George Soros? Friend, foe, neither?

[antigop]

He was (is?) an investor in Carlyle, but he tried to oust Bush in the last election.

[bluewave]

1. I watched his interview where he compares NeoCons to Nazis

in his native Hungary. I'm no expert, but I didn't sense deception. And I see no financial gain in his outspoken criticism.

[tridim]

2. Since Soros apparently funds every Liberal publication on Earth..

I guess he's a friend. Of course in reality he doesn't, but the RW blowhards claim he does.

[antigop]

5. But he has connections to Carlyle Group

He was (is?) an investor.

That bothers me.

[Robson]

10. Rich are rich and poor are still poor.

The possible reality of the matter is this..... are rich people who claim they fully understand how the not so rich and poor people think being sincere, or only looking out for their own interests.

BTW consistently looking out for one's own interests is actually how they got very rich.

George Soros has been a consistent suppporter of many Democratic issues and he is still very rich.

[htuttle]

3. He's a mixed bag.

:shrug:

[antigop]

4. Soros: National Press Club speech: Why we must not re-elect Pres. Bush

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0928-16.htm

>>
This is the most important election of my lifetime. I have never been heavily involved in partisan politics but these are not normal times. President Bush is endangering our safety, hurting our vital interests and undermining American values. That is why I am sending you this message. I have been demonized by the Bush campaign but I hope you will give me a hearing.

President Bush ran on the platform of a "humble" foreign policy in 2000. If we re-elect him now, we endorse the Bush doctrine of preemptive action and the invasion of Iraq, and we will have to live with the consequences. As I shall try to show, we are facing a vicious circle of escalating violence with no end in sight. But if we repudiate the Bush policies at the polls, we shall have a better chance to regain the respect and support of the world and to break the vicious circle.

I grew up in Hungary, lived through fascism and the Holocaust, and then had a foretaste of communism. I learned at an early age how important it is what kind of government prevails. I chose America as my home because I value freedom and democracy, civil liberties and an open society.
>>

Great speech.
It bothers me about his Carlyle connection.

[WiseButAngrySara]

15. I remember this like yesterday! I so fully expected B* to lose...n/t

[PATRICK]

20. Let's paint a favorable portrait

instead of starting with shadows. Post WWII values means not imagining waving olive branches at Hitler but supporting defense and against isolationism. This is a key too the Israel problem too in that this pragmatic, real world stance for the sake of justice and civilization contains the seeds of destruction and the nature of the beats, and finally the beasts themselves are right beside you.

The jump to a new worldview demands a leap to pro-peace activties and anti-militarist solutions. So in this I would presume, by words and deeds, that he is honestly, unwittingly sometiimes, conflicted. it shows in many well intentioned political speeches that appear naive, though passionately sincere.

Now the pursuit of Mammon equally is rife with evil dangers, but oddly, the acceptance of the norm and heroic, admirable and moral standards of business probrbaly gets him an easier pass. Here he is conflicted in still not divesting himself of the ideology or the wealth machinery of a corrupted, disintegrating pragmatism but pumping money into pro-active democratic, peace cause. He is against evil. He participates in the harnessing of the forces that empower or are evil in the idea that that comprises world order. An innocent carnivore. A friendly or tame lion. Become a child again in values and the chosen fight against evil.

But his problem is ours. That there is no liberation from the prevalent, entwining world view we participate in and profit from, rather that there is an anti-immune response against a disease. We all live in the same glass house which is why it is so hard to really get at people like Bush. The house needs to be rebuilt. When that is married to ability to get rid of great evils it becomes all or nothing, not pruning. Selectively criticizing good men who will not go "all the way" may be a disingenuous demand for a messiah we are not even prepared to follow. And how bad(or doomed) can we be in our falling short? Good question.

[antigop]

26. Thanks, Patrick

Food for thought.

[theoldman]

6. Soros is an investor. He goes where he can make a buck.

As a side interest he gets involved on politics.

[antigop]

8. You may be right

Thanks for the reply.

[XOKCowboy]

17. Yes he is a businessman but ...

his activism and his politics are decidedly Blue or at least anti-Bush.

Heck I wish I almost wish I could invest in Carlyle. I'm sure it's a highly profitable investment since they own the government pretty much.

[TexasLawyer]

7. He is one of my heroes!

I even got to meet him last year when he came to Houston.

He is a rich man who does not have to share his wealth like he does. But he promotes democracy and "open society" around the globe, and he is a person of great intelligence, principle and honor.

[jwirr]

9. I read his book "The Bubble of American Supremacy: Correcting

the Misuse of American Power" and he made sense to me.

[mdmc]

11. friend

[shoopnyc]

12. His "Open Society" not for profit has saved so many African American...

...children. He funds great stuff.

[ftr23532]

13. Soros was also a major investor in Harken when it bought out Bush's company Spectrum 7

David Corn asked Soros about this http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?bid=3&pid=82">in an interview:

...
At the time, Harken was owned by global billionaire George Soros, the Harvard Management Corporation, and others. A few weeks ago, I was at the opening of the new Washington offices of the Open Society Institute, a nonprofit policy and advocacy organization founded by Soros. OSI reflects the left-of-center beliefs of Soros. In the United States and overseas, it promotes campaign finance reform, government openness, drug policy reform, abolition of the death penalty and many other issues. At the party, practically the entire liberal policy community of the capital was present. Well-wishers (and grant-seekers?) were eagerly congratulating Soros. While chatting with one of his employees, I said to her, "One day, you should ask Soros what he knew about the Harken deal and why his company took on Bush." She blanched and mumbled that she could never raise that with Soros.

Later, when I saw the billionaire almost alone, I sidled up to him. "Nice offices," I said. "But can I ask you about some ancient history?" Sure, he said, with a good-natured smile. What was the deal with Harken buying up Spectrum 7? I inquired. Did Soros know Bush back then?

"I didn't know him," Soros replied. "He was supposed to bring in the Gulf connection. But it didn't come to anything. We were buying political influence. That was it. He was not much of a businessman."
...

[XOKCowboy]

18. Actually I don't see that as a negative...

He admits that he was buying political influence. Period. Just like they do. So he can acquire the money it takes to pour huge amounts into his Blue causes.

He's a businessman. When you compete in the higher levels of the corporate world you play their game and try to use it to your advantage. Don't knock the man for beating them at their own game.

[ftr23532]

19. Yeah, it's not so much a negative...

as an example of how small a circle it is the top and how strong a draw being the son of GHWB can be, especially when you look at all the other notable folks associated with Harken. Not only do we have Soros and W, but was also have Abdullah Taha Baksh, who was a US reprentative of the bin Laden family from 1976-82 AND the representative of the BCCI/terror-financing connected Khalid bin Mahfouz. Another figure that sat on the board of Harken was Talat Othman, who also sat on the board of the Islamic Institute, set up by Grover Norquist and Abramoff-buddy David Safavian. In 2002, Talat Othman led a delegation of Muslim leaders that had come under scrutiny after the Operation Greenquest terror-financing raids of March 20, 2002.

So with Harken alone we had Bush, a Bush enemy (George Soros), the representative of the Bush ally (Khalid bin Mahfouz, who is also, technically, a Bush enemy due to his terror ties), and the representative of many other alleged Bush enemies due to their terror ties (Talat Othman). It's a small, bizarre world at the top!

[XOKCowboy]

23. No kidding...

I should have replied to the OP instead of your post. You make some very strong points. The very rich didn't get that way investing with their heart. Thankfully George Soros invests with his with his mind and gives with his heart. Trite I know but true.

[Robson]

14. Has he made good on pledges?

I thought that George Soros had pledged $$$ but had not actually come through. If I'm wrong on this LMK. Ok, so a pledge is better than nothing.

[antigop]

16. Not sure what "pledges" you are referring to, but here is a list of contributions

http://opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=soros%2C+George&NumOfThou=0&txt2006=Y&submit=Go%21

[johnaries]

21. Haven't you been listening to RW pundits?

He is the Evil One who is behind all Liberalism and is paying all of us to support his Evil Liberal policies!

Didn't you get your check?

:evilgrin:

Soros became rich by being a shrewd businessman. Period. Some of us may object to some of his investments on moral grounds, but there is no proof that he knew back then what we know now.

Regardless, he has made a lot of contributions - financial and otherwise - to causes that most DUer's will agree with. Overall, I would say he is a man of high moral character, whether some of his business may have been questionable or not. In the long run, he has strongly supported most of the values that DUer's hold most dear.

Is he perfect? No. Is he a "friend"? most definitely.

[ConsAreLiars]

22. He is an "Imperialist Amerika First" operative who happens to have

noticed that Chimpy and the PNAC cabal have not been accomplishing the job they were funded to do. There are disagreements within the capitalist class. Those disputes may sometimes mean that some of them will join us on some issues, but their interest is always to perpetuate and extend their rule. That was the reasoning behind funding autonomy in the Ukraine, for example.

[Robson]

25. America first?

I'm a believer in America first. Is that bad? I don't agree with imperialists and those that put globalism and other interests first.

[GreenTea]

24. A democratic businessman?

[Rosemary2205]

27. Soros is only interested in Soros

He'll play whichever side he thinks will benefit him the most.

[antigop]

28. OK -- here is the question

Why would Soros be allowed in to the Carlyle Group at all? It's an invitation-only type of private equity fund, right?

Why would the powers-that-be invite him in,knowing what his contributions are?

That's what is very puzzling to me.