| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Europe | |
| Blame America | |
| 2005-01-29 | |
| In its 34-year history, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland has traditionally been a place for big thinkers to discuss big concepts--and this year was no exception. Indeed, at one evening event entitled "Dangerous Ideas," participants pondered where ideas come from, the difference between bad and dangerous ideas and even how good ideas can mutate. Yet this year, underlying it all was the sense that many, if not most, of the bad ideas come from America. This sentiment revealed itself, for instance, in a discussion of "Brand America." Richard Edelman, chief executive officer of the eponymous public-relations firm, noted that a "profound trust gap" exists for American corporations in Europe. His study showed dissatisfaction among Europeans with U.S. business values. Even the British--surely the most culturally compatible of all Europeans--said they were uncomfortable with the idea of working for a U.S. company. American leadership was also found lacking in a slew of economic and political issues. The shrinking dollar, a source of great difficulty for European and Canadian businesses, is the result of a vanishingly-low U.S. personal-savings rate, as well as the government's seeming inability to reduce the enormous federal budget. Furthermore, America's misguided policies in Iraq were said to have led to greater violence, danger and global uncertainty. Global poverty also is caused by America's refusal to allocate more money to foreign aid. Even Bill Clinton, as much of a rock star in Davos as U2's , with whom he shared a stage, told a crowd that the U.S. could do much more. "Let's get real," the former president said. "The President just asked Congress for $80 billion for one year in Iraq. For a pittance, we could double America's [foreign aid] contribution, and it would be cheap."
| |
| Posted by:anonymous2u |