Business Class: the resistance begins

[Aseriousman]

The last two posters are starting to sound like holocaust deniers. So, I think I'm out. I'll leave you with a few links.

denialism

https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

https://www.mintpressnews.com/understan ... ya/231806/

And a picture:


Cheers HE! Love you!, from the CRG.



Perhaps Violet would like to take over.

[slavedog]

So you are exiting the discussion in the same vacuous manner in which you started it. Full marks for consistency.

[Aseriousman]

^ see you on the Brexit thread, splitter!

[Mèo Đen]

The last two posters are starting to sound like holocaust deniers. So, I think I'm out. I'll leave you with a few links.

denialism

https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

https://www.mintpressnews.com/understan ... ya/231806/

How is it that when people do not have the intellectual ability to construct a cogent argument they resort to Hitler

However, back on topic. The second link you posted is exactly what I was saying:

There is no doubt that Cambodian lives have greatly improved over the last two decades: the economy is thriving and the country is at peace. Remarkable progress has been made in the reduction of child mortality, HIV/AIDS. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line has significantly decreased.

In 2010, the government passed the Anti-Corruption Law and established the Anti-Corruption Unit. Following this, cases of bribery, extortion and fraud have been prosecuted. The government has also organised multiple educational events to disseminate the Anti-Corruption Law.

Islands of change in the public sector demonstrate accountable and transparent governance, while the government continues to pledge its commitment to tackling corruption in its Rectangular Strategy for Growth. In October 2013, the prime minister issued a sub-decree demanding the proper taxation of importers by customs officials, to prevent customs revenue being undercut by bribery.https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

You seem bent on denying the successful aspects of the present Government. I do not deny that there is room for improvement. It goes on to say:

These are welcome transformations, but they are incomplete. According to survey data from the International Republican Institute, the percentage of Cambodians perceiving the country to be headed in the wrong direction doubled throughout 2013 to reach 43 per cent, with 30 per cent of these respondents highlighting corruption as the top reason why change is needed. There is a danger the Cambodian government will settle for the successes of economic development while corrupt practices remain widespread.https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

While I would not trust a survey by the IRI as evidenced by data I have already posted regarding their subversive agenda. I agree there is a need to address corruption, but this is a systemic problem prevalent throughout the region and beyond, and will not necessarily be eradicated by a change in government but a tightening and enforcement of relevant laws. . The Government has made progress in this area, but a lot more needs to be done.

With respect to the concept of Denial-ism. While I accept there are shortcoming that need to be addressed I do not deny the good aspects, in the same way the Transparency.org report you posted, (and I reproduced partially above) does. You on the other hand appear to be denying the good aspects and want to paint everything as "bad".

While I accept that people have particular political persuasions an favour policies of political parties it should not prejudice them from acknowledging achievements of the opposition. I have worked with people in FUNCINPEC both before and after 1997. There were a lot of competent people in the party, but Sam Rainsy was not one of them.

"A co-founder of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Rainsy was previously a member of the royalist Funcinpec Party and served as the Minister of Economy and Finance during Norodom Ranariddh's administration from 1993 until his sacking in 1994."

I suggest you do some background reading on Sam Rainsy and his negative effect on the population. I hope that might cure your "denilism" in this instance.

[Lucky Lucan]

How is it that when people do not have the intellectual ability to construct a cogent argument they resort to Hitler

[Stokely]

I think Hitler was misunderstood, after all he only ever wanted peace.

A little piece of Poland, and a little piece of France and Russia.

[RobW]

I think Hitler was misunderstood, after all he only ever wanted peace.

A little piece of Poland, and a little piece of France and Russia.

Well they say don't judge by appearances but if I'd been around in the '30s I could have told you he was a wrong un and saved everybody an awful lot of time and inconvenience.

[Stokely]

^If that’s the case, its amazing that you weren’t put down at birth.

I’m not saying you were an ugly kid, but even Jimmy Savile would’ve thought twice about molesting you.

[Aseriousman]

The last two posters are starting to sound like holocaust deniers. So, I think I'm out. I'll leave you with a few links.

denialism

https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

https://www.mintpressnews.com/understan ... ya/231806/

How is it that when people do not have the intellectual ability to construct a cogent argument they resort to Hitler

However, back on topic. The second link you posted is exactly what I was saying:

There is no doubt that Cambodian lives have greatly improved over the last two decades: the economy is thriving and the country is at peace. Remarkable progress has been made in the reduction of child mortality, HIV/AIDS. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line has significantly decreased.

In 2010, the government passed the Anti-Corruption Law and established the Anti-Corruption Unit. Following this, cases of bribery, extortion and fraud have been prosecuted. The government has also organised multiple educational events to disseminate the Anti-Corruption Law.

Islands of change in the public sector demonstrate accountable and transparent governance, while the government continues to pledge its commitment to tackling corruption in its Rectangular Strategy for Growth. In October 2013, the prime minister issued a sub-decree demanding the proper taxation of importers by customs officials, to prevent customs revenue being undercut by bribery.https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

You seem bent on denying the successful aspects of the present Government. I do not deny that there is room for improvement. It goes on to say:

These are welcome transformations, but they are incomplete. According to survey data from the International Republican Institute, the percentage of Cambodians perceiving the country to be headed in the wrong direction doubled throughout 2013 to reach 43 per cent, with 30 per cent of these respondents highlighting corruption as the top reason why change is needed. There is a danger the Cambodian government will settle for the successes of economic development while corrupt practices remain widespread.https://www.transparency.org/news/featu ... the_future

While I would not trust a survey by the IRI as evidenced by data I have already posted regarding their subversive agenda. I agree there is a need to address corruption, but this is a systemic problem prevalent throughout the region and beyond, and will not necessarily be eradicated by a change in government but a tightening and enforcement of relevant laws. . The Government has made progress in this area, but a lot more needs to be done.

With respect to the concept of Denial-ism. While I accept there are shortcoming that need to be addressed I do not deny the good aspects, in the same way the Transparency.org report you posted, (and I reproduced partially above) does. You on the other hand appear to be denying the good aspects and want to paint everything as "bad".

While I accept that people have particular political persuasions an favour policies of political parties it should not prejudice them from acknowledging achievements of the opposition. I have worked with people in FUNCINPEC both before and after 1997. There were a lot of competent people in the party, but Sam Rainsy was not one of them.

"A co-founder of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Rainsy was previously a member of the royalist Funcinpec Party and served as the Minister of Economy and Finance during Norodom Ranariddh's administration from 1993 until his sacking in 1994."

I suggest you do some background reading on Sam Rainsy and his negative effect on the population. I hope that might cure your "denilism" in this instance.

Haha, I knew you'd do that, which is exactly why there is no point in debating with you. You'd already bored us all with a long post saying the same thing.

Here is the second half of that 2014 report which was in answer Lucan's weird ideas about there being no election fraud committed by the CPP in that election.

Cambodia: corruption concerns amid hopes for the future
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT • 20 FEBRUARY 2014
CAMBODIA: CORRUPTION CONCERNS AMID HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

CORRUPTION PREVAILS? EVENTS IN 2013
In early 2013, 300 employees of Telecom Cambodia went on strike calling for the firm’s then director general, Lao Sarouen, to be removed for his suspected involvement in embezzling state-owned money. Shortly afterwards, the investigation into the complaint against Sarouen was abandoned by the Anti-Corruption Unit. Sarouen was then promoted to an under secretary of state position.

The case of pro-democracy activist and independent radio station owner, Mam Sonando underscores the lack of judicial independence as well as the curtailment of freedom of expression and of the media. Sonando was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in 2012 on charges of masterminding a secessionist plot. Activists drew attention to the complete lack of evidence to support the charges. Sonando was released in March 2013.

The government stripped opposition lawmakers of their posts in June. The ruling party removed the parliamentarians’ positions and salaries only days before the National Assembly voted to pass a controversial Bill on the denial of Khmer Rouge crimes. The act highlights the lack of separation of powers between the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, the Executive and the Legislature.

The July 2013 National Assembly elections were riddled with irregularities. Transparency International Cambodia, which deployed 906 observers across 409 polling stations, recorded irregularities in 60 per cent of polling stations. This included over-registration and use of temporary identification cards. The Joint Report on the Conduct of the 2013 Cambodian Elections shows that the irregularities favoured the ruling party. The opposition continues to protest over the disputed election.

Cambodia’s score slipped two points in the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index. Given a score of 20 out of 100 and ranked 160 out of 177 countries, Cambodia sits alongside Eritrea and Venezuela. Regionally, Cambodia is ranked the most corrupt among its Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts.

US Ambassador to Cambodia William Todd publicly stated in September that corruption in the country is scaring off US firms. The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report showed a slip in Cambodia’s ranking from 135 in 2013 to 137 in 2014. This indicates that the business environment in the country is becoming less favourable.

The Global Fund published an extensive report in November revealing a network of bribery connected to the Ministry of Health. Officials working for the ministry received bribes in exchange for procurement contracts, set up fake bank accounts to manage illicit funds, and double- and triple-charged donors for the same expenses.

Transparency groups raised concerns over the US$1.5 billion left unaccounted for in the 2014 national budget. The figure – equivalent to 44 per cent of the entire budget – is reportedly under the control of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The centralised control of the considerable sum may increase opportunity for nepotism and embezzlement.

HOPE FOR CHANGE: 2014 AND BEYOND
Corruption remains prominent at all levels and across all sectors in Cambodia. The examples provided above are not an exhaustive list of all corruption-related activity in 2013, but serve to highlight some of the ongoing issues.

The vast numbers of people who voted for the opposition in the July National Assembly elections and protested against the election irregularities thereafter indicate that political transformation is called for.

The government must take account of the demands of its people. Nepotistic, corrupt practices might enable economic growth in the short term, but continued unaccountable, opaque governance is unsustainable. Hopefully, the government will put its stated anti-corruption commitments into greater practice in 2014

[TheGrimReaper]

The last two posters are starting to sound like holocaust deniers. So, I think I'm out. I'll leave you with a few links.

If only you were a man of your word. You have prattled on and on the same old binary argument.

Just like a politician, you refuse to answer questions asked but would rather stand on your soapbox and spout out enough hot air to fill a barrage balloon.

Another direct question for you in the same vein that you keep on following.

Have you stopped molesting people....Yes or No.

See, being a binary man is impossible yet you still try to prove that is the only way.

[springrain]

Let's clear up a couple of misconceptions.

There are no 'Holocaust Deniers'. This is just a coined phrase; it suits the ADL to call anyone who challenges their imposed beliefs (tenets or dogma)a 'denier' with all the baggage that word carries over the river Jordan.

There are, however, those (including myself) who know that the Jewish Holocaust was certainly exaggerated (multiplied, as it were.)

That some kind of hideous murder of 'Jewish' people happened is not denied; but the extent of this murder seems to change every generation or so. I have listened to two independent speeches from the 1960s and the figure 'up to 600,000' is bandied about. A couple of decades later and this figure has suddenly swollen to some 6,000,000.

I have studied figures in IGCSE History books that suggest the Nazi's estimates of their 'perceived enemies' in Europe totalled up to 6,000,000. Are we to suppose that all of them were 'processed'? Of course not; so who has been cooking the figures?

Is this multiple of 10X to carry on into future generations?

Look, before you all pile into me, I reckon that ONE murder is one too many; 100,000 is 100,000 acts of evil. I am not attempting to justify or deny or contribute to any kind of denial. I just think we should all stop accepting 'truths' without some reflection & analysis.

Numbers can multiply and numbers can reduce. But, in the final analysis, they are just estimates.

[Lucky Lucan]

The reason they came up with that six million number was because European society in general had meticulous record keeping, and the Nazis excelled in that area, so the records are there and they built the numbers from solid data. The six million doesn't include the homosexuals, gypsies, disabled, Slavs, Poles, degenerate artists, lefties, etc. Holocaust deniers are either those who deny that it ever happened against overwhelming evidence or those who try to minimize the systematic and industrialized slavery and murder of millions of innocent people from all sorts of backgrounds. You are firmly in the second camp, and you are actually trying to say it doesn't matter so much because the figures were jiggled? You need to check your moral compass dude, I'm disgusted how you can deliberately denigrate vast numbers of people by your unsubstantiated allegations.

[Aseriousman]

More "fake" news for CRG members.

This photo of Sen. Doug Ericksen, left, shaking hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was posted on Hun Sen’s official Facebook page on March 22. (Facebook)

By The Seattle Times editorial board

On the heels of a narrow re-election last fall, state Sen. Doug Ericksen blew through a gauntlet of warnings in March to ink a $500,000-a-year consulting contract with the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Despite his apparent ability to shrug off criticism from so many quarters, he should end his relationship with the controversial nation or step down from the Senate.

The Ferndale Republican said the firm he co-owns with ex-Rep. Jay Rodne works internationally to reduce human- and drug-trafficking, and bolster anti-terrorism efforts. He has also said his role is boosting trade, not politics, and that he will not work for Cambodia within Washington.

Despite these disclaimers, the situation continues to raise more questions than Ericksen has satisfactorily answered.

Cambodia’s political leader, Hun Sen, has held power for more than three decades through what Human Rights Watch labeled in 2018 “an abusive and authoritarian political regime.” The U.S. State Department describes a litany of abuses there, from “arbitrary killings carried out by the government or on its behalf” to abductions, child labor and civil-liberty violations.

Additionally, the White House last year criticized “anti-democratic behavior” in Cambodia.


Ericksen’s connections to Cambodia date from 2016, when he accepted an invitation from a government official to travel there during a family vacation.

He returned repeatedly to bond with Cambodian leaders, sometimes in the company of other Washington legislators. He should have followed the lead of state Reps. Drew MacEwen and Brandon Vick, who abruptly ended their visit alongside Ericksen last July after an audience with the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia.

Yet, Ericksen stayed to observe elections. The government forced the leading opposition party to dissolve, then won every Assembly seat. Ericksen praised the process.

This spring, Ericksen did not consult Republican Senate caucus leaders before his firm’s contract with Cambodia emerged in news stories. Legal advice, Ericksen said, assures him he is violating no known rules.

Asked for specifics about his work, Ericksen cited last October’s announcement Cambodia would allow the search for missing Americans’ remains from the Vietnam War to resume. This event predated Ericksen’s contract with Cambodia by nearly six months.

Leaders in the Cambodian immigrant community in Washington say Ericksen confers unwarranted legitimacy on Hun Sen’s rule. The senator responds by minimizing the widely recognized offenses of the regime.


The critics have a strong point. Ericksen’s answers have only muddied the waters, rather than satisfying the many questions Ericksen’s arrangement raises.

It’s a long way from Whatcom County to Angkor Wat, and Ericksen took an oath to represent the former. Washington state does paltry trade, comparatively, with Cambodia, our 81st-largest export market. The odds are microscopic that an Ericksen vote on hops or apples shipped to Cambodia would influence much.
.

Further, Ericksen and Rodne’s startup is one of just two American federally registered agents of Cambodia. The other is a lobbying firm that employs more than 200 attorneys in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

As a state senator elected to serve Washington through 2022, Ericksen owes his constituency better than an unacceptable alignment with a reprehensible regime. He chose this path, and he should choose to end it.


https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/ed ... SS_opinion


EXPECTED
The CRG responds by minimizing the widely recognized offenses of the regime.

So there you have it: HE and the senator are interested in hops and apple's (and cricketballs), NOT political lobbying.

[What Your Name?]

I think Hitler was misunderstood, after all he only ever wanted peace.

A little piece of Poland, and a little piece of France and Russia.

Well they say don't judge by appearances but if I'd been around in the '30s I could have told you he was a wrong un and saved everybody an awful lot of time and inconvenience.

Are you serious? Right, annexing Austria, invading Checkoslovakia and Poland before WW2 even started is the sign of a peaceful man? Can you imagine that in 1923, serving time for treason, the only thing that stopped him from topping himself was an offer by Heinrich Himmler to lead the Nazi Party. But the beast was unleashed and the world lost 70 million souls.