...bugger off Bob. Heard him on radio lambasting New Zealand for our governments "pathetic" contributions to international aid. Good. Governments give away taxpayer's money willy-nilly. Has he looked at New Zealander's support for private agencies like World Vision and CCF?We put our money where we know agencies are getting results because they account to us. Govt to govt aid is probably the most likely to be subject to corruption.
Geldof is well-intended I know, and likeable to boot but....talk about a statist.
9 comments:
I'm surprised by your comments Lindsay, though I haven't yet heard what Geldof said.
I think anyone who's put his money where his mouth is, as Geldof clearly has, is well within their right to comment on international aid.
Unlike many, he is an acknowledged expert, he is well informed, he is authoratative and connected and he has an unrivalled track record.
Why do you routinely dismiss people who don't see the world the way you do?
All the Live8 acts, pledges, donations and marches around cathedrals demanding an "end to poverty" will make not one iota of difference to the African disaster unless, somehow, the approach is directed to the people themselves and not through their corrupt governments.
The money that is dished out goes to the African dictators who are the enemy of the people everybody is intending to help. These tyrants therefore become more entrenched.
What is needed is a dose of capitalism, a cultural change ensuring economic freedom, land tenure reform together with private property rights, security of tenure and the incentive to plant crops and retain the proceeds, the rule of law, sanctity of contracts, and free trade.
A good start would be for the G8 nations to begin phasing out tarrifs, and of subsidies such as those to French sugarbeet farmers.
"Why do you routinely dismiss people who don't see the world the way you do?" - because that's the point of having an opinion??
No really, Lindsay has been kind to Mr Geldof in comparison to me. Perhaps you'd like to comment on what I've written about him on my blog.
If you meet a hungry man and you give him a fish you feed him once, if you teach him how to fish you feed him for the rest of his life. Geldorf Bono and others are in the business of giving the hungry fish.
How would Bob respond if someone pointed out to him that its his way of doing things that is keeping those people he so cares about in the position that they are in...? I don't doubt he wants to help and good on him but his solutions are more of the cause and not the cure to poverty.
Oswald; it's the oldest and least effective way of dealing with an argument you don't like, attack or dismiss the individual. It is, frankly, immature.
Badfield; it isn't an opinion at all, neither is it an argument. The point of having an opinion is to surely progress understanding, how could this follow from dismissing others who don't agree with you.
As to the other commentators who say nothing is achieved by Geldof and Bono; that is simply absurd. The problem is huge but not insummountable and Geldof and Bono attack it from many directions including focusing on the domestic politics of the aid nations.
I see a blog as a place to air YOUR thoughs on a matter.
It may or may not be a place to debate these point of views.
Blogs tend to attract (in the longer haul)the sort of people who think the same. I like to talk to people with a similar sort of outlook and views on life.
I gave up on trying to persuade other to see things my way and I'm not much interested in their evangalising either.
So I dismiss them and we don't bug each other.
Oswald, why not just get a bigger picket fence or live in a gated community...
I like big fences- they keep the riff-raff out!
Gated communities are a wonderful idea too.
Gated communities to keep the riff-raff out and others to keep them in...
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