Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Clinton-Bush Fund has closed up shop in Haiti: Here are the fruits of neoliberal "charity" [View all]HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)117. lol. sure, that's the ticket.
Last edited Sun Feb 24, 2013, 03:43 PM - Edit history (2)
US Recognition of Haiti At the time of the Haitian revolution the US was only 30 years old and permitted slavery. President Jefferson began the policy of US refusal to recognize Haitian dependence and set forth policies to isolate Haiti. The US did not recognize Haiti until President Lincoln did so in 1863 after US slave states seceded.Economic Embargo, Reparations (1825-1947) and Debt The US and France imposed a crippling economic embargo and US sanctions which lasted until 1863. The embargo prevented Haiti from selling sugar. France then used its military to force Haiti to pay reparations for lost property (the slaves who were freed). The reparations were 150 million francs. In comparison, France sold the entire Louisiana territory to the US for nearly half that amount 80 million francs.
When these reparations payments proved too burdensome, a US bank, National City Bank, offered a debt exchange in which Haiti borrowed money from the US to pay off France in exchange for a lower-interest, longer-term debt equivalent to 80% of the entire Haitian budget for the foreseeable future. The entire debt was not paid off until 1947. The current value of loans Haiti paid to the US and France over the years: $20 Billion. The Haitian economy was strangled for more than a century.
US Occupation 1915-1934 Because of the debt, President Woodrow Wilson ordered the US Marines to invade Haiti in 1915 and they stayed for 19 years. They took control of the government and the bank to enforce continued repayment of the original debt owed to National City Bank. The US seized the Treasury, exiled the president and established Jim Crow policies to divide Haitian society.. The US siphoned off money from Haiti through its control of customs, collection of taxes and operation of many other government operations.
US Support of Haitian Dictators and Lack of Support of Elected President (1934-1986) In 1934 the US set up the Garde dHaiti that acted as a proxy for US interests which continued until 1957. Within this period, between the years 1941 and 1945, the US supported a mulatto president, Elie Lescot, who expelled peasants from rural areas and cleared trees so the US could use the land for agribusiness. Two dictators, Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier, ruled from 1957-1986 strengthened by economic and military support from the US. Francois Duvalier, Papa Doc, murdered tens of thousands and played to the US cold-war fear that Communism would expand from nearby Cuba to win acceptance of his policies. In 1971 the power passed to his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Baby Doc. The Duvaliers atrocious human rights record did not matter to the US. The Duvaliers stole from the Haitians, looted the nation, created hundreds of millions in national debt and murdered as many as 60,000 Haitians through their militia, the Tonton Macoutes. It is estimated that the Duvaliers created 40% of the $1.3 billion debt. Until recently, Haiti was still required to make debt repayments of interest and principal. This debt has now been forgiven in the aftermath of the earthquake of 2010.
Post Duvalier Period (1987-Present) This period is best characterized as one of instability with several coups and elections (aborted, rigged and, occasionally, fair) as the US tried to counter the revolutionary spirit that was infecting the region and so switched to supporting façade elections that were, in fact, purchased elections.
http://www.bishopgumbleton.org/HaitiAHistoryofExploitation.html
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
121 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
The Clinton-Bush Fund has closed up shop in Haiti: Here are the fruits of neoliberal "charity" [View all]
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
OP
Criticizing what fundraisers call a 'charity' is not "attacking" any individual. nt
redqueen
Feb 2013
#9
Sean Penn took money from this charity. Should he give back the 1.35 million?
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#15
Rebuilding homes is infrastructure. Small business is infrastructure. Some projects build roads and
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#22
Well now, isn't that exactly what we should be doing right now in the USA?
xtraxritical
Feb 2013
#36
The fund stated from the start it wasn't going to do disaster relief, but long term
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#11
The stated purpose of the fund, from the start, was long term financial, and not disaster
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#5
OP and their cohorts are not interested in the truth. They have an agenda and are going to twist
stevenleser
Feb 2013
#53
They got a 1.35 million grant from Clinton/Bush. Should they have given it back?
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#12
Why should they? I simply pointed out where my direct support goes and where people who
Bluenorthwest
Feb 2013
#95
Should Sean Penn give back the money he got from this fund for Haitian relief?
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#13
Sean Penn took money from this charity. Should he give back the 1.35 million? nt
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#23
Sean Penn founded a charity the poster says is a better example. That entity took money
msanthrope
Feb 2013
#37
This is 2013 - got anything current? Two year old news, and maybe not even true any more.
George II
Feb 2013
#89
Corruption takes many forms, and if the United States seems like it has less of it than many
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#28
"It does nothing of value, and convinces some people that capitalism must be alright after all."
redqueen
Feb 2013
#71
yeah, it's all the haitians' fault. what could we do, they're so corrupt... that's the ticket.
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#35
Travesty in Haiti: Christian missions, orphanages, fraud, food aid and drug trafficking
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#33
What a disgusting post. Bashing Clinton because a charity distributing $54 million wasn't enough
FSogol
Feb 2013
#34
well, haitians can get mortgages, loans and insurance now!!!!! progress!!!!!
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#58
The money was used to do what the stated objective for raising the money in the first place
George II
Feb 2013
#91
well, merck to my knowledge didn't get it; a health clinic with a partnership with another
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#44
yeah, we're spozed to believe that clinton/bush told us from the get-go that they were gonna
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#61
i'm totally on-board with the idea that smaller groups who actually care about the project
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#56
For people like them, charity begins at home and in the long run, stays there
MotherPetrie
Feb 2013
#54
So brown folks shouldn't have mortgages, business opportunities, or computers for schools?
michigandem58
Feb 2013
#62
yes, well, see how much use all that is when 1) they have no jobs, so no income -- & 3/4
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#65
So in this country, you will oppose publicly funded cancer screenings, small business assistance,
michigandem58
Feb 2013
#70
my guess is that this kind of orwellian denial is the reason no one trusts politicians
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#98
You can't build homes without money, and that $47M would go far to build homes......
George II
Feb 2013
#104
Disaster Capitalism is it's own disaster. The money should go directly to the people
mountain grammy
Feb 2013
#102
All they had to do was get clean water, cement, tools, and a few heavy eqpuipment pieces there and
kelliekat44
Feb 2013
#106
that's what's so sad about it. donations could have allowed ordinary people to get some work,
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#109
Great thread. Very informative. DU could use more thought provoking threads like this.
limpyhobbler
Feb 2013
#108
in a way it's kind of cute how you are defending The Chimperor's reputation of honesty & good work.
Whisp
Feb 2013
#115
the haitian government exists because of US support. The us could withdraw that support &
HiPointDem
Feb 2013
#112