Say Anything Blog

You can ascribe the word ‘poor’ to a number of individuals. Certainly many of us have characterized ourselves with that locution. Hell, I have.

We live out in the country in New Mexico, where the nearest town has a post office and a small store. It is one of the poorest areas in one of the poorest states in the US.

If you drive through the surrounding community you will see: homes, mostly of the mobile variety, in various states of disrepair, yards filled with more trash than your local dump and other eyesores I will not comment on.

But here’s the deal, (Are you listening John Edwards?), each of these residences also have: a dish for satelite TV, a relatively new pick up or other vehicle and other sundry thingumabobs...the favorite being an ATV.

Now I could care less how they spend their money. My husband and I choose to repaint our home and drive and old truck. So it is.

But Johnny...these people aren’t poor!!

I only bring this up because it is not the Democrats and their string of entitlements that will help the impoverished it is programs like this.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a United States Government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world. Established in January 2004, MCC is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people.  MCC’s mission is to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth.

Okay John… this is multiple choice.

This program was initiated and signed into law by…

a) the Republicans
b) President George Bush
c) the Grand ole Party
d) all of the above

Take your pick John, you jest ain’t gonna like the answer.

I have, as I’m sure many of you do, mixed feelings about all the cabbage disbursed on foreign aid. But if we continue with our charitable ways this how we should do it.

Before a country can become eligible to receive assistance, MCC looks at their performance on independent and transparent policy indicators.

A few of these seventeen indicators: Civil Liberties, Political Rights and Rule of Law.

Read more here