PadminiArhant.com
Expansion of Jewish Settlements’ Impact on Mid-East Peace Process
September 9, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
Israeli authorities’ determination to expand Jewish Settlements in Palestinian West Bank along the borders and on the private Palestinian land as well as the colonization of East Jerusalem is provocative. Besides, it is reflective of the Likud Party hard line policy to disregard the universally applicable International treaty on territorial issues and the will of the Israeli democracy for a viable two state solution necessary to end the half-a-century old conflict.
Despite call from President Obama to cease settlements and the international condemnation of the illegal occupation of Palestinian land, under the guise of ‘Israeli security,’ the Israeli coalition government continues with the settlements in a business as usual gesture thumbing their strongest ally, the United States and antagonizing the tolerant international community.
Israeli Palestinian issue has had numerous international interventions with the United States in the active and passive role depending on the administrations in the White House, other than the Oslo proposal to resolve the contentious burgeoning crisis that has consumed several thousand innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives under varied leaderships from both sides.
The world has been tirelessly urging the leaderships to halt the belligerent ‘settlement expansion’ on the Israeli part and the incendiary barrage against Israel by the divided Palestinian governments, but to no avail. It is obvious to the rest of the world that neither authority is seriously committed towards emancipating their population and restore the respective lands within the confines of the clearly demarcated boundaries free of turmoil.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the international community with whom Israel must co-exist as a democratic nation that his administration will prioritize peace over eternal battle with the neighbor Palestine. Now is the time for the Prime Minister to transform the pledge into action with a complete and not a partial freeze of Israeli settlements on the Palestinian land.
When the leadership is subject to test on the political front, the leader’s character revealed based on the decision whether or not to compromise national interest for personal survival in the aggressive political environment.
The interim minority might exalt the leadership acquiescing due to political pressure within. However, the long term world view on the missed occasion is noted in the reference to the authority as a ‘sheer politician’ and not a leader, a rare moment in life to deliver for humanitarian cause that ultimately matters in any sense.
All past wrongdoings inadvertently or otherwise easily reversed with one major accomplishment in the common goal for long lasting peace and security to benefit the Israeli and the Palestinian population.
The people on both sides deserve an atmosphere that is conducive for normal existence, only possible with the mutual recognition of similar rights comprising a settlement free and independent Palestine alongside Israel acknowledged as a sovereign state by all governing parties in Palestine.
Israeli leaderships’ credibility relies on the settlement abandonment in compliance of the International law and respect for the fellow human beings, the neighbor – the long-suffering Palestinian women, children and youth, who have waited over five decades for a place, they could call ‘home.’ It cannot happen sometime in the near future because the future is now and any further delay would be an affirmation of the Israeli occupation that would no longer fly under the security threat banner.
The forces behind such illegal occupation and invasion regardless of domicile share the consequences for an outrageous crime against humanity. Justifiably, the patience is wearing out even among the international allies and reliable intermediaries such as Jordan and Egypt in the Middle East.
It is incumbent on the Israeli government to contribute to peace and set precedence in the monumental challenge against global terrorism by voluntarily leaving the Palestinian land and granting the Palestinians their human right to freedom and life without the check posts and tunnels to move around their own state.
As for the Palestinian authorities – it is essential for Gaza and West Bank governments to display solidarity and work together in promoting peace between them and their neighbor Israel. Above all, the ruling factions, the FATAH and HAMAS should relinquish any plotting, verbal assaults and distortions against Israel, as it would unnecessarily jeopardize the peace and settlement evacuation deal.
Israeli settlers must unequivocally vacate the housing complexes built with the Israeli local and federal governments’ approval anywhere near or along the Palestinian private land. Any procrastination or evasion on the repatriation is unacceptable.
The consensus is if it was possible to allow the influx of settlers on foreign soil, the similar strategy should apply in receiving the exodus from the foreign land, as the authorities in Jerusalem should have realized that the rest of the world would no longer remain silent spectators to the oppression and persecution of the Palestinian population. It must end now to expedite the establishment of the two states with East Jerusalem rightfully allocated to Palestine as the state capital.
It is important to understand that in the Israeli settlers’ case, they are neither political nor economic refugees but unfortunately, they are the active and willful participants in the government sponsored housing program directly in violation of the international law.
No law-abiding citizens in any part of the world would agree to a stranger across the territory to encroach on their property line leave alone build an extension or a two story home of the residence they are currently residing in.
Failure to cooperate on the settlement issue will leave the settlers with ‘illegal’ status and deprive them of any citizen rights and legitimately regarded as the occupants with unauthorized entry. Therefore, forging identical immigration laws enforced in Western democracies against inappropriate or forced arrivals, often leading to deportations would be in accordance with the international migration law.
The peace accord should reflect that clause as a deterrence to prevent the status quo in the future.
Israeli settlements have attracted worldwide criticism across the spectrum of the many humanitarian groups including the Americans for Peace Now founded by the esteemed Professor Mark Rosenblum, History Professor and Director of the Jewish Studies Program, Queens College and within Israel – Shalom Achshav, the Israeli counterpart of the PeaceNow.org along with,
Columnist Ari Shavit wrote in Israeli daily Haaretz echoing similar sentiments –
“Figures provided by Peace Now show that 80 of the 100 outposts in the West Bank were built wholly or partly on private Palestinian land. Sixteen outposts are located entirely on private land, and more than half of the other outposts are on private land. This has to cause outrage.”
Ignoring international plea by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would exacerbate the thinning global support. Also, possibly accelerate the worldwide movement and resolve to free nations under foreign occupation, until the impending United Nations Security Council reconfiguration.
In conclusion, Israel and Palestine have lost a generation in the senseless violence and on-going dispute that could leave the economies without taxpayers to support the system – the baby boomers, soon to be the retirees for Israel and the desolate Palestinian youth population fallen victims to the political quagmire that has seen only despair and hopelessness as their future.
Not anymore, the people of Israel and Palestine must come together and urge their governments to disavow hatred and religious discord to enable the children and the younger generation, the torchbearers of a new peaceful legacy live in harmony alongside each other.
With the commencement of the ‘Holy Ramadan’ for the people of Islamic faith in Palestine and around the world, to be followed by the Jewish New Year for the fellow citizens of Jewish faith in Israel and elsewhere, the dawn of peace is on the horizon bringing joy and prosperity in abundance.
Ramaḍān Karīm رمضان كريم – Arabic for “Blessed Ramadan” and Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה, for the approaching “Jewish New Year.”
Thank you
Padmini Arhant
U.S. Dilemma on Afghanistan
September 1, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
Subsequent to the comprehensive layout on Afghanistan’s Status quo on this site, titled ‘Afghanistan War and Election,’ August 21, 2009 under Politics – International section, the situation reported to be deteriorating in two different aspects, the war and the controversial election results.
With respect to the eight-year-old war – the insurgency is the calculated guerilla warfare, the page taken from Vietnam era and the terrorist tactic to stymie the Western forces equipped with modern weaponry.
The recruits comprising the natives and foreigners vulnerable to terrorists’ fundamentalism carefully chosen to endure the extreme conditions…serve as a huge advantage for the insurgency against the U.S. and NATO alliance.
Furthermore, the volatile political environment from the recent Afghan elections fraught with widespread corruption and voter fraud creating uncertainties and exacerbating the Western backed government’s credibility, again likely favorable to the Taliban militants.
Amidst chaos and carnage, the civilian populations are the victims and potential targets for the militants’ disingenuous appeasement, exploiting the turmoil to their political and militaristic gains.
Solutions: The ideal strategy for the U.S. and NATO to turn the situation around in the long embroiled battle is to focus exclusively on combat operation with the existing troop level.
It is important to remember that the war in Afghanistan is no longer a unilateral commitment by the United States. Despite the NATO involvement in the on-going military conflict and suffering immense casualties along with the United States, the international community must realize that the rise of Taliban and Al Qaeda’s refuge in that region will continue to remain the biggest threat to global security.
In light of the dynamic shift in the ceaseless war, the rest of the world has equal responsibility in restoring the embattled nation towards ‘normalcy’ with a generous financial contribution and logistic support. It’s rather unreasonable to burden the United States with the constant supply of resources in the form of troops and financial investments.
Any additional troops requirement should be supplemented with the globally represented U.N. Peacekeeping force brought to the region to protect civilian lives and interests. The deployment should also be the oversight for construction and repair of infrastructure, schools, hospitals, community centers with global aid directly invested in the civilian welfare.
In this context, it’s best to recognize that the U.N. peace keeping force would be more effective with army personnel sharing and not contrasting the socioeconomic backgrounds to overcome language and cultural barriers when dealing with the local populace in the villages and remote corners of the nation.
Under no circumstances, it should be outsourced to private enterprise such as the notorious Blackwater, now operating as Xe “pronounced like the letter ‘z,’” marred with civilian killings in Iraq and disturbing accounts in Afghanistan. In fact, such recruits have been a major threat to the locals and proven a liability to the United States in Iraq and now in Afghanistan.
Political stalemate in the national election: Although, the incumbent President Hamid Karzai is reportedly leading in the highly contested national election, the reality confirms otherwise. According to the international political watchdog groups and other reliable sources, the election results do not reflect the democratic process due to excessive power abuse by the government seeking re-election against the political challengers.
The people of Afghanistan like their fellow global citizens, deserve free and fair elections. Although, such notion widely scorned for personal motive by the demographically complex social hierarchy, the demand is justified to begin the end of the corrupt bureaucracy and the political structure.
Hence, the false victory by the ruling political faction and the head of the government not legitimized as the democratically elected leadership. Since, Afghanistan needs to invest the scarce resources in the reconstruction and economic development, the runoff election is not a prudent choice.
Therefore, the unity between the two major political candidates President Hamid Karzai and DR. Abdullah Abdullah for a coalition government is paramount to move the war torn nation forward into the twenty first century goals. Ignoring the society’s plight for political aspirations would be detrimental to any kind of progress, personal and public.
When leadership stands the test of time against all odds, it enhances the nation’s fortitude. Leaving the thought behind, the expectation from the Afghan political leaders is to prioritize the national peace, prosperity and future above all.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
Nation Bids Farewell to the Hon. Senator Edward M. Kennedy
August 29, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
The moment has arrived for the nation to acknowledge the final departure of their tireless and long serving representative, Senator Ted Kennedy, the youngest son of America’s beloved family.
Senator Kennedy, the brave survivor of many family tragedies was a true warrior in various aspects. The Senator zealously battled for the large segments of the society on significant issues and health care was the top priority among them. Senator Kennedy delivered the health care speech with sincere emotion and great concern for the neglected groups in our society.
Ted Kennedy was not prepared to settle for anything less than universal health coverage and clarified the urgency with authority and conviction. The Senator, as a veteran legislator was all too familiar with the opposition and the politics behind the ‘health care’ reform and anxiously looked forward to realizing his lifetime dream into eventuality. Therefore, it’s a test of the time for his colleagues on both sides of the aisle eulogizing the departed leader’s dynamic role in legislative history to legitimize their words into action in the matter that was appropriately the Kennedy ‘brainchild.’
In other historic issues, Senator Kennedy’s valiant declaration to endorse the candidacy of the then Senator Barack Obama led to the successful nomination and election of the President Barack Obama as the first African American breaking the long held tradition to the office of Presidency.
It’s poignant to specify that Senator Ted Kennedy had many aspirations and desires for his fellow citizens and strived to accomplish them ranging from civil rights to equal wages and opportunities for all in every possible social and economic front. Once again, despite the current political atmosphere pervasive of a legion across the party lines to represent the powerful and influential in the society.
Another phenomenal trend set by the audacious Senator was to join the minority legislators and party members in his opposition to invade a nation, Iraq based on hypothesis and concocted theories validates the experience, foresight and diligence, rare qualities in contemporary politics.
Life presents choices and decisions are consequential, sometimes with a reversible or irreversible state. Senator Ted Kennedy demonstrated repeatedly by seeking the arduous journey in legislative affairs that it’s easier to default on the promise to the constituents electing public officials to power to do the right for them but rather challenging to live up to the trust and expectations of the republic.
Ted Kennedy portrayed the latter with poise and passion.
Considering the long career span of Senator Ted Kennedy, it’s a daunting task to summarize the portfolio sparsely without compromising the achievements in the several hard fought legislative issues.
The nation comes together to bid farewell to the bastion of peace, freedom and equal rights for all Americans – natives, naturalized and others on American soil.
As we celebrate the life of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, his legacy must continue beyond the horizon of hopes in the American politics.
So long, Senator – May your soul rest in eternal peace.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
Afghanistan War and Election
August 21, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
The nation ravaged with decades of wars, terrorism, militant rule and occupation goes to the polls to exercise the basic human right, a privilege in this part of the world , while taken for granted in the U.S.of A as reflected in the health care battle.
Afghanistan known for the ruggedness and terrains with the Khyber Pass enabling invaders to move across the foreign territories in a manner as the ‘no-man’s land’ ignoring the inhabitants scattered around the vast mountainous regions.
Afghan demography is complex and beyond the grasp of understanding for Western powers and even its Central Asian neighbors. The Imperial powers from the British, Russian and now the American & NATO forces have struggled to enforce any form of stability, political or otherwise.
The tribal laws conforming to the medieval times view the progress desired by the mainstream population from the rural to the urban areas, a threat to the ancient culture and the tribal archaic ascribed to the Western influence through occupations.
Further, the abandonment of the Afghan nation by the Western forces after brutal Soviet decimation solidified the anti-trust against the Western power. Unfortunately, the desolate population then sought the support of the groups earlier recognized as the mujahedeen (combatants against struggle) trained by the CIA and fostered by the Reagan administration core foreign policy titled Reagan doctrine to challenge the Soviet rule.
Ironically, the trade tricks related to weaponry and military retaliation imparted by the sophisticated U.S. armed forces in the late 1970’s to combat Soviet presence tactfully demonstrated in the on-going war on terror between the Taliban insurgents and the U.S & NATO alliance.
Mujahedeen were nurtured through the neighbor Pakistani ISI and military aid essentially representing various multinational forces like the United States CIA, Saudi Arabia, People’s Republic of China, several Western European countries and the military regimes in Pakistan.
When the U.S. departure followed the end of Soviet occupation, the country engaged in a civil war in the late 1980’s forcing the orphans of the Mujahedeen evolve into today’s menace the Talibans. The outcome – the tiny lizard morphed into a tyrannosaurus…wreaking havoc in the Islamic Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan apart from becoming the terrorists’ haven for the terror organization Al-Qaeda and the world’s most wanted Osama Bin Laden.
Now when democracy appears to work its way through, the country riddled with bureaucracy, corruption and the ever-lucrative production of poppy fields.
What could the people of Afghanistan possibly live for and aspire in the twenty first century?
After prolonged tyranny and drudgery, the people are tired and worn out from the perpetual cycle of violence that has paralyzed progress leaving the nation behind in stone age, when the rest of the world zoomed past them reminding that Afghanistan frozen in time.
The Afghani people as part of the human race seek simple life. A life guaranteed with freedom, human rights allowing every human being to live with respect, honor and dignity. Above all, the people of Afghanistan deserve peace like their fellow citizens in Palestine, Africa and other war torn regions of the world. Women as victims of extreme hostility and abuse imploring for their release from the ideological shackles and inhumane practices shockingly happening in both the developed as well as the ‘backwaters’ of the nation.
Children, the future of any country and the world dream of normal existence such as attending schools for both girls and boys, raised by their parents and the family unit if they are lucky to survive the Western aerial bombardments via drones and the Taliban insurgency. These innocent souls, even in that environment of despair and hopelessness don’t forget to smile or pose…momentarily floating in their fantasy to be the center of the universe for the international press and media.
When they grow up, the men have the options to either become a terror network recruit or hired by the tribal warlords to toil in the poppy fields contributing to the flourishing narcotic industry. The alternative for young women is to become the obedient slave in the male chauvinistic society regardless of the Western backed and financed political leaderships in Kabul.
It’s relevant to analyze the objective and achievements by the U.S. led war against terror mission in this region. After consuming millions of Afghani lives as well as American/NATO casualties and billions of American taxpayer dollars the status quo is –
There is no information on Osama Bin Laden, Talibanization of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan leading to Pakistani military action in Waziristan and the Swat Valley, fragmented Al-Qaeda temporarily relocating to Somalia while controlling operation in Pakistan.
In terms of the U.S. national security, the war in Afghanistan claimed to be justified.
How long is the war in Afghanistan long enough for the U.S. and allied forces?
Has continued U.S. aggression eliminated terror forces from the region?
One might argue that there have been no attacks against U.S. interests since 9/11 as a result of the continuous drone and ground attacks in Afghanistan. It could serve as a legitimate argument,
However, the fact of the matter is the terrorists believe that they gain nothing from repeating September 11 attacks. The motive behind September 11 was to inflict economic chaos and constrict the once booming U.S. economy, which the terror network accomplished with the catastrophic terrorist activity. The economic turmoil further exacerbated with the previous administrations’ Machiavellian Iraq adventure exceeding Al-Qaeda’s expectations to reign in on the U.S. economic progress.
Instead, Al-Qaeda diverted its attention to Iraq’s battleground with their insurgencies to prolong the Iraqi conflict in their aim to continue draining the U.S. treasury.
Meanwhile, the re-emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan issuing death warrants to the electorate and forbidding them from going to the voting booths confirm the insurgents’ defiance against the U.S. and NATO forces. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda’s primary goal is to re-establish their Sharia law governance and headquarters in Afghanistan. They will fight fiercely until the Western power exhausted of the never-ending guerilla warfare that the West proven weaker at… for e.g. Vietnam, Iraq and in Afghanistan.
The Drones might be successful in reducing the U.S and NATO casualties and seemingly achieving their targets, but the major problem of the entire warfare strategy lies in the massive civilian loss of lives from this operation. Although, the Taliban insurgents counteracting the Western drone attacks by blending in with the civilians in the remote and rural regions, the Afghani government and the people view the incidents as Western negligence given the past track record and remarks by the ex-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the civilian deaths in Kabul in 2001 – “collateral damages in war.”
No populace would like the eternal presence of foreign troops on their soil, whether it’s Afghanistan or Iraq, irrespective of the occupiers’ mission. The hypocrisy is conspicuous when the U.S. conservative agenda vehemently opposes the ‘illegal’ immigrants represented by the unarmed civilians and in the same breath relentlessly supports the ‘illegal military invasion and occupation’ of foreign lands whether it is Iraq or Afghanistan.
How does the U.S and NATO make progress in the rocky Afghanistan?
First, eliminating the arsenal and arms supply to the insurgents would considerably debilitate the militants’ strength. Detecting the providers and enforcing severe international arms control would substantially relieve the U.S. and NATO command from any additional troops requirement. Similar techniques in Iraq would reduce the internal violence over there.
The immediate implementation of such methods would not only protect immense lives from all sides but also greatly help the U.S. economy from the war spending and investing in the life saving “National health care with public option.”
Second, allocating a major segment of the military operation towards nation building like infrastructure, schools and hospitals rather than held responsible for national chaos and killings. This would easily win the hearts and minds of the local population.
Last but not the least, paving way for job creations in both agricultural and industrial sector would gradually lead to the emancipation of the society. Afghanistan believed to be thriving in poppy plants yielding Opium. Likewise, Afghanistan has other valuable cash crops with vast potential to become a leading exporter of dry fruits and nuts, other than woolen products – clothing, shawls, carpets, rugs and silver, mineral ore etc.
Therefore, substituting Opium with healthy life sustenance crops like wheat, nuts, dry fruits and setting up woolen mills and carpet manufacturing guaranteed to revive hope and change that is long overdue in this nation.
The United States, European countries as well as developing nations like India and others should collectively promote the Afghanistan economy by easing the trade tariffs and quotas for these products and facilitate the trade flow from this long battered nation.
With respect to the political system – Unless and until the substantial corruption, bureaucracy and nepotism restrained if not eradicated from the political structure, no western power can succeed in the democratization of this demographically estranged society.
The incumbent administration under President Hamid Karzai, survivor of several assassination plots and attempts by the alleged Pakistani ISI supported Talibans up until early this year, has disappointed the international community on a range of issues.
President Karzai’s inability and lack of interest in housekeeping specifically the Opium production, minimizing government bureaucracy leading to corruptions, alleviating the nation’s poverty and devising any effective plan for job creations and economic growth has undermined regional advancement given the tribal control of the remaining areas.
Moreover, the Karzai government’s endorsement of social injustice towards women slighting women’s rights in the marital relationship is a matter of deep concern and violates the democratic norm in a society represented by the Western sponsored leadership.
According to various news reports, the voter turnout was relatively low as a result of the Taliban’s stern warnings to harm the electorate.
In light of the above perspective, Afghanistan would be better off with a coalition government of the three contenders – President Hamid Karzai, DR. Abdullah Abdullah and DR. Ashraf Ghani exchanging ideas, sharing intellect and experience in a concerted effort to move the war torn nation forward to the twenty first century. In addition, the fractured society would benefit from the collective talent and experience of the consolidated government, besides maintaining checks and balances on activities hindering the democratic functions.
On that note, Best Wishes offered to the new government in Afghanistan with peace, progress and prosperity in the immediate future.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
People’s Republic of China – The Deadly Dragon
August 13, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
Profile – The world’s most populous nation, hailed the emerging economic power presumably in control of the U.S. Treasury and the EU Exchequer, world’s third largest country by total area and the second largest by … ranges forming China’s borders with India and Central Asia.
As the longest thriving Communist power, the totalitarian government embraced Capitalism parallel to its political setting with absolute control on policies directly contradictory to the free market system in the rest of the world.
Politically a Communist and economically a Capitalist nation, China is also a venerable member of the United Nations Security Council for reasons unfitting during the most important U.N. Structural formation post World War II. This has resulted in the excessive use of veto power by the authoritarian rule against all things humane and universally beneficial.
The Communist nation denounced as the fascist government in the new millennium by its enormous population, oppressed, repressed and deprived of basic human rights particularly the freedom of speech and the ominous communication censorship.
Tiananmen Square killings is a stark reminder to the global community that when a nation do not hesitate to murder scores of its unarmed civilians in worldview, it can never be taken for granted in the safe treatment of its neighbors. Case evidenced in the invasion and butchering of innocent Tibetan monks, men, women and children and the interference in neighboring Nepal’s politics by thrusting ‘Communism,’ on the entire ‘Hindu’ population unfamiliar with the concept until China’s arrival.
Just recently, the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre observed solemnly and cautiously not on Chinese soil but elsewhere in an effort not to rock the ‘tug boat’ upheld as the Titanic due to the illusionary overcast in the perception among the world operatives.
The world must pay attention and act swiftly on the dragon nation’s role in the geo-political, economic, social, cultural and environmental issues.
In the economic front, the Communist regime gained advantage in the latter part of the twentieth century predominantly because of the pervasive economic boom in the United States and across the world with a sharp escalation in demands on a wide spectrum of consumer goods.
China wasted no time and seized the opportunity to strengthen the supplier status as the world’s largest ‘manufacturing warehouse’ sparing no consumer articles. In addition, China single handedly wiped out the prospects of any viable competition in the global economy with the ‘bargain’ deals as a tool… in attracting big and small manufacturers around the world.
Most businesses neglected their own workforce for the Communist governed rigid market. While others ignored poor and developing nations despite, their flexibility to the free market factors.
The surge in demands during the nineties from the U.S. and global prosperity prompted the secretive and secluded Chinese political system to break away from the economic protectionism and adopt a customized capitalism within the confines of Communism.
It’s essential to note the ironies in the treatment of Communist countries by the Western governments, i.e. the United States and Europe.
The ideal example is the Latin neighbor across the Caribbean, a long time foe of the United States, the ‘Communist’ Cuba that led to the nerve racking Cuban Missile Crisis, shortly halting the world on the possible confrontation between the nuclear Super Powers, the United States and the former Soviet Union.
Cuba has been isolated for decades and now there appears to be a glimpse of hope in the relationship between the United States and the Cuban authority, attributable to President Obama’s diplomacy message. The economic sanctions and travel restrictions (recently eased by President Obama) against Cuba on the charges of human rights violation and non-democratic power only punished the long-suffering Cuban population rather than achieving the intended goal to remove the ‘Communist’ power.
On the Contrary, the Communist China with no respect for international or humanitarian law crowned the world leader and perpetually granted MFN (Most Favored Nation) status along with premium membership in WTO (World Trade Organization)…
Such rewards speak volume about the hypocrisy in the Western foreign policy, not to mention the lack of courage in clipping the wings of the scavenger bird…inadvertently allowing the Communist nation’s dominance in the world economy and political sphere to the detriment of regional and global peace and security.
Why should the global population awaken to the Communist China’s Supremacy?
Apart from history related to foot binding and gleefully dispensing lives to build the landmark -‘Great Wall of China.’ the Chinese regime’s atrocities and recalcitrant conduct in dealing with the free market investors and entrepreneurs deserve scrutiny.
As stated above, China has artfully manipulated their currency to weaken the U.S. dollar and the investment in U.S. Treasury Notes is an insurance to bind the United States financially making it symbolic with the free and democratic USA indebted to a repressive Chinese regime. The scenario enabling the unruly government to relentlessly engage in arms supply to the impoverished regions of the world such as Darfur, Sudan, Congo, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and others.
Chinese aggressive takeover of the mass production of consumer goods has killed NAFTA, CAFTA… and responsible for countries like Mexico embroiled in war against the Drug Cartels emerging from poverty, despair and hopelessness, notwithstanding the other poorest nations unable to compete with China in winning the favorable trading status or luring manufacturing investments in their respective countries. Simply put, the Chinese over-indulgence negated chances for poorer nations in exporting goods to the consumer buoyant U.S. market.
With respect to trade and commerce, China’s latest ban on world-renowned ‘Google’ search engine on the bizarre pretext of protecting its population from pornography is an ill-conceived hogwash with nothing to rest on. Likewise, in the software saga – the mandatory requirement for all PC’s to contain built-in software in compliance with the regime’s prohibition of the free expression in the modern technological age is the direct imposition of Communist rule of law – “My way or High Way.”
Further, China is unique in the intellectual property warfare by leading the amateurs in the piracy, forging the patent right and the copyright of products and services especially with the ones manufactured in the USA.
Again, if it’s rampant in the publishing field, it’s potent in the music industry with the downloading of music and DVDs, endless supply of unauthorized imitations/copies of Hollywood movies prior to the legal distribution in the world market…
China’s monopoly in the cyberspace by preventing free market competition in accessing the expansive market share of the Chinese users aptly qualifies for the ‘big bully’ title.
It’s unwillingness to cooperate with France on the recommendation to hold overseas Corporations accountable for tax evasion through tax havens is a testimony to the regime’s lack of integrity.
International Sports like Beijing Olympics – China’s strategy to stomp USA by any means – hook or crook duly reported in the accidental slip of the Chinese on-line media and the vigilant international press. It has a specific reference to the cruel detainment of young Chinese athletes trained for ‘Gymnastics’ in the extreme and strenuous conditions against the International Olympic guidelines safeguarding the athletes’ interests.
In the scientific arena, the organ extortion for transplants and experiment turned a blind eye by the Communist authority, otherwise a stickler for rules and regulations enforced against normal existence.
Social Protocol – China’s population control measure involving one child policy triggered infanticide and alarming number of orphans especially female children in the appalling orphanages pleading the authorities to care for them.
Weapons of Mass Destruction – Easily delivered through food and various consumer products as experienced in the toxic toothpaste and lead based children’s toys, not excluding the leaking battery cells in laptop computers causing explosion in some incidents – from items manufactured in China.
Environment is oxymoron to the world’s largest polluter investing in gusto on fossil fuel from Australia and refusing to commit to greenhouse gas reduction by limiting carbon emission.
Similarly, an utter disregard for life in general, human trafficking is a normal activity and a huge lucrative trade carried out in a smooth operation with the knowledge of the regime within, along the borders and outside China by the undesirable elements normally serving time in prison in the lawful regions.
China’s footprints are traceable in almost every civil war and ethnic cleansing across the globe, being the voracious supplier of deadly and dangerous weapons. The military industrial complex thrives with the active purveyor like China.
China is guilty of genocide in Darfur, Sri Lankan ethnic cleansing, and most poignantly invasion, occupation and systemic violation of the peaceful and pious Tibetan population and culture.
Chinese Communist regime is the avant- guard and a substantial aid to militant North Korea, Burma, Sudan, Iran to name a few. It doesn’t fall behind in being a staunch ally to Pakistan in instigating and stirring tension with its nuclear neighbor India.
China’s role in the U.N. Security Council thus far is, remaining a vehement opponent of effective action against North Korea, Burma, Iran and dictatorships around the world.
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What is the deadly dragon up to now in the region?
China’s insatiable appetite revealed in the most shocking and astonishing developments that would engulf the entire world if not intervened immediately.
The Chinese Communist regime invaded and destroyed the tranquility of the rich Tibetan culture and the peace loving Tibetan Buddhists, followed by the successful influence of ‘Communism’ on the ‘Hindu’ nation, Nepal. All of this happened on the international watch.
At present, the regime is in full preparation to take the world by storm with the aggressive invasion of the world’s largest democracy and the unfortunate closest neighbor, India.
Yes, you heard it right.
China has been active and infiltrating into the north and north eastern borders of India for quite some time and now the emboldened regime with the political and economic clout considers the moment ripe to devour the democratic, secular and nuclear India.
The Communist regime has mobilized the vast army through bullet trains and high speed transportations and solidly planning to surround the Indian borders on all sides. It’s just a matter of time.
Lately, the Chinese Think Tank, China International Institute for Strategic Studies (WWW.CIISS.ORG) masterminded a plan for the authoritarian rule and made the following proposal.
According to the plan, the regime advised to split India into 30 segments as India has 28 states and 7 union territories. Chinese regime asked to approach the vulnerable small and big nations such as Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan in the North and Bangladesh in the North East to assist in disintegrating India like Europe and the former Soviet Union.
The plan is to divide India on ethnic and religious diversity by having each neighbor assigned with a specific task aided by the totalitarian China.
The think tank detailed the devious operation beginning from North India, Kashmir aptly assigned to nuclear Pakistan, West Bengal in the eastern border to Bangladesh because of similar ethnicity, create separatist movement in Tamil Nadu, Southern India and force India to concede to the fragmentation of itself.
China’s behavior doesn’t come as a surprise. China betrayed India soon after the long fought independence from the British Empire. China ambushed India in the most cowardly manner.
The Western-educated and political savvy, First Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru extended India’s friendship hand only to be bitten harshly by the Communist leadership in China, Zhou Enlai also known as Chou En-lai and the prominent Mao Zedong.
What should India do to thwart the aggression from the predator China?
Firstly, India must launch an aggressive campaign educating and addressing the rural and disenchanted mass in the local languages and dialects about China’s dubious plan. The Congress government and party must simultaneously resolve the pressing issues of the local population to build the necessary confidence and trust towards the government and the agencies.
India’s rescue from the monster attack depends on every citizen regardless of background, standing up to unite the nation and promote solidarity by rejecting the Chinese orchestrated propaganda targeting the weak and the gullible populace.
It’s truly a testing time for every Indian to display their patriotism and reach out to those who are confused and disoriented about the great future of the world’s largest democracy.
Remember the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi’s words – No matter what, India is a secular nation and will remain so now and in the future. It is the duty of the brave and smart citizens of India to demonstrate resolve against the foreign infiltration, and keep India unified at all costs.
Remind your fellow Indian citizens that irrespective of race, religion, skin color and socio-economic status, they are children of God. Everyone must come together as a national force and not a regional threat against one another falling into the enemy’s booby trap.
Bollywood could play a significant role through documentary or commercial films on the national unity theme. Don’t fail to include the footage of Tiananmen Square and present the realities of split Europe then and the unified Europe now through European Union. Also, provide the horrible images of the persecution of Tibetans, in the Tibet occupied by China and the plight of the ethnic Muslim population in the Chinese province.
Message for the regional neighbors – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan:
The message replicated for the governments and the people of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal not to commit the blunder of aiding and abetting with the Communist regime in China that disregarded and disinherited its own people in the past and present. In fact, it would be foolhardy for the neighbors to set fire to the common habitat.
The government and the people of Bangladesh should not believe in the Communist rumors against Indian regional politics and refrain from becoming part of the political quagmire in the region.
Relevantly, Bangladesh will not be a free nation today, if not for the sacrifice of the Indian blood in the 1971 war against Pakistan to liberate the formerly known East Pakistan, that later became Bangladesh.
As for Bhutan and Nepal, heeding to the advice of the brutal Chinese regime to stir tensions or an uprising against India will be a political suicide and sure to backfire sooner than later resembling the fate of oppressed Tibet by China.
Pakistan as a mature nation should well understand that every action has equal and opposite reaction. The Communist China might project India as the vitriolic rival; however, the Chinese authority’s regional ambition should not be underestimated.
Any assistance by Pakistan to China in destabilizing India would be analogous to the naïve adolescent riding on the crocodile/alligator’s back to get across the river banks, only to become the scrumptious feast for the ever hungry marsh land creature.
The people of Indian Kashmir experiencing the freedom, peace, political and economic stability on the Indian side should not fall for misguided tales and lies through agents of the Chinese regime. Kashmiris should take a hard look at the Pakistan riddled with the militants occupation, terrorist camps and eternal chaos of suicide bombings, explosions contributing widespread fear among the Pakistani population about their security and future…
People of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal acknowledged for their sharp intellect should unanimously shun the foreign sources hired to sabotage the Indian national interest and stay committed towards the national defense.
Warning to the mighty and presumptuous People’s Republic of China that has neither represented the people nor demonstrated as the republic:
Based on the adequately available evidence, the Chinese troops mobilization along the north and north eastern borders of India must be withdrawn effective immediately and unconditionally. China has no business lingering around and near the clearly demarcated Indian territories.
The CIISS think tank diabolical strategy to distract the Chinese population drowned in decades of misery as political prisoners and the onset of economic gloom following the short-lived cornucopia do not justify the vicious and treacherous plot against neighboring India doing no harm whatsoever to the Chinese regime or the people of China.
If the Communist regime accepts the so-called think tank proposal and acts upon it to camouflage the domestic problems of different kinds –frustration among pro-democracy youth, unrest, ethnic tension with the Muslim population, uncertain economy, growing unemployment…
It would lead to devastating Galactic response with a great deal of variation. Any nation on planet earth in possession of the vast armed forces and nuclear arsenal is not invincible and therefore such assumption is purely delusional.
China’s despot leadership comprising Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao should not underestimate the prophetic call and proceed to the destination of peril with the troop amassment around India.
It is clear to the international community that the Chinese leadership involvement in Darfur genocide, abuse of Tibetan population and suppression of democracy movement in China…unequivocally a humanitarian crime of greater impact in modern times.
Hence, it would justify calling for the worldwide boycott of goods and services from China and withdrawal of investments in hybrid or exclusive Chinese holdings by citizens for global peace and democracy.
The reconfiguration of the U.N. Security Council delivered for a purpose and the United Nations expected to act in accordance with the new world order. Any slight of the information would render the United Nations incapacitated confirming the majority opinion on the U.N. validity.
Finally, China’s activities along the Indian borders is an invitation to a free fall from the economic cliff with serious ramifications and failure to heed to the call would be catastrophic, perhaps in the form of assorted natural disasters.
It’s time for the universe to recognize the devil in disguise behind the masqueraded deadly dragon.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
Too Good to be True
August 2, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
Throughout history, human reaction to anything unknown, unfamiliar is to cast a shadow of doubt and skepticism reminiscent of “Jesus archetype.”
Human nature is to probe and draw conclusions based on the personal understanding or the lack thereof regardless of the consequences from such action. In the earlier days, it’s a collective effort usually orchestrated by a prominent individual or a group using affluence to influence the mass conception.
When a Jewish born shepherd descended upon earth to spread the message from the celestial supreme being on the birth of a new religion called Christianity adding diversity to the religious sphere, it created pandemonium across the social and religious helm.
The preacher then misconstrued as an impostor denied access to public discourse by the presumptuous lords on the earth holding themselves to the highest moral decorum later proven otherwise among many.
What’s the change between the ancient and modern times in the treatment of presumed paranormal events?
In the olden days, they crucified them and in the modern days they vilify them.
It’s important to relate to the contemporary moment and put the hysteria to rest.
When an individual contributes to public affairs as a citizen journalist through blog posts on sensitive topics, the content evaluated to suit one’s own belief, experience, ideology and personal discretions.
It applies to most publications with fewer exceptions.
Although, the recent battery of charges, innuendoes and insinuations are nothing new considering the dramatic 2008 Presidential campaign saga prompting behind the scenes scrutiny of the nuisance ‘blogger’ in the national political arena touted as an ‘unqualified’ and ‘illiterate’ foreigner, a possible liaison of undesirable elements…i.e.
Padmini Arhant, an American of Indian (India) origin, a Californian resident, the author, editor and publisher of the website www.padminiarhant.com. The unquenchable quest for information on the force behind the voice continues until date.
The probable cause related to the absence of Western education particularly the elite institutions, publications (personal or ghost written) CEO of AIG, BEAR STEARNS, WORLD COM, ENRON synonymous… aside from personal characteristics like ethnicity, religion, language, gender and last but not the least detailing to the appearance of shape, size, no glitz or glamor.
Despite releasing the comprehensive personal profile for Universal view on the cyber space, the propaganda and malicious rumors with incendiary comments such as:
‘Why can’t the blogger preparing the political meal with a hot sauce step up and reveal thyself as the masked Zorro rather than a street thug with a truncheon” – The pleasantry from an overarching local beholding himself to the absolute form of transparency in the personal accusation of someone he is clueless about.
“The Corporate Bashing, Anti- Profit Martian and Communist” – Comment from a network specializing in divisive, polarizing demagoguery, otherwise desperate journalism – (Obviously, the compliment resulting from the ‘Corporate mismanagement of health care and economy’ enlightened on the cited website).
Here is a personal tip to the controversy. How about an alien from Mercury – Reference Greek Mythology?
Perhaps might provide a clue to the trivial pursuit.
Besides the flattery from the predictable irate representatives of the ‘so-called’ civil interests, the spotlight craving divas of politico domain with serious credibility issues had similar sentiments in the spirit of camaraderie.
One of them abandoning the electorate and quitting the national scene in breach of ethical laws not to mention the abuse of power berated ‘Hollywood’ with a special reference to a ‘tiny starlet’ implying the subject likely crawling instead of walking upright arousing further suspicion about the alleged alien pretending to be a homosapien.
Likewise, the other proclaimed to be liberal, suffering from distinctive syndrome parading cable and other major networks to promote the re-publishing of ghost written events refreshed with unattributed work from others, remarked about the current ‘ethnic minority’ phase apart from psychoanalyzing the blogger with a possible native accent and therefore not in the public eye. After being disappointed with the false prediction, the diva’s turnaround was the accent is perhaps ‘put on’ improvised, hence not authentic. In all likelihood, not an American.
In addition, the same entity did not fall short of providing the unauthorized blogger’s details on Google map through their official on-line publication political website as a revelation to the national and international community at large. Again linking without prior consent or knowledge. Further, the blogger’s campaign donation to Obama candidacy highlighted as a matter of concern during the election while ignoring the AIG executives’ personal donations to political campaigns listed on the www.padminiarhant.com.
So much for responsible journalism!
The identity politics attack on new voices by the insecure selective media and certain press corps including the on-line publications as mentioned above, signify emulation arising from acute shortage of integrity and ethics.
In light of the ethno phobia environment, it’s poignant to flashback a historical political event involving the then reigning Colonial power of Great Britain and the previously agricultural India represented by the frail bespectacled, yet resilient individual named M.K.Gandhi
During the colonial occupation of India, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Mr. Winston Churchill, often remembered by the present Western political figures in a positive frame of mind, constantly addressed the representative of the poor and the impoverished millions not only in the Indian soil but around the world, M.K.Gandhi as –
The “Half Naked Fakir” – the Urdu translation of Fakir is beggar.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the “half naked beggar’ for the colonialists at that time. Since Gandhiji became the force to reckon with and a menace to the occupiers, he travelled to Britain not by ‘Air Force One’ equivalent, but instead sailed across the treacherous seas for weeks and months at a time. The mocked Indian was exemplary in the interpretation of the Colonial Power rule of law in their native language on their turf.
How did Great Britain receive Gandhiji?
Gandhiji frequently summoned and never seated by the over-lauded Winston Churchill, unabashedly denigrating the native of the occupied land as a ‘Half Naked Beggar.’
What a gargantuan army would not have attained, the iron-willed ‘half naked beggar’ eventually prevailed and achieved a monumental victory against the mighty Imperial power that came crumbling down and forced to quit India with the tail between their legs.
How did he do it?
As the pioneer of Peace and Non-violence, he grieved with the holocaust victims and at the same time bemoaned for the Palestinian rights and homeland. Gandhi as a true humanitarian brought the oppressive apartheid in South Africa to international focus and called for worldwide condemnation amidst Colonial era. He was the first international volunteer to picket against the Dutch Africans regime in South Africa.
Did he discriminate against the people of the Colonial nation, The Great Britain?
On the contrary, Gandhiji was instrumental in improving the conditions in terms of better wages for the ‘all white’ cotton mill workers in Manchester, England by threatening to boycott goods produced at the expense of the poor in England.
Gandhiji went on to become the inspiration and mentor for DR. Martin Luther King, Jr., and DR. Nelson Mandela committed towards freedom, equal rights and opportunities.
Gandhiji did not earn the title Mahatma (the superior soul, also the noble soul) for nothing.
Tragically, today some political figures, corporations, certain journalists, reporters in the press, media and airwaves propagate hatred; provoke thoughts aimed at the President of the United States as well as others selflessly dedicating their entire time towards national progress and humanitarian cause.
The present motto for even few established cable networks is –
Pandering to some by slandering others.
This article would be incomplete without stating the latest bizarre attempt to disparage the office of the Presidency by insisting that President Barack Obama is allegedly a foreigner confirmed through the clairvoyant’s crystal ball per the self-proclaimed prophets in the media posturing to speak nothing but the ‘Gospel’ Truth.
Unfortunately, these agents of divide and diminish policies suffer from selective amnesia as not long ago they were trying to amend the consitution to allow the Austrian born Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Republican Presidential candidate in the foreseeable future. As if, it’s not enough that the State of California’s progress held hostage, they wanted enlarged nationally.
Surely, events change according to the political dynamics for the insular groups shackled within the prism of narrow mind.
Another phenomenal fact pertaining to a foreigner embraced worldwide specifically in the United States is Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, a Palestinian City in the central West Bank.
Lord Jesus neither born in the United States of America, nor ever visited the continent.
Nevertheless, millions throng to the holy sons’ place of worship.
I hope that there will not be a time when Jesus’ birth certificate demanded to approve the worship of the savior and the true son of God, here in the United States, since the Lord is the ruler of the kingdom.
Indeed, Too good to be True.
The epitome of discriminatory practices clearly a reflection among the segment unable to distinguish illusion from reality and constantly strive to prove truth as false and falsehood an embodiment of truth.
Too much emphasis on the perishable body and very little concentration on the immortal soul,
only if one can find it within.
Illusion stems from ignorance and ignorance feeds hypocrisy.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
(Author, Editor and Publisher of www.padminiarhant.com)
Mobilize America on Health Care Reform
July 26, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
Given the partisanship in Washington, the special interests and their representatives in the legislature along with the repugnant network, are emboldened more than ever to kill the health care reform simply because they are deluded in their employment security with a premium health care and a handsome reward from the industries hiring them to stomp the process.
This whole hysteria about the government incapable of handling anything right is nothing but a calculated propaganda by the health care conglomerate reluctant to part with the thriving profiteering racket within the industry.
Who is actually responsible for the current economic mess, worsening unemployment, environmental deterioration and fluctuating energy crisis?
It’s none other than the Corporations running the world empire from the financial markets, health care, energy down to the government. The Corporations through enormous funding into election campaigns and beyond successfully force their agenda by proxy in the legislation as currently witnessed in the health care, energy and financial debacle.
A classic example is the ominous California budget – deal struck between the recalcitrant Republican authorities comprising the Governor, the minority group and the special interests at the expense of the nation’s future i.e. everything to do with children from their health, human services to education and the environment.
The rumor on the rising lack of confidence among the American public towards the government performance is due for a truthful and candid explanation to demystify the myth created by the oligarchs.
The handling of Iraq war, Katrina, financial crisis and the gamut of catastrophes in the past eight years referred to as the ‘government’ failure in the present debate targeting the health care legislation
.
ALTHOUGH, THE OPERATIONS SEEMINGLY RUN BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, IT’S A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT THE BUSH-CHENEY GOVERNMENT WAS NEVER DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED DURING BOTH TERMS.
IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A CHENEY’S ‘HALLIBURTON’, THE ENERGY CARTELS – EXXON MOBIL, CHEVRON DOMINATED, AND THE CREAM OF THE CROP – HENRY PAULSON’S ALMA MATER GOLDMAN SACHS AND SUBORDINATES IN THE WALL STREET MANAGED À LA CARTE ADMINISTRATION.
During the first term, in the 2000 elections the Supreme Court, the highest Court in the land returning its favor to the political faction by nominating their preferred candidate to the highest office in the land. Never mind about the popular vote and other legitimate factors in a democracy.
In the second term, the pre-meditated premise to invade Iraq besides the precisely calibrated nation unable to reject a wartime President despite the scandals and looming economic crisis camouflaged with color coded national security threat tactics, notwithstanding the deliberate malfunctioning of the electronic voting machines was symbolic in the ‘so-called’ democratic election.
Ironically, the nation particularly the privileged lawmakers with some of them having direct access to the classified information abdicated their constitutional oath to defend the sovereignty from peril, instead followed the historically deceitful administration in droves and completely swept off their feet in the ‘weapons of mass deception’ moment. They not only supported the President George W. Bush leading the nation literally to the Death Valley but also rallied behind the propaganda war machines in the media.
Perhaps, if there were any consideration then for the impact on the national deficit and the long-term economic turmoil, their constituents as the citizens of the United States would not be at the mercy of the corporate power pulling strings on the puppet legislators.
However, now when there is a real opportunity for the people to lead the governance of the nation in the most important issue of health care concerning their own life and the loved ones, the polarization on both sides of the political aisles is not surprising.
If the issue is all about costs then the legislators must earnestly review the prevailing costs driven predominantly by the health industry’s greed in the disproportionate profits draining the economy by the hour, not to mention the precious lives lost due to the partisan procrastination.
As for the Conservative Democrats, aka the blue dog members stalling the issue based on lower payments for the medical providers in the rural communities, the solution would be to set a fair standard with equal pay for all in the medical community to incentivize medical professionals outreaching the poorly served remote country areas.
This might give another reason for the opponents to distract the legislative course as further increase on the costs; again, the reallocation of the existing redundant costs would effectively address the genuine requirement.
Most legislative matters from the stimulus bills to various legislations are subject to unnecessary gridlock by the opponents on the pretext of the ‘volume’ of the information in the bill. It would save time and resources for the democratic majority and the White House administration to concise the enormity of these bills with clear and specific data relevant to all.
For instance, since utilizing technology to the maximum potential is one of the highlights of this reform, demonstrating the historic legislation with facts and figures to the public and the concerned parties would be authentic. The contemporary health care costs featured on –
The National Coalition on Health Care – NCHC Cost Fact Sheet 2009,
Source: http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml is a yardstick for trimming and improvising the macro health care budget.
The presentation must involve categories and important details such as:
What are the deductibles and co-payments under public option?
Is there any variation in costs with respect to the visit to a doctor’s office and the hospital?
Having multiple tiers in the coverage would be beneficial to both the public option plan and the consumers. The healthy population with no health insurance as a result of the current exorbitant insurance cost might be better off with at least a basic coverage for emergencies. Similarly, enabling the population with pre-existing illnesses subscribe to the appropriate insurance coverage and others depending on the personal medical history and conditions purchase the desirable and affordable coverage under public option.
Human Genomics science will enormously aid in this regard.
Certain procedures and treatments are available in private clinics and medical centers. Will the public option cover patients using those facilities for convenience and easy access, if the medical expenses are comparable – being less or equal?
Does the public option parallel with the private sector in the mandatory referrals from the primary care providers and the hierarchy for hospital treatments and procedures?
Or
Public option simplified with the hospital administration electronically verifying and billing the government by eliminating the intermediaries.
Under the exclusively private enterprise health care system, mothers and their new born babies after child birth are regularly forced out of the hospitals within twenty four to forty eight hours only to be readmitted for any complications arising from haste delivery. Thus costing everyone involved more and generating profit for the hospital industry, while the liability transferred on to the ‘supposedly’ safe and satisfied healthy insured clients by the insurance industry.
Relating to a personal experience, despite possessing the best/expensive insurance coverage during childbirth in the United States with one child born in the U.S. under the private health care system, when compared with the similar experience in the public-private medicine in Australia for another childbirth made a world of difference.
In both situations, the problems were identical with the babies developing neonatal jaundice, a common occurrence yet in the U.S.; it involved readmission in the hospital and boarding for the mother to facilitate nursing the baby undergoing treatment for the illness. By contrast, in Australia, the mother and child monitored until complete recovery and were able to deal with the same problem during that course costing less and simultaneously avoiding other health issues.
Does public option cover all aspects of health problems in the realm of modern medicine?
How much will it cost the average citizen and the insurer i.e. the government for the basic coverage?
Laying out the costs for the different tiers and categories from the pediatric to geriatric care would clarify the doubts and skepticism in the public mind. In addition, the Medicare and Medicaid situation needs elaboration under the new plan.
What the healthy insured do not realize with the status quo is, the unreasonable premiums to the insurance industry through employer-employee contributions, and above all the excess costs incurred on others with serious medical issues distributed across the board by default. The insurance industry constantly penalizes the healthy and under-utilized insurance holders by relieving itself from the financial burden created by their own profit-oriented policy.
Other matter related to the pre-existing illnesses and unaffordability is costing the county hospitals tremendously and ultimately paid by the taxpayers rather than the system with a universal coverage.
No matter how hard the opponents try to masquerade the national health care crisis under the free enterprise management, the overwhelming truth is the health care in the United States is in shambles and need urgent overhauling with respect to quality, choice and costs as urged by the President Barack Obama.
The U.S. economy cannot sustain the burgeoning health care costs and allow the health care industry continue with the ‘business as usual’ philosophy that is increasingly becoming a personal health and financial nightmare for every American.
If all fails in light of the numerous accounts and sufferings shared by the millions of citizens, it’s time for every unemployed and underemployed American to consider running for the public office in 2010 elections and remove the stalemate contributors in the state capitols and Washington from the path towards national progress and prosperity.
The uninsured and unemployed citizens as the future office bearers must note that seeking a position in the public office not only assures a job security but also comes with the best health coverage that they are being deprived of now.
Only a political challenge can bring about the real change to the system contaminated by the deadly carcinogens called the special interests.
Please mobilize America by calling the public office holders representing every constituent to honor the oath and safeguard the interests of the people entrusting power to them in a democracy and not the lobbyists financing their campaigns.
The health care reform is a life and death matter. It’s like a wildfire that would burn down the common habitat regardless of its origin.
So, please act immediately for your own survival and rescue your loved ones from the tyranny of
profit seeking multinational free market.
Change is real when it happens from the bottom up rather than the top bottom.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
–
National Unemployment and the Economic Status
July 23, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
The ravenous economy has absorbed about $3.7 trillion dollars via bailouts and stimulus plans, (please refer to individual stimulus package topics for breakdown) yet the nation’s jobless rate rising like a tidal wave rather than settling along the shores. Several arguments mounting regarding the precarious job situation across the nation with some fifteen states like California, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and others experiencing double digit in job losses accumulated over a period of time.
Not surprisingly, criticisms with an ominous prediction such as a possible return of the ‘Great Depression’ from various political and economic factions pouring against the current administration’s level of action and apparent inaction in averting the precipitous decline of the job market.
The irony being, President Obama’s opponents and fierce critics expressing deep concerns over the present generation’s children and grandchildren burdened with the burgeoning multi-trillion dollars national deficit from the ‘supposedly’ bizarre and revolutionary health care reform.
Unfortunately, the pervasive selective memory among the cynics forbids anyone from reminding the junkyard legacy by the previous administration. Nevertheless, it’s important to revisit the situation in order to find a pragmatic and an effective cure for the epidemic unlike a band-aid treatment tactic by the prior administration.
As detailed earlier on many occasions, the wild adventures in the past eight years eroded the fundamentals of the capitalist system. Immediately following the 9/11 attacks, the widespread panic about the United States economic and national security surely had an impact on the American investments ranging from housing to stock market including the exodus of some expatriates selling homes combined with the withdrawal of their investments.
The Bush-Cheney administration laid out the extravagant scheme to trump the situation with yet another war by invading Iraq when the mission in Afghanistan had barely begun. Conservative ideology dictates that wars promote prosperity. Actually, the notion might not be far-fetched because wars are highly beneficial to the nexus group gambling with others’ life and nation’s wealth.
When the administration inheriting a surplus economy engaged in a dubious agenda at the most improper and inconvenient time, the market conditions in 2002 and onwards became more volatile due to enormous speculations surrounding the United States affordability to wage another war.
The Bush-Cheney administration sailed through the storm with false assurances and blatant lies that Iraq war would be self-funded through oil revenues expected to be reaped exclusively by the United States in return for the establishment of democracy.
One must also not forget the administrations’ prophesy on the premature valentine’s day celebration by the cheering Iraqis handing out rose bouquets to the U.S. occupying forces at the expense of their blood and national treasury.
The excessive borrowing commenced at the dawn of the Iraq war with the fiscal conservatives now objecting to their constituents’ health care benefits, then turning a blind eye and signing a blank check to an unarguably a corrupt administration.
Funding two simultaneous wars converted the national surplus to national deficit adversely affecting the Treasury Notes and subsequently the U.S. currency in the international market. In the backdrop of the weakening Bond market, the stock market performance accelerated with investors’ confidence in the growth of different sectors specifically the oil and defense stocks due to the on-going wars, technology sector and the financial sector with hyperbolic balance sheets.
Above all, during that time the Federal Reserve and the Treasury’s overly cautious inflationary measure by reducing the interest rates beyond market conditions and unleashing the free market from necessary regulations in an utter conflict of interest essentially provided a fertile ground for the financial sector to exploit the unique opportunity in the lending activity.
In addition, the conglomerate like AIG and major investment banks extending towards the commercial bank’s activities risking long-term investments for short-term gains induced further competition for the traditional banking sector adopting strategies detrimental to the key components of the economy viz. the housing market, retail and commercial lending.
The financial sector’s unethical and unscrupulous practices in every aspect of lending targeting the nerve of the economic system i.e. the consumer, exacerbated the economic recession.
From the notorious sub-prime mortgages in the housing market now appropriately defined as ‘toxic assets’ bundled into the mortgage backed securities exchanged through international trading, to teaser rates offered on credit card later escalating to atrocious interest rates exceeding market affordability…are primarily responsible for the chronic ailments of the current real estate and the liquidity crisis.
Unequivocally the present woes of the economy are attributable to the overwhelming greed by the financial sector and the defiance for any rule of law until date. As clarified by President Obama during the press conference on date, the financial regulatory reforms are in order.
Since some prominent economists have been recently pushing for more stimulus over and above the total $3.7 trillion dollars, it’s necessary to obtain the facts and details on earlier investments to evaluate the methods applied as a result of the negative economic growth and dismal unemployment rate.
Please refer to stimulus package details followed by careful analysis in the subsequent segments.
Meanwhile, it’s imperative and incumbent on all bailout recipients and the previous administration officials regardless of hierarchy to come forward, testify under oath to Congress as the representatives of the American electorate, and explain exactly where and how the trillions of dollars have been invested.
Is it a coincidence that Goldman Sachs after being assisted by the former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in gobbling Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, emerges with a bumper profit rewarding its every employee with a despicable amount $700,000 bonus the past week ? – Absolutely not.
It’s about time the criminals of the financial world are brought to justice in order to avoid a twenty first century revolution in the world’s modern democracy.
Congress must act in the interest of the people and abide by the constitutional rule of law with an honest and thorough investigation of the massive bailouts carried out at the expense of the hard working American taxpayers.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
Chilling Facts on the Contemporary Health Care Costs
July 21, 2009
By Padmini Arhant – Forwarding Facts Presentation by NCHC
As per the thorough, insightful and informative presentation;
FROM: The National Coalition on Health Care – NCHC Cost Fact Sheet 2009 – Thanks
Source: http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml
FACTS ON HEALTH CARE COSTS:
In 2008, health care spending in the United States reached $2.4 trillion, and was projected to reach $3.1 trillion in 2012. Health care spending is projected to reach $4.3 trillion by 2016.
Total health care spending represented 17 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Although nearly 46 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than other industrialized nations, and those countries provide health insurance to all their citizens.
Health care spending accounted for 10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
U.S. health care spending is expected to increase at similar levels for the next decade reaching $4.3 TRILLION in 2017, or 20 percent of GDP.
In 2008, employer health insurance premiums increased by 5.0 percent – two times the rate of inflation. The annual premium for an employer health plan covering a family of four averaged nearly $12,700. The annual premium for single coverage averaged over $4,700.
Experts agree that our health care system is riddled with inefficiencies, excessive administrative expenses, inflated prices, poor management, and inappropriate care, waste and fraud. These problems significantly increase the cost of medical care and health insurance for employers and workers and affect the security of families.
Employer and Employee Health Insurance Costs –
Premiums for employer-based health insurance rose by 5.0 percent in 2008. In 2007, small employers saw their premiums, on average, increase 5.5 percent. Firms with less than 24 workers, experienced an increase of 6.8 percent.
The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $12,700 in 2008. Workers contributed nearly $3,400, or 12 percent more than they did in 2007.2 The annual premiums for family coverage significantly eclipsed the gross earnings for a full-time, minimum wage worker ($10,712).
Workers are now paying $1,600 more in premiums annually for family coverage than they did in 1999.
Since 1999, employment-based health insurance premiums have increased 120 percent, compared to cumulative inflation of 44 percent and cumulative wage growth of 29 percent during the same period.
Health insurance expenses are the fastest growing cost component for employers. Unless something changes dramatically, health insurance costs will overtake profits by the end of 2008.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance in the United States have been rising four times faster on average than workers’ earnings since 1999.
The average employee contribution to company-provided health insurance has increased more than 120 percent since 2000. Average out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, co-payments for medications, and co-insurance for physician and hospital visits rose 115 percent during the same period.
The percentage of Americans under age 65 whose family-level, out-of-pocket spending for health care, including health insurance, that exceeds $2,000 a year,rose from 37.3 percent in 1996 to 43.1 percent in 2003 – a 16 percent increase.
The Impact of Rising Health Care Costs
National surveys show that the primary reason people are uninsured is the high cost of health insurance coverage.
Economists have found that rising health care costs correlate to drops in health insurance coverage.
A recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.
About 1.5 million families lose their homes to foreclosure every year due to unaffordable medical costs.
Retiring elderly couples will need $250,000 in savings just to pay for the most basic medical coverage. Many experts believe that this figure is conservative and that $300,000 may be a more realistic number.
According to a recent report, the United States has $480 billion in excess spending each year in comparison to Western European nations that have universal health insurance coverage. The costs are mainly associated with excess administrative costs and poorer quality of care.
The United States spends six times more per capita on the administration of the health care system than its peer Western European nations.”
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U.S. Relations with India
July 19, 2009
By Padmini Arhant
The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s visit to the Indian sub-continent is a topic to discuss in different context. It’s obvious that the United States engagement in Afghanistan tied with the success of the Zardari-Gilani government presumably involved in eliminating the mayhem in the northwestern region by the Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces after substantial autonomy from the less credible previous military rule of the President Pervez Musharraf.
Despite the severe domestic economic crisis, the continuation of U.S. financial and military aid to Pakistan is an enormous investment of U.S. trust and resources in the nuclear Pakistan. In return, Pakistan must deliver the long anticipated results terminating not only the major terror organizations like Al-Qaeda and Taliban but also all terror networks in its entirety constituting a menace to its own and international peace and security.
Much to the anxiety of the nuclear neighbor India and the remaining Western nations, United States role in expecting the Pakistani government to co-operate and contribute effectively in the global war against terror is crucial unlike the blind trust and blank checks policy of the Bush administration.
As stated earlier, the United States focus and priority should shift from the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the people of these socially and economically disadvantaged nations.
Although, the long overdue transformation depends on the interface with the respective governments, the United States must not squander the leverage it holds against the bureaucratic powers in both Pakistan and Afghanistan denounced for widespread corruption.
Further, given the disproportionate U.S. economic aid and troops commitment in the global cause, it’s incumbent on the international allies and every other nation affected by global terrorism to share the financial and military burden in alleviating the universal security crisis.
With respect to the emerging economic power and nuclear India’s concern over its nuclear neighbor Pakistan’s refusal and non-compliance of the international extradition treaty involving terrorists and terror networks in the Mumbai attacks last year —
The non-committal and disheartening response by the head of the State Department during the Indian press conference in Mumbai do not bode well with the world’s largest democracy in tune with the U.S. relations and pledges towards its allies particularly the closest ally Israel evidenced in the recent rhetoric such as —
“Strike against Israel will be an attack on the United States with a serious retaliation…”
To reiterate, the key representatives of the present White House and some legislators conspicuously favored to double standards are doing more harm than helping the United States in regaining the lost international solidarity and support much required in all fronts ranging from the economy, the environment, to the international security.
Unfortunately, the changing political landscape and economic developments in Asia and elsewhere ignored by the old school of thoughts indicates their ill preparedness of the reality.
The United States interest to take economic advantage of the expanding Indian middle class segment that is impressively political savvy and the U.S. demand seeking Indian input in the environmental issue possibly characterized as an ‘opportunism,’ considering the United States defense of the Zardari government’s inaction towards India’s security matter.
It would add to significant blunders in the U.S. foreign policy if the United States continues to adhere to the conventional strategy of hard line approach towards hypothetical threats yet selectively oblivious to genuine frustration based on real and proven events between the two nuclear nations in the Indian sub-continent.
Needless to state that the dysfunctional U.S. foreign policy due for drastic reform in the world view and understanding of the plight of the nations dependent on the United States to be a trustworthy partner in the mediation process of international peace and security. Otherwise, the status quo reviving the cold war era facilitating the nuclear and conventional arsenal proliferation is imminent.
Leadership thrives with fairness and equal treatment of all.
Thank you.
Padmini Arhant
My Life – Autobiography by Padmini Achintya Arhant
Upcoming Podcasts and Website Accessibility – Padmini Arhant
OM Nama Sivaya – Glory to Almighty God!
OM Nama Sivaya - Glory to Almighty God !
Traditions from Abroad – Men in Tradition
EVIl invites PERIL
Happy Pongal! Happy Makara Sankaranthi! 2025
Happy Pongal!
2025
Padmini Arhant
Image Credit: Artist via paid subscription source. Thank you.
FASCISM WRIT LARGE AS THE SO-CALLED DEMOCRAT
FYI : California Franchise Tax Board
Sacramento, CA
For the umpteenth time – Please refer to the third letter dated June 13, 2024 received by you with signed delivery confirmation. The letter with proof of tax payment on August 23, 2023 with 2022 tax return e-filing, bank confirmation on the payment and email references were all enclosed for your reference and settlement on this matter.
Yet, for political reasons the weaponization of taxpayer funded State and federal departments and agencies trending since 2009 – 2016 against then Republican Tea Party by Barack Obama in personal vendetta against them for questioning Barry Soetoro’s birth certificate was responded with terminating the Republican Tea Party in the first term in 2012. It was just the tip of the iceberg.
The trend then continued against political opponent Donald Trump from impeachment proceedings to libel suits with no end in sight.
Similar tactics deployed against me and my family by the same members i. e. The OBAMAS having abused and continue to use and abuse our presence, profile and all things politically and personally exclusively beneficial to them from DAY ONE until now by tagging, trolling, pirating anything positive and impressive for image enhancement despite being warned to cease and desist.
Notwithstanding thousands of $$$ fraudulently amassed from us by the fleecing scammers, abusers and parasitic exploiters till date make them indebted to me personally and my family.
Politics’ underhanded bullying and harassment is sheer desperation in the face of own extinction.
If you can’t express gratitude as the chief beneficiaries of our timeless sacrifice and benevolence, the least you could do is abandon the self-destructive attitude hurting you in the attempt to harm others.
By the way – nothing to do with Angel Reese and anyone with Brown last name in your nuanced attacks directed at me. They are all yours and you can keep them.
That goes for Kamala Harris – the name Kamala adopted from my explanation of my first name conveniently plagiarized for political and fortune harvesting in your end game once again for en masse deception like in 2009 – 2016.
The same resumed in 2021 – 2024 with blatant intention to extend the sham indefinitely with ludicrous WOKISM.
Originality and FAKE distinction is authenticity never in requirement to be anything other than true self unlike the impostor ever remaining fraudsters in vain.
Padmini Arhant
Character Not Color That Ever Matters
Lord Ram emphasized on deeds aka Karma not creed that matter in living and after life.Dr. King – related to that by echoing the content of the character not color that matters.
It’s time to move towards clear aka colorless society and nurture the importance of deeds with merit and virtues instead of remaining stuck in color coding society. Such trend only reveal opportunism with polarization rather than unity and harmony amongst human race.
Padmini Arhant
Exploitation – Knows Nothing About Gratitude and Truthfulness
Padmini Arhant – Gaza War and Rafah Air Strike
Padmini Arhant – PadminiArhant.online
Independent Free Palestine – Jan 2024 Speech
Celebration – Bright, Beautiful & Picturesque
Bright, Beautiful & Picturesque
Swastika – The Sacred Symbol – All is Well
Organic Intelligence Erring!
The ones flaunting the so-called organic intelligence with constant jibes at the allegedly artificial intelligence could perhaps seek assistance from the latter in spelling adjectives correctly to make sense of the message. Even basic spell check feature would serve the requirement.
The country is indeed precious not prescious than any individual, entity, political party, institution and organization.
Needless to say, it is applicable all around without exception.
Unlike the trend, smothered in hypocrisy beckoning others to do what is apparently unacceptable to selves to the extent of blasphemy.
Padmini Arhant
Get over the 🤚🏽✋✌🏼✌️✌🏿 🙏🏽🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🙏🏿 mania!
Get over the mania!
🙏🏽🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🙏🏿
mania as that is not going to deliver what is aimed at and desired in vain except confirming your asinine indulgence.Besides in politics such as Indian corrupt criminal signature trait is exclusively yours and no monkey see monkey do act can change it for it is attached to you like skin and bone.
Padmini Arhant
Padmini Arhant with Divinity Shiva
Celebration of Lord Krishna
Message to Humanity – Padmini Arhant
Spread peace and engage in non-violence. Speak truth with courage. Heed your conscience. Respect life. Serve your nation and people with honesty and integrity. Espouse human values and exemplify in deeds with care and compassion. Voice concern over injustice. Be part of the solution and not the problem. Love mankind and environment for universal harmony.
Peace is Eternal Bliss.Padmini Arhant
தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு 2022 நல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்! Tamil New Year 2022 Greetings!
Padmini Arhant and Roshni Greeted by the Brilliant Light in the Horizon
Words of Wisdom from Venerable Gautam Buddha
Words of Wisdom from Venerable Gautam Buddha
Tamil OM Symbol & Pranava Manthiram
Absolute Truth
Reunion with Divinity God Shiva at Holy Mt.Kailash 2019
Padmini Arhant interaction with God Shiva during Parikrama of Mt.Kailash
Padmini Arhant Kailash Lake Manasarovar Pilgrimage 2019
Padmini Arhant on Parikrama or Circumambulation of Mt. Kailash
ARHANT Family at Famous Taj Mahal
Gautam Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
Peace Pledge
