Obama to unveil broad African electrical power initiative

Originally posted by whywhynot
reply to post by butcherguy

 

Indigo is confused

Private companies are investing the money. What is confusing about that?

Originally posted by whywhynot
Wonder who repay if the loan defaults? I know!

edit on 1-7-2013 by whywhynot because: sp

Relatively little money in loan guarantees, not spending... (1.5B)...and I don't think GE is going to default...

•The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will commit up to $1.5 billion in financing and insurance to energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

This thread is a perfect example of how America turns everything into petty politics while China grows more dominant in the world every single day. China is EVERYWHERE in Africa...while we bitch about co-signing a loan to private companies like GE for GE to spend thier money there, not the govs. Just effen insane and the reason we are declining as a world power...bottom line...this kind of petty, BS politicization of otherwise desperately needed policy is killing America.

China invests TRILLIONS outright annually in Africa...and we bitch about a loan guarantee for a Private company to invest in Africa.

It's like how China utterly dominates the alternative energy industry, while America still doesn't believe global warming is happening.

We are well on our way to becoming China's bitch. All we can do is fight wars...that's our chief export...and it will bankrupt us...and China knows it. It is just insane how stupid we appear to the world.

I suppose it's to beat China to the punch when the next wave of outsourcing hits after Asia becomes too expensive. That eventuality is approaching rather soon.

Would be nice if we had more done for infrastructure and jobs here right here in the States though.

reply to post by pauljs75


You are very close to the truth, Africa the new China, one thing is for sure, while China can not completely be bought due to their communist background and control of foreign investments, Africa is all for the taking, lest faced just give away a couple of billion dollars to the Warlords that controls the land and regions, promised them a cut of the goods, arm them to become the private security forces for the fancy entrepreneurs and there you have it, land to exploit at will

To Quote the OP article..

The United States will initially work with Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania to develop electric power generation, officials said. It will also cooperate with Uganda and Mozambique on oil and gas management.

Please draw your attention to the underlined portion of the snippet above and this will all start to make complete sense.

reply to post by DaMod


Yes you are right, but this are the same list of countries that match the 10 members from the African Progress panel, kind of coincidence? that one month ago they were giving the go ahead for the "exploitation" I mean the development of Africas resources.

The Africa Progress Panel (APP) consists of 10 distinguished individuals from the private and public sectors who advocate for shared responsibility between African leaders and their international partners to promote equitable and sustainable development for Africa. Mr Kofi Annan chairs the APP and is closely involved in its day-to-day work.

If you look at the biography of these members they are mostly bankers

I will exchange the quote now

The African "Exploitation Panel' consist of 10 "corrupted individuals" mostly in the private banking sector, Who advocate for the shared Responsibility to between "corrupted African leaders and warlords" and their "international gang of partners profiteers and thieves" to promote and equitable passage of looting, stealing and raping in the destruction and enslaving of Africa. Mr Kofi Annan and his APP gang of crocks will be closely involved in this take over of Africa for the private banks and profiteers

reply to post by chaakin


Just a note here, but Obama is about as African as George Washington. His mother was a native white girl from the Kansas prairie and his sperm donor father (who had about that little contact with him according to immigration records) was British of Kenyan origin by technical listing of the papers then and of course, Kenyan by official birth and U.S consideration during his trials for finishing Harvard. Immigration made his life pretty hard over that point, in fact.

Nowhere in any of that does it make Obama an African in more than his own wishful thinking...if that's where his thinking is at. We really need to at last get the nationality of our own President right. It's embarrassing to still have people confused on the issue as we go past the half way point of his 5th year.

reply to post by Indigo5


I'm missing what your continual reference to partisan is? This isn't about Democrats or Republicans. This is about the actions and decisions of ONE man...not a party or even the Congressional Democrats. I don't recall hearing a peep out of them about billions committed into African energy development....So please help me understand what you mean by partisan? I'm missing party affiliation here, either way.

As far as public vs. private. Well.... We're both right and wrong. He's presenting this check of support from a United States Federal Government agency. That Agency collects it's money from private sources, or so it presents..and then the Government agency distributes and controls the flow of it. At least that's how I read it from their own Federal website.

So..... to be ENTIRELY and PRECISELY accurate, you'd say it's a Public/Private Partnership with Government handling, organization, control and distribution.

It's like saying the IRS is a private concern...since the money comes from private sources, albeit not by pure choice in that case.

Partisan doesn't fit tho....and if you're going to drop the partisan card every time someone has issues with the President..you better buy several decks of them. You'll be throwing them like ticker tape in a parade for the next few years. :shk:

I think its time for Africa and Africans to stand on their own two feet, how much outside help can one country need its almost like being a babysitter for these people, do you see this in India among the Indians, do you see this in China among the Chinese NO you do not!

Oh they need water, lets go there and dig water wells for them, Oh they need houses, lets go there and build a load of houses for them, Oh they need power, lets go there and build power stations and setup solar cells for the more remote peoples, they need medicine, ok lets go there...will they do anything themselves, by themselves or must we eternally babysit them!

Interesting..
In Africa you say..

I guess the middle east wasn't enough for the power people!

reply to post by Agit8dChop


That is soo, true, but remember, the possibility of the vast wealth of oil that could be hidden under the African soil some can dream off.

Some call it "To rival Saudi Arabia", so there you have it.

This is good news to my ears. It's time someone else helps carrying the burden because my shoulders can't handle it any more.

Our (South Africa's) electricity provider ESKOM provides 95% of South Africa's electricity and 45% of Africa's electricity. Its supply is under constant pressure and most power stations are held together by duct-tape and prayer.

Meanwhile our electricity rates went up by 170% over the past 5 years.

So I'm sick and tired paying for the whole of Africa's electricity supply with my hard-earned money. Someone else should have a turn for a change, and I can't imagine a better nominee than the US...



Yes, that was a bit of tongue in the cheek, but to be honest it is a bit of good news for me, as the figures above show - my wallet is feeling it. I don't however see what Obama has to gain.
We've got all the necessary natural resources necessary - not that we need any more pollution-spewing coal burners around here. Electricity would lessen the burden on the poorer nations - as long as it's managed correctly. But as some has mentioned - many African leaders (actually not just African leaders) or not known for their great leadership and managerial skills...

Oh, and Africa doesn't only have "War Lords" to offer. We also have 419 scammers.

(It's really a pity that the first thing that comes to mind when people hear "Africa" is "War lords". There is so much more to this continent - if only we could erase history and get everyone on a level playing field. )

reply to post by Gemwolf


Since you mentioned,

Obama said in his speech

'Planet Will Boil Over' If Young Africans Are Allowed Cars, Air-Conditioning, Big Houses - See more at: cnsnews.com...

video at link

Originally posted by LUXUS
I think its time for Africa and Africans to stand on their own two feet, how much outside help can one country need its almost like being a babysitter for these people, do you see this in India among the Indians, do you see this in China among the Chinese NO you do not!

Oh they need water, lets go there and dig water wells for them, Oh they need houses, lets go there and build a load of houses for them, Oh they need power, lets go there and build power stations and setup solar cells for the more remote peoples, they need medicine, ok lets go there...will they do anything themselves, by themselves or must we eternally babysit them!

They were doing something about it, except foreign powers like to intervene and disrupt any projects aimed at creating jobs or prosperity. Egypt and Libya prior too the Arab Spring uprisings had several projects aimed at helping Sub Saharan Africa gain access to fresh water and possibly jobs.

This however was thwarted by NATO and it's allies. So yes if things were left to be, Africa would be just fine.

Originally posted by Stormdancer777
reply to post by Gemwolf

 

Since you mentioned,

Obama said in his speech

'Planet Will Boil Over' If Young Africans Are Allowed Cars, Air-Conditioning, Big Houses - See more at: cnsnews.com...

video at link

edit on 093131p://bTuesday2013 by Stormdancer777 because: (no reason given)

edit on 093131p://bTuesday2013 by Stormdancer777 because: (no reason given)

This does not surprise me. He always does the opposite of what he says. How does electricity keep the planet from 'Boiling Over'? His green energy alternatives didn't work here in the US.

Originally posted by pauljs75


Would be nice if we had more done for infrastructure and jobs here right here in the States though.

SURE WOULD

Senate blocks $60 billion infrastructure plan

The chamber failed to advance a measure to spend $50 billion on highway, rail, transit and airport improvements and another $10 billion as seed money for an infrastructure bank designed to spark private investment in construction. The vote was 51 to 49 in favor, but the measure needed 60 votes to proceed to a full debate.

articles.washingtonpost.com...

Senate Republicans blocked a $60 billion infrastructure bill Thursday, making the bill the second piece of President Obama’s jobs proposal to be voted down in the Senate.

www.nationaljournal.com...

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Briebart, CSN et al. is exploiting folks ignorance on how OPIC and the Import/Export Bank function in order to sell the false claim that Pres. Obama's "Power Africa" initiative will cost Americans 7B in taxpayer dollars.

It is a false claim.

Do you disagree?

We have 280M and change in administrative fees.

The rest is in loan guarantees and insurance on loans.

GE and other private corps decide how to invest and what needs to be done.

Now you are saying that false claim is not motivated by partisanship...and from reading the right-wing sites and posters here...I have to disagree.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Instead of CSN or Briebart or Libertnow!...How about Forbes???

This doesn’t mean that Ex-Im is spending or investing those $5 billion, rather the job of the Ex-Im bank is to help finance trading opportunities that private sector lenders are not willing to take a risk on. As Ex-Im describes its mission: “We assume credit and country risks that the private sector is unable or unwilling to accept. We also help to level the playing field for U.S. exporters by matching the financing that other governments provide to their exporters.”

www.forbes.com...

Now tell me why the right wing sites are claiming a falsehood if not for partisanship purposes?

reply to post by Indigo5


You may want to check the OP again before going off on a tangent about right wing media sources. I can't speak to anyone else on this or where they get their information, but I based my OP on a story reported by Reuters and seconded by the Associated Press as it crossed their wire services. I appreciate the fact you have found plenty of partisan locations that chose to carry the story. That isn't where I chose to take it from and they hadn't picked up on it all at the time it crossed the Reuters wire anyway. So, in this case? There is quite a distance between where you're suggesting I sourced this story and where I actually did, as it happens.

*My source for the other thread linked out of this OP was a blog from another ATS member (as I learned afterward) which linked directly to the U.S. Government procurement bids for Medical Evacuation services to Department of Defense contractors and personnel across a large % of Sub Saharan Africa.

Thanks for bringing the news about how partisan others are making the misadventures of one President though.....and it's funny, but I'm running into fewer and fewer Dems, even on campus, who want anything to do with saying they support this man. I agree that some are making it far more partisan than it IS though.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I am defending facts, not the President.

I did not take issue with Reuters...good choice...but your interpretation of the article fell in line with the false claim by Briebart and others that this was 7B in taxpayer dollars being spent.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Oh goodness.. I thought we had sequester going on and demands of budget cutting with finances being so bad, tours of the White House can't even be allowed for lack of staff support. Yet... Look here?

Not sure where that leaves us? The fact that you know Democrats that no longer support the President? Good for them. I do not support any President...only actions, policies and facts. On this thread I am defending facts and what I believe to be good policy.

Edit to add:

If you are genuinely approaching this from a non-partisan perspective, then perhaps you could acknowledge the facts? Reconcile your sequester statement with the fact that these are private corporations doing the actual spending? Or answer my question...

Originally posted by Indigo5
reply to post by Wrabbit2000

 

Briebart, CSN et al. is exploiting folks ignorance on how OPIC and the Import/Export Bank function in order to sell the false claim that Pres. Obama's "Power Africa" initiative will cost Americans 7B in taxpayer dollars.

It is a false claim.

Do you disagree?

reply to post by Indigo5


Is interesting that the bill was tried again this year with the same results, taking into consideration that the austerity measures bill was passed in 2012, leaving hundreds of thousand in the government sector without a job in the first wave and now the rest of the government workers were forced into furlong.

Is nothing but playing politics while the nation job growth fails, but when it comes to foreign policies and money give away is always funds for that.