Bailouts & Rescues Worldwide, But How About Africa Etc?
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Ireland has agreed to accept a massive infusion of bailout from the European Economic Union and the IMF, International Monetary Fund valued or estimated to be $130 billion dollars. Greece equally received hundreds of billions of dollars in bailouts, earlier this year.
It is now being predicted that Portugal and then Spain, are in line to be the next recipients of bailouts from the EEU and IMF.
Bailouts and rescues are financial packages intended to create breathing space which in turn enables the bailed out nations to make necessary adjustments to avoid would have been tidal waves of financial and economic failures.
Bailouts and rescues therefore, help recipients to forestall financial and economic meltdowns following bad policy formulations and or implementations, which are frequently exacerbated by human element, the greed factor.
In the preceding two years, there have been financial and economic failures within the nations of America and Western Europe which were brought about by sharp practice and unethical behaviors in the financial markets by banking and financial institutions. Securitization of mortgages and debt equity swaps were turned into investments vehicles of the magical thinking sorts, which required suspensions of disbelief.
Banks and financial institutions in the United States were allowed to be self-policing in an era of lax in regulation regime. And this era of self-regulation led banks and financial institutions to push the limits of logic and they became self-destruct and as a consequence, brought about a global financial and economic meltdown and the ongoing global economic free-fall and spirals to a seeming bottomless pit of debts and economic strangulation.
But now that greed and corruption of a few for the benefit of few have wrought destruction of global magnitude, with global ramifications and equally global reverberations, it is now the case that there is an onset of selective bailouts and rescues of some nations and their banks, financial institutions and their national economies.
There are patterns emerging now, which are a replay of historical economic inequities and injustices which have direct bearing, and correlation with global development and global poverty respectively.
Americans and Europeans engaged in the buying and selling of Africans, or slave trade, and when slave trade was abolished, the criminals, those who bought and sold fellow humans, were compensated by their governments as incentives or inducements to abandon their criminal enterprise, the precursor to human trafficking. But the slaves were never compensated. Freed slaves were left to their own devices. Freed slaves were left without land or resources and or compensations. There were no reparations.
Then came colonialism which was a “favor” by Christians from America and Western Europe to “savages”, native and “primitive” peoples worldwide, who needed to become “civilized” and Christianized; again, at the end of colonialism, which was either bitterly fought or negotiated, there were again, no compensations for formerly colonized peoples, instead, the economies and political processes were tied to former colonial powers, for the benefits of creation of health, wealth and happiness of former colonial powers.
The infamous Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was similarly held by European powers to discuss the future of Africa and no African peoples were invited and the fortunes and misfortunes of Africa and Africans have not deviated from the foundational structures laid by European Colonial Powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885
Then came the First and Second World Wars, the Great Depression etc and at the end, of these major crises, after the Second World War in particular, America thought up, formulated and implemented the Marshall Plan, a policy which supplied food, water, orange juices, reconstruction and rebirth to Western Europe and Asia, and none of these efforts of reliefs were directed at Africans and Africa.
After these crises, Europeans were aggressively and vigorously supported or enabled to recover from the World Wars, and the Africans were left to wait for God’s divine interventions, this, even though Africans were conscripted without their consents, to fight on the sides of colonial powers.
History clearly betrays the hypocrisies of these former colonial powers. First, in colonizing others, and then, using these colonized peoples to fight wars initiated and originated by, against, and between these colonial powers for their own purposes, but making colonized peoples, fight against their wills, but, for the benefits of colonial powers, while the colonized peoples had no stakes whatsoever in the outcomes of these wars.
This is identical with the illogic of the United States in making African Americans fight foreign wars in the name of “freedoms” when in fact, African Americans were themselves denied such freedoms at home in the United States, so that, at the end of the Second World War, German War Prisoners in America had more rights on American soil than African Americans born citizens of the United States.
Similarly, African Americans were drafted and compelled to fight a foreign war in Vietnam for instance, in the name of stemming communism and upholding democracy and “freedoms” when in actual fact, African Americans were denied such freedoms in the United States.
Another instance in recent memory, which is illustrative of these permanent double standards and hypocrisies, is when the Berlin Wall fell with the implosion of Communism in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic or the USSR.
The United States and her allies in Western Europe poured financial and material aid and assisted Russia and other nations of the former Communist Easter Bloc which afforded these former communist nations, with special and unique “logic” to the effect that without bailouts and rescues from Western Nations, the former communist nations would be danger unto themselves and the rest of the world.
Similarly, there were other bailouts and rescues for Mexico, Thailand and other Asian nations in early and middle 1990s, with the identical arguments, that, such failures to bailout these nations and their economies would have brought about dire consequences for those nations and the entire world.
It is the case that at the end of France’s colonial domination of Haiti, France extorted and exacted huge penalties against Haitians and Haiti, including the fact that Haiti was compelled to payments of millions of dollars to France!
And after that, Haiti’s fortunes have been dictated from outside of Haiti through direct interventions and subterranean manipulations. After Apartheid government was dismantled in South Africa, there was no bailout and rescue packages to put Black South Africans, the hitherto underdogs and severely disadvantaged in the South Africa economy in good stead, to enable them compete.
There were no reparations, bailouts or war crime trials.
The story is the same for Zimbabwe, despite specific Lancaster House Agreement to the contrary! Angola and Namibia other newly politically independent nations, never attracted bailouts, rescues or reparations or trials for its war criminals, who were white minorities, similar to the cases in South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively. Why?
An analysis or examination of human history establishes a pattern of permanent double standards, the fact of an incontrovertible thread which connects selective bailouts and rescues for certain national economies and the failure and neglect to do same for the 53 nations of Africa and nations in the Caribbean which are populated by peoples of African descent.
The current economic conditions within Caribbean nations have not attracted bailouts and rescues. We have not heard of bailouts and rescue packages for Antigua or Bahamas, Belize or Cuba or Jamaica or Trinidad, but why?
Could it be that the economies in continental Africa and within Caribbean nations are buoyant and unaffected by the current global economic crises, in comparison with say, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain etc?
This has been so, even though it is generally agreed that there have always more poverty, abject poverty in the Southern, than in the Northern hemispheres? Could this be a pointer to a history of putting more value and less value, respectively, on the lives of peoples?
What else can possibly explain why losses, through mismanagement, greed, and corruption etc deserves bailouts and rescues selectively, for some nations, and not for some others logically even more deserving in view of abject and desperate circumstances which permeates and pervades the lives of Africans and peoples of African descent.
Perhaps there are some, who are able to supply empirical data, which may establish conclusively, that continental Africans and peoples of African descent are genetically inferior and suffer from innate inability, or predisposition to mismanagement, greed and corruption, different in nature, extent and degree from their American, European and Asian counterparts.
And as a result, when these human afflictions lead to implosions and explosions of the economies of America, Asians and Europeans, bailouts and rescue packages are warranted and are thought to be in order; whereas, Africans and peoples of African descent, without cushions, social protections or safety nets, have always been neglected and abandoned historically, to wallow in extreme and terrible poverty, from which we must spare others?
What is the population of Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain, as compared with say, Nigeria, what for instance is the export-import base and market size of say Ireland, Greece, compared with Nigeria, given Nigeria population, it surely has a larger market than Greece and Ireland combined, and Nigeria exports crude oil, a crucial ingredient of value, in powering engine rooms worldwide, so, why is bailing out Nigeria not in the best interests of global financial and economic calculations?
These exports-imports based relationships as bases for stimulating world economies, would only be efficacious, potent and effective when nations with large populations are taken in account and consideration. There is need cultivate better relationships between peoples of all nations.
A Nigerian citizen’s quality of life can be enhanced through receipt of fair price for what Nigeria exports and in return, the Nigerian is able to participate in globalization through the enjoyment of goods and services produced in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. There are 150 million Nigerians with good incomes, purchasing powers, hence, good quality of lives, with direct benefits to producers of goods and services worldwide.
Poverty, abject poverty have been taken as if a normalcy and inevitable for Africans and peoples of African descent. Being disadvantaged and underprivileged in Nigeria is not different for African Americans or Jamaicans or Trinidadians or Haitians, there must be something in the air we breathe or the water we drink? Or we are certifiably inferior?
And then you hear of foreign aid fatigue, even though foreign aid in reality and actuality never goes to the neediest, as an example, American foreign aid, is directed to Israel, than say Haiti, Haiti which has an advertised abject human condition and has more poor people than Israel. Haiti and Jamaica have a combined population which is twice that of Israel. Aid fatigue, what aid fatigue?
In all of these bailouts and rescues, could any sane person argue that spotless, unblemished, spectacular observance of rules, laws and highest standard of ethics caused mammoth failures which necessitated bailouts for Americans, Europeans and Asians etc on the one hand? While on the other hand, greed, corruption and mismanagement of resources or such likelihood or perception of such, "explains" why African nations and nations in the Caribbeans have never received bailouts and rescues? What is the parameter for bailouts and rescues worldwide anyway?
There is a direct link, a direct connect and a correlation between endemic abject poverty among continental Africans and peoples of African descent, and the deliberate choice to refuse and neglect to offer bailouts and rescues, similar or identical with the historical bailouts and rescues for various peoples as described above.
Africans and peoples of African descent have never received bailouts, rescues or reparations, this is the evidence.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Dr. Condi Rice Says, We Are Not The Sum Total Of Our Life Experiences?
Dr. Condi Rice Says, We Are Not The Sum Total Of Our Life Experiences?
Written by Paul I. Adujie
A reading of Dr. Condi Rice’s almost-memoir titled Extraordinary, Ordinary People is not a happy read! It is almost-memoir, almost impersonal, almost-revelatory and too aloof to count as a family memoir.
There is of course no doubt that Dr. Condi Rice is an overachiever with superb intellect and who as a consequence or despite her accomplishments, manage to lack an ability to decipher the import and impact of race on how lives are lived in America between the races.
Dr. Condi Rice clearly lives in the parallel or alternate universe also known as the rather phantom nomenclature some call post-racial America or a race neutral society which is suppose to exist now, in the United States. Those of us, who still live in “reality-based” world, quite unlike Dr. Rice and others, that post-racial or race-neutral America is a fantasy, an illusion and a phantasmagorical daydream. Still.
An African American child born after the election of President Barack H. Obama, writing 50 years from now, should be questioned and scrutinized thoroughly, if she writes reflexively as if the election of persons who are not Caucasians have been the norm. A writer of nonfiction, writing fifty years hence, may even want to consult public pronouncements by racists in the aftermath of Mr. Obama’s election as president and equal public denunciations of such racialism by persons such as former President Jimmy Carter.
If fifty years hence, we may urge a writer born today, to dig deeper, clearly then, Dr. Rice who lived through segregation and all the indignities and inhumanity which racism imposed on her society, her parents and even herself personally, is remiss in her avoidance of the imports and impacts of race in America. Her almost-memoir feels like an exercise in deceit or at minimum, she is being economical with her true knowledge and experience about racism in America
President Jimmy Carter is Caucasian, a former president of the United States from the geographic south of the US just as Dr. Rice is, and yet, Mr. Carter is able to see the racial element and component in the stridency and vehemence of some of Mr. Obama’s critics, and yet, Dr. Rice wants the world to believe that race in America is either a thing of the past or that race have never have anything to do with anything! Race has no impact on life’s outcomes in America?
Dr. Rice book is at once lacking depth or it is an attempt at intellectual dishonesty and surely disingenuous. Dr. Rice came across as a person suffering from total denial of the reality own her life and she simultaneously comes across as a totally and completely brainwashed person or a well-trained pooch!
This Olympian neutrality about race and the impact of race on how lives are lived in America or the pretense that racism is dead and over, appear to be the revisionist new thing and it is quite maddening.
Revisionist pretend that the horrors and brutality of racism never mattered and that as such are of no consequence and that those of us who want to associate cause with effect, may have been thinking to hard or merely engaged in floozy conspiracy theories?
Extraordinary, Ordinary People confuses, conflates and lies overbearingly about the realities of Black lives in America. Dr. Rice has achieved so much, she is in fact an overachiever by any measure and by American standards or any standards at all.
But, because of the import and impact of race on lives in America, in which skin color compartmentalizes all aspects and facets of human endeavors and opportunities, it must be said that Affirmative Action Program was one of the many factors which contributed to Dr. Rice’s upward mobility.
And yet, Dr. Rice denigrates and rips Affirmative Action Programs, picks and chooses or demean its overall rationale, because, as she argues, we are no victims?
Dr. Rice’s arguments are illustrative of her complete dissonance on matters of race and it makes me wonder about her and others like her, such as Dr. Louis Gates of Harvard University, persons of African descent who have become apologist for those who subject continental Africans and peoples of African descent to checkered history as consequence of slavery, colonialism, apartheid, Jim Crow, Segregation and racism etc.
Dr. Rice and Dr. Gates have in sum, argued vociferously that continental Africans and peoples of African descent are not victims, or that, they are alternately complicit in the horrors, brutalities and tragedies which have been inflicted upon us. These sorts of arguments based on revisionists’ peculiar illogicality, turns historical evidence and facts of our history on its head.
A reading of memoir by Madeline Albright, an American Jew, the first female, immigrant, Secretary of State for the United States does not distance Madeline Albright from the import, impact, cause and effect of her gender, Jewish origins and overall background on her total experience and life’s outcome.
It is the case that in matters of race in America and much of the world, so much have been accomplished, so much have changed positively and yet, so much remains to be done in terms of racial equality and parity. So much remains to be done to ensure level playing field and equal opportunity.
Do revisionists-apologists for racism such as Dr. Rice and Dr. Gates really hope to wish away the tragedies of our collective checkered past by furiously denying the very existence of these well documented horrors, brutalities, tragedies of our checkered past?
Clearly, the harder they try at their revisionists-apologist futility, the more animated the evidence and factual showing of history’s cause and effect correlations. And in the end, despite the celebrity statuses of Dr. Rice and Gates, they merely come across as far from beguiling self-loathing phonies
As to the term African American, Dr. Rice continues to have silly philosophical arguments and rejection of this description of her origins or heritage, I suppose she is entitled to think herself android-American, while the rest of Americans are happy to be referred to as American Jews, Italian Americans, German Americans, Irish Americans. Dr. Rice should take an honest look at the woman in the mirror sincerely, and determine privately, whether she an Afghan American or an Iraqi American?
In the current recession and economic turmoil in America, it is the case that African Americans are disproportionately affected by vicissitudes imbued in these economic dislocations, such as higher rates of unemployment, higher rates of foreclosed homes and higher rates of evictions etc.
Dr. Rice and other revisionists continue to insist that race has nothing to do with the plights and predicaments of African Americans and peoples of African descent in America. African Americans who are poor, disadvantaged and underprivileged are that way because they chose and preferred victim-hood, instead of just picking themselves up by their bootstraps, get some college degrees and get a job at the White House or become the provost of a college!
This sorts of attitude comes from Dr. Rice, a person who played prominent roles, and can be said to be one of the architects of President George W. Bush wrongheaded invasion and occupation of Iraq, in which a trillion dollars have been spent, money which is enough to guarantee the elimination of poverty in the world or at minimum, it is money which is enough to fund improved education in inner cities and therefore ensuring better life outcomes for African Americans and the poor in general, in America.
There are many pointers to the fact that Dr. Rice’s education made a difference in her life, in comparison and contrast with millions of African Americans who were euphemistically referred to as being from rough neighborhoods, and yet, Dr. Rice is not making passionate pleas for more equitable funding for inner city schools in the United States.
The inequity and disparity in the allocation of resources in American schools and elsewhere, have direct effects and impacts in the eventual outcomes of African American lives.
In New York State, the inequity in education funding led to litigation which lingered for years and years, it went to the highest court until it was eventually resolved. The situation is not much different with issues regarding housing.
And fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture, this week, finally settled discrimination complaint brought against it by African American farmers, and yet, we have persisting attitudes such as can be discerned from Dr. Rice’s almost-memoir, to the effect that race has no bearing on outcomes of American lives, because Dr. Rice is educated and she continues to be employed?
A reading of Dr. Rice’s almost-memoir gives more credence to the hypocrisy of conservatives, and the Republican Party, which are quick to squander tax dollars in pampering the rich and corporate interests while admonishing the rest of us to get ourselves up by the bootstraps even after they stole or deprive us of our boots. It is rather hilarious to read that some would rather be ignored or slighted by the Republicans than be taken for granted by the Democrats! The devil’s alternative is surely uninviting, unappetizing!
All things considered, Dr. Rice comes across as willfully engaging in deliberate falsehoods or blissfully aloof and removed from the daily drudgery and realities of African American lives!
Written by Paul I. Adujie
A reading of Dr. Condi Rice’s almost-memoir titled Extraordinary, Ordinary People is not a happy read! It is almost-memoir, almost impersonal, almost-revelatory and too aloof to count as a family memoir.
There is of course no doubt that Dr. Condi Rice is an overachiever with superb intellect and who as a consequence or despite her accomplishments, manage to lack an ability to decipher the import and impact of race on how lives are lived in America between the races.
Dr. Condi Rice clearly lives in the parallel or alternate universe also known as the rather phantom nomenclature some call post-racial America or a race neutral society which is suppose to exist now, in the United States. Those of us, who still live in “reality-based” world, quite unlike Dr. Rice and others, that post-racial or race-neutral America is a fantasy, an illusion and a phantasmagorical daydream. Still.
An African American child born after the election of President Barack H. Obama, writing 50 years from now, should be questioned and scrutinized thoroughly, if she writes reflexively as if the election of persons who are not Caucasians have been the norm. A writer of nonfiction, writing fifty years hence, may even want to consult public pronouncements by racists in the aftermath of Mr. Obama’s election as president and equal public denunciations of such racialism by persons such as former President Jimmy Carter.
If fifty years hence, we may urge a writer born today, to dig deeper, clearly then, Dr. Rice who lived through segregation and all the indignities and inhumanity which racism imposed on her society, her parents and even herself personally, is remiss in her avoidance of the imports and impacts of race in America. Her almost-memoir feels like an exercise in deceit or at minimum, she is being economical with her true knowledge and experience about racism in America
President Jimmy Carter is Caucasian, a former president of the United States from the geographic south of the US just as Dr. Rice is, and yet, Mr. Carter is able to see the racial element and component in the stridency and vehemence of some of Mr. Obama’s critics, and yet, Dr. Rice wants the world to believe that race in America is either a thing of the past or that race have never have anything to do with anything! Race has no impact on life’s outcomes in America?
Dr. Rice book is at once lacking depth or it is an attempt at intellectual dishonesty and surely disingenuous. Dr. Rice came across as a person suffering from total denial of the reality own her life and she simultaneously comes across as a totally and completely brainwashed person or a well-trained pooch!
This Olympian neutrality about race and the impact of race on how lives are lived in America or the pretense that racism is dead and over, appear to be the revisionist new thing and it is quite maddening.
Revisionist pretend that the horrors and brutality of racism never mattered and that as such are of no consequence and that those of us who want to associate cause with effect, may have been thinking to hard or merely engaged in floozy conspiracy theories?
Extraordinary, Ordinary People confuses, conflates and lies overbearingly about the realities of Black lives in America. Dr. Rice has achieved so much, she is in fact an overachiever by any measure and by American standards or any standards at all.
But, because of the import and impact of race on lives in America, in which skin color compartmentalizes all aspects and facets of human endeavors and opportunities, it must be said that Affirmative Action Program was one of the many factors which contributed to Dr. Rice’s upward mobility.
And yet, Dr. Rice denigrates and rips Affirmative Action Programs, picks and chooses or demean its overall rationale, because, as she argues, we are no victims?
Dr. Rice’s arguments are illustrative of her complete dissonance on matters of race and it makes me wonder about her and others like her, such as Dr. Louis Gates of Harvard University, persons of African descent who have become apologist for those who subject continental Africans and peoples of African descent to checkered history as consequence of slavery, colonialism, apartheid, Jim Crow, Segregation and racism etc.
Dr. Rice and Dr. Gates have in sum, argued vociferously that continental Africans and peoples of African descent are not victims, or that, they are alternately complicit in the horrors, brutalities and tragedies which have been inflicted upon us. These sorts of arguments based on revisionists’ peculiar illogicality, turns historical evidence and facts of our history on its head.
A reading of memoir by Madeline Albright, an American Jew, the first female, immigrant, Secretary of State for the United States does not distance Madeline Albright from the import, impact, cause and effect of her gender, Jewish origins and overall background on her total experience and life’s outcome.
It is the case that in matters of race in America and much of the world, so much have been accomplished, so much have changed positively and yet, so much remains to be done in terms of racial equality and parity. So much remains to be done to ensure level playing field and equal opportunity.
Do revisionists-apologists for racism such as Dr. Rice and Dr. Gates really hope to wish away the tragedies of our collective checkered past by furiously denying the very existence of these well documented horrors, brutalities, tragedies of our checkered past?
Clearly, the harder they try at their revisionists-apologist futility, the more animated the evidence and factual showing of history’s cause and effect correlations. And in the end, despite the celebrity statuses of Dr. Rice and Gates, they merely come across as far from beguiling self-loathing phonies
As to the term African American, Dr. Rice continues to have silly philosophical arguments and rejection of this description of her origins or heritage, I suppose she is entitled to think herself android-American, while the rest of Americans are happy to be referred to as American Jews, Italian Americans, German Americans, Irish Americans. Dr. Rice should take an honest look at the woman in the mirror sincerely, and determine privately, whether she an Afghan American or an Iraqi American?
In the current recession and economic turmoil in America, it is the case that African Americans are disproportionately affected by vicissitudes imbued in these economic dislocations, such as higher rates of unemployment, higher rates of foreclosed homes and higher rates of evictions etc.
Dr. Rice and other revisionists continue to insist that race has nothing to do with the plights and predicaments of African Americans and peoples of African descent in America. African Americans who are poor, disadvantaged and underprivileged are that way because they chose and preferred victim-hood, instead of just picking themselves up by their bootstraps, get some college degrees and get a job at the White House or become the provost of a college!
This sorts of attitude comes from Dr. Rice, a person who played prominent roles, and can be said to be one of the architects of President George W. Bush wrongheaded invasion and occupation of Iraq, in which a trillion dollars have been spent, money which is enough to guarantee the elimination of poverty in the world or at minimum, it is money which is enough to fund improved education in inner cities and therefore ensuring better life outcomes for African Americans and the poor in general, in America.
There are many pointers to the fact that Dr. Rice’s education made a difference in her life, in comparison and contrast with millions of African Americans who were euphemistically referred to as being from rough neighborhoods, and yet, Dr. Rice is not making passionate pleas for more equitable funding for inner city schools in the United States.
The inequity and disparity in the allocation of resources in American schools and elsewhere, have direct effects and impacts in the eventual outcomes of African American lives.
In New York State, the inequity in education funding led to litigation which lingered for years and years, it went to the highest court until it was eventually resolved. The situation is not much different with issues regarding housing.
And fortunately, the United States Department of Agriculture, this week, finally settled discrimination complaint brought against it by African American farmers, and yet, we have persisting attitudes such as can be discerned from Dr. Rice’s almost-memoir, to the effect that race has no bearing on outcomes of American lives, because Dr. Rice is educated and she continues to be employed?
A reading of Dr. Rice’s almost-memoir gives more credence to the hypocrisy of conservatives, and the Republican Party, which are quick to squander tax dollars in pampering the rich and corporate interests while admonishing the rest of us to get ourselves up by the bootstraps even after they stole or deprive us of our boots. It is rather hilarious to read that some would rather be ignored or slighted by the Republicans than be taken for granted by the Democrats! The devil’s alternative is surely uninviting, unappetizing!
All things considered, Dr. Rice comes across as willfully engaging in deliberate falsehoods or blissfully aloof and removed from the daily drudgery and realities of African American lives!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Haiti, Over 500 Dead in Cholera Epidemic, 200,000 Feared Infected
Haiti, Over 500 Dead in Cholera Epidemic, 200,000 Feared Infected
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Haitians and Haiti are facing new miseries. The weeks old cholera outbreak epidemic is exposing Haitians to new risks as cholera spreads in Port Au Prince, and its environs, the epicenter of the January 2010 earthquake which killed more than 230,000 persons and rendered over two million person homeless.
The United Nations now estimates that over 200,000 could be infected and thousands killed, and that cholera could spread to the Dominican Republic, a neighbor nation of Haiti
The outbreak of cholera, dysentery, communicable diseases of epidemic or even pandemic proportions were all too predictable and even expected in the aftermath of the earthquake catastrophe. The outbreak of the current cholera epidemic is harbinger of even worse miseries which are most probable.
The spread of cholera and other diseases, are no surprises, given the present conditions in various encampments in Haiti. It is now being projected that the current cholera will kill thousands, even though cholera was officially eliminated from Haiti almost 100 years ago
Filth ,vile, polluted water are flowing into rivers, and river water remains the source of water for domestic uses for more than 60% Haitians. Two million Haitians displaced and dislocated by the January earthquake have been living in tents camps in Port Au Prince its environ. All types wastes, human feces, and garbage generated from these overcrowded camps have produced admixtures of extremely unpleasant health consequences.
The dire conditions of these two million Haitians displaced, dislocated and made homeless by the cataclysmic earthquake is now made worse by the rainstorms which has engineered a flow and mixture of sludge generated by multitudes of Haitians confined to limited landmass without social amenities or facilities. Poor public infrastructures, the absence of a sewer system have been exacerbated by the earthquake.
Cholera outbreak in Haiti foreseen, predicted; These were all too probable, most probable!
Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
http://ngex.com/news/public/article.php?ArticleID=1528 published in January 2010
Even for persons not in the medical field or trained in medicine anticipated these epidemics of cholera and other diseases. We registered our concerns regarding the looming or impending health hazards in congested camps without pubic infrastructures, facilities or amenities. Please see our article written a couple of days after the earthquake in January 2010 titled “Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime”
“There are concerns that there could be outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea and other diseases which might result from the now festering poor sanitary conditions and the scarcity of clean water, electricity, as well as exposed broken sewers. All these present logistical nightmares for search and rescue personnel, local and foreign, requiring dynamic modalities. And again, building local capacities is crucial, in view of long term considerations”
Only last month, on October 13th, I wrote another article “Haiti, 2 Million Persons Still Homeless 10 Months After Earthquake!” http://adujie.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/haiti-2-million-persons-still-homeless-10-months-after-earthquake/ I wrote the following, expressing fears of probable cholera outbreak which has now come to pass, unfortunately! But it is was always foreseeable.
“There is still no water, no electricity available to all regularly and on steady, or reliable basis, there are continuing concerns for disease outbreaks of epidemic proportions, such as cholera and other diseases which are exacerbated by unsanitary conditions. The congested tents camps environment in which Haitians displaced by the earthquake now live, is said to be suffused and reek with raw sewage and rain water flowing in the camp being a common sight”
“It is really sad that 2 million Haitian are still homeless more than 10 months after earthquake which killed 230,000 people. It is so disconcerting that our microwave culture with short attention span, have forgotten or at least, have allowed the plights and predicaments of Haitians, victims of the worst earthquake, are abandoned and their abject conditions have receded to the back burner and recesses of our consciousness.”
“We spend two trillion dollars tangling with real and imagined enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq, and yet, we do not have the will and courage to provide basic human needs to the two million persons still homeless in the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake in Haiti?”
“It will be recalled that in the aftermath of the cataclysmic earthquake in January, there were almost a sense of eagerness by and between nations to openly compete and be seen as the largest donor and the best helper of the hapless people and nation of Haiti, but, almost a year has passed and only three nations, namely, Sweden, Norway and Brazil, have followed through and keep their promised and delivered on the monies pledged to Haiti relief and reconstruction efforts.”
“More than ten months after of the January 12, 2010 earthquake and 2 million Haitians still live on the streets in full public view, subject to the elements, heat, the rains, mudslides and hurricanes.”
“2 million Haitians are still subject to disease outbreaks such as cholera, dysentery and diseases from poor living conditions, poor sanitation and impure drinking source.”
“During the blitzkrieg in the aftermath of the earthquake in January, more than sixty nations promised money and material aid in excess of five billion dollars, but, six more later, only Brazil, Norway and Sweden has fulfilled and redeemed their pledges; but why is this the case? “
“But where are the nations who made loud promises and thereby deceived all of us, while giving Haitians false hope, and now, disappointment?”
Cholera was eliminated in Haiti decades before the earthquake on January 12, 2010. In the aftermath of that catastrophic earthquake however, many persons, expert and average persons, expressed the fear that unsanitary conditions in the camps or shelters where displaced and dislocated victims of the earthquake lived would soon cause epidemics, communicable diseases.
It has come to pass as predicted and predictably so, that there is now a cholera epidemic from outskirts of Port Au Prince and from the Haitian countryside, killing over 500 people and sickening almost 200,000 persons who may now be infected and would be hospitalized. There is now a growing concern that a cholera epidemic will infiltrate the estimated two million Haitian earthquake victims who are still in flimsy shelter in various camps in Port Au Prince, still displaced and dislocated 10 months after that cataclysmic earthquake
The United Nations is currently investigating the origin and source of the cholera outbreak in Haiti. Accusing fingers are currently being directed at UN Peacekeeping forces said to have had exposed septic system in close proximity to River Meille near the city of Mirebalais the epicenter and origin of the cholera outbreak which is now spreading north and to major cities, camp shelters, where it could wreak havoc in view of the population density and scarcity of clean water.
Where is the international community? And where is God? As expected there is cholera outbreak epidemic in Haiti and as equally expected, the epidemic is spreading Where is the so-called international community and goodwill? Where indeed is everybody? The UN says 200,000 could be infected and thousands killed, and cholera could spread to the Dominican republican neighbor nation of Haiti
Cholera in Nigeria, in Pakistan, and now, in the beleaguered nation of Haiti. Cholera is a tad too simple to prevent through the provision of clean water and good sanitation, sanitary systems. And the antidote to cholera is similarly simple to manage where the resources are available, such as salt and sugar solutions used in Oral Re-hydration Therapy or ORT to prevent dehydration or in worst cases, antibiotic treatment therapies are employed to address acute cases, and yet, in all the cited cases in Nigeria, Pakistan and Haiti this years, thousands are already dead! In a world of plenty and so much abundance?
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Haitians and Haiti are facing new miseries. The weeks old cholera outbreak epidemic is exposing Haitians to new risks as cholera spreads in Port Au Prince, and its environs, the epicenter of the January 2010 earthquake which killed more than 230,000 persons and rendered over two million person homeless.
The United Nations now estimates that over 200,000 could be infected and thousands killed, and that cholera could spread to the Dominican Republic, a neighbor nation of Haiti
The outbreak of cholera, dysentery, communicable diseases of epidemic or even pandemic proportions were all too predictable and even expected in the aftermath of the earthquake catastrophe. The outbreak of the current cholera epidemic is harbinger of even worse miseries which are most probable.
The spread of cholera and other diseases, are no surprises, given the present conditions in various encampments in Haiti. It is now being projected that the current cholera will kill thousands, even though cholera was officially eliminated from Haiti almost 100 years ago
Filth ,vile, polluted water are flowing into rivers, and river water remains the source of water for domestic uses for more than 60% Haitians. Two million Haitians displaced and dislocated by the January earthquake have been living in tents camps in Port Au Prince its environ. All types wastes, human feces, and garbage generated from these overcrowded camps have produced admixtures of extremely unpleasant health consequences.
The dire conditions of these two million Haitians displaced, dislocated and made homeless by the cataclysmic earthquake is now made worse by the rainstorms which has engineered a flow and mixture of sludge generated by multitudes of Haitians confined to limited landmass without social amenities or facilities. Poor public infrastructures, the absence of a sewer system have been exacerbated by the earthquake.
Cholera outbreak in Haiti foreseen, predicted; These were all too probable, most probable!
Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
http://ngex.com/news/public/article.php?ArticleID=1528 published in January 2010
Even for persons not in the medical field or trained in medicine anticipated these epidemics of cholera and other diseases. We registered our concerns regarding the looming or impending health hazards in congested camps without pubic infrastructures, facilities or amenities. Please see our article written a couple of days after the earthquake in January 2010 titled “Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime”
“There are concerns that there could be outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea and other diseases which might result from the now festering poor sanitary conditions and the scarcity of clean water, electricity, as well as exposed broken sewers. All these present logistical nightmares for search and rescue personnel, local and foreign, requiring dynamic modalities. And again, building local capacities is crucial, in view of long term considerations”
Only last month, on October 13th, I wrote another article “Haiti, 2 Million Persons Still Homeless 10 Months After Earthquake!” http://adujie.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/haiti-2-million-persons-still-homeless-10-months-after-earthquake/ I wrote the following, expressing fears of probable cholera outbreak which has now come to pass, unfortunately! But it is was always foreseeable.
“There is still no water, no electricity available to all regularly and on steady, or reliable basis, there are continuing concerns for disease outbreaks of epidemic proportions, such as cholera and other diseases which are exacerbated by unsanitary conditions. The congested tents camps environment in which Haitians displaced by the earthquake now live, is said to be suffused and reek with raw sewage and rain water flowing in the camp being a common sight”
“It is really sad that 2 million Haitian are still homeless more than 10 months after earthquake which killed 230,000 people. It is so disconcerting that our microwave culture with short attention span, have forgotten or at least, have allowed the plights and predicaments of Haitians, victims of the worst earthquake, are abandoned and their abject conditions have receded to the back burner and recesses of our consciousness.”
“We spend two trillion dollars tangling with real and imagined enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq, and yet, we do not have the will and courage to provide basic human needs to the two million persons still homeless in the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake in Haiti?”
“It will be recalled that in the aftermath of the cataclysmic earthquake in January, there were almost a sense of eagerness by and between nations to openly compete and be seen as the largest donor and the best helper of the hapless people and nation of Haiti, but, almost a year has passed and only three nations, namely, Sweden, Norway and Brazil, have followed through and keep their promised and delivered on the monies pledged to Haiti relief and reconstruction efforts.”
“More than ten months after of the January 12, 2010 earthquake and 2 million Haitians still live on the streets in full public view, subject to the elements, heat, the rains, mudslides and hurricanes.”
“2 million Haitians are still subject to disease outbreaks such as cholera, dysentery and diseases from poor living conditions, poor sanitation and impure drinking source.”
“During the blitzkrieg in the aftermath of the earthquake in January, more than sixty nations promised money and material aid in excess of five billion dollars, but, six more later, only Brazil, Norway and Sweden has fulfilled and redeemed their pledges; but why is this the case? “
“But where are the nations who made loud promises and thereby deceived all of us, while giving Haitians false hope, and now, disappointment?”
Cholera was eliminated in Haiti decades before the earthquake on January 12, 2010. In the aftermath of that catastrophic earthquake however, many persons, expert and average persons, expressed the fear that unsanitary conditions in the camps or shelters where displaced and dislocated victims of the earthquake lived would soon cause epidemics, communicable diseases.
It has come to pass as predicted and predictably so, that there is now a cholera epidemic from outskirts of Port Au Prince and from the Haitian countryside, killing over 500 people and sickening almost 200,000 persons who may now be infected and would be hospitalized. There is now a growing concern that a cholera epidemic will infiltrate the estimated two million Haitian earthquake victims who are still in flimsy shelter in various camps in Port Au Prince, still displaced and dislocated 10 months after that cataclysmic earthquake
The United Nations is currently investigating the origin and source of the cholera outbreak in Haiti. Accusing fingers are currently being directed at UN Peacekeeping forces said to have had exposed septic system in close proximity to River Meille near the city of Mirebalais the epicenter and origin of the cholera outbreak which is now spreading north and to major cities, camp shelters, where it could wreak havoc in view of the population density and scarcity of clean water.
Where is the international community? And where is God? As expected there is cholera outbreak epidemic in Haiti and as equally expected, the epidemic is spreading Where is the so-called international community and goodwill? Where indeed is everybody? The UN says 200,000 could be infected and thousands killed, and cholera could spread to the Dominican republican neighbor nation of Haiti
Cholera in Nigeria, in Pakistan, and now, in the beleaguered nation of Haiti. Cholera is a tad too simple to prevent through the provision of clean water and good sanitation, sanitary systems. And the antidote to cholera is similarly simple to manage where the resources are available, such as salt and sugar solutions used in Oral Re-hydration Therapy or ORT to prevent dehydration or in worst cases, antibiotic treatment therapies are employed to address acute cases, and yet, in all the cited cases in Nigeria, Pakistan and Haiti this years, thousands are already dead! In a world of plenty and so much abundance?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Obama, Democrats Are Guilty Of Substance & Failure To Advertise Successes Etc
Obama, Democrats Are Guilty Of Substance & Failure To Advertise Successes Etc
Written by Paul I. Adujie
President Obama inherited two foreign wars in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively.
These wars are costing Americans more than almost $3 billion dollars every week!
And what is worse? An American economy in free fall, and spiraling out of control and downward a cliff or the abyss!
It is the case that George W. Bush and the Republicans partied and behaved like drunken sailors for 8 years during which they frittered away budget surpluses which were created and accumulated by President Bill Clinton and the Democrats.
Republicans partied and vomited over the furniture. And then, Obama and the Democrats arrived and volunteered to clean up after the Republicans. But, Obama and the Democrats should have continued to remind Americans where we are and how we got here in the first place, even as Mr. Obama and the Democrats continued the tasks of cleaning up and doing the heavy lifting or the Herculean tasks of clearing the Augean Stable!
Obama and the Democrats were given a clear mandate on November 4, 2008 by the American electorate which also appropriately handed the Republicans a rebuke, a reproach and resounding repudiations for Republicans’ wrong headed domestic and foreign policies.
Obama and the Democrats have been and again now, surprisingly, accepting public shaming and responsibility for American domestic and foreign policy crises. When in fact, Obama and the Democrats should be commended for their spectacular legislative successes during the 20 months preceding the 2010 midterm elections!
Even now, the evidence and the fact remains that President Obama’s legislative achievements, accomplishments are unparalleled. President Obama made outstanding achievements which are unsurpassed by any American president in the preceding 70 years before Obama.
It is the case that President Obama despite competing dire economic circumstances, managed to have created more jobs in 2 years of his presidency than President George W. Bush was able to do in 8 years as a two term president of the United States
The Republicans and their Tea Party proxies and surrogates, have managed to repackaged and changed the label on the multiple crises they created for America. Republicans and the Tea Party have managed to have orchestrated and choreographed bazaars, carnivals and festivals of hate and resentment directed at the Obama and the Democrats, for problems which were created by those who now have managed to foisted public anger upon Democrats and have fostered and finessed it to Republican advantage, like magic!
Why should Obama and the Democrats have been silent? Why should they have neglected to fight back? Why did they accept blames or responsibility even as the busily cleaned up after the Republicans?
Obama and the Democrats, tried, to rephrase the public debate, American national narrative and the message and it was too little too late! The Democrats and Mr. Obama embarked on these failed efforts when it was a couple of months to the November 2nd midterm elections, at a time when the Tea Party and the Republicans have sealed the fate of Democrats through aggressive messaging and advertising, which pretended that Obama and the Democrats are to blame for all that ails America.
Obama in the last 50 days before November 2nd tried mightily with a car analogy to reshape and properly frame the factual circumstances of American economic circumstances with a car analogy, in which illustrated how it was the Republicans who drove the car into the ditch and how the Democrats are trying have to get the car out of the ditch, with the Republicans standing aside, mocking, sipping slurppy while demanding the car keys back in order to put the car in reverse, instead of allowing the Democrats to rescue
Sadly, the Republicans are now arguing, arrogantly and rather audaciously, that Obama is the new driver. And that the car bears the registration of Democrats. Republicans with arrogance, with boldface, continue to argue that the car wreck and ruin which they the Republicans caused, now belongs to Obama and the Democrats!
Obama and the Democrats ought to have argued forcefully before the midterm elections and even now, in rebuttals, that it was George W. Bush, and the Republicans who drove the car recklessly, ruining the transmission, the motor engine and then promptly drove the car ditch!
Obama and the Democrats allowed the Republicans to hijack the American national narratives. Obama and the Democrats failed to articulate and advertise the successes; Democrats neglected to stay on the message. And so, the American voters still grieving from persisting economic travails and given the short attention span in American microwave culture of instant gratifications, permitted a revisionist retelling and editing of all the wrongheaded policies of Republicans during the course of 8 years.
Republicans, and especially, Sarah Palin who was a spent force and an inconsequential and an insignificant and an almost irrelevant politician at the end of the 2008 election season, was allowed to metamorphosed into a Republican proxy and surrogate of a national proportion.
Sarah Palin who abruptly resigned as governor of Alaska after the American voters rejected her and Senator John McCain as vice president and presidential candidate respectively, managed to reinvent herself into political relevance, instead of a befitting obscurity .
Sarah Palin was soon joined by persons like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, the Tea Party and other proxies and surrogates of the Republican Party defined Obama and the Democrats, smearing them with avalanche of lies and illogic. Republicans and their surrogates and proxies, went to town with downward definitions and unsavory labels for Obama and the Democrats, with castigation repeatedly denouncing them as Re-distributionist, socialists, Hitler and worse, during the last 20 months.
If there are lesson for Professor Obama, the Democrats and the American public the 2010 midterm elections, it has to be the idea that self definition and self assertion are infinitely better than allowing your opponents or enemies of your agenda define you and your agenda, which is what Obama and the Democrats unwittingly permitted the Republicans and their proxies and surrogates to do for 2 years before the just concluded midterm elections.
Politics is war and information and misinformation are great tools. In the current instance, Obama and the Democrats allowed the Republicans to manipulate, use and misuse information and misinformation to obfuscate and confuse an understandably despairing American electorate. Republicans, Tea Party and their surrogates and proxies won the midterm elections by default. A failure on the part of the Democrat advertise their own efforts and therefore keep the collective memories of the electorate fresh as to how America got to where it is in recent times and the elephantine efforts Obama and the Democrats were making to reverse the misfortunes created nurtured perversely by the Republicans.
Obama and the Democrats failed to fiercely resist mischaracterizations and portrayals in by lights by the Republicans. As a result, the Republicans successfully inflicted mortal wounds in electoral sense on the Democrats. It is reminiscent of Roger Ailes, and how the Republicans have always seen political campaigns as mortal combats not meant for the faint at heart, but instead a rough and tumble tackles and down and dirty war of survival of the fittest. Primordial and killer instincts are routinely deployed. Dirty tricks of the Willie Horton and Swift Boat tactics are germane to and are considered by Republican operatives to be essential elements for electoral or political victories.
Michael Dukakis, John Kerry and Barack Obama have been portrayed as weaklings soft on defense and national security. John Kerry is a war hero, and yet, he was Swift Boated and portrayed as if he was a weak and soft on defense and national defense, by folks who actually dodged American war. A war hero made to look as if he was in fact a pacifist!
In the current dispensation, Obama and the Democrats have been portrayed and presented as if incapable and ineffectual, even as Obama and the Democrats busied themselves resolving problems created by Republicans of course.
Obama and the Democrats bailed out Banks and Financial institutions in the aftermath of the financial meltdown and consequent economic downturn. Now, Citigroup, AIG, Goldman Sachs etc, all bailed out companies, which played ignominious roles in the current economic crises, and have gone scot-free and without punishment, penalty and retributions, have started to pay out bonuses after becoming solvent and profitable with bailout help from American taxpayers. The new profits and bonuses are being carried out by the major institutions as if the economic crises which arose from the financial meltdown, the bailout of too big to fail rescue policy. American Banks and financial institutions are profitable again as if the crises and bailouts never occurred in the first place.
Instead of a public outcry and demand for penalty and punishment for those responsible for the economic imbroglio? Where is accountability? Banks, financial institutions and the auto industry are now already solvent and profitable and repaying the so-called bailout monies. These same institutions and entities, are repaying bailout money, while simultaneously hoarding and withholding investment into the American economy which would have in turn helped in stimulating the American economy while generating the much needed job growth in the current so-called jobless recovery in America.
These institutions, entities and industries which were bailed out or rescued by Obama and Democrats have been the same ones funding Republicans’ efforts to defeat and unseat Obama and the Democrats as Republican Senator Mitch McConnell have publicly stated that Republicans’ priority is limited to and focused on, ensuring that Obama becomes a one term president of the United States, in plain English, Republicans are sworn to frustrating and preventing the reelection of President Obama from being re-elected to second term of office.
Democrats engaged in unilateral disarmament and truce in a vicious bloodletting war also known as American politics no reverends or bishops need apply! Furlough Parole in Massachusetts
Obama and the Democrats allowed Republicans and fringe groups to define Obama and Democrats. Obama and the Democrats allowed Republicans to demonize them and further allowed the Republicans to hijack American narratives for 20 long months and so Americans only understood the Health Care Reforms in terms of phantom Death Panels and only thought of Obama as Hitler, fascist socialist etc
The White House created an emptiness or vacuum and Sarah Palin and Ms. Karen Ignagni of Health Insurance Plans filled in the gap took it, they exploited the vacuum to great disadvantage to Obama/Democrats with relentless attacks against Obama as the enemy… American politics is not for college professors, it is for those with killer instincts, the rough and tumble, it is for those who are willing to fight and get dirty
It is the case, the evidence, the fact President Obama attained spectacular successes with his legislative agenda… He achieved and accomplished so much public good in less than 20 months as POTUS… this, despite Republican Party’s obstructionist opposition to Mr. Obama’s every move… Obama obtained legislative victories despite the obstacles, impediments and iron clad barriers put on his way be the party of NO! Republican opposition even after this just concluded midterm election, is sure to become more strident and relentless or even more vicious, as a member of the Republican hierarchy are on record as saying defeating Obama, making sure he is a one term president is their priority
Two foreign wars, and a domestic economy in quagmire and extreme debacle brought about by the wrong headed policies of the Republicans, and yet, Mr. Obama too often blamed himself for the crises he inherited! He was too busy being professorial and intellectual about American politics… In the end, instead of the Democrats acting on the mandate given them on November 4th 2008, Democrats allowed themselves to be timid, tepid and in a state of permanent panic… And so, the Democrats were Swift Boated by Karl Rove, Sara Palin, Mitch McConnell , Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich etc
Obama eventually, too little too late, took charge of communicating his message, his agenda and policy position to the American public, when it was two months to the November 2nd elections, it was too late to be aggressive
Larry Summers, Tim Geithner trickle down economics of tax cuts of 40 dollars per month did not register in the eyes and ears of the electorate. Whatever happened to Obama’s suave eloquence or his extraordinary ability to communicate? Why did he not hire a combative Press Secretary? Instead of Gibbs, the polite Midwesterner?
Republicans remain the party of No! the party of obstructionist. Republicans have always shown and clearly indicated the only interest as winning elections, the next election, and the next and the next!
Obama and the Democrats on the other hand, seem lacking in requisite killer instincts. Obama and the Democrats should not have allowed themselves to be lured into sleep or lethargy or coma. And so, even now, the Obama and Democrats will do well to be alert and awake, as the die is cast, Obama and the Democrats should not be deceived by the new platitudes being uttered by Republicans as bipartisanship and friendliness etc
Obama and the Democrats should insist on another substantial stimulus package for building new public infrastructure, while simultaneously repairing old public infrastructure throughout America. Republicans have ceaselessly and endlessly contended that Obama and the Democrats have not created jobs in 20 months. Republicans argue further that it is in fact not the duty of government to create jobs. History, quite to the contrary, demonstrates that the American federal government created or generated massive employment, directly and indirectly, through Public Works Projects nationally as FDR did some 70 years ago.
Jobs creation through massive public works projects is now an imperative in the face of private sector inability or refusal to invest huge cash reserves and accumulated money since the bailout.
President Obama should replace Larry Summers, Tim Geithner and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Summers and Geithner are seen as insiders of Wall Street banks and financial institutions with conflicts of interest and friends still on Wall Street, hence their unwillingness to punish or take drastic actions against players on Wall Streets, who were bailed out, and who are not investing and are actually funding the negative campaigns against Obama and the Democrats.
Obama and the Democrats economic challenges are perhaps further proof of the dissonance or impracticalities between ivory tower intellectualism, Harvard Business School theories and everyday practical economics, politics and governance. Elections have to be won and the sometimes wily electorate are not amenable to "fine" experiments by sanguine professors
In the case of Gibbs, he busied himself pointing fingers at leftists instead of drumming home, Obama and the Democrats message and saving his drubbings the Republicans! Senator Mitch McConnell and the Republicans are gunning for the White House, Professor Barack Obama can capitulate now, or President Obama and the Democrats can engage in the needful work of vigorous pursuits of Democratic Agenda for which they receive an overwhelming mandate from the American electorate in November 2008. The feelings of frustrations among the American electorate can still be assuaged, when and if Obama and the Democrats deliver.
The final nail to the coffin will come in 2012 if Obama and the Democrats engage in panics and U-turns and abandon the Agenda for which the Democrats are supposed to represent or stand for. Obama and the Democrats will be better served to be seen standing for Main Street and being obstructed by Republicans and their Tea Party proxies and surrogates. The Democrats can forget the White House in 2012, if they are the weakest link and point of least resistance in Washington against Republicans extremists etc
Written by Paul I. Adujie
President Obama inherited two foreign wars in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively.
These wars are costing Americans more than almost $3 billion dollars every week!
And what is worse? An American economy in free fall, and spiraling out of control and downward a cliff or the abyss!
It is the case that George W. Bush and the Republicans partied and behaved like drunken sailors for 8 years during which they frittered away budget surpluses which were created and accumulated by President Bill Clinton and the Democrats.
Republicans partied and vomited over the furniture. And then, Obama and the Democrats arrived and volunteered to clean up after the Republicans. But, Obama and the Democrats should have continued to remind Americans where we are and how we got here in the first place, even as Mr. Obama and the Democrats continued the tasks of cleaning up and doing the heavy lifting or the Herculean tasks of clearing the Augean Stable!
Obama and the Democrats were given a clear mandate on November 4, 2008 by the American electorate which also appropriately handed the Republicans a rebuke, a reproach and resounding repudiations for Republicans’ wrong headed domestic and foreign policies.
Obama and the Democrats have been and again now, surprisingly, accepting public shaming and responsibility for American domestic and foreign policy crises. When in fact, Obama and the Democrats should be commended for their spectacular legislative successes during the 20 months preceding the 2010 midterm elections!
Even now, the evidence and the fact remains that President Obama’s legislative achievements, accomplishments are unparalleled. President Obama made outstanding achievements which are unsurpassed by any American president in the preceding 70 years before Obama.
It is the case that President Obama despite competing dire economic circumstances, managed to have created more jobs in 2 years of his presidency than President George W. Bush was able to do in 8 years as a two term president of the United States
The Republicans and their Tea Party proxies and surrogates, have managed to repackaged and changed the label on the multiple crises they created for America. Republicans and the Tea Party have managed to have orchestrated and choreographed bazaars, carnivals and festivals of hate and resentment directed at the Obama and the Democrats, for problems which were created by those who now have managed to foisted public anger upon Democrats and have fostered and finessed it to Republican advantage, like magic!
Why should Obama and the Democrats have been silent? Why should they have neglected to fight back? Why did they accept blames or responsibility even as the busily cleaned up after the Republicans?
Obama and the Democrats, tried, to rephrase the public debate, American national narrative and the message and it was too little too late! The Democrats and Mr. Obama embarked on these failed efforts when it was a couple of months to the November 2nd midterm elections, at a time when the Tea Party and the Republicans have sealed the fate of Democrats through aggressive messaging and advertising, which pretended that Obama and the Democrats are to blame for all that ails America.
Obama in the last 50 days before November 2nd tried mightily with a car analogy to reshape and properly frame the factual circumstances of American economic circumstances with a car analogy, in which illustrated how it was the Republicans who drove the car into the ditch and how the Democrats are trying have to get the car out of the ditch, with the Republicans standing aside, mocking, sipping slurppy while demanding the car keys back in order to put the car in reverse, instead of allowing the Democrats to rescue
Sadly, the Republicans are now arguing, arrogantly and rather audaciously, that Obama is the new driver. And that the car bears the registration of Democrats. Republicans with arrogance, with boldface, continue to argue that the car wreck and ruin which they the Republicans caused, now belongs to Obama and the Democrats!
Obama and the Democrats ought to have argued forcefully before the midterm elections and even now, in rebuttals, that it was George W. Bush, and the Republicans who drove the car recklessly, ruining the transmission, the motor engine and then promptly drove the car ditch!
Obama and the Democrats allowed the Republicans to hijack the American national narratives. Obama and the Democrats failed to articulate and advertise the successes; Democrats neglected to stay on the message. And so, the American voters still grieving from persisting economic travails and given the short attention span in American microwave culture of instant gratifications, permitted a revisionist retelling and editing of all the wrongheaded policies of Republicans during the course of 8 years.
Republicans, and especially, Sarah Palin who was a spent force and an inconsequential and an insignificant and an almost irrelevant politician at the end of the 2008 election season, was allowed to metamorphosed into a Republican proxy and surrogate of a national proportion.
Sarah Palin who abruptly resigned as governor of Alaska after the American voters rejected her and Senator John McCain as vice president and presidential candidate respectively, managed to reinvent herself into political relevance, instead of a befitting obscurity .
Sarah Palin was soon joined by persons like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, the Tea Party and other proxies and surrogates of the Republican Party defined Obama and the Democrats, smearing them with avalanche of lies and illogic. Republicans and their surrogates and proxies, went to town with downward definitions and unsavory labels for Obama and the Democrats, with castigation repeatedly denouncing them as Re-distributionist, socialists, Hitler and worse, during the last 20 months.
If there are lesson for Professor Obama, the Democrats and the American public the 2010 midterm elections, it has to be the idea that self definition and self assertion are infinitely better than allowing your opponents or enemies of your agenda define you and your agenda, which is what Obama and the Democrats unwittingly permitted the Republicans and their proxies and surrogates to do for 2 years before the just concluded midterm elections.
Politics is war and information and misinformation are great tools. In the current instance, Obama and the Democrats allowed the Republicans to manipulate, use and misuse information and misinformation to obfuscate and confuse an understandably despairing American electorate. Republicans, Tea Party and their surrogates and proxies won the midterm elections by default. A failure on the part of the Democrat advertise their own efforts and therefore keep the collective memories of the electorate fresh as to how America got to where it is in recent times and the elephantine efforts Obama and the Democrats were making to reverse the misfortunes created nurtured perversely by the Republicans.
Obama and the Democrats failed to fiercely resist mischaracterizations and portrayals in by lights by the Republicans. As a result, the Republicans successfully inflicted mortal wounds in electoral sense on the Democrats. It is reminiscent of Roger Ailes, and how the Republicans have always seen political campaigns as mortal combats not meant for the faint at heart, but instead a rough and tumble tackles and down and dirty war of survival of the fittest. Primordial and killer instincts are routinely deployed. Dirty tricks of the Willie Horton and Swift Boat tactics are germane to and are considered by Republican operatives to be essential elements for electoral or political victories.
Michael Dukakis, John Kerry and Barack Obama have been portrayed as weaklings soft on defense and national security. John Kerry is a war hero, and yet, he was Swift Boated and portrayed as if he was a weak and soft on defense and national defense, by folks who actually dodged American war. A war hero made to look as if he was in fact a pacifist!
In the current dispensation, Obama and the Democrats have been portrayed and presented as if incapable and ineffectual, even as Obama and the Democrats busied themselves resolving problems created by Republicans of course.
Obama and the Democrats bailed out Banks and Financial institutions in the aftermath of the financial meltdown and consequent economic downturn. Now, Citigroup, AIG, Goldman Sachs etc, all bailed out companies, which played ignominious roles in the current economic crises, and have gone scot-free and without punishment, penalty and retributions, have started to pay out bonuses after becoming solvent and profitable with bailout help from American taxpayers. The new profits and bonuses are being carried out by the major institutions as if the economic crises which arose from the financial meltdown, the bailout of too big to fail rescue policy. American Banks and financial institutions are profitable again as if the crises and bailouts never occurred in the first place.
Instead of a public outcry and demand for penalty and punishment for those responsible for the economic imbroglio? Where is accountability? Banks, financial institutions and the auto industry are now already solvent and profitable and repaying the so-called bailout monies. These same institutions and entities, are repaying bailout money, while simultaneously hoarding and withholding investment into the American economy which would have in turn helped in stimulating the American economy while generating the much needed job growth in the current so-called jobless recovery in America.
These institutions, entities and industries which were bailed out or rescued by Obama and Democrats have been the same ones funding Republicans’ efforts to defeat and unseat Obama and the Democrats as Republican Senator Mitch McConnell have publicly stated that Republicans’ priority is limited to and focused on, ensuring that Obama becomes a one term president of the United States, in plain English, Republicans are sworn to frustrating and preventing the reelection of President Obama from being re-elected to second term of office.
Democrats engaged in unilateral disarmament and truce in a vicious bloodletting war also known as American politics no reverends or bishops need apply! Furlough Parole in Massachusetts
Obama and the Democrats allowed Republicans and fringe groups to define Obama and Democrats. Obama and the Democrats allowed Republicans to demonize them and further allowed the Republicans to hijack American narratives for 20 long months and so Americans only understood the Health Care Reforms in terms of phantom Death Panels and only thought of Obama as Hitler, fascist socialist etc
The White House created an emptiness or vacuum and Sarah Palin and Ms. Karen Ignagni of Health Insurance Plans filled in the gap took it, they exploited the vacuum to great disadvantage to Obama/Democrats with relentless attacks against Obama as the enemy… American politics is not for college professors, it is for those with killer instincts, the rough and tumble, it is for those who are willing to fight and get dirty
It is the case, the evidence, the fact President Obama attained spectacular successes with his legislative agenda… He achieved and accomplished so much public good in less than 20 months as POTUS… this, despite Republican Party’s obstructionist opposition to Mr. Obama’s every move… Obama obtained legislative victories despite the obstacles, impediments and iron clad barriers put on his way be the party of NO! Republican opposition even after this just concluded midterm election, is sure to become more strident and relentless or even more vicious, as a member of the Republican hierarchy are on record as saying defeating Obama, making sure he is a one term president is their priority
Two foreign wars, and a domestic economy in quagmire and extreme debacle brought about by the wrong headed policies of the Republicans, and yet, Mr. Obama too often blamed himself for the crises he inherited! He was too busy being professorial and intellectual about American politics… In the end, instead of the Democrats acting on the mandate given them on November 4th 2008, Democrats allowed themselves to be timid, tepid and in a state of permanent panic… And so, the Democrats were Swift Boated by Karl Rove, Sara Palin, Mitch McConnell , Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich etc
Obama eventually, too little too late, took charge of communicating his message, his agenda and policy position to the American public, when it was two months to the November 2nd elections, it was too late to be aggressive
Larry Summers, Tim Geithner trickle down economics of tax cuts of 40 dollars per month did not register in the eyes and ears of the electorate. Whatever happened to Obama’s suave eloquence or his extraordinary ability to communicate? Why did he not hire a combative Press Secretary? Instead of Gibbs, the polite Midwesterner?
Republicans remain the party of No! the party of obstructionist. Republicans have always shown and clearly indicated the only interest as winning elections, the next election, and the next and the next!
Obama and the Democrats on the other hand, seem lacking in requisite killer instincts. Obama and the Democrats should not have allowed themselves to be lured into sleep or lethargy or coma. And so, even now, the Obama and Democrats will do well to be alert and awake, as the die is cast, Obama and the Democrats should not be deceived by the new platitudes being uttered by Republicans as bipartisanship and friendliness etc
Obama and the Democrats should insist on another substantial stimulus package for building new public infrastructure, while simultaneously repairing old public infrastructure throughout America. Republicans have ceaselessly and endlessly contended that Obama and the Democrats have not created jobs in 20 months. Republicans argue further that it is in fact not the duty of government to create jobs. History, quite to the contrary, demonstrates that the American federal government created or generated massive employment, directly and indirectly, through Public Works Projects nationally as FDR did some 70 years ago.
Jobs creation through massive public works projects is now an imperative in the face of private sector inability or refusal to invest huge cash reserves and accumulated money since the bailout.
President Obama should replace Larry Summers, Tim Geithner and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Summers and Geithner are seen as insiders of Wall Street banks and financial institutions with conflicts of interest and friends still on Wall Street, hence their unwillingness to punish or take drastic actions against players on Wall Streets, who were bailed out, and who are not investing and are actually funding the negative campaigns against Obama and the Democrats.
Obama and the Democrats economic challenges are perhaps further proof of the dissonance or impracticalities between ivory tower intellectualism, Harvard Business School theories and everyday practical economics, politics and governance. Elections have to be won and the sometimes wily electorate are not amenable to "fine" experiments by sanguine professors
In the case of Gibbs, he busied himself pointing fingers at leftists instead of drumming home, Obama and the Democrats message and saving his drubbings the Republicans! Senator Mitch McConnell and the Republicans are gunning for the White House, Professor Barack Obama can capitulate now, or President Obama and the Democrats can engage in the needful work of vigorous pursuits of Democratic Agenda for which they receive an overwhelming mandate from the American electorate in November 2008. The feelings of frustrations among the American electorate can still be assuaged, when and if Obama and the Democrats deliver.
The final nail to the coffin will come in 2012 if Obama and the Democrats engage in panics and U-turns and abandon the Agenda for which the Democrats are supposed to represent or stand for. Obama and the Democrats will be better served to be seen standing for Main Street and being obstructed by Republicans and their Tea Party proxies and surrogates. The Democrats can forget the White House in 2012, if they are the weakest link and point of least resistance in Washington against Republicans extremists etc
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