She was at Mizzou today. Chelsea, that is. And she was speaking on behalf of her mamma, question and answer style. And I mean if you're going to skip an American history class, doing it to see Chelsea Clinton is a good reason.
So I got there, close to the front, but off to the side, standing up. I thought she would for sure answer my question I had. She kept looking over at me. We made eye contact for crying out loud. I kept my hand raised, even while other people were asking questions. I kept looking at my phone to keep the time. I had class at 11 and she started speaking just after 10. After about a half an hour of holding up my hand, a local reporter took note and stood by me with her microphone, hoping to draw attention. Then, about ten minutes later, a couple people got up from the seats in front of me. The ones in the front row directly to the right of the President's daughter.
The reporter gave me a shove and told me to get my question answered. She stood over me, again with her microphone, and even jestured to Chelsea to call on me.
Nothing.
11 o'clock came around and I had to leave for class. Bummer. My plan would not be executed.
Her mother has been known to plant questions. And that is all I have to say about that.
I wanted to ask her what her mother's plans were for reaching the Millennium Development Goals. I already knew part of the answer, what is up on the ONE website, but I wanted everyone else to be aware of the issues as well. I even wrote Hilary a letter thanking her for going On the Record and how much that means to me as a voter. I was going to give it to Chelsea after I asked my question. She never called on me. I guess I'm just a little bitter right now, but this whole thing got me thinking.
I wanted people to hear what the candidates had to say about poverty. So, from now until Super Tuesday, I will be blogging about their plans. Which, coinsidentially, is nine days away and there are nine candidates left. It seems only fitting to start with Senator Clinton.
Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
Hilary will commit $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS. This will help ensure universal access to treatment, prevention, and care. The funding will increase US contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
This funding is crucial to the prevention of these diseases. Because of AIDS, South Africa's population will be 44% smaller in 2050 than it would have been without the epidemic. Between 2000 and 2015 there will be an expected 9.3 million AIDS deaths.
Each year, more than 300 million clinical cases of acute malarial illness occur, mainly affecting the world's poorest populations. More than 1 million people die each year from malaria, and 90% of these deaths occur in children in sub-Saharan Africa.
About a third of the 25 million Africans infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, will die of tuberculosis, a disease that ravages lung tissue. Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is the leading cause of death among people with AIDS. Worldwide, about 5000 people die every day from TB. Most of those deaths occur in Africa, where extreme poverty, lack of adequate health facilities and rampant HIV infection rates are exacerbating an already alarming TB crisis.
Eradicating malaria
Hilary set to end all deaths from malaria on the African continent by the end of her second term. Wow. She will commit $1 billion per year to lead a global effort against malaria. If you read the numbers above, that is almost half a million people's lives she is pledging to save. Huge.
Improving child and maternal health
She ensures she will reach the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality and improving maternal heath. She plans on making investments in nutrition, vaccination, and public health.
According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year.
Where there are 7 deaths for every 1000 births in the US, there are 218 deaths for every 1000 births in Mali. Maternal deaths during birth are 1/2500 in the US compared to 1/10 in Mali.
Acheiving universal primary education
Hilary introduced the bipartisan Education for All Act to commit $10 billion over five years to invest in universal basic education.
Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names. Many times, families have to decide whether or not to send their children to school. It may be too dangerous. If the decision is made, then only the oldest male would be sent on most occasions.
Obviously this is a problem. Education is key if people are to learn how to help themselves.
Food and clean water
Again, she pledged to meet the Millennium Development Goal of cutting in half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day. The loss of 443 million school days each year from water-related illness.
Additional commitments for the world's poor
Hilary ensures complete debt cancellation for all Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), and she will expand HIPC to an additional 20 countries. She also commited an additional 1% of our budget to foreign assistance.
The developing world now spends $13 on debt repayment for every $1 it receives in grants.
As you may see, the candidates' positions will greatly affect the way our world is in the future. This is a bipartisan issue. It is a non-partisan cause. We need to come together and fix this mess. And now, that these politicians have gone On the Record about their plans, it is our job to hold them accountable. Whether they take office or not. They will always be prominent people in the political spectrum and we need to continue to make sure we are heard.
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