Article Analysis Assignment
First, read a
news story from the newspaper or the Internet.
Answer the following questions regarding your news story: 1) What is the
main issue, who are the main actors being discussed; Then, choose
one of the assigned articles you read for this week. Answer the following questions regarding the
assigned article: 1) What are the basics of this article (who, what, when, how,
why, etc.); 2) What is the overall main
point the author is trying to convince you of?
3) Do you agree with the author’s argument? Why?
Why not? Finally, tie
together your news story with what you learned from the assigned article,
textbook readings, podcasts, videos, etc. for this week. Type
your answers in the box below using your own words, no outline or bullets,
complete sentences and paragraphs, single-spaced, full-page.
This week I chose the article
“Columbian President to Obama” because it is apparent the emphasis of this trip, certainly from the
media focus, has been on the wrong syllable.
Here is a helpful link no-one seems to have heard of or find titillating in the
least: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/13/fact-sheet-small-business-network-americas
Our nearest neighbor to the
south, Mexico, is by common measure notably near civil war and in some areas run by dangerous drug cartels—what we may not
have realized: six Walton family members, using tremendous wealth, are party to
subverting civil society in the name of the all-holy profit margin. Until they
are called to the carpet and given fair chance to repent financially, this pattern
of corrupt misbehavior will continue to not only tarnish America’s image, but limit
Mexico’s growth and development as well. And on down the multiplying line.
In case you don’t know what I
am referring to, corporate giant and largest employer (IN THE WORLD) Wal-Mart
is trying to excuse some pretty shady bribery (though tame in scale) in our southern neighborhood. The story itself
is in the New York Times; worth the read.
According to Forbes writer
Tim Worstall, “This really is just the way of the world. Some places do things
differently from either the way we do or the way that we think things ought to
be done. I tend to think that domestic laws which fail to recognise this fact
are doomed to eventual failure. For those different ways are going to carry on
even if we or our companies can no longer operate there because of our own
domestic laws. Yes, of course, we all have to obey the law and no doubt there’s
going to be a torrid time as possible violations of the FCPA are investigated.
My argument is simply that such laws as the FCPA and the Bribery Act shouldn’t
exist.”
In response to this nonsense,
I will direct your attention to incontrovertible evidence that this was not
run-of-the-mill –“chai money”—bribery...this was targeted corruption—from Think
Progress-“The Times examination included more than 15 hours of interviews with
the former executive, Sergio Cicero Zapata, who resigned from Wal-Mart de
Mexico in 2004 after nearly a decade in the company’s real estate department. In
the interviews, Mr. Cicero recounted how he had helped organize years of
payoffs. He
described personally dispatching two trusted outside lawyers to deliver
envelopes of cash to government officials. They targeted mayors and city
council members, obscure urban planners, low-level bureaucrats who issued
permits — anyone with the power to thwart Wal-Mart’s growth. The bribes, he
said, bought zoning approvals, reductions in environmental impact fees and the
allegiance of neighborhood leaders.” I feel especially bad for the non-corrupt—you
know, the victims of the crime who are left with the costs of adjustment.
To suggest we allow local law
to dictate our norms while upholding the idea that America alone is exceptional
is just plain inexplicable. But there you have modern conservative thought on
growth and development: keep government out of the way! Liberty!
Sachs points out what we can
do instead of allowing further neocolonialism in the name of free market
capitalism/democracy, an unjust misnomer if ever there was one. Using a series
of nine steps he explains how extreme poverty might be eradicated. Since the
Millennium, there is a discernible improvement in the long-term prospects for
dealing with HIV/AIDS and malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, for example. Perhaps
we could use a similar strategy to force patriotism from non-sovereign MNC’s.
“Commit to the task-Adopt a plan of action-raise the voice of the poor—etc.” to
help achieve redemption of the “declining” power the United States holds.
If we are to continue
honestly asserting our dependence on good governance we must also soon assert
that an unbridled free market is inhumane in the theory as well as the practice.
Many sources point to the unhealthy dominance of the “jobs benefactor” in just
about every American community by Wal-Mart. They appear as a whole Person--a
whole Corporate Person, Mr. Romney--unrepentant, incorrigible, unwilling and
unfit to maintain good relations further in Mexico, and the response to the
illegal activity by thinkers like Mr. Worstall shows an inability to empathize
with victims that is not only unhealthy, it represents downright meanness.
Surely conservative of all stripes will jump at the chance to prosecu---aaaah nope I
hope they get kicked out of Mexico like Rohrabacher was kept out of Afghanistan by Karzai. In
case the corruption abundant overseas wasn’t convincing. Not cool, Sam’s Kids. Not
cool. The Waltons are clear quislings here—worse, Norquislings, as ALEC and
Walmart are long-term partners in a “moral” legislative conspiracy against good
governance.
From the Root: “The six Waltons are worth more than $100
billion -- a wealth greater than the bottom 30 percent of Americans combined --
and with that wealth comes power and influence. Since 1990, Walmart's political
action committee and the Walton family have given a total of more than $1
million to politicians with close ties to ALEC in state and federal races.
Between 2006 and 2010, they gave more than $500,000 to the campaigns of ALEC
alums currently serving in Congress.” In other words, a rather well timed strategy. Jeffery Sachs, on
the other hand, while not World Bank president (though he remains a friend of
Bono, which is pretty awesome) is pretty awesome.
PS- Democrats from the House,
Waxman and Cummings, have launched an investigation into Wal-Marts’ activities
sure to receive the improper emphasis in the “free press” (see: Pew Research
Poll).
Source citation:
http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11188436-colombia-president-to-obama-dont-ignore-your-neighbors
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/21/us-walmart-mexico-idUSBRE83K0I720120421
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/04/22/wal-mart-and-corruption-in-mexico-so-what/
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/business/women-file-new-class-action-bias-case-against-wal-mart.html
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/04/22/468913/walmart-whistleblower-mexico/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/22/voter-id-laws-obama_n_1442338.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/23/walmart-bribery-prosecution_n_1447148.html?ref=topbar
ß---exactly part of the
problem!!!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/15/remarks-president-obama-and-president-santos-colombia-joint-press-confer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/22/david-axelrod-reign-of-terror-republicans-congress_n_1443722.html
first mover advantages --a competitive edge provided to firms or countries that
first enter a new industry; these include advantaged gained from economies of
scale, network effects and investment funds-- good governance a strategy
adopted by the World Bank that emphasizes the elimination of government
corruption that undermines investment and economic growth
“2012
Walmart Annual Report - Chairman's
Message ww.walmartstores.com/sites/annual-report/.../chairmansMessage.asp...
This year, we
mark the historic occasion of Walmart's 50th anniversary. Our success over ...
Good corporate governance is good business. As your chairman, I .
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