Heart of Cheapness (Bono Says Solution To Africa's Problems Is To Pour MORE Money In)

New York Times ^ | May 31, 2002 | Paul ("DNC Talking Points") Krugman

[FITZ]

Whose money is he wanting to send? I don't care how much of his own money he sends to Africa ---but he can take his grubby hands out of my pockets.

[FITZ]

As Rush said, the BIGGEST cause of poverty in Africa is their very governments themselves.

Rush is right, the biggest cause of poverty anywhere is almost always because of the kind of government they have.

[Migraine]

Yeah, send us mo' money; the prez and his family bank account are really becoming quite niggardly. And, oh yeah, do send some mo' U.N. observers -- that last bunch was deeee-licious.

[PJ-Comix]

Will just ONE reporter have the guts to ask Bono if he thinks that the reason for poverty in Africa is the overwhelming CORRUPTION of the governments there? Actually can anybody name me just ONE government in sub-Sahara Africa that isn't totally corrupt? The last I checked the only real democracy there is South Africa and that might not last much longer. Zimbwabe used to be self-sufficient in food but now they are getting rid of the folks who can produce the food there.

[Austin Willard Wright]

O'Neal is the idiot for giving Bono a platform. Unfortunately, this kind of thing seems to be epidemic in Dubya's administration these days.

[chiefqc]

The first good step would be for him to donate his entire salary for the next five years to help solve Africa's problems.

[PJ-Comix]

Rush is right, the biggest cause of poverty anywhere is almost always because of the kind of government they have.

Ironically, the Russians have gotten wiser on econimics than us. Putin has ended a lot (but not all) of the corruption and put free enterprise policies into effect. Result: Russia is making incredible economic progress. And their products are no longer shoddy. I even have a great quality jacket Made In Russia. Actually I was wearing it for awhile before I even realized it was made there. Then I checked the label and saw that it said "MADE IN RUSSIA." Who would have figured a few years ago that great clothes products would be imported from Russia? No reason why a lot of products couldn't be made in Africa and imported from there but few are because of GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION.

[GregoryFul]

But when asked to give up revenue equal to twice that cost, in order to allow each of 3,300 lucky families to collect its full $16 million inheritance rather than a mere $10 million, we don't hesitate.

What a commie!

[Kermit]

Foreign Aid has proven itself to be counter-productive. It grows the governments in those countries, which then repress, suppress and oppress their people.

Here's the key to real economic progress:

These people who write on third world development are so friggin' stupid, they haven't learned anything in 50 years. They've been coming up with magical thoughts for 50 years on "development". State planning was the solution. Exports were the solution. Democracy was the solution. World Banks loans to governments were the solution. Aid is still the solution according to Bush and his latest scheme. Now, they pretend that "globalization" was the solution.

But they are blind. They write about ending poverty, without ever talking about property.

Poverty = lack of wealth
Wealth = property
Ending poverty = getting property in the hands of the poor.

D'oh!

Here's the way to go about it. I recommend to everyone to read this book, it'll open your eyes and immunize you against the type of nonsense in this article.

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[PJ-Comix]

Here is the KRUGMAN DISCUSSION FORUM over at the NY Times.

[PJ-Comix]

Oops! Here is a more recent PAUL KRUGMAN DISCUSSION FORUM over at the NY Times. This one has the most recent posts.

[robertpaulsen]

"By the way, the United States currently spends 0.11 percent of G.D.P. on foreign aid; Canada and major European countries are about three times as generous."

The recipient of aid doesn't care about percentage of GDP. He cares about raw dollars! So, Bono wants the US to match Canada? France? Spain? Well, he's got my vote!

[FITZ]

I'd like to ask him if pop-muscicians making too much money is part of the problem.

[PJ-Comix]

World Banks loans to governments were the solution.

One of the big proponents of this solution was former World Bank President (and WORST Secretary of Defense ever), Robert STRANGE McNamara.

[Old Fud]

Pony up, rock star. Get some of your multi-millionare socialist buddies on the bandwagon while yer at it.

[Servant of the Nine]

The soolution to Africa's problem is to stop selling or giving them drugs and vaccines until their population returns to a sustainable level.

So9

[Paul Atreides]

Methinks Bono wants to be the new Diana.

[Rollee]

Bono wouldn't know a corrupt government if it slapped him in the face. Look where he comes from!!

[Delbert]

Boner has plenty of money, perhaps several several million, he needs to drop a few million bux on Africa himself, then maybe I would listen to him just a little.. The governments in Africa are so corrupt, very little money would ever make it to the desired destination, and not only are they corrupt, They are submitting to Islam or being forced to submit to Islam in record numbers.

[MozarkDawg]

Geez looeez, what is it with these Irish boys? First Geldof and now Bono -- is there some problem with you multi-million dollar rock stars just using your own da** dollars for your pet causes? Some of us here in America are having a hard enough time already trying to make ends meet, quit begging from the pockets of hard-working tax payers.