Posted on 02/25/2005 1:23:30 PM PST by xsysmgr
President Bush’s moral-high-ground, idea-driven foreign policy was well represented in an uber-speech he delivered in Brussels and throughout his trip to Old and New Europe this week. He again pulled from Natan Sharansky’s big thought on the transforming power of democracy and freedom, stating in Brussels that “Regimes that terrorize their own people will not hesitate to support terror abroad,” that “the false stability of dictatorship and stagnation can only lead to deeper resentment,” and that “Lasting successful reform in a broader Middle East will not be imposed from the outside. It must be chosen from within.”
So, while the president engaged in a bit of fence-mending, and a lot of public diplomacy, he remained decidedly on message.
Moving to trade, Bush said that “open markets create jobs and lift income, and draw whole nations into an expanding circle of freedom and opportunity.” He then made a pitch for a renewed commitment to bringing global trade talks to a successful conclusion.
Sounding very much like a supply-sider, the president next expanded his vision for a new round of tax reform at home to additional tax reform worldwide. All nations, he said, should pursue “sound fiscal policies of low taxes and fiscal restraint and reform that promote a stable world financial system and foster economic growth.”
Bush has a growing audience for such statements. The New Europe countries are all moving toward flat-tax reform, much to the consternation of Old Europe welfarists in France and Germany. Even Russia adopted a flat tax. Most recently, Romania installed a 16 percent single-tax-rate system.
Later in the week, in the Slovak Republic city of Bratislava, Bush even touted a flat tax: “the President [Mikulas Dzurinda] put a flat tax in place; he simplified his tax code, which has helped to attract capital and create economic vitality and growth. I really congratulate you and your government for making wise decisions.”
Also in Bratislava, Bush called for expanding democracy to Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, and all the former Soviet states. It was a Reaganesque moment: Tear down those old dictatorships. “Eventually, the call of liberty comes to every mind and every soul,” Bush told the cheering throngs in Slovakia. “And one day, freedom’s promise will reach every people and every nation.” Soon after, Bush told Russian president Vladimir Putin that “democracies have certain things in common; they have a rule of law and protection of minorities, a free press, and a viable political opposition.”
But back to Brussels. Bush next showed his hand on global climate change — and it wasn’t the Kyoto hand, which would punish economic growth and drive up unemployment. Instead, the president said that “Emerging technologies, such as hydrogen-powered vehicles, electricity from renewable energy sources, clean coal technology, will encourage economic growth that is environmentally responsible.”
We even heard a clear reference to the eminent economist Joseph Schumpeter, who created a model of economic growth centered on entrepreneurs in search of technological advances and applications that launch new long cycles of economic growth. Bush said, “All of us can use the power of human ingenuity to improve the environment for generations to come.” He then added, “By researching, by developing, by promoting new technologies across the world, all nations, including the developing countries, can advance economically while slowing the growth in global greenhouse gases and avoid pollutants that undermine public health.”
Implicit here is the Schumpeterian concept of invention and innovation through technology to foster growth and better serve humankind. The power of human ingenuity is itself a powerful idea. It takes a free-market economy with appropriate tax incentives and open trade to set the framework necessary for non-polluting prosperity. (Bush also implicitly suggested the use of nuclear power.)
Bush concluded his comments in Brussels with the grand vision of the “principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law.” This was a good speech, full of big thoughts. It was characteristic of this president. Cynical intellectuals and media pundits in Europe and the U.S. may scoff at Bush, but once again the Texan revealed himself to be a man of ideas.
Very good ideas, at that.
— Larry Kudlow, NRO’s Economics Editor, is host of CNBC’s Kudlow & Company and author of the daily web blog, Kudlow’s Money Politic$.
I think the middle class in europe may eventually rebel against their socialist gov'ts and embrace the Bush Doctrine.
Geez even the President....seems to have bought into the idea that Man is responsible for the increase of Green House gases.
This article (posted by me ) says that may NOT be the case:
PERSPECTIVES: RISING CO2 LEVELS - THE REASON WHY ~~The earth has a cycle
Do adjust your screen, has BIG Font size initially.
Could there have been a better worded title ?
“All of us can use the power of human ingenuity to improve the environment for generations to come.”
There is something to the adage "build it & they shall come". Human ingenuity is indeed an irrepressible force, not lightly to be reckoned with (why else were we expulsed from Eden?)
Again, TY
I also think that is entirely possible. I don;t want to ever underestimate what President GWB has made possible. Look at how the world has changed in the last 5 years, and what we've already been through.
Who thought it would be possible that Afghanistan would have a free election, and Iraq, and Saudi Arabia would be talking about letting women vote. And Lebanon would be talking of kicking out the Syrians. And the US would be talking about how we can get rid of the corrupt and vile UN organization. Could even ONE of these have happened under klintoon? Not a snowballs chance in a hot place. Klintoon was all about status quo and appeasement. And it would not surprise me to this day to learn that he was paying Bin Laden and other terrorists with tax payer money not to attack the US and US interests to make him look bad. He was slime and scum, and History will be pretty Harsh with klintoon.
OTOH, history will show that President Reagan and President Bush II were men who had vision and knew hoe to act on that vision. Men who accomplished much more than their predecessors and men who were of honor and character, and stood for things besides where their next intern escapade was coming from.
We live in great times and I'm proud as I can be to be a Republican. I'm once again proud of having served my country. I went into the military under Ronald Reagan and served under George Herbert Walker Bush. When klintoon became the Rapist in Chief I couldn't get out fast enough. I'm glad for the people serving this country today that they have a Commander in Chief that they can be proud of again.
TAX PING
Sounding very much like a supply-sider, the president next expanded his vision for a new round of tax reform at home to additional tax reform worldwide. All nations, he said, should pursue “sound fiscal policies of low taxes and fiscal restraint and reform that promote a stable world financial system and foster economic growth.”
Bush has a growing audience for such statements. The New Europe countries are all moving toward flat-tax reform, much to the consternation of Old Europe welfarists in France and Germany. Even Russia adopted a flat tax. Most recently, Romania installed a 16 percent single-tax-rate system.
Later in the week, in the Slovak Republic city of Bratislava, Bush even touted a flat tax: “the President [Mikulas Dzurinda] put a flat tax in place; he simplified his tax code, which has helped to attract capital and create economic vitality and growth. I really congratulate you and your government for making wise decisions.”
If you would like to be added to this ping list let me know.
John Linder in the House(HR25) & Saxby Chambliss Senate(S25), offer a comprehensive bill to kill all income and SS/Medicare payroll taxes outright, and provide a IRS free replacement in the form of a retail sales tax:
H.R.25,S.25
A bill to promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national retail sales tax to be administered primarily by the States.Refer for additional information:
Bump
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.