Clinton at Davos
Clinton once again apologized and cried his way into the heart of Europeans at Davos. Amazing! They applaud a man who says he "should have" stopped the death of 800,000 Rwandans. Bravo! He is sorry. But the comment says a lot of things. What exactly is he sorry for? What would he have done? Used the military? Occupied Rwanda if needed?

Those who applauded don't really care, or want to know. Because they would not have done anything. That is why it seems brave for Clinton to make those comments. Compared to what they would do, it is brave. Look at the situation in the Sudan, nobody proposed action there! No, just our sincerest apologies. Sob, sob. We feel your pain, but don't ask us to do anything but pat ourselves on the back for saying how bad we are.

But I can't help but notice that the ex-President who apologizes for not using American power to save the lives of 800,000 people is applauded. But the American President who removed a brutal dictator responsible for the death of millions is scorned!
Bush will not have to say, I should have done something, sorry.
Wow.

Chirac's Bright Idea - A World Tax

Mr Chirac's levy, in contrast, is designed to be as painless as possible; the tax would be applied, in tiny amounts such as 0.001%, to a fraction of international financial transactions such as currency sales. Mr Chirac offered two other possibilities: that the levy could be used to punish tax and bank havens, by placing it on flows of foreign capital moving across their shores. The second, just as ambitious, was a proposal to tax aviation and shipping fuel. This would have the added advantage of being seen as a green tax - although if the levy was set so low, it might not have much effect on the environment.

Yeah, But! The Liberal Mantra
The liberal arguments seems to be rooted in a philosophy built on "yeah, but..". No matter how good something is, or positive the effects have been, a liberal will say "yeah, but..".
Slavery ended! Yeah, but people should have never been slaves.
Iraq is having a free and fair election! Yeah , but its not a perfect election
The cup is always half full.
Let me give you a more concrete example. The dire negative economic talk about globalization.
I decided to take a look at some factual information.
There are 6 Billion people in the world today.

3.6 Billion live in the ten largest countries : China, India, USA, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Japan.

2.3 Billion live in China and India alone.

What is important to look at is the economic growth and the growth of democracy.
Only Pakistan and China are not democracies, this was not true just 20 years ago.

China's economy is growing at 9% annually, India's economy is growing at 8% annually.
That means, that by 2014, within 10 years, those economies will double!
China will go from $6.5 trillion to $13 trillion GDP. India will go from $3 trillion to $6 trillion. Those two countries alone will add almost $ 10 trillion GDP to the world economy.
The entire US economy is only slightly larger than $11 trillion. It will be like adding the entire GDP of the US to the world economy.
Yet, all we hear are negative reports, and how things are in the world.
Over 30% of the worlds population will double it's standard of living over the next ten years. What is so bad about that!
And that is based on very conservative numbers, and excludes the growth going on in many other secondary nations.
The best thing about this, is that the US economy will continue to grow at 2-3% annually. So we will maintain our standard of living.
I guess you will have to find a "yeah, but.." somewhere to find bad news in the facts.
But those who believe in the power of democracy and capitalism, we really are winning and gaining ground. We are the ones who promoting policies that are truly lifting people out of poverty, and allowing people to build countries that are free and peaceful.
I think the history will back us up.
Let them keep saying "yeah, but.."
We will just keeping doing the hard work, and making people's lives better.

Note to Simon: Back Off Beyonce!
Usually I agree with Simon's honest, but mean comments on American Idol. But now he has gone too far. Cowell tells Esquire, "I find the whole Beyonce thing really mystifying. She's not sexy, she hasn't got a great body and she's not a great singer."

Even if he does not think she is not a great singer, he must be blind to say she is NOT sexy, and does not have a great body!

Bush's Inaugural Speech
First. I look at an Inaugural speech as mostly a rhetorical statement, not a specific policy address.
Second. I do agree that the goal of "ending tyranny everywhere" is a noble and achievable goal.
Third. I don't think Bush will do what needs to be done.

If Bush got real, and took this issue to the American people, he could change the entire paradigm. He needs to talk about ending humanitarian aid to countries like N Korea, and how that aid helps maintain these dictators. Get serious about tying all of our foreign aid to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to very clear democratic reforms and timetables. Just like what Bush is asking of the PLO.

This would also mean helping democracies become prosperous. How can we reach across to the Middle east, when we ignore Haiti? I have always felt that if the US used it's financial power in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean island nations, that Cuba would stand out even more as a failure.

If the US gets serious, and truly uses it's financial and military power to push it's values, then there is a possibility of transforming the world.

Of course, the big question is, will the US get serious? I have to be honest and say I am not optimistic about that we will.

Been real busy!
Between law school finals, and having to fly out to LA for a family emergency, I have been tied up.
Law school is turning out to be as difficult as everyone warned me it would be.