US Gov't IS Funding the Kenya 'Yes' Campaign

[nebula]

Merely labeling something conspiracy does not make it go away.

Nor does calling something a "conspiracy" makes it so.

[traveller]

Merely labeling something conspiracy does not make it go away.

Nor does calling something a "conspiracy" makes it so.

[nebula]

Another report states:

"documents from U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) show funding agreements with organizations to target certain populations to "drum up political support" for the draft constitution."

Source

So, if someone knows how to dig want to look into USAID?

[Babbler]

I thought it was about population control. Only reading the information provided. The U.S government does not belong giving money to any NGOs.

[Burning_Ember]

I'm not disputing that the US Government is funding a Yes vote for a Constitutional referendum. That is entirely factual. That The US Government is somehow doing something new by influencing countries politically is ignorant of history. See Pakistan, India, Vietnam, South Korea as examples in History, or Recent History. Also, the Middle East/Southwest Asia since 2001. The difference being that this is supporting constitutional reform without dropping a plurality of bombs.

The Yes Campaign is simply gathering votes for a Constitutional referndum taking place in Kenya. Among a few other things, the proposed reforms would define the powers that Government Officials have, that Abortion is only allowed when a Doctor says the life of the mother is in danger, drawing County Lines, increases the number of Members of Parliament, etc. Other than that, this draft was Finalized in late 2009, attempts at reforming the constitution also took place throughout the Bush Administration.

What is Conspiracy, for example, Matthitjah saying that The Obama Administration is doing this to support the spread of Islam and Marxism (which is conspiracy theory) or according to the article, that they are doing this to 'liberalize abortion laws'.

Supporting Yes Votes for Constitutional Reform does not mean that there is a concerted effort by The Obama Administration to spread Marxism simply because there are Socialists in Kenya's Government. Under the same premise, you may as well say that America supports Communism because Socialists can (and in the case of one Senator, has) been elected to power.

Not Obama, funnily enough.

That's what Democracy IS, being that people vote for the candidate of their choice. However, making that Conclusion from that premise is pretty ridiculous.

Likewise, that it's some kind of Conspiracy to spread Islam is equally baseless. The only thing the US Government is doing is funding Yes votes for Constitutional Reform. At no point does that mean actively rewriting proposals for such so that Sharia Law is Instituted.

Whatever Obama's father did is irrelevant. It's simply a fabricated connection where none exists. It sounds really nice to through around words like Communist, Secular Humanism, Islam, Marxism, Obamas Father, but that doesn't make it any more factual or relevant. It's simply baseless rhetoric.

Matthitjah, since this is so well documented, do tell! The problem being, for this to be relevant to the discussion, you need to prove a direct link between Obama, or his Father, and Spreading Marxism/Islam through the Consitutional Reforms being proposed. There are two simple criteria that have to be met.

1. Obama or his Father would have to play an active role in writing the constitutional reforms for the 2009 draft of the Kenyan Constitution.

2. What they wrote would have to directly promote Marxism and/or Islam in Kenya, through the Constitutional Reforms.

If you can prove that Matthitjah, this would be big news! It would in fact be bigger than when Senator James Inhofe ® was accused of supporting a bill in Uganda that made Homosexuality illegal, punishable by death.

[Matthitjah]

I'm not disputing that the US Government is funding a Yes vote for a Constitutional referendum. That is entirely factual. That The US Government is somehow doing something new by influencing countries politically is ignorant of history. See Pakistan, India, Vietnam, South Korea as examples in History, or Recent History. Also, the Middle East/Southwest Asia since 2001. The difference being that this is supporting constitutional reform without dropping a plurality of bombs.

The Yes Campaign is simply gathering votes for a Constitutional referndum taking place in Kenya. Among a few other things, the proposed reforms would define the powers that Government Officials have, that Abortion is only allowed when a Doctor says the life of the mother is in danger, drawing County Lines, increases the number of Members of Parliament, etc. Other than that, this draft was Finalized in late 2009, attempts at reforming the constitution also took place throughout the Bush Administration.

What is Conspiracy, for example, Matthitjah saying that The Obama Administration is doing this to support the spread of Islam and Marxism (which is conspiracy theory) or according to the article, that they are doing this to 'liberalize abortion laws'.

Supporting Yes Votes for Constitutional Reform does not mean that there is a concerted effort by The Obama Administration to spread Marxism simply because there are Socialists in Kenya's Government. Under the same premise, you may as well say that America supports Communism because Socialists can (and in the case of one Senator, has) been elected to power.

Not Obama, funnily enough.

That's what Democracy IS, being that people vote for the candidate of their choice. However, making that Conclusion from that premise is pretty ridiculous.

Likewise, that it's some kind of Conspiracy to spread Islam is equally baseless. The only thing the US Government is doing is funding Yes votes for Constitutional Reform. At no point does that mean actively rewriting proposals for such so that Sharia Law is Instituted.

Whatever Obama's father did is irrelevant. It's simply a fabricated connection where none exists. It sounds really nice to through around words like Communist, Secular Humanism, Islam, Marxism, Obamas Father, but that doesn't make it any more factual or relevant. It's simply baseless rhetoric.

Matthitjah, since this is so well documented, do tell! The problem being, for this to be relevant to the discussion, you need to prove a direct link between Obama, or his Father, and Spreading Marxism/Islam through the Consitutional Reforms being proposed. There are two simple criteria that have to be met.

1. Obama or his Father would have to play an active role in writing the constitutional reforms for the 2009 draft of the Kenyan Constitution.

2. What they wrote would have to directly promote Marxism and/or Islam in Kenya, through the Constitutional Reforms.

If you can prove that Matthitjah, this would be big news! It would in fact be bigger than when Senator James Inhofe ® was accused of supporting a bill in Uganda that made Homosexuality illegal, punishable by death.

BE,

If I thought taking the time to gather the info would make a difference in your outlook I might try and answer your assertions. Keep reading Huff Po.

[nebula]

U.S. Taxpayer Funding for Kenyan Referendum Soars to $23 Million More Than Double Previous Estimates

by Staff

July 23, 2010

WASHINGTON, (christiansunite.com) -- U.S. taxpayers are now footing the bill to push a new constitution in Kenya to the tune of $23 million, far above previous estimates.

The Inspector General (IG) for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Donald Gambatesa, has provided information that the US Government is spending over $23 million for activities in Kenya to influence the voter to pass a highly contentious constitution which includes overturning Kenyan's current life of the mother only restriction on abortion.

As part of ongoing discussions with the IG's office, Rep. Chris Smith, Ranking Member of the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee, and other key U.S. lawmakers recently received a chart listing recipients of USAID-funded activities related to the proposed constitution and a summary of their agreements. Previous estimates had indicated that $2 million was being spent, then that was updated to $11 million and now the figure identified by the IG's office exceeds $23 million.

"The Obama Administration should not be spending $23 million in American tax dollars on the specific 'Yes' campaign, pushing a determined outcome on the proposed constitution in Kenya," Smith said. "The U.S. government can be supportive of the process, helping to secure a free and fair referendum. But we must respect the Kenyan people and let them decide for themselves. U.S. dollars should not be used to tell the Kenyan people how to vote."

In addition to information that the Obama Administration is funding the "Yes" campaign in Kenya, (link to a list of organizations paid with U.S. funding to support the new constitution), the chart reinforces concern that the US is financially supporting groups and activities that are advocating for abortion in the context of the draft constitution.

<snip>

In a May letter to the IGs at the State Department and USAID, Smith, and Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Darrell Issa (CA-49), the Ranking Member on the House Oversight Committee, called for investigations into potentially illegal funding to promote the proposed pro-abortion Kenyan constitution. Such promotion would violate a statutory restriction that no USAID and State Department funds "may be used to lobby for or against abortion."

Read the snipped part here

[nebula]

The Yes Campaign is simply gathering votes for a Constitutional referndum taking place in Kenya.

From what I'm reading, it isn't just "gathering votes" for the referendum, it's gathering votes for one side of the referendum.

Are you suddenly in favor of the US influencing the outcome of the election?

[MorningGlory]

I'm not disputing that the US Government is funding a Yes vote for a Constitutional referendum. That is entirely factual. That The US Government is somehow doing something new by influencing countries politically is ignorant of history. See Pakistan, India, Vietnam, South Korea as examples in History, or Recent History. Also, the Middle East/Southwest Asia since 2001. The difference being that this is supporting constitutional reform without dropping a plurality of bombs.

The Yes Campaign is simply gathering votes for a Constitutional referndum taking place in Kenya. Among a few other things, the proposed reforms would define the powers that Government Officials have, that Abortion is only allowed when a Doctor says the life of the mother is in danger, drawing County Lines, increases the number of Members of Parliament, etc. Other than that, this draft was Finalized in late 2009, attempts at reforming the constitution also took place throughout the Bush Administration.

What is Conspiracy, for example, Matthitjah saying that The Obama Administration is doing this to support the spread of Islam and Marxism (which is conspiracy theory) or according to the article, that they are doing this to 'liberalize abortion laws'.

Supporting Yes Votes for Constitutional Reform does not mean that there is a concerted effort by The Obama Administration to spread Marxism simply because there are Socialists in Kenya's Government. Under the same premise, you may as well say that America supports Communism because Socialists can (and in the case of one Senator, has) been elected to power.

Not Obama, funnily enough.

That's what Democracy IS, being that people vote for the candidate of their choice. However, making that Conclusion from that premise is pretty ridiculous.

Likewise, that it's some kind of Conspiracy to spread Islam is equally baseless. The only thing the US Government is doing is funding Yes votes for Constitutional Reform. At no point does that mean actively rewriting proposals for such so that Sharia Law is Instituted.

Whatever Obama's father did is irrelevant. It's simply a fabricated connection where none exists. It sounds really nice to through around words like Communist, Secular Humanism, Islam, Marxism, Obamas Father, but that doesn't make it any more factual or relevant. It's simply baseless rhetoric.

Matthitjah, since this is so well documented, do tell! The problem being, for this to be relevant to the discussion, you need to prove a direct link between Obama, or his Father, and Spreading Marxism/Islam through the Consitutional Reforms being proposed. There are two simple criteria that have to be met.

1. Obama or his Father would have to play an active role in writing the constitutional reforms for the 2009 draft of the Kenyan Constitution.

2. What they wrote would have to directly promote Marxism and/or Islam in Kenya, through the Constitutional Reforms.

If you can prove that Matthitjah, this would be big news! It would in fact be bigger than when Senator James Inhofe