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July 25, 2005
U.N. Reform: It's Time For The Big Stick
Everyone seems to be griping about the United Nations, but politics as usual seems to come before meaningful reform (no surprise there). Mike Franc at Human Events Online examines the current legislation aimed at reforming the hidebound behemoth (scroll down to find the article):
To withhold or not to withhold. That is the question.
Last month, the House passed the Henry J. Hyde UN Reform Act, a robust and long-overdue attempt to impose financial and moral accountability on the United Nations. The legislation would make our annual contribution to UN operations (expected to total $439 million in 2006) contingent on the UN’s adopting at least 32 of 39 proposed reforms. [...]
Now the issue moves to a reluctant Senate, where Senators Norm Coleman (R.-Minn.) and Richard Lugar (R.-Ind.) have introduced a bill (S 1383) that closely resembles the Hyde bill. It also sets forth a powerful indictment of the UN and demands similar reforms.
Unfortunately, the Coleman-Lugar proposal is masquerading as reform. Rather than require that taxpayer contributions be withheld, the legislation takes its cue from House Democrats [who tried unsuccessfully to water down the withholding provision] and merely requires the United States to “use its voice and vote at the United Nations” to pursue meaningful reforms. As with the House Democratic plan, withholding funds is an option, not a requirement, and entirely subject to the whim of the President.
California GOP Rep. Dana Rohrbacher’s critique of this approach says it best: “If they’re opposed to withholding dues, they are not for reform.”
Rep. Rohrbacher hits the nail on the head. Haven't any of these people raised children? There must be some bite in the punishment, or the behavior will never change.
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Tracked on July 25, 2005 11:12 PM
