Collin Levey in his column The Giving Debate What Europe, U.N. Don't Get:
As ever, this obsession with redistributing wealth misses the importance of creating it. Which — even though we're the world's biggest giver of handouts — is where the United States makes its most vital contribution to fighting poverty worldwide.
The left views wealth as finite and scarce. According to the left, there is some unfortunate citizen of the third world that must do without, because I have a house and a car. There's only so much to go around don'tcha know.
Egeland's a career aid worker so it's no surprise he might lose his marbles occasionally and show some frustration. I read the full remarks and didn't think he was referring to the United States in particular.
The Republicans most lasting contribution to American politics since World War II has been using government institutions amd legislation to aid wealth creation. It's why I've been so disappointed in the pork barrel spending and anti-competitive profligacy out of the Repubs controlling Congress in the last 4 years.
Posted by: Scott | December 30, 2004 at 07:22 AM
If by "legislation to aid wealth creation" you mean Reagan's initiatives to get government out of the way so that people could go about the business of making a living and creating the wealth, then I'll go along with you. Through the 60's and 70's the Republicans were futilely trying to outcompassion the Democrats and the result was out of control spending on social programs that fostered dependency on government largesse.
Posted by: Tom Bowler | December 30, 2004 at 12:51 PM
I'm definitely not talking about Great Society era initiatives. LBJ is the most overrated and one of the worst Presidents in our history. Since the bulk of my memory of Republican politics is from 1980 onward, this is the period I am thinking about.
Posted by: Scott | December 30, 2004 at 05:04 PM
I think we tend to agree on a lot of things. I also think I have the advantage on perspective, having been around when JFK, LBJ, and Nixon were working their "magic".
Posted by: Tom Bowler | December 30, 2004 at 05:37 PM
Yes I defer on "perspective". Happy New Year Tom.
Posted by: Scott | December 30, 2004 at 06:11 PM