Backstory)
I was watching the Colbert Report from a few a few days ago, And Kathleen Sebelius, (Guest on his show, Secretary of Health and Human Services), Told everyone to Donate to the American Red Cross for Haiti Relief through their Cell Phones. ($10 donation)
While I respect the situation in Haiti, and feel for the people there, I have never really trusted the Red Cross.
Too many nefarious connections, too many lost dollars, too many bad vibes...
So, instead of denigrating them, I decided to do some digging into the Red Cross.
This thread is a the story of the connections that I found:
First, to understand the American Red Cross, we will have to look at its leadership, known as the "Board of Directors" their terms began in 2009.
*Gail J. McGovern (President, CEO)
*Ann Kaplan (Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee; Vice Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee)
*Suzanne Nora Johnson (Executive Committee; Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee)
*Paula E. Boggs (Audit and Risk Management Committee)
*Allan Goldberg (Chair, QRC Subcommittee, Audit and Risk Management Committee)
*Sanford "Sandy" Belden (Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Committee; Executive Committee)
*Steve Wunning (Vice Chair, Audit and Risk Management Committee; Compensation and Management Development Committee)
*Cesar Aristeiguieta (Audit and Risk Management Committee)
*H. Marshall Schwarz (Audit and Risk Management Committee)
*Melanie Sabelhaus (Chair, Philanthropy Committee; Executive Committee)
*Richard M. Fountain (Vice Chair, Philanthropy Committee)
*Jerry "James" Goodwin (Philanthropy Committee)
*Richard Patton (Philanthropy Committee)
*Bonnie McElveen-Hunter (Chairman, Executive Committee)
*Joe Pereles (Vice Chairman, Executive Committee)
*Laurence E. Paul (Vice Chairman – Finance, Executive Committee)
*Jim Keyes (Vice Chair, Governance and Board Development Committee)
*Youngme Moon (Governance and Board Development Committee)
*Anna Maria Larsen (Governance and Board Development Committee)
There... Now that we got the Board of Directors out of the way...
Let's get to the meat of the story, shall we?
Starbucks is a company that sells coffee.
I think this is common knowledge, but did you know that one of Haiti's primary exports is coffee?
Minimum wage disputes have long been an issue in Haiti, the previous minimum wage was 70 gourdes ($1.75) per day, that the Parliament voted to increase to 200 gourdes ($5) per day.
This attempt was rebuffed by president René Préval, and an agreement was reached to set the minimum wage at 125 gourdes per day instead.
This decision came upon Business concerns over the economic ramifications of raising the minimum wage.
Haiti's special economic situation revolves around its low payed workers, the duty free exports to the united states, and its proximity to the united states markets.
http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-18428--6-6--.html
Interestingly enough, Paula E. Boggs, Executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of Starbucks Coffee Company, is also on the Audit and Risk Management Committee of the American Red Cross.
http://alumni.jhu.edu/distinguishedalumni2009
The Haitian leadership has been plagued over the years with scandals of kickbacks, embezzlement, and extortion.
None so prolific as the financial abuse of the Haitian owned Telecom company, whose funds were imbezzled by then president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Be...lecom_revenues
It should come as no surprise that the Hatian telcom market is so lucrative, considering the numerous Haitians living within the continental United States who call their relatives in Haiti.
The Kickbacks were in the form of "Connection Termination Charges" that were placed onto the US callers, and the funds were handled by the Latin American division of AT&T, whom Aristide ordered to move to a numbered offshore bank account in Panama, while he was in the United States.
The international TelCom Industries has been trying to get the Haitian Government to Publicize the State owned Telcom company for quite some time...
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12990
Now that they have been hit by this Giant Quake... The Haitian Government may have no choice in the matter.
Oddly Enough, Gail J. McGovern, the President/CEO of the American Red Cross, also holds a Top managing Position at AT&T.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gail_J._McGovern
The rebuilding effort in Haiti will likely require huge amounts of money, and expensive machinery.
The Restructuring of the Manufacturing base in Haiti will require precision tools and other services.
This effort will more than likely cost millions of dollars.
One Company that has graciously committed to help in the rebuilding efforts, is Caterpillar Inc. the manufacturer of heavy construction machinery.
And, Lucky for them, Steve Wunning the Vice Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committee and member of the Compensation and Management Development Committee of the American Red Cross... Just so happens to be the Group President of Caterpillar Inc. and ALSO, the Director of Kennametal Inc. (Precision tool manufacturer)
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
The serious situation in Haiti is exacerbated by the poor health records for the country.
AIDS in Haiti effects one in ten.
The medicines that will be required by the Red Cross to help the suffering of the Haitian people will in all likelihood cost millions of dollars.
Luckily, Merck has a viable AIDS treatment drug, "Isentress" (Raltegravir) that could help, in addition to being a HUGE supplier of other pharmaceuticals.
Such an Odd coincidence, that Allan Goldberg, The Chair for the QRC Subcommittee and member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee for the American Red Cross... Also happens to be the Executive Director at Merck and Co. Inc.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/allan-goldberg/11/694/1bb
I swear, the Deeper I look into this thing, the Nastier it gets.
Ann Kaplan (Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee; Vice Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee) serves on the Boards of Financial Guaranty Insurance Company and the Goldman Sachs Bank.
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/secretary...lan/index.html
Suzanne Nora Johnson (Executive Committee; Chair of the Compensation and Management Development Committee)
is an American corporate lawyer and executive. Until 2007, she was Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs, Chairman of the Global Markets Institute, head of the firm's Global Investment Research Division, and a member of the firm's Management Committee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Nora_Johnson
I keep hearing Theories about how the Haiti Earthquake was *CAUSED* by some earthquake machine, or Bombs or whatever....
And I tell ya, it looks less and less far fetched the deeper into this story I go.
Interesting, No?
..............repost of original thread
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=227418
i urge everyone to read the info in there and disregard the ignorant comments
