Federal Deficit Increases, Recession Predicted, Foreign Policy Ideas

The US Commerce Department announced a slow down in the US economy with the following startling facts:

1. The Federal budget deficit will be $445 Billion dollars on September 1....The largest budget deficit in the history of the US.

2. Consumer spending showed deep declines, an unexpected drop.

3. The increase in jobs is slowing and barely keeping up with normal attrition. Therefore, the contrast is striking. Under the Clinton Administration, some 20,000,000 new jobs were created, under Bush about 3,000,000 jobs were lost in his first 3 years and in the past 9 months, and 900,000 jobs were created; now jobs are running about level with normal attrition.

4. Global Perspectives predicts a major economic recession which will probably occur during the Bush Administration. The economics are simply indisputable. Increased spending by the Bush Administration is unprecidented, much of it war expenses, while at the same time cutting taxes. 

This unprecedented report couldn't have come at a worse time for the Bush Administration, with elections so near, but to our surprise, the Democrats have hardly mentioned it in public speeches. Republicans are ignoring it by trying to avoid the facts by saying: "The economy is growing". It would seem that the economic policy to provide tax cuts for the wealthy (Bush Policy) has not been as effective as the economic policy to expand technology, housing, and provide incentives for small business (Clinton Policy).

***INTERESTING TIDBIT***

We are yet to know or understand what the John Kerry economic policy will be, but did notice that former Secretary of the Treasury; Robert Ruben was sitting by John Kerry's wife at the Democratic Convention. He presided over the economic policy that was so successful during the Clinton administration.

3 IDEAS ON FOREIGN POLICY:

I know that you will appreciate this. Anyone who has studied traveled or experienced exposure to other cultures will appreciate the power of 3 tools. They are lessons that all people, especially VIP's such as you, should consider now:

1. The tool of finding what we have in common with other people and other cultures, rather than focusing on what divides us. Inclusion, is like magic, and rejection, like poison. In politics, religion, and international interaction, if we can focus on what we have in common, what our common humanity shares, we can build on that. Often, our power grows dramatically when we see how our common ethics can reinforce our goals. For indeed, we are one people. We made this point in the book FLOWERS FACING THE SUN: (see:http://flowers.benboothe.com)

2. The idea of respect for the beauty and identity of each culture. Every culture has unique characteristics. Of course the language, music, apparel, food, history and customs are different from yours or mine. Yet, the idea of learning to respect and appreciate these beautiful differences expands our world and our experience as humans. We must disavow the bigotry and ignorance that sees other people, sees another nationality, and says: "I hate that person because he is an American, or Arab, or whatever!" That kind of thinking is primitive and comes from the dark ages. It is the very source of war. It does nothing but destroy. We must encourage the understanding that our unique cultures, our unique and beautiful differences actually make for more dynamic and powerful relationships among people and among nations. Enlightened people know this, and must teach our brothers and sisters to expand their horizons.

3. Wars, violence, insults and fights do not make friends, do not build love, do not make families, children and mothers secure, and do not bring humanity into oneness. The most powerful weapon any of us can wield is the weapon of love and compassion. Peace builds. Communication expands. Knowledge and education lifts up. Kindness and love could be the most powerful tool in relationships and in foreign policy.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON AL QAEDA FOR BUSH, POWELL AND CHENEY PROVES TO BE A FRAUD:

Douglas Jehl of the New York Times reported that Ibn al-Shaykh alibi, who purported to be a member of Osama bin Laden's inner circle recanted the claims that he had made, about links between Iraq and Al Qaeda that involved poisons, gases and other illicit weapons. His claims were the basis for statements made by President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of State Colin Powell linking Iraq with Al Qaeda. These links have since been dismissed as false. The Senate Intelligence Committee raised questions as to reports prepared by the CIA. and the validity of the claims made by Mr. Libi. This again questions the justification for the Iraqi war, and seems to imply that the Bush Administration was grasping at straws, even from poor and unreliable sources, to find justification for the invasion of Iraq. The American families who have lost sons and daughters in Iraq will take little comfort in this latest revelation. We again suggest that it is time to bring our children home from Iraq. We cannot afford it financially, we are hated in Iraq, our presence will do nothing to solve the disputes between the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites, and all of the oil resources of Iraq, are not worth one drop of the American blood of our sons and daughters, nor is it worth the blood of the innocent people of other nations who have died in the war in Iraq.