Bono Versus Nugent

Rush Limbaugh, various new sources | May 29, 2002 | Self

[Angelique]

In listening to Rush today, the discussion of Bono's enterprise to pressure the USA to give more financial aid to Africa was a topic. During the discussion, Ted Nugent called in to state that he spends six months in Africa teaching the citizenry about hunting. If you are not aware, Nugent is an accomplished bowhunter.

Who is providing the most assistance to the African people? I watched a special on the tele where the medical care was so atrocious that the African people die from something so curative here. Question to you: Why with all this aid do conditions remain the same? Why does this Continent remain so primeval? Who is helping the most to make a difference? Nugent or Bono?

[Angelique]

I would be very interested in your comments. Please ping the African list.

[rebelyell]

Nugent might be a bit crude in delivering his message, but it's hard to argue with his logic. I'd like to spend a day in the duck blind or in woods with him. He is a hell of an outdoorsman....that's a fact.

[detsaoT]

Why with all this aid do conditions remain the same?

No matter how much money you pour into corrupt regimes, they are still nothing more than corrupt regimes. This is the same reason that "free" trade with Cuba will do no good for the Cubans - All of the money made from such "trade" (and I still use the term loosely) ends up in Fidel's hands.

(Incidentally, were you aware that the Soviet Union spent billions of dollars, and sent thousands of people to the African continent to promote the Soviet version of freedom? Most certainly, the "help" they offered did nothing of any value to the average African citizen...)

Hope this clears things up.

:) ttt

[Koblenz]

Probably neither one is really helping things, but at least Nugent is having fun and not making us any poorer in the process. What Africa needs is governments that can establish property rights and free enterprise, and begin to offer their citizens some sort of basic education. It needs to encourage foreign investment as well. Until it does these things, it is going to remain a basketcase, as no one is going to farm the land, build new buildings, banks, etc, because they can't get capital because they have no property rights.

[Billthedrill]

All IMHO, of course, but:

Why with all this aid do conditions remain the same?

The aid is channelled through inefficient and too often seriously corrupt governments. Most areas with infrastructure sufficient to effectively distribute aid don't need it in the first place.

Why does this Continent remain so primeval?

It isn't, actually. While 38% of the North American continent is wilderness, only 28% of Africa is. It isn't a case of too much jungle, not enough people, it's too many people, not enough wealth and especially education.

Who is helping the most to make a difference? Nugent or Bono?

Well, I dunno, "teach a man to fish" and all that...OTOH, Bono is eminently edible...

[Alberta's Child]

Someone said recently that in an agricultural sense there is only one major difference between a country like the U.S. that produces more food than it can consume and a place like Africa that is always teetering on the brink of starvation: The U.S. has a market for commodity futures, which allows farmers to determine the prices for their crops before they plant them, thereby eliminating much of the risk involved with farming.

[bvw]

Seemed to me that Mr. Nugent was perhaps, over-ready, for the Rush call and dropped a barrage of points into too little time. Too hard to follow so many ....

[Angelique]

That I know. There is not a better bowhunter to be found.

[MissAmericanPie]

We have spent 7 trillion dollars trying to raise the standard of living for the third world. We need to cut that out.

[Angelique]

To paraphrase, all governments are corrupt in Africa. It does sound like communism, although why did the then Soviet Union fail?

[Delbert]

Nugent offers the most help. Boner needs to shut up. Give a man a buck and feed him for a day, teach him to fish and feed him for life. Sam Kinison used to say to the Africans...we have deserts in America too , but WE DONT LIVE THERE!NOTHING GROWS THERE! ITS TOO DAMNED HOT! MOVE SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN GROW SOMETHING!!

[mc5cents]

Whenever I think of the conditions in Africa I can't help but think of that Sam Kinison routine about helping those people. Send 'em U-Hauls, luggage... See this? It's SAND!! It was a histerical piece. Only Kinison could deliver it though. He was a gem. Kind of rough around the edges but great.

[Ohioan]

You cannot impose prosperity on a people from without; neither can you uplift others by treating them as charity cases. If Nugent goes over there and shares "know how," out of the goodness of his heart, he is probably doing something rather constructive. The other's idea is fatuous flummery. It wouldn't do any good, even if it was Constitutional. As it is, it is an unconscionable and Unconstitutional squandering of the people's money.

I cannot fault the true altruist, who gives of himself to help others. But it is neither altruism nor decency to force your neighbor to support a cause he would not otherwise support, simply because you have a power to tax him. The power to tax--or to use tax revenues--or to borrow on the Credit of the United States, must not be used for purposes not envisioned by the Constitution of the United States. That is a simple application of basic honesty.

There were situations in the Cold War, when our aiding an ally or potential ally was a cost effective adjunct to our Defense efforts. But this is quite another situation.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[FreedomPoster]

Just like we have spent even more trying to eliminate the problem of the "poor". We now have many more poor than when we started. Hmmmm - let's see, use government to throw money at a problem, you get more of the problem, and get asked to throw more money at the problem. Repeat.

Why does the Left insist we keep banging our heads against the wall like this?

[scholar]

Question to you: Why with all this aid do conditions remain the same? Why does this Continent remain so primeval? Who is helping the most to make a difference? Nugent or Bono?

Well, I am all for Nugent's "kill it and grill it" philosophy. As I have posted on other threads here, I am positively LIVID over O'Neill traveling with Bono, while that Socialist butthead is trying to wring more $$ from US citizens.

As for the primeval nature of the African continent, I fear it would take every FReeper on the forum to research and analyze all the factors. Africa is a huge continent with a diverse population,and there is no way to apply one analysis to every country or issue.

[Angelique]

Thank you. OK, we are two for Nugent and zip for Bono.

[Angelique]

You have definitely hit on something: the free market. In other posts, there has been discussion of a type of warlord society. It is strange that the people so not rebel.

[another cricket]

Why with all this aid do conditions remain the same? Why does this Continent remain so primeval? Who is helping the most to make a difference? Nugent or Bono?

Well, Ted is helping a bit. Every one that he teaches to hunt now has a chance to feed the family. Bono on the other hand is only helping the creeps that made Africa such a mess in the first place.

The biggest problem in Africa has two parts. First it is nearly impossible to buy and have a clear title to property if you are an average Joe. This means that you can not build wealth. The second part is that the rule of law is a joke there. What the law is depends on who you are, whom you know and what you own.

The aid ends up in Swiss bank accounts and buying goodies for the strongman.

a.cricket

[nunya bidness]

Where do you find the time?