Would you get mad...

[miko2d]

if a foreign country openly attempted to influence US democratic process by funneling "soft" money into political campaigns to promote their favored politicians and political parties ?

 If that country claimed to be a democracy but in fact used tax money to fund a supposedely private operation - not being a government agency not a subject to their legislature oversight - to do that nefarious act, which is actually illegal in US.

 What if they gave that scheme a nice name like "National endowment for Democracy ?"

Researcher Barbara Conry:

"NED, which also has a history of corruption and financial mismanagement, is superfluous at best and often destructive. Through the endowment, the American taxpayer has paid for special-interest groups to harass the duly elected governments of friendly countries, interfere in foreign elections, and foster the corruption of democratic movements...

"...the controversy surrounding NED questions the wisdom of giving a quasi-private organization the fiat to pursue what is effectively an independent foreign policy under the guise of "promoting democracy." Proponents of NED maintain that a private organization is necessary to overcome the restraints that limit the activities of a government agency, yet they insist that the American taxpayer provide full funding for this initiative. NED's detractors point to the inherent contradiction of a publicly funded organization that is charged with executing foreign policy (a power expressly given to the federal government in the Constitution) yet exempt from nearly all political and administrative controls...

"...In the final analysis, the endowment embodies the most negative aspects of both private aid and official foreign aid – the pitfalls of decentralized 'loose cannon' foreign policy efforts combined with the impression that the United States is trying to 'run the show' around the world."

 Congressman Ron Paul (R):

Since its founding in 1983, the National Endowment for Democracy has been headed by Carl Gershman, a member of the neo-Trotskyite Social Democrats/USA.

Perhaps that is one reason much of what NED has done in the former Communist Bloc has ended up benefiting former communists in those countries. As British Helsinki Human Rights Group Director Christine Stone has written:

"Both (the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI)) are largely funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) ... which, in turn, receive money from the American taxpayer. Both have favoured the return to power of former high-ranking Communists which has also meant co-opting foot-soldiers from the new left who have extremely liberal ideas..."

Skender Gjinushi, speaker of the Albanian parliament, thanks the IRI for its assistance in drafting the Albanian constitution in 1998. What the IRI does not say is that Gjinushi was a member of the brutal Stalinist Politburo of Enver Hoxha's Communist Party until 1990 and one of the main organizers of the unrest that led to the fall of the Democratic Party government in 1997 and the death of over 2000 people.

President Stoyanov of Bulgaria drools: "Without IRI's support we could not have come so far so fast." Indeed. Indeed. So far did they come that Ivan Kostov (who supplies another encomium to IRI) was catapulted from his job teaching Marxism-Leninism at Sofia University to being prime minister of Bulgaria and a leader of 'reform.'"

In Slovakia, NED funded several initiatives aimed at defeating the freely-elected government of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar, who, interestingly, had been persecuted by the previous Communist regime. After the election, an IRI newsletter boasted that "IRI polls changed the nature of the campaign," adding that IRI efforts secured "a victory for reformers in Slovakia." What the IRI does not say is that many of these "reformers" had been leading members of the former Communist regime of then-Czechoslovakia. Is this democracy?

More recently, IRI president George A. Folsom last year praised a coup against Venezuela's democratically-elected president, saying, "Last night, led by every sector of civil society, the Venezuelan people rose up to defend democracy in their country." It was later revealed that the National Endowment for Democracy provided funds to those organizations that initiated the violent revolt in the streets against Venezuela's legal leaders. More than a dozen civilians were killed and hundreds were injured in this attempted coup. Is this promoting democracy?

 United States of Hyppocricy, anyone?

 miko

[crabofix]

Now, first I have to ask: Is there any oil in the countrys involved?

[Sixpence]

This has been going on for a long time Miko, by alot of nations who have the money to do so. It is said that a union is only as good as it's members. Until we all get more involved with politics and who is making the decisions for us, it will remain that way. I always thought that politics, how our country elects who represents us, etc., should be as much a part of our schools curriculum as math.

[GRUNHERZ]

The people who support this communist plot are not Americans, they are Democrats*.  

*yes I know

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by miko2d
if a foreign country openly attempted to influence US democratic process by funneling "soft" money into political campaigns to promote their favored politicians and political parties ?
 

Ask Al Gore and the Buddists!

[gofaster]

Its not a new concept.  The same thing has been done ever since the days of feudalism.  Now, instead of kings, its nations.  The difference is that the US press is allowed the freedom to report on it.

Just be glad our sea captains aren't issued charters for privateering.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by miko2d
if a foreign country openly attempted to influence US democratic process by funneling "soft" money into political campaigns to promote their favored politicians and political parties ?

 If that country claimed to be a democracy but in fact used tax money to fund a supposedely private operation - not being a government agency not a subject to their legislature oversight - to do that nefarious act, which is actually illegal in US.

 What if they gave that scheme a nice name like "National endowment for Democracy ?"

Researcher Barbara Conry:


 Congressman Ron Paul (R):


 United States of Hyppocricy, anyone?

 miko

OH NO!  Not another "The USA is EVIL" thread by Miko!.   Whatever shall I do!

I can't wait until he hits puberty, and discovers something else to keep him occupied.

[vorticon]

so much for you ignoring him martlet



oh no whatever shall we do once martlet starts attacking the content not the writer...he might actually have something worthwhile to listen to


of course i would get mad...HOW DARE a party from a different country support there american counterparts...alliances are for wussies:rolleyes:

[miko2d]

gofaster:  The difference is that the US press is allowed the freedom to report on it.

 What difference? Do you mean that just because our press is allowed to report on the illegal acts by our government, those acts bacome less offensive?

 miko

[Martlet]

Originally posted by vorticon
so much for you ignoring him martlet



oh no whatever shall we do once martlet starts attacking the content not the writer...he might actually have something worthwhile to listen to


of course i would get mad...HOW DARE a party from a different country support there american counterparts...alliances are for wussies:rolleyes:

Oh, I'm sorry, did you miss reading comprehension in school?   Who said anything about me ignoring anyone?

[miko2d]

Federal House of Representatives, October 7, 2003

Mme. Speaker: I rise to express my grave concerns over H.Con.Res. 274. The misnamed National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is nothing more than a costly program that takes US taxpayer funds to promote favored politicians and political parties abroad. Mr. Speaker, what the NED does in foreign countries, through its recipient organizations the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI), would be rightly illegal in the United States. The NED injects "soft money" into the domestic elections of foreign countries in favor of one party or the other. Imagine what a couple of hundred thousand dollars will do to assist a politician or political party in a relatively poor country abroad. It is particularly Orwellian to call US manipulation of foreign elections "promoting democracy." How would Americans feel if the Chinese arrived with millions of dollars to support certain candidates deemed friendly to China? Would this be viewed as a democratic development?

...

"...In the final analysis, the endowment embodies the most negative aspects of both private aid and official foreign aid – the pitfalls of decentralized 'loose cannon' foreign policy efforts combined with the impression that the United States is trying to 'run the show' around the world."

The National Endowment for Democracy is dependent on the US taxpayer for funding, but because NED is not a government agency, it is not subject to Congressional oversight. It is indeed a heavily subsidized foreign policy loose cannon.

Since its founding in 1983, the National Endowment for Democracy has been headed by Carl Gershman, a member of the neo-Trotskyite Social Democrats/USA.

Perhaps that is one reason much of what NED has done in the former Communist Bloc has ended up benefiting former communists in those countries.

...

Mr. Speaker, the National Endowment for Democracy, by meddling in the elections and internal politics of foreign countries, does more harm to the United States than good. It creates resentment and ill-will toward the United States among millions abroad. It is beyond time to de-fund this Cold War relic and return to the foreign policy of our founders, based on open relations and trade with all countries and free from meddling and manipulation in the internal affairs of others.

Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.

[vorticon]

misread your sig martlet...either way once again your attacking the poster not the post...

[Martlet]

Originally posted by vorticon
misread your sig martlet...either way once again your attacking the poster not the post...

Oh, I'm sorry.  

What's the matter, vorticon's post, is your writer a complete moron?  Are you so stupid you can't associate yourself with an author that can read?

[vorticon]

of course hes a complete moron...not everyone can read a sig while zooming past after finishing wasting there time reading a post by someone who cant be arsed enough to same something usefull...


either way im pretty sure everyone is waiting for YOU to grow up...even 12 year olds on those silly pcgamer forums have made posts with more content than yours

[Rude]

How would Americans feel if the Chinese arrived with millions of dollars to support certain candidates deemed friendly to China? Would this be viewed as a democratic development?

It was when Clinton and his party were the recipients of the funds.