Denial in Davos
Between martinis and filet mignon on the taxpayers dime, the globalization gurus at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland found time to bemoan the plight of the poor, especially in Africa. And true to form, America is again the culprit, and those greedy, resource hogging Americans the villains.
One self-hating American in particular, Bill Gates, had the unmitigated audacity to accuse America of not being willing to commit the "billions" necessary to cure the world's diseases and fight the crushing poverty that infects much of the globe. Never mind that George Bush has doubled the amount of world-wide economic aid disbursements in just four years and that the United States contributes nearly 20% of all monies to the International Monetary Fund, and gets nothing in return. You have to feel sorry for him, though. Watching Gates, the richest (read greedy) man in the world, on stage before an audience packed with UN activists and one-world adherents was like watching the school nerd desperately trying to gain the favor of the popular football captain, moments before he gets stuffed in a garbage can. In fact, minutes later, another speaker railed against the super-rich, charging that the three wealthiest men in the world are worth more than the combined GDP of the 40 poorest nations. The implication is that money equals selfishness. And no country does selfishness like the United States.
While the cameras in the auditorium did not cut to Gates, you can be sure he was squirming. You can also be sure he will be coughing up several billions of dollars before the conference is over, most of which will likely end up in the Swiss bank account of a corrupt African dictator or in the pockets of high level UN officials or their families. But who cares? He has too much money anyway, and no one deserves to be that flush while the world wallows in disease and degradation.
Then there was the spectacle of Bill Clinton, professional pontificator, explaining for the rest of us dunderheads why the election of 2004 turned out the way it did. Certainly not because Americans found George Bush's positive, upbeat message of American potential and greatness superior to John Kerry's doom-and-gloom approach. Certainly not because Americans perceive Democrats as totally unsuited to protect America, or solve domestic issues without proposing some tax increase, or that they fail to understand that freedom in the Moslem world means more security for us. No. According to Clinton, those four million extra voters that put George Bush in the White House for another four years actually wanted to vote for John Kerry! They were just so frightened by Karl Rove's message of fear that, against their better judgment, they voted for the other guy. Of course, this twisted assessment, yet another example of Democratic disintegration, allows those like Clinton to resist confronting the actual reasons for the Bush victory, i.e. they are dangerous and have nothing to offer. Later, in what can only be described as a monumental testament to the power of delusional thinking, Clinton claimed his administration had aggressively fought terrorism, single-handedly shaped a robust economy, and fostered good-will throughout the world. I guess he spent so much time making nice with the French that he has forgotten World Trade Center attack #1, Khobar Towers, and the USS Cole, to name a few. However, all of this supposedly juxtaposed nicely against the current administration, those evil conservatives who have bumbled, stumbled and driven the world away. King Clinton, Ruler for Life, benevolent scholar and sage. And the American-hating audience loved it.
Not surprising, though. He is one of them.
In a perfect world, not festering in irrational jealousy and resentment towards America, and not afraid to view the world without utopian fantasy, speakers at the World Economic Forum would have been more realistic about Africa's (and the world's) problems, and more truthful about a few solutions. More money will never solve the world's troubles. More freedom and liberty will. These are commodities that cannot be purchased, no matter how much of Bill Gates' guilt money is thrown around.
Until the citizens of those nations suffering under the repression of socialism, communism, and Islamism muster the courage to rise up and destroy their tormentors, and replace the despotism with free-markets and free-thinkers, Africa and the Middle East and Asia will continue to wallow in their own excrement. Towards alleviating that suffering, the United States is spending money where it needs to be spent: on guns and bombs. And, we are rightfully gearing up to confront more of that kind on madness around the globe.
There isn't enough money in the world to bring to fruition the vision of every country free, and safe, and healthy.
That, unfortunately, takes courage.
One self-hating American in particular, Bill Gates, had the unmitigated audacity to accuse America of not being willing to commit the "billions" necessary to cure the world's diseases and fight the crushing poverty that infects much of the globe. Never mind that George Bush has doubled the amount of world-wide economic aid disbursements in just four years and that the United States contributes nearly 20% of all monies to the International Monetary Fund, and gets nothing in return. You have to feel sorry for him, though. Watching Gates, the richest (read greedy) man in the world, on stage before an audience packed with UN activists and one-world adherents was like watching the school nerd desperately trying to gain the favor of the popular football captain, moments before he gets stuffed in a garbage can. In fact, minutes later, another speaker railed against the super-rich, charging that the three wealthiest men in the world are worth more than the combined GDP of the 40 poorest nations. The implication is that money equals selfishness. And no country does selfishness like the United States.
While the cameras in the auditorium did not cut to Gates, you can be sure he was squirming. You can also be sure he will be coughing up several billions of dollars before the conference is over, most of which will likely end up in the Swiss bank account of a corrupt African dictator or in the pockets of high level UN officials or their families. But who cares? He has too much money anyway, and no one deserves to be that flush while the world wallows in disease and degradation.
Then there was the spectacle of Bill Clinton, professional pontificator, explaining for the rest of us dunderheads why the election of 2004 turned out the way it did. Certainly not because Americans found George Bush's positive, upbeat message of American potential and greatness superior to John Kerry's doom-and-gloom approach. Certainly not because Americans perceive Democrats as totally unsuited to protect America, or solve domestic issues without proposing some tax increase, or that they fail to understand that freedom in the Moslem world means more security for us. No. According to Clinton, those four million extra voters that put George Bush in the White House for another four years actually wanted to vote for John Kerry! They were just so frightened by Karl Rove's message of fear that, against their better judgment, they voted for the other guy. Of course, this twisted assessment, yet another example of Democratic disintegration, allows those like Clinton to resist confronting the actual reasons for the Bush victory, i.e. they are dangerous and have nothing to offer. Later, in what can only be described as a monumental testament to the power of delusional thinking, Clinton claimed his administration had aggressively fought terrorism, single-handedly shaped a robust economy, and fostered good-will throughout the world. I guess he spent so much time making nice with the French that he has forgotten World Trade Center attack #1, Khobar Towers, and the USS Cole, to name a few. However, all of this supposedly juxtaposed nicely against the current administration, those evil conservatives who have bumbled, stumbled and driven the world away. King Clinton, Ruler for Life, benevolent scholar and sage. And the American-hating audience loved it.
Not surprising, though. He is one of them.
In a perfect world, not festering in irrational jealousy and resentment towards America, and not afraid to view the world without utopian fantasy, speakers at the World Economic Forum would have been more realistic about Africa's (and the world's) problems, and more truthful about a few solutions. More money will never solve the world's troubles. More freedom and liberty will. These are commodities that cannot be purchased, no matter how much of Bill Gates' guilt money is thrown around.
Until the citizens of those nations suffering under the repression of socialism, communism, and Islamism muster the courage to rise up and destroy their tormentors, and replace the despotism with free-markets and free-thinkers, Africa and the Middle East and Asia will continue to wallow in their own excrement. Towards alleviating that suffering, the United States is spending money where it needs to be spent: on guns and bombs. And, we are rightfully gearing up to confront more of that kind on madness around the globe.
There isn't enough money in the world to bring to fruition the vision of every country free, and safe, and healthy.
That, unfortunately, takes courage.
posted by Mark Outland at 9:43 AM
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