Thursday, February 17, 2011

Arianna Huffington, David Brookson and others debate American politics



"Basically, the two-party system is like a stale marriage. Democrats and Republicans need something to spice it up. They need to go on Craigslist and find a third party."
~ Arianna Huffington


16 Feb 2011 19:07 Africa/Lagos


'America's House Divided'

Intelligence Squared Debates Examines America's Two-Party System

Arianna Huffington & David Brooks Square Off Against P.J. O'Rourke & Zev Chafets to Debate: America's Two-Party System is Making America Ungovernable
Debate to broadcast on NPR stations nationwide and telecast on Bloomberg TV globally beginning February 21 at 9PM EST

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2011

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The latest round in America's premier debate series, Intelligence Squared Debates, pitted President and Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post Media Group, Arianna Huffington and New York Times columnist David Brooks, against America's premier political satirist P.J. O'Rourke, and Zev Chafets, contributor to the New York Times Magazine and founding editor of the Jerusalem Report.

The controversial resolution at Intelligence Squared Debates' (IQ2US) latest intellectual matchup was the second in their themed season, "America's House Divided." The debate was moderated by ABC News Nightline's John Donvan.

Key excerpts from the debate include:

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

"Basically, the two-party system is like a stale marriage. Democrats and Republicans need something to spice it up. They need to go on Craigslist and find a third party."

DAVID BROOKS

"So they're weird social creatures [politicians]. Nonetheless, I would say in general, they are better people than one would anticipate. Most of them are in it for the right reason, but they're stuck in a rotten system. They're stuck in our current two-party system which forces them to behave in ways that are worse than they are. It's a mind suck."

P.J. O'ROURKE

"Now, I would argue in favor of America's two-party system not because of America's two political parties but because America doesn't really have political parties at all … Republicans and Democrats don't have ideologies. They just have these vague platform planks made of rotten wood of political expediency. If American party platforms were backyard tree forts, you would not let your children climb in them. Anyone can join an American political party, even a witch!"

ZEV CHAFETS

"In multi-party systems, there are many people who also don't feel that they're represented by any of the parties. And I, having lived in a country [Israel] that has 14 parties, I can tell you that I didn't find any that represented me -- that's sort of an inherent problem of democracy. If you have a party that fits the taste of every person or every group of people, you'll have hundreds or a multiplicity of parties that makes it impossible to govern."

For this specific debate, the audience not only voted on the resolution, but also identified their political party affiliation – Republican, Democrat, Independent – at the top of the evening. Before the debate, the IQ2US audience voted with the following:

* 46 % of audience agreeing with the resolution
* 24 % of audience against the resolution
* 30 % undecided


After carefully considering the points, P.J. O'Rourke and Zev Chafets won the debate -- the team that moves the most votes at the end of the evening is determined the winner.

* 50 % of audience agreeing with the resolution
* 40 % of audience against the resolution
* 10 % undecided


The showdown at NYU's Skirball Center in New York City (566 LaGuardia Place) put the leading public intellectuals in the limelight in front of a live sold-out audience of 800 for nearly two hours of heated debate.

To learn more about the debate and review a detailed breakdown of how Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in the audience voted pre- and post-debate, please visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/Think2Twice

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED DEBATES (IQ2US)

Rethink your point of view with Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US), Oxford-style debates live from New York City. Based on the highly successful debate program based in London, Intelligence Squared, Intelligence Squared U.S. has presented 46 debates on a wide range of provocative and timely topics. From global warming and the financial crisis, to Afghanistan/Pakistan and the death of mainstream media, Intelligence Squared brings together the world's leading authorities on the day's most important issues.

Since its inception in 2006, the goals have been to provide a new forum for intelligent discussion, grounded in facts and informed by reasoned analysis; to transcend the toxically emotional and the reflexively ideological; and to encourage recognition that the opposing side has intellectually respectable views.

The Rosenkranz Foundation initiated the Intelligence Squared U.S. Debate Series and continues to provide major support.

SOURCE Intelligence Squared Debates
NOTE TO EDITORS: To view transcripts and videos, download audio or video clips or learn more about Intelligence Squared U.S. please visit: http://intelligencesquaredus.org/index.php/debates/america-divided-us-politics/ --- Bloomberg TV will air the debate on February 21, 22, and 23 at 9:00pm EST with additional repeats ongoing throughout the weekend. To find Bloomberg TV in your area, please visit: www.bloomberg.com/intelligence-squared-debates --- NPR will air the debate on stations nationwide and provide podcast availability to download (need exact language from NPR). Please check with your local NPR stations for additional details or visit: www.npr.org/intelligencesquared --- John Donvan, correspondent for ABC News Nightline, is moderator of Intelligence Squared Debates. Dana Wolfe is the executive producer. --- 2011 marks Intelligence Squared Debates fifth series and is themed, "America's House Divided." IQ2US' first debate of the spring season featured health care reform. Upcoming debates this season will focus on: clean energy, America's global reach and immigration. IQ2US' 2010 fall season highlighted issues including: the treatment of captured terrorists, whether Islam is a religion of peace, big government, the war in Afghanistan and airport profiling.

CONTACT: Robert Pini, +1-212-918-2048, or +1-917-674-6575, Robert@high10media.com

Web Site: http://intelligencesquaredus.org

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Political Upheaval in Egypt

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NCOA Awards Grants to 10 Organizations to Help Seniors, People with Disabilities Access Benefits



Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
16 Feb 2011
15:18 Djibouti / Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Jean-Paul Noel Abdi, President of the Ligue Djiboutienne des Droits Humains (LDDH)
10:28 IIUM Confers Honorary Doctorate on His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi
14 Feb 2011
18:26 African Union / Provisional Programme of Work of the PSC for February 2011
16:09 US $ 5 million from BADEA to Zimbabwe
12 Feb 2011
04:59 Uganda / Head of EU Delegation, EAC Deputy Secretary General meet
11 Feb 2011
16:19 Das erste Jahr des neuen ukrainischen Pr?sidenten ist ein Erfolg - Pr?sident des Projekts f?r den ?bergang zur Demokratie
14:50 The First Year of the New Ukrainian President is a Success - President of the Project for Transitional Democracies
05:10 Secretary-General's Panel on the Referenda in the Sudan / Statement to the Security Council
10 Feb 2011
14:51 US Ambassador Rice at U.N. Security Council Briefing on Sudan
05:04 South Sudan votes for independence
04:52 South Sudan votes for independence
04:46 South Sudan votes for independence
17 Feb 2011
12:18 The deVere Group Sponsors Alex Flynn in 10 Million Metres Challenge for Charity
12:12 Rosoboronexport to Present a Unique Combat Vehicle at IDEX 2011
12:12 Viktor Yanukovych: Yulia Tymoshenko Should be Allowed to Move With no Restrictions
12:10 Exclusive: $Billions Diverted in Waste & Fraud to Save California? Full Disclosure Network® Interview
12:04 Changing Opinions About President Obama
11:30 MarketsandMarkets: Worldwide Smartphones Market Worth US$258.9 Billion by 2015 and Mobile Phone Market Worth US$341.4 Billion by the Same Year
11:20 Love: It's Not Just for Valentine's Day!
11:00 New York Readies to Celebrate Scottish-American Heritage April 3rd - 10th, a Full Week of Events, Topped off With a Parade
09:00 Cutting the Green Tape
08:30 Does Online Flirting Predict Offline Revolution?




Saturday, February 12, 2011

Egypt will never be the same, says Barack Obama



February 11, 2011

Obama: Egypt has spoken
U.S. President Barack Obama offers his support for Egypt following the end of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

© 2011 Reuters


11 Feb 2011 15:40 Africa/Lagos

Statement of President Barack Obama on Egypt

WASHINGTON, February 11, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Egyptian people have been told that there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear that this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient. Too many Egyptians remain unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to democracy, and it is the responsibility of the government to speak clearly to the Egyptian people and the world. The Egyptian government must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy, and they have not yet seized that opportunity.

As we have said from the beginning of this unrest, the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people. But the United States has also been clear that we stand for a set of core principles. We believe that the universal rights of the Egyptian people must be respected, and their aspirations must be met. We believe that this transition must immediately demonstrate irreversible political change, and a negotiated path to democracy. To that end, we believe that the emergency law should be lifted. We believe that meaningful negotiations with the broad opposition and Egyptian civil society should address the key questions confronting Egypt's future: protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens; revising the Constitution and other laws to demonstrate irreversible change; and jointly developing a clear roadmap to elections that are free and fair.

We therefore urge the Egyptian government to move swiftly to explain the changes that have been made, and to spell out in clear and unambiguous language the step by step process that will lead to democracy and the representative government that the Egyptian people seek. Going forward, it will be essential that the universal rights of the Egyptian people be respected. There must be restraint by all parties. Violence must be forsaken. It is imperative that the government not respond to the aspirations of their people with repression or brutality. The voices of the Egyptian people must be heard.

The Egyptian people have made it clear that there is no going back to the way things were: Egypt has changed, and its future is in the hands of the people. Those who have exercised their right to peaceful assembly represent the greatness of the Egyptian people, and are broadly representative of Egyptian society. We have seen young and old, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian join together, and earn the respect of the world through their non-violent calls for change. In that effort, young people have been at the forefront, and a new generation has emerged. They have made it clear that Egypt must reflect their hopes, fulfill their highest aspirations, and tap their boundless potential. In these difficult times, I know that the Egyptian people will persevere, and they must know that they will continue to have a friend in the United States of America.



Source: The White House




































































































































































































































































































































































Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
11 Feb 2011
20:21Joint Statement by European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, and EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, on Recent Developments in Egypt
18:27CAIR Welcomes Mubarak's Departure as Step Toward Freedom
18:13ADL Statement on Resignation of Hosni Mubarak
17:38Amnesty International Global Day of Action on Egypt Sat., Feb. 12
15:40Statement of President Barack Obama on Egypt
12:48Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on Egypt following the speech of President Mubarak
12:46Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General on the situation in Egypt
12:00Experts to Discuss Egypt Uprising -- What It Means for Israel at ADL National Meeting in Palm Beach, FL
04:53Statement from the Egyptian Press and Information Office on Today's Announcement by President Hosni Mubarak
10 Feb 2011
23:52Statement by Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following the speech of President Mubarak
21:59Mack: Egyptian Democracy Means Nothing Without Freedom
19:50Amnesty International Says at Critical Moment of Change in Egypt, 'Human Rights Reform Must Begin Now'
08:00BGAN from Stratos Enables Broadcasters to Cover Egyptian Political Crisis
04:58German Human Rights Commissioner demands investigation of attacks in Egypt
9 Feb 2011
18:30PROFNET EXPERT ALERTS: Egypt / Hypnosis Bill / Whistleblowing
18:13Unrest in Egypt and Suez Canal Could Have Major Economic Impact
17:50Experts to Discuss Egypt Uprising -- What it Means for Israel at ADL National Meeting in Palm Beach, FL
17:48Egypt / European Council calls for an orderly transition to begin
17:46Background briefing / Situation in EGYPT and the region
13:50AboutOne.com Helps Expats Evacuated from Egypt Prepare for the Unexpected by Sending Them to the Cloud
09:00Prof. Asher Susser, on Behalf of Tel Aviv University, will Host a Webcast About the Upheaval in Egypt
8 Feb 2011
08:53USA / Readout of the President's calls to discuss Egypt
06:49UNESCO Director-General calls for a halt to abuses against media in Egypt
7 Feb 2011
20:05Cyber-Activism and Cyber-War Spotlighted at Panda Security's Third Annual Security Blogger Summit
23:37Free Speech TV to Broadcast Live Coverage from Al Jazeera English
18:21Americans Divided on U.S. Involvement in Egypt
17:09Prof. Asher Susser, on Behalf of Tel Aviv University, will Host a Webcast About the Upheaval in Egypt
16:00Immigration Equality Announces Record Number of Asylum Victories
15:58Biosign Master Distributor ALQAEM Increases Initial UFIT Order by 150%
15:23Urgent Evacuation From Politically Unstable Area
15:00Ban on Connectivity Raises Crucial Questions for Egyptian ICT Sector, Pyramid Finds
5 Feb 2011
07:07German Federal Foreign Office provides emergency humanitarian aid for Egypt
07:05European Council declaration on Egypt and the region
07:03Transparency International condemns attacks on journalists, civil society and citizens in Egypt
4 Feb 2011
22:34Global Express Guaranteed Service to Egypt Suspended
20:01Archaeology Professor on Egypt Turmoil and Threat to Ancient Relics, Antiquities
18:30PROFNET EXPERT ALERTS: Heart Disease / Obesity / Super Bowl
14:40Egypt / ICRC emergency medical assistance begins to arrive
12:33Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the situation in Egypt
12:26Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the situation in Egypt
12:18Egypt / Frattini, necessary a rapid, effective and peaceful transition
12:17Norway condemns the use of violence in Egypt and calls for political change
12:16Singapore MFA Spokesman's comments in response to media queries on the status of MFA's assisted departure exercise for Singaporeans in Egypt
3 Feb 2011
22:32Egypt: Preview of America in 2015, Says NIA
19:15Experts to Discuss Egypt Uprising - What It Means for Israel at ADL National Meeting in Palm Beach, FL
17:52Amnesty International Staff Member Detained in Cairo
16:50Top Online Media Monitoring Service Continues Breaking Coverage of Egyptian Revolution
16:23Italian Minister Frattini discusses the situation in Egypt by telephone with US Under Secretary of State Burns
16:18Statement by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the situation in Egypt
01:32Chancellor, Professor of Public Policy and Former Israeli Defense Forces Major Available for Commentary on Crisis in Egypt/Middle East
00:55Kuwait's Minister of Defence Sends Military Aircraft to Transport Kuwaitis Studying in Egypt
2 Feb 2011
21:10Amnesty International Says Military Must Not Renege on Promise to Protect Protesters
19:40International SOS Evacuates 800 Clients From Egypt, Provides On-the-Ground Assistance in Wake of Turmoil
1 Feb 2011
23:18Reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy to the Evolving Situation in Egypt and President Mubarak's Statement on Tuesday
22:08New Report Warns al-Qaeda Is Extending 'Arc of Instability' Across Africa, Threatens to Exploit North Africa Unrest, Western Sahara Impasse to Target US, Europe
22:04Mummies of the World Issues Statement Regarding Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo
15:12Egypt / Change system that bred rights abuses, says Pillay
15:00Statement by Mr. Seiji Maehara, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the situation in Egypt
05:28USA / Readout of the President's Meeting on Egypt
05:14Remarks by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the situation in Egypt ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council, 31 January 2011
05:06EU External Relations Council / Frattini, help for orderly transition and free elections in Egypt
31 Jan 2011
18:01German Human Rights Commissioner Löning speaks about conditions in Egypt
17:58Italy is tracking developing events in Egypt with attention and serious concern
12:39Singapore MFA Spokesman's comments on the situation in Egypt
30 Jan 2011
18:38Hudson Institute Scholars Respond to the Unfolding Crisis in the Arab World
29 Jan 2011
08:05Statement by the Japanese Press Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the Situation in the Arab Republic of Egypt
08:02UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urges Government restraint and respect for human rights in Egypt
07:47Statement by Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs on the events in Egypt
00:10National Press Club Condemns Egyptian Crackdown on Information
28 Jan 2011
21:23Statements by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on Tunisia and Egypt
20:29Comment of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Protests in Egypt and Global Internet Freedom
16:36Egypt on the Brink of Revolution; EIN News Offers Complete Breaking News Coverage
16:18In Support of the Egyptian People's Struggle to Achieve Freedom and Social Justice
27 Jan 2011
18:11Statement by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the events in Egypt
15:002,200 Arab Scholars, Politicians, and Activists Issue Appeal for Human Rights and Democracy in the Arab World
04:42US Press Secretary of the White House / Statement by the Press Secretary on Egypt