The Swiss Menace is a really good NY Times op-ed from Sunday by Paul Krugman. He outlines the healthcare options in clear terms.
The British system is like the VA, the Canadian system is like Medicare and the Swiss system is like what we have in Massachusetts and what the Obama plan is.
"If we were starting from scratch we probably wouldn’t have chosen this route. True “socialized medicine” would undoubtedly cost less, and a straightforward extension of Medicare-type coverage to all Americans would probably be cheaper than a Swiss-style system. That’s why I and others believe that a true public option competing with private insurers is extremely important: otherwise, rising costs could all too easily undermine the whole effort. But a Swiss-style system of universal coverage would be a vast improvement on what we have now. And we already know that such systems work."
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wall Street, More of the Same
Robert Reich wrote Obama's Second Biggest Test: Reforming Wall Street, and Why Early Indications Aren't Hopeful. It begins...
"Citigroup -- the giant Wall Street bank still on life-support courtesy of $45 billion from American taxpayers -- wants to pay its twenty-five top executives an average of $10 million each this year, and award its best trader $100 million. Whaaat?"
"Citigroup -- the giant Wall Street bank still on life-support courtesy of $45 billion from American taxpayers -- wants to pay its twenty-five top executives an average of $10 million each this year, and award its best trader $100 million. Whaaat?"
Boehner vs the Drug Industry?
So I haven't been happy with the concessions that the Obama administration gave the pharmaceutical industry. "The drug industry offered some $80 billion in concessions over a decade as part of their contribution to reducing health care costs. In return, the White House agreed not to pursue sharp price reductions under Medicare from the drug makers." Why is it House Republican Leader John A. Boehner (R-OH) of all people who's calling the drug industry out on it?, Boehner Assails Drug Industry ‘Appeasement’ on Health Care Bill.
"Boehner, in his letter, charged that PhRMA had opted to “accommodate a Washington takeover of health care at the expense of the American people in hopes of securing favorable treatment and future profits.”" Of course, doesn't the GOP believe that companies should only seek profits and that the market should decide which succeed and fail?
"Boehner, in his letter, charged that PhRMA had opted to “accommodate a Washington takeover of health care at the expense of the American people in hopes of securing favorable treatment and future profits.”" Of course, doesn't the GOP believe that companies should only seek profits and that the market should decide which succeed and fail?
Giving Up on Bipartisanship
Paul Krugman wrote an Op-Ed last Thursday, Republican Death Trip. He talks about how Obama is dealing with his failure to move us past partisanship.
"Sure enough, President Obama is now facing the same kind of opposition that President Bill Clinton had to deal with: an enraged right that denies the legitimacy of his presidency, that eagerly seizes on every wild rumor manufactured by the right-wing media complex. This opposition cannot be appeased. Some pundits claim that Mr. Obama has polarized the country by following too liberal an agenda. But the truth is that the attacks on the president have no relationship to anything he is actually doing or proposing."
Krugman said it again on MSNBC “you can’t actually satisfy the crazies by trying to offer substantive concessions” and Mathew Yglesias comments in , The Trouble With Appeasement.
On Friday, Krugman wrote Journamalism. "This gets at one of my biggest gripes: reporting that focuses on the political game without ever informing readers or viewers about the actual facts." I note that in these articles Krugman is careful to point out which statements are true and which are false and I really appreciate that.
He gives an example that he looked into. My experience in 1996 while looking through all the Boston Globe articles on the governor election the weekend before the voting. I looked through over 100 articles from over the course of the campaign and only three were on the issues. The others were on speeches or reviews of their TV ads. That convinced me that reading the news everyday was a waste of time and I started getting most of my news from weekly magazines.
J. Bradford DeLong takes it to heart in writing Why Orrin Hatch Lies a Lot (and Pete Domenici, Bob Dole, and Chuck Grassley too). He refers to a previous Krugman debate on bipartisanship. "Once the parties realigned, zero-sum partisan loyalties would dominate: Republicans like Hatch would think hard whether it was more important to vote for a bill because it was good for America or vote against it because then you could paint the Democratic president as a failure and pick up seats in the next election, and make their decision."
"Sure enough, President Obama is now facing the same kind of opposition that President Bill Clinton had to deal with: an enraged right that denies the legitimacy of his presidency, that eagerly seizes on every wild rumor manufactured by the right-wing media complex. This opposition cannot be appeased. Some pundits claim that Mr. Obama has polarized the country by following too liberal an agenda. But the truth is that the attacks on the president have no relationship to anything he is actually doing or proposing."
Krugman said it again on MSNBC “you can’t actually satisfy the crazies by trying to offer substantive concessions” and Mathew Yglesias comments in , The Trouble With Appeasement.
On Friday, Krugman wrote Journamalism. "This gets at one of my biggest gripes: reporting that focuses on the political game without ever informing readers or viewers about the actual facts." I note that in these articles Krugman is careful to point out which statements are true and which are false and I really appreciate that.
He gives an example that he looked into. My experience in 1996 while looking through all the Boston Globe articles on the governor election the weekend before the voting. I looked through over 100 articles from over the course of the campaign and only three were on the issues. The others were on speeches or reviews of their TV ads. That convinced me that reading the news everyday was a waste of time and I started getting most of my news from weekly magazines.
J. Bradford DeLong takes it to heart in writing Why Orrin Hatch Lies a Lot (and Pete Domenici, Bob Dole, and Chuck Grassley too). He refers to a previous Krugman debate on bipartisanship. "Once the parties realigned, zero-sum partisan loyalties would dominate: Republicans like Hatch would think hard whether it was more important to vote for a bill because it was good for America or vote against it because then you could paint the Democratic president as a failure and pick up seats in the next election, and make their decision."
Attorney General Holder: Look at the Torture Photos
Daphne Eviatar of The Washington Independent wrote last week in Glenn Greenwald's blog: Attorney General Holder: Look at the torture photos. It's a thoughtful piece about the Obama administration's resistance to releasing more torture photos as part of investigating the torture under the Bush administration. "Although Bush Justice Department prosecutors claimed they didn't have the facts to support prosecuting anyone for the mysterious deaths and disappearances of detainees hauled out of Bagram and Abu Ghraib in body bags, the photographs -- which two courts have now ordered the Obama administration to turn over -- would seem likely to provide some of the missing evidence."
"Amrit Singh, an ACLU lawyer handling the case, answered that for me yesterday. 'The argument the government has put forward is unacceptable because it would afford the greatest protection from disclosure to records that depict the worst kind of government misconduct. That is fundamentally inconsistent with FOIA. And it's fundamentally inconsistent with democracy.'
It's a good point. Though I want to protect our troops as much as anybody, it turns out the law wasn't drafted to protect Americans from retaliation that might result because their country did something illegal, or even just really embarrassing. If it were, then evidence of any illegal or upsetting U.S. government conduct would be exempt from disclosure. And that would defeat the entire purpose of the Freedom of Information law."
"Amrit Singh, an ACLU lawyer handling the case, answered that for me yesterday. 'The argument the government has put forward is unacceptable because it would afford the greatest protection from disclosure to records that depict the worst kind of government misconduct. That is fundamentally inconsistent with FOIA. And it's fundamentally inconsistent with democracy.'
It's a good point. Though I want to protect our troops as much as anybody, it turns out the law wasn't drafted to protect Americans from retaliation that might result because their country did something illegal, or even just really embarrassing. If it were, then evidence of any illegal or upsetting U.S. government conduct would be exempt from disclosure. And that would defeat the entire purpose of the Freedom of Information law."
Google Feature Trickle
I haven't really paid much attention to all the Google Apps stuff going on. I looked at it when announced and thought it had a lot of potential but wasn't quite baked yet. I know it's improved a lot but I haven't really gone back and looked at it or the myriad of other Google products like calendar, etc. I now think I know why.
Yesterday the Official Google Blog wrote Sharing with Google Groups "We recently rolled out improvements to the way Google Groups interacts with several of our applications. Now, sharing calendars, sites and documents with multiple people is easy — instead of adding people one at a time, you can simply share with an entire Google Group."
They keep rolling out one feature at a time and I really don't want to bother tracking changes at that granularity. Even with this announcement I was confused thinking this was groups in the contacts (aka address book) in Gmail, but no, it's the groups that does the public mailing lists (of which I'm on several). From a brief look it seems you still can't specify document access by groups in your gmail contacts. And in finding that out I had to remember that to get to Google Apps I click on "Documents" in the header of my gmail.
Maybe at somepoint Google will start really integrating their online apps and caring about the user experience across the line.
Yesterday the Official Google Blog wrote Sharing with Google Groups "We recently rolled out improvements to the way Google Groups interacts with several of our applications. Now, sharing calendars, sites and documents with multiple people is easy — instead of adding people one at a time, you can simply share with an entire Google Group."
They keep rolling out one feature at a time and I really don't want to bother tracking changes at that granularity. Even with this announcement I was confused thinking this was groups in the contacts (aka address book) in Gmail, but no, it's the groups that does the public mailing lists (of which I'm on several). From a brief look it seems you still can't specify document access by groups in your gmail contacts. And in finding that out I had to remember that to get to Google Apps I click on "Documents" in the header of my gmail.
Maybe at somepoint Google will start really integrating their online apps and caring about the user experience across the line.
I Lost My Vote in Congress Because My Senator is Sick
The Boston Globe has an article Maine Senator Snowe gets gentle treatment on health care. It describes how Snowe is a swing voter on healthcare reform and is avoiding ideological lines. But this is what struck me...
"Snowe is one of three Republicans on the powerful Senate Finance Committee trying to work out a bipartisan deal. And based on her voting record, she is the most likely of the trio to break from the GOP and vote with Senate Democrats - who may need at least one Republican to get a bill passed, especially if Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, is unable to travel to Washington and cast a vote in the fall."
I understand one of my Senators is sick and I hope he gets better soon. I understand during his treatment he might not be able to travel, but why in this age of communication technology does he need to travel to DC to cast his vote? 200 years ago, sure, but now? Why do I lose representation in the Senate (for months) because of this? Massachusetts requires a special election to fill a mid-term vacancy, but why can't a Senator establish a proxy to vote for him during his illness? One of his aids answers his phone and speaks for him when I call.
Article II Section 6 of the Constitution says "They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place."
That's some travel policy; immunity from arrest while at work and while commuting! I don't know what the last clause means. They can't be questioned about their speeches except in Congress? Do journalists know this? Is this what all the uproar at town halls is about? People just want to make sure congressional members aren't questioned outside of Congress?
Update: Not the same but a related problem Kennedy seems be trying to fix things: Ailing Kennedy Asks For Speedy Replacement Process. "Kennedy’s letter acknowledges the state changed its succession law in 2004 to require a special election be held 145 to 160 days after the vacancy. At the time, legislative Democrats – with a wide majority in both chambers – were concerned because then-Republican Gov. Mitt Romney had the power to directly fill any vacancy created as Democratic Sen. John Kerry ran for president."
"Snowe is one of three Republicans on the powerful Senate Finance Committee trying to work out a bipartisan deal. And based on her voting record, she is the most likely of the trio to break from the GOP and vote with Senate Democrats - who may need at least one Republican to get a bill passed, especially if Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, is unable to travel to Washington and cast a vote in the fall."
I understand one of my Senators is sick and I hope he gets better soon. I understand during his treatment he might not be able to travel, but why in this age of communication technology does he need to travel to DC to cast his vote? 200 years ago, sure, but now? Why do I lose representation in the Senate (for months) because of this? Massachusetts requires a special election to fill a mid-term vacancy, but why can't a Senator establish a proxy to vote for him during his illness? One of his aids answers his phone and speaks for him when I call.
Article II Section 6 of the Constitution says "They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place."
That's some travel policy; immunity from arrest while at work and while commuting! I don't know what the last clause means. They can't be questioned about their speeches except in Congress? Do journalists know this? Is this what all the uproar at town halls is about? People just want to make sure congressional members aren't questioned outside of Congress?
Update: Not the same but a related problem Kennedy seems be trying to fix things: Ailing Kennedy Asks For Speedy Replacement Process. "Kennedy’s letter acknowledges the state changed its succession law in 2004 to require a special election be held 145 to 160 days after the vacancy. At the time, legislative Democrats – with a wide majority in both chambers – were concerned because then-Republican Gov. Mitt Romney had the power to directly fill any vacancy created as Democratic Sen. John Kerry ran for president."
Here's a Clever Business
"You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind. "
"Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward."
"For $110.00 we will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved. Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $15.00 fee. A small price to pay for your peace of mind and the health and safety of your four legged friends."
I love the FAQ including "Naturally, we must anticipate that there will be widespread chaos and confusion immediately following the Rapture that could impact travel times. Thus, we are targeting a maximum of between 18- 24 hours from realization of the Rapture, to animal rescue."
"Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you've received your reward."
"For $110.00 we will guarantee that should the Rapture occur within ten (10) years of receipt of payment, one pet per residence will be saved. Each additional pet at your residence will be saved for an additional $15.00 fee. A small price to pay for your peace of mind and the health and safety of your four legged friends."
I love the FAQ including "Naturally, we must anticipate that there will be widespread chaos and confusion immediately following the Rapture that could impact travel times. Thus, we are targeting a maximum of between 18- 24 hours from realization of the Rapture, to animal rescue."
Monday, August 17, 2009
Newt Gingrich: Opportunist
Matt Taibbi wrote Newt Gingrich Changes What’s Left of his Mind on End-of-life Care. It seems a few months ago he was all about reform of health care at end of life and now he's opposed to death panels. Taibbi has all the quotes and breaks it down clearly.
"In other words, there may not be a death panel in the bill, but there are other panels, and while no one has actually ever said such a thing and it is not relevant to this particular discussion, I nonetheless assert that in general it is true that “people in government” believe in euthanasia.
Amazing. I mean, talk about being full of shit. This is as clear a case as you will ever find of a politician just getting up on television and just flat-out dogging it, saying something without even the faintest shred of belief, just as a means to an end. What an asshole!This is as clear a case as you will ever find of a politician just getting up on television and just flat-out dogging it, saying something without even the faintest shred of belief, just as a means to an end. What an asshole!"
I could respect a conservative party, I just wish we had an honest one.
"In other words, there may not be a death panel in the bill, but there are other panels, and while no one has actually ever said such a thing and it is not relevant to this particular discussion, I nonetheless assert that in general it is true that “people in government” believe in euthanasia.
Amazing. I mean, talk about being full of shit. This is as clear a case as you will ever find of a politician just getting up on television and just flat-out dogging it, saying something without even the faintest shred of belief, just as a means to an end. What an asshole!This is as clear a case as you will ever find of a politician just getting up on television and just flat-out dogging it, saying something without even the faintest shred of belief, just as a means to an end. What an asshole!"
I could respect a conservative party, I just wish we had an honest one.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
So, crazier then, or crazier now?
Rick Perlstein writes in the Washington Post In America, Crazy Is a Preexisting Condition--Birthers, Health Care Hecklers and the Rise of Right-Wing Rage.
"Before the 'black helicopters' of the 1990s, there were right-wingers claiming access to secret documents from the 1920s proving that the entire concept of a 'civil rights movement' had been hatched in the Soviet Union; when the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act was introduced, one frequently read in the South that it would 'enslave' whites. And back before there were Bolsheviks to blame, paranoids didn't lack for subversives -- anti-Catholic conspiracy theorists even had their own powerful political party in the 1840s and '50s."
"If 1963 were 2009, the woman who assaulted Adlai Stevenson would be getting time on cable news to explain herself. That, not the paranoia itself, makes our present moment uniquely disturbing."
"The media didn't adjudicate the ever-present underbrush of American paranoia as a set of "conservative claims" to weigh, horse-race-style, against liberal claims. Back then, a more confident media unequivocally labeled the civic outrage represented by such discourse as "extremist" -- out of bounds."
"Good thing our leaders weren't so cowardly in 1964, or we would never have passed a civil rights bill -- because of complaints over the provisions in it that would enslave whites."
"Before the 'black helicopters' of the 1990s, there were right-wingers claiming access to secret documents from the 1920s proving that the entire concept of a 'civil rights movement' had been hatched in the Soviet Union; when the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act was introduced, one frequently read in the South that it would 'enslave' whites. And back before there were Bolsheviks to blame, paranoids didn't lack for subversives -- anti-Catholic conspiracy theorists even had their own powerful political party in the 1840s and '50s."
"If 1963 were 2009, the woman who assaulted Adlai Stevenson would be getting time on cable news to explain herself. That, not the paranoia itself, makes our present moment uniquely disturbing."
"The media didn't adjudicate the ever-present underbrush of American paranoia as a set of "conservative claims" to weigh, horse-race-style, against liberal claims. Back then, a more confident media unequivocally labeled the civic outrage represented by such discourse as "extremist" -- out of bounds."
"Good thing our leaders weren't so cowardly in 1964, or we would never have passed a civil rights bill -- because of complaints over the provisions in it that would enslave whites."
The 35 Best iPhone Apps Of The Year (So Far)?
TechCrunch lists The 35 Best iPhone Apps Of The Year (So Far). The only one I use on this list is Kindle.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Mars Photos
Universe Today shows some amazing photos of Mars, HiRISE Highlights: Crater Within a Crater, Awesome View of Victoria and More. Here's just one but go to the page to see more.
Chocolate Cuts Death Rate in Heart Attack Survivors
At least until the next study... Chocolate cuts death rate in heart attack survivors: study.
"Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, scientists have reported. Smaller quantities confer less protection, but are still better than none, according to the study, which appears in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine. Earlier research had established a strong link between cocoa-based confections and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow."
"Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, scientists have reported. Smaller quantities confer less protection, but are still better than none, according to the study, which appears in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine. Earlier research had established a strong link between cocoa-based confections and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow."
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in 3D
A while ago I wrote about the Hubble Deep Field image. Here's a 4 minute youtube clip that ends with The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in 3D. It's the second such image and they mapped the red shift of all the galaxies and built a 3D model that they fly through. It's pretty impressive.
‘Death Panel’ Rumor Origins
The New York Times actually did some decent reporting in False ‘Death Panel’ Rumor Has Some Familiar Roots.
"But the rumor — which has come up at Congressional town-hall-style meetings this week in spite of an avalanche of reports laying out why it was false — was not born of anonymous e-mailers, partisan bloggers or stealthy cyberconspiracy theorists. Rather, it has a far more mainstream provenance, openly emanating months ago from many of the same pundits and conservative media outlets that were central in defeating President Bill Clinton’s health care proposals 16 years ago, including the editorial board of The Washington Times, the American Spectator magazine and Betsy McCaughey, whose 1994 health care critique made her a star of the conservative movement (and ultimately, New York’s lieutenant governor)."
"But the rumor — which has come up at Congressional town-hall-style meetings this week in spite of an avalanche of reports laying out why it was false — was not born of anonymous e-mailers, partisan bloggers or stealthy cyberconspiracy theorists. Rather, it has a far more mainstream provenance, openly emanating months ago from many of the same pundits and conservative media outlets that were central in defeating President Bill Clinton’s health care proposals 16 years ago, including the editorial board of The Washington Times, the American Spectator magazine and Betsy McCaughey, whose 1994 health care critique made her a star of the conservative movement (and ultimately, New York’s lieutenant governor)."
Population Shift Likely To Cost MA Seat in US House
The Boston Globe reports Population shift likely to cost Mass. seat in US House. "Long-term economic and demographic shifts in favor of warmer climates with less expensive housing are to blame for the state’s slower growth, and thus the loss of a congressional district, according to estimates. Massachusetts’ population grew by just 2.3 percent from 2000 to 2008, compared with 8 percent nationally, a disparity that is expected to continue next year and beyond."
"The most likely outcome of redistricting would be to place two incumbents in the same district, forcing them to run against each other. In many states a nonpartisan board handles redistricting, but in Massachusetts the Legislature draws the borders and has a long history of gerrymandering."
They of course failed to mention that the word gerrymandering was coined for the actions of a Massachusetts governor in 1812, so yeah there's a "long history of gerrymandering".
"The most likely outcome of redistricting would be to place two incumbents in the same district, forcing them to run against each other. In many states a nonpartisan board handles redistricting, but in Massachusetts the Legislature draws the borders and has a long history of gerrymandering."
They of course failed to mention that the word gerrymandering was coined for the actions of a Massachusetts governor in 1812, so yeah there's a "long history of gerrymandering".
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Different Presentations
It looks like someone took Jef Raskin's Humane Interface and turned it into a presentation tool called Prezi. It's kinda slick and certainly will stand out, though I'm not sure why their examples seem to like spinning so much.
Errol Morris on Lying
I don't think I knew that documentary great Errol Morris had a blog at the New York Times.
His most recent posting is a two parter, Seven Lies About Lying. Part 1 is mostly a conversation with the great Ricky Jay and Part 2 gets good once it gets into the seven lies.
His most recent posting is a two parter, Seven Lies About Lying. Part 1 is mostly a conversation with the great Ricky Jay and Part 2 gets good once it gets into the seven lies.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Barack Obama Book Club
The Barack Obama Book Club. "Looking for your next book? Perhaps borrow a page from First Reader Barack Obama. The Daily Beast has combed newspaper archives and peeked into Air Force One tote bags to bring you the complete list of the books Obama has been reading—or, well, strategically let on that he is reading—since the beginning of the 2008 campaign. This is the Barack Obama Book Club, and the list shows a predilection for presidential profiles, a weakness for explain-it-all bestsellers, and the occasional hankering for literary fiction."
Rove E-Mails Shed New Light On U.S. Attorney Firings
NPR says Rove E-Mails Shed New Light On U.S. Attorney Firings. "'After all the delay and despite all the obfuscation, lies and spin, this basic truth can no longer be denied: Karl Rove and his cohorts at the Bush White House were the driving force behind several of these firings, which were done for improper reasons,' said Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee."
Top 10 Tricks for Making Your Playlists Rock
Lifehacker writes Top 10 Tricks for Making Your Playlists Rock. "If music is part of your everyday work routine, workout, or commute, stuffing your player full of tunes and hitting shuffle just won't cut it. Scan these 10 tips for improving and expanding your music playlists."
Action Comics No. 1
Someone has posted online all the pages of Action Comics No. 1 from 1938. This is the comic book that introduced Superman. I knew the origin story and his powers were different from what we know them today, but I was surprised at the stories too.
The first one has him breaking into a governor's house to get a pardon for a death row prisoner about to be killed. Another has him going after a wife beater.
The first one has him breaking into a governor's house to get a pardon for a death row prisoner about to be killed. Another has him going after a wife beater.
Charlie Stross Talks with Paul Krugman
At World Con in Montrealon August 6, 2009, Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winning economist and columnist for the New York Times" and "Charlie Stross, Hugo-winning science fiction author" had a conversation. It's nothing amazing but it is pretty fun.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Imposing Freedom
The Economist a few weeks ago had a special report on the Arab world. I really liked this article, Imposing freedom - Well that didn't work.
"Why did Mr Bush’s message of reform fail? One reason, a lot of Arab reformers say, is that he and his colleagues were—or at least became—the worst possible messengers. Thus Hossam Bahgat, founding director of a pressure group, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, admits to having been impressed and surprised when Ms Rice turned up at the American University in Cairo to say exactly what people like him had been longing to hear: that there would be no more American support for dictators. But when the American government then started to defend its own human-rights abuses at Guantánamo and elsewhere, he felt disgusted. ‘What we learnt from the Bush years was that reform was our own business,’ he says now.
In Arab eyes, the freedom agenda was also tainted by the war in Iraq. How could America claim to have Arab interests at heart while laying waste to one of the Arab world’s biggest countries (and, cynical Arabs add, the one most dangerous to Israel)?"
"Why did Mr Bush’s message of reform fail? One reason, a lot of Arab reformers say, is that he and his colleagues were—or at least became—the worst possible messengers. Thus Hossam Bahgat, founding director of a pressure group, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, admits to having been impressed and surprised when Ms Rice turned up at the American University in Cairo to say exactly what people like him had been longing to hear: that there would be no more American support for dictators. But when the American government then started to defend its own human-rights abuses at Guantánamo and elsewhere, he felt disgusted. ‘What we learnt from the Bush years was that reform was our own business,’ he says now.
In Arab eyes, the freedom agenda was also tainted by the war in Iraq. How could America claim to have Arab interests at heart while laying waste to one of the Arab world’s biggest countries (and, cynical Arabs add, the one most dangerous to Israel)?"
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