Why Is Resource Rich Africa Poor?

Asks James Shikwati, a Kenyan libertarian commentator and head of the Inter-Region Economic Network (Kenya) that rich countries and emerging ones such as China are exploiting resources from Africa unfairly. True, some conflicts in mineral rich parts of Africa are wealthy nations-sponsored in order to exploit resources in an environment that has less accountability. What role do the people, especially the leaders in such countries play in turning resources into a curse? Top political leaders in countries with subsurface wealth tend to have high numbers of breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings with investors.

Little moves in terms of investment unless one dines with the president. While we may never know the confidential agreements that transpire between our leaders and investors, we can guess that this is where the actual curse is sown and nurtured. Political opponents are keen to seize power to partake in signing 'confidential deals' too. If elections do not favour them, the global market has a supply of investors who failed to dine with a given president and are thus ready to equip the opposition for purposes of accessing sub surface wealth.

What follows, is political strife and civil wars in the name of nebulous global ideals such as human rights, democracy and people empowerment. Civil wars in Congo, Sudan and Nigeria, among other countries are a drive towards a lunch meeting with investors!"Mr. Shikwati continues his commentary: "The curse of the continent therefore is not in its resources but rather in its lack of structures that should deny individuals the unfettered freedom to manipulate state power to amass wealth. The second curse is the temptation by experts to build more state owned enterprises, and nationalise subsurface wealth hence giving politicians an excuse to go out on lunch sprees with investors. The third curse is the assumption that subsurface wealth is synonymous with prosperity.

Unless the African person torturously applies his mind on how best to exploit and position his product in the global market – wealthy nations will keep swooping on our resources like eagles on chicken!"Mr. Shikwati discusses steps to improve Africa: "Where should we start to dictate the development strategy for Africa? Let us try microeconomics, focus on entrepreneurial Africans and push them to actively exploit resources on the continent.

The concern on the intensive capital needed to purchase or hire heavy machines and exploit sub surface wealth will be taken care of through predictable structures that can allow as many talented Africans to have lunch with investors. Our governments should only police and regulate to ensure that the thirst for wealth does not destroy the environment and hurt the rights of others.....More lunch meetings set up with ordinary people in Africa will not only benefit restaurants, but will ensure that Africans do not simply compete on the basis of commodity prices but in terms of value added products. This will in turn expand the taxation base for a given government while promoting citizen responsiveness towards the activities of the political elite."

Happy Thanksgiving!

The story of Berkeley [Virginia] reminds us that we live in a land of opportunity. We remember that the settlers at Berkeley came to America with the hope of building a better life. And we remember that immigrants in every generation have followed in their footsteps. Their dreams have helped transform 13 small colonies into a large and growing nation of more than 300 million people. Today, America we're blessed with great prosperity.

We're blessed with farmers and ranchers who provide us with abundant food. We're blessed with the world's finest workers; with entrepreneurs who create new jobs. We're blessed with devoted teachers who prepare our children for the opportunities of tomorrow. We're blessed with a system of free enterprise that makes it possible for people of all backgrounds to rise in society and realize their dreams. These blessings have helped us build a strong and growing economy -- and these blessings have filled our lives with hope. The story of Berkeley reminds us that we live in a nation dedicated to liberty. In 1776, Berkeley's owner, Benjamin Harrison, became one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. In the Declaration, we see the founders' great hope for our country, their conviction that we're all created equal, with the God- given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

At times, America has fallen short of these ideals. We remember that the expansion of our country came at a terrible cost to Native American tribes. We remember that many people came to the New World in chains rather than by choice. For many years, slaves were held against their will here at Berkeley and other plantations -- and their bondage is a shameful chapter in our nation's history. Today, we're grateful to live in a more perfect union. Yet our society still faces divisions that hold us back. These divisions have roots in the bitter experiences of our past -- and have no place in America's future. (Applause.) The work of realizing the ideals of our founding continues. And we must not rest until the promise of America is real for all our citizens." — President George W. Bush

Quote of the Day

by Congressman Ron Paul

~A nation that once prided itself on a sense of rugged individualism has become uncomfortably obsessed with racial group identities. The collectivist mindset is at the heart of racism.

Government as an institution is particularly ill-suited to combat bigotry. Bigotry at its essence is a problem of the heart, and we cannot change people's hearts by passing more laws and regulations.

It is the federal government that most divides us by race, class, religion, and gender. Through its taxes, restrictive regulations, corporate subsidies, racial set-asides, and welfare programs, government plays far too large a role in determining who succeeds and who fails. Government "benevolence" crowds out genuine goodwill by institutionalizing group thinking, thus making each group suspicious that others are receiving more of the government loot. This leads to resentment and hostility among us.

Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than as individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism.

The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence - not skin color, gender, or ethnicity.

In a free society, every citizen gains a sense of himself as an individual, rather than developing a group or victim mentality. This leads to a sense of individual responsibility and personal pride, making skin color irrelevant. Racism will endure until we stop thinking in terms of groups and begin thinking in terms of individual liberty.

-Truer Words Have Never Been Said

Rep. Jefferson Accused Of More Bribery Schemes

Hatip — Judicial Watch Blog

The indicted Louisiana congressman caught with a $90,000 cash bribe in his freezer illegally solicited money in at least two other schemes separate from the ones he has already been charged with.Federal authorities have uncovered a pair of other bribery schemes orchestrated by corrupt Louisiana Representative William Jefferson, who was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this year for using his official position to solicit hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes for himself and his family.

That massive indictment details Jefferson’s involvement in a 16-month public corruption probe that culminated with an FBI videotape of him accepting a $100,000 cash bribe. Federal agents subsequently raided Jefferson’s home and found most of the money, in marked bills, stashed in his freezer and wrapped in aluminum foil.

It turns out that the nine-term Democrat congressman also solicited bribes from previously undisclosed sources. Federal prosecutors say in 2002 Jefferson asked a lobbyist of a U.S. oil service company for $10,000 a month for a family member in exchange for the lawmaker’s assistance in promoting the firm’s business in Africa. A few years later Jefferson agreed to influence the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to do business with a rocket technology firm that agreed to pay Jefferson’s family business as well as a relative.

Incredibly, Jefferson’s supporters say that he is the victim of a Republican White House and Justice Department scheming to target black Democratic leaders. One prominent New Orleans reverend even compared the disgraced congressman to a pair of renowned civil rights leaders (Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver).

~Is it me or is it that anytime a freakin Republican misspeaks or happens to tap their foot in a bathroom stall they are hounded and attacked by the media. Democrats can get caught in actual federal crimes and are ignored, also if im not mistaklen both Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver were Republican's not Democrats!

Quote Of The Day

"We should remember what that image was, back after World War II. It was the image of a generous country that sought not to impose its will on other countries or even to impose its values. But it showed the way, and it helped other countries, and it opened its doors to people—visitors and refugees and immigrants. America could not survive without immigration.

Even the undocumented immigrants are contributing to our economy. That’s the country my parents came to. That’s the image we have to portray to the rest of the world: kind, generous, a nation of nations, touched by every nation, and we touch every nation in return.

That’s what people still want to believe about us. They still want to come here. We’ve lost a bit of the image, but we haven’t lost the reality yet. And we can fix the image by reflecting a welcoming attitude—and by not taking counsel of our fears and scaring ourselves to death that everybody coming in is going to blow up something. It ain’t the case."




— Colin Powell, moderate Republican and former Secretary of State, on America's image