Do As We Say ...
The President discussed our policy on Africa before leaving on his trip.
No, not at the substandard relexive pronoun, though that was pretty awful. The man did go to Yale, for goodness sake. Rather, it was the arrogance with which he described the nations he had confidence in.
What qualities is he looking for?
"Willing to fight corruption"?
Oh, like Republican Duke Cunningham? Or Tom DeLay? Or Jack Abramoff's good buddy Bob Ney? Or the rest of them?
"Believe in the rule of law"?
Like with Scooter Libby? Or wiretapping without warrants? Or helping other henchmen get off free? Or the Bradbury doctrine on waterboarding? Or the Mukasey doctrine that says once a political appointee in the Department of Justice says something is legal, there's no point to investigating it? That kind of "rule of law"?
"Support their people"?
People who are in need, like the ones still living in the FEMA trailers full of formaldehyde? Or the children without health care?
"And not theirselves"? Like those who got the tax cuts? Or Dick and his good friends at Halliburton?
I realize that at this point in his presidency, anyone with the slightest self-awareness has long since left the speech writing team, but seriously, it's just plain embarrassing to have him going around saying stuff like that. Like George W. Bush, of all people, has any right to talk to anyone about the morality and character of a regime. Incredible.
Sure, almost no one is paying attention to anything having to do with his Africa trip and most of us wish he was out of office already, and try not to focus on what he's saying. It's nothing compared to that lunacy this week about how the terrists are gonna kill us all this weekend if the House didn't pass his telcomm immunity bill. But still, he's wandering around like the nation's crazily inappropriate uncle, and I just wish someone in DC would keep a better eye on him. It's embarrassing.
And just as important, we're changing the way we deliver assistance. We created what's called the Millennium Challenge Account, which offers financial support to the world's most promising developing nations -- nations that fight corruption, nations that govern justly, nations that open up their economies, and nations that invest in the health and education of their people.I cringed when I heard this soundbite on the radio.
America is serving as an investor, not a donor. We believe that countries can adopt the habits necessary to provide help for their people. That's what we believe. And we're willing to invest in leaders that are doing just that. ...
Other nations are seeing the benefits of these agreements. They are moving ahead with the tough economic, political, and social reforms necessary to compete for a compact of their own. In fact, there is now more competition for funds than there are funds available, which ought to say two things: One, that this is evidence that the American taxpayers are getting good value for their dollars. In other words, if nations are willing to fight corruption, work on rule of law, support their people and not theirselves, then it makes sense to invest with them. (emphasis mine)
No, not at the substandard relexive pronoun, though that was pretty awful. The man did go to Yale, for goodness sake. Rather, it was the arrogance with which he described the nations he had confidence in.
What qualities is he looking for?
"Willing to fight corruption"?
Oh, like Republican Duke Cunningham? Or Tom DeLay? Or Jack Abramoff's good buddy Bob Ney? Or the rest of them?
"Believe in the rule of law"?
Like with Scooter Libby? Or wiretapping without warrants? Or helping other henchmen get off free? Or the Bradbury doctrine on waterboarding? Or the Mukasey doctrine that says once a political appointee in the Department of Justice says something is legal, there's no point to investigating it? That kind of "rule of law"?
"Support their people"?
People who are in need, like the ones still living in the FEMA trailers full of formaldehyde? Or the children without health care?
"And not theirselves"? Like those who got the tax cuts? Or Dick and his good friends at Halliburton?
I realize that at this point in his presidency, anyone with the slightest self-awareness has long since left the speech writing team, but seriously, it's just plain embarrassing to have him going around saying stuff like that. Like George W. Bush, of all people, has any right to talk to anyone about the morality and character of a regime. Incredible.
Sure, almost no one is paying attention to anything having to do with his Africa trip and most of us wish he was out of office already, and try not to focus on what he's saying. It's nothing compared to that lunacy this week about how the terrists are gonna kill us all this weekend if the House didn't pass his telcomm immunity bill. But still, he's wandering around like the nation's crazily inappropriate uncle, and I just wish someone in DC would keep a better eye on him. It's embarrassing.
posted by Paul at 12:46 PM |
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