Soros Sore Spot

Ok. This is it. This is why I decided to do the blog thing.

I was doing some research on George Soros. I didn’t want to just be one of the crowd that is outraged because he’s going to try to influence the election with his big money. A lot of people do that, and if he was on “my side” I would probably be thrilled. But who was this guy? I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.

So I did a web search and read about two dozen articles about him (that’s almost all I could find). Some of them were duplicates, or one person quoting another about their opinion of Mr. Soros. However, there were articles from both “sides” so I think I got a pretty good size-up.

Here are two examples, but you can find many. This first one
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a93634.htm
is a rather dry and fact-heavy article that can be interpreted many ways though the writer is clearly a conservative highlighting the not-so-good mysteries about Soros.

This second one
http://www.mindfully.org/WTO/2003/George-Soros-Statesman2jun03.htm
is a strong supporter of Soros now that he has decided to take on Bush.

I found them both very telling. But what really brought me to a conclusion about Soros was actually the second article. In it, the writer (whom I do not know) basically says (about six paragraphs down) that Soros is pissed off not because Bush is (as the writer puts it) imperialistic and forcing western culture down the world’s throat, but that he’s doing it in a “blundering” way. That Soros’ way is much better- using a few billion bucks he influences a nation’s politics and gets candidates he likes into office, then he buys all the school textbooks for that country so they learn what he wants them to learn. This is obviously a distillation, but if you can handle the Bush-bashing in the second article, you’ll see that even people who are pleased Soros is going to take Bush on find they can’t support the guy’s personal goals and complete lack of ethics. He ends up with more power than he gives the people in his “open societies”.

And then it hit me. As I eluded in my first post, I think most people on most sides of an issue are frustrated that the “other sides” don’t understand them and that the “other sides” are inconsistent.

Well, here’s how I see conservatives as mostly consistent. Our FIRST concern isn’t politics or money (though they are concerns). Our FIRST concern is morals/ethics. You ask how we can support Rudi or Arnold (didn’t want to tackle spelling their last names there) but we can’t support Clinton. With Rudi and Arnold you got an honest admission of what they had done, regret, and reform. With Clinton you got denial and a pattern.

How does this relate to Soros? His own admission that he does not need morals or ethics is troubling. When you allow that you will sacrifice those (such as he does to make billions of dollars at the expense of the average British taxpayer) where does the sacrifice stop? He’s also the self-and-generally-proclaimed “King of Eastern Europe”. What seeds has he left in those countries? What does he control? What freedoms do the people really enjoy? Why does he advocate the legalization of all drugs because, as he put it, it’s the fastest escape from feeling miserable? Is he planning for misery in these places? Why would you need to escape misery if your situation actually improved? Why does he similarly advocate gun control? Do you know WHY we have the second amendment? It is specifically so the GOVERNMENT can’t turn on the PEOPLE. If only the government had weapons...

Anyway, my analysis is far from done, but for a guy who sure acts like he is a solid supporter of capitalism, free trade, and democracy, one who firmly believes socialism is NOT the answer, why is he supporting a socialist style candidate? I am still confused, but it has helped me to do some research. Anyone know more facts about this guy? I’m not so much interested in Bush-bashing on this site (especially since I’m an “unabashed” supporter of our current President) but I am interested in why this guy does what he does.

So, why did this make me want to blog? To come to some peace over the concept that a multi-billionaire who has already hurt many nations (and been of questionable value to others) has set his sites on my country I felt I needed to pray. For those of you who know my religion, prayer for me is not sitting on my knees exhorting God to change things, it is active. You be a good person. You spread love, truth, principle. You don’t back down from the call when it is clear you’ve been asked to spread love, truth, principle. This is part of that action.

I don’t know who will read this blog. I don’t know if they’ll be exultant, outraged, or asleep. But it’s here. I have not only helped myself by organizing my thoughts better (and seeing where more work is needed) but who knows. Someone may end up here who needs to read what I’ve said. I may never know one way or the other, but that’s the same with my position in my church.

I am somewhere between a “minister” and a “lay reader”. My church calls it a First Reader. Once a week I put together a sermon (we have a world-wide sermon on Sundays, but a more local sermon Wednesday evenings). I never know if what I found and want to share helps ANYONE else, but I read it anyway. A few people have mentioned they found something very specific to help them. Who knows. Maybe something in here will eventually help someone else.

Dude. Your snoring is shaking the screen, and it’s a terrible blow to my ego.