(SANTIAGO, CHILE) A surprising number of the conservatives I've met here -- starting with President Piñera -- talk about the goal of eliminating poverty in their country by the end of the decade. The number of U.S. politicians -- including liberal ones -- eager to have that conversation has been dwindling, even as the number of Americans living below the poverty line has been growing (it's now 1 in 7). Piñera exudes a sense of urgency, as though there is not a moment to waste. His line of attack mirrors the approach he took with the trapped Chilean miners. His experts offered him three different strategies to try to get them out. Do all three at the same time, he ordered. "That," he told me, "is what I would do if it were my children in the mine." How different things might be here if our leaders took the same approach to the millions of Americans trapped by the economic crisis.
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Chile is doing well with its enormous export business and they are wise to recognize that trickle down to their poor rural and urban inhabitants will not stabilize society..more is needed.
Men learn through adversity. Yet when 'adversity' is 3 squares and programs that support you at a poverty level, but do not ever encourage you to get out of it, then many will not leave it. I would not call what we do for poverty 'helping' as much as much as I would call it 'putting blinders on, throwing cash at it, and hoping that it becomes someone elses problem...'
free no log-in editorial cartoons http://www.saintpeterii.com/blog/?p=468
Lyndon Johnson occasionally did some things right, except for that whole Vietnam-staying the course thing.
Piñera exudes a sense of urgency, as though there is not a moment to waste. His line of attack mirrors the approach he took with the trapped Chilean miners. His experts offered him three different strategies to try to get them out. Do all three at the same time, he ordered. "That," he told me, "is what I would do if it were my children in the mine."
I was quite an emotional experience watching the miners being rescued and to see their President waiting for each to surface I could hardly hold back the tears. Yes, if our President Obama would show so much concern and visual involvement for those effected by the economy and unemployment it would make the world of difference. That's the man I saw campaigning but he been tamped down or emotionally withdrawn since 2008.
As we extend the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest, our children remain hungry, bold measures to help the middle class are non-existent, and our elected officials shrug their shoulders and say "We couldn't help it. They made us do it."
I don't buy. I will never buy it. I'll never forget.
President Pinera is a noble leader.
fanned/faved
http://www.scribd.com/doc/5580817/2008-Democratic-Party-Platform-Renewing-Americas-Promise
fanned/faved
John Lennon
As long as there is one American without health insurance, then EVERYONE IN CONGRESS doesn't get health insurance. they can buy their own.
No skin in the game, and we are having a chess match between politicians who have nothing to lose and everything to game.
This will never happen without the American people taking to the streets and shutting the country down like the French did.
I agree with your premise, but we should take it one step further. No Govt employee (as a public servant) is given health insurance better then his (or her) lowest compensated constituent.
It's human nature. If someone has done well, he wants to think it's due to his superior virtues. It's easy for them to be blind to the twin facts that: 1) They may have caught a good break which made all the difference for them and 2) Many who are smart, talented and hardworking did not catch such a break.