Features
DEMOCRATS CLOSING THE GAP AFTER NOVEMBER 7 STATE ELECTIONS
TRUMP LEADS BIDEN IN BATTLEGROUND STATES
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
The involvement of the United States in two international wars in Ukraine and Israel, coupled with inflation and a general dissatisfaction in President Biden’s handling of the economy, has resulted in his lowest ratings in the polls in years.
Trump, with all his criminal baggage, has healthy leads over Biden in all the battleground states bar Wisconsin, according to a recent New York Times poll. Trump leads Biden by 49% to 45% in a CNN national poll of registered voters.
However, last Tuesday, November 7, Election Day in at least 37 states, where citizens voted on everything from Governorships and state legislatures to local referenda on specific issues, Democrats had a solid night, both in results and attendance. Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won re-election in the deep-red state of Kentucky, Democrats won both chambers in the Virginia legislature and Ohio voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
Abortion rights is likely to be one of the decisive factors in the November 2024 election. Many diehard pro-life Republican candidates are seen to be softening their previously intransigent stance on an issue they know will cost them votes. Even Trump, who padded the Supreme Court with pro-life justices, and claimed the entire pro-life credit of overturning women’s reproductive freedom, is changing his tune.
Last week’s state elections proved that ratings in polls do not automatically translate into success at elections. Democrats had a successful night in state elections in spite of Biden’s unfavorable ratings. Hopefully, Biden and the Democrats will win the November 2024 presidency, again in spite of Biden’s low ratings.
Biden’s first term presidential performance has been outstanding, displaying the positive facets of age – experience and wisdom. The enactment of bipartisan legislation like the sweeping $1.9 billion American Rescue Plan, the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other progressive laws rescued the nation from the sinking economy and massive debt inherited from the Trump administration.
However, unlike inflation and economic downturn, which can be reversed, Biden is afflicted with a condition which cannot – old age. He will be 86 if he survives to the end of a second term. The performance of the duties of the most important job in the world at such an advanced age could be an insurmountable problem.
Trump testified in the $250 million New York state case of fraud against the Trump Organization last Monday. The guilt of his Organization in submitting fraudulent documents to defraud banks and tax and insurance authorities has already been established. His testimony contained many falsehoods under oath, and he proved, yet again, to be a defense counsel’s worst nightmare.
Ivanka also testified on Wednesday, and like her brothers, Donald Jr and Eric who testified the week before, pretended that her involvement in the Organization was minimal. She was most disciplined and cordial, though her favorite words during her four-hour testimony were, “I don’t recall”. She was, however, a little more forthcoming than her brothers. To some extent, she, the favorite child, threw her father under the bus, especially about the documentation of a large Deutsche Bank loan, and the project for the conversion of the Washington DC post office to a super-luxury hotel, which had been under her control. New York State Attorney General, Letitia James said after her testimony, “This case is about numbers, and numbers don’t lie”, and indicated that Ivanka did move the needle against her father to some extent.
This New York case is only about the determination of the legal damages to be paid by Trump; and whether his New York business licenses would be canceled, which will destroy his business empire in New York. This, in his mind, is a fate even more humiliating than the 91 felony charges he faces. The Trump Organization was the cornerstone of his reputation, his creation, his baby.
The third Republican debate last Wednesday, in Miami, Florida, featured five candidates, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie and Tim Scott, who have no chance of beating Donald Trump, who didn’t even bother to participate. Instead, he spoke at a campaign rally in nearby Hialeah, dismissing the presidential aspirations of those who were participating in the Republican debate a few miles away.
The debate gave the opportunity for the Republican hopefuls to outdo each other in their futile quest for the Republican nomination. Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley emerged as the winners, though their hopes to win the nomination would materialize only if something disastrous, like disqualification or conviction – not unlikely – befalls Trump before November 2024. In fact, there was a hint of conviction in the attitude, if not the words, of many of the candidates, that Trump would be defeated by his legal woes, that he will not end up as the Party’s nominee, in spite of his current lead in the polls.
Every single candidate questioned Trump’s absence at the debate, his refusal to be confronted with, and to explain the numerous questions about his current legal status. Legitimate questions, where his perennial defense of a “Witch Hunt” may satisfy his cult, but is certainly not an adequate answer for those who refuse to accept it solely on face value.
As for the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and the continuing murder of thousands of Palestinian civilians since the Hamas atrocity on October 7, the support for Israel was unanimous on the debate stage.
The 2024 presidential election is beginning to be strangely reminiscent of the 2016 election.
In 2016, the Republican Party of Law and Order and Family Values, nominated as its presidential candidate Donald Trump, a man with five children by three wives, convicted as a co-conspirator for paying $130,000 with campaign funds to have sex with a porn star while his third and current wife was pregnant with his youngest son. A convicted, self-confessed sexual predator and fraud, Trump defeated Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, possibly the most qualified and experienced presidential candidate in US history.
You may guess the reason for this disastrous defeat was misogyny. No woman has been elected to the presidency in US history. You will be only partly correct.
In 2024, Donald Trump is the prohibitive favorite to be, once again, the nominee of the Republican Party of Law and Order and Family Values. But a new, even more seriously flawed and treasonous version. A twice-impeached former president, a man who has been convicted of rape and fraud, and arrested and on bail on four indictments for 91 felonies, is amazingly favored to defeat incumbent President Joe Biden, who has one of the best achievements of a first-term president in US history.
You may guess the possibility of an even more disastrous defeat is ageism. Biden will be 86 if he survives till the end of his second term. Again, you will be only partly correct. Especially because Trump is not that much younger.
The real reason is the continuing resentment and hatred caused by the election of a black president in 2008. Even worse, the scandal-free and brilliant two-term performance of President Obama, personal and administrative, scared the hell out of the predominantly white electorate. Hatred that has been almost surgically exploited by the white supremacist, corporate and billionaire base, through its bigoted front man, Donald Trump. Hatred that has been blatant during Trump’s administration until the present day.
If Biden loses in 2024, then Trump and his white American cult would hold sway over the American electorate, America’s Great Experiment of Democracy would have come to an ignominious end. That won’t happen, not in a million years.
The American electorate is crying for a new generation of leaders. Historically, third-party candidates have had no success in presidential elections. But 2024, which features two candidates with chronic deficiencies – Biden with senility, Trump with senility combined with criminal, treasonous corruption – may well throw the path wide open for a third-party candidate who, even if they cannot win, will at the very least act as a spoiler.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, nephew of JFK, has launched an independent run for the 2024 presidency. A convicted drug addict and anti-vaxxer, a liar second only to Trump, he espouses Republican values in spite of his illustrious Democratic background. He has been disowned by his family, but he is capable of picking up votes from both Trump and Biden, if only because of his famous name.
More dangerous to the Democrats is the proposed independent candidacy of Princeton Professor Dr. Cornell West, an outspoken voice in left-wing politics in the United States and a former surrogate of Senator Bernie Sanders. As an independent, he will split the Democratic vote right down the middle, and hand over the 2024 presidency to the Republicans on a progressive platter.
To make an already complex situation even more enigmatic, Joe Manchin, Democratic Senator from West Virginia who invariably voted Republican in the Senate during the Trump administration, and Jill Stein, Green Party candidate who probably cost Hillary Clinton the presidency in 2016, have both announced their presidential bids for 2024.
The rules of the Electoral College make it well-nigh impossible for a third party or independent candidate to win the presidency. But in the context of the 2024 election, these third-party candidates would help the chances of a second Trump presidency.
The Republican Party is no longer the Party of Moderate Conservatism, of Law and Order and Family Values. It is the Party of Trump, of Phony Christianity, of White Supremacy, of tax-cheating billionaires and corporations and of authoritarian Kleptocracy. If, for some reason, Trump fails in his bid for the Republican nomination, then his replacement will be a younger version of Trump, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or former UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, who both espouse Trump’s radical-red worldviews. Anti women’s reproductive freedom, anti all and any measures of gun control, anti LGBTQ and gay marriage. In short, against all progressive issues that have the approval of the majority of the American electorate.
In fact, the Republican Party already has compiled an agenda that will be put in force if Trump wins the election, without the guard rails of re-election. An agenda that will terminate the constitution; weaponize the Department of Justice and Law Enforcement, bringing them under the control of the Executive; raise the retirement age and cuts to Social Security and Medicare; in short, repress the freedoms and privileges of all but the privileged class.
On the other hand, the Democrats have highly competent and experienced candidates, many of who are reluctant to challenge for the Democratic nomination out of misplaced loyalty to President Biden. An admirable quality which has no place in the context of today’s politics, as it may possibly present the 2024 presidency to the Republicans.
Candidates like California Governor Gavin Newsom, Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, VP Kamala Harris, there are many others, who will continue with Biden’s progressive policies and not only strengthen the economy and save the nation’s democratic freedoms, but will drive the radical-red, white supremacist element back into the woodwork.
As for Trump, he will be where he belongs – in prison, or, if the legal system shows mercy for his senility and mental condition, in a comfortable lunatic asylum.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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