In the Presence of Vultures

All over the world, discrimination against the minorities has led to flourishing extremism. More often than not, countries with Muslim minorities has created extremists. It would be wise for countries faced with such insurgencies to review their domestic policies. More often than not, these countries have psedo-democratic governments. Iran is one such example. The late Shah forgot about the people and they kicked him out. Because the US supported the tyrant, they too became the object of hate.

Russia faced the same dilemma and continues to be plagued by terrorists cum freedom fighters. The Mumbai seige exposed this problem. The Indian Muslims has been facing discrimination for so long that Al Quaeda has exploited their condition. US foreign policies towards Islam gave birth to Al Quaeda. It would be prudent to view Islam as not just a religion but as a nation. This is the reason why you have foreign fighters among local insurgents.

The Philippines has such a problem as well. The government sanctioned land grabbing by Christians of Muslim ancestral lands. This has brought about several decades of strife in our Muslim south. As of late, the government continues to battle local insurgents augmented by foreign fighters. Israel’s Zionists alienated the Palestinians and they were mere immigrants from Europe. Their expansionist agenda fanned the flames of hate. Before they came, Isrealis and Palestinians lived in relative peace.

Westerners are victims of their government’s foreign policy. They’ve become targets of hate cultivated by decades of discrimination. It would be wise to visit the roots of this problem if only to enlighten the people. It is also wise for the world to study their government’s policies and make the neccessary changes in their governments. This is the best way to resolve conflicts and to prevent for groups like Al Quaeda from exploiting Muslims.

Tags: Add new tag

Now that Wall Street is reeling from a succession of failures, the greedy are running away with their loot. The sad part is the average investor is getting the short end of the stick. America maybe the most powerful country in the world but its economy is one of the most vulnerable. Now at least, the presidential campagn will now shift to issues instead personalities.

The greedy speculators and big business’s old boys club must be laughing at the poor retirees and ordinary folks who gave them their hard-earned money. But the stock market has always been the biggest casino in the world. Deregulation has allowed the greedy vultures to steal money from ordinary folks like you and me. We may not be players in the market but we are all consumers. When inflation wreaks havocs, those with deeper pockets have more bullets than us.

When oil and utilities were deregulated in the Philippines, we witnessed the birth of cartels. Neccesities like medicine and food became more inaccessible to ordinary people which brought poverty levels to new height. We were left to the mercy of big corporations who’s greed was simply insatiable. Our government gave tax breaks and holidays to big corporations to spur(?) investment. What happened was these companies shifted their expansion abroad. Oh I can see where America is heading, it will end up like the Philippines. Unemplyment is caused by big corporations investing abroad where labor is cheaper.

To arrest the rising rate of poverty, the middle class in the Philippines is now given tax cuts and even exemptions. If the people have more money in their hands, their spending will give the economy a big push. I suppose this is what Sen. Obama had in mind when he said that he will raise taxes on the rich and give tax cuts to 95% of the taxpayers. The American economists should focus more on the small entrepreneurs who invest locally and employ locals. Factories are closing down because sweat shops abroad offer lower production costs and give businesses a bigger profit.

The rich Americans should bear some of the responsibilties by paying a “little” extra. This is the patriotic thing to do. I know some of you will surely think this is absurd, but the Thais did not hesitate to give the Thai government their jewely just to prevent Thaindland from sinking during the Asian crisis of the ’90s. We have a saying in the Philippines that whenever America sneezes, the world gets the flu. No wonder that the European Union was created, this is to shield poor economies of Europe survive.

Everyone is now waiting with bated breath which company will crash. Somehow someone must be made accountable for this economi debacle. But NO, executives are walking away with fat wallets because the government sold the small investors out. So now the lowly taxpayer will have to prop up these companies so their CEOs and COOs can retire comfortably while the poor retirees who invested in these companies are facing a bleek future. When big businesses fall, it’s the little people who suffer. The domino effect of America’s financial woes has yet to reach its peak. When they fall, America falls. When regulation is nonexistent, the greedy always have a field day.

Tags: Add new tag, US eocnomics

My country the Philippines has had its share of female presidents. In just two decades of our new found democracy, weve had two already. The first was Corazon Cojuangco Aquino and the present, Gloria Macapagal Arroy. Both maybe women but worlds apart. Aquino was a plain housewife and Arroyo a seasoned politician.

Aquino came to power to our first People Power Revolt. In 1983, her exiled husband and former senator, Benigno Aquino was brutally gunned down on the tarmac of our international airport. Then dictator, Ferdinand Marcos announced a snap election. Knowing very well that he has total control and with the opposition leaderless with the senator’s death, Marcos was confident he will be “elected” as president. With Benigno’s death, the splintered opposition nominated Benigno’s widow, Corazon. It was clear from the onset that there will be massive cheating to get Marcos elected. When tabulators walked out of the central counting center to show their disgust over the cheating, the start of the end for Marcos’s reign began.

Corazon though coming from a family of politicians never entered politics. She had no creditials to show. All she had was to realize the dreams her martyred husband dreamt of. She was well loved by the people but military adventurists with the aid of displaced politicians tried to unseat her several times. Through all this, she was able to keep herself as a model of public service. Remember, she was a palin houswife. She remains to be loved and revered by the Filipinos.

In stark contrast, Gloria Arroyo rose from the ranks. A daughter of a former president, Diosdado Macapagal, she became a senator and a vice president finally grabbing power through a bogus revolution. But she was not yet through, the ambitious Arroyo ran for president in 2004 and won in a highly suspicious manner. To this day, she reign with an iron hand, whisking her opponents and holding power through political bribery. Her term is to end in 2010 but being greedy, she is now spearheading a constitutional shift that could give her perpetual power.

With the U.S. elections just over the horizon, the Republicans has exposed their ace in the person of Sarah Palin. Within a heartbeat away from the presidency, I just wonder how she will run the country should she ascend to the presidency. As I’ve mentioned above, with or without experience, anybody is qualified to be president. The only that matters is what principles they have and the attitude they possess. At the end of the day, it is the voter who will decide. The Filipinos put their trust in Corazon Aquino and in more ways than one, she did not disappoint us. The same cannot be said of Gloria Arroyo, she has driven the country in the quagmire of despair.

Gender should never be an issue, it’s what’s in the heart of the candidate presented to you. Begging you to elect them into office. Experience is also not an issue, what matters is will they represent the people. I just hope that come November, Americans will vote wisely without prejudice to race, religion, gender or experience. Just keep in mind that vultures prey on the weak and exploit the wounded.

Tags: Add new tag