What about George?

After reading a couple of articles from BBC Worldwide news on this past weekend's trade talks in Argentina and a rebellion by many states who are adopting their own versions/parts of the Kyoto protocol that Bush rejected, I'm convinced that George Bush must have some pheromone that disgusts people and makes them rebel against him. Either that or the polar opposite of the Midas touch. Everything he touches or even thinks about turns to the smelliest of shit.

One example of this is the plan for free trade in the Americas. According to the BBC, the FTAA was an idea coming from Latin American states. Back in good old (comparatively speaking)Clinton-era 1994, there was a similar summit in Miami, and it was the developing nations who were the most fervent lobbyers for trade reforms, with Brazil wanting to negotiate with Washington on equal terms. At that summit, a timeline was agreed upon that would have ended FTAA talks by 1 January of this year. But somewhere in the course of 11 years, the same people who supported trade reforms have all but buried whatever bastardization of them that Bush put forth at this past weekend's summit in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The trade reforms have degenerated into just another part of the US' imperialist agenda, as they are, apparently, no longer what developing nations had bargained for. The "anti-Yankee" protests that my mother insists have been going on for years in Argentina have actually happened this past weekend. I think the degeneration of the FTAA talks is due to a host of other things that Bush has been doing with his time that other leaders sort of let get in the way. Since one "initiative", like Iraq, can pepper everything else that comes from the same head, Bush will never be able to do right, even if he actually tries. But fair is fair, and some of the blame for the result of the most recent trade talks can be attributed to changes in leadership, meaning changes in just how far Latin America is ready to let the US go. In any event, the talks fell through for now, and Bush and his army are looking forward to the WTO talks to make up for this past weekend's lost opportunity. But the Caribbean states are pissed off at the WTO already for regulations on bananas and sugar, and are gearing up for a fight. I smell revolt.

As for Argentina, those people seem to be a little too hot-headed about Bush. They are ready to blame Bush for every single thing that has or will go wrong in their country. An example is the devaluation of the Peso. That's not Bush's fault. That's what happens when you borrow money you have no hope of ever repaying, a condition which is worsened if the lender happens to be the IMF. In a very uncharacterisitic defense of Bush, I must say, one man can't stomp all over a country alone. Argentina has been in trouble for many years, and while a large part of the blame does have to go North, a lot of blame should be shouldered by Argentina for its corrupt, theiving governments. This is where I agree with my mom: Some countries are like my father. Very quick to deflect blame to other parties. For example, if daddy made a wrong turn somewhere, he would say it was my fault because I was sitting in the passenger's seat of the car and did not correct him. But really, the fault was his for not knowing his directions and/or for being a typical male and not asking directions. Similarly, if a country takes a wrong turn, a lot of the blame has to go to the country's leader and how he or she is handling, or stealing, things. The country's leader has to think seriously about what all he has done before he considers blaming Bush for not correcting him. To be clear, I am not at all disputing that the US and their foreign policy has a lot to do with the stymieing of the development of many countries around the world. In Argentina, the US supported the military dictatorship of the '70's and '80's, and the subsequent massacres that occurred to thin out the Communist troops (mostly idealistic young people and students) who, according to the dictatorship, were ready to stage a coup at any moment. The answer was obviously (to the dictatorship) to try and kill all of them, and the same happened in Chile and Paraguay. All of it US-backed. Coincidentally, Argentina's problems started there. This is historical fact, and it is also fact, my friends, that karma is a bitch.

In other news, 9 north-eastern US states, including New York, thanks very much, are ready to sign an agreement setting legal limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power stations. In California, Arnie is working on legislation that will presumably cut emissions from cars by 30% within a decade. What's more, 187 mayors from cities and towns across the US have pledged to adopt Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gasses. So much for Bush and his "it'll cost Americans jobs" waa waa waa schpiel. Yeah, it may cost some jobs but I think it's better for all of us in the long run if we STAY ALIVE.