Voting this November: the Lesser of Two Evils

With three months to go before the election, Yahoo! News asked a handful of undecided voters how they're leaning in the presidential race. Here's a perspective from one voter.

COMMENTARY |

I don't normally consider myself a wishy-washy person. I generally don't have a problem choosing or making a decision and sticking with it -- except when deciding whom to vote for in this November's presidential election. How do I choose between "the lesser of two evils" who both belong to political parties with policies and positions I do not support?

In 2008, I voted for President Barack Obama. After eight years of war, I, like millions of other Americans, was ready for some "hope and change."

Things have changed during President Obama's tenure. Many of the changes have not been for the better, in this voter's opinion. In particular, his tax and energy policies are worrisome.

While I agree with some of his policies (the highly unpopular bailout for instance), I don't agree with his other choices. I do not support Obama's ideology of "tax the rich" as a solution to our economic woes. The answer lies in increasing private sector employment, particularly in the small-business sector.

Most small businesses report their earnings as personal income on individual tax returns, which can artificially elevate many people's income on their tax return. I don't believe raising their taxes at this difficult time will help to the economy; these individuals need their tax break so they can expand and hire, and get a few people off the list of nearly 50 million Americans who are now drawing food stamps and receiving other government assistance.

Living near Roanoke near the coalfields of Virginia, I have seen firsthand the economic devastation caused by Obama's executive orders to the EPA to basically destroy the coal industry. We need to use all of our energy sources -- oil, natural gas, coal, renewable -- so that we can achieve independence from obtaining oil from many foreign sources, some of whom wish to destroy our country.

So, late last year and earlier this year, I was hoping Tim Pawlenty or Ron Paul would win the Republican nomination. If either had, I would not be an undecided voter and could vote for the Republican this November with no hesitation.

Instead, Mitt Romney is the presumptive party nominee. I really don't consider myself "left" or "right," but a centrist and a moderate. I agree with Romney's position and recent affirmation of our Second Amendment rights. He has the business experience necessary to put people back to work.

Some of his party's positions on birth control and other issues frighten me however.

I don't know whom I will choose. But either way, I will probably be holding my nose when I make my selection.

Lyn Brooks, 44, is a freelance writer and novelist in southwest Virginia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/voting-november-lesser-two-evils-210300695.html

DNS Changer ernest borgnine adrian peterson ESPYs 2012 venus williams Freeh Report direct tv

This is Crucial for Real Estate Investing Business Continuity? | REI ...

One of the most overlooked parts of real estate investing is ensuring business continuity. Most investors get used to being in a rush to find more deals and grow and forget to take time out to plan for the future and protect what they?ve got.

This is what often separates the big winners from those who end up searching for a new job, often overnight when the unexpected does happen.

The Most Important Factor in Business Continuity Planning
What is one of the most significant elements yet also likely the most overlooked when it comes to ensuring business continuity?

Look at what has happened to other hugely successful companies or the biggest worries about the futures of some of the current ones. Look at the chaos when Steve Jobs passed on. What has become of Microsoft since Bill Gates left? How many people really bought the new Microsoft Surface tablet? Why is Berkshire Hathaway still so loved?

Yes, it is have a plan for a successor to run your real estate investing business.

Yet according to a new survey from the Urban Land Institute only 48% of real estate companies annually review plans for succession. Just 22% have formal plans for it in place and only 11% think the industry is adequately preparing for succession issues.

Succession planning isn?t just about panning to die. Who does that? Though what if you decide you want an extended break, want to retire early (or at all) or become disabled or even need ot take time off to help family? How will your real estate investing business keep running to provide for your family and who will run it?

Who Will Carry On Your Legacy?

May be you have kids you want to take over but what if they have other plans, aren?t ready or just aren?t qualified?

Owners of real estate investing businesses need to recognize the need to be training a successor and maybe a backup one or two too, now.

This can also be a way to ensure you retain the top talent and allow them to grow with you rather than having them lead and head up the competition.

Those who have been embracing a virtual office structure can still do this with remote employees and managers just as well as with in-house ones.

Not only will getting a head start on this now make it easier it will give others more confidence in your business, increasing the potential of attracting better partners and make the transition smoother for staff and vendors later. In fact this is not an option, it is a must. Without thorough planning and training even a couple weeks of chaos trying to put a successor in place in an emergency can completely destroy a real estate investing business.

August is What Will Be Your Legacy Month, the perfect time to work on this as part of ensuring your legacy. Don?t get caught slipping.

Source: http://reieducationcompany.com/this-is-crucial-for-real-estate-investing-business-continuity/

eli young band wrestlemania country music awards 2012 wrestlemania 28 results earl scruggs game of thrones game of thrones season 2

Source: http://rodriguejamie.posterous.com/this-is-crucial-for-real-estate-investing-bus

vince young vince young evan longoria carrie underwood jessica simpson ryan seacrest kentucky derby

Centerpiece Party Ideas Inspired by Bold Summer Colors

Entry #1445, August 7, 2012

Before you know it summertime will be a distant memory! Before summer slips away why not throw summer party inspired by all the bold beautiful colors of the season? Centerpieces made from gorgeous pinks, fuchsia, greens and blues, to gorgeous pairings of all the grandeur of summer. Take a look at these great ideas and let me know which one you?d love to use at your summer party this year?

Bring on the color this summer!

Image via

Bright Pinks, Purples, and Oranges:

Showoff beautiful summer color this season!

Image via

Pairing Turquoise and Burnt Umber Orange

Simple but colorful jellybeans make the perfect centerpiece

Image via

Planning a Summer Party? Striking Hot Pink & Orange combo!

Hot pink and orange just scream fun and summertime!

Image via

Throw a summertime experience that is unforgettable?

Create a summer centerpiece that is unforgettable

Image via

Summertime is all about fabulous color!

Perfect ideas for giving gifts to your guests

Image via

Whether you are throwing a intimate get together or a huge end of summer bash, use these colorful ideas to infuse creativity into your party!

For more summertime party ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Source: http://stagetecture.com/2012/08/centerpiece-party-ideas-inspired-by-bold-summer-colors/

bonjovi dead sam shepard sam shepard johnny knox johnny knox monday night football monday night football

What everyone is saying about NASA's Mars rover landing

The successful landing of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on the Red Planet marks a historic moment in the history of planetary science. Here's what people are saying about it.

By SPACE.com Staff / August 7, 2012

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team in the MSL Mission Support Area reacts after learning the the Curiosity rover has landed safely on Mars and images start coming in at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Mars, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012 in Pasadena Credit:

Bill Ingalls/NASA

Enlarge

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity successfully landed on the Red Planet late Sunday night (Aug. 5), marking a historic moment in the history of robotic Mars exploration.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

The?Curiosity rover touched down?at 10:32 p.m. PDT Sunday, Aug. 5 (1:32 a.m. EDT; 0532 GMT Monday, Aug. 6), after a harrowing journey through the Martian atmosphere. The rover will now spend roughly two years investigating whether Mars has, or ever had, a suitable environment to host microbial life.

As news of?Curiosity's successful landing?spreads, here are some reactions from space exploration supporters, space industry officials, lawmakers and President Barack Obama.

Barack Obama, President of the United States?(via Twitter)?

Tonight, on the?planet Mars, the United States of America made history.

I congratulate and thank all the men and women of NASA who made this remarkable accomplishment a reality.

Today, the wheels of Curiosity have begun to blaze the trail for human footprints on Mars. Curiosity, the most sophisticated rover ever built, is now on the surface of the Red Planet, where it will seek to answer age-old questions about whether life ever existed on Mars ? or if the planet can sustain life in the future. This is an amazing achievement, made possible by a team of scientists and engineers from around the world and led by the extraordinary men and women of NASA and our Jet Propulsion Laboratory. President Obama has laid out a bold vision for sending humans to Mars in the mid-2030s, and today's landing marks a significant step toward achieving this goal. [1st Photos of Mars by Curiosity Rover (Gallery)]

Buzz Aldrin,?Apollo 11 astronaut?(via Twitter)?

@marscuriosity has successfully landed on Mars. I'm at JPL on this momentous evening. This is one of many stepping stones to manned missions

Adam Schiff, Representative (D-California)

The landing of Curiosity is a remarkable engineering achievement and the culmination of nearly a decade of work by thousands of people here and around the world. In the coming weeks and months, Curiosity will answer many of the vital?questions about Mars? past?and whether it ever had conditions suitable for life. But tonight we celebrate the genius of humankind.

This success must reinvigorate our efforts to restore funding for planetary science and future Mars missions. While we have restored some of the funding ?- almost $100 million so far ?- much work remains to return the Mars Program to health. Without the certainty of future missions and support, we will find it impossible to maintain the most specialized workforce on Earth ?- the brilliant engineers and scientists who made this mission possible.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/0kPMkUVMMxM/What-everyone-is-saying-about-NASA-s-Mars-rover-landing

demaryius thomas transtar 316 william daley truffles truffles alabama vs lsu

'Big Brother' recap: The Coach Is Dead, Long Live the Coach

Do we really need previouslies? The whole game restarted on Thursday when the coaches jumped in, meaning we all wasted our July. More than usual, I mean.

We rejoin the de facto first Head of Household competition, with twelve players where once there were eight players and eight coaches. They're all undergoing a long endurance competition, hanging on uncomfortable little platforms on the side of a fake ship, through wind and tilts. As for the coaches getting dropped into the game, that development has thrown the players for a loop -- and Mike as well, as we see them telling us in the Diary Room. But it's saved the network a hundred grand, which is why it was a fait accompli. During the competition, Janelle quietly asks Britney if she pressed the reset button, and Britney lies that she didn't, even though Mike was the only former coach who abstained. Britney DRs that she didn't think she had much of a chance of making it to the end with one player, we see that Dan told the DR he'd leap at a chance to get back in the game, and Janelle says, "Duh, I want to win Big Brother!" But Mike was happy with his chances at winning a hundred thousand, but now he might actually have to try.

We see that on Thursday night, while the players were being rushed to the backyard for the HoH competition, Dan whispered to Mike that the plan was to vote Frank out. Which throws Mike, but Dan tells us that told Mike in order to build trust with him. What could go wrong? Also, Dan claimed to Britney and Janelle that he didn't remember if he pressed the button or not (not that either of them believed him) and Janelle also claimed not to have pressed the button so as to maintain her image as a reluctant player. Which I'm sure will fool everyone.

Twenty-five minutes into the competition, everyone's still in, and Mike wails, "I hate you, Dan!" He's the only one who hasn't denied pressing it, after all. Britney whispers to Mike that the other players are going to come after the coaches and it'll be eight against four. And a moment later, there are fake seagulls flying overhead, spattering them all with fake poop.

?

?

?

?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/Zap2it/ithappenedlastnight/~3/c5ns7vD1-uI/big-brother-recap-the-coach-is-dead-long-live-the-coach.html

tracy mcgrady tracy mcgrady mash alec baldwin kicked off plane alec baldwin kicked off plane mumia mumia

India Sri Lanka CEO?s Forum Identifies Potential Areas for Strengthening Bilateral Ties

The Sri Lanka- India CEO?s Forum organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) was held on August 4, 2012 with the participation of a large number of CEOs from both Sri Lanka and India. The Co-Chairs for the event were Mr. Kulatunga Rajapakse, Managing Director of DSI Samson Group (Pvt) Ltd. from Sri Lanka and Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman & Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Ltd. from India. The Forum was conceptualised at a meeting between H.E. the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh and H.E. the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The trade ties between Sri Lanka and India go back over 2500 years. India is fast becoming a global super power. The business community in India is the driving force behind this growth. Sri Lanka can reap benefits from the Indian growth story. Given the small size of the Sri Lankan market, it is important that Sri Lanka access the Indian market to increase its export and economic growth.

The trade balance between India and Sri Lanka at present is heavily in favour of India. Ways and means have to be identified to reduce this imbalance. The two Governments envisage doubling of trade between the two countries within the next three years. Sri Lanka would like to see obstacles to trade and investment removed to enable Sri Lankan businesses to penetrate into the Indian market. There are opportunities and partnerships to be forged for the mutual benefit of both the countries.

Some of the potential sectors identified for increasing trade and investment between the two countries are apparel, rubber products, power and energy, tourism, education, skill development, ports and shipping and infrastructure in general.

In the apparel sector, with China becoming more expensive apparel sourcing destination, it was felt that there is immense opportunity for India and Sri Lanka to increase their market share in the world. Further there is scope for Sri Lanka to increase export of apparel to India with further relaxation of the rules of origin and quota for apparel that is currently in place under the ISFTA.

There is high demand for rubber based components in India and at present companies in India face high prices and shortages. Hence an area for both countries to explore the possibility of forging joint ventures in rubber product sector to supply rubber components to India.

The CEOs also discussed the potential of cross promotion of tourism between the two countries. It was also highlighted that air connectivity is crucial to promote tourism. Providing higher frequency of operation to Indian airlines to Sri Lanka will help improve air connectivity between the two countries. In addition to that there is potential to invest in hotels. Interest was expressed by Indian CEOs to invest in mid-segment of hotels in Sri Lanka as opposed to luxury hotels. It was pointed out that further streamlining of investment procedures will help attract more investments. For example a suggestion was made to establish a land bank identifying land available for hotel construction in tourism zones.

Given that an additional 35,000 hotel rooms are expected to be constructed in Sri Lanka in the next few years, there will be high demand for manpower in the tourism sector. This provides an opportunity for India to invest in hotels in Sri Lanka.

Given the rapidly growing demand for electricity in India, there is potential for Sri Lanka to export power to India during the off peak hours and vice versa and for Indians to invest in power generation in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a potential in excess of 40,000 MW of wind energy. To encourage investments in to wind power generation, it was pointed out that the wind resources availability in Sri Lanka should be identified and land earmarked for wind power projects. It would also make sense to expedite the implementation of undersea transmission linkages so that surplus power can be exported to India and this will help in bridging the trade deficit between the two countries. The necessity to have a policy and regulatory framework that enables big power projects to be done by private sector was also highlighted. Further it was stated that Sri Lankans can invest in power generation in India and 100 percent foreign equity participation is allowed.

Sri Lanka currently faces shortage of skills in a number of sectors. Therefore it was agreed that internationally recognised Indian education institutes should be encouraged to set up branches in Sri Lanka. To encourage investments into the higher education sector in Sri Lanka, it is important to fast track setting up the right regulatory framework to facilitate such investments.

Further it was agreed that Colombo Port is crucial for India for its transshipment. Indian CEOs stated that the regulatory framework in Sri Lanka is more efficient than in India and the bureaucracy is more manageable compared to India. Therefore India should maximise benefits from the geographical locational advantage of Sri Lanka to access the rest of the world.

The CEOs of both the countries mphasized the importance of having a flexible visa regime between the two countries. It was specially pointed out that Sri Lanka should facilitate multiple entry visa for businesses from India without hassle and from Indian side the minimum salary requirement of India of US$ 25,000 needs to be relaxed for Sri Lanka.

The Commerce Ministers of both countries and the Senior Minister of Monetary Cooperation of Sri Lanka graced the occasion and agreed to support the initiatives that will be taken by the CEOs. The two Governments have already decided to establish a Joint Task Force to come up with a road map to further enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.

***

DS
(Release ID :85708)

Source: http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=85708

aziz ansari aziz ansari katherine jenkins peyton manning broncos mexico city earthquake stand your ground law dancing with the stars season 14

MESSAGE A LA NATION DU PRESIDENT LAURENT GBAGBO A L?OCCASION DE LA FETE DE INDEPENDANCE DU 7 AOUT 2012

?

A l?occasion de la c?l?bration du 52?me anniversaire comm?moratif de l?ind?pendance de notre pays, je me permets, en tant que porte parole du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO, de vous adresser en son nom, ce message, dans une situation que vous savez tous, particuli?re.

La longue marche de notre pays vers le progr?s a enregistr?, le 11 avril 2011, l?une des pages les plus sombres de son histoire. C?est en effet ce jour l? que les ennemis de notre continent ont r?ussi le plus long coup d??tat en Afrique. Des forces sp?ciales venues d?ailleurs, aid?es par les casques bleus onusiens stationn?s en C?te d?Ivoire, sont parvenues ? enlever le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO apr?s deux semaines d?intenses bombardements de sa r?sidence officielle de Chef d??tat. Depuis cette date, notre pays vit dans l?incertitude. De nombreux Ivoiriens sont arr?t?s et d?tenus en dehors de tout cadre l?gal, tout simplement parce qu?ils sont des proches ou des partisans de Laurent GBAGBO ou pr?sum?s comme tels. L?arm?e nationale qui constitue avec l??cole les creusets dans lesquels se forme notre nation n?existe plus. Les forces r?guli?res de l??tat qui assurent la s?curit? de nos compatriotes et de leurs biens sont mises dans l?incapacit? d?assurer leur mission r?galienne. L?ins?curit? g?n?ralis?e, la paup?risation, les graves violations des libert?s, la m?fiance mutuelle sont devenues les soucis quotidiens des populations. L??tat est d?faillant.

Notre pays a perdu les rep?res essentiels qui conf?raient dans un pass? tr?s r?cent la joie de vivre ? tous, habitants comme simples passants.

Au moment o? nos universit?s sont ferm?es ; au moment o? nos concitoyens vivent dans la peur permanente justifi?e par, les privations de libert?, enl?vements, tortures, meurtres, arrestations et emprisonnements extrajudiciaires ; au moment o? l?ins?curit? est g?n?ralis?e et que la chert? sans commune mesure de la vie asphyxie les m?nages ; vous comprenez mieux le sens du combat du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO ; vous comprenez mieux pourquoi il a consacr? toute sa vie politique ? la lutte pour la d?mocratie en souffrant de toutes les injustices et des pires humiliations qu?il continue de subir.

C?est pourquoi, en son nom, je voudrais partager en ce jour solennel pour notre pays ces quelques r?flexions sur la d?mocratie vue sous l?angle politique, ?conomique et sociale en sym?trie rapport avec ce que vit notre pays.

? La d?mocratie politique

Elle est celle qui conditionne tout le reste. Pour elle, le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO et de nombreux d?mocrates ont connu la prison maintes fois. Nous devons au pr?sident GBAGBO le retour au multipartisme par lequel la plupart des partis politiques ivoiriens existent. Au surplus, pour soutenir sa passion pour la d?mocratie, le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO a impuls? des reformes majeures au profit des partis politiques dont en particulier leur financement sur le fonds publics. Le Pr?sidente Laurent GBAGBO reste convaincu que la d?mocratie constitue l?unique voie qui assure le rapprochement des populations ivoiriennes diverses par leur cultures, mais toutes unies par un destin commun. La d?mocratie va au-del? des changements m?caniques des animateurs des diff?rentes institutions de la R?publique ? des ?ch?ances r?guli?res. Ces changements n?ont de sens que lorsqu?ils participent de l?int?gration des consciences individuelles en une conscience collective port?e, par un mouvement qui perp?tue et raffermit le sentiment d?appartenance de chaque membre de notre communaut?, ? un destin commun. La d?mocratie est donc avant tout, un esprit qui tout en se construisant, consolide le contrat social. Son but final est de pacifier les rapports entre les diff?rentes composantes de la soci?t?. Elle est entretenue par des institutions r?publicaines qui, par le s?rieux de leurs actions, inspirent confiances aux citoyens.

Or le moins que l?on puisse dire, c?est que ce qui nous est donn? d?observer depuis plus d?un an contraste avec l?id?al d?mocratique que le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO nourrit pour son pays. A dire vrai, la d?mocratie politique est en net recul en Cote d?Ivoire. L?instrumentalisation ? outrance de la justice pour servir l?unique cause des tenants du pouvoir, la manipulation des ethnies et la recherche permanente de l?humiliation de l?adversaire politique ont d?truit tous les acquis d?mocratiques des longues ann?es de lutte men?e par le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO et les nombreux d?mocrates ivoiriens.

Comme vous le savez, la date du 07 ao?t 1960, dont nous comm?morons aujourd?hui l?anniversaire est ? la fois fiert? et sacerdoce pour chacun des filles et fils de notre pays. Notre responsabilit? vis-?-vis de notre pays et de notre peuple exige de chacun de nous un abandon de soi pour l?int?r?t de la collectivit?. C?est de la d?fense collective du plus petit droit ou int?r?t de chaque membre de notre communaut?, que nous prenons conscience de l?unicit? de notre destin.

C?est pourquoi, nul ne peut accepter ce qui se passe sous nos yeux dans l?ouest de notre pays. L?occupation des terres par les nouveaux colons venus d?ailleurs est une atteinte ? un droit fondamental de nos compatriotes. En effet, le droit de propri?t? est l?une des causes de notre vie en communaut? dont la Constitution de notre pays consacre la protection. Il nous faut, dans un ?lan de solidarit?, avec discernement et d?termination et dans le respect des lois de la R?publique, mettre fin ? cette gangr?ne qui pourrait atteindre si l?on n?y prend garde, d?autres r?gions de notre pays. Le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO privil?gie en toutes circonstances les solutions l?gales. Il n?y a de solution durable ? nos probl?mes que dans la juste application de la Loi. C?est ? l??tat de veiller au respect des droits des citoyens et lorsque l??tat faillit ? cette mission, il laisse libre cours aux d?chainements de toutes les passions. Or, Tout donne ? penser que les autorit?s ivoiriennes ont d?cid? de diriger l??tat avec la carte ?lectorale des derni?res ?lections pr?sidentielles. Les droits des citoyens sont stratifi?s d?une r?gion, ? une autre, d?une communaut? ? une autre en tenant compte des r?sultats des derni?res consultations ?lectorales d?octobre et de novembre 2010. Les uns ont droit a` la protection de l??tat, les autres en sont tout simplement priv?s. Dans ces conditions, comment l??tat peut-il assurer la coh?sion sociale indispensable au progr?s ?conomique tant attendu par notre peuple.

? La d?mocratie ?conomique

Elle est celle qui garantit ? chacun la libert? d?entreprendre. C?est pourquoi, d?s 1992, l??conomie sociale de march? a ?t? le choix id?ologique du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO et de son parti, le FPI. Le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO a ?uvr? de fa?on ardue ? am?liorer les conditions de vie des populations.

Ayant h?rit? en 2000 d?un pays en rupture totale avec les partenaires internationaux au d?veloppement, il avait tr?s rapidement pris la mesure de l?impossibilit? de faire des investissements importants sans r?gler la question de la dette. Le stock de cette dette monumentale accumul?e par `ses pr?d?cesseurs se chiffrait en 2000, ? 6 326 milliards FCFA et le service ?tait ? 678 milliards de FCFA (soit 7100 milliards de FCFA). Il faut y ajouter les montants des aides internationales d?tourn?es.

Il a mis un point d?honneur ? son apurement. C?est ainsi que gr?ce ? sa politique, la C?te d?Ivoire a pu renouer les relations avec la communaut? financi?re internationale. La ? C?te d?Ivoire is back ?, aimions-nous dire. Il avait repris le dossier du PPTE ? son compte. D?s 2002, le pays ?tait en passe d?atteindre le point de d?cision lorsque la r?bellion arm?e dont les auteurs et autres acteurs imm?diats ou lointains sont connus de tous, est venue compromettre tout le processus. Signalons au passage que notre d?pendance vis-?-vis de l?ext?rieur avait ?t? r?duite par la maitrise des d?penses publiques et par l?augmentation substantielle de nos recettes propres dans le cadre du budget s?curis?, gr?ce ? une gouvernance qui tranchait avec le n?potisme et le tribalisme. La confiance r?tablie avec les partenaires au d?veloppement avait permis ? notre pays de b?n?ficier d?un appui sous forme de dons pour le financement de certains grands travaux. Pour m?moire, l??changeur de la riviera deux, le pont de jonction entre la 8eme et la 7eme tranche des deux plateaux, la route qui relie le plateau Dokui au boulevards des martyrs a partir d?Angr? ainsi que les travaux d?agrandissement de la route qui m?ne a Abobo en passant par le zoo, ?taient en cours de r?alisation pour les uns et programm?s tout juste apr?s les ?lections pour les autres. Tous les financements ?taient disponibles gr?ce aux dons de la Banque Mondiale.

En ce qui concerne le troisi?me pont, le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO qui ne le souhaitait pas ? p?age, avait opt? pour un montage financier soutenu en grande partie par les recettes propres de la C?te d?Ivoire. Toutes les sources de financements avaient ?t? identifi?es et des sommes consistantes avaient d?j? ?t? mobilis?es sur un compte ouvert ? la BNI. Les travaux de l?autoroute du nord se poursuivaient ? la grande fiert? de tous les voyageurs qui passaient par Yamoussoukro. A Abidjan, ?tait en construction un tr?s grand h?pital dans la commune de Cocody dans le quartier ADJIBI. Cet ?tablissement sanitaire de tr?s grande dimension compl?tait un renouvellement des plateaux techniques des centres hospitaliers avec l?acquisition de scanner et d?imagerie ? r?sonance magn?tique (IRM), la premi?re en Cote d?Ivoire. En f?vrier 2011 devrait se poser dans l?enceinte du CHU de Cocody, le premier centre de m?decine nucl?aire dont le financement avait ?galement ?tait pr?vu dans le budget 2011. Ce rappel de la politique men?e par le Pr?sident est n?cessaire pour ?viter que les sons de ??vuvuzela?? qui accompagnent chaque pose de pierre faite par les tenants actuels du pouvoir ne cachent la v?rit? ? nos compatriotes. Mais ce rappel doit interpeller chacun de nous sur le sort injuste que l?on veut imposer ? celui qui a tout donn? pour assurer une vraie ind?pendance ? son pays et ? son peuple.

Malheureusement depuis plus d?un an, la dette conna?t ? nouveau un grand d?rapage dans un contexte o? la C?te d?Ivoire est bloqu?e ; l??conomie est bloqu?e ; le ch?mage, les licenciements et la paup?risation s?intensifient quotidiennement. Des secteurs strat?giques de notre ?conomie sont ? nouveau c?d?s aux puissances d?argent ? un franc symbolique, comme se fut le cas il y'a une vingtaine d?ann?es. Le foncier rural, l?un des boucliers de notre souverainet? sur notre patrimoine ancestral est en danger. D?poss?dant les propri?taires de leurs terres, des nouveaux ma?tres des lieux s?installent par la force dans l?indiff?rence de l??tat. La loi sur le foncier rural, adopt?e de mani?re consensuelle, apr?s des tourn?es nationales des ?lus, toutes tendances confondues, en 1998 est en passe d??tres r?vis?e.

? La d?mocratie sociale

Elle est, enfin, la troisi?me forme fondamentale de d?mocratie ; celle qui garantit ? chacun la libert? d?expression, de culte, d?organisation et d?association ; la libert? tout court. Le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO a ?uvr? avec son parti, le FPI, ? garantir le respect de ces libert?s individuelles (libert? d?expression sans laquelle l?homme ne peut s??panouir) et collectives (libert?s d?association se traduisant par l?application pleine et enti?re des dispositions de la loi 60-315 du 21 septembre 1961).

Sous son r?gime, aucun citoyen ou aucun journaliste ne s?est retrouv? en prison pour ses opinions ou pour ses ?crits. Aujourd?hui par contre, des leaders politiques, syndicaux ou associatifs, des journalistes font l?objet de violences, d?enl?vements et d?embastillements. Les d?tenus politiques, civils et militaires ne se comptent plus dans notre pays. Des milliers d?autres Ivoiriens, contraints ? l?exil tentent de survivre loin de leur pays. Les responsables syndicaux et autres leaders de la soci?t? civile, habituellement si actifs, n?osent plus v?ritablement ?lever la voix, craignant pour leur s?curit? et leur vie. Depuis plus d?un an, non seulement aucune am?lioration n?est apport?e aux conditions de travail et de vie de nos travailleurs, mais pire, les avantages sociaux justement accord?s par le Pr?sident GBAGBO aux travailleurs leur ont ?t? tout simplement retir?s. Malgr? la crise, les partenaires sociaux et leurs syndicats professionnels sont t?moins de ces reformes et de ces acquis en faveur de la quasi-totalit? des corps d?emploi de fonctionnaires, pour un co?t total de 325 599 108 814 FCFA. Les reformes r?alis?es, c?est-?-dire avec une incidence financi?re effective sur le salaire de la plupart des fonctionnaires b?n?ficiaires, se sont chiffr?es ? 143 223 170 005 FCFA ; entendu, d?accord partie, que le reliquat, soit 182 375 938 809 FCFA, devrait ?tre pris en compte d?s l?atteinte du point d?ach?vement de l?initiative PPTE. Le pays vient de l?obtenir r?coltant ainsi les fruits du travail acharn? du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO le sacrifice consenti par nos travailleurs et par notre peuple. Au nom de la continuit? de l??tat, ces engagements doivent ?tre respect?s. Les travailleurs ivoiriens le m?ritent amplement, car c?est eux qui ont support? le poids pendant plus de 30 ans les effets du surendettement de la C?te d?Ivoire. La Cote d?Ivoire ne peut plus continuer de servir que la mis?re ? son peuple.

Ivoiriennes, Ivoiriens, Fr?res et s?urs,

Depuis le 11 avril 2011, notre pays pr?sente un visage hideux entretenu par la haine entre nos populations, un pays ne peut avancer sur le chemin du d?veloppement sans s?appuyer sur des institutions politiques solides et une coh?sion sociale forte. C?est le devoir de chaque ivoirien et de chaque ivoirienne, d??uvrer ? la construction de la paix. Mais c?est ? l?Etat qu?il incombe l?imp?rieux devoir de cr?er les conditions de justice sociale qui rassure les citoyens de leur unit? de destin. Aucune partie de notre population ne doit se sentir brim?e. C?est pourquoi, les derniers ?v?nements de Nahibly ou plusieurs centaines de personnes ont ?t? tu?es dans leur camp sont inacceptables. La C?te d?Ivoire doit s?engager dans une r?conciliation vraie. A ce propos, il m?importe de rappeler la derni?re phrase publique du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO le 11 avril ? que les armes se taisent pour que la r?solution de cette crise rentre dans sa phase civile et politique. ? Tel est toujours son ?tat d?esprit qui, comme l?on peut se rendre compte, reste totalement engag? ? la recherche d?une solution politique qui r?concilie les ivoiriens entre eux. Mais comment peut on envisager cette r?conciliation lorsque lui et les siens sont soit en prison soit en exil. Notre pays est dans l?impasse et c?est ensemble que nous devons la faire sortir dans un ?lan de solidarit? qui exclu la recherche permanente de l?humiliation de l?adversaire politique. L?enfermement du Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO est ? la fois une humiliation pour la C?te d?Ivoire et aussi pour l?Afrique et ne peut en aucun cas participer ? la r?conciliation du pays. Se rendre compte de cette ?vidence c?est faire preuve d?une hauteur d?esprit, qui est la marque tr?s rare des grands hommes. La C?te d?Ivoire notre patrie a les hommes et les femmes qu?il lui faut pour la faire sortir de la mauvaise passe qu?elle traverse. Il suffit de croire seulement en nous. Bonne f?te d?ind?pendance ? tous et ? toutes.

Que Dieu b?nisse la C?te d?Ivoire.

?

Pour le Pr?sident Laurent GBAGBO

Son Porte-parole, le Ministre KONE Katinan Justin

Source: http://regardscroises.ivoire-blog.com/archive/2012/08/05/message-a-la-nation-du-president-laurent-gbagbo-a-l-occasion.html

best picture nominees 2012 academy awards 2012 albert nobbs a star is born oscar nominees oscar nominations 2012 kombucha tea