The Russian newspaper Pravda claims that Obama has brought socialism to America like communism failed in Russia. It asserts that Obama is promoting communist ideas without explicitly saying so. The article argues that Obama's policies of high spending, deficits, and debt are similar to the failed Soviet policies. It notes that several US states have submitted secession petitions due to economic suffering under Obama's leadership. The article criticizes Obama's rhetoric about helping the poor and blame on others, arguing his policies have not actually improved the economy or people's living standards.
EXPERIENCES OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACIES ,
“DEMOCRACY NEVER LASTS LONG. IT SOON WASTES, EXHAUSTS AND MURDERS ITSELF”
FAILED REASON: FAILED DEMOCRACY,
THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY TOPS ALL HUMAN ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT IT AILS IF REASON FAILS .
RULE OF LAW BACKED BY COLLECTIVE REASON CAN BEST ANSWER THE DEMOCRATIC DECAY .
This document summarizes the root problems with the current state of human affairs and proposes an alternative vision. It argues that major issues facing societies today, such as economic struggles, political unrest, environmental degradation and distrust in institutions, are merely symptoms of a deeper root cause. The root cause, according to the author, is that humans abandoned living in self-governing communities around 7,000 years ago due to fear and greed, and submitted to powerful rulers who promised protection in exchange for allegiance and resources. However, this promise of external support and decision-making has never been and can never be fulfilled, leading to the problems seen globally today. The author asserts that correcting this root cause by reclaiming individual initiative and self-
This document provides an overview of American men in the early 2010s by examining realities, icons, and memes. It discusses the changing demographics of the US, with declining white population percentages and growing ethnic diversity. Economically, it notes the illusion of widespread prosperity fueled by debt, and outlines the current realities of uneven wealth distribution and declining prospects for many working-class men. It then examines prominent male icons from Hollywood and how they have reflected changing ideals of American manhood over time. Finally, it introduces the concept of "thought viruses" or memes that animate American cultural and political debates.
The document summarizes key points from a talk given by Matthew J. Slaughter on the global economic outlook. It explores this question through five numbers: 1) 62.5% - the fiscal opportunity facing governments in reducing debt to GDP ratios; 2) 96.2% - the income opportunity to address rising income inequality; 3) 3.1% - the growth opportunity in emerging markets like India and China; 4) 0% - the talent opportunity to improve education and attract skilled immigrants given little increase in US high school graduation rates; 5) 3% - the hope opportunity as only 3% of Americans are confident their children's lives will be better given declining confidence in the US economic trajectory.
The documents summarize information on globalization, migration trends, the US-Mexico border, NAFTA, and immigration trends in the US. The key points are:
1) Despite globalization and outsourcing, the US continues to attract the most immigrants worldwide. The US-Mexico border sees over 250 million crossings annually.
2) NAFTA aims to reduce trade barriers but does not allow free movement of people. It has led to outsourcing of US manufacturing jobs to Mexico, costing an estimated 1 million US jobs.
3) Most modern immigrants to the US come from Latin America and Asia, especially Mexico. They tend to settle near the US-Mexico border or in traditional immigrant
The document discusses several areas of social and economic inequality in the USA, including wealth, employment, health, education, housing, and crime. It provides evidence that ethnic minorities such as Black and Hispanic Americans face significantly higher rates of poverty, unemployment, lack of health insurance, lower life expectancy, higher school dropout rates, lower home ownership, and higher rates of incarceration when compared to white Americans. The inequalities are linked to issues of discrimination, unequal access to resources and opportunities, and concentration of minorities in low-income urban areas with underfunded public services and higher crime rates.
This document discusses factors that contribute to global and domestic inequalities. It introduces dependency theory, which argues that poorer countries are disadvantaged in the international system through exploitation by richer countries. Global factors like colonialism created economic gaps by exploiting resources from colonies. The structure of the world economy also favors richer nations. Domestically, overpopulation, unemployment, and the legacy of colonial social divisions contribute to inequality. Dependency theory asserts that underdeveloped countries must isolate from capitalist states to gain independence.
EXPERIENCES OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACIES ,
“DEMOCRACY NEVER LASTS LONG. IT SOON WASTES, EXHAUSTS AND MURDERS ITSELF”
FAILED REASON: FAILED DEMOCRACY,
THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY TOPS ALL HUMAN ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT IT AILS IF REASON FAILS .
RULE OF LAW BACKED BY COLLECTIVE REASON CAN BEST ANSWER THE DEMOCRATIC DECAY .
This document summarizes the root problems with the current state of human affairs and proposes an alternative vision. It argues that major issues facing societies today, such as economic struggles, political unrest, environmental degradation and distrust in institutions, are merely symptoms of a deeper root cause. The root cause, according to the author, is that humans abandoned living in self-governing communities around 7,000 years ago due to fear and greed, and submitted to powerful rulers who promised protection in exchange for allegiance and resources. However, this promise of external support and decision-making has never been and can never be fulfilled, leading to the problems seen globally today. The author asserts that correcting this root cause by reclaiming individual initiative and self-
This document provides an overview of American men in the early 2010s by examining realities, icons, and memes. It discusses the changing demographics of the US, with declining white population percentages and growing ethnic diversity. Economically, it notes the illusion of widespread prosperity fueled by debt, and outlines the current realities of uneven wealth distribution and declining prospects for many working-class men. It then examines prominent male icons from Hollywood and how they have reflected changing ideals of American manhood over time. Finally, it introduces the concept of "thought viruses" or memes that animate American cultural and political debates.
The document summarizes key points from a talk given by Matthew J. Slaughter on the global economic outlook. It explores this question through five numbers: 1) 62.5% - the fiscal opportunity facing governments in reducing debt to GDP ratios; 2) 96.2% - the income opportunity to address rising income inequality; 3) 3.1% - the growth opportunity in emerging markets like India and China; 4) 0% - the talent opportunity to improve education and attract skilled immigrants given little increase in US high school graduation rates; 5) 3% - the hope opportunity as only 3% of Americans are confident their children's lives will be better given declining confidence in the US economic trajectory.
The documents summarize information on globalization, migration trends, the US-Mexico border, NAFTA, and immigration trends in the US. The key points are:
1) Despite globalization and outsourcing, the US continues to attract the most immigrants worldwide. The US-Mexico border sees over 250 million crossings annually.
2) NAFTA aims to reduce trade barriers but does not allow free movement of people. It has led to outsourcing of US manufacturing jobs to Mexico, costing an estimated 1 million US jobs.
3) Most modern immigrants to the US come from Latin America and Asia, especially Mexico. They tend to settle near the US-Mexico border or in traditional immigrant
The document discusses several areas of social and economic inequality in the USA, including wealth, employment, health, education, housing, and crime. It provides evidence that ethnic minorities such as Black and Hispanic Americans face significantly higher rates of poverty, unemployment, lack of health insurance, lower life expectancy, higher school dropout rates, lower home ownership, and higher rates of incarceration when compared to white Americans. The inequalities are linked to issues of discrimination, unequal access to resources and opportunities, and concentration of minorities in low-income urban areas with underfunded public services and higher crime rates.
This document discusses factors that contribute to global and domestic inequalities. It introduces dependency theory, which argues that poorer countries are disadvantaged in the international system through exploitation by richer countries. Global factors like colonialism created economic gaps by exploiting resources from colonies. The structure of the world economy also favors richer nations. Domestically, overpopulation, unemployment, and the legacy of colonial social divisions contribute to inequality. Dependency theory asserts that underdeveloped countries must isolate from capitalist states to gain independence.
This article aims to analyze the causes of the popular uprising currently occurring in the United States that resulted from the murder of George Floyd, a black American handcuffed by a white policeman in Minneapolis, who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he was dead. This event served as a starting point for a rallying cry in more than 100 American cities against, not only racism, but also against the social ills suffered by the great majority of the American population, especially by the black population, which were aggravated for the spread of the new Coronavirus that contributed to driving the North American economy into recession and to the dizzying rise of unemployment in the United States.
This document discusses challenges facing young people globally. It profiles Shen Xiang, a migrant worker from rural China living in poor conditions in Shanghai as he lacks a residence permit. While his pay is decent, he cannot afford marriage or housing without local residency rights. The document notes that of the 1.8 billion young people worldwide, 85% live in developing countries where constraints like lack of education and jobs hinder their potential. While young people today are smarter and enjoy more freedoms, much of their talent is being squandered due to high youth unemployment and barriers to education and housing. The path to adulthood has also become longer and more complex. Overall, the document argues young people globally form an "oppressed minority"
Prof. Lawrence Haddad, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK talks about how President Elect Obama may affect international development
Barack Obama was elected as the first Black president of the United States in 2008. As president, he faced challenges of two ongoing wars and the worst recession since the Great Depression. However, Obama guided the country out of recession and ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, he reformed healthcare and saved the auto industry. Obama did not engage in any new wars and saw declining crime rates. His presidency was largely scandal-free. Overall, Obama made history and inspired many as the first Black president of the United States.
This document provides an overview and summary of four articles in a monthly newsletter on trends and challenges for development in South America. The first article discusses affirmative action policies in Brazil that reserve university admissions for underrepresented groups and the debate around these policies. The second article analyzes development indicator indexes for South American countries and finds that while economic growth has been strong, challenges remain regarding inequality, peace, competitiveness and sustainability of growth. The third article examines new data on taxation, social programs and their impact on inequality in the region. The fourth article interviews someone about how climate change intersects with gender issues.
Who are Baby Boomers today? This is the question that this annual report tries to answer. By summarizing and highlighting the most compellingconclusions of academic research, polls,and media on the subject of Boomer
trends, Sabi’s annual BOOMer Report attempts to define key characteristics of the Boomer generation, as it
stands, today. Taken together, we hope these trends will paint as clear a picture as possible of the Baby Boomer generation in America in 2015.
This document calls citizens to action against large banks and corporations that do not pay taxes, have contributed to high unemployment and poverty rates, and have consolidated wealth at the expense of the middle class. It provides numerous statistics about the economic crisis and its impacts. It argues the current system is rigged in favor of the wealthy and controlled by lobbyists, not citizens, and calls for reform to return power to the people and sovereignty to governments over private banks that control money supply and lending practices.
The document provides an introduction to understanding American men at the beginning of a new decade. It discusses that America is a diverse, immigrant nation making generalizations difficult. However, some common traits unite American men, such as a distinctive patriotism shaped by the country being founded by its people rather than inherited history. American men are also shaped by the interaction between their innate traits, national dreams/values expressed in media, and public debates exercising free speech rights. To understand American men, the document will examine realities, male icons, and influential memes.
This document provides an overview of the BRIC economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. It discusses key details about each country's population, economic growth, reliance on natural resources and international trade, education systems, and infrastructure challenges. The main points covered are:
1) Brazil has a large population and economy driven by domestic consumption but faces challenges around inequality, poor education, high costs of transporting goods, and a strong currency that hurts exports.
2) Russia transitioned from communism to a market economy but still struggles with corruption, a declining population, and need for infrastructure investment beyond energy exports to China.
3) India's economy was previously tightly controlled by the state but has grown since pursuing
Implications Of The Youth Unemployment Trendbmack19
The document discusses the trend of rising youth unemployment in the United States since the 1940s and its implications. It notes that while youth unemployment increases during recessions, the overall rate has been trending upward. If this continues, it could have detrimental social and economic effects like lower wages, delayed milestones, and increased costs to social programs. Addressing the issue will require cooperation between public and private institutions.
Colombia and latin america - The next challengesAlvaro Uribe V.
This document discusses trends that will shape Latin America's future and analyzes the economic outlook for the region in 2013. Some key trends include the rise of the global middle class, emerging powers like China surpassing Western economies, increasing pressure on natural resources, and changing demographics. The document contrasts the more successful socio-economic models of countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico that embrace liberal democracy, free trade, and investment versus the weaker ALBA bloc model of Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia. It concludes by predicting GDP growth rates for countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile in 2013, with Brazil expected to be the main driver of growth in the region.
Reform COVID19's Inequality to Avoid RevolutionsPaul H. Carr
COVID19 amplifies inequality, increasing tensions between poor Blacks, Whites, Police, and Immigrants. Economically disadvantaged Blacks joined by Whites are taking to the streets to demand reform. Economic inequality contributed to the French Revolution and to our Civil War, with the most casualties in our history.
We need reform to prevent revolutions. Karl Marx’s wrote his 1847 Communist Manifesto in response the newly rich industrialist’s exploitation of the poor workers in England. During this time, author Charles Dickens, as a boy, had to work ten-hour shifts pasting labels on bottles to support this family, because his father was confined in Debtor’s Prison.
In 1917,Trotsky led the Communist Revolution in Russia that ousted the Tsars’ monarchy. In 1924 Stalin emerged as the leader of the USSR. After WWII, the US fought the Korean and Vietnam Wars to stop the Communists from overrunning the world.
The rich, miserly Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” underwent a conversion to a generous person who celebrated Christmas. In contrast to the Communist revolution, this can be a metaphor for the rule of law that enabled the US to overcome worker exploitation. The US passed child, labor, and anti-trust laws that constrained the power of the rich industrialists.
Since the 1980s, hourly worker pay has not increased in proportion to inflation and increased productivity. This disparity is increasing economic inequality. Most of the increased productivity pay has gone to those with education beyond a bachelor’s degree.
The minimum federal pay of $7.25 per hour has not been increased for over a decade. To keep up with inflation and productivity increases, the minimum wage should be gradually advanced to $ 20 per hour. Recently the minimum wage in Washington, DC increased to $14 per hour.
The property tax that funds public schools results in poor neighborhoods having poor schools and rich neighborhoods having good schools. State, federal, and corporate funds are needed to keep poor kids from being locked into poverty. Our high tech civilization needs an educated workforce. Let’s educate our poor rather than import educated immigrants. We must also reform our tax structure and corporate policies.
The document summarizes the economic, political, and social issues facing the United States in the 1970s. It discusses the rise of public sector unions between 1955-1975 as workers fought for higher wages. The economy struggled with inflation, unemployment, and declining GDP growth. Key turning points included the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, which caused energy shortages and rising gas prices, exacerbating stagflation. Additionally, the Watergate scandal led to Nixon's resignation in 1974 and weakened public trust in government. Social reforms increased pressure for women's rights, civil rights, and inclusion of minority workers. The document argues these factors constituted the major turning points of the 1970s.
This document discusses the debate around immigration to the U.S. It notes that while immigrants have historically contributed to U.S. economic growth and prosperity, the debate has taken different turns as some native-born Americans see immigration as a threat. While most agree some level of immigration is acceptable, there is disagreement around how many and what types of immigrants to allow. The document also outlines some arguments made against immigration and taxes paid by undocumented immigrants. It concludes that the debate is complicated by politics and gerrymandering that reduces incentives for compromise.
This document discusses issues of equality and inequality in American society. It presents arguments on both sides of the question "Is America Approaching Equality within Society?". The YES side, represented by a speech from President Barack Obama, argues that while more progress needs to be made, America has made steady advances towards racial equality since the civil rights movement. However, the NO side, represented by a report from the National Urban League, finds that African Americans remain only 72.2% equal economically to white citizens based on metrics like income, wealth, employment and poverty rates. The document also discusses historical trends in inequality, differences between racial, gender and economic inequality, and debates around the impacts of capitalism on equality.
SMO and SMM implementations of Obama's election Campaign on the Internet. This PPT shows the powerful usage of search media optimization and social media marketing to reach millions of people accross the globe.
This document provides an overview of American men in the early 2010s by examining realities, icons, and memes. It discusses the changing demographics of the US, with declining white population percentages and growing ethnic diversity. Economically, it notes the illusion of widespread prosperity fueled by debt, and outlines the current realities of uneven wealth distribution and declining prospects for many working-class men. It then examines prominent male icons from Hollywood and how they have reflected changing ideals of American manhood over time. Finally, it introduces the concept of "thought viruses" or memes that animate American cultural and political debates.
This document summarizes realities about men in the United States based on statistics and data. It notes that the US population continues to grow through births and immigration, making it more ethnically diverse. While men on average still earn more than women, the gap is closing as more women get college degrees and high-paying jobs. However, rising costs and debt have created an illusion of prosperity for many. Most Americans now make under $50,000 annually and cannot maintain spending levels without borrowing. Overall wealth remains concentrated among the top earners.
This thesis examines how cultural and political factors in the United States foster economic hardship and inequality, undermining efforts for a more egalitarian society. While some degree of inequality is expected in a capitalist system, the U.S. has experienced a dramatic rise in poverty and income disparity since the 1970s. Globalization and technology alone do not explain this, as other nations facing the same pressures have avoided similar increases. The paper will analyze how uniquely American traits like individualism and distrust of government, as well as the influence of special interests and wealthy donors in politics, impede reforms and preserve the status quo, causing many to miss out on the American Dream.
The price of_inequality_joseph_e_stiglitzUnico Coisa
This document is the preface to Joseph E. Stiglitz's book "The Price of Inequality". Stiglitz argues that protests around the world in 2011 showed that people felt economic and political systems had failed and were unfair. While specific grievances varied, shared themes included that markets were neither efficient nor stable, political systems failed to address problems, and both economic and political systems were fundamentally unfair. Stiglitz aims to explain how inequality is caused by and exacerbates failures in politics and the economy, creating a downward spiral. The consequences of high inequality include less stability, growth, and democracy that is captured by moneyed interests.
This article aims to analyze the causes of the popular uprising currently occurring in the United States that resulted from the murder of George Floyd, a black American handcuffed by a white policeman in Minneapolis, who knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes until he was dead. This event served as a starting point for a rallying cry in more than 100 American cities against, not only racism, but also against the social ills suffered by the great majority of the American population, especially by the black population, which were aggravated for the spread of the new Coronavirus that contributed to driving the North American economy into recession and to the dizzying rise of unemployment in the United States.
This document discusses challenges facing young people globally. It profiles Shen Xiang, a migrant worker from rural China living in poor conditions in Shanghai as he lacks a residence permit. While his pay is decent, he cannot afford marriage or housing without local residency rights. The document notes that of the 1.8 billion young people worldwide, 85% live in developing countries where constraints like lack of education and jobs hinder their potential. While young people today are smarter and enjoy more freedoms, much of their talent is being squandered due to high youth unemployment and barriers to education and housing. The path to adulthood has also become longer and more complex. Overall, the document argues young people globally form an "oppressed minority"
Prof. Lawrence Haddad, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK talks about how President Elect Obama may affect international development
Barack Obama was elected as the first Black president of the United States in 2008. As president, he faced challenges of two ongoing wars and the worst recession since the Great Depression. However, Obama guided the country out of recession and ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, he reformed healthcare and saved the auto industry. Obama did not engage in any new wars and saw declining crime rates. His presidency was largely scandal-free. Overall, Obama made history and inspired many as the first Black president of the United States.
This document provides an overview and summary of four articles in a monthly newsletter on trends and challenges for development in South America. The first article discusses affirmative action policies in Brazil that reserve university admissions for underrepresented groups and the debate around these policies. The second article analyzes development indicator indexes for South American countries and finds that while economic growth has been strong, challenges remain regarding inequality, peace, competitiveness and sustainability of growth. The third article examines new data on taxation, social programs and their impact on inequality in the region. The fourth article interviews someone about how climate change intersects with gender issues.
Who are Baby Boomers today? This is the question that this annual report tries to answer. By summarizing and highlighting the most compellingconclusions of academic research, polls,and media on the subject of Boomer
trends, Sabi’s annual BOOMer Report attempts to define key characteristics of the Boomer generation, as it
stands, today. Taken together, we hope these trends will paint as clear a picture as possible of the Baby Boomer generation in America in 2015.
This document calls citizens to action against large banks and corporations that do not pay taxes, have contributed to high unemployment and poverty rates, and have consolidated wealth at the expense of the middle class. It provides numerous statistics about the economic crisis and its impacts. It argues the current system is rigged in favor of the wealthy and controlled by lobbyists, not citizens, and calls for reform to return power to the people and sovereignty to governments over private banks that control money supply and lending practices.
The document provides an introduction to understanding American men at the beginning of a new decade. It discusses that America is a diverse, immigrant nation making generalizations difficult. However, some common traits unite American men, such as a distinctive patriotism shaped by the country being founded by its people rather than inherited history. American men are also shaped by the interaction between their innate traits, national dreams/values expressed in media, and public debates exercising free speech rights. To understand American men, the document will examine realities, male icons, and influential memes.
This document provides an overview of the BRIC economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. It discusses key details about each country's population, economic growth, reliance on natural resources and international trade, education systems, and infrastructure challenges. The main points covered are:
1) Brazil has a large population and economy driven by domestic consumption but faces challenges around inequality, poor education, high costs of transporting goods, and a strong currency that hurts exports.
2) Russia transitioned from communism to a market economy but still struggles with corruption, a declining population, and need for infrastructure investment beyond energy exports to China.
3) India's economy was previously tightly controlled by the state but has grown since pursuing
Implications Of The Youth Unemployment Trendbmack19
The document discusses the trend of rising youth unemployment in the United States since the 1940s and its implications. It notes that while youth unemployment increases during recessions, the overall rate has been trending upward. If this continues, it could have detrimental social and economic effects like lower wages, delayed milestones, and increased costs to social programs. Addressing the issue will require cooperation between public and private institutions.
Colombia and latin america - The next challengesAlvaro Uribe V.
This document discusses trends that will shape Latin America's future and analyzes the economic outlook for the region in 2013. Some key trends include the rise of the global middle class, emerging powers like China surpassing Western economies, increasing pressure on natural resources, and changing demographics. The document contrasts the more successful socio-economic models of countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico that embrace liberal democracy, free trade, and investment versus the weaker ALBA bloc model of Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia. It concludes by predicting GDP growth rates for countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Chile in 2013, with Brazil expected to be the main driver of growth in the region.
Reform COVID19's Inequality to Avoid RevolutionsPaul H. Carr
COVID19 amplifies inequality, increasing tensions between poor Blacks, Whites, Police, and Immigrants. Economically disadvantaged Blacks joined by Whites are taking to the streets to demand reform. Economic inequality contributed to the French Revolution and to our Civil War, with the most casualties in our history.
We need reform to prevent revolutions. Karl Marx’s wrote his 1847 Communist Manifesto in response the newly rich industrialist’s exploitation of the poor workers in England. During this time, author Charles Dickens, as a boy, had to work ten-hour shifts pasting labels on bottles to support this family, because his father was confined in Debtor’s Prison.
In 1917,Trotsky led the Communist Revolution in Russia that ousted the Tsars’ monarchy. In 1924 Stalin emerged as the leader of the USSR. After WWII, the US fought the Korean and Vietnam Wars to stop the Communists from overrunning the world.
The rich, miserly Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” underwent a conversion to a generous person who celebrated Christmas. In contrast to the Communist revolution, this can be a metaphor for the rule of law that enabled the US to overcome worker exploitation. The US passed child, labor, and anti-trust laws that constrained the power of the rich industrialists.
Since the 1980s, hourly worker pay has not increased in proportion to inflation and increased productivity. This disparity is increasing economic inequality. Most of the increased productivity pay has gone to those with education beyond a bachelor’s degree.
The minimum federal pay of $7.25 per hour has not been increased for over a decade. To keep up with inflation and productivity increases, the minimum wage should be gradually advanced to $ 20 per hour. Recently the minimum wage in Washington, DC increased to $14 per hour.
The property tax that funds public schools results in poor neighborhoods having poor schools and rich neighborhoods having good schools. State, federal, and corporate funds are needed to keep poor kids from being locked into poverty. Our high tech civilization needs an educated workforce. Let’s educate our poor rather than import educated immigrants. We must also reform our tax structure and corporate policies.
The document summarizes the economic, political, and social issues facing the United States in the 1970s. It discusses the rise of public sector unions between 1955-1975 as workers fought for higher wages. The economy struggled with inflation, unemployment, and declining GDP growth. Key turning points included the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, which caused energy shortages and rising gas prices, exacerbating stagflation. Additionally, the Watergate scandal led to Nixon's resignation in 1974 and weakened public trust in government. Social reforms increased pressure for women's rights, civil rights, and inclusion of minority workers. The document argues these factors constituted the major turning points of the 1970s.
This document discusses the debate around immigration to the U.S. It notes that while immigrants have historically contributed to U.S. economic growth and prosperity, the debate has taken different turns as some native-born Americans see immigration as a threat. While most agree some level of immigration is acceptable, there is disagreement around how many and what types of immigrants to allow. The document also outlines some arguments made against immigration and taxes paid by undocumented immigrants. It concludes that the debate is complicated by politics and gerrymandering that reduces incentives for compromise.
This document discusses issues of equality and inequality in American society. It presents arguments on both sides of the question "Is America Approaching Equality within Society?". The YES side, represented by a speech from President Barack Obama, argues that while more progress needs to be made, America has made steady advances towards racial equality since the civil rights movement. However, the NO side, represented by a report from the National Urban League, finds that African Americans remain only 72.2% equal economically to white citizens based on metrics like income, wealth, employment and poverty rates. The document also discusses historical trends in inequality, differences between racial, gender and economic inequality, and debates around the impacts of capitalism on equality.
SMO and SMM implementations of Obama's election Campaign on the Internet. This PPT shows the powerful usage of search media optimization and social media marketing to reach millions of people accross the globe.
This document provides an overview of American men in the early 2010s by examining realities, icons, and memes. It discusses the changing demographics of the US, with declining white population percentages and growing ethnic diversity. Economically, it notes the illusion of widespread prosperity fueled by debt, and outlines the current realities of uneven wealth distribution and declining prospects for many working-class men. It then examines prominent male icons from Hollywood and how they have reflected changing ideals of American manhood over time. Finally, it introduces the concept of "thought viruses" or memes that animate American cultural and political debates.
This document summarizes realities about men in the United States based on statistics and data. It notes that the US population continues to grow through births and immigration, making it more ethnically diverse. While men on average still earn more than women, the gap is closing as more women get college degrees and high-paying jobs. However, rising costs and debt have created an illusion of prosperity for many. Most Americans now make under $50,000 annually and cannot maintain spending levels without borrowing. Overall wealth remains concentrated among the top earners.
This thesis examines how cultural and political factors in the United States foster economic hardship and inequality, undermining efforts for a more egalitarian society. While some degree of inequality is expected in a capitalist system, the U.S. has experienced a dramatic rise in poverty and income disparity since the 1970s. Globalization and technology alone do not explain this, as other nations facing the same pressures have avoided similar increases. The paper will analyze how uniquely American traits like individualism and distrust of government, as well as the influence of special interests and wealthy donors in politics, impede reforms and preserve the status quo, causing many to miss out on the American Dream.
The price of_inequality_joseph_e_stiglitzUnico Coisa
This document is the preface to Joseph E. Stiglitz's book "The Price of Inequality". Stiglitz argues that protests around the world in 2011 showed that people felt economic and political systems had failed and were unfair. While specific grievances varied, shared themes included that markets were neither efficient nor stable, political systems failed to address problems, and both economic and political systems were fundamentally unfair. Stiglitz aims to explain how inequality is caused by and exacerbates failures in politics and the economy, creating a downward spiral. The consequences of high inequality include less stability, growth, and democracy that is captured by moneyed interests.
A detailed review of the causes and effects of income inequality. Details on how extreme it is. Citation of many authors suggesting how it came about and what to do about it.
With the fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europ.docxambersalomon88660
With the fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe, Russia's command economy opened up to the world. The resulting globalization brought about great economic and political changes. While the new market economy promoted growth and modernization, it also deepened the country's class divide. Further, the quick transition from a planned economy to a free market opened the door for rampant corruption. Oligarchs who where friends of the old state where sold sectors of industry for pennies on the dollar. So while globalization paved the way for industrialization and modernization, particularly in the oil industry in Russia, the corruption and class divide brought with it make it a double edged sword.
Like every country in the world, Russia enjoys the benefits of globalization. They have been active in world trade and financial markets. In doing so, they agree to the rules of the games established way before they decided to join. "The global financial system resembles a somewhat democratic society where the voice of a very powerful and representative segment of society is manifested not by vote, but by instant and unambiguous money flows" (Marmolejo, 2014).
However, Russia is new to this game. "The Moscow Exchange was established on December 19, 2011, by the merger of the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange and the Russian Trading System. The Moscow Exchange operates all financial assets across the board: equities, bonds, derivatives, currencies, money markets, and precious metals; in addition, the Moscow Exchange also operates Russia’s Central Securities Depositary and the country’s largest clearing service provider" (Marmolejo, 2014). It resides about in the middle regarding a current per capita GDP of approximately $18,100 (US), with an abundance of corruption, extreme ends of the spectrum regarding the haves and have nots, not to mention the many ethnic conflicts (Marmolejo, 2014). They are largely dependent upon the export of raw materials, such as oil, gas and other related products, but have "a third-world-like economic structure" (Marmelejo, 2014). Despite their antiquated economic structure, they have the largest landmass in the world with the 10th largest population in the world.
With Capitalization now taking over some previously communist countries, Putin is slowly destroying the country. His militarist attitude is going to put Russia back to where there were.
Marmolejo, M. (March 12, 2014). "Putin, Russia, Ukraine, and the Globalized World." Globalization: Opportunities & Implications. Retrieved on October 22, 2014 from url http://www.understandglobalization.com/2014/03/12/putin-russia-ukraine-and-the-globalized-world/
The global economy is an interconnected marketplace. Speaking from a political and economist perspective, globalization increases integration in the scope of business, values, technology, and various aspects of culture; it fosters interaction between people, organizations, and governments. In pertinen.
Minorities in American DreamMinorities do not Equal Acce.docxaltheaboyer
Minorities in American Dream
Minorities do not Equal Access to the American Dream
Teddy Chou
Oregon State University
In this new world, people who are from all over the world have been moving into America and intending to start and live a better life. Emigrants from Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia, among other regions of the world, have all come in the US hoping for better political, economic and social conditions. They just have one thing in their minds, and that is to achieve the American dream. In addition, the American Dream is just like that life should be better, richer and fuller for every person, with opportunity for each based on his ability or achievement. It is a national spirit that represents the best possible life of the American population. Everyone has an opportunity to be successful, lead a prosperous life, and have the freedom to climb up the economic ladder along with their family and children, without any regard to their origin or social class. Also, the United States usually declared the independence that is the American Dream should let all people are equal and have the freedom to enjoy life, liberty, and happiness. Furthermore, practically, realizing the American dream is to own a house built on a private land. President Bill Clinton emphasized that for one to realize this dream, they have to work hard in order to have a chance for personal development and advancement. Living the American Dream is the principal goal for the majority of American citizens and those that have been fighting to attain American citizenship. However, the realization of this dream has proved to be a nightmare for most Americans because of many reasons (Cullen, 2004, p. 124). And then the American Dream for most American has been rendered unrealistic and impossible to achieve.
In 2000, after many years of significant economic development and success, the rate of poverty of both Latino and African American populations was still close to three times higher than that of the white American white population. Even though this difference was alarming, the previous decades had seen worse with higher disparities recorded. When the economy made a slow turn to the worse after 2000, the rate of poverty among the minorities rose significantly higher than that of the whites. They result in a widened poverty gap and make the realization of the American Dream among them even seem impossible (Soyer, 2016). Although the number of Americans living in poverty reduced by over a million between 2004 and 2005, the poverty levels of the minorities heightened.
Gender has also been an obstacle for most people to achieve the American Dream. Since ancient times, the men have been viewed by the society as stronger, able and the host of their families. This notion has identified women as a minority gender and made it difficult for them to get ahead of society’s stereotype against them. A majority of them have been trapped in a society that limits ...
Getting The Rural Swagger Back is a keynote speech about revitalizing rural communities. It discusses how rural areas are facing challenges like declining populations and economic difficulties. However, it also notes opportunities like a growing interest among younger and retiring generations in rural living. The speech advocates developing a positive vision that emphasizes community, self-sufficiency, and cultural values to attract new residents and boost rural economies. It provides examples of shareable economies, local food systems, and renewable energy to demonstrate rural sustainability and resilience.
Similar to PRESIDENT OBAMA’S JOURNEY FROM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO UNITED STATES OF SOCIALIST AMERICA (10)
नेपालले वर्तमानमा भोगिरहेको पारवहन सङ्कटको स्थितिमा तात्कालिक र दीर्घकालीन रुपमा रेसम मार्गको सान्दर्भिकता बुझ्न उपयोगी हुने ठानिएको यो लेख गत कार्तिक ३ गते अन्नपूर्ण पोस्टमा छापिएको थियो !
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1. William Henry Seward, an American politician in the 19th century, correctly predicted that the Pacific Ocean would become increasingly important globally due to rising trade and commerce between countries like the US and China.
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संवैधानिक, कानुनी, राजनीतिक, सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक र आर्थिक संस्था र संगठनहरू कसैको नियन्त्रणमा छैनन्। मुलुकमा कुनै सन्तुलनकारी शक्ति छैन। बाह्य शक्तिहरूका परस्परविरोधी स्वार्थको प्रकट र प्रच्छन्न अभिव्यक्ति र क्रियाकलापविरुद्ध उनीहरूलाई संयमित रहने र सचेत गराउने संस्थाको अभावमा मुलुकको एकता र अखण्डतामाथि मुलुकभित्र र बाहिरबाट पनि प्रश्नैप्रश्नको ओइरो लागेको छ।
The article describes about the inspiring personality of wold's most influential foreign policy analyst of our time and his majestic recent book" World Order"
The return of Mackinder’s Heartland Theory with new strategic development in Eurasia, Defense Partnership and Alliances in the Heartland, Major Asian Power- Groping their way Amid Extremism including Test Case for India and China in Strategic Asia .
भारत र चीन को उदयसंगै जापान संगको सम्वन्धमा उनिहरुको प्रभाव र शक्ति विस्तारको क्रममा एसियामा विकाश हुँदै गएको रणनीतिक चुनौतीमा नेपालका चुनौती र सम्भावना बारे चर्चा गरिएको लेख
ठूला र शक्तिशाली राष्ट्रहरुको अत्यन्त जटील भूराजनीतिक स्वार्थहरुको भुङ्ग्रोमा साना राष्ट्रहरुले कसरी आफ्नो राजनीतिक स्थीरता,आर्थिक संवृद्धि, राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा र प्रजातान्त्रिक प्रणालीको सफलतालाई सुनिश्चित गर्न सक्छन भन्ने बारे नेपालको सन्दर्भमा प्रकाश पारिएको लेख
It throws lights on the links between King Birendra's Zone of Peace Proposal, BP Koiraalaa's Policy of National Reconciliation and India's policy of Nepal's Tarai
यो लेखमा नरेन्द्र मोदीको पछिल्लो नेपाल भ्रमणमा उनले नेपालमा आर्जन गरेको विश्वासको सङ्क्षिप्त वर्णन सहित भाजपाको विदेशनीतिका मार्ग दर्शक सिद्धान्त, नेपालको सन्दर्भमा त्यसको मर्म र अर्थ सहित अटल बिहारी बाजपेयी सरकारको नीतिको निरन्तरताको क्रममा मनमोहन सिंह सरकारको पालामा नेपालमा राजतन्त्रको समाप्तिका सन्दर्भ सहित नेपाल भारत सम्वन्धमा भावी सम्भावना उल्लेख गरिएको छ I
NARENDRA MODI’S AND XI JINPING’S HISTORIC ROLES AMID THREATS AND CHALLENGESKeshav Prasad Bhattarai
Includes- Contradictions in India and China Relations ,India and China: Living with the Common Threats of Terrorism and Joint Responsibility of Modi and Jinping
पानीसिर्जित संकट र चुनौती,समस्या पानी, समाधान पानी,नेपाल र भारत र बृहत्तररूपमा दक्षिण एसियाका मुलुकमाझ यिनै अभ्यास, मूल्य, संस्कृति, संरचना र अभिप्रेरणा लगानी गर्नमा भारतको नयाँ राजनीतिक नेतृत्वको दूरदृष्टि, इच्छाशक्ति र प्रतिबद्धता अपेक्षित छ ।
How Americans are loved in Vietnam despite a brutal war? How China has to secure global leadership amid so many internal and external challenges? How China is eager to claim a global leadership - while living with Few Friends but with more Rivals? What are the prospective Political Reforms that follows the full commitment to UNIVERSAL HUMAN VALUES, CAN GIVE CHINA A WIDER GLOBAL RECOGNITION AND ACCEPTABILITY FOR ITS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP.
शक्ति र सत्तामा रहेकाहरुको आर्थिक स्वार्थमा, आधात पर्ने वित्तिकै कसरी शासन सत्ता ढल्दछ, र कसरी सरकारहरु आम जनताको हितमा आवश्यक प्रभावकारी आर्थिक नीति अवलम्वन गर्न र प्रजातन्त्रलाई सवाल बनाउन भन्दा-- शासक वर्गकै हितमा केन्द्रित राज्य संचालन नीति अवलम्वन गर्न पुग्छन, भन्ने वारे नेपाल र विश्व सन्दर्भ समेटिएको लेख
प्रजातन्त्र कसरी अशासित पहुन्छ र कुशासन र निरङ्कुश शासनभन्दा खराव हुन पुग्दछ,
विकल्प निरंकुशता कि विधिहीनता ? तथा यक्ष युधिष्ठिर सम्वाद, धर्म र कानुनलाई हाम्रो सन्दर्भमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको I
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While there was huge propaganda against Modi as a Hindu extremist supported mainly by Sadhus and saints, the elections revealed it were Indian youths who took him as an avatar of modernity and progress.
In reputed international Media, rise of Modi was claimed as India’s Abe, but Chinese experts have analyzed - he can be India’s Nixon.
If Modi’s rise and the new geo-strategic significances it carried, are well realized and if is followed with suitable policy adjustments in world capitals, the world will certainly be able to solve major global problems with grand new possibilities. Instead, if major powers fail to understand its significance with Modi, the world may make efforts to form new alliances that may initiate a new phase of Cold War.
1. The document discusses India's rise from an economically struggling and politically unstable country in the early 1990s to a major global economic power under accidental and deliberate leadership.
2. It highlights how P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh accidentally came to power but deliberately and successfully implemented economic reforms that stabilized India and led to strong growth.
3. It argues that Narendra Modi, who could become the next Prime Minister, represents a shift to more assertive and visionary leadership compared to previous accidental leaders, and that under his leadership India may continue reinventing itself and realizing its potential on the global stage.
WHAT DOES MODI WAVE MEANS TO INDIA AND THE REGION?
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S JOURNEY FROM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO UNITED STATES OF SOCIALIST AMERICA
1. PRESIDENT OBAMA’S JOURNEY FROM
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO UNITED
STATES OF SOCIALIST AMERICA
Keshav Prasad Bhattarai
The 100 years Old leading Russian newspaper Pravda –the official organ of Soviet Communist party
from 1918 to 1991 and since 1997 an affiliate of Russian Communist Party, has claimed “The
communists have won in America with Obama but failed miserably in Russia”. Pravda in one of its
November editorial entitled “Obama’s Soviet mistake has said that in Russia the communist party
candidate Gennady Zyuganov only received 17% of the vote.
According to Pravda after Obama was elected in his first term as president, Vladimir Putin - the
then Prime Minister of Russia in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos - Switzerland in
January 2009, had advised the world leaders to learn from the Soviet mistake.
Pravda further asserts that Obama “is a Communist without question promoting the Communist
Manifesto without calling it so” and Americans will continue to follow him like those in Russia who
still praise Lenin and Stalin.
“The schools in the U.S. were conquered by the Communists long ago and history was revised thus
paving the way for their Communist presidents” Pravda further mentions and goes while observing
that “Obama has bailed out those businesses that voted for him and increased the debt to over 16
trillion with an ever increasing unemployment rate especially among blacks and other minorities.”
Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pravda says that while Russia is reducing taxes on
production, investing money in the economy and optimizing state expenses, the United States is
doing the just opposite - including excessive state interference into the economic life of the
country and displaying absolute faith into the all-mightiness of the state. Similar is the case with
unreasonable expansion of budget deficit, ever growing national debt and absurd policy directives
that are killing the competitiveness of the economy – the cost Soviet Union paid so dearly.
The most ironical question Pravda asked in its editorial is that “how long will the once "Land of the
Free" remain the United Socialist States of America?”
Unfortunately with Obama, the United States’ economic sufferings have worsened many times and
this has infuriated people to the extreme. The Huffington Post- one of the most popular political
news sites in United States with over a dozen local and international editions reported in November
that “The White House this week confirmed that residents in all fifty states had submitted
petitions asking to leave the union”.
The Post in another news story entitled “Divided States of America: Obama Win Sparks Secession
Mania” has detailed the number of digital signatures followed by Secession petition. The Huffington
2. Post has further added that while Texas has submitted such petitions with over 115,212 signatories
the others like Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and North Carolina had petitioned
with signatories from more than 52,000 to 29,000.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR UNITED SOCIALIST STATES OF AMERICA
In his second inauguration speech (January 21, 2013) when President Obama said “We do not believe
that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that
no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us at any time may face a job loss, or a
sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm”.
Mr. Obama’s inaugural address sounds like a third world leader somewhere in Sub Saharan Africa
or South Asia - where people are suffering from abject poverty and some cruelest human
deprivation caused by the greed and exploitation of others. The moment he admitted “. . . we must
be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice –- not out of
mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that
our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity, human dignity and justice”.
Indubitably, it confirms his commitment to that section of people to whom the state has bigger
responsibility but obviously failed to understand that he was leading that country for four years
and said nothing on what he did to implement his commitment in concrete terms.
No one can disagree with President Obama that no nation can succeed when a “shrinking few do very
well and a growing many barely make it,” and his statement over the significance of “rising middle
class" cannot be challenged. But since his first inauguration, what he has failed continuously is that
he goes on making promises, piling on political rhetoric but barely tries to improve the economy and
build its inherent capacity to satisfy his promises. Instead he went on increasing the entitlement
budget that is making budget deficits and federal debts shore up with historical records.
Obama reinvented a populist strategy for United States that was followed by former Soviet Union
and China prior to Deng. Big promises and a weak economy nowhere works, but that only kills the
economic growth of the country and also strangulates the inspiration of people to work hard, gain
prosperity and achieve development that ultimately pushed millions of people in economic trouble,
starvation, famines and state disintegration – a lesson taught by Maoist China and former Soviet
Union .
Similar was his remarks during 2009 inauguration that reads “Our economy is badly weakened, a
consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to
make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed,
businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many -- and each day brings
further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”
O.K. what Obama said can be a fine story in any other part of the globe -- but to a country that
offers freedom for all to reach at any height that is possible on earth and blaming some people
3. there – indubitably the rich ones with some branded rhetoric and clichés- exclusive for communist
leaders in my part of the world, seems does not stand fair.
For me and other people – a middle class family in one of the poorest country in world that depends
upon the worst system of public transport for their daily routine and have to live under 14 hours a
day without electricity, has to import daily supplies from other countries and has only thing to
export – its young blood – leaving its village economy in wilderness – have learnt some basic things:
you have to produce before you want to consume anything. The pain we are living with is that we
produce nothing - not only we produce nothing but we are not making any sincere efforts to make
the country and its people produce what they can with the knowledge, skill and resources they have.
For this reason my country has remained poorest when two of its neighboring countries are making
tremendous fortunes within a period of two or three decades.
For decades we have been listening Obama type rhetoric. Similar was the case with India and China
before they adopted the policy of economic liberalization. When both India and China dared to
swallow the bitter pills that - a government is judged not with its populist schemes and rhetoric of
its leaders that is followed by license and permit raj controlled by the huge and unaccountable
bureaucracy in the name of poor and down trodden people but with its performance of its economy
with unhindered and abundant opportunity available to innovative and creative mind of the people,
they invented a new history for the whole humanity.
IS OBAMA CREATING POVERTY OR PROSPERITY?
Obviously, it was the United States – the dream land of all young, energetic and innovative people
around the world that teaches the global community that when there is smaller government, low tax
rate, better opportunity and incentives for investments, sound system of physical infrastructures
and largest number of unmatched educational institutions that creates unlimited creativity among
the young and produces the best human capital on the earth - have helped it remain the richest and
most powerful country in the world nearly for a century. That is the lesson the country around us
whether it is China or India has learnt from the great American people. A little farther from us is
South Korea – an impossible country when created and that had a per capita income of just US $ 87
in early sixties - has become an economic powerhouse of our time.
It was the first country created by people. People own it from the day of its foundation. It is
people who protected it, energized it and gave the gory – that no country in the world experienced
in world history.
Politics in the name of poor – but without any substantive efforts to support their cause and raise
their living standards in a sustained way are the most cowardice political practices prevailing in
many part of the world.
When Deng Xiaoping admitted that to get rich is not a sin but a glorious thing and followed a policy
to help people grow rich, it created an impossible achievement for the human civilization - that
emancipated 400 people from poverty within a period of two decades. According to the
projections made by American economist China by 2017 will become the largest economy of the
world – pushing United States behind it and it seems Americans instead of trying hard to remain at
4. the top are accelerating their journey to fall and decline and Mr. Obama in a driving seat is leading
this fall.
Getting rich at the cost of the poor is a sin and a government has a role to play there - to ensure
fair chances to all to earn their riches. But blaming rich people for their lawful income publicly
from the highest position of the country and promises to punish them with unjust taxes is a way to
weave crisis, poverty, chaos and breakdown of nations.
Unfortunately President Obama has been demonstrating no appetite to learn this big truth.
Citing Congressional Budget Office( CBO) based on official Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data
Peter Ferrara in Forbes (December 22, 2012) has stated that in 2009 the top 1% of income
earners paid 39% of all federal income taxes, three times their share of income at 13%. On the
other hand the middle class earning over some 20% of income paid just 2.7% of total federal
income taxes on net that year while earning 15% of income. Ferrara further states that the top 1%
paid almost 15 times as much in federal income taxes as the entire middle 20%, even though the
middle 20% earned more income. And lastly the rest of the income earners remaining in the bottom
40 percent of income earners instead of paying some income taxes to the federal government were
paid in cash – that was equal to 10 percent of the federal income taxes as a group on net.
According to Peter Ferrara – the director of policy for the Carleson Center for Public policy, a good
tax policy is not guided by “need” but by the incentives to maximize economic growth. He admits
that the great lesson the 20th century teaches the humanity is that it is economic growth that
benefits the poor, working people and middle class than by redistribution. And for this reason, as
United States learnt it and followed it with rapid and sustained economic growth with commitment
and courage, the living standard of American workers grew more than seven times.
American experiences over the last five decades have also exhibited that Obama’s tax policy
focused mainly on savings and investments will hinder economic growth by discouragement effect to
increase investment, enhance productivity, create new jobs and promote competency in labor
markets and as a result of this tax rates may be increased but the revenue is likely to fall down
miserably.
REAGAN, CLINTON OBAMA AND SOME OF THE BEST AND WORST AMERICAN
PRESIDENTS
During the 2008 election campaign Barrack Obama claimed that Ronald Reagan was a mere
transformative president than Bill Clinton. But a survey by Harris Interactive conducted in the
beginning of 2012 says that of all the U.S. presidents since World War II - one-quarter of
Americans said Ronald Reagan is the best president, 19 percent said Franklin Roosevelt while 15
percent believed John F. Kennedy and 12 percent said Bill Clinton. But on the other hand over one-
quarter of U.S. adults participated in the survey stated that George W. Bush was the worst
president and Barrack Obama just seconded Bush.
When the list was expanded from the beginning, Abraham Lincoln was seen as the best president in
history - one-third of Americans voting in his favor. Lincoln was followed by Ronald Reagan and
even the first U.S. President – one of the founders of the nation - George Washington stood third.
5. Obama was similarly unkind to Bill Clinton. On the one hand Obama repeatedly requested Hillary
Clinton -the most respected political figure of contemporary United States and the incumbent
Defense Secretary Robert Gates – one of the most effective Defense Secretaries – the country
ever had to join his administration and secure higher acceptability among the American people. On
the other hand, after Hillary Clinton agreed his proposal Barack Obama on December 12, 2008
forced Bill Clinton to sign a “memorandum of understanding” that according to Nancy Gibbs and
Michael Duffy in their acclaimed book - The Presidents Club, was an arrangement most unlikely
“between a president and one of his predecessors.”
The memo that the CBS News had obtained from a Senate Foreign Relations Committee member
had put restrictions on Bill Clinton to lead the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meetings and stop
fund-raising activities and the Clinton Foundation would have to “release the entire list of its
donors as long as Hillary Clinton is Secretary of State, it will release its future donors annually”.
Under the terms of the MOU, Bill Clinton released a list of its thousands of contributors that have
supported Clinton Foundation in areas of activities including funds for the victims of Hurricane
Katrina.
Similarly Obama was much critical on his immediate predecessor George W Bush, while Bush on the
other hand responded that “I love my country a lot more than I love politics” therefore “I think it
is essential that Obama be helped in the office”.
What all these say is that in his efforts to claim the tallest position in American history – President
Obama not only likes to play a blame game against the wealthier people of America but also against
his predecessors to whom the American people are proud of.
Excessive spending strategies of President Obama and the resulting budget deficit has become
biggest problem of contemporary America and this is putting it under tremendous budgetary
pressures to fulfill its basic commitments to the people and to stand tall to its obligations in favor
of its alliances. And regrettably as a result of this the American people have developed a very bad
taste in the politics of their country.
A recent USA Today/ Gallup poll revealed that more than three-quarters of Americans (77%) say
the way politics works in Washington these days is causing serious harm to the United States,
Frank Newport explaining this poll (January 7, 2013) says that it provides “still another indicator of
the low esteem in which Americans hold their elected officials and the way the federal government
works”. this means a bigger share of this public disrespect goes to President Obama as the top
leader of the country.
And when America fails to its economic health and its leaders become most unpopular in American
history and majority of American when put up an awful taste in the politics of their land how can
United States expects to lead the free world - that it boasts with so loud voice around the world.
POVERTY IN AMERICA WILL MAKE THE WORLD POORER AND DEMOCRACY WEAKER
America stands as the tower of strength, courage and inspiration for all the freedom loving people
on the earth. The open democratic society it has developed, the free economy it has built, the great
6. educational institutions it has established and the wonderful scientific research and technological
advancement it has led - has been considered as the greatest and unmatched contribution to the
mankind. Therefore a weaker America in all these areas will inevitably weaken the world and no
American President has the moral rights to wane its moral authority to lead the free world -- that
is borne out of its political, economic, educational and to some extent military power.
But America is doing the same. According to report released by the American Census Bureau 46.2
million people among its 300 million populations are in poverty – the highest figure over the last
fifty years and that in 2009 when Obama was sworn in was 43.6 million.
Correspondingly, America has highest budget deficit in its history. In 2011 U.S. federal budget
deficit reached a record high $ 1.5 trillion and since Obama’s Presidency it was hanging between $
1.3 to 1.5. But in the last year of Bush administration in 2008 it was just $455 billion. Fortunately
in 2012 it was a bit less.
Similarly by now U.S. public debt has reached over 16 trillion but again when he came to Presidency
on Jan. 20, 2009 it was just $10.6 trillion. In the last four years has added another $5.4 trillion
that according to Fox News is more than Bush piled up in two terms.
Over a quarter of such debt is owed to countries like China, Japan and United Kingdom.
Interestingly United States owes one fourth of its foreign debt to China – approximately 10
percent of its total debt - somewhere between one to two years of total American household
income. Referring to this situation Greg Wilson has reported that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann
during her failed campaign for the GOP presidential nomination joked that when it came to the
debt, "Hu's your daddy," - a reference to Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The news consortium of the Catholic online - quoting the source of statistics released by the US
Treasury Department and the Census Bureau mentions that every household in the US now owes
foreign governments about $47,495 and that four years ago was mere 27,000.
In the four years Obama has been in office, household indebtedness to foreign states has
increased by $ 20,000.
May be time has changed a lot, but the basic principles of rule of the economics and fiscal policy
has remain unchanged. Renowned economist like Arthur Laffer and Steve Moore have
characterized Reagan’s presidency as an era that initiated a twenty five years boom period of
American economy –the greatest period of wealth creation in the history of the planet. According
to them in 1980, the net worth–assets minus liabilities–of all U.S. households and business was $25
trillion in today’s dollars. “By 2007 net worth was just shy of $57 trillion. Adjusting for inflation,
more wealth was created in America in the twenty-five year boom than in the previous two hundred
years”, they added
Although Obama has been a non starter in increasing productivity, strengthening economy and
creating new jobs, he has been the biggest spender and that becomes some 25 percent of the GDP –
the highest in American history except for World War II.
7. Americans have given greatest honor to Barrack Obama. They repeated their trust in him again in
the last presidential election and that according to The Economist is “an honour granted only to 16
men before him”. But the same globally acclaimed weekly in its January 26, 2013 issue reported
that the “crowds, so the official numbers stated, were half what they were four years ago.”
The writing on the wall is clear Americans with their limited choice voted in his favor, but he was
not their dream candidate as he was four years ago. The arrogance he exhibited during his re-
inauguration, the terse language he used in his speech and the issues he raised did not do justice to
a historical global leader - the man destined for the peace and prosperity of the whole humanity for
another four years.
Besides, he is a global leader. Legally there may be 300 million U.S. citizens he is accountable to,
but emotionally and morally millions of people who love America and love American values are moral
citizens of United States. Therefore, as a mast of American power, prestige, dignity and honor, he
is accountable to all those in every corner of the world.
And hence the challenges and problems America faces today are not merely American – they are
global and it is mandatory for President Obama to take them seriously and judge them assiduously
before taking any actions - how far it affects the people around the world. A man of his stature and
power can have no luxury in healing his prejudices rather than offering a bold and humble leadership
in solving the tremendous challenge of his time.
kpbnepal@gmail.com
Eurasia Review (January 28, 2013)