The nation stands at awe. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has done it again. She has turned the contest of 2010 into a third term.
If you had asked me yesterday if the Presidential contest of 2010 was vitally important to move this country forward, then I would say, “Yes, it is”. With Randy David pulling out of the race for the 2nd district of Pampanga, I sit here, pounding on my keyboard to tell you that it doesn’t matter who wins as President in 2010. It doesn’t matter if it is Noynoy Aquino or Manny Villar. It doesn’t matter if it is Estrada or Teodoro. The real race to watch is who wins the 2nd District of Pampanga.
With Randy David pulling out of the race then Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is poised to take on the House. She will have leverage to block the budget, stall bills, and the weapon of impeachment at her disposal.
I tell you this: let her win the 2nd district of Pampanga and it doesn’t matter if Aquino becomes President and has the guts to come hard on corruption. The good old days will be back. An Aquino in power will be faced with political storm left and right and his opposition will be Gloria Arroyo.
It matters even less if Villar becomes president or Estrada. Teodoro being of the same party as Arroyo and no matter his intelligence, will continue to maintain the status quo and the Putin Scenario becomes even more real.
The Warrior Lawyer believes the reason why David pulled out is because the latter thinks he can not win. That David believes he stands alone against the entirety of the Arroyo Machinery.
That may be the case. When good men stand down and do nothing, evil wins. When good men do not band together to oppose a common foe, we permit evil. So where is the Liberal Party in that race? Where is the Nationalista Party in the race?
Let Arroyo win and every measure of the new President will be challenged by Arroyo’s camp from day one. Political instability will persist. We can not move forward to enact the proper solutions— even if granted Aquino or Villar are themselves willing.
If the Liberals and the Nationalistas, Civil Society, and you, dear reader believe just an inch in the Filipino, do not let Arroyo run unopposed. Let Arroyo win as representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga and you give her quarter, and she will use it to her advantage. The warlords win. The traditionalists and the conservatives win. Forget your dreams, liberals. It will be the same as saying, “Pack your bags and go somewhere else. There is no future in the Philippines. Abandon ship.”
Popularity: 2% [?]
Ok. Abandon . Now na.But let us surge the gates first.
Or. Let’s join the Move On Crowd.
The crowd who shouted let us wait for 2010. Ignoring the handwriting on the wall. Yan ang napala ninyo.
Randy to the rescue, go Randy go!
Ooooops, umatras na pala when he realized GMA was going to call his bluff. Pa-drama-drama lang pala si perfess-sser.
Always remember…”When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, ALWAYS.” Mahatma Gandhi
Yeah, but will we be alive when that times comes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3M6QudM16Q
Our Local government code says: the President could suspend the governor , congressman and mayor. The provincial board has the power to suspend the governor and the governor has the power to suspend a tongressman.
If Arroyo will win as congresswoman and Noynoy as president, Noynoy can suspend GMA if he has a political will but Gloria is far more qualified than Noynoy???? who knows Pampanga better than GMA? in terms of skills and negotiating power, the putot got it made. In addtion, Women in this country got it made.. (wink)
The president belongs to the executive department and has no power over those of legislative and judiciary department. Only congress can suspend its members-representatives as they belong to the legislative department. Governor down to municipal officials can be suspended by the DILG secretary (alter ego of the president) as they belong to the executive department.
Assuming that GMA got elected as representative and her party will not be the majority in the HR; she will be at the mercy of the majority (even if she have deep pockets to buy loyalty). If she will have the majority of the HR; still, there is the Senate to prevent the parliamentary bogey.
I foresee that she will be the victim and prey of the legislature that she prostituted (failed impeachments). We call it KARMA.
Thanks Jim for clarifying the role of public officials who put Philippines as the most corrupt in Asia, the most dangerous place for journalist and it’s brand as the nation of servants. Now why is GMA not suspending the governor sr ampatuan? The backhoe on the crime scene and the detachment camp with military men was along the way to the graveyard according to bayarbar… What is she waiting for. Her inaction is putting this country for more embarassment. A suspension is not even a crime but a part of the process to clarify justice and she cannot do that?
Blogger John Marzan predicted this back in March 2008.
An ocayville posted into EllenT’s site:
—————
ocayvalle – November 30, 2009 3:25 pm
GOD save and bless the philippines.. to deter this evil intent of GMA and her evil minions..please support erap so this evil`s will be stop..!! erap and binay team is the true opposition…!!!
Prosecute her multi-layered sins and crimes starting with the Garci cheating and send her to asylum in Bilibid instead of Batasan.
I agree having Ms. Arroyo continue her manipulations is bad. It also makes me look at Mr. Aquino and Mr.Villar in a different light. I somehow don’t see Mr. Villar being a puppet to an egotistical Congresswoman, essentially raining on his parade. I don’t get the same sense of ego and determination to be a “power” from Mr. Aquino, who is riding to popularity on a crest of emotion, not skill and tough work.
Fascinating, truly.
Joe
Joe, i’ve been hearing rumors that Villar is GMA’s proxy. i’ve not put stock in it. the guy is spending billions on his campaign. why would he need gma?
hey joe,
Something to think about. You’re absolutely correct and I sense this myself.
This is where our government starts to run our own very lives. To give us nothing in returns, but of a distasteful recurrence of what we’ve been living for. To administer a confusion of terms. This is where our government fail. And we allow it. Wake up Pinoy-in-Pinas.
Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all.
We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain.
How in the fuck are we suppose to live ourlives in this stinking Hell. This is the island I was born into, the Philippines. Wake ladies and gentlemen; pinoy-in-pinas, this our Islands and we have the rights to be govern by our Constitution and by our Laws. Not by a Socialist, this is our island and our home. It is not theirs, for to govern our precious moments of our being.
As proud as I may be, I am still a Filipino. For damn sure, I am not going let this happen to the island I was born into. This is my birthplace, my heritage and the foundation of my rock!
“Who are these Socialists?”
Food for Thoughts:
• Can it be COMELEC’s
• Can it be the whole administration(s) of our Government
• Can it be the Religious groups that dwell in morality
• What if, our own neighbor(s) are the instigator of all these
• Who are we to blame
Mario,
The Philippines is two parts, one, the dysfunction, two the sincerity, good spirit, and beautiful surroundings. Change dysfunction to function, and its a top-notch cool place, for sure. So you are right to remain proud . . . and hammer at the dysfunction.
Joe
Dear Prof. David,
Please come back!
The 2nd district of Pampanga needs you more than they need Goliath.
There’s still time to file your COC.
You’ve got a tidal wave of support riding on your back as you read this, so please reconsider.
Thank You,
Fagen
Hey buster, dont worry about him. He is bought. And he sold
himself…
I kinda suspected that, but I’d rather give him the benefit of the doubt. Honestly, I don’t expect him to put up a fight…although it would be more entertaining to see one.
To Randy David: Dapat naisip mo na ang mga repercussions sa Family at close friends nung naisip mo na tatakbo ka. Bakit ka aatras ngayon na mas kailangan kang tumakbo para mabura na sa publiko si Arroyo…tila totoo sa lahat ng pilipino mas una ang pamilya kesa sa bayan….di na uso ang bayani…kanya-kanya na lang tayo…
Money talks, buster. Dont waste your time!
YES! Instead us fearing that GMA will control the House of Rep, can we not see the opportunity that the progressive partylist representatives and oppositions can engage her during session (kulitin ng kulitin at inisin to the max hanggang sumuko, right?) ? Even if she wins, we can still rally in house of rep, a small area compared to malacanang and considering that she doesn’t have the presidential security group and helicopter by then. Also, she can still be sued even if she’s already in congress. The best weapon we have is to bombard her with shame in blogs and media.
Lastly, her running for congress is a sure solution to annihilation of Lakas-Kampi in the May 2010 election. Lakas-Kampi is going down… Viva Gloria!
Gloria Arroyo is a unique person. A Filipino with a thick
skull. Who will cling to power by hook or by crook.
Let’s wait for 2012 to sink the whole archipelago. But seriously, all revolutions start from a tipping point. The continuation of the 1896 one may yet be restarted by a Gloria stint at the House.
Abandoning the ship for where? Obama’s USA? Medvedev’s Russia?, China? the EU?
Obama’s USA is on the decline, Russia has its own problems, China as the Vatican knows one day, the Party will crash and be crashed. The EU? it can’t get its act together.
Are you a reincarnated Michael de Nostradamus? Indeed, the
Philippine Archiphelago was once under the ocean. Just dig
a few feet on your own backyard. You will find Sea Shells.
If the Tectonic Plates will snap. And our Plate will go
down. We will surely go down in the ocean. If the plates
goes up. We will become a Himalaya.
I dont know, if 2012 will go as predicted. It is the end of
an Era. Not the end of the world. We will all return to
the Original Garden of Eden. Whatever that metaphor is.
No we will crash into the Hong Kong SAR. Australia will drift and bump into Mindanao.
don’t you mean Putin’s Russia? (wink)
No, he means Mevedev’s Russia. His blog is not
QUATRAIN POETRY, either. So, he is no Nostradamus!
“Obama’s US is on the decline.”
What planet do you live on? China’s rise does not mean the US is in decline. Agreeing to work with other nations rather than pursue a unilateral agenda is not decline. The US is a huge commercial machine and those corporations are going global, not declining. Get a grip.
Joe
Hey Joe:
Look in your History books. Empires come and go. We
have the Egyptian Empire. The Babylonian Empires. The
Greek Empire. The Aztec and Inca Empires.The Roman Empire. The Spanish Empire. The Ottoman Empire.
The British Empire. All of them are now history.
American Empire will also go. Nothing last in this good
world of ours. Like all good things. They have their ends!
Hyden,
The US is no empire, it is a country that pursues its “peace and democracy agenda” in a self-serving commercial way. This charter was assumed after WW II, as no other major country could counter the ambitions of Russia and China. It is a charter that is no longer appropriate for a global community where today’s large countries are pretty much respectful of one another. On the other hand terrorism is a world-wide threat, so expect the US to continue to “meddle” with countries that sponsor it.
By the way, those empires you quote may be dead, but the core countries are great to visit. Italy, Spain and the UK are wonderfully rich with history, museums, cathedrals, restaurants, and Egypt is rich with monuments and tombs of the good old days. Things progress. They don’t really just die.
Joe
The US cannot be an empire forever you know. I live on Planet Earth that has seen the fall of the Egyptians, Romans, Ottomans. Mughals, Aztecs, Alexander’s etc. If there is an Empire that seems to have persisted, it is the Middle Kingdom. Same Forbidden City, different Emperors!
Eh Joe.
How come the University of Michigan Ann Arbor describes its collection of scanned documents on the US enterprise in the Philippines, Puerto Rican, Pacific Islands as from the “empire days”?
Invading a sovereign republic/state is not considered imperialism if it is for purely commercial interests? (e.g. Philippines, Dominican Republic, Haiti and much later, Grenada)
Hey Joe:
The Atlantic Charter devised and formulated by
Roosevelt and Churchill did not prevent the Cuban
Crissis, Vietnam War, Palestinian issue and the Cold
War. Imperialism from powerful countries is still the
call of the day. They have to enforce PEACE to control
the source of energy, and to sell their goods.
Blackshama,
If an odd collection of islands makes for an Empire, it is one whimpy effort at imperialistic conquest. Who am I to argue with PhD’s about definitions? The American Empire. ahahahahahaha Nice ring to it, but I look around and can’t really find it.
Hyden,
There is offensive conquest, for land and power, and there is defensive initiative for (perceived) security and protection of (commercial) self interest. They are very different animals. Cuba, Viet Nam, and the Cold War were all a part of defending against the (perceived) oppressions of communism. Palestine and the US bias toward Israel is partly reflexive of the horrors of Germany’s attempt to exterminate Jews and mostly a support of the many powerful US Jews.
What’s your point?
Joe
If you control an out of date Kingdom to supply your
oil. It is called Offensive Conquest. The Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia cut people’s head as a death penalty.
They bury women up to the head. And stone them to death
in Public for Adultery. They cut people’s hands and fingers for theft. They hang people and whip them
at the sole of their feets, for punishment.
America promotes Human Rights for people. Yet, it will
protect and tolerate a Medieval Kingdom. Because it
needs its energy. Call it Defensive Conquest to sanitize
and euphemise it. But to me, it stinks. It is like Gloria Arroyo’s relationship with the Ampatuans. Saudi Arabia in turn produced an extremist Wahhabe ideology called Al Queda. It is now causing world’s problem, wars and suicide bombers.
Hyden,
Okay, good point. Oil. So what should the US do, shut down its consumer and commercial economic machine that fuels a better living standard (including health) for the WORLD, or conquer Saudi Arabia, throw out the sheiks, and install American human rights laws?
You have to make choices, all of which have bad consequences. It is easy to throw stones, not so easy to build a successful enterprise.
Joe
The US don’t have to do that Joe. All it needs to do is to drill in it’s own backyard.
darwin25,
Yes, you are correct. I had an exchange with California’s senator Feinstein on this point, as she opposes drilling off the coast. I don’t see how you can go suck everyone else dry while holding onto your own . . . if you are taking responsibility for the condition of the bed in which you lay. Or lie. Unrestrained consumer gluttony . . .
Joe
Cocoy,
Nothing to fear and scared of even if GMA runs for representative of pampanga. While she look at her being a representative as her armor from future suit and expect a life in a bed of roses; the reality might be different when Lakas-Kampi losses the presidency and majority of Congress. There are lots of options to those who oppose her that she will in fact regret later on when she’s in Congress having ran as representative. Right now, her running as representative certainly will further erode Gibo’s chances and Lakas-Kampi’s candidates any chance of winning.
Tama di naman, ano. I hope magka totoo because that makes sense! Sana manalo si Erap and he can really make life miserable for Pampanguenos.
Jim,
If i’m not mistaken, she is only protected from being sued if she is president. Care to bet that she can be speaker of the house? that she will push chacha as an agenda and call for conass? Which btw, will divert to what’s really wrong with the philippines? Bet you she can use the weapon of impeachment as a means to keep the new admin in check. As a member of Congress she’ll have the ability to control over the budget.
If before there was a Congresswoman Arroyo, the next administration will be faced with myriad difficulties, it becomes doubly difficult now that the Arroyo sword is in place. So instead of the next administration being able to focus on its agenda, it would have to fight tooth and nail to even get anything done.
and yeah, i agree gibo is just a pawn because Lakas just needs someone to run.
It might be the other way around. She might be the one that will have a lot of problems once she’s in the House of Rep. Unlike now where she control the disbursement of funds and she pampered the congressmen through immediate release of funds for their projects and huge allowances. That privilege will not be with her once she’s in Congress. Her tectonic proposals in the House, like changing to parliamentary system, might not even move unless she “show the money”.
As to appropriations for 2011, if she’s the House Speaker and she won’t pass the appropriation, the next administration don’t need to worry as the 2010 appropriation (around Php 1.5 trillion) can be carried over to the following year. The progressive partylist and other representatives and Manay Gina de V., whos running also, which she deprived of their pork barrel and projects will be her nemesis in the House of Rep.
She thought that being a Rep and in the HR would be her safe haven. We’ll, she can be the subject of ridicule and shame by her 240+ peers whose loyalties shifts to the highest bidder and to the President except for a few.
However, she will be exceptionally lucky if Gibo will be elected as president. That will complete the triumvirate of a pliant judiciary, executive and legislature except for the Senate which will most likely still be controlled by the current opposition. And that means going back to people power again. The only way that it will not happen is the defeat of Lakas-Kampi in the May 2010 election.
If Lakas-Kampi loses majority seats in the house, we will be playing Pendong Kalbo. Hulaan nyo mkung sino ang balagoong?
If Erap Estrada, the convicted Plunderer can run. Why cant Gloria
Arroyo? Our elections are fiestas. We can see the fiesta atmosphere
and the bands playing. When political candidates file their candidacy at COMELEC. You can also see how violent elections are by the Maguindanao Massacre. Political opponents can be murdered, raped
and buried in mass graves.
After the election. The fiesta atmosphere will continue. We will have
demonstrators shounting to kick out those who they voted for in the election. I cannot determine; if we are insane or we just love
what we are.
PDI had a headline encapsulating all you just said:
The Circus is in Town
And where are the people who say this was just speculation?
Preparing their list of reasons to move on. :)
It’s OK.
1. Pampanga is NOT MY Province. If her provincemates really really really want her because she is the only qualified person from those woods then so be it.
Have you seen her district lately? As far as presidential provinces go, it remains a shit town with shit roads and shit infrastructure. She may have been there 48 times this year but she has not done what Marcos did to his province when he was leader.
2. Congresswoman Arroyo WILL face the EQUALLY ambitious tongressmen of her party. It does not follow that her now EQUAL tongressmen friends will continue to lick her ass given their already bruised egos of being bitch slapped by her for 9 years. May pangarap rin naman yang mga ibang tongressmen uy. She will become PM? How and why?
Let Pampanga enjoy Tongresswoman Arroyo. She’s their problem.
Tsk tsk, you guys of little faith. Make up your minds, would you. Thought you wanted PGMA out of Malacanang?
Cocoy, not to worry. The power dynamics will definitely change once RP elects a new President. It will be balimbingan time again. No doubt about it, in the Philippines, the President is Numero Uno. As ABBA would have it, “The Winner Takes it All.”
I think she’s running for the immunity play. What do you say if Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo becomes Chairperson of Ethics Committee?
Politicians are like goats. They jump over the fence. If they
see the grass is greener on the other side. In the first place;
who voted them in office? WE, THE SUCKERS!
well, you can always put them in an art gallery…
http://skirmisher.org/art-design/possibly-the-only-truly-self-satisfying-art-gallery-exhibit/
There is this tradition where the outgoing President rides in the same car as incoming President on the way to the inauguration. The newly elected President should insist on this tradition and as soon as he is out of the car GMA should be arrested. Filipino time should be observed. Delay the arrival of the Presidential car by at least 1 minute. At 12 noon on June 30, 2010 GMA is not President anymore and the term of the newly elected President starts. The oath taking is only ceremonial.
What is all the fuss about? The biggest business in the country is political entrepreneurship. The GMA family needs to assume whatever political power is available for them to protect their new found economic gains. Naturally they will retreat to their fiefdoms for protection.
The chief executive of the land under the present constitution has almost absolute power over the purse. Plus the elite in this country control the awesome power to create money (banking) with the regulatory capture of the BSP.
Finance capitalism is the most potent force that trumps politics. The power to create money. Mr. Bond Market runs countries.
Could it be possible, as a political move, GMA will resign before the campaign period to give a semblance of delicadeza and to detract the criticism against her? Any. she is a sure winner in Pampanga.
Then the Cha-cha train will be on track.
It is very hard to to think that there is no “master plan” with what GMA and her allies are doing?
Consider that GMA never pushed to have Noli as candidate. Part of the Plan?
etec, etc? You can extend the scenario. But remember, what is happening today is just a scenario a few months ago, which bright boys here considered as laughable ideas.
GMA is a different animal. When she orchestrated the Hello Garci operation, people espcailly the “move On” crowd should have seen it.
Wala sana silang problema ngayon. Eh pinabayaan nyo, buti nga sa inyo.
GMA na din ako. Rah. rah, rah.
GMA once again is trying so hard to prove that she is worth more than a dime. She doesn’t need to be in public office to help the country. She can always start her own non profit organization and continue her mission and goals in life to help her people. The problem with her decision to run as Congresswoman can be a sign that she was not able to deliver what she needs to deliver during her term. She may be feeling that she has many shortcomings. This can be subconsciously or consciously.
Some people will never stop trying and always feel the need to justify their lives. And he/she won’t rest until she/he feels accepted by others.
The humanity in each of us drives us to seek the acceptance or approval of others and until we reach the point of putting that behind us , we won’t find peace in our lives.
Yup let her run and let her prove day by day if she can. If she is determined then so be it… But as I said, it doesn’t have to be in public service.
1. it’s about immunity
2. it’s about the numbers game of politics that will lead to a vote for a parliamentary form of government. no permanent friends… no permanent enemies…
tsk… tsk… tsk… wawa naman si Juan.
i still don’t understand why Randy David backed out.
bigla nyang naisip na sociologist lang pala sya… hehehe…
lol.
pero sayang. sana tinuloy na nya, kasi nagpakitang gilas na sya nung una eh. tapos bigla syang umayaw nung andiyan na yung totoong laban.
he knew he couldn’t win.
he knew his cabalens preferred a trapo.
then so be it.
Hey, MONEY TALKS, dumbo! Sell your soul and your principles
to the highest bidder. Philippine politics reality. He may
even be a hired FALL GUY.
You know in commercial wrestling bout. They hire a Fall Guy
whose duty is to be beaten and to lost in the wrestling bout.
They call him Fall Guy. He apparently fall to the ring canvass.
To show he is losing. The crowds are paying for this entertainment. Wrestling entertaiment tactics are now in Philippine politics.
iba naman ang pakiramdam ko dito. Im even more impressed of gloria now that she filed her CoC for Congress. Its a very smart move for me and a very brave one too. Legal naman daw eh sabi ni Christian Monsod. So anong problema?
I think the problem is some peoples paranoia of her…but well thy can eat their heart out…
No problem to you. But a problem to most of Filipinos. Gloria
Arroyo is a thick skinned, thick skull politician who cannot
understand “enough is enough” on power. She is obssesed with
clinging to power!
well same way that you can humiliate and condemn her with all your might. Gloria can a do anything she like. For as long as its legal. I dont have problem.
CTW sino ba sa mga pinoy politicians ang hindi “thick skinned” Even noynoys is just as thick skinned as Gloria.
Legal and Immoral are two different things. That’s why Fidel V. Ramos is pushing for her to step down out of moral conduct. Who wants someone like an immoral person such as her controlling the laws?
She technically legalized armies in Ampatuan.
hit the nail on the head right there Edward.. very good of you to notice.. at the core of even what I wrote today, is that of morality, and the need for our leaders to have at the core of their acts that moral guide, it is only this instance that real service towards the citizenry can occur.
Great to see a concurring insight.
One option is for VP-Pres. Noli de Castro to insist, judicial or through public opinion, that he is entitled to the position of President as Gloria M Arroyo already filed her COC for representative of 2nd district of Pampanga. Since he is not running for any other elective position, it is worth a try for him but his problem is that he got no balls and brain. He got good lawyers and they can raise the constitutional issue of the proviso “The President shall not be eligible for any re-election.” He can make history if VP Noli de Castro by neutralizing the evil motives of GMA and Lakas-Kampi.
Thanks. That’s nice to know.
Concurrent indeed. Really appreciate the work you’ve done here!
Hindi pa siya busog. Di yan titigil hanggang maempacho siya
Let ‘er run.
Then we’ll see how far her short legs can take her.
Hehehe.
GMA running for representative 2nd district Pampanga may also result in something that Pilipinos since Jose Rizal had wanted — the weakening of the organization CBCP.
The infighting between the priests may open the eyes of Pinoys that among the things what they hear preached on Sundays are only opinions of the preacher, and the citizen has to think for himself on many occasions. No different than cocoy or manuelB’s thoughts about GMA or NoyNoy; no different than ideas espoused by benigz or bongV.
Opinions…. and the listener has the responsibility to arrive at his own conclusion.
Lito H,
On occasion an eye-opening, fresh point of view hits these blog spots. Yours is one. Thanks for that.
Joe
Lito H,
What’s good about other peoples perspective is not because they are positive or negative, they are all but an insight. It broaden our minds to the issues(s). Some are cynical, and some are sublime. Hell, we are all punditic.
Let’s see if we have the brain to check the right box!
so who is accountable for publicizing and promoting voters education and awareness? is the department in charge doing their task and public DUTY to educate and make people aware? or we will again blame the Mang Juan and Pedro for voting the wrong person. As I have been screeching in the past, people are manageable, and they can be trained. With constant reinforcement and guidance, the result will be positive.
Comelec voters education went live since when? but why is the provinces and many parts of this country are still offering Mang Juan and Pedro to sell their votes? Why are the candidates tolerated, encouraged or even allowed by the commission? Without voters education Mang Juan and Pedro may not be able to resist selling their votes . They may not also understand that vote buying is a form of a bribery that undermines their democracy.
The one who makes the offer is the one who is guilty of the crime not the offeree especially if the intention was not in GOOD faith..
hay naku…
Connect this to Gloria’s power and see if its fair for her to run as a congresswoman knowing the fact that majority may still be ignorant.
Hyden, Blackshama, and others who believe the US is imperialistic,
What is interesting is that Filipinos seem to see the US as imperialistic because they were on the receiving end of US use of territory – the Philippines – to defend against enemy (predator) nations like Spain and Japan. But the US typically wins its wars, then sets the losers up to be productive and INDEPENDENT members of global society, to wit, Germany and Japan. The same could happen in Iraq and Afghanistan if there were a reasoned attempt by those countries to manage their many sectarian interests toward harmony. Do you know how rich Iraq could be if Iraqis would just stop destroying their own infrastructure and ability to produce? The US does not want to “own” these lands, only instill (or install) a sense of reason and productive community. And put an end to religion-driven attacks that kill US civilians.
The US also set the Philippines up to be a productive member of the global community of nations, but that opportunity has largely been squandered, and Filipinos are left pointing fingers elsewhere, and condemning others (such as the US) to try to bring other nations down into the mud pits with the Philippines.
Alas, it does not change the reality that Philippine leaders have a weak sense of civic commitment but a well-endowed sense of getting rich. And the Philippine people are pretty much downtrodden and impotent fodder, a broad tax base, with no outlet for expression except an occasional march, and no legal voice, for the Legislature has been corrupted and the courts are inefficient, closed to the poor, and also corrupt.
“US imperialism” is a completely empty issue, a lot of smoke that gets in people’s eyes and prevents them from accepting that they are owners of their own lot in life. There is no one to blame, no one to get frustrated at, no relief valve, but self. That is true in the Philippines and the Middle East. Russia now understands. China now understands. Iran does not . . . for ideological reasons, and uses the propaganda argument as a rallying point for its storm troopers. So do Muslim fanatics.
Whither Philippines? Propaganda or truth? False notions or honorable? Perceived pawn to outside forces, or self reliant?
Joe
I’m not entirely sure about your stance on Iraq, but I do agree regarding us having nobody to blame but ourselves.
In the case of Ladlad, for one, when Human Rights Watch released their announcement condemning COMELEC’s decision, there was nothing but harsh criticism on the news site I had visited. They were mostly ranting about how an American organization does not have any right in criticizing an LGU, regardless if the criticism was valid or not.
“Pakialamero” bounced around quite frequently on what the posters said, most of whom are pinoys living here in RP.
It seems that despite the magical “Filipino Hospitality” we love to brag about, it seems that many of us are retardedly xenophobic to the core. It keeps us from accepting help even if we really do need it.
Nice to see the rationale behind the actions. I understand when the U.S. tries to tighten security against possible conflicts from invasion and retaliation. But what I see now is different.
I do not blame the U.S. government for the problems in the Philippines, its very clear that many of it are from the politicians themselves. But I couldn’t deny the influence of U.S. foreign policies (including World Bank, IMF, U.N.) interfering with the purpose of acquiring more economic and political resources. Not just in the view of the Philippines but in the view of other countries. Right now some see that the Cha-Cha is a way for foreigners to own land and companies in the Philippines. I believe that these politicians would not be as ruthless in pursuing the chacha if not being lobbied (and possibly paid) by foreign interests. I suspect that this includes VFA as private bodyguards of these investments.
I don’t really agree with Iraq and Afghanistan being the same with Japan and Germany. The real smoke I see are from the ruins in Iraq and the continuous car bombings in retaliation. After 8 years of war, no sign of Bin Laden and now they are interfering with the politics buttering up Karzai and employing his brother. If U.S. intentions in other countries are as pure as it is in their homeland, I would support the U.S. of A.
Note that many of these accusations of the U.S. expansionist agenda I have read includes many articles by U.S. journalists in and out of U.S.
Edward,
Two points. First, it is important to note that today’s approach is very different than that of the Bush administration that viewed Iraq as an opportunity to rejig the Middle East toward democracy, but that did not anticipate the sectarian violence that represents the difficulties of the Middle Eastern “Tribes” to get along since the Bible recorded the bloodletting centuries ago. The violence will continue when the US is gone; it is like Mindanao there, only worse, huge stubborn egos with guns.
Second, the US is not territorially expansive; it is expansive in wanting democracy, human rights, and freedoms. It also advances US commercial interests (trade regulations, reluctance to lead on global warming, etc.).
Here is a very different view than yours, offered by President Barak Obama in his speech to West Point cadets a couple of days ago as he set forth his goals in Afghanistan.
I would recommend you read the entire speech, as you and he could not be further apart on your perspectives. You are entitled to yours, of course.
______
“Since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, and the service and sacrifice of our grandparents, our country has borne a special burden in global affairs. We have spilled American blood in many countries on multiple continents. We have spent our revenue to help others rebuild from rubble and develop their own economies. We have joined with others to develop an architecture of institutions – from the United Nations to NATO to the World Bank that provide for the common security and prosperity of human beings.
We have not always been thanked for these efforts, and we have at times made mistakes. But more than any other nation, the United States of America has underwritten global security for over six decades, a time that, for all its problems, has seen walls come down, markets open, billions lifted from poverty, unparalleled scientific progress and advancing frontiers of human liberty.
For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target other peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for – and what we continue to fight for – is a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and access opportunity.”
Joe
Edward says:
December 3, 2009 at 9:56 am
Legal and Immoral are two different things. That’s why Fidel V. Ramos is pushing for her to step down out of moral conduct. Who wants someone like an immoral person such as her controlling the laws?
She technically legalized armies in Ampatuan.
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Maybe we can understand each other better if you expound
Can you clarify what is immoral about it?
And how she technically legalized the armies in mapatuan?
With the country already at unrest at her having a full 9 years in her presidency, with clear evidence of cheating, with charges of corruption. Cheating and corruption itself should have been a case of immorality. She knows it, says sorry about it, but legality says that the they were insignificant since the cases were dismissed (by her appointed people in Ombudsman and Supreme Court). Even using “immunity” in being a President (Legal but immoral). Now, not having enough, this time she’s running again for another position which obviously is against the wishes of the whole nation. Yes she is a law abiding citizen (law in the loose sense because of her doing), but she is immoral violating the spirit of the law.
…In return, what did the Ampatuans receive? Among many other favors, a crucial piece of paper, as the PCIJ has written: In 2006, Executive Order 546 allowed the use of barangay tanods (village watchmen) as “force multipliers” in peace and order and counter-insurgency operations. The order gave legal sanction to civilian volunteer organizations or CVOs—and effectively legalized private armies….
from:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20091127-238632/Dynasty-tragedy