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Fuel the Enlightenment

Mikheil Saakashvili

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ophelia Avatar
ophelia
Posts: 25
Posted: 07.13.06, 02:00 PM
A charismatic leader, Georgian President Saakashvili is well-worth hearing. His government has made great strides, including increasing the state budget from 370 million USD in 2003 to 3 billion USD today. Much of this increased prosperity is attributable to a more favorable investment climate engendered by an anti-corruption program. Through a combination of UNDP funds and raising taxes, the government was able to ensure all workers an acceptable living wage, hereby reducing the need for bribes. President Saakashvili touts recent polls indicating that 96% of Georgians have not paid bribes this year, compared with only 20% last year.
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carolineb Avatar
carolineb
Posts: 23
Posted: 07.13.06, 02:04 PM
President Saakashvili can boast a number of other achievements, including successful energy privatization, the election of school boards, and an increase in police confidence from 5% to 70% in just a few years. I did find him to be a bit of a carbon copy of President Bush--he talks at length about the importance of values and his conviction of the North Korean people’s desire for freedom--but this is hardly surprising given Georgia’s need as a small country for US support.
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rocketdog Avatar
rocketdog
Posts: 196
Posted: 07.17.06, 11:25 AM
An articulate, intellegent leader who backs up his soundly rational appoach to governing with a proven track record of strong results. I agree with carolineb, this guy is a carbon copy of President Bush.

Wait...what?

Kidding aside, what in the world do you mean by that? I've never seen a politician, liberal or conservative, who couldn't go on for hours about the importance of "values," and I can't imagine any President in this day and age -- or anyone with any knowledge of North Korean government, for that matter, beyond knowing that the capital is in Pyongyang -- who wouldn't be convicted, or at the very least hopeful, of the North Korean people's desire for freedom. Call me crazy, but I just don't see how those two specious details warrant a Bush-Saakashvili comparison.
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monasquire Avatar
monasquire
Posts: 7
Posted: 07.18.06, 10:46 AM
I must second the motion of "rocketdog" questioning the Bush-Saakashvili comparison. Saakashvili's aware of the ins and outs of his governments' developments and economics. While he shares a similar charisma and down-to-earth demeanor like Bush, he holds a greater comprehension of why things have progressed in his country. I think one of his greatest differences is how he offers a honest, transparent depiction of politicians. He suggests that the country needs to contiunue developing institutions that citizens can trust in, because politicians are transient figures. He admits the country's past problems with corruption and he hopes to get rid of those corruptions that are still present. I don't know that Bush would ever admit that corruption even exists in our political system.
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dbsynergy Avatar
dbsynergy
Posts: 4
Posted: 07.18.06, 07:03 PM
Amen monasuire, this guy sounds like a great president. If what he's saying is true, he has really helped turn the country around and if the country invests in what they really need, it seems like they would be able to turn things around pretty quickly.
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qazooz Avatar
qazooz
Posts: 5
Posted: 08.12.08, 02:34 PM
I cant stop wondering why all that money was pumped into the georgian economy...reform or is it a way to de stabilize russia by setting a rebbilious prosprous exampel to all who might dare oppose russia.georgia is a small coarck floating on a big pocket of pollitical motivated capital.no economic achivment can justify the out comes of the georgian experement.only time can tell if things will keep its course.where all that money came from???
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