One Tool America Needs -- By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, August 1, 2007;
'. . . Congress has chosen this moment to gut one of the most innovative and effective American outreach efforts since the Peace Corps.
'The Millennium Challenge Corp. is grown-up foreign aid. Under this three-year-old program, a board certifies countries that "are likely to use assistance wisely" -- nations committed to democratic and free-market reform and fighting corruption -- and works with them as partners on projects to combat poverty and encourage economic growth. . . . Nations that backtrack on reform and good governance have their "compacts" cut off, . . . [T]he MCC has made agreements with 13 nations.
'. . . Ambassador John Danilovich . . . , was in a state of dignified bewilderment. The Senate Appropriations Committee, demonstrating bipartisan shortsightedness, had just reduced funding for the MCC from the administration's $3 billion request to $1.2 billion, throwing future compacts into question. "Why," he asked, "do they want to undermine a foreign policy lever which is actually working?"
'[According to a] Pew survey . . : Eight of the 10 countries most favorable to the United States in the world are in sub-Saharan Africa. It is not a coincidence that American bilateral assistance to African countries over the past six years -- to fight AIDS, malaria and poverty -- has quadrupled. As a rule, people do not hate you when you save their children.'
Click here for the complete text.
^^^
One suggestion: Check to see how your reps voted. Thank those who have shown they care about the people and the nations involved and for America's image abroad-- and reprimand those who haven't. Then remind them that you vote, too.
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8 comments:
I am scratching my head in wonder at how many good working programs are being gutted and it's all to fund George Bush's war and his cronies get rich.
Ambassador John Danilovich . . . , was in a state of dignified bewilderment. The Senate Appropriations Committee, demonstrating bipartisan shortsightedness, had just reduced funding for the MCC from the administration's $3 billion request to $1.2 billion, throwing future compacts into question. "Why," he asked, "do they want to undermine a foreign policy lever which is actually working?"
I can answer the Ambassador...our Congress and Senate are made up of a lot of lawmakers who are idiots and most of them don't read or do research on anything they decide. Idiots, the lot of 'em.
yes, p m-- so shortsighted.
hey, m e--
I can't believe they're that stupid. they're certainly showing us their priorities.
that's why I wrote my rep's and senators [in MO and Fla, both] telling them they're voting for death and tragedy and against life and hope. not to mention frittering away the last vestiges of positive feeling toward the US around the world.
Bush guts everything that serves a real purpose so he can fight his damn wars. I an surprised he is cuttiing something that promotes Demcracy.
The idiot says it is dear to him but we know that's a lie so he can follow his new societal, middle east, and world "dis"order.
The war machine is priority for Bush and the NeoCons...because it makes money for them! They could care less about the programs which are good for humanity..
yeah, well, it's a democratically controlled Congress that pulled the plug. that makes it even sadder.
I'd expect this sort of behavior from Bush but he actually requested $3 bil and congress gave him 1.2.
go figure.
Is there any program that Bush hasn't gutted, or the Democrats have allowed him to gut?
Bush has done his dirt and we all know how this man operates. We know that he cares only for a select few and his main priority is his war in Iraq.
On the other hand, we must consider what congress is up against and how they must find money and cut certain things because of the squeeze Bush has put on what's available.
I can't understand all that happens or why congress act on certain bills in certain ways and to be honest I know nothing of said bill but I will find out about it and why our congress made this decision to cut the bill to said amount.
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