy. Furthermore, with China’s successfully launch of a missile designed to destroy satellites, China has further proven that it is “nobody’s puppy dog” especially that of the United States. In terms of the challenges that the U.S. faces due to its vulnerability of satellites that are now an easy target to Chinese missiles, the U.S. is in a “can do nothing” position. It’s response to the Chinese government was weak further demonstrating that the U.S. has no ability or control over what the Chinese government does.
Lastly, as the Chinese economy continues to grow, it can start focusing more on social developments in the rural area which is home to over 800 million people. The booming economy that is seen in places like Shanghai and Beijing must now be seen in the poorest of rural areas like Guizhou..
January 25th, 2007 by CD
The growing number of republicans who are either voicing their outright disapproval of the President’s new strategy in Iraq or voicing caution is growing. The conclusion that some have labeled as “unpatriotic” if congressmen show their lack of support for the president in a time of war is absolutely hogwash. The last time I heard, this country is still a democracy in which we have the right to sensible debates. It seems as though republicans have lost the will and to some degree common sense when it comes to foreign policy.
However, there are those republicans whether it be those who are running in the next presidential election or those that actually common sense who are voicing their disapproval for Mr. Bush’s policy in Iraq. One of those congressmen is Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) who gave a very good assessment/remark during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting on the resolution against the surge of troops.
Excerpt:
I don’t think we’ve ever had a coherent strategy. In fact, I would even challenge the administration today to show us the plan that the president talked about the other night. There is no plan. I happen to know that Pentagon planners were on their way to Central Com over the weekend — they haven’t even Team B’ed this plan…. There is no strategy. This is a ping-pong game with American lives…. We’d better be damned sure what we’re doing, all of us, before we put 22,000 more lives into that grinder…. and I want every one of you, every one of us, 100 senators to look in that camera, and you tell your people back home what you think. Don’t hide any more, none of us.”
Full transcript
hagel-transcript.doc
January 24th, 2007 by CD
Congress has failed in passing a minimum wage increase. The vote was sent to the Senate in which Senate lawmakers are requiring that the minimum wage increase include new tax breaks for restaurants and other businesses that have low-pay workers. The vote was 54-43 with a vote of 60 needed to pass.
This was partly done by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Devada who supports tax breaks. So with that, the middle class is once again no where closer to having a wage which represents inflation over time.
January 23rd, 2007 by CD
This year the President will speak once again to the American public on how much he is committed to social and economical development. Last year he boldly announced in his speech about developing alternative fuel from switchgrass and other sources. Well here we are in 2007 and no research or developments have been made in that area. The President is full of lies and empty promises. He is all talk and no action when it comes down to providing and enhancing middle and lower class Americans.
So, when he speaks tonight on how much he plans to do in terms on energy, social and economic developments, I would say “Mr. Bush, what exactly have you done for us in those areas. Did you not say the same thing last year and the year before that….?”
A report done by Jennifer Parker of ABC News found out the following on the empty promises of President Bush .
Promise Not Kept:
- Making Bush’s First-Term Tax Cuts Permanent
- Passing the Line-Item Veto
- Guest Worker Program
- Affordable Health Care
- Medical Liability Reform Legislation
- Baby Boomers Commission
- Make the Research and Development Tax Credit Permanent
- Pass Legislation to Ban Human Cloning
- Switch Grass and Other Fuel Technologies
- End Waiting Lists for AIDS Medicines in America
Now in all fairness he has made progress in the areas of hybrid car research and new technology for zero emission plants. It’s good that the Americans are investing hybrid car technology. But, in all honestly, we are far behind the Japanese in that area. The Japanese are at least 10 years ahead of American companies like Ford and GM with being able to produce efficient hybrid automobiles. One only needs to take a look at why Toyota and Honda are the best selling. Soon, Ford and GM will no longer be able to compete with better cars made from Japan.
In any event, I think we can be assured that the domestic issues that Mr. Bush is set to talk about tonight will be nothing more than a qwaking duck.
January 22nd, 2007 by CD
Access to safe drinking water is key to the livelihood of millions of people living in rural areas in the third world. The lack of a clean water facility not only affects the health of the family but also brings secondary affects along with it. For example, contaminated water has proven to slow income growth of families who drink it as oppose to families who have accessibility to safe drinking water.
UNICEF is one of the many organizations who provide economic and technical assistance to the third world. A reported done by UNICEF in 2003 indicated that only 41 percent of the country had access to proper bathroom facilities. Currently, UNICEF is working with the Vietnamese government to provide the proper water infrastructures to the poorest rural communities. Historically, the northern part of Vietnam has been the poorest compared to the south. A project which was recently completed, provided a clean water facility in Dai Phac village. Steve Nettleton of UNICEF “Dai Phac Commune takes water from a natural spring, purifies it and then pumps safe water directly to villagers’ homes. The system has made a dramatic improvement in the lives of people…”
Bringing awareness of the disadvantages that the people of the third world are faced with on a daily basis is a goal of mine. Please visit this link on how you can make a difference to the millions of people who live in poverty.
January 21st, 2007 by CD
Today, nearly half the world lives on less than two dollars a day. Because of this, certain medical conditions that could be alleviated are in regular occurrence. Approximatley 790 million people in the developing world are still chhronically chronically undernourished, almost two-thirds of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific. As a result of being undernourished children are born all over the world with a medical condition known as “cleft lip/palate“ The interesting fact of this is that the developing countries who show thousands of cleft lips a year could greatly be reduced by a 10 cent vitamin supplement. Yes, 10 cents. According to Global Issues “The world’s 497 billionaires in 2001 registered a combined wealth of $1.54 trillion, well over the combined gross national products of all the nations of sub-Saharan Africa ($929.3 billion) or those of the oil-rich regions of the Middle East and North Africa ($1.34 trillion). It is also greater than the combined incomes of the poorest half of humanity.”
Poverty in many developing countries is hindered by the lack of funds needed to ensure proper nourishment of its society. Although there are many reasons why cleft lips happen including genetics there should be no reason why millions of people are left with deformities like a cleft palate, blindness and even death just because they did not have access to 10 cent vitamins.
One organization which is dedicated to helping children with cleft lips and other medical conditions is the Doctors Without Borders Organization. They are committed to helping the under privilege who never have the opportunity either by means of economic or location constraints to see a doctor. For many children in countries like Vietnam, Doctors Without Borders maybe their only way of having a medical procedure done.
The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people. In my opinion a greater commitment must be done on both private citizens and governments to help alleviate global poverty. The deaths and medical conditions that come from being poor is an embarrassment to the wealthy governments and organizations who use their money for war and power. We truly live in a society that is fed by the Elitist theory. Will this ever change?
January 19th, 2007 by CD
It is amazing what one can do when going to work five days a week and putting legislations on the floor that will benefit middle class Americans and our national security interest. In the blitz that the democrats have coined the “First 100 hours,” the democrats have managed to do what the Republicans could not do nor care to do in 42 hours and 15 minutes.
Passed:
- Implement 9/11 Commission Recommendations
- Increase Minimum Wage
- Expand Stem Cell Research
- Negotiate lower Rx drug cost
- Cute interest rate on student loans
- End oil Subsidies and invest in renewal energy
This is an amazing accomplishment and a fulfillment of the democrat’s promises. Now it is up to Senate which is expected to be a tougher battle due to the close margin of a majority between democrats and republicans.
January 18th, 2007 by CD
Iraq for Sale is an amazing film about corporations and their influence within the U.S. government. How has Vice President Dick Chaney’s former company profited from the war in Iraq? Well, the connections are made in this 75 min film. The official press release about this film is:
Acclaimed director Robert Greenwald (Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, Outfoxed and Uncovered) takes you inside the lives of soldiers, truck drivers, widows and children who have been changed forever as a result of profiteering in the reconstruction of Iraq. Iraq for Sale uncovers the connections between private corporations making a killing in Iraq and the decision makers who allow them to do so.
This is a very striking and informative piece which I encourage each and everyone of you to watch. You can watch the trailer below and if interested either buy a copy here or download the movie here (real player format). You can also watch it online here.
What are your thoughts on the possible connection between private corporations and our government officials?
