August 30, 2006
Where's Bono?
The U2 star made points with me when he befriended Senator Jesse Helms and President Bush as allies in his quest to help Africa. He showed a far greater understanding than most, looking at debt and trade, instead of just aid.
Lately, he seems to fallen right back in the celebrity pit. We have a bracelet now (two guys in my band wear them) but bracelets are not going to fix Africa. Freedom is required to fix Africa and trade is an important component of freedom.
The Wall Street Journal asks (paid site, sorry) if helping isn't all talk.
Senator Bill Frist is trying to renew part of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which since 2000 has provided duty-free access to the U.S. market for substantially all products from most sub-Saharan countries. The full act doesn't expire until 2015 but its textile provisions are set to expire in 2007. These let sub-Saharan-assembled clothing that uses fabric purchased from any third country enter the American market duty-free. If this provision lapses, Africa could lose 150,000 jobs.Mr. Frist has said he wants to extend the third-country textile provision so that goods sown in Africa will retain their duty-free access to the U.S. But to do that, he'll need Democratic support. Incredibly, it's not a sure thing.
Rep. Rangel has not signaled that he will support this bill, and without support, it won't get done in a short session.
Better than bracelets, guys. Better than bracelets.