Re: Gingrich: Obama's World View Shaped by Kenya
The paper Obama, Sr., wrote in 1965 spoke of the many social-economic problems the African/Kenyan government was having at the time that Kenya had broke away from British colonialism. At the time, Africa was still trying to find her way in the greater world economic climate. What Sr wrote about was the contrast in terms the African gov't attempted to define "African Socialism". Mostly, the paper did deal with the issues of "the haves" and the "have-nots", but he addressed the matters in ways that were strictly Kenyan.
For example, African citizens usually don't own their own land. Generally, it's communal property owned by the tribes. But every once in a while and individual may own a massive stretch of land but can't farm it all or the land is worthless because nothing can grow on it (due to the lack of irrigation). Obama Sr. proposed either giving the tribes more communal property OR allowing the gov't to take ownership of the land and divide it equally to the tribes OR farm it much as many commercial entities are doing now in the U.S. This would allow for more hiring of the locals so that they could earn an income. That was the form of "nationalism" Obama Sr was referring to.
Other aspects revolved around taxes and poverty. It's a common notion that "he who has the money, gains greater rewards". This is true and very evident in our nation's politics. Just look at the number of lobbyist swarm Wash, DC and how many politicians are in the back pocket of said lobbyist. How much more does Corperate America's voice resound once they're able to line the pockets of politicians in order to sway policy in their favor? How many politicians have used social inequality to garner votes? We see it every single day!
Don't touch Medicare or you'll anger the elderly/retired, yet Medicare is taking a big chunk out of the national budget every year.
Don't touch social welfare program or else you affect the poor.
Leave those tax cuts alone for the wealthiest Americans or you'll effect job growth and stiffle productivity.
We see it every day, all the time. This is nothing new.
What IS interesting is set of social-economic views a man had 45 years ago in a country very different from our own in many ways very much apply to our country today! In that, Obama Sr wasn't that far off, and in that Newt Gingrich, for all his partisan slight-of-hand-Keynan-Socialist jibe gave good credit where credit was due. The apply doesn't fall too far from the tree. In this case, I think it's a good thing because atleast President Obama isn't beholding to any one political idealogy. Atleast he looks at the entire situation and makes a decision based on the whole instead of the smaller sum.
People may look at his economic policies, for example, and label it "class warfare," but both Sr. and Jr. are correct. For even many Concervatives have said as much just in a different way:
If the rich have the economic means to increase the measure of a man through his contributions in society, why is it then that increasing their taxes for the greater good of the nation and their follow man is so frowned upon?
This isn't necessarily my philosophy, but it is a compelling argument. Furthermore, many people who lean more Conservatively have stated repeatedly that "charity" is a good way to best help the poor. Well, if that's the case, why then are people, such as celebraties, doing more to aid those outside our boarders than within when we have so many poor at home? Seems to me charity isn't being practised very much at home. So, if that is the case is it any wonder why the rich (at this point in our country's time of economic struggle) should be taxed more? After all, they've had 30 years to spread that charity around. I don't think it worked very well. Do you?
As to the paper...it mainly discusses African/Kenya's problem from 1965, but some aspects of it could easily apply to the U.S. today.