Brexit: DUP leader Arlene Foster – “we will not accept any form of regulatory divergence” (04.12.2017)

Opinion: President Akufo-Addo message on development is what the world needs!

Yesterday, the Ghanian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the Press together with the French President Macron. As he did this he asked serious questions about governance and development. Akufo-Addo proved with brilliance what many people are saying about the African continent, but isn’t heard from the people in power. Akufo Addo actually wants like all other sovereign states to be charging his own people for the services they are getting and not handouts from strangers abroad. That isn’t noble, that is Statesmanship and responsibility. As he don’t want aid, but trade. The President wants Ghana to make it on its own and with its own resources, instead of billing the tab from afar.

All nations and all presidents should seek this paradigm. His own words are powerful and it is needed, in times when states are either addicted to aid or borrowing funds at levels that are destroying the economies. These words and shift should be taken by all states who are used to aid. So they can prepare their citizens and their institutions to be built. So that governance and the government can deliver services to their public.

Addressing a press conference with France President Emmanuel Macron during the latter’s one-day working visit to Ghana on Thursday, President Akufo- Addo said African countries cannot continue to make policies based on the support the Western world can give. He said, “Our responsibility to charter a path which is about how we can develop our nations ourselves. It is not right for a country like Ghana, 60-years after independence to still have its health and education budget being financed on the basis of the generosity and charity of European taxpayers” (…) “We need to have a mindset that says we can do it… and once we have that mindset we’ll see there’s a liberating factor for ourselves,” he said. Akufo-Addo said the only way Africa can stop its young men and women from migrating to other countries to seek greener pastures is to put in place systems that work. “We want to have those energies working inside our countries and we are going to have those energies if we begin to build systems that tells the young people of our country that their hopes, the opportunities are right here with us,” he stressed” (…) “Our concern should be with what we need to do in this 21st century to move Africa away from being cup-in-hand and begging for aid, for charity and for handouts,” he said” (Ghanaweb, 2017).

I’m European, I don’t care what Macron said or wanted to say after hearing Akufo-Addo speech. It was powerful and needed. The words that is expressed and the needed shift is there. Not that charity or aid should automatically stop. But the world, the leaders and the states themselves. Needs to find their way to sustain and develop mechanism for collecting revenue and also tax properly services. Secondly, needs proper guidelines and institutions to sufficiently create growth and stagger inflation. Combined with investment in not only extraction and producing crops, but also create products with it. So that the state don’t only get the low value export, but get refined and developed products on the world market. That isn’t an easy fix and has been tampered-on ever since independence and the world order hasn’t made it better too.

Initially, the power lays in the hands of the leadership. In the hands of people Akufo-Addo and others. Who can leave behind institutions and markets, that can leave behind educated and industries that brings wealth not only to a chosen few, but to the GDP of their respective nations. While stopping the current fix and re-up of more aid donations and charity from European taxpayers.

I hope that the African leadership are listening to this and actually follows this. To be truly independent. Be developed and generate the wealth the African people deserve and the stability of institutions it also should create to prosper. Maybe, not leadership as western-democracies, but in states and elected leadership that takes responsibility and uses the skills and resources for the benefit of all citizens. Not only for corporate citizens, but all of them. Building states and building democracies where the people and state are working for a common-goal. The betterment and changing today for the future. Not awaiting handouts from Berlin, Paris or London. The Ghanaian republic deserve this, they deserve to handle on their own, all former colonies and former protectorate deserves this. Just like the European republics and kingdoms are responsible for their own finances and economy. They are not awaiting funds from China or US to save them…

The same we should wish to say about African state, who are begging for donors and loans to fill the void of own taxation and revenue. Therefore, the speech from President Akufo-Addo deserves credit, not because he is African and wants to get rid of the hands-out. But because he speaking the truth in general. Every single statesman on planet earth, should work for this goal, no matter which continent and whatever country they are running. It doesn’t matter, all citizens and states should work for this common goal that President Akufo-Addo speaks off. Also, European Nations that are struggling with debt and with deficit like Greece and Italy, should also work for this goal and not be saved by other institutions. This is a world-wide issue, not only on the African continent. Peace.

Reference:

Ghanaweb – ‘Africa must stop depending on foreign aid – Akufo-Addo’ (03.12.2017) link: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Africa-must-stop-depending-on-foreign-aid-Akufo-Addo-606111

USA: Sen. Angus King – “My statement on the Senate’s passage of the tax bill” (01.12.2017)

Opinion: The Tax Bill Passed in the Senate, shows the world who is important for the GOP!

The Republican Party and their representatives and Senators have now shown their loyalty to the donors like Koch and corporations who are supporting their campaigns. The Campaign funding and party is the reason for all of this. That the Corporate America get a say in Congress and pay-off their debt to the donors. This sort of activity shows that the voters and citizens now is second fiddle. The most important piece of legislation is that it grows the deficit, that the Democratic Party and Barrack Obama had to be wise about. While the Republicans themselves can risk the economy, because the legislation benefits their donors. While the citizens will pay more tax with time.

The CBO themselves said this mid-November about the Tax Cut and Jobs Act: “The staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation determined that provisions in the Chairman’s Mark would increase deficits over the 2018-2027 period by $1.5 trillion (not including any macroeconomic effects). By CBO’s estimate, additional debt service would boost the 10-year increase in deficits to $1.7 trillion. As a result of those higher deficits, debt held by the public would increase from the 91.2 percent of gross domestic product in CBO’s June 2017 baseline to 97.3 percent” (CBO, 13.11.2017).

So the representatives and senators who voted for this yesterday are not only giving the corporation a giant tax-break and making for changes that are for the benefit of the wealthy. But at the same time the estimates are that they are breaking the state reserves and the gross domestic product. They are making the state bankrupt for the benefit of the wealthy. While they are cutting needed services and adding taxes on the middle-class and the poor. Draconian law if there ever was one. This is the opposite of Robin Hood. This is midieval and bourgeois of them. The Republican Party have no given all freedoms and liberties to the top 1 percent of the population. While the rest have to stagger themselves and with time pay more and more for basic needs. The only Republican Senator who voted against was Robert Phillips Corker of Tennessee. The rest was democrats who voted against it too!

Here is later in the month estimate by CBO, which is also damning to the results of this legislation:

According to JCT’s estimates, the largest revenue reductions would result from the provision that would modify income tax rates and brackets: Revenues would fall by $1,165 billion and outlays for refundable tax credits would increase by $9 billion over the 2018-2027 period. The increase in the standard deduction would reduce revenues by $654 billion and increase outlays for refundable tax credits by $83 billion over the same period, JCT estimates. Repealing the individual AMT would reduce revenues by $769 billion from 2018 to 2027” (…) “Repealing the Individual Mandate. The bill’s most significant effects on outlays would occur as a result of the elimination, beginning in 2019, of the penalties associated with the individual mandate” (…) “The number of people with health insurance would decrease by 4 million in 2019 and 13 million in 2027” (CBO, 2017).

So while the Federal Reserves are getting less taxes in, the same state also repeals parts of Medicaid and ObamaCare offerings to the impoverished part of the population. Therefore, this tax-bill is also hurting the public who needs substantial coverage and also medical support to able to afford healthcare. This bill is really showing the riches eating more and paying less to big-society, while the poor will suffer even more. Because the Republican Party only has the interest of their donors and their corporations who are lobbying and paying their campaigns. That is now evident with this votes and this legislation. As they have kept the whole piece in the dark and amended in the last minute. Even rewriting directly on the legislation with handwriting. Not having time to check the consequences or having reports on the possible deficits or even damage it does to the citizens.

That the Republicans are doing this with majority in the House and Senate. Shows who they obey, who they trust and who they serve. The Republicans don’t serve the public, they serve the donors and the corporations. They don’t represent the people best interests, but the Multi-National and Big-Business. They are corporate stooges who are making sure the ones who are donating to them are getting some well deserved tax-breaks later. The deficits and the loss of tax revenue combined with the added taxes later on the public. Doesn’t seem to mind the Republican representatives and senators. They are just following orders of the ones who are paying for their PACs and their SUPER PACs. They are just listening and following the guidelines given by the corporations donating to them.

Its hard not to see it differently, since this isn’t to make the American republic any better. This legislation doesn’t make any other sense. Than the Corporations are walking inside the State Reserves and getting their money back. Instead of paying something for their rights to do business in the United States. Soon the people are paying the corporations not only for their services, but also for their benefits of actually doing business there. They are getting both by the hook and by the crook. This is not a good look. It is a billionaires dream and not for the working-class, neither the lower middle-class. They are put into the shadow and used as pawns by the Republican party.

This bill is Koch Industry and Koch supported in many ways, but also other conservative donors wet-dream. They are so having a hard-on by this bill. Because of this mess, they are ready to nasty and nitty-gritty with the public. Finally they are having their pay-day and their pay-off for years of supporting and donating funds to these politicians. The Senate and House is now bought off and their ethical backbone isn’t there. These Senators and these Representatives aren’t free-thinking individuals, but they are only a useful tool for the corporations and lobbyist to get their will.

In the same effect written by Public Citizen recently:

““The alliance between the Kochs and the Trump administration on the Republican tax bill has become so strong that lines between Koch brothers and Trump administration efforts have blurred. That was the case in July, when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held a panel discussion on tax issues with Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips and the White House’s Marc Short. At this event and others, the Koch groups claimed that their desire was to “unrig the economy” by enacting tax cuts for giant corporations” (Public Citizen, P: 14, 2017). “The presence of so many Koch-affiliated political operatives in the Trump administration underscores how Trump has betrayed his supporters and contradicted his pledges to stand up for forgotten Americans against powerful interests. In an administration that lacks a clear policy agenda or expertise, Koch aides have been happy to fill the void with specific ideas to enrich corporate interests and harm the public as a whole. This agenda betrays the central idea of Trump’s campaign: that an outsider was needed to stand up for the little guy against the powerful” (Public Citizen, P: 34, 2017).

With this knowledge and going back in time, just a few months, you can see that the one of the biggest donors has been swaying the White House to change tax-policy in their favor. The irony is that all of this is betraying his promises. But all of the representatives and senators are following suit. Yesterday, is a proof of the control the donors and corporations have over the political elite within the Republican Party. They might have the same over the Democrats, but they didn’t vote this legislation in, the Republicans did!

It is their legacy and their decisions are now making sure the republic and the state will suffer. So that the state can give tax-breaks and tax-relief to the wealthy and businesses over the citizens. If you don’t believe it. Check the numbers, check the public oversight of who pays the PACs and SUPER PACs. Check who pays for campaigns and then check who gets less taxes from 1st January 2018. That is easily quid-pro-quo. Nothing else, this isn’t a masterpiece, this is vomit and disgusting misuse of power and authority for the interests of the rich. They not shielding the weak and poor, but securing their demise. Peace.

Reference:

CBO – ‘ Reconciliation Recommendations of the Senate Committee on Finance – As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on November 16, 2017’ (26.11.2017) link: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/reconciliationrecommendationssfc.pdf

Public Citizen – ‘The Koch Government – HOW THE KOCH BROTHERS’ AGENDA HAS INFILTRATED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’ (30.11.2017)

Brexit: Dublin (the Irish) now have the upper-hand over London (the British) in the negotiations!

Today, it’s been proven by statements between Donald Tusk and Leo Varadkar that Theresa May and Arlene Foster has a hurdle to pass. Not only respecting the Good Friday Agreement and that provisions. But also now the center stage isn’t in London as the Tories-DUP Government have claimed, they are starting to swim alone and struggling to show their transparent negotiations with the European Union (EU). Dublin have now the upper-hand and Tusk has told world. That is new world-order for London, who has in the past muffled a lot with the Irish. Therefore, historical line of the British over the Irish is now fad and the European Union is sanctioning it.

Donald Tusk Statement to the Irish:

It is no secret that we discussed Brexit with a special focus on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. I came to Dublin to reassure the Taoiseach and all the Irish people that the EU is fully behind you and your request that there should be no hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit. The Irish request is the EU’s request. Or as the Irish proverb goes: “Ni neart go cur le cheile” (There is no strength without unity)” (Tusk, 2017).

Arlene Foster message to the Tories:

Amid reports that Dublin and London could be close to a deal that would avoid a “hard border”, Ms Foster went on the offensive to insist that she will not accept a new border “in the Irish Sea”” (…) “Ms Foster said that Ms May already “has been categorical” in accepting the DUP requirement. “Her Majesty’s government have a clear understanding that the DUP will not countenance any arrangement that could lead to a new Border being created in the Irish Sea,” she said” (Moriarty, 2017).

Arlene Foster has leverage concerning the Tories-DUP Agreement, but the United Kingdom also has the Good Friday Agreement and also negotiations with the European Union. When concerning Irish border and trade, the veto and power-player is now the Irish government. It is not in London and the with the negotiation team of the Tories-DUP to Brussels. They are even salvaging as it is.

Brexit negotiations are now officially on Irish terms, especially their wishes for the borders. If the Irish wants soft or hard borders, even if they have to make it in a way where still the United Kingdom is an officially third country and with those regulatory borders. Still, the can be specialized agreements between the Irish and the UK. That depends on if the Northern Irish and the London can accept the boundaries and the tariffs. Also the possible movement between them as well.

It will now depend on Dublin, not London. Irish has the upper-hand in the negotiations and the Tories-DUP knows this. The Irish can veto if they don’t agree with negotiated agreements that has been made in Brussels. Clearly, Foster and May must feel the pain. As they are not as high and mighty. They actually have to make sure the Irish feel respected and have their way. If not, the Irish can stifle the process and make it harder for London. Secondly, London have to accept it, since the Irish can veto. Peace.

Reference:

Moriarty, Gerry – ‘Arlene Foster: DUP will not accept Brexit border in Irish Sea’ (30.11.2017) link: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/arlene-foster-dup-will-not-accept-brexit-border-in-irish-sea-1.3311275

Tusk, Donald – ‘Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’ (01.12.2017) link: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/12/01/remarks-by-president-donald-tusk-after-his-meeting-with-taoiseach-leo-varadkar/#

Zimbabwe: President Mnangagwa’s Cabinet announced today (30.11.2017)

Brexit: Guy Verhofstadt letter to Michel Barnier – “The European Parliament expects more on citizens’ rights and much more on the Irish border question” (29.11.2017)

The 10th Parliament today adds more debt to the state, near 2 trillion shillings more actually!

Today, the Ugandan Parliament has added more debt to the state since they cannot get grants or donors to fund their projects like in the past. National Resistance Movement (NRM) have the majority of the Parliament, therefore the adjustment and the possible questioning of the bills today. Would be squashed briefly, as the new amount of debt will arise and the state has to get more sufficient funds to repay the loans and the rising interests. That the three projects might bring profits in the future and could be seen as positive development, might be true, but it is a high risk. When the levels of debt already has grown as much as it is.

The first loan approved by the parliament was to borrow for the Lake Victoria Maritime Communication and Transport Project. That loan is up to $ 14,4 Million USD or 52,409 billion Uganda Shillings.

The second loan approved by the parliament was to borrow for the upgrade the road Kapchorwa-Suam-Kitale Road. These was two loans in one. Which is one $ 38,349,313.28 or 139,705 billion Uganda Shillings, this was borrowed from African Development Bank (ADB). The other was $ 56,129,597.12 or 204,437 billion Uganda Shillings from the African Development Fund (ADF).

The third loan was in Euros, first part from UK Export Finance (UKEF), which was EUROS 270,266,042.15, converted to US Dollars is $ 321,199,210.23 or in Uganda Shilling the total: 1,170,081,708,10 Uganda Shillings or in word One Trillion One Hundred Seventy billion Uganda Shilling. The second loan are in EUROS 37,110,585 from Standard Chartered Bank, converted to US Dollars is $ 44,112,060.75 or in Uganda Shillings 160,670,761,044.55 or in words One Hundred Sixty Billion, six hundred seventy million, seven hundred sixty-one thousand, forty-four and fifty-five hundredths Uganda Shillings.

So collectively today, the NRM has accepted loans which totals $ 474,190,180 US Dollars. In Uganda shilling it means 1,727,264,129,950.40 Uganda Shillings. In words it is one trillion, seven hundred twenty-seven billion, two hundred sixty-four million, one hundred twenty-nine thousand Uganda Shillings.

The budget of 2017-2018 was in total 29 Trillion Shillings. Therefore, they are now seeking to borrowing close to 2 Trillion Shillings, which is of last years budget close to 2,9 %. So the NRM MPs and State has had no trouble borrowing close to 3 percentage of previous budget on three infrastructure projects. It is evident and should be worrying with the knowledge that the state is already using 33 % of the budget to repay loans of old and their interests. No matter how positive these projects are and what they can accumulate in the future. Still, the basis of loaning this amounts while having growing debts already. Is really tasking future generations to pay for the loans of the previous ones.

So it seems like the NRM are planning to opening the gates and making sure the state owns more to even more banking and international money lenders. As if the petroleum dollars will safe the deficit in the future. As the interests and the downgrading of the state might appear. Unless, the state gets higher oil prices and some luck. Since, the NRM have really forked itself and hoping someone will bail it out. Peace.

Brexit: DUP’s Foster deluded ideas of NI’s Post-Brexit Border!

There are sometimes, you wonder if someone actually thinks through the words coming out their moths. Especially leaders and provider of needed support of the Conservative Party (Tories). The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), are proving their loyalty to London and United Kingdom (UK). That is not surprising that she did so and that her party does so. But her quotes and ideas is deluded and a dream, which will be impossible. It’s like if Arlene Foster thinks she has the upper-hand and can take the European Union by the balls in the negotiations, because no-one cannot survive without Belfast or any of the mineral wealth, which exists in the Northern Ireland. Just read her statement!

Arlene Foster on NI Border Plans of Post-Brexit:

Earlier this week, it had been suggested that Northern Ireland might remain in the customs union after Brexit, to prevent a hard border between itself and the Irish Republic. But, speaking to the DUP annual conference in Belfast, Ms Foster made clear that Northern Ireland would leave the customs union” (…) “She said: “We will not support any arrangements that create barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom or any suggestion that Northern Ireland, unlike the rest of the UK, will have to mirror European regulations” (…) “The economic reality for our economy is that our most important trading relationship is with the rest of the United Kingdom and we will do nothing that puts that at risk in any way” (…) “We welcome the assurances from the Prime Minister and the UK Brexit team that no such internal barriers will be countenanced and that as we joined the then European Community as one nation we will leave as one United Kingdom.” (Peck, 2017).

I don’t know if she was dreaming, but it doesn’t make sense. That Northern Ireland will not have internal borders, meaning they will not have border with Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union and their Costumes regulations. So there will be hard border, as the EU and UK are becoming separate. This will mean, that on the borders between Ireland and Northern Ireland. There will be some sort of checks and tolls. The tariffs and also other registrations of movement, which is natural between to sovereign states.

What is weird is that she expects the borders to be soft enough as they are now, but still leave the Union together with the UK. Its like she thinks she has the good hand in this, since is in cahoots with London against Dublin. Like Dublin and the Irish Government have no power within the European Union. Secondly, if your leaving the Union, you are not making it easy to have soft and open boarders. There will specifications and implications.

Therefore, the whole idea of this DUP leader and important part of the Tories-DUP are showing their estranged dreams. It does not make sense. Its a mockery and not cool. We can wonder, if this is the reason for the chaos within the Tories Government, since the DUP and their demands don’t even make sense, not even common sense.

They want to stop eating cake, but still wants a slice. You can’t both have cake and not have cake at the same time. You either eat cake or your not. It is that simple, but I think it’s not so for the DUP, apparently. Peace.

Reference:

Peck, Tom – ‘Arlene Foster writes to 27 EU leaders to categorically reject Northern Ireland staying in Customs Union’ (25.11.2017) link: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/arlene-foster-brexit-customs-union-northern-ireland-dup-conference-a8075576.html

Kenya: NASA Communique of the NASA Leadership Forum Held on 25 November 2017 at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County (25.11.2017)