Friday, November 30, 2007

Bob Geldof Gets It ... Almost


Stop the presses! Lefty Bob Geldof is for free trade (sort of).

Geldof unveils African trade plan
Poverty campaigner Bob Geldof and Africa advocacy group Data have introduced an African Trade Initiative ahead of the EU-Africa summit.
Its aim is "to ensure that Africa is able to grow through increased exports and regional trade".
So what are the specifics?
The initiative emphasizes the urgent need for further opening of EU and US markets to African products, reform of subsidies that harm African producers and enhanced aid for trade commitments that address Africa's supply-side challenges," Data said.
Supply side economics?

Opening up and eliminating trade restrictions?

Gee, who would have thought that Geldof was a free trade, supply-sider kind of guy. Don't let Geldof and his buddies on the left/MSM know, but he is walking arm-in-arm with Adam Smith and Ronald Reagan on this trade stuff.

But then, just when you think Gelfof get's it, he comes out with this:
Mr Geldof also said that "we should not enforce trade liberalization on the poor".

Trade is the key to deal with the extreme poverty, but it is not happening because Africa's commodity-based economies are not attracting enough money, he said.
Um, Mr. Geldof? One major reason why the "poor" are poor, is because there is not enough free trade going on. The best way to encourage more trade is to reduce trading restrictions like tarrifs and such. Okay? Get it now?

And the reason why Africa's economies are not attracting foreign capital is due to the lack of trade and the socialistic/communistic tendancies of many of the governments there. Investors just will not risk their capital in that kind of a market.

Geldof is living proof of how sad it is to waste a brain on socialism.

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