Less bling for the
Less bling for the buck
A country that is now aspiring to an "ownership society" will not find happiness in--and I'll use hyperbole here for emphasis--a "sharecropper's society." But that's precisely what our trade policies, supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, are taking us.
-- Warren Buffet, in a letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Noting that if the trade deficit continues for another decade, we will be paying three percent of our national income to foreigners "as a tribute for the over-indulgences of the past," he added,
This annual royalty paid [to] the world which would not disappear unless the US massively underconsumed and began to run consistent and large trade surpluses would undoubtedly produce significant political unrest in the US.
It's a sad and disturbing state of affairs when saving money risks creating social upheaval.
(Dan Roberts, Financial Times)
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The sick man of Europe
We were shocked by images of the police beating women and young people...We are concerned to see such disproportionate force used against demonstrators. We ask the Turkish authorities to carry out an arrest investigation into this event to prevent similar incidents in the future.
-- a statement by EU representatives regarding Sunday's disruption in Istanbul of a march commemorating International Women's Day
(Vincent Boland, Financial Times)
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Just as soon as we finish democratizing the Middle East
U.S. urged to end world poverty
-- headline, New York Post, March 7
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Copping a plea
Please send this message. I am not Sadam Hussein. I want to cooperate.
-- Syrian president Bashir Assad, speaking to Time magazine