Lobbyists In America, Means Less For Philippines
If you knew Washington Politics at all, you would know that it is not The American People who benefit from the laws, rather it is the lobbyists and the clients of these lobbyists that get a great bulk of the Government’s business. This is why I wasn’t remotely surprised that The United States was either cutting or scaling back on their defense aid to The Philippines.
Whatever the numbers, whether $11 million or none at all, the point of the matter is that there is less and less for the rest of us. This is because the Bush Administration and its cronies focus on giving the bulk of business to their cronies such as Haliburton, and because countries such as Israel literally have dozens upon dozens of lobbyists working on its behalf in order to push Israel’s agenda, as well as to get some of that U.S. taxpayer’s money. For example, in recent news, The United States is pledging a $30 billion defense package for Israel to span the next decade. That means $3 billion per year. $11 million for The Philippines doesn’t seem much now does it?
Lobbyists either by having “employees” who are retired government officials, or who have close government connections, are hired by companies and even entire countries, to approach congressmen, and do whatever they can to pass laws, and even sway appropriations such as defense aid.
No matter what we think, The Philippines does not have that much sway in Washington, but I can tell you two countries that do, and that is Saudi Arabia and Israel. And of course let’s not forget the Big Oil Companies. Thus, you have America literally throwing money and business at these countries.
The Iraq war, lobbyists, Washington Politics, and the easily swayed Lawmakers of The United States, are just some reasons why we shouldn’t be surprised as to why we may me losing some Defense Aid.
But make no mistake, this isn’t a democratic or republican problem, this is a Political Culture problem. Washington is quickly becoming the government and the center where power-brokers and decision-makers and lawmakers are doing lunch, and laws are literally formulated on the spot, with a nod or a wink.
Indeed, Money and Politics, are the key factors to the global crisis that we have today. Global Warming, The Iraq War, and even the defense aid, you can bet your house on it that these have been discussed in lunch meetings with Lobbyist footing the bill in return for favorable laws, resolutions, and bills for their clients.
Maybe The Philippines should hire more lobbyists?
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In Washington? hehehe
Maybe yes, BUT NOT FOR DEFENSE AID.
“The report on the nearly two-thirds cut in U.S. assistance to Philippine police and military forces next year is a very welcome development. The AFP and PNP have been receiving financial assistance from the United States government and have never been transparent in how they spent the assistance given them by the only superpower in the world. It is also widely believed that this type of aid is used by state security forces to train and maintain death squads that target activists nationwide,” Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said.
”Foreign aid to the AFP and PNP has not given rise to peace and security; just and democratic governance; and poverty reduction that are US State Department requirements for recipients of aid. What the country has is more than 800 victims of extrajudicial killings and close to 200 civilians forcibly disappeared. Under the Macapagal-Arroyo administration, the AFP and PNP have not been made to account for these nor have they been transparent in spending US financial aid to them ever since it started. I do not believe they will do so despite conditionalities set by the US Senate,” Casiño said.
@Karlo, excellent comment. I agree with you fully. Please read the following post on the 14 marines who were killed, and the following brief comment I wrote with regards to the dud shells that the marines were using in that ambush..