Food riots likely when cars and corn compete

The U.S. corn crop, accounting for 40 percent of the global harvest and supplying 70 percent of the world’s corn exports, looms large in the world food economy. Annual U.S. corn exports of some 55 million tons account for nearly one fourth of world grain exports. The corn harvest of Iowa alone, which edges out Illinois as the leading producer, exceeds the entire grain harvest of Canada. Substantially reducing this export flow would send shock waves throughout the world economy. [More]

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How to truly support our troops

Whatever their views of President Bush’s new “surge” of 20,000 soldiers, both liberals and conservatives continue to claim that they support our troops. Liberals say they support our troops by criticizing or opposing “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” which they claim has unnecessarily killed 3,000 soldiers. Conservatives say they support our troops by supporting the mission that most of our troops believe in. [More]

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The case for Impeachment:
Can Bush be thrown out of office?

In this past November’s elections, American voters signaled their discontent with Republican rule and with what Democrats call “the Bush administration’s failed war and fiscal policies.” Shifting power out of the hands of Republicans, the public elected for the first time since 1994, a Democratic U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. The public’s dissatisfaction has festered since the start of the Iraq war and lead to not just angry voters expressing themselves at the polls, but also to a growing call for President George W. Bush’s impeachment. [More]

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Out of Asia: Some good news for the Middle East

Americans, accustomed to being in the center of diplomacy on the Middle East, might not notice a news item out of Jakarta, following a Jan. 31 meeting between Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and visiting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. They should, said Richard Baker, special assistant to the president of the East-West Center and a former U.S. diplomat who served in Jakarta. [More]

Pakistan President Pervez Musharra

Indonesian Pres. Yudhoyono

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Real Politicks: An Introduction

by Nicole Loschke, staff writer

A lesson in linguistics from a very wise man offers insight to the true meaning of the word: politics; “From the Latin, “poli” meaning “many” and from the English “ticks” meaning “blood sucking creatures.”

Real Politicks, a new Kalamalama opinion section, offers creative commentary and information about politicks and politicians on both sides of the political spectrum: their words, decisions, and impact. Influential events are rapidly unfolding, and it’s important to be informed of these events and their impact on ourselves, other nations, and future generations.

A closer look at politicians provides insight into many issues concerning us today. Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), for example, offered insight recently on education: “We’re here,” he told a group of college students, “to talk about education. . . . If you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well.

“ If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice addressed contemporary religion and the origin of political systems when she referred to the fighting in Iraq as the “birth pangs of a new Middle East.”

This new section may address hunting tips from Dick Cheney, dating advice from Mark Foley, and lesson in public speaking from none-other-than Pres. George W. Bush himself.

If you are interested in contributing to this section e-mail work to nloschke@campus.hpu.edu or kalamalama@hpu.edu.

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‘Bushisms’: Lessons in language and politics

“I’m the decider and I decide what’s best.” —President Bush, on keeping
Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense. [More]

President George W. Bush

Web photo

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Other politicians condemned by their own words

The recent elections bombarded Americans, as well as the world, with mixed messages, censorship, bias, and a frenzy of exploitation. With all of this happening around us, it’s hard to sort though all the current events and decide what is true, what matters, and what will affect us most. Elections do provide a great opportunity to reflect on the past decisions, actions, arguments, and events, to decide which way your own vote will go and how you would like to see the country change. But even with the Democrats gaining control of Congress, much still remains the same. The Bush White House is still in control, soldiers are sill dying overseas, the national deficit is still growing, children are still being left behind, and the richer are still getting richer while the rest of us aren’t. Here are some reminders, in their own words, of what the current administration and the party that was in control really think about the American people and the world. [More]

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