Saturday, September 29, 2007

Bill Clinton Praises Corruption Queen #131, Disses Overseas Filipino Workers



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BILL CLINTON
said a Monica Lewinsky mouthful of nonsense, when he praised Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for "turning the Philippine economy around," noting how, just recently "everyone had written her off as politically dead" (referring I suppose to her impeachment troubles which could easily start up again depending on what happens to Romulo Neri's claims of executive privilege.) But like the Democratic Party in general, Mr. Clinton has always ignored Filipinos in America. He is obviously not aware that it is the hard- and painfully earned incomes of ten million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) --nurses, doctors, teachers, engineers, domestic helpers, construction workers, entertainers and care-givers, that is keeping the country afloat on an annual tide of 15 billion dollars in repatriations that is raising all boats. That includes the Ship of State, ponderous and wasteful. Whereupon the corrupt officialdom of this Archipelago, headed by the object of Bill Clinton's blind praise, makes like Ali Baba and the forty thousand thieves playing golf and scheming with corrupt Chinese bureaucrats--ahem, capitalists who call themselves market socialists.

I guess "Classmate" Bubba doesn't read Transparency International reports either (which at No. 131 just yesterday ranked the Philippines among the most corrupt in the world at par with Burundi, Honduras and Yemen, with whose long-suffering peoples Filipinos share the cellar); or those of the Heritage Foundation, which warned way back in 2005 that "Chinese influence will continue to expand while Arroyo fights for her political life," -- which qualifies as a prophetic warning come true in the wake of the ZTE National Broadband Network bribery scandal compared to which even the cartelized pricing of Globe and Smart , reportedly US $20 per Megabit per second of bandwidth, compared to 11 cents in the United States and 22 cents in Japan seems merely greedy, but not venal. I suppose what he really admires in her accidental economics is that VAT of heavy taxes extracted like blood from the Filipino people, that President Arroyo has been spending to finance the Pork Barrel instead of what she promised it was for--avoidance of more foreign debt. She has apparently entered into dozens of agreements with China that are sure to indenture Filipinos for the next few generations. It's all part of China's new East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere scheme in action.

Lookie here, Bubba. The OFWs are suffering enough as it is from the unfavorable peso exchange rates and heavy E-Vat taxation used to finance the pork barrel. Why add insult to injury by praising the economic architect of these vexations.

Of course, colossal-size corruption is just par for the course of Filipino presidents, but a lot of equally serious trouble is brewing for the Philippines because of the President's utter lack of leadership in handling the jihadist and communist insurgent threats. She is even planning to give the MILF rebels a big reward for all their murderous ambuscades and armed violence -- in the form of their own "ancestral domain" or Muslim Juridical Entity which is said to encompass 1000 barangays in Maguindanao and will incorporate what is now the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (read MNLF-Nur Misuari terriotry.) This last wrinkle will probably be enough to guarantee decades more of armed insurgency in Mindanao as the MNLF wages war on its MILF brethren. American Chronicle writer Kurt Stallings echoes our own sentiments here at Philippine Commentary that the Moro rebellion has been hijacked by the Global Jihad on vilization launched by Al Qaeda, with this analysis of the situation in Mindanao:
Abu Sayaf is not nationalist; it is international jihadist, closely allied with al-Qaeda. For them, the southern Philippines are a marvelous base from which to project terrorist activity throughout Asia.

A dangerous break toward jihadist, rather than nationalist, leadership is signaled each time MILF factions collaborate with Abu Sayaf. If that shift takes hold, the prospects of a relatively peaceful resolution to the situation substantially decrease, and the odds of terrorist activity throughout the Philippines increase.

Tragically, this comes at a time when the Philippine economy appears on an unprecedented spurt of growth. The Philippine people are already highly literate, educated and politically acute, ordinarily a recipe for refining their democracy and eliminating abuses of corruption and governmental terror tactics.

The Islamists know -- and fear -- just that possibility, which may be why they are pushing so hard to win over the new generation of young Muslim males away from the older, traditional Muslim nationalists who had been steadily gaining relative autonomy for their region within the country. The mutilation and beheading of Philippine marines this summer brought the armed forces into Muslim territories with a vengeance (literally), ostensibly seeking the perpetrators, and now mired in the jungles while the politicians try to talk it out.

For the theoretically inclined, the US Army War College periodical, Parameters has its Summer Issue out. I recommend two essays there: A Social Network Approach to Understanding Insurgency and Good Anthropology. Bad History. The Cultural Turn in Studying War.

Of course, the President is clearly basking in the afterglow of Clintonesque flattery. She needs the break, considering her own First Gent is skulking about somewhere in China, whilst she faces the prospect of Manila's seething political cauldron over the ZTE scandal and the possible breakup of her political coalition in the House. Joe de Venecia just ruled out inhibiting himself from the explosive Abalos impeachment process that was really ignited by his son Joey's testimony of a $10 million bribe offer and Romulo Neri's "200". If Abalos is impeached and tried, the radioactive proceedings could create a dangerous fallout over the Palace.

CONTRETEMPS UPDATE: Andrew Sullivan has the latest on the Iowa primary and the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Dean, Dean, you do tend to over react sometimes, truly you do.

It wouldn't have done for Bill Clinton to say bad things of Gloria or to shove her off the stage, not at all.

Either way, you would've reacted as exageratedly as you are doing now either way.

Deany Bocobo said...

HB, Well between him and me, who's gonna get away with an exaggeration?

Dom Cimafranca said...

Just goes to show that Clinton is a consummate politician: smile at you to your face now so he can stab you in the back later.

Great graphic, DJB! I should be outraged at the blasphemy but I am in awe of the workmanship!

Amadeo said...

Dean:

And if you were here with us, up close and personal with Mr. Bill Clinton, your show of chagrin would definitely be multiplied.

With the political campaigns heating up, Bill is again up front and center, side by side with Hillary, as the ever dutiful though arguably philandering spouse.

But because the country is terribly divided in the middle, many citizens do listen to Bill and empty their pockets for Hillary.

And you have to give credit to Bill for being such an effective self-promoter. Take away the dragging luggage of his political past, then listening to him is akin to listening to a soft-toned and well-modulated orator, with messages and plans reeking with universal appeal.

Americans do have short memories, so I fear that Hillary, the default Democratic nominee, has a good chance of elevating Bill Clinton back to the highest position in the land. Because of this, I have forsworn that I will definitely do more during the next presidential cycle.

john marzan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
john marzan said...

Maybe Bill is trying to court the Fil-Am vote for Hillary thru Gloria.

Deany Bocobo said...

John, Bush...Clinton...Bush...Clinton?

How is that nice young man, Barack Obama doing, Amadeo? i didn't catch the last debatejavascript:void(0)
Publish Your Comment.

Dom,
Catholics are so idolatrous! Still, I never realized until the Danish Cartoon controversy, that the opposite of idolatry can actually be worse than idolatry.

john marzan said...

Yes, Bush Clinton Bush Clinton.

(And Jeb Bush in 2016! book it!)

Amadeo said...

Obama, whose middle name is Hussein, as in Saddam, is starting to lose steam. And he is not expected to last till the end. That is, his present luster will continue to diminish. The Democrats, anyway, already have the Black vote in their pockets, accounting for about 10% of the population and voting as high as 90% in many elections, but only for those who actually vote since this group is also noted as being laggards when it comes to actually going to the precincts and voting. FilAms as a demographic is a blip on the radar screen, but total Asians do register significantly. But you know what, the latter's biggest hurdle in its ability to wield collective political power may be ironically the fierce independence and very critical minds of its individual members. Asians have been known, even in very liberal California, to vote 50-50 in national elections.

All candidates are after the middle ground, comprising of the centrists, the independents, and yes, the libertarians, who collectively account for 10% of the electorate. Thus, as the election nears most candidates in cadence will start moving to the center, and jettisoning the fringes on both sides.

Thus, the traditional national Democratic machine is expected to rule, and not the noisy far-left fringes of the party like the likes of DailyKos and MoveOn.Org. The latter btw principally funded by "Open Society Institute" G. Soros, which company name btw is very ironic because you couldn't find a more secretive organization when it comes to timely public disclosure of where donation funds are headed. Note also that our very own PCIJ received (s) some financial assistance from the same Soros company. When I raised a question, Ms. Coronel then justified that there were no strings attached and that OSI did good work around the globe.

Thus, this early the pols have named Hillary as the de facto candidate. She leads, anyway, in most of the early polls. And even GW is conceding that she will be the one.

Reading Philippine blogs one senses that info about US politics and policies on which many base their analyses appear slanted to one side only. And I surmise that it is because many limit themselves to sources that do confirm or validate preconceived beliefs. This is especially true with regard to the popular Filipino blogs, who are quite predisposed to quote biased sources when bashing US politics and policies.

To illustrate, Fox News is never quoted and is even derided in some quarters over there. Yet its total viewership outstrips the sum total of the other cable outlets (MSNBC, CNN, CNBC) taken together. And many would say that comparatively speaking, it presents news and opinions in a more fair and balanced way. If not, why then the unchallenged popularity?

If our Filipino compatriots are really keen about getting a more balanced take and a wider perspective of news and policies emanating from the US, it would serve them better to spread around their reading habits. And I would include the US blogs, too.

Ben Vallejo said...

No wonder some can't imagine a Hillary presidency!

pian said...

TO ALL
I know this to be out of place. Please bear with me. I just want to create awareness by choosing the busy forum or the latest.
Do consider Dr. Martin Bautista for the next elections obviously (a senatorial candidate of ‘Ang Kapatiran’ together with Adrian Sison and Zosimo Paredes). He’s a 45-year-old gastroenterologist in the US who came home after 17 years. You can see from his background that he truly means service. For those who find him to be a hypocrite for working abroad, do understand he’s a family man who needs to sustain his family, that he will be able to keep his independence by not relying on public funds to support his family. He helps his countrymen in his capacity but it’s just not enough for there are millions of Filipinos. It’s a good start in Philippine Politics to have him and his party around.
I urge you to forward/text/inform all your contacts about them. I believe they only lack exposure that’s why I’m doing this. But I can’t do it alone so I’m appealing to everyone’s help. If all will inform their contacts about them and urge them as well to forward, we might hit a million.
We cannot afford to be indifferent now if we want meaningful change. Otherwise we only have ourselves to blame. BUT TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Unknown said...

what do you expect to hear from a man who gives speeches for a living?

Deany Bocobo said...

Very interesting from Andrew Sullivan this morning...Barack Obama shows surprising strength in Iowa and could win the Democratic Primary there.

MBW said...

does that mean you will vote democrat?

MBW said...

Oh btw, re "HB, Well between him and me, who's gonna get away with an exaggeration?"

OK, He will... he's bill clinton!

Deany Bocobo said...

AdB,
Well if America wants to have a taste of GMA, Hillary should give them a nice tummy ache...