Political Quotes

“during my time in the Congress, I have had the privilege of visiting many other nations, often fragile or new democracies struggling to meet the needs of growing numbers of youth and emerging middle classes. For example, many of the fastest growing economies are in the developing nations of Africa and Asia. In fact, a few years ago, the World Bank said Africa was on ``the brink of an economic take-off.'' Such economic gains should be welcome news for lifting millions out of poverty, providing better basic services such as education and health care, and improving the lives of women. They are also opportunities to create more markets for our goods and services, to add to our global allies, and to reverse the conditions that lead to violent extremism. But for those of us who have visited many such nations, we are also aware of a major impediment to realizing these improvements--namely effective and clean government. You see, too often, endemic corruption--frequently around lucrative extractive oil and minerals--robs untold sums from generation after generation in many of these nations. Just look at such oil rich nations as Angola, Venezuela, Nigeria, or Equatorial Guinea, where government after government squandered and stole the oil wealth from its own people, far too many of whom still live in terrible squalor.…”