In this mailing: Judith Bergman: China in Latin America - Part 1 Pete Hoekstra: Bureaucrats Advise Policy, They Should Not Make It China in Latin America - Part 1 by Judith Bergman  •  December 23, 2021 at 5:00 am       China's involvement in Latin America clearly seems to be translating into control, and not just of national resources. "In the past four years, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama have each switched their recognition from Taiwan to China", TIME Magazine wrote in February. "Gaining these kinds of alliances in Latin America offers Beijing invaluable votes at the U.N. and backing for Chinese appointees to multinational institutions. It also empowers China to embed standard-setting technology companies like Huawei, ZTE, Dahua and Hikvision – all sanctioned by the U.S. – in regional infrastructure, allowing Beijing to dictate the rules of commerce for a generation." Ecuador's debt to China is equal to 38.7% of its GDP. "The U.S. is losing Latin America to China without putting up a fight... And China is waiting, saying, 'We're here. We're giving you money.' They want control of course, but they don't say that." — Axios, September 23, 2021. "It is not necessary to show malevolent PRC intentions with respect to its activities in Latin America and the Caribbean to conclude that the current and long-term implications of that engagement are grave for prosperity, democracy, and liberties in the region, as well as the security and strategic position of the United States," — Professor R. Evan Ellis, Testimony before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, May 20, 2021. In 2000, China's trade with Latin America amounted to $12 billion. By 2019, the number had grown to a staggering $330 billion. China's involvement in Latin America clearly seems to be translating into control, and not just of national resources. (Image source: iStock) In 2000, China's trade with Latin America amounted to $12 billion. By 2019, the number had grown to a staggering $330 billion. The astounding growth is suggestive of how China's influence in Latin America has deepened over the past two decades. China's involvement in Latin America clearly seems to be translating into control, and not just of national resources. "In the past four years, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama have each switched their recognition from Taiwan to China", TIME Magazine wrote in February. "Gaining these kinds of alliances in Latin America offers Beijing invaluable votes at the U.N. and backing for Chinese appointees to multinational institutions. It also empowers China to embed standard-setting technology companies like Huawei, ZTE, Dahua and Hikvision – all sanctioned by the U.S. – in regional infrastructure, allowing Beijing to dictate the rules of commerce for a generation." Continue Reading Article Bureaucrats Advise Policy, They Should Not Make It by Pete Hoekstra  •  December 23, 2021 at 4:00 am       In a final parting shot, Dr. Francis Collins attacked those who want to examine the lab leak theory, dismissing it a "distraction." This "distraction," however, was the result of people like Collins and Fauci totally dismissing and ridiculing the not-very-far-fetched idea that a deadly, global coronavirus pandemic could have been caused by a lab doing research on coronaviruses. Former CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper "certainly knew the [Russia hoax] dossier was utter bull but publicly treated it as credible...." -- dramatically undermining both a president and the United States. The very real threat to democracy is unelected bureaucrats deciding that the policy they make is better than the policy we the people have chosen. In a final parting shot, Dr. Francis Collins (pictured) attacked those who want to examine the lab leak theory, dismissing it a "distraction." This "distraction," however, was the result of people like Collins and Fauci totally dismissing and ridiculing the not-very-far-fetched idea that a deadly, global coronavirus pandemic could have been caused by a lab doing research on coronaviruses.(Photo by Sarah Silbiger-Pool/Getty Images) December 19, 2021, was Dr. Francis Collins last day as Director of the National Institutes of Health. After more than 25 years in public service, it is customary to thank people for their service, so thank you, Dr. Collins. In his final interview as director with Bret Baier on Fox News Sunday, it was clear that it was time for him to go. If he could have taken Dr. Anthony Fauci with him, that would have been even better for America. As Baier explained, following the science would lead one to practice observation, description, experimentation, and explanation. In the follow-up question, Collins was asked about the Great Barrington Declaration, in which leading epidemiologists raised concerns about the mental health consequences of the lockdowns. Rather than addressing the issue of mental health concerns raised in the declaration, he dodged it completely and accused the authors of being fringe scientists floating a crazy idea about herd immunity. Continue Reading Article