End of Poverty? Think Again.

In case you didn't feel any guilt today for being born in America than you should watch the trailer for The End of Poverty? It carries on with some of what was touched on in my EHM post.

I can honestly say that in an overpopulated world there should not be massive push to send resources all over the world to help populations maintain a level higher than what they can produce locally. But I would say the exploitation of the impoverished peoples environments to where they can't support themselves and their family has got to go. And the money we would save from fighting terrorism that poverty breeds could be spent, you know, on healthcare.

I would have to think though that in the battle of 50" LCD's vs. not having a threat advisory color scheme Americans would like to go the consumer route: buy a bigger gun rather than live within our means. It's the consumerists way!

Economic Hit Men

I just finished the book Confessions of an Economic Hit man by John Perkins and if there it did a good job of lying out the twisted nature of world politics over the past half century. If anyone out there is confused as to why all these countries hate us, this book would be a good intro to getting your answers.

In short, the U.S./World Bank/IMF gives out loans to countries that have no chance of paying back the loan and any leader of said country who refuses gets assassinated or, as a last resort, invaded and then executed. And if you say it's the World Bank and not he US Bank then how come "the Bank President has always been a US citizen nominated by the President of the United States, the largest shareholder in the bank."

Makes you look at breaking news like this a whole lot differently.

The country's Congress and Supreme Court, alarmed by Zelaya's political shift into a close alliance with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, backed Zelaya's removal, arguing that he violated the constitution, even if many officials say he should have been arrested rather than sent abroad.

To the untrained American ear we say "Damn straight this Zelaya should be ousted. Chavez should be ousted too!" Well, the U.S. tried that back in '02 and came up empty.

I (kinda) remember that back from '02 being lost in my college haze and that's exactly what Perkins' admits is our biggest problem, the citizens. When we turn a blind eye to what happens and continue to support the institutions that continuously abuse the poor countries then we deserve all the bad karma that comes from it.