It seems as if there is a summit a week on something or other. The G 20 was just held in Australia. These summits are very costly and of questionable value.
The agendas for the G 20 summits are hammered out months before the event. Many hoops are jumped through in order to come up with an agenda. Some topics are off limits because for some countries the topic is untouchable. Some topics are pushed by a country to advance it's own agenda. So by the time an agenda is agreed upon it's pretty mild. The summit happens. Everybody dances around the issue. Another dance takes place to produce a statement as to what was agreed upon. So the end of the summit comes up with some very bland statements and everybody goes home and does nothing.
Now the G 20 wasting their time, would be fine with me but a dump truck of money is spent to prepare, operate and close the summit. Many dump trucks of money are spent on security. Apparently some people don't like these guys and would do them harm. So G 20 guys, look at yourselves and see why some people don't like you.
Canada hosted one of these events and an enormous amount of money was spent on security and fine decorations. Many projects were constructed and I suspicion that the contractors returned money to the governing party as the price of some simple projects was enormous.
To compound matters there is a G 7 and a G 8.
It's also a little sickening to see that the summit is mostly about photo opportunities. There are group pictures and many other photos lined up with symbolic back grounds. The leaders go home and display many pictures of themselves.
Usually I'm pretty open minded about what goes on with our politicians, but the summit thing goes past my open mindedness.
Now I'm sure most of you don't give a hoot or follow all the G's. Some of you probably didn't read this far. That's okay. I don't blame you.
So let's tell these guys to stay home and get some work done.
So there's my rant for the month!
I don't know what I found more offensive about the G8/G20 summit here- that Harper spent a billion plus to have his own ass kissed, the way protestors were treated all at his behest (because ultimately the responsibility for it all comes down to his egomania), or that Tony Clement spent however much of the budget on his own riding giving himself decorations and buying votes.
ReplyDeleteNext year can't come soon enough.
There's lots to chose from. There was a tremendous amount of money that wasn't accounted for.
Deletethe grandstanding and handshaking stuff - as you said - costs so very much to stage. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWe've got to radically change our voting patterns.
DeleteWell said! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteAll that hot air. Little wonder we have global warming.
ReplyDeleteGood one!
DeleteI have to be a bit more open minded about this and hope - I can only home - that something good comes of these summits, even if it is not visible to the general public. Most of the work is dome by staff members behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you, I wonder if all that talking leads to anything that changes. We had a summit this year in the Hague and for days the city was in a state of war, people couldn't go in or out and the costs of the whole operation were huge!
ReplyDeleteBehind all the security , they are isolated from the public and so have no idea what the public thinks.
DeleteI would like them to funnel funds usually wasted for better ideals, like hunger. The only summits I approach are the top of a hill.
ReplyDeleteNice play on words!
DeleteI think that so many of us just sigh and accept it all because at the end of the day apathy rules. Sad but, unfortunately, true.
ReplyDeleteYou and I know that voting counts id it's done. We need to boot people out on a regular basis and keep them on their toes.
DeleteI agree with William - Nothing gets done - Important environmental issues always avoided - buncha crap these meetings - no money for health care but they can kiss each other's asses on our tax dollars. Nice Rant Red.
ReplyDeleteI can tell that you could really get going on this one.
DeleteIt does seem a costly way to get photo ops, doesn't it? I don't follow politics much because I'd be feeling a lot like you do now, Red. But rant away! At least that's interesting. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe've all got to start yelling for things to change instead of the politicians yelling at each other.
DeleteAgreed. Just like all political tomfoolery. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteWe have to vote for somebody else and kick their butts.
DeleteThere are so many better ways to use funds. What a waste.
ReplyDelete...a waste and a very phony show.
DeleteYou make an excellent point. Nothing seems to be accomplished at these summits and the money can be put to better uses.
ReplyDeleteMaybe some of the money could be spent to shut them up! Maybe keep them in one place!!!
DeleteI never thought about this...actually it was in the back of my mind sometimes and I do agree with you. A lot of inflated ceremony with just hot air.
ReplyDeleteThere is much to become involved with other than politics.
DeleteWell you hit the nail on the head with that one Red. This begs the question whether it is better to fake agreements with mild compromises which you don't intend to carry out or bicker and name call for later use in obnoxious election ads as in the Disunited States.....:(
ReplyDeleteI think it's on a different stage so little can be gained by name calling. Now our national politics is something else. Our guys here are really sad.
DeleteYes, if they would just accomplish SOMEthing of significance, they might be worth it. But you're right--they dance around the issues or refuse to really discuss them.
ReplyDeleteI agree, let them stay home and enough already! Enough of the photo ops and the tap dancing.
ReplyDeleteThe only summit I like is the summit of a mountain :)
ReplyDeleteThey do love to squander our money, don't they?
ReplyDeleteWell-ranted!
ReplyDelete(ツ) from drippy Cottage Country Ontario , ON!
I totally agree with you! LOVED this post!! lol
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of it that way, but now that you've mentioned it, I see your point. Rant away!
ReplyDelete