Sorry if you took personal offense. None was intended.
My only reason for mentioning the exchange at all (and as non-judgementally as I was capable of doing, too) was to explain why I went looking for information on government corruption. Lots of information out there, as it happens. I do not believe the Clinton administration is particularly evil or corrupt, as these things go, certainly no more than other recent administrations. Obviously, some people disagree, but I have not yet found any organized data that would prove one position or another. I'm still looking and have enlisted the assistance of several research professionals in the publishing industry. I'll let you know if we find anything interesting.
I do believe the information I posted is actually quite relevant to GSTRF's future prospects. By design, GSTRF will be operating all over the world (minus polar regions and the middle of some oceans). Some governments, like New Zealand, are squeaky clean or, like the United States, at least make a serious, good faith effort to avoid abusing the process. Others, like India or (shudder) Indonesia have a different attitude. China seems at least to be trying to make things better, although they have not yet had a great deal of success. International companies trying to do business in these places have a less predictable success rate because it is not always clear whose palm needs greased -- and the competition may win by using a higher viscosity grease. In India, for instance, with the recent withdrawal of Hyundai, the palm greasing seems like it will have to start all over again. Were this New Zealand, the outcome would be much more likely to be based on the merits. |
