User:CO/Criticism of George Soros

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Soros speaking in Malaysia
Soros speaking in Malaysia

Billionaire George Soros has been criticized by a number of different commentators on many issues, ranging from his financial support of various controversial organizations, his reported tax evasions and his views on Israel, the United States, and anti-Semitism.

Contents

[edit] Views on Anti-Semitism

George Soros is a Hungarian-born Jew who escaped the Holocaust by going to London as a child. Soros has blamed Europe's anti-Semitism as a result of policies created by the United States and Israel, saying "There is a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. The policies of the Bush administration and the Sharon administration contribute to that."[1][2] Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, called Soros's comments “absolutely obscene". [2] Soros has called for a "regime change" in the United States has spoken of funding projects in Palestine.[1] He is often criticized by the Jewish community for failing to give funding to their causes.[3]

[edit] Criticism of funding

George Soros has been accused of helping to fund 'smear sites' like Moveon.org and Media Matters, according to Bill O'Reilly, National Review, and other groups.[4][5] Soros has financially supported Tides Foundation, donating over twenty millions dollars to the group since 2001 and has donated millions to Moveon.org.[4] That foundation has donated money to Media Matters for America, a group highly critical of O'Reilly.

O'Reilly has claimed that Soros's goal "is to buy a presidential election... find and fund a candidate who will tacitly do what he or she is told to do."[4]

In late March of 2002 Soros announced he was giving three million dollars to Budapest Open Access Initiative to set up open-archiving systems. Soros was accused of "foolishly spending millions [to] undermining libraries, librarians, authors and referees".[6]

In September 2002 Soros's Open Society Institute gave $20,000 to the Defense Committee of lawyer Lynne Stewart who defended terrorists in court and was sentenced to 28 months in prison for "providing material support for a terrorist conspiracy".[7][8][9]

[edit] Criticism of 'tax evading' and finances

George Soros has heavily been criticized for avoiding to pay taxes in the United States.[4] Soros moved his headquarters to the tax free Caribbean country of Curacao, which is outside of the supervision of the United States Government. The Netherlands Antilles has repeatedly been cited by the Task Force on Money Laundering of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as one of the world's most important centers for laundering illegal proceeds of the Latin American cocaine and other drug traffic. It is a possession of the Netherlands. [10][11][12][13]

Former Speaker of the House for the Republican Party Dennis Hastert stated that Soros money "could be drug money" and "we don't know where it comes from".[14] Soros accused Hastert of trying to smear him and demanded an apology.[15]

[edit] 2004 Presidential Elections in the United States

George Soros has personally expressed a strong disliking of President Bush.[5] In 2004 he stated defeating Bush was "the central focus of my life," and "a matter of life and death."[16] He also said "America, under Bush, is a danger to the world" and claimed "[Bush] is undermining American values". He says he "been demonized by the Bush campaign" and donated more then 15.5 million in a failed attempt to defeat Bush in 2004.[16][17][18]

[edit] Support for drug legalization

George Soros has donated millions of dollars towards organizations advocating the legalization of drugs in the United States and has been called the "Daddy Warbucks of drug legalization" by Joseph Califano Jr. of Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse.[19] He calls the legalization a "harms reduction" and criminal activity associated with the use of drugs will supposedly be reduced if the US government takes over the trading of drugs and provides drugs and drug paraphernalia to addicts.[20] Soros has contributed to the passing of thirteen drug legalization laws in nine different states,[21] including the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes in California and Arizona.[22]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b In rare Jewish appearance, George Soros says Jews and Israel cause anti-Semitism. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  2. ^ a b George Soros Blames Jews for Anti-Semitism. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  3. ^ 28th richest man in America, George Soros, needs a Jewish connection. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  4. ^ a b c d Buying Political Power. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  5. ^ a b The World According to Soros. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  6. ^ Critics attack net journal initiative. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  7. ^ Soros Funded Stewarts Defense. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  8. ^ Terrorist Supporting Lawyer, Lynne Stewart, Gets Slap On The Wrist. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  9. ^ A New York jury found Lynne Stewart guilty on all of the counts against her. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  10. ^ George Soros and the Rothschilds Connection. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  11. ^ The sorry tale of George Soros. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  12. ^ The Secret Financial Network Behind "Wizard" George Soros. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  13. ^ OECD Investment Policy Reviews, Netherland Antilles. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  14. ^ Dennis Hastert on Dope. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  15. ^ George Soros demands apology from Dennis Hastert. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  16. ^ a b Soros's Deep Pockets vs. Bush. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  17. ^ Why We Must Not Re-elect President Bush. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  18. ^ George Soros, Maintaining Political Interest. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
  19. ^ George Soros's Long Strange Trip. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  20. ^ The Hidden Soros Agenda: Drugs, Money, the Media, and Political Power. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  21. ^ George Soros - Drug Legalization. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
  22. ^ Miller, Judith. "With Big Money and Brash Ideas, A Billionaire Redefines Charity", 1996-12-17. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.