“The Hand Shake”

“The hand shake”

The Republican Party is so devoid of any new policy initiative, its leaders are left only with their usual insidious performance of trying to appeal to their most rightist base. The Republican Party is finding out that it is being shut out by the American people. The Republicans have nothing to offer. The venue they have chosen to pursue is where their expertise lie.

They are engaged in total fabrications and personal attacks. They call their ill-informed supporters to participate in “tax revolts”. They claim Obama has “drastically reduced” the defense budget, while he has actually increased it by four percent. Recently, all their leaders from Cheney to Gingrich are crestfallen because Obama “has damaged U.S. foreign policy” by shaking hands with Hugo Chavez.

What Obama is doing is extending America’s hand of friendship to the world. It is based on equality and fairness, as it should be. His detractors need to give it time, to see who is accepting or rejecting this extended hand. After all, we have seen in practice U.S. foreign policy based on arrogance. What the policy of arrogance has reaped us is the enmity of the majority of the world’s population. Wouldn’t it be wise to change a failed foreign policy?

The U.S. is blessed to have a leader like Obama at this particular time. Based on his unprecedented global popularity and brilliance, he might be the only one that can save America’s prestige.

As citizens, it is our undeniable, legitimate right to criticize and question the political leaders that we have elected. It must also be our responsibility as citizens to make a balanced and fair criticism void of hatred and emptiness.

Mekonen Haddis

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A Failed Policy

A Failed Policy

The changes in U.S. policy towards Cuba as recently introduced by president Obama, while it is a step in the right direction do not go far enough. The saving grace of the new policy is the admittance of a failed U.S policy for the last fifty years.

A policy of economic embargo, specifically aimed at the population of Cuba to suffer, so that, the people will be impoverished enough to revolt against Castro’s government and topple it, has proved to be foolish and evil.

What is needed is a policy of engagement, U.S. business investments in Cuba and, a total lifting of travel restrictions for all Americans, not just for Cuban-Americans. This will benefit both neighborly countries and effectively, finally stop the isolation of Cuba by the U.S.

Mekonen Haddis

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Amazing

The present global financial crisis is creating an enormous social dislocation which will make the tasks of governments equally difficult to handle. I find it very interesting that Karl Marx’s book sales has increased immensely. May be, this is what the neo-liberals meant when they said “ the market” can regulate the economy. It is clear, that the Neo-Liberal economic policies of the last twenty five years have granted us the highest disparity in income between the haves and the have-nots. I suppose, the Neo-liberals were successful in imposing anarcho-capitalism (capitalism without government regulations), and the world has seen its glorious results. It is about time, that this nonsense of “ the markets” will regulate the economy ceases.

Amazing

Truth,

Hostage of the mighty.

News,

Only in sound bites.

Family,

In total agony.

The new world order,

A complete disorder.

Money,

In short supply.

“Neo-liberalism”,

a wisdom-less phantasm.

Leadership,

A lost art.

Political parties,

Vision-less.

Citizens,

Scared and disorganized.

Jobs,

In short supply, in crisis.

Wall Street billionaire,

Never had it better.

Civil rights,

In distress.

Affirmative action,

Out of fashion.

Equality,

Sustained hostility.

History,

Travesty.

The masses,

Powerless.

Attitudes,

Full of myths and misconceptions.

Change,

specially urgent.

Consciousness,

Freedom and liberation.

Politicians,

Socially irresponsible.

The establishment,

Content.

Need,

Fundamental change.

War, fire,

Natural disaster,

Lying, cheating,

Killing, lynching,

Is it not amazing,

The world is still turning?

Mekonen Haddis

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Fading Dreams

It is a dreary day. I still went out to the spa. Got back home, I am browsing for news. All I am reading about is depressing. If it is not about hunger, it is about war. If it is not about higher unemployment numbers, it is about Pirates. So, I thought I should share with you a poem I had penned years ago, Fading Dreams. I also invite you to enjoy the painting ” Rain” by artist Yonas Haile, a fantastic artist from the city of Angeles. WWW.Yonashaile.blogspot.com

Fading Dreams

A result of so much hate
there is no oasis in the desert.

For such a short life
on a borrowed time.
What an abuse,

such disrespect
no love left in the heart.

Talk about democracy
write a thesis on equality
only to create wide disparity
hard feelings, enmity.

Eat, sleep, and work hard.
Bare glimmer of hope.
Need to speak,

tongue tied.
A parade of the living dead.

Deepest ocean,

calm on the outside
danger in the inside.
Hidden emotions

mostly sad
outlawed and segregated.

Mekonen Haddis

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G-20 outcome

G-20 outcome,

and the winners are:

The G-20 summit in London was held at a most critical time of the world economy. It was obvious that things can not continue as usual. It was also clear that the solutions needed should match the gravity of the dire, global economic situation. As always, challenging times like this call for statesmen to stand up and get counted.

The most popular leader on earth, Barak Obama, proved that he was up to the challenge. I think, Obama’s greatness is found in his acknowledgment to the limits of the power of the U.S. At the conclusion of the summit president Obama said, “ it is very important for us to be able to forge partnerships”. Not only was he successful in creating consensus, but he was also able to push his stimulus package and restore confidence in the economy.

President Sarkozy of France and Chancellor Merkel of Germany, were winners for pushing for strict global financial regulations. Sarkozy in particular Suggested that “ serious measures must be taken to create new rules on capitalism” and blamed the “ U.S. and Britain and their dangerous, unregulated financial world system for the economic crisis”. (anarcho-capitalism)

The Chinese were winners in getting the recognition that they are an economic power to be reckoned with.

President Lula was a winner for personifying the shift of power to the emerging economies of the world.

Prime Minister Douglas Brown was a winner not only for organizing a very successful summit, but also for making the summit a truly inclusive one.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia was a winner for a victorious representation of Africa’s interest.

Let’s only hope that all the commitments in the final communiqué are put in to practice, and the world would gain a well regulated, fair and balanced economic system.

Mekonen Haddis

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The Colonial Mentality

The colonial mentality.

I thought I had penned and posted my last article, “stimulus Galore”, before this G-20 meeting in London. I was waiting until its conclusion to write my comments on the outcome of the meeting. Mood and circumstance changed, and I had to write this article.

As a good student of my philosopher friend K.T., I have always let things pass. “ Let it go”, he would say. It is not that I don’t see them, but it is in my nature to ignore weaknesses and cheap illogical reasoning. But again, no one has patience without limits. Sometimes, when certain people show utter ignorance of reality, when their miserable toxic arrogance reaches a state of mythological proportions, they need to be told. They need to be dislodged. Oh! My businessman friend would say, “I told you so”.

While I am not one to rant and rave, what pushed my patience to its limits is that I read, that a certain Howard Davies, director of the London School of Economics, is quoted as saying,(wash.post.3-31-09) “ but while we may have messed things up royally, that doesn’t mean we should be taking advice from Argentina.”

Dear Sir, please forgive me. You sound like a sore looser colonialist. But again, I could be wrong. May I say, for one who has “ messed things up royally”, you should thank God and accept advice from anyone willing to share them with you. It can’t be any worse than what you have created. You need to apologize to the people of Argentina, and explain what your wise-self was trying to say.

I hope, president Obama will use his global popularity to push for the inclusion of developing nations to be part of the decision making process that affect them.

To be governed by rules and regulations that one has not participated in, need to cease.

I am sure, president Obama as a very intelligent person, realizes that he is not doing China or any other developing country a favor. When they are included in the decision making process, it is only the reality. We are truly facing a global disaster and it calls for a truly global solution.

Wise economic advice should also be welcomed from Africa. After all, who has paid more sacrifice than Africa for the economic mess created by the industrialized world?

The world needs “change”. Acceptable norms in economic relationships of the past are gone. Unrestrained and unregulated capitalism ( anarcho-capitalism) has destroyed them. It is also possible, that some might want the colonial economic relationship to continue. The fact is it can not.

Mekonen Haddis

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