Posted By J Houston, TX : November 13, 2007 11:04 am

You do realize that the average farming family in this country recieves about $700 worth of subsidies. The government gives out subsidies to dead farmers! http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d071137t.pdf
But its not like its the governments money, they just take it from those who earn it doing something productive for a living.

Gasoline prices have doubled since the 90's, healthcare and housing cost have also skyrocketed. The cost of living is getting so bad – that most Americans are barely getting by living paycheck to paycheck.

also, what resource does the world value greatly and is not in abundance in Africa. OIL. hence Americas and the worlds great interest in the middle east.

John Weinbrecht
Portland, OR

I understand your point. Rudy continuously dressing up in women's clothes is way past the point of humor.

Can you see him trying to stand up to Iran, Russia or China? They would have zero respect for him as a president.

Problem is, he is running as a republican and history shows they will vote for any idiot Fox News and Rush Limbaugh tells them to.

On the moral side, we need to do something to boost Africa's economy and promote cooperation among its nations. A strengthened coalition, something like the European Union, would be a big step toward stabilizing and raising up that impoverished continent. There is a lot of potential there.

On the political side, China is spreading its influence in Africa, and the West should do something to counter that.

Everyone knows that Africa's problems stem from 'industrialized nations' refusal to do business with African countries. This is not news!

Every president dems and republicans say that during the campaign. But once in office they couldn't care less about really developing a strategy of investing or trading with African countries.

We can trade with the most corrupt and oppressive communist regimes on the planet but no one has ever nor will ever trade with these poor African countries.

They need trade and investments just like we do with India and China, (who will own us in a couple of decades by the way).

Regarding Africa and AIDS, I try hard to not be pessimistic about the USA helping to resolve their plight. When you consider the corruption plaguing African governments, along with the myths surrounding HIV (for example, the notion that having sex with a virgin can get rid of AIDS), I don't think we can make much progress eradicating HIV until Africans take charge of it. Stop waiting for America to take responsibility for all the world's troubles!

Make farming a viable way of life here in the United States. With all the wasteful spending in the government by BOTH sides, how can you honestly tell me that taking money away from farmers is the first place to cut the fat? And yes, I would rather the AMERICAN farmer have a job than the AFRICAN farmer if it actually came to that.

Just keep borrowing money from China to subsidize the downfall of America!

Excuse me Rudy, but U.S. free trade agreements expand brand-name drug companies' monopolies.

The WTO TRIPS agreement, although very problematic, did guarantee that countries can prioritize public health and take measures to guarantee access to medicines for all.

The new data exclusivity rules (contained in US bilateral free trade agreements) are a gigantic
gift to Big Pharma. Data exclusivity - rules preventing generics from relying on clinical test data from brand-name companies - is Big Pharma's top agenda item for trade deals, and a major impediment to generic competition.

After all look how much money he's made over the dead bodies of the 9/11 victims.....

"There's nothing better than to help to make people self-sufficient, and aid helps them get through crisis, but then trade helps them to self-sufficiency.'"

That has to be the most intelligent answer to this problem I've heard from a candidate.

Many African countries are so embroiled with internal conflicts that they can't maintain trade with other countries effectively. There is often not enough in the way of roads to get things to where they need to go. That needs to be addressed as well if this "More trade with solve the health crisis" bull. Many things are interconnected and sometimes the candidates don't know or realize that.

The only reason there are any problems at all in the US is becuase of the excessively high minimum wage. If we could only lower that to maybe two bucks an hour, many more people would be able to afford health care.