Thursday, March 6

Political Systems, Domestic Politics

Trump Adds ‘Human Rights’ to Foreign Policy Agenda
13Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Diplomacy, Human rights, Types of News: Analysis

Trump Adds ‘Human Rights’ to Foreign Policy Agenda

March 13-In an apparent shift in strategy, U.S. President Donald Trump now views human rights as an essential part of its "American First" foreign policy, a White House release said on Monday. The statement carefully interposed the idea of human rights between respect for national sovereignty and American values. "As a corollary, governments have a responsibility to their citizens," the White House statement asserted, while referencing Trump's speech before the UN General Assembly last September. "In other words, legitimate national sovereignty must begin with a respect for human rights." While the United States government has traditionally included democracy promotion and human rights as part of its foreign policy umbrella, Trump differentiated himself by putting forward a differ...
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Russia Spends Millions to Interfere in U.S. Politics, DOJ Says
21Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Types of News: Brief, United States

Russia Spends Millions to Interfere in U.S. Politics, DOJ Says

February 21-The U.S. Justice Department filed an indictment on Feb. 16 against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for conducting an "information warfare against the United States." The indictment comes as a result of an ongoing Special Counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. None of the individuals or companies charged are currently in the United States and are unlikely to be extradited from Russia for trial. The 37-page indictment is significant in that it may indicate the methods in which Russian intelligence officers use tools of democracy against its rivals. It also begins to establish some clarity about Russia's activities in the U.S. political system after more than a year of widespread speculation on the issue, focused mainly on possible collusion with th...
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A Tale of Two Koreas: Part I
6Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Global Economics, Global Trade, Types of News: Infographic

A Tale of Two Koreas: Part I

February 18, 2018--In a symbol of historic and familial ties, athletes from both North Korea and South Korea will march together in the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The show of unity masks the extreme differences between the two countries. The two Koreas could not be more different in their national priorities, economies and quality of life. On the one side of the border, in South Korea, the quality of life is quite strong. The vast majority of the population has access to the best technologies and mobile communications. The economy is the 11th largest in the world, and trade with the rest of the world approaches $1 trillion. In contrast, in North Korea, the economy is one of the weakest and most isolated in the world. Trade in goods with the rest of ...
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Xi Asserts China’s Authority to Lead
18Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Globalization, Global Disintegration

Xi Asserts China’s Authority to Lead

China is set to be “a global leader in terms of comprehensive national strength and international influence” by 2050, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Oct. 17 as he addressed the country's Communist Party congress in Beijing. Mr. Xi outlined his vision for providing global leadership using the Chinese Socialist Democracy model of growth. International observers are calling the marathon three-and-a-half-hour speech to the party's 2,300 delegates and the world at large a "sweeping," "ambitious" and "epic" agenda. President Xi's address is significant not only for its embrace of global economic integration at a time when many in the West are turning inward, but also because China is seen as adopting an increasingly more authoritarian approach to governing. Since taking of...
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Peaceful transfer of power in America
9Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Democracy, Domestic Politics, United States

Peaceful transfer of power in America

America's 18-month presidential election has come to a close, with Hillary Clinton conceding defeat to Donald Trump. It was an election that at times felt like a reality-TV show gone wrong, with one candidate fending off multiple investigations and the other communicating one outlandish comment after another. It was a low period for America. With 61 percent of Americans reporting an "unfavorable" opinion of Donald Trump and 52 percent reporting an "unfavorable" opinion of Hillary Clinton, Trump and Clinton set records for the worst and second-worst liked U.S. presidential candidates in Gallup-polling history. Issues took a backseat, but they were, nonetheless, there: Deficiencies with the Affordable Care Act, Obama's signature healthcare law, that were never fixed and that ca...
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An American in Cuba: History & People
4Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Type of Post: Essays & Travel Writing

An American in Cuba: History & People

It was the first full day of the trip. I awoke early, ate breakfast and met my tour guide Rose and travel companions in the hotel lobby. It would be a full day touring by foot and bus. We were eight adventurers--George and Barbara, a couple who ran a family furniture business in Florida, Mike and Ana, a couple living in the Pacific Northwest who were just months away from expecting their first baby, Joel, a man in his 30s or 40s from California, two women from Alaska, and me. Clouds over head kept the air cool as we walked around Havana. Back at the Plaza de Armas, the story of Cuba unfolded. Christopher Columbus had landed there in 1492, declaring the island to be "the most beautiful land human have ever seen." Twenty years later, the Spanish took it as their own, using mostly un...
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Cuba: Hello Havana
22Oct By Patti Mohr1 Comment
Communism, Dictatorship, Type of Post: Essays & Travel Writing

Cuba: Hello Havana

It takes less than an hour to reach Cuba from Tampa, Florida by airplane. Simple, really. And yet it is still hard to see that Cuba is just 90 miles from the United States. The island has been forbidden land for most law-abiding Americans for so long. For the most part, it is still not legal to travel there unless you book, like I did, an educational tour through one of the roughly 100 organizations certified by the State Department to run people-to-people cultural tours. The U.S. government allows travel to Cuba for up to 12 different reasons. Tourism isn't one of them. So while the Canadians head straight for the beaches and stay there, Americans visit senior-center projects, organic farms, child care centers, artistic sites and museums. For most, it's a pretty packed schedule. Get...
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Fate of Greece in Limbo After Voters Choose ‘No’ to Debt Deal
6Jul By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Democracy, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Types of News: Analysis

Fate of Greece in Limbo After Voters Choose ‘No’ to Debt Deal

A day after an unprecedented referendum in which Greek voters rejected an offer by creditors to continue their bailout of the country's finances in exchange for strict economic reforms, the fate of Greece and its proud people lie in deep uncertainty. With a vote of 61-to-29 percent, the Greeks resoundingly said "no" to their European partners' plans to continue financing Greek debt under the condition that Greece would pass more "austerity" measures such as cuts to pensions and spending programs and increases in the value-added tax. Now, though everyone seems to deny the possibility of a Greek expulsion from the 19-member common-currency Eurozone, the path to keeping Greece in the union isn't clear. Key European leaders are sending mixed signals. Eurogroup (group of finance min...
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Greece Puts Debt Bills Up For Democratic Vote
27Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Democracy, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Foreign Aid, International Development, Global Economics, Types of News: Brief

Greece Puts Debt Bills Up For Democratic Vote

Greece is to hold a national referendum to decide whether the country will accept a deal offered by creditors over the country's debt obligations and tax, spending and pension policies. Caught between his government's promises to pay its debts and his own campaign promises to oppose fiscal reforms demanded by creditor institutions, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced today that he will let the people decide the fate of the country. "Our responsibility is for the future of our country. This responsibility obliges us to respond to the ultimatum through the sovereign will of the Greek people," Tsipras said. While it seems like a lot is riding on the national referendum, scheduled to take place Sunday, July 5, the vote might come too late. Greece owes a debt payment of €1.5...
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North Korean Dealings with Hong Kong-Business Keep Regime Alive
25Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Sanctions

North Korean Dealings with Hong Kong-Business Keep Regime Alive

Despite extensive sanctions against North Korea by the United Nations, European Union and United States in response to its nuclear testing, the world's most isolated country is not as isolated economically as one might suspect.According to a groundbreaking investigation by the Financial Times, North Korea relies on an obscure web of connections to finance foreign and domestic projects and bring in the foreign currency it needs to survive.The main group, Office 39 based in North Korea, conducts "illicit economic activities" to produce income for the leadership, according to the Financial Times. North Korea is also known to export weapons, drugs and indentured servants.It has dealings with a multi-million dollar private company based in Hong Kong, referred to as the Queensway Group. The pri...
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