Comments on: Bush: Friend of Africa

By: Pasta Rick

Pasta Rick — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 05:02:05 +0000

You guys think that some billionaire like Kerry is supremely virtuous because he advocates the government taking my money at the point of a gun and then giving it to somebody else. Your logic is amazing.

Glen Dean-

You are an idiot. How in the hell do you know what I "think" and how can you assess my logic when my post was an attributed quote to Kristoff? Grow up and go back to your moveon.org buddies.

By: Glen Dean

Glen Dean — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 01:39:54 +0000

Past Rick, how in the hell can somebody be stingy with somebody elses (taxpayer) money. For that matter, how can one be considered generous when the money that their handing out is not theirs. You guys think that some billionaire like Kerry is supremely virtuous because he advocates the government taking my money at the point of a gun and then giving it to somebody else. Your logic is amazing.

By: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Weapons of Mass Destruction — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 01:39:14 +0000

Bush and Africa

Nicholas Kristof hit the nail on the head in his column today on Bush and Africa. He writes:Those who care about Africa tend to think that the appropriate attitude toward President Bush is a medley of fury and contempt. But

By: Mark in Mexico

Mark in Mexico — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 23:52:52 +0000

Kristof, No Friend of Bush "Bush, a Friend of Africa" starts off well enough, but then Nicholas Kristof, after taking a swipe at Bill Clinton (Bill who?) demands that George Bush do precisely the opposite than that for which he has just earned Kristof's lavish praise.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 22:55:49 +0000

Erasing their debt will not help the African people. The same corrupt governments will continue to be corrupt and fund their armies.
Only grass roots organizations can help - and no for those 4 people left that think the UN actually does something, it does not count as an effective aid group; it is just too bloated - by the time Kofi and his son take their cut, there isn't much left.
Can you imagine the difference if you gave a bunch of grass roots orgs the same amount of money and provided oversight of them, what they could accomplish.

As far as not supporting the use of condoms - well that is just plain stupid - then again this is the same group of folks that believes that mentioning anything other than abstinence to a teenager will cause them to have sex - I guess they will have to learn about safe sex from the OC (that's the new 90210/Melrose Place) like American kids do - oh wait they don't show safe sex, just sex.

By: Lt bell

Lt bell — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 18:16:09 +0000

Bush: Friend of Bush; propaganda, censorship,
and the PR scam- he does not know that to "spin" is to 'LIE"

By: Pasta Rick

Pasta Rick — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 18:10:07 +0000

James, your characterization of Kristof's column misses his most important analysis. Of course Bill Clinton had very little positive impact in Africa. Who in the world has ever "painted [Clinton] as a lefty" in foreign policy? Regardless, it will be interesting to see if Bush heeds to Kristoff's critique: "Mr. Bush's decision to cut off funds for the U.N. Population Fund means that more African girls will die in childbirth. Even more tragic is the administration's blind hostility to condoms to fight AIDS - resulting in more dead Africans. Mr. Bush has another blind spot as well: while he is right that aid is not a cure-all, sometimes he seems to use legitimate concerns about aid as an excuse for stinginess. Aid has shortcomings, but Mr. Bush himself has shown that it can be used effectively to save lives by the millions. Yet Mr. Bush is resisting the G-8's calls for further help for Africa; he thinks the sums are better spent on cutting the taxes of the richest people on earth than on saving the lives of the poorest. Come on, Republicans! You need to persuade Mr. Bush to be more generous this week, because his present refusal to help isn't conservative, but just plain selfish. "