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Kay Bradley

US foreign aid is worth defending now more than ever - 0 views

www.brookings.edu/...h-defending-now-more-than-ever

shared by Kay Bradley on 19 Nov 19 - No Cached
  • he U.S. government is giving short shrift to international development goals and American values, China appears poised to eclipse America’s economic dominance, and the climate crisis is now an existential threat to us all.
  • current U.S. administration will almost assuredly continue to favor transactional deals and brinksmanship over preserving America’s role as a transformational leader in foreign assistance.
  • we need a new narrative.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • With U.S. leadership adrift and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) halting at best, what can motivate the community of nations to redouble their efforts to realize a better world?
  • aid delivery is being reshaped thanks to citizen-driven social movements, multinational companies motivated to be socially responsible, and powerful foundations backing experimental approaches.
  • The climate crisis, which is hitting developing countries hard, was a central topic at our roundtable, since its effects are already transforming development prospects and confounding those who track long-term environmental and social trends
  • Thus, climate-based migration may soon create one of the greatest sources of insecurity and conflict in the latter part of the 21st century.
  • Developing countries also face a youth bulge; unless we equip youth for the workforce of the future, unemployment will skyrocket and an entire generation will lack purpose and hope for the future, making them particularly vulnerable to radicalization strategies of extremist movements.
  • These individuals need both soft skills and competency in science, technology, engineering, and math if they are to be successful in the economy of tomorrow.
  • Today, China oversees major financial assets and development via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), its ambitious strategy to broaden and deepen its economic relationships and build and fund infrastructure worldwide.
  • Chinese focus on infrastructure lending presents an alternative to grant aid offered by the U.S. and like-minded donors who traditionally promoted human rights and democratic governance.
  • policymakers would do well to find areas around which they can cooperate—for example, on pollution reduction, anti-poverty programs in South Asia, or the prevention of health pandemics
  • Opinion polls clearly highlight that Americans care deeply about doing good in the world.
  • Put simply, American values are alive and well, despite increasing U.S. government disengagement on these issues.
  • The city of Pittsburgh just signed a partnership agreement with Aarhus, Denmark, to work together to transform their old industrial areas into thriving and equitable urban spaces running on clean energy. Another example is Hawaii—a U.S. state that is sharing its experiences in creating innovative partnerships to advance sustainable development with islands such as Palau,
aleishaallen

The US has put down its cards and walked away from Syria - CNN.com - 3 views

www.cnn.com/...index.html

syria at risk US pulls out Russia Assad

shared by aleishaallen on 09 Oct 16 - No Cached
  • aleishaallen on 09 Oct 16
     
    The US has decided to pull support for Syria. They are not able to come to agreements with Russia, and after both the US and Russia have dropped bombs that have killed civilians, the ceasefire is "at risk". It is possible that with this the war will be over sooner rather than later with the rebels losing, but it will not be a peaceful end.
  • gtgomes17 on 10 Oct 16
     
    I found it interesting how both sides believe the other is "the bad guy" in this situation: US thinks Russia is helping Syrians attack civilians, and Russia is upset that the US 'accidentally' dropped a bomb. I hope that the ceasefire will hold out and that the war will be over soon. I wonder if there is something that can be done for the end to have a chance of being peaceful.
Heather Anderson

U.S. Apologizes for Syphilis Experiment in Guatemala - 2 views

www.nytimes.com/...02infect.html

shared by Heather Anderson on 02 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Heather Anderson on 02 Oct 10
     
    Maybe more of an ethics topic, but I'd say it affects U.S.-Guatemala relations, too...
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Catherine Binder on 02 Oct 10
     
    I'd heard about the experiment in the news, but the details that come to surface in this article are just appalling. I'm horrified and embarrassed. It's just one of the many examples of why other countries hate us, and quite frankly, I can't blame them.
  • Harrison Lee on 03 Oct 10
     
    I found this article truly shocking. The U.S.'s hypocrisy in the past century has been baffling, and one line in the article (that criticized the U.S.'s prosecution of Nazi's while commiting aweful humanitarian crimes itself) in particular really highlights this point. The fact that these crimes occurred, and moreover, the fact that the U.S. got away with it for over half a century, sheds light on how America viewed the rest of the world. This article reminded me of the exploitation of have-not's that we have studied in history by the have's (bourgeoisie vs. proletariats). This is also relevant to the domestic crimes involved with Tuskegee and the socioeconomic divide in America during those times. While I appreciate the efforts to improve transparency in the government, I totally believe that apologies are not enough. There should be reparations.
  • Amara Plaza-Jennings on 03 Oct 10
     
    I agree with all that has been said. I was horrified when I was reading this article. I had heard stories of some unethical scientific experiments before, but I never thought that the US could be involved in something as terrible as this, something just as terrible as the experiments of the Nazi's. This article highlighted my beliefs and prejudices that the US was more ethical than other countries, when in reality we have a similar, if less well known, history.
  • Rachel Katzoff on 03 Oct 10
     
    I am very proud of Clinton for issuing an appology for the actions of the US government. I am glad that there was a public statement made in order to admit to our crimes as a nation. I find it hard to believe that the US would do these horrible things, and it serves as a reminder that the US was not always a free and accepting nation. We have a deep history of racism. I don't think that appologies are enough to repent for the horrors we caused, but I think they are a step in the right direction. Articles like this are a great way to prompt discussion aobut our racist past as well as remember what has happened in order to make sure these crimes will never be repeated.
  • Rebecca Heller on 04 Oct 10
     
    I have to admit that when I first heard about this, I thought that it was some sort of twisted joke. I found it particularly appalling that these studies were conducted on prison inmates and mental patients, people who were completely at the mercy of the government system and had little or no other independence (and therefore no way to get out of this). The fact that the United States could do something so completely hypocritical, especially while leading the Nuremberg trials (as Harrison pointed out) is shocking. I am glad that Secretary of State Clinton and the US government seem to be ready to apologize for this heinous program without attempting to justify or conditionalize it and that they openly apologized to the Guatemalan government. I hope that they will continue to be as transparent during the Guatemalan investigation.
Jasper Arasteh

US suspects Iran behind cyberattacks - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...nd-a-wave-of-cyberattacks.html

Iran

shared by Jasper Arasteh on 14 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Jasper Arasteh on 14 Oct 12
     
    This is interesting because even though the computers have changed so much it is fairly rare to see it used as a weapon. Apparently there have been lots of cyber attacks and counter attacks between the US and Iran and defense secretary Leon E. Panetta said that the US was at risk of a "Cyber Pearl Harbor". This raises the question of whether cyberspace could be a new front for warfare.
  • Sam Anderson Moxley on 14 Oct 12
     
    This article demonstrates the threat that cyberattacks pose to governments, economies, and even the people. Throughout middle school children like me we were warned of the seriousness of cyberbullying and how it could truly damage the feelings of others. However, the threats of a Cyber world war could be drastic to people all over the world. While there is no hard evidence that the latest attacks have been sanctioned by the Iranian government, the attacks have increased the disdain between Iran and the United States. In many ways the conflict does resemble bullying. Iran wants to prove that they have some power over the United states by attempting to damage our economy. They are using this entirely new medium of cyberspace to let out this aggression. The question is whether we are on the brink of a cyber war and what the consequences will be to the economy and freedom of information.
aleishaallen

How many Yemenis need to die before we stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia? | Kate Allen ... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...menis-die-uk-arms-saudi-arabia

arms trade UK Saudi Arabia Civilians Yemen

shared by aleishaallen on 10 Sep 16 - No Cached
  • aleishaallen on 10 Sep 16
     
    The US has proposed blocking the flow of US arms into Saudi Arabia, but the UK will not do the same. There have been many civilian deaths in Yemen due to the arms being provided by the US and UK. Lawmakers in the UK have proclaimed that the continued supply of arms to Saudi Arabia breaches several international humanitarian laws. However, even after extensive evidence of the damage the weapons are doing to civilians, the UK refuses to consider stopping the trade.
Kay Bradley

The Story of Catherine's iPod on Vimeo - 3 views

www.vimeo.com/17384632

shared by Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10
     
    "The Story of Catherine's iPod"
  • ...10 more comments...
  • Curtis Serrano on 03 Dec 10
     
    I had heard about the conditions at foxconn, but I was surprised about how bad conditions are for the extraction of raw materials like tungsten.
  • Matthew Schweitzer on 03 Dec 10
     
    I would say that I was equally shocked to learn that the conditions for workers mining the metals put into the our Ipods; as I discovered while researching about flags, the products that have become quintessential parts of our consumer society harm those in other, less powerful countries.
  • Samantha Bishop on 05 Dec 10
     
    I was very surprised to find out about the rape attacks that are happening in congo in connection to the mines. The fact that our materials are coming from the places, I feel that in some way we are supporting these actions. These conditions are terrible and something needs to be done to improve them, but I don't see anyone working on this.
  • Harrison Lee on 05 Dec 10
     
    I had no idea that the minerals needed for Ipods were mined in the Congo, and I was appalled at the militarization of the area. This just shows how sensitive the corporations are about protecting their businesses. This ties in to the fact that the corporations make it impossible to accurately trace the materials to its exact source in the Congo. I am also wondering if mining has negative health impacts on the workers and to the manufacturers in China.
  • Arshia Surti on 05 Dec 10
     
    In response to Catherine's essential question, often we feel powerless to stop such things. A few people boycotting Apple products isn't going to change anything. Education, really, is the best way to combat the terrible effects our consumer economy has on the world. If enough people are made aware of the conditions and care enough to give a voice to those workers in China and the Congo, then only will change occur.
  • Amara Plaza-Jennings on 06 Dec 10
     
    What really struck me after watching Catherine's video was the inescapability of these problems. I may not need an Ipod, but to get by in school I certainly need to use a computer. And even if this computer isn't made by Apple, the same problems still apply. I agree with Arshia that education is the best way to try to eliminate terrbile practices such as those that happen in the "rape capitol." Many people at the diversity conference I just attented agreed that education was the best way to solve those problems as well.
  • Nick Petru on 06 Dec 10
     
    I had absolutely no idea conditions for the "3 t's" mining was so awful and that the congo was such a hostile environment for women. This part of the video really puts an emphasis on how different our worlds are. I really like Arshia's point- I definitely agree- education is the key.
  • larkin smith on 06 Dec 10
     
    It was disturbing to learn that all the mines in Congo are militarized. Also, the crazy stickness of the factory in China struck me as disturbing.
  • anonymous on 06 Dec 10
     
    I, too, agree with Arshia on using education to help solve this problem and one's similar. Reading all the comments to this video, it's obvious that most of us had no idea of the brutal rape in the congo-- most of us probably also didn't know the details of China's brutal labor conditions before taking this class. It's scary to think that people are so obsessed about getting the newest gadget, but generally don't know about all the horrible practices that go into making it.
  • Gregory Freiberg on 06 Dec 10
     
    I was pretty shocked to hear about the origins of what you called the "Three T's." Like you, until you read the article in the Huffington post, i had no idea about where the IPod came from (i just assumbed "assembeled in china") but really, also like the Prius, much more of the world is involved. Great Video!
  • Heather Anderson on 07 Dec 10
     
    The disconnect here is so weird. It begins with people digging in the mountainside with sticks, and ends with a tiny, sleek, lightweight computer that makes images flick past at the swipe of your finger and makes music. It's like magic, except instead of the instead of using "toe of newt and eye of frog" the world is making these products by allowing people to be greatly mistreated. Beyond educating people, as Arshia and Alison said, it seems we must either: find other materials to make electronics out of (although that doesn't strike me as very likely?) or pressure companies (who have the money and the leverage) to enforce better regulation. To follow up on Catherine's video, I put three t's into google and got an article about an investigation into the mining in the Congo (maybe Catherine has already seen this): http://africarising2010.blogspot.com/2009/11/tracing-3-ts-from-congo.html. It says: "Even though they found that it is relatively easy to determine the source of minerals based on different coloration and texture based on the source mine, there is insufficient regulation to make this work....Export companies are required to register with the government, but their method of determining the source of minerals they buy is to merely ask the seller whether their goods are from conflict mines. There is no system of confirming what the seller says."
  • Rebecca Heller on 07 Dec 10
     
    This presentation kept shocking me. I was surprised to hear that basic parts of the iPod (the Three Ts) originate in the Congo rather than China. I was then shocked (and horrified) by the rape statistics. I had heard the statistics before, but not in relation to the acquisition of the Three Ts and production of products that we use. The story about the woman whose brother was ordered to rape her and then stabbed to death when he refused was particularly awful. I was also In summary, I was appalled at all the crimes that took place in the Congo- before the Three Ts even got to the factories in China that Catherine talked about. When Catherine started talking about the factories in China, I was again shocked at the working conditions- 100 workers sleeping to a room and clothes locked in a bucket with no visitors allowed (to protect the secrecy of Apple's product plans) while workers worked 15 hour days. The suicide reports from the FoxCon (spelling) factories were also shocking, as was the revelation that workers make just half of what they did in the 1800s. It was sad that the factory earns only $4 per iPod sold- while Apple earns $80. This presentation was very thought provoking- I had never assumed that Apple would be one of the "bad" companies with very questionable labor and humanitarian practices (a la Wal-Mart). Thanks for bringing it up, Catherine. I'm now thinking about it in a whole new light.
milesburton

Behind Putin's Combativeness, Some See Motives Other Than Syria - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...yria-russia-putin-kremlin.html

Budget Putin Russia Military nytimes economics economy

shared by milesburton on 15 Oct 16 - No Cached
  • milesburton on 15 Oct 16
     
    After the US walked away from discussions on Syria, President Putin stepped up his country's military activity, with an enormous mobilization of first responders and civilians on the home front. In addition, the President redeployed nuclear weapons, making sure to leave some in place for American surveillance satellites to see. Mr. Putin also suggested the reopening of Russian military bases in Vietnam and Cuba. However, many see this as a distraction from the Russian economy, which is showing the first dip in income for the country's citizens since Putin assumed the Presidency in 2000. The nation's budget is also being heavily slashed, with healthcare and the military losing 33% and 6% of their funding, respectively. People inside Russia commented that the new budget leaves money for the military and police, and little else. Further speculation is that Mr. Putin is using the same strategy he employed in the Ukraine, which is to ramp up Russia's military and leverage that in diplomatic conversation with other nations. Some of Putin's comments also suggest that he wants to push Russia as a concern of the US Presidential election, and make sure that whoever the next President is will see Russia as a force to be reckoned with.
anyak2021

Even as Cases Rise, Europe Is Learning to Live With the Coronavirus - The New York Times - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...coronavirus-europe.html

shared by anyak2021 on 15 Sep 20 - No Cached
  • anyak2021 on 15 Sep 20
     
    Instead of requiring strict social distancing measures and lockdowns like the United States, France and many other European countries have encouraged citizens to go back to their normal lives. The countries are confident that with widespread testing, medical infrastructure, and mask availability, they will be able to control a surge in cases and limit hospitalizations. This move is still controversial, as many think that letting the virus "run its course" would disproportionately impact immunocompromised and the elderly. Yet, the majority of recent cases have been in young people, likely due to their increased socialization. I think this is interesting and possibly a more practical COVID response than lockdowns, which people rarely follow. I wonder if an approach like this could work in the United States, but the pandemic response remains highly political here.
  • artemisiam2021 on 15 Sep 20
     
    I feel like this strategy used in Europe is much more likely to succeed than if it was used in the US, as I agree with you that in Europe the coronavirus response is less of a political issue and more of a health crisis. Therefore, in Europe, people more vulnerable to the virus are more likely to stay home and carry out social distancing protocol for their own and others' safety than the US, where coronavirus safety guidelines are sometimes seen as an encroachment on people's individual freedoms. In the US it is much more unclear as to whether this kind of approach would really work, not only because of the pandemic response being politicized but also because of many refusing to wear a mask and US covid-19 testing issues.
lauran5556555

US to fly Haitian migrants back after thousands gather at Texas border | US immigration... - 1 views

www.theguardian.com/...grants-us-border-texas-flights

asylum migration

shared by lauran5556555 on 19 Sep 21 - No Cached
  • lauran5556555 on 19 Sep 21
     
    About 2,000 people have gathered between the US and Mexico border. Neither of the countries are willing to accept them currently, citing Covid concerns as a reason. However, recently, the frequency of migrants arriving at US borders has been increasing, and I am curious on how this administration will handle it.
  • ershai on 19 Sep 21
     
    Truly devastating. The United States needs better policies to accept immigrants and process asylum/refugee visas, especially from nations like Haiti, which have been ravaged by poverty, political violence, and natural disasters.I doubt these deportations will stop them from coming, and sounds like there are thousands more on their way.
  • Kay Bradley on 29 Sep 21
     
    And there's a super interesting connection with Chile. . . .
petertimpane

Guatemala cracks down on caravan of 9,000 migrants bound for US | Migration News | Al J... - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...vance-on-foot-us-bound-caravan

Honduras Immigration Asylum US Biden Guatemala

shared by petertimpane on 20 Oct 21 - No Cached
  • a couple of hundred men scuffling with security forces, pushing and running through their lines
  • ,000 migrants and asylum seekers have entered the country since Friday.
  • uatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei issued a statement calling on Honduran authorities “to contain the mass exit of its inhabitants”.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • this violation of national sovereignty
  • Biden, who takes office on Wednesday, has promised “a fair and humane immigration system
  • But Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of the US Customs and Border Protection agency, warned the asylum seekers last week not to “waste your time and money”
  • rule of law and public health
  • The Mexican foreign ministry on Saturday praised the Guatemalan government
  • and urged Honduras to prevent further movements of people.
  • petertimpane on 20 Oct 21
     
    Guatemalan officials are trying to block 9,000 Honduran immigrants from entering their borders. Apparently Guatemala requires a negative covid test to enter. Mark Morgan, the commissioner of the US Customs and Border Protection has siad that the asylum seekers shouldn't "waste their time and money"
agnesg22

The US embargo on Cuba has failed | Politics | Al Jazeera - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...-us-embargo-on-cuba-has-failed

Cuba US UN

shared by agnesg22 on 02 Nov 21 - No Cached
  • agnesg22 on 02 Nov 21
     
    "The strongest reason to end the embargo against Cuba is the massive toll that the policy continues to enact on the Cuban population. Both the Cuban government and the United Nations have estimated that the embargo has cost the Cuban economy $130 billion over six decades. It's also worth noting that the US Chamber of Commerce estimates that the embargo costs the US economy billions of dollars each year, as well. The human toll is harder to quantify, but has clearly been significant. Human rights experts at the UN have urged the US to ease sanctions during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that such a change will save lives by allowing Cuba greater access to medical supplies and equipment."
lauran5556555

Gunman Pleads Guilty in Parkland School Shooting - The New York Times - 3 views

www.nytimes.com/...oting-guilty-nikolas-cruz.html

shared by lauran5556555 on 20 Oct 21 - No Cached
  • “Counts 1 through 17 of the indictment charged you with murder in the first degree. These are life felonies. They are punishable — they’re capital felonies
  • He responded with “guilty” 34 times as Judge Elizabeth Scherer read each charge — including each victim’s name — and asked how he wanted to plea.
  • Armed with a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle,
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • The Parkland case will be the rare instance of a mass shooter who lives to see any sort of trial, since many of them end up dying in their attacks.
  • the top prosecutor in Broward County at the time of the attack, Michael J. Satz, said he would pursue the death penalty
  • fight a battle that you might win — and that’s the sentencing battl
  • In Florida, judges can only sentence a defendant to death if a jury unanimously recommends the death penalty, and even then, judges can override the jury and sentence a defendant to life in prison, though they rarely do so.
  • Mr. Cruz had a history of mental health and behavior problems, many of them documented by the public school district
  • Victims’ families recently reached a $25 million settlement with Broward County Public Schools over the shooting.
  • lauran5556555 on 20 Oct 21
     
    This is good that the families will get a closure, but I wonder how it will influence the gun control laws and mental health awareness in the US.
sebastianw2023

Jake Sullivan: US will act 'decisively' if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine | US ... - 1 views

www.theguardian.com/...-nuclear-weapons-jake-sullivan

shared by sebastianw2023 on 26 Sep 22 - No Cached
  • sebastianw2023 on 26 Sep 22
     
    These nuclear "exchanges" between NATO and Russia are starting to seem much more like a Cold War #2.
  • alecstein on 26 Sep 22
     
    Seems like Putin is getting very desperate, and a very real question as to whether he would take the bet on using the nuclear option in return for a chance at winning the war.
  • matteog2023 on 28 Sep 22
     
    Given its potential implications for both Russia's advance into Ukraine and the safety of Russian land it seems hard to tell whether Putin is bluffing or not, but given his history the current situation is frightening.
Robert Giesler

U.S. Suspects Iran Was Behind a Wave of Cyberattacks - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...nd-a-wave-of-cyberattacks.html

Iran cyberattacks

shared by Robert Giesler on 14 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Robert Giesler on 14 Oct 12
     
    This article is about cyberattacks on the various companies, specifically Saudi Aramco, an oil company. Apparently Iran is behind the attacks. I find it interesting how cyber warfare might become an even bigger part of conflicts today. It's also interesting how the US and Israel have both been attacking companies from Iran, which isn't scrutinized, yet as soon as Iran does it, it's a huge issue.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Elizabeth Sundsmo on 15 Oct 12
     
    I also find the difference of who is scrutinized (and who is not) interesting. The dependency on technology and computers in the global economy in light of this article makes me wonder if this is not just becoming a bigger part of conflicts, but perhaps the main conflict in countries fighting for an economic or even global edge. To me it seems a bit reminiscent of the Cold War because countries will race to develop malicious and protective software in order to feel safe, much like the US and Russia did with nuclear warheads to deter the other (although all it would really take is one warhead sent from each country to insure mutual destruction). "...the United States might redefine defense in cyberspace as requiring the capacity to reach forward over computer networks if an attack was detected or anticipated, and take pre-emptive action.... For now, officials have decided to hold back. "The countries who need to know we have it already know," the senior intelligence official said."
  • Adam Pease on 15 Oct 12
     
    I think the relationship between nuclear security and cyber attacks is interesting. The US does not receive much criticism for deploying Stuxnet (designed to damage Iran's nuclear program), but Iran is criticized for deploying computer viruses aimed at other elements of US defense. This raises interesting questions about whether or not Western states have a right to deny non-Western states nuclear acquisition.
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 12
     
    Great point in your post about emphasis of investigations, Robert
Matt Harband

Iranian Rial in Downward Spiral - 1 views

www.economist.com/21564607

Iran speculation hyperinflation inflation rial

shared by Matt Harband on 13 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Matt Harband on 13 Oct 12
     
    The Iranian national currency, the rial has been in steady decline for months, and the only method that the government has used to combat the issue is to print more money-- not the best plan of action.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Alexander Luckmann on 14 Oct 12
     
    Inflation at above 25% since January -- that's a ridiculous rate. As we saw in "Commanding Heights", economy and politics are closely tied together, and it will be fascinating to see to what extent the economy swings support toward Ahmadinejad's opposition. Could Iran be in a similar position as Russia was in the '80s, perhaps spending far too much on the military (nuclear bomb??) to manage the economy wisely?
  • Thomas Peterson on 15 Oct 12
     
    I agree with what Alexander said. I think it would be interesting to investigate whether or not the Obama administration has considered applying economic pressure to Iran in order to achieve diplomatic means. With Iran in such an unstable economic state (which I am surprised isn't covered more by American news media), why would the US government even consider using military force against Iran if the Ahmadinejad regime could be destabilized in another way. We'll see how Obama and Romney treat this issue in the foreign policy debate, as Obama could use an argument based on Iran's economic instability in going against Romney's position on using military force against Iran.
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 12
     
    yes!
Kako Ito

Public insurance and the least well-off | Lane Kenworthy - 6 views

lanekenworthy.net/surance-and-the-least-well-off

public insurance economics welfare poor nordic model universalism targeting redistribution income inequality

shared by Kako Ito on 27 Sep 15 - No Cached
  • Public insurance also boosts the living standards of the poor. It increases their income, and it provides them with services for which they bear relatively little of the cost.
  • Critics charge that public social programs tend to hurt the poor in the long run by reducing employment and economic growth. Are they correct?
  • Does public insurance erode self-reliance? Is a large private safety net as helpful to the least well-off as a large public one? Are universal programs more effective than targeted ones? Are income transfers the key, or are services important too?
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • Once again we see no indication that public insurance generosity has had a damaging effect
  • Note also that the employment rate increased in nearly all of the countries during this period. On average, it rose by nine percentage points between 1979 and 2013. That’s not what we would expect to see if generous public insurance programs were inducing large numbers of able adults to withdraw from the labor market
  • What we see in the chart is that countries with more generous public insurance programs tend to have less material deprivation.
  • With globalization, the advance of computers and robots, increased pressure from shareholders for short-run profit maximization, union weakening, and other shifts, wages have been under pressure. Couple this with the fact that many people at the low end of the income ladder have labor market disadvantages — disability, family constraint, geographic vulnerability to structural unemployment — and we have a recipe for stagnation in the market incomes of the poor.
  • here’s a good reason for these shifts: government provision offers economies of scale and scope, which reduces the cost of a good or service and thereby makes it available to many people who couldn’t or wouldn’t get it on their own.
  • Government provides more insurance now than it used to. All of us, not just some, are dependent on it. And life for almost everyone is better because of it
  • hese expenditures are encouraged by government tax advantages.22 But they do little to help people on the bottom of the ladder, who often work for employers that don’t provide retirement or health benefits.
  • To make them more affordable, the government claws back some of the benefit by taxing it as though it were regular income. All countries do this, including the United States, but the Nordic countries do it more extensively. Does that hurt their poor? Not much. The tax rates increase with household income, so much of the tax clawback hits middle- and upper-income households.
  • Another difference is that public services such as schooling, childcare, medical care, housing, and transportation are more plentiful and of better quality for the poor in the Nordic countries. Public services reduce deprivation and free up income to be spent on other needs. It’s difficult to measure the impact of services on living standards, but one indirect way is to look at indicators of material deprivation,
  • Targeted transfers are directed (sometimes disproportionately, sometimes exclusively) to those with low incomes and assets, whereas universal transfers are provided to most or all citizens.
  • Targeted programs are more efficient at reducing poverty; each dollar or euro or kroner transferred is more likely to go to the least well-off. Increased targeting therefore could be an effective way to maintain or enhance public insurance in the face of diminished resources.
  • “the more we target benefits to the poor … the less likely we are to reduce poverty and inequality.”
  • Korpi and Palme found that the pattern across eleven affluent nations supported the hypothesis that greater use of targeting in transfers yields less redistribution
  • The hypothesis that targeting in social policy reduces political support and thereby lessens redistributive effort is a sensible one. Yet the experience of the rich countries in recent decades suggests reason to question it. Targeting has drawbacks relative to universalism: more stigma for recipients, lower take-up rates, and possibly less social trust.44 But targeting is less expensive. As pressures to contain government expenditures mount, policy makers may therefore turn to greater use of targeting. That may not be a bad thing.
  • Public insurance programs boost the incomes of the least well-off and improve their material well-being. If such programs are too generous, this benefit could be offset by reduced employment or economic growth, but the comparative evidence suggests that the world’s rich nations haven’t reached or exceeded the tipping point.
  • Spending lots of money on social protection is not in and of itself helpful to the poor. Total social expenditures in the United States are greater than in Denmark and Sweden, because the US has a large private welfare state. But relatively little of America’s private social spending reaches the poor.
  • Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn’t show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship. Services expand the sphere of consumption for which the cost is zero or minimal. And they help to boost the earnings and capabilities of the poor by enhancing human capital, assisting with job search and placement, and facilitating work-family balance.
  • Kako Ito on 27 Sep 15
     
    Through this article I have gained a deeper insight in how public expenditures and public goods promote wealth equality in a society. "Public services are an important antipoverty tool."
  • ...2 more comments...
  • olivialum on 29 Sep 15
     
    This article really helped me deepen my understanding of redistributing wealth downwards. I never thought about it, but things like social security, affirmative action programs, and public education are actually insurances that attempt to provide everybody with more equality when it comes to living standards as well as basic human rights.
  • samoshay on 29 Sep 15
     
    Yeah, it is a very common argument to say that social expenditures disincentives workers; interesting analysis on how wealthy countries haven't reached the "tipping point." I am curious to see what happens to labor force participation and employment in the next decades as robots further divorce economic growth from labor supply/demand.
  • charlesleesohn on 29 Sep 15
     
    Cool theory in regards to "the tipping point". Interesting, and solid criticism of large social expenditures. Wonder how socialists view this, as opposed to free-market economists.
  • smowat on 29 Sep 15
     
    "Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn't show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship." INteresting to see the statistics and how social expenditures help reduce poverty and the wealth gap.
Heather Anderson

Russia Plans Nuclear Plant in Venezuela - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...16venez.html

Russia

shared by Heather Anderson on 22 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Heather Anderson on 22 Oct 10
     
    Russia hinted that they wanted to calm any U.S. fears about building a nuclear power plant in Venezuela, whose government is not exactly the closest of the United States' friends. Just an illustration of lingering tension over socialism vs. capitalism, the Cold War, and the spread of nuclear technology. Russia has been building plants worldwide in a mission to sell nuclear energy.
  • Rebecca Heller on 22 Oct 10
     
    One thing that jumped out at me when I read the article is that Russia's first reaction when announcing this plan was to attempt to quell US fears and tell the US that we shouldn't be getting involved. Interesting that other countries see the US as so involved in their affairs that the first thing they do when they do something controversial that does not involve us to to justify it to us...
Catherine Binder

Say hi to the Crazy - 3 views

www.sfgate.com/...article.cgi

shared by Catherine Binder on 04 Oct 10 - No Cached
Kay Bradley liked it
  • Catherine Binder on 04 Oct 10
     
    This article is a few weeks old, but the writer brings up interesting points about Islam, the NY mosque debate, and the United States' international relations. His mention of Hiroshima's Peace Park in comparison to the US' plans for Ground Zero is intriguing. Heather's article about the syphilis experiment in Guatemala is just one recent example of why the US is perceived as domineering. I never thought to question our plans for the former site of the World Trade Center, but I completely agree with the writer - why are we building a gaudy shiny tower instead of something more inviting that could facilitate discussions between countries? He states that "It would be nice if our ground zero could become an international home of reconciliation. Instead of continuing the hatred, defuse it."
  • ...2 more comments...
  • anonymous on 04 Oct 10
     
    I like how Jon talks about "the Crazy." I sometimes get caught up in trying to figure out how and why some people have seemingly immoral opinions about things. I first have to remind myself that I'm not always right myself, and if after that I think the issue really is a simple difference between right and wrong, I try to think of the reasons as to why people would think differently from me. It's one thing to think that all of those people are just stupid, all of them have to be evil to think such a thing, all of them don't know what they're talking about. Truth is, it's a mix. I wish I knew more about the mosque issue to be able to have a solid opinion on whether or not it should be built, but I do think the people on each side of the matter need to stop generalizing about the other. The anti-mosque-ians should recognize that terrorists are part of every religion. The pro-mosque-ians should recognize that some of their opposers know what they're talking about, but a lot of them are just caught up in "the Crazy." Both sides should try to understand the other as to dispel any false notions they have about each other (or themselves) and to try and come to a rational, peaceful decision.
  • Heather Anderson on 04 Oct 10
     
    I never thought of comparing 9/11 to the bombing of Hiroshima. Although what happened on 9/11 was absolutely terrible, the scale of the tragedies is really different: 2,000 vs 100,000, a few crazies vs a nation's decision to use extreme power. I don't want to sound insensitive, but I feel as though 9/11 is sometimes blown out of proportion; there have been worse tragedies in the world, at least statistically speaking. However, the emotional and symbolic significance definitely hit the U.S. hard: so many people killed, so much fear, being attacked so close to home, over different religious beliefs. I get the feeling that the author is comparing 9/11 to Hiroshima partially to appeal to people who view it on that scale. I never thought much about the plans for the new towers, but when I did, I suppose I thought it was good we were picking ourselves up and moving forward. But perhaps we would be moving forward in the wrong direction. I really like the idea of a peace garden or a building dedicated to world peace. I think that would be a very inspired way to address the tensions that caused 9/11. I hope parts of the new building will be dedicated to working for peace. Although I doubt anyone will suddenly change the plans for the tower, I think it is actually quite possible that some parts of the building will serve this purpose.
  • Gregory Freiberg on 04 Oct 10
     
    I agree with Alison. All to often we get caught up in our own opinions which sometimes means that we contend every other opinion is wrong. For example, I think that the mosque should be built near ground zero. I think this because to generalize against a whole religion because of a small part of one of the largest religions in the world seems dumb; however, after thinking about this I do realize that the other side to this argument is valid. Why a mosque? Can't we accomplish something similar in terms of fostering peace by building something else? As heather said, this still could be moving forward in the wrong direction. I do not know. But I am trying to be open about the other side to this very multidimensional issue. It is wrong of us to think it is an ethical issue with two side of right and wrong, there is in fact a lot of grey areas.
  • Rick Rodgers on 04 Oct 10
     
    Hey all, I'd just like to remind everyone that the "mosque" is not being built at ground zero (in fact it's in a Burlington Coat Factory blocks away: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-sledge/just-how-far-is-the-groun_b_660585.html. I think the ethical debate surrounding the issue is just further testament to the fact that many Americans unconsciously subscribe to media hype, regardless of their positions on issues. While I agree with what has been said about the ethics of a hypothetical mosque at ground zero, we should realize that this ethical dilemma is a fallacy and exists only as a headline. Also, I think the we/the press/everyone should be more careful who we label as "crazy irrational terrorists". We should realize that those guys didn't get on the planes on 9/11 because they were born without enough of X hormone, they were there because of a long history of western intervention etc. in their home countries. We shouldn't be so quick to dismiss terrorism as an irrational act by sick people, it only allows us to forget the underlying complicity that we have with the issue.
Kay Bradley

Trade With China Essential Questions: Class List 11/2/10 - 0 views

1. Magnitude of trade: how has it changed over time? 2. Forecast? Will current trends continue? 3. Effects on small local business (define "small"; define "local.") 4. How critical is trade with Ch...

China Industrialized Democracies Less Developed World:

started by Kay Bradley on 02 Nov 10 no follow-up yet
artemisiam2021

China uses Korean War anniversary as propaganda against US | Taiwan News - 1 views

www.taiwannews.com.tw/...4033782

China Korean_War US Taiwan_News

shared by artemisiam2021 on 20 Oct 20 - No Cached
  • artemisiam2021 on 20 Oct 20
     
    As relations between the US and China continue to deteriorate, China marks the 70th anniversary of its involvement in the Korean war with propaganda films about the sacrifices of Chinese soldiers to raise morale and the message that China is not afraid to engage in armed conflict with the US.
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