Wednesday
Feb042009
Obama Administration Needs To Work With Latin America
By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service
Sergio Bendixen, President of Bendixen and Associates; Dr Cynthia McClintock, Professor of political science and international affairs, and director of the Latin America and Hemispheric Studies Program at George Washington University, Eric Farnsworth, Vice-president of the Council of Americas and Ray Walser, senior policy analyst for Latin America in The Heritage Foundation's Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy studies, gave testimonies today before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
The witnesses created a lot of attention, with people lining up outside to hear the testimonies on "U.S. Policy Toward Latin America in 2009 and Beyond".
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), said: "You can tell by the way the room is filled today the interest in the Western Hemisphere".
Subcommittee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) opened the hearing by welcoming Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) as the committee's new Ranking Member and then outlined some positive steps he would like the Obama administration to pursue.
"First and foremost, I believe that President Obama's participation in April's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago would send an extremely positive message to the heads of the state from Latin America, to the Caribbean. Second, as Chairman Berman moves forward with foreign aid reform and the Obama administration prepares its FY 2010 budget, it is essential that we increase funding for countries in the Western Hemisphere...Third, cooperation between the US and Brazil significantly expanded during the Bush Administration. This relationship needs to be further deepened under President Obama...Fourth, we must continue to support our friends in Mexico through the Merida Initiative...Fifth, I would urge President Obama to focus on Ecuador and Paraguay...and sixth, we must continue to support disaster recovery efforts in Haiti", Engel said.
Chairman Engel then went on to discuss the attacks in a synagogue in Caracus, Venezuela.
"On Monday, I sent a letter, along with 19 of my colleagues, to President Chavez urging him to end the bullying and harassment of the Jewish community in Venezuela and to extend the community the robust protection it deserves in light of the threats it faces. The Venezuelan government must quickly change its tune with regard to the country's Jewish community".
Dr McClintock said: "In Lationobarometer surveys between 2000 and 2005, approval ratings of the United States fell by more than 20 points in Ecuador, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia; more than 30 points in Mexico and Uruguay; and more than 40 points in Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela".
Ray Walser commented on America's dependence on the oil industry, with Congressman Ron Klein (D-FL) backing up his argument and stated that America needs to stop "buying oil from a country {Venezuela} that is hostile to our interests".
The committee also discussed the American economy and its ability to assist Latin American countries. Sergio Bendixen said: "We need to be realistic. Not only about what our friends want but what Latin America wants...we have economic limitations".
Other issues the committee discussed were the desires from the Obama administration, the April 2009 summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, human rights in Cuba, immigration, drugs control and free trade.
Eric Farnsworth suggested in his testimony that Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8. "Listening to Latin America is important...the rest of the hemisphere also has good ideas".
Chairman Engel said: "We cannot ignore our own backyard".
The committee hearing ended after 120 minutes as Congress was called to vote.
Sergio Bendixen, President of Bendixen and Associates; Dr Cynthia McClintock, Professor of political science and international affairs, and director of the Latin America and Hemispheric Studies Program at George Washington University, Eric Farnsworth, Vice-president of the Council of Americas and Ray Walser, senior policy analyst for Latin America in The Heritage Foundation's Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy studies, gave testimonies today before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
The witnesses created a lot of attention, with people lining up outside to hear the testimonies on "U.S. Policy Toward Latin America in 2009 and Beyond".
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), said: "You can tell by the way the room is filled today the interest in the Western Hemisphere".
Subcommittee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) opened the hearing by welcoming Congressman Connie Mack (R-FL) as the committee's new Ranking Member and then outlined some positive steps he would like the Obama administration to pursue.
"First and foremost, I believe that President Obama's participation in April's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago would send an extremely positive message to the heads of the state from Latin America, to the Caribbean. Second, as Chairman Berman moves forward with foreign aid reform and the Obama administration prepares its FY 2010 budget, it is essential that we increase funding for countries in the Western Hemisphere...Third, cooperation between the US and Brazil significantly expanded during the Bush Administration. This relationship needs to be further deepened under President Obama...Fourth, we must continue to support our friends in Mexico through the Merida Initiative...Fifth, I would urge President Obama to focus on Ecuador and Paraguay...and sixth, we must continue to support disaster recovery efforts in Haiti", Engel said.
Chairman Engel then went on to discuss the attacks in a synagogue in Caracus, Venezuela.
"On Monday, I sent a letter, along with 19 of my colleagues, to President Chavez urging him to end the bullying and harassment of the Jewish community in Venezuela and to extend the community the robust protection it deserves in light of the threats it faces. The Venezuelan government must quickly change its tune with regard to the country's Jewish community".
Dr McClintock said: "In Lationobarometer surveys between 2000 and 2005, approval ratings of the United States fell by more than 20 points in Ecuador, Chile, Brazil and Bolivia; more than 30 points in Mexico and Uruguay; and more than 40 points in Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela".
Ray Walser commented on America's dependence on the oil industry, with Congressman Ron Klein (D-FL) backing up his argument and stated that America needs to stop "buying oil from a country {Venezuela} that is hostile to our interests".
The committee also discussed the American economy and its ability to assist Latin American countries. Sergio Bendixen said: "We need to be realistic. Not only about what our friends want but what Latin America wants...we have economic limitations".
Other issues the committee discussed were the desires from the Obama administration, the April 2009 summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, human rights in Cuba, immigration, drugs control and free trade.
Eric Farnsworth suggested in his testimony that Brazil and Mexico should be allowed to join the G8. "Listening to Latin America is important...the rest of the hemisphere also has good ideas".
Chairman Engel said: "We cannot ignore our own backyard".
The committee hearing ended after 120 minutes as Congress was called to vote.
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America, Conservative, Eric, Farnsworth, Jewish, Latin, Resources, Rights, administration, affairs, bendixen, chairman, change, connie, cuba, cynthia, democrat, doctor, economy, eliot, engle, fair, foreign, gregory, hemisphere, human, immigration, mack, mcclintock, meek, need, obama, ray, republican, sergio, subcommittee, venezuela, walser, western, work in News/Commentary
America, Conservative, Eric, Farnsworth, Jewish, Latin, Resources, Rights, administration, affairs, bendixen, chairman, change, connie, cuba, cynthia, democrat, doctor, economy, eliot, engle, fair, foreign, gregory, hemisphere, human, immigration, mack, mcclintock, meek, need, obama, ray, republican, sergio, subcommittee, venezuela, walser, western, work in News/Commentary
Rubio: Clinton Talks Highlight "Everything That's Wrong With Politics"
Marco Rubio, Florida’s Republican Senatorial candidate, is describing reports of President Bill Clinton’s attempt to talk his opponent out of the race as “a reminder of everything that’s wrong with politics in Washington.”
“This is basically an attempt to rig a backroom deal,” Rubio said during an appearance Friday on Fox News. “This is exactly what’s wrong in American politics today.”
According to a report from Politico, Clinton came close to securing Democrat Kendrick Meek’s departure from the race, a move that would clear the field for moderate independent candidate Charlie Crist, who is currently trailing Rubio. Meek follows behind both.
Rubio’s camp also sent out an email questioning the White House’s involvement in the negotiations.
“We … know that Crist personally talked with Clinton’s senior adviser and the White House,” the email reads. “But here’s what we don’t know: 1. What specifically did the White House know about this deal? 2. Who at the White House did Crist talk to? 3. Was the White House aware that Crist had agreed to caucus with the Democrats in exchange for Meek dropping out?”
The White House came under fire from Republicans earlier in the year when reports surfaced that Clinton had tried to convince Pennsylvania Democrat Joe Sestak to drop a primary challenge against Arlen Specter in exchange for an advisory position.
Clinton did not offer Meek a job, according to a Democratic source cited by Politico. Instead, Clinton reportedly argued that the decision would help open up future opportunities for Meek.