Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 42 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 8/28/16

Clinton Foundation Shines In a Different Light

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   35 comments
Message Russ Doty
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)

There are "huuge" differences between Donald Trump's acceptance of largess from foreign and moneyed interests when compared to how the Clinton Foundation uses foreign donations. Unlike Trump's self-interested deals, eighty-nine percent of the Foundation budget is spent on programming (or "charity"), higher than the 75 percent industry standard.

What effect will Trump's rarely mentioned real estate loans from The Bank of China, and Wells Fargo have on his policy toward bank regulation and China? How will that help workers already disadvantaged by Republican suppression of labor rights? Contrast the partially obscured big bank ties that have long benefited Trump to the Clinton's micro-lending programs for poor entrepreneurs who do not qualify for traditional loans.

Organizations controlled by Nobel laureate, Muhammad Yunus, Hillary's friend since 1983, have donated between $125,000 and $300,000 to the Foundation, mostly as annual fees to attend Clinton Global Initiative meetings. Yunus originated Grameen Bank microcredit and microfinance programs which the Foundation uses as a model. He was being suppressed by pressure that traditional banks were bringing to bear through his Bangladeshi government. He was also a winner of the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Therefore, it was not unusual for Secretary of State Hillary to meet with him.

Since its inception in 1997, the Clinton Foundation has raised approximately $2 billion to fund more than 3,500 projects in 180 countries. Trump-surrogate demands to immediately disband the Foundation would leave many of those projects stranded. But then leaving people in need holding an empty bag is Trump's style, evidenced by most of his four bankruptcies. The Clinton Foundation is pledged to restructure its financing, projects, and leadership in a responsible fashion. How would Trump liquidate his interests involving lenders he owes $2 billion to?

Trump advocates compelling Mexico to finance his off-the-wall boarder barrier. The Clinton Foundation's use of foreign donations is different. It helped 105,000 farmers in East Africa increase their crop yields so fewer of them will have to migrate from parched lands already hard hit by the human-caused climate change Trump refuses to acknowledge.

Trump's self-inflated "charity"--while "apparently" laudable--pale when compared to Clinton Foundation accomplishments. We don't know for certain because Donald won't release his tax returns and information from his Foundation is scarce. Bill Clinton released a list of more than 200,000 donors before Hillary became secretary of state. Until Trump releases his tax returns, we won't know what additional potential conflicts his business dealings have created.

Clinton (Foundation) Health Access Initiative includes renegotiating the cost of HIV drugs to make them accessible to 11.5 million people. The Foundation also helped bring healthier meals to more than 31,000 US schools. There is no foreign money quid pro quo benefit to Hillary or anyone else in that.

Secretary Clinton in Chennai
Secretary Clinton in Chennai
(Image by US Consulate Chennai)
  Details   DMCA
Look at the multitude of underreported good the Clinton Foundation does at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/

Los Angeles taxpayers are saving $9.1 million a year on street lighting, partly because the Clinton Climate Initiative provided seed money to help Angelinos replace 170,047 high pressure sodium street lights with LEDs. It cut LA's street lighting energy use by 63.1%. The demonstration incentivized thousands of cities to follow suit.

When political opponents intensify the rotten things said about you, your best defense is to have lived so that no one will believe them. Hillary and Bill have done that, personally donating millions to the Clinton Foundation. Trump rants contending Hillary doesn't care about us cannot besmirch the Foundation's "A" rating from CharityWatch. Compare that to the "F" that CharityWatch assigned the Foundation for American Veterans that Trump gave $75,000 to--only about 30% of which went to benefit veterans.

Her history of caring is clear. As Secretary of State, Hillary met with Estee Lauder CEO Fabrizio Freda. In 2013, Estee Lauder committed with four other organizations to support the Clinton Global Initiative to assist survivors of sexual slavery in Cambodia.

So, you decide. Hillary Clinton with her record of helping sexual slavery survivors, micro-loan borrowers and so-many others in need; or Donald Trump "negotiating" egocentric deals with the Bank of China and his other undisclosed lenders.

Well Said 1   News 1   Interesting 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Russ Doty Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Great Falls, MT native living in Greeley, CO . Attorney retired from practice in MT, CO & MN. Retired CEO/General Counsel for New World WindPower. Now volunteer with MTCARES.org, an organization committed to enacting a ballot initiative in (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Clinton Foundation Shines In a Different Light

The Clean Energy Market Trumps The War On Coal

Exaggerated Keystone XL Pipeline Jobs Not Worth the Price

Unwanted Consequences of Keystone Pipeline

Ignore Emerging Science -- at Your Children's Peril

Romney would cost businesses, hobble goal of energy independence

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend