US senators speak. Philippine senators and DDS have apoplexy.

Posted by JoeAm on September 30, 2019 · 14 Comments 

By JoeAm A few US senators have been critical of the Philippines for keeping Senator De Lima in jail. They proposed legislation banning from the US those responsible for her jailing. The law may never see the light of day but the reaction in the Philippines offers a striking lesson. It does not take much … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, USA/Americans

Modern societies are ignoring laws. That leads to raw power.

Posted by JoeAm on September 23, 2019 · 191 Comments 

By JoeAm Have you noticed, laws no longer mean much? They are ignored (EJKs) or trashed (good bye to early prison release) or weaponized (opposition is ‘seditious’ and tax laws are used to silence troublesome journalists). What are laws, really? Laws are contracts between people. They define what is right, what is allowable, what is … Continue reading →

Category Crime/Corruption, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics

To solve Manila’s traffic, start with facts and goals, not the well-being of interest groups

Posted by JoeAm on September 16, 2019 · 92 Comments 

By JoeAm The Philippines is a nation run by interest groups, not ideas. So solutions are seldom found. Interest groups get in the way. Well, we need to crack through that barrier with a 10 pound sledge hammer. Here is my solution to Manila traffic, starting with a few facts . . . which are … Continue reading →

Category Ecology/Global Warming, Economy, Philippine Government

“Senator Poe gets it”

Posted by JoeAm on September 9, 2019 · 108 Comments 

By JoeAm I was surprised to read of Senator Poe’s remarks at a Business World conference this morning. She actually made sense and drilled right to the point (rather than talking out of both sides of her mouth seeking to appeal to everyone). So as a regular critic of her mamby pamby populist safe zone … Continue reading →

Category Economy, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics, Technology/Internet

Self-dealing defeats humanity

Posted by JoeAm on September 2, 2019 · 51 Comments 

By JoeAm Democracy has proved to be rough going. It is a political process. Politics is agenda pushing, agenda-pushing becomes self-dealing, and self-dealing defeats democratic values. Human rights then get in the way. We see it in the US and UK. We are living it in the Philippines. Actually, the Philippines has had a self-dealing … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Culture and Arts, Ecology/Global Warming, Economy, Philippine Government