I think he meant that either the specific diplomat in question or US diplomats in general have a history of not actually having the best interests of the countries they visit at heart. It's a forked tongue and who you'd usually associate with one (if you come at it from a religious, cultural or historic standpoint,) reference.
- Thread starter Dolores
- Start date
President Abinader to host US Secretary of State at Presidential Palace
The DR is stuck in the same cycle as every country that doesn't understand how illegal immigration subsidizes profit and pricing in construction and agriculture and allows locals to be able to barely afford what they otherwise could not at all. If I pay you to build, plant/maintain/harvest, manufacture something, chances are I'm going to price it on a level that you, who gets a paycheck that is a proportion of the cost of that good, won't be able to afford that good at full price unless a portion of my costs are much lower than I pay you. That's why US construction workers rarely live in the neighborhoods they build and autoworkers can't afford to drive most of the models they produce. Of course you can fix all that by pulling down the barriers to temporary work or permanent migration so people who want to work can do so and continue to help your economy grow without the waste on immigration enforcement and lack of accountability/control.
Diplomacy by its very nature requires the duplicity you described in your post. US diplomats do it well but Chinese and Russian diplomats are masters at it. That’s not to say Marco has a hidden agenda with the DR. His discussions with Abinader appear to be open and honest. A refreshing change.
Years ago, Geoff Whitlam, the Australian Prime Minister banned nuclear powered warships from Australian ports. US diplomats expressed their concerns but didn’t press hard on the matter. The CIA was more proactive. They worked behind the scenes to cobble his reelection. They were successful. Classic example of two faced diplomacy.
This one has one hand in his pocket. Any other man would present both palms open. I hope for the Leader of RD to order that one putting both hands open, palms up, upon the desk. I hope this one does not become distracted by slight of hand gesturing. Here, this place, belongs to the population of their island.
How do you know he has one hand in his pocket? Do you always raise both hands when you wave?
Talk is cheap, Canadian politicians have been saying basically the same thing for 30 years.
Presenting a valid form of identification in order to enter any country around the world, same as I am required to do, is the first step prior to having any conversations about providing employment or medical care.
I want to know who you are, where you are from and whether or not you've ever raped a child or strangled an elderly person to death...
afterwards I am certainly willing to discuss how the influx of immigrants may or may not impact the overall cost of living here in the Dominican Republic.
I think the problem is that we forget how easy it is for us to just present our passport (or EDL/TTC with neighbors) and get in to a lot of countries for business, vacation or even procure a short-term work permit in some cases. I agree with documented, vetted, entry but we need to be realistic about the fact that we've put up a lot of barriers to that actually being a viable or easily workable option.
Land ports are about the only places that someone that's working class or migrating for economic reasons can show up to and present themselves for review. Consulates work for narrowly-qualified individuals only. If we implemented a universally accepted form of ID that respected privacy while allowing for background checks, and entry was based on good behavior instead of financial standing or what country you were from that'd be a step in the direction you're looking for.
Before anyone says that someone poor would be a strain on social safety nets/healthcare, because that's what undocumented immigrants are, P, O, O, R; That's always been a lie used to manipulate both US and DR voters.
People who come to work in the US contribute but don't get the services, people who go to work in the DR spend quite a bit into the local economy for the rare use they might give the public health system which is NOT free. Yes, the stories about Haitian mothers just going in to the DR to get FREE ob/gyn services were demonstrably false: The numbers were exaggerated, they were charged for those services, and crossed over because the mortality rate in the DR is lower. In the DR even services that are supposed to be public aren't free, if you doubt that drop by a public hospital and find the cashier/insurance line and stand there for a few hours then get back to me.
I can’t go on at length here Bob because it’s off topic. Your right but we’ve had two wake up calls. Eight years ago and last month. it’s moved well beyond the talk stage.
I really hope Canada does not go down the China route. Remember the two Michaels issue ?
We already have links to China. China invested in the Oil Sands development and we have a pipeline from the oil sands to a BC port. Oil is shipped to China from there. The two Michael’s issue was China’s way of responding to the US’s request for us to detain a high profile Chinese lady alleged to have violated US laws.
The problem is the Haitian people (last time I checked the country was being run by Haitians) and I don't know if it's low iq, ignorance, stupidity, greed, corruption, voodoo, victimhood or something in the water on that side of the island nor do I care.
I aint in the business of fixing other people's problems.
Do you have any links/proof for this? My SIL is an OBGYN with two office locations, one in Santo Domingo and one in the "campo". She tells a much different story than what you posted.
You mean all those births to Haitian mothers in the DR were paid for by the mother/father/sister/brother/cousin family member or a friend. As someone who has a doctor in the system, I can tell you that they indeed are a strain on social safety nets because the government in large part is utilizing its resources to pay for them and footing the bill.
As to the US side of the illegal equation that "people who come to work in the US contribute but don't get the services," just in healthcare alone over the last administration;
CBO: Medicaid Spending on Illegal Aliens Has Cost Taxpayers over $16.2 Billion Under Open Border Czar Harris | The U.S. House Committee on the Budget - House Budget Committee
The Official U.S. Congressional website of The Republican Budget Committee
budget.house.gov
And this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
I would venture amongst other agenda items that illegal immigration (both in the DR and the US) was front and center for discussion by Rubio and Abinader as was likely a waiver for the DR on President Trump's suspension of foreign aid.
And although it should not need to be mentioned, I doubt either is against legal immigration.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
I think this fella is simply misinformed.
"Abinader proposes charging illegal foreigners for health services"
I find it hard to believe that 33% of free Haitian births is an exaggeration when it's an accumulation of data from I'm sure anyone who reads the news here daily would agree with me.