A TURNING POINT FOR ALL THE WORLD?

Uh oh.  Here it comes.  The Independent Online Edition features an article today titled "Could the tsunami disaster be a turning point for the world?"  The lead paragraph reads:  "As the international aid effort grows and George Bush launches a fresh appeal, we ask politicians and commentators if 2005 might see a new determination to tackle global poverty."

So, there you go.  A massive earthquake and the resulting tidal waves are somehow being translated into an urgent need to address the problem of world poverty.  We all saw this one coming.  

Let's take a look at what some excerpts from what these "politicians and commentators" had to say about the issue:

• I am hopeful, but we must see a real commitment to changing the economic relationships between the West and the poorer countries. As well as charitable giving,
• On an individual level, it is not just about what we are prepared to give, but what we are prepared to give up. Having left Afghanistan and Iraq in their wake, can our leaders be trusted to fight a war on poverty? (This from a comedian)
• No longer can we exist in isolation when we see lives and livelihoods being destroyed. 
• It seems churlish to say it, but while it's relatively easy for most of us to give 50, it would be much harder for us to make the changes in our modern lifestyles that are needed if we are to move to a fairer world.  (A "fairer world?"  Fine .. .define "fair."  This comment, by the way, from a Greenpeace honcho.)
• It was the same after 11 September. Everyone said it was a great opportunity to try to understand the world but it was used by the US as a reason to go on a rampaging adventure in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Another comedian heard from.  Somehow the Independent thinks that comedians are a great source for comments on how to change the world.)
• Western capitalism demands that people must be impoverished.  (This comment from an artist.  Imagine my surprise.)
• The danger is that resources which might have gone to Africa will go to this instead.  (Can't shortchange Africa, can we?  Here is a continent with absolutely immense natural resources, and they can't even feed themselves.)
• It would be one of the biggest breakthroughs mankind has ever experienced if we pooled our wealth in order to look after the poorer people of the world.  (A Novelist)
• It may make people realize that the UN needs to be well-equipped and funded. If people diverted money from weapons and war, we have the technology and money to be able to help - if we decide to do that. (The UN?  Talk about diverting money.  Has this former cabinet minister heard of the Oil-for-Food scandal?)

Now ... what's missing from these comments?  One word.  Freedom.  The greatest mechanism for ending poverty the world has ever seen is capitalism and the free enterprise system, yet we see no comments from any of these exalted commentators and politicians relating to ending third world tyranny and bring the wonders of economic freedom to bear in a worldwide war on poverty.  

Let me tell you where this is going.  Read those comments again and you'll see references to "giving" and "giving up." You see condemnations, not praise for capitalism.  These people are obviously focused on the idea of taking the current worldwide economic pie re-slicing it so that everybody gets a peace.  Nobody is talking about simply baking a bigger pie.

The anti-West, anti-capitalistic left is going to use this tsunami as a platform to promote not a rise in worldwide economic freedom, but for an increase in worldwide wealth redistribution.  The United States, as the richest nation in the world, is going to be cast as the villain, while poor third world countries will be presented to us as the victims.  

One other thing.  In this quest to combat world poverty nobody is going to state the obvious:  That we have too many women in poor countries around the world having children that they simply cannot afford to raise.  Step one in avoiding poverty ... birth control.  Don't have children you can't afford.  But why bring that up when it's just so much easier to attack the west and demand that their ill-gotten gains simply be seized and redistributed.

WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND

Well, what a difference a week makes. After the initial charge that the United States of America was being stingy with its response to the tsunami disaster, the glare of scrutiny has been focused elsewhere: Arab countries.

First up, Kuwait. Kuwait has pledged $10 million, up from an earlier pledge of $2 million. Some are pointing out that's not much, when you consider how wealthy that country is. The price of oil has roughly doubled, and Kuwait now has a $10 billion budget surplus. They've got the cash. So how's come the figure is so low? More on that in a minute.

Other wealthy Muslim countries have contributed as follows: Qatar - $10 million, Saudi Arabia - $10 million and The United Arab Emirates, $20 million. So what's the problem? Well, there really isn't one, since money apparently isn't the problem right now anyway.

What's interesting to note here is that these wealthy Muslim countries are not jumping at the change to help their fellow worshipers of Islam. Indonesia, the most affected country, is the most populous Muslim nation. Yet, countries with enormous sums of money aren't really putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to helping their people.

Some believe that the earthquake and tsunami were the work of Allah, punishing Thailand, for example, for prostitution.   These Muslim nations sure can whine about the way Muslims are treated around the world, but when it comes time for them to step forward and show how much they really care, they're out to lunch somewhere. 

That's okay, though....as always, the United States, who has freed more Muslims from tyranny than any other power, will be there to pick up the slack.

TERRORISTS GETTING MORE DESPERATE

As elections draw nearer in Iraq, the Islamic terrorists that do not want to see freedom and liberty spread to the Middle East are turning up the heat in Iraq. The latest attack is the assassination of the Governor of the Baghdad Province. Gunmen attacked his motorcade this morning, killing him and six of his bodyguards.

Some want to give into these goons and delay elections, which is exactly what they want. They do not want to see the people of Iraq freely choosing leaders and they especially do not want to see women voting in those elections. They would rather see the institution of a strict Islamic dictatorship, and they're willing to kill to get it.

Expect the call to delay the January 30th elections to grow louder. Expect more attacks. The Islamic terrorists and the Islamic world in general does not want to see democracy succeed in Iraq, at any cost.

CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY

As soon as President Bush is sworn in for his second term, the battle for Social Security reform is going to be underway. This is going to be the most vicious, partisan battle ever waged. This will make welfare reform look like a bike ride.

The president has proposed allowing younger workers to put a percentage of their social security taxes into a private investment account. In doing so, they will enjoy a much higher rate of return than those who throw their money down a rat hole. By taking the money out of the system to fund the private accounts, that leaves a hole of a couple trillion dollars...if the system is not changed. That's the money to be paid to older beneficiaries that would have come from the money that will go to private accounts. So where is the administration going to get it?

There are three ways to get the difference: raise taxes, borrow the money or cut benefits. The president has ruled out raising taxes already, and there's not much desire to borrow any more money, considering the size of the deficit and the national debt. So that means cutting benefits.

A report out today says the administration is leaning toward cutting the rate of growth in Social Security. This will be accomplished by adjusting the cost of living not based on wage inflation, but regular inflation. In other words, retirees would still get the promised benefits, but the increases would be based on inflation, not the yearly rise in wages. As you can imagine, the AARP, which is committed to the bankrupting of America's youth to line the pockets of the Gimme Generation, is none too happy.

It's going to be quite a battle.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

U.S. jets have buzzed Iranian airspace, apparently to test their defenses just to see what would happen. Gotta have a look at those nuclear sites, in case we should decide to bomb them.

Kofi Annan is already concerned that nations pledging money for the tsunami disaster won't cough up the bucks. His corrupt buddies at the U.N. should have plenty of cash, after Saddam loaded up their pockets with stolen oil-for-food money.

With all the talk about global warming, let's talk about global cooling. December had some of the coldest temperatures recorded since 1945. This should get the environmentalists all worked up.

Is flying safe? You bet...the airlines have only had 34 deaths in 3 years. During that same time, 120,000 people have died in car accidents. Yet, for some reason, there is no "fear of driving."

The war on drugs has lasted for decades with untold billions of dollars as the price tag for the quagmire. Syndicated columnist Neal Peirce says legalizing street drugs just might be an experiment worth considering.

So what is the game plan for the Democrats to take back the House, the Senate and the White House? Walter Shapiro says they most definitely won't get it done by whining.

A study coming out in the Stanford Law Review this month asserts that affirmative action produces fewer, rather than more black lawyers. Star Parker takes a look at the controversy.

Liberals have been bashing President Bush over his supposed inaction over the tsunami disaster. David Limbaugh says the left are the ones exploiting the tragedy.

In today's column, Professor Mike Adams writes a letter to a student who is requesting special treatment over missed classes. Adams proposes an interesting solution.

With Social Security reform about to be on the front burner, Rich Tucker says it's time to face the facts: beginning in 2018, there's nothing in the trust fund but IOU's.

See the t-shirt the man is wearing as he watches a strecher being carried by? This is probably a tsunami victim who will be screaming for more aid from America as the tragedy unfolds.

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