Several nonprofit organizations including World Vision and the ONE Campaign lobbied Congress in 2006 for a billion dollar assistance package to combat AIDS and other diseases. Congress failed to pass the item in December, and now the 110th Congress is signaling it is unwilling to commit the funds.
Should Congress Pay?
Many would argue that we need to fund social programs here to help America's poor, or that the money could be used to better secure our borders, or troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. True, the money is ours, and we do have our own needs. Congress works with a very limited budget, and while America literally could fund the End of World Poverty, it simply isn't a feasible reality considering the thousands of things that also need funding.
America's Reputation - The Government and The People
Regardless of all the reasons why we need to keep the billion dollars for ourselves, Congress should and must approve the extra spending. It should do so because it promised to, and because secular and Christian people alike believe it is the right thing to do. If human beings are the most important thing on this planet, and their health and well being is of importance to the rest of us, we should give the money. A very selfish reason would be that by giving such monies America's image is improved. Let's face it, our foreign policy needs all the help it can get to help rebuild an image of America as the benevolent super power. But, a billion dollars is only going to be a drop in the bucket. We need to do more humanitarian work around the globe.
Congress is not the Answer, but Does Play a Significant Role
World Vision and the ONE Campaign could just as easily get a billion dollars from Bill Gates or from pledges made all over Hollywood from some of the wealthiest people in America who lend their voices and music to the ONE Campaign. They certainly could get the publicity they need. Why are they asking Congress for the money? Because Congress promised it.
Foundations of American Values
America should be known for keeping its promises. Christians should be known for keeping their Commission to follow after the ministry of evangelism AND service to the whole world. Congress is the coercive force in America. It should not be the sole giver of funds to relief efforts. It creates the impression that the only way poor peoples of the earth are going to get money from Americans is to lobby their government to raise taxes and squeeze generosity out of the American people.
Religious Convictions
That is not the kind of image we want other nations to have of us. If Congress forces us to give 1 Billion dollars, we should match the funds ten fold. The Bill Gates, and Bono's of America, the soccer moms/dads, the college students of America should all give towards relief around the world. Whether postmodern in our beliefs or responding to Christ's death on the cross we ALL must help the poor and needy of this world. Together as citizens we should tell Congress to keep its word - for no other reason than that Americans do not break our promises.
Help. Donate, now.
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10048§ion=10024
The Most Effective Way to Tell Your Congressman What You Think
http://www.weakleyreport.com/Write_Your_Representative.html
Tell your Congressman
http://action.one.org/dia/organizationsONE/one/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1297&t=OneColumn.dwt
Monday, January 22, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
President Calderon's struggle to fight a growing black market
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon has had enough problems assuming the office of president after winning an election with only 0.58% more of the vote than his PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution) rival Andrés Manuel López Obrador. (see below for some historical background notes)
Now, amidst the backdrop of history and troubled current events Calderon is waging war on corruption and the source of its strength, the drug cartels. While he is not above corruption accusations himself Calderon faces significant challenges to combating the control of drug cartel leaders in Mexico. He has sent 17,000 soldiers to Tijuana, across the U.S.-Mexico border from San Diego, California; Calderon's home state of Michoacan; and the southern state of Guerrero, which includes the Pacific resort city of Acapulco.
Fifteen men were extradited to the United States on Friday January 19, 2007, four of which are former leaders of major drug cartels, and eleven of which are all wanted for various murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and sex crimes committed in the United States.
The 1978 U.S.-Mexico Treaty of Extradition calls for the extradition of persons if the other country's "laws would provide for the punishment of such an offense committed in similar circumstances." Note that the wording does not say, "provide similar punishment for committed offenses." As recently as 2002 Mexican laws have been changed to consider the death penalty and even life in prison to be cruel and unusual punishments. However, Mexico must logically have some kind of punishment for murder and drug trafficking. Therefore, the mere existence of any punishment would mean the necessary extradition of persons to the U.S. according to the wording of Article 1 of the 1978 treaty.
Calderon was sworn into office under a great deal of controversy. A major theme of his campaign was the importance of the rule of law in Mexico. It is my firm belief that the behavior of Mexico's lower legislative house, the Chamber of Deputies, at the inauguration was unbecoming of the way democratic representatives are supposed to behave, and furthermore signals a strong desire of many politicians to protect the status quo. Calderon's inauguration ceremony was drowned out by the riotous behavior of the mob-like Chamber of Deputies.
Many sources have shown Mexico's lawlessness, but one movie in particular depicts just how terrible circumstances have become. Tony Scott's Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington is based upon a true story and in many ways depicts the truth about how corruption has gripped life in Mexico. Families fear for their children as kidnapping has become a lucrative industry.
For the sake of everyone in Mexico and for American families that have yet to be hurt by a failed extradition treaty, and growing tension in U.S.-Mexico relations I hope President Calderon can find the numbers of men necessary to fight the powerful forces of corruption which have pervaded all levels of society in Mexico, and bring the rule of law to Mexico in a way it has never been experienced. Maybe then the benefits of democratic government and fair markets will be among the promises of citizenship in America's southern neighbor.
Historical Background Notes:
Calderon is the second president to be elected from the National Action Party (PAN) after democratic reforms of the early 1990's allowed for such an opportunity. President Ernesto Zedillo of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) initiated the more democratic measures which led to opposition party control of the Congress of the Union in 1997. Three years after the historic changes in Congress Vicente Fox became Mexico's first non-PRI president in 72 years. Mexico's government has historically been dominated by the executive branch ever since the overthrow of Porfirio Díaz's dictatorship in 1910. Following the Revolution leaders were overthrown and assassinated during a difficult period of Civil War. In 1928 Plutarco Elías Calles founded the National Revolutionary Party which was later renamed PRI.
Sources
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/06/ldt.01.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328107/
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/20/mexico.extraditions.ap/index.html?eref=rss_world
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/05/PYSK.calderon/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_Calder%C3%B3n#_note-10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3pez_Obrador
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll
Now, amidst the backdrop of history and troubled current events Calderon is waging war on corruption and the source of its strength, the drug cartels. While he is not above corruption accusations himself Calderon faces significant challenges to combating the control of drug cartel leaders in Mexico. He has sent 17,000 soldiers to Tijuana, across the U.S.-Mexico border from San Diego, California; Calderon's home state of Michoacan; and the southern state of Guerrero, which includes the Pacific resort city of Acapulco.
Fifteen men were extradited to the United States on Friday January 19, 2007, four of which are former leaders of major drug cartels, and eleven of which are all wanted for various murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and sex crimes committed in the United States.
The 1978 U.S.-Mexico Treaty of Extradition calls for the extradition of persons if the other country's "laws would provide for the punishment of such an offense committed in similar circumstances." Note that the wording does not say, "provide similar punishment for committed offenses." As recently as 2002 Mexican laws have been changed to consider the death penalty and even life in prison to be cruel and unusual punishments. However, Mexico must logically have some kind of punishment for murder and drug trafficking. Therefore, the mere existence of any punishment would mean the necessary extradition of persons to the U.S. according to the wording of Article 1 of the 1978 treaty.
From the Associated Press in Mexico City
"Calderon promised to increase the flow of extraditions of drug traffickers to the United States, and to do his share to fight the organized crime that has infiltrated all aspects of Mexican society, including nearly every level of law enforcement and government." - CNN.com
Calderon was sworn into office under a great deal of controversy. A major theme of his campaign was the importance of the rule of law in Mexico. It is my firm belief that the behavior of Mexico's lower legislative house, the Chamber of Deputies, at the inauguration was unbecoming of the way democratic representatives are supposed to behave, and furthermore signals a strong desire of many politicians to protect the status quo. Calderon's inauguration ceremony was drowned out by the riotous behavior of the mob-like Chamber of Deputies.
Many sources have shown Mexico's lawlessness, but one movie in particular depicts just how terrible circumstances have become. Tony Scott's Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington is based upon a true story and in many ways depicts the truth about how corruption has gripped life in Mexico. Families fear for their children as kidnapping has become a lucrative industry.
For the sake of everyone in Mexico and for American families that have yet to be hurt by a failed extradition treaty, and growing tension in U.S.-Mexico relations I hope President Calderon can find the numbers of men necessary to fight the powerful forces of corruption which have pervaded all levels of society in Mexico, and bring the rule of law to Mexico in a way it has never been experienced. Maybe then the benefits of democratic government and fair markets will be among the promises of citizenship in America's southern neighbor.
Historical Background Notes:
Calderon is the second president to be elected from the National Action Party (PAN) after democratic reforms of the early 1990's allowed for such an opportunity. President Ernesto Zedillo of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) initiated the more democratic measures which led to opposition party control of the Congress of the Union in 1997. Three years after the historic changes in Congress Vicente Fox became Mexico's first non-PRI president in 72 years. Mexico's government has historically been dominated by the executive branch ever since the overthrow of Porfirio Díaz's dictatorship in 1910. Following the Revolution leaders were overthrown and assassinated during a difficult period of Civil War. In 1928 Plutarco Elías Calles founded the National Revolutionary Party which was later renamed PRI.
Sources
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/06/ldt.01.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328107/
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/20/mexico.extraditions.ap/index.html?eref=rss_world
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/05/PYSK.calderon/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_Calder%C3%B3n#_note-10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3pez_Obrador
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll
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