The World's Other Superpower Awakens

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Wed, 06 Jul 2005 08:08:53 -0700

Progress Report: The World's Other Superpower Awakens

" American Progress Action Fund "

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AMERICAN PROGRESS ACTION FUND

 

 

The Progress Report

by Judd Legum, Faiz Shakir, Nico Pitney, Mipe Okunseinde and Christy

Harvey

 

 

www.progressreport.org

7/5/2005

 

For news and updates throughout the day, check out our blog at

ThinkProgress.org.

 

DEVELOPMENT

 

The World's Other Superpower Awakens

 

In the lead up to the Iraq war, when the overwhelming majority of the

world's population stood in opposition to the Bush administration's

rush to war in Iraq, the New York Times observed that there are now

two superpowers on our planet: " the United States and world public

opinion. " Today, as the eight most influential men in the world -- the

heads of state of the wealthy G8 industrialized nations -- meet in

Gleneagles, Scotland, that " other superpower " has reemerged. Thanks in

large part to Saturday's successful Live8 concerts, millions are

focused on the G8 conference with high hopes for what can be achieved:

comprehensive, practical, powerful steps towards relieving African

poverty and reversing global warming. That poverty and climate change

are at the top of the agenda is itself a notable victory, the result

of years of efforts by men and women whose names you'll never find in

the history books. But now the ball has been handed to the G8 leaders,

and President Bush in particular. Success or failure at this critical

turning point is in their hands. (Be part of this historic moment --

sign the ONE Declaration to Make Poverty History now.)

 

IT'S ABOUT AFRICA...: " For a rare moment, " Brookings scholar Susan

Rice writes, " global poverty reduction is near the top of the

international agenda. It's hip. It's moral. And it's smart policy. "

Indeed: there is today widespread agreement that developed nations,

and the United States in particular, must commit more targeted aid to

Africa; that debt relief efforts must be deeper and faster; and that

our global trading system must be reformed to facilitate Africa's

access to fair markets, particularly regarding agriculture. But the

bar should not be set there. Global leaders can't just check a box on

African poverty and global warming -- they are problems that developed

over decades, and will require multi-year commitments to resolve.

Moreover, achieving this long-term commitment will only be possible

when policymakers begin treating global poverty and climate change as

core national security and economic concerns, rather than peripheral

" add-ons, " as American Progress has argued in our national security

strategy, Integrated Power.

 

....IT'S ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING...: Word from Scotland is also positive

on the climate change front. Although President Bush remains

steadfastly opposed to the Kyoto Accord, the Guardian reports that

" the US has moved enough for [british Prime Minister Tony] Blair to

claim that a consensus has been reached " on other significant steps to

counter global warming. This is important, for the choice has never

been between accepting Kyoto or doing nothing. As a new report from

American Progress shows, there are a number of policies the U.S. and

the rest of the G8 countries could take today, in partnership with the

world's largest developing world economies, to reduce emisssions. The

report recommends deploying new technologies (to capture carbon

dioxide from coal-fired utilities, increase production of biofuels,

and promote the penetration of hybrid vehicles) and developing a

market-based emissions trading program.

 

....AND THE LINKS BETWEEN THE TWO: Though Africa and climate change are

often treated as distinct issues, the truth is more complicated. Last

month, a large coalition of development and environmental groups

released a study detailing how some of the most harmful effects of

global warming will fall disproportionately on those nations that

contributed to it least, and that are the least able to adapt to

protect themselves. As the Ugandan paper The New Vision noted this

past weekend, President Bush's reluctance to tackle climate change is

" a tragedy for the whole world, Africa and the United States

included. " " Any benefit from extra aid to Africa, " The New Vision

adds, " will be lost if climate change accelerates further and makes

the agricultural environment in Africa even more difficult. "

 

THE WORLD IS WAITING: And it's not just Africa. Across the world, and

in the United States, people are calling for action. The South China

Post says world leaders " must rise up to the challenge of reducing

global poverty. " A paper in Kenya demands that the playing ground be

made level " so that trade can be carried out freely and for mutual

benefit. " And in the United States, public opinion is crystal clear. A

poll published yesterday by the Program on International Policy

Attitudes (PIPA) found that an " overwhelming majority of Americans

supports the US agreeing to limit greenhouse gas emissions in concert

with other members of the G8 Summit. " A stunning 94 percent of

Americans said the U.S. " should limit its greenhouse gases at least as

much as the other developed countries do on average. " Another new

study shows that 65 percent believe the Bush administration " should

commit to spend seven-tenths of one percent of their GDP to address

world poverty, especially in Africa " -- including majorities of both

Republicans and Democrats. (Renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs gives the

essential breakdown of U.S. aid to Africa -- what it is now, what it

could be, and what it should be -- in his G8 blog hosted by the

Financial Times.) We have formed, quite clearly, a global consensus.

Now the G8 leaders must act. As Live8 organizer Bob Geldof entreated

on Saturday, " Do not disappoint us, do not create a generation of

cynics, do not betray the desires of billions and the hopes of the

poorest of our world. "

 

CRIME

 

The Crystal Meth Epidemic

 

Ice. Crank. Glass. Meth. Chalk. Crystal. No matter what you call it,

methamphetamine abuse is sweeping across the United States, leaving a

devastating wake. Twelve million Americans have tried the drug; its

effects are being felt in both urban and rural areas. Ten years ago,

there were 912 meth lab seizures; last year there were nearly 16,000

seizures. More addictive than crack, crystal meth gives users a

12-hour euphoric high along with severe psychotic delusions, paranoia,

random violence and extreme weight loss. Its side effects include

upticks in violent crime, strained prison systems, and thousands

children thrust into foster care. A new survey of the nation's

sheriffs by the National Association of Counties found meth was " the

nation's leading drug problem affecting local law enforcement agencies. "

 

CRYSTAL CAUSES CRIME: According to the National Association of

Counties' survey of law enforcement agencies in 500 counties in 45

states, crystal meth is the number one drug problem in 58 percent of

all of the counties surveyed. According to cops, crystal meth is

driving up the number of robberies and burglaries in 7 out of every 10

counties. That's the case in Lewis County, Idaho, which reports a 300

percent increase in crime due to crystal meth.

 

IDEAS FOR REFORM: The primary ingredient in crystal meth is

pseudoephedrine, an ingredient commonly found in cold medications like

Sudafed. (It's only in the pills; gel caps or liquid forms of Sudafed

don't work.) The drug can be extracted using harsh chemicals like

battery acid, brake fluid or Draino. " The problem is that you can get

everything to start a meth lab at Wal Mart, " says Florida law

enforcement official Sgt. Scott Behringer. There are a number of ideas

to address the problem. For example, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and

Jim Talent (R-MO) recently introduced a bill to try to curb the mass

sale of Sudafed, requiring pharmacies to keep Sudafed behind the

counter. Customers would have to show a photo ID to purchase the cold

medicine and would be limited to about 250 30-milligram pills a month.

States like Oklahoma and California which have tried this have seen

dramatic reductions in their meth problems. The first month the law

was in effect in Oklahoma, for example, there was a 40 percent drop in

methamphetamine labs; the number of labs is now down almost 80 percent

in that state.

 

INDUSTRY FIGHTS BACK: Not surprisingly, powerful corporate interests,

concerned with their bottom line, are fighting the Feinstein/Talent

legislation. For example, Consumer Health Care Products Association

lobbyist Mike Gardner warned, " let's not go overboard just because

it's a noble goal. "

 

BUSH BAILS ON THE PROBLEM: Instead of standing up to this drug crisis,

President Bush has done the opposite, cutting funds for programs which

fight the problem. In his last budget, Bush reduced funds for the

Justice Department's methamphetamine initiative 60 percent, from $52.6

million to just $20 million. He also slashed anti-drug spending for

high-intensity drug areas from $226 million to $100 million. He also

eliminated a $634 million grant for state and local police. In

response to the survey of sheriffs released yesterday, White House

policy analyst Dave Murray " disagreed that [methamphetamine abuse] had

reached the state of an epidemic. "

 

METH LEADS TO DOMESTIC ABUSE: One of the more tragic side effects to

the crystal meth scourge is its devastation of families. According to

the National Association of Counties, 62 percent of counties reported

spikes in domestic violence because of meth use. And kids pay the

highest price for skyrocketing meth usage; with more and more parents

becoming addicted, more and more children have fallen into the already

strained foster care system. Mike O'Dell of Alabama estimates 80

percent of children currently in the state foster care system were

removed from meth homes. During the past four years, 362 kids with

meth-addicted parents entered the foster care system in Arizona; 770

children were removed from meth homes in Kentucky. Iowa now cares for

1,000 kids who were abused or neglected because of their parents' meth

habits.

 

METH MOUTH: Another giant strain on taxpayers: the cost of medical

care of meth users in prisons. In Kansas, for example, treating

prisoners with " meth mouth " has driven state medical costs up as much

as 8 percent. (Here's a photo of the " meth mouth " phenomenon. Don't

view while eating.) Crystal meth eats away at tooth enamel while

slowing the body's creation of saliva, eventually leaving teeth the

consistency of " ripe fruit. " Some prisoners require up to 14 root

canals to repair their ravaged teeth or complete tooth extractions, at

$500 a pop. Consider the case of Tennessee, for example, where nearly

a third of all prisoners have teeth destroyed by methamphetamine; the

costs begin to add up. And taxpayers are stuck with the bill.

 

Under the Radar

 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – BUSH " APPEARS LIKELY " TO BYPASS CONGRESS ON

BOLTON NOMINATION: The AP reports, " it's seeming more likely that

President Bush will go around lawmakers and use his powers to

single-handedly -- though temporarily -- appoint Bolton ambassador

when Congress is out of town. " The appointment would last until the

end of next session of Congress, no later than January 2007. Bush's

other options are that he either withdraw the nomination or reach a

compromise to release information regarding Bolton's use of

intelligence information. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) previously said that

a Bolton recess appointment " would weaken not only Mr. Bolton but also

the United States. "

 

GOVERNMENT – FOIA BILL SEEKS TO MAKE EXECUTIVE BRANCH MORE RESPONSIVE

TO REQUESTS: Sens. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) and John Cornyn (R-TX) are

" pushing a package of legislative proposals that would create, for the

first time, penalties for agencies that ignore Freedom of Information

Act requests. " The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) " generally

provides that any person has the right to request access to federal

records or information " upon written request. While the number of FOIA

requests numbered more than 4 million last year alone, the backlog of

such requests has increased 14 percent since 2002. The Bush

administration has moved over the course of the past five years to

enlarge the zone of secrecy that surrounds the work of the White House

and most of the federal government. While the proposed bill would not

have much impact on what the government chooses to classify, by

imposing penalties on agencies who act delinquently in response to

requests, the bill aims to make agencies more responsive.

 

POVERTY – WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE ON LESS THAN A DOLLAR A DAY: The

Christian Science Monitor tracks the life of woman in Malawi, Selina

Bonefesi, who is among the 1.2 billion people in the world who live on

less than a dollar a day, a category classified as " extreme poverty "

by the United Nations. The Monitor notes the typical factors that

pervade the extremely impoverished: " they have limited education,

little access to jobs or capital, and are ruled by an indebted

government that lacks a coherent plan for helping its poorest

citizens. " " Selina's message to [international aid] donors is quite

simple. 'Monetary help is needed,' she says. 'We want iron sheets on

our houses. We want capital for our businesses.' "

HOMELAND SECURITY – COAST GUARD NOT SHIPSHAPE: The U.S. Coast Guard is

responsible for " patrolling the nation's 361 ports and 95,000 miles of

coastline, boarding and inspecting tens of thousands of cargo ships

and recreational boats, and reviewing security at the nation's

commercial ports. " According to this morning's USA Today, the Coast

Guard's aging fleet is becoming dangerously decrepit, as " ships,

planes and helicopters are breaking down at record rates, which may

threaten the service's ability to carry out its post-9/11 mission of

protecting ports and waterways against terrorism. " Maritime security

expert (and former Coast Guard officer) Stephen Flynn charges the

agency is " operating at the level, in many instances, of a Third World

navy. " He may not be far off the mark; the Coast Guard fleet is " older

even than fleets owned by nations such as Algeria and Pakistan. " The

force's elderly helicopters frequently lose power, ships which operate

in the Pacific suffer significant engine failures while on patrol, and

there were 742 unscheduled maintenance days last year, up from 267 in

1999. Instead of acting quickly to repair the ailing force, however,

the White House is trying to cut corners and save a few pennies in the

short term by putting off the deadline to replace the fleet by five

more years.

 

STATE WATCH – MD GOV. SAYS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IS " NOT MY BUSINESS " :

Gov. Robert Ehrlich raised $100,000 at a fundraiser at an all-white

country club. Responding to criticism, he said the club's membership

was " not my business. " Ehrlich also said the decision to hold the

fundraiser there was " made by his campaign staff, not by him. "

(Ehrlich did admit that he had spoken at the club " many, many times

over the years. " No word whether all those decisions were made by his

staff as well. Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, an African American, said, " I

don't know that much about the club, the membership, nor do I care,

quite frankly, because I don't play golf. It's not an issue with me. "

 

DON'T MISS

 

TALKING POINTS: G8 Summit Offers Historic Opportunity to Uplift Millions.

 

ETHICS: Justice Department asked to widen inquiry into corrupt

lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

 

COURT: Dallas Morning News to President Bush – don't nominate Alberto

Gonzales.

 

HEALTH CARE: Rep. Anne Northrup (R-KY) stands up to the pharmaceutical

lobby and explains why reimportation of prescription drugs is so

important.

 

PLAMEGATE: Lawrence O'Donnell has three questions for Karl Rove's lawyer.

DAILY GRILL

 

" Many women have told me, and surveys have shown, that they find it

easier, more 'professionally' gratifying, and certainly more socially

affirming, to work outside the home than to give up their careers to

take care of their children. Think about that for a moment.... Here,

we can thank the influence of radical feminism, one of the core

philosophies of the village elders. "

-- Sen. Rick Santorum, It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common

Good, p. 95

 

VERSUS

 

" When I was elected to the Senate, I didn't just want to make it

possible for poor women to work; I wanted to give them a job. So I

hired eight welfare recipients to work in my office. "

-- Sen. Rick Santorum, 9/1/04

DAILY OUTRAGE

 

Despite questionable billing practices in recent history, Halliburton

continues to rake it in. The Washington Post reports that the

increasing cost of the war in Iraq has been good news for Halliburton

as the " Army has ordered nearly $5 billion in work from Halliburton

Co. to provide logistics support to U.S. troops in Iraq over the next

year, $1 billion above what the Army paid for similar services the

previous year. "

 

DAILY CARTOON

 

Gary Huck Cartoon

Fake (Fox) News

 

© Copyright 2005 by American Progress Action Fund. All rights reserved.