[Dialogue] Recommending Jim Wallis and Jeffery Sachs

[george]

Wallis is also attempting to energize the grassroots with house 
"parties" in order to "change the wind."

Sachs is attempting to resurrect the 2000 agreement, signed by the U.S. 
and others, which would translate into the US putting up .70¢ for every 
$100 of GNP to go to a fund for developing the 3rd World, forgiving 
loans, etc.  Some European countries have followed through, the U.S. 
has not (it gives less that .30¢ per $100), and seemingly has no 
intention to do so.  There is a skepticism in U.S. circles that money 
will not do the trick, they point to the corruption and incapacity to 
handle funds (lack of transparency of financial & political 
institutions) as the block to development.  According to some sources 3 
Trillion dollars has been blown since the 1950's and there is more 
poverty number wise and percentage wise now than then.

The present US administration's Democracy and Freedom program has 
underlying development intentions, but I can't find where there are any 
details.

All of this is further complicated by what the environmentalists tell 
us about the collapsing environment, which those of us who've worked in 
villages can attest to.  Most of the plans I've seen have their hopes 
firmly in the industrial model of development, which is ultimately in 
the control of the corporate world whose focus is on profits.

As Margaret Mead used to say history is changed by small groups of 
intentional people, and I trust there are such people here and in the 
3rd world that will surprise us all, which may suggest to those not 
otherwise occupied in such matters where they can find the action.

All the best

George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin TX 78728
512/252-2756
512/294-5952

On Apr 7, 2005, at 6:35 PM, RenREAMES at aol.com wrote:

> Colleagues,
>      Some of us here in Denver have greatly appreciated Jim Wallis's 
> latest
> book, God's Politics, Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't 
> Get It.
>      Then take a look at Time magazine, March 14, at the outstanding 
> article
> on Jeff Sachs, head of Columbia University's Earth Institute who is 
> promoting
> the UN"s Millennium Development Goals.   This means raising annual aid 
> to 0.7
> percent of the GNP of donor countries in order to halve global poverty 
> by
> 2015.   I look forward to reading his book, The End of Poverty.
>           Ruth Reames
> _______________________________________________
> Dialogue mailing list
> Dialogue at wedgeblade.net
> http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/dialogue_wedgeblade.net
>