Thread: Madness...from afar

Tonga is fairly remote from the rest of the world, both geographically and
culturally, but we do have internet service. News from the "rest of the world"
is a very popular topic of conversation here, particularly in regards to "what's
happening" in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. More Tongans live in
those countries than live in Tonga itself, and there is a lively exchange of
information between the "locals" and the "ex-pat" Tongans.

At the moment, Tongans are concerned about what's going on in America.
There is concern about immigration policy, there is concern about the American
economy (60% of Tongan's disposable income comes via remittances from
overseas "relatives"), and there is concern about the political scene in America.

The people here don't understand what the "fuss" is all about. Why should the
banks get a better deal than the people? Why doesn't everyone in that great
nation get the same health care as everyone else? Why doesn't everyone get
the same education as everyone else, for free? Why do the politicians have
to argue about every little thing, instead of doing what's best for everyone?

I'm an American, I've lived here for 17 years now, and the people here ask me
these questions. The only answer I have for them is, "It's politics...It's hard
to explain."

I don't know what else to say. The Tongan "view" seems eminently sensible to me,
but I just can't account for what looks like, from an overseas perspective at least,
pure madness.

Most of Tonga is low-lying. My house is about 30 feet above sea level. Climate
change (and the potential rise of sea level) raises concern here. Yet the "developed
nations" seem incapable of reducing their carbon emissions, and thus the consequent
rise in sea level, due to "global warming."

The standard of living here is far below what we Americans experience: the per
capita income here is about USD$1500/year...that's about USD$4/day. And that
is alot more than other places in the world. It's not much, but nobody seems to
be starving here...thanks to the remittances from overseas.

However, as the American economy deteriorates, those remittances from overseas
are diminishing: expat Tongans lose their jobs, and they don't have any money to
send to their relatives in Tonga.

I truly sympathecize with those who have lost their homes and jobs in America.
I'm just saying that the consequences of the political and economic situation
in America has a greater impact, world-wide, than you might imagine.

We're all in this together.

Paul

Originally Posted by PaulKidd

We're all in this together.

You, me, the people of Tonga, and countless others are in it together, but the guys in charge have no idea what it's like to live on $4 dollars a day. They care about themselves.

If their life goals need to be achieved at the cost of lesser humans - so be it. If sea levels rise they'll just move to the mountains. The dead bodies floating around near the shore won't bother them at all.

Nothing will ever change until 'the minions' stop following the lemmings off the cliff when standing in the voting both and actually pull a lever for they guys on our side.

To date.... it don't look too good.

I advise moving to higher ground.

it's not just here, it's the whole western world. The balance is shifting. Unfortunately, in this country several years ago a decision was made to join the world economy and when you do that everything looks to equalize. The poorer countries get richer and the rich countries get poorer. Things will only get worse. Economic recovery? believe in fairy tales?

When I was ten years old my grandfather told me to believe half of what you see and nothing that you read. He was 78 then in the last year of his life and had come to the USA from czarist Russia in '08. He had seen quite a bit but his admonition puzzled me for many years. Sort of like a Zen koan. Now at 62 I understand what he meant. I've been reading the papers, listening to the pundits and no worries .... no double dip .... the recession ended two years ago.

I personally think it's going to be hard to reconcile your concerns over rising sea level and your concerns about a failing american economy. Whatever your stance is on global warming, reducing emissions of any kind is, at this point in time, not going to do wonders for our economy. Without the techmology (as Ali G. would say) we will have a nigh impossible time doing both.