C olumbia U niversity RECORD September 26, 2003 5 Economics 101: Jeffrey Sachs Gives White House Administration a Failing Grade Iraq toward other economic inter- BY COLIN MORRIS ests such as alternative energy research and The Global Fund to he current White House Fight Aids program, Sachs called administration is failing for a commitment of $10 billion Teconomics 101, for Iraq and a U.S. military pull- explained Jeff Sachs, director of out within 12 months. Columbia’s Earth Institute, dur- Panelist Rosalind Morris, pro- ing the Sept. 17 forum, “Global fessor of anthropology and direc- Consequences of the War in Iraq” tor of the Center for Women and sponsored by the Columbia Fac- Gender Studies, was critical of ulty Peace Committee. the idea that Iraq, which is not a “I’ve tried to look at this issue historically poor country, could of the prevailing ideology of the economically recover on its own. administration from every which Morris stressed a more culturally way, and I just can’t give them a contextual approach, arguing that passing grade,” said Sachs. “In Iraq could not simply be rebuilt in fact, I can’t even give them any the image of the U.S. points out of 100.” RECORD PHOTO BY COLIN MORRIS Panelist Richard Parker, profes- There is no logic to the White Jeffrey Sachs, at right, discusses the economic impact of the war in Iraq as panelists Rosalind Morris, sor of sociomedical science, was House’s economic plan explained professor of anthropology and director of the Institute for Women and Gender, center, and Richard concerned that an overly econom- Sachs, who is renowned for his Parker professor of sociomedical science, left, look on. ic approach to what he perceives practical, calculated approach to as deep structural problems in global economics. Sachs laid out destruction or terrorism,” he explained. “It’s a fundamental ideologues, by cuts in future globalization could further hinder three central misperceptions that stressed. failure in understanding the prob- social spending,” he said. “[The development efforts throughout he believes are marring the U.S. Secondly, Sachs asserted that lems of poverty and develop- White House Administration] the world. In response to Sachs’ and much of the world’s econom- the current White House adminis- ment, and the sources of state dare not tell that now, but once in economic advice for the Iraq situ- ic progress. tration is attempting to buy failure and our national security a while there’s an honest word ation and world poverty, Parker “First, [the Bush Administration] national security through force risks.” from this group explaining that doubted that philanthropy would believes that military might can be rather than assisting countries in Sachs described the third short- we’re really into a whole strategy structurally rectify problems of turned into national economic finding their own way through the coming as the White House’s of national restructuring as well poverty and globalization. advantage,” Sachs said. The idea of turbulent waters of globalization. plan to pay for the ballooning as international restructuring.” “Unfortunately there are many hegemonic enterprise and Sachs pointed out that military budget deficit—up to 530 billion Sachs explained that Bush is trad- people in this society who equate unchecked predominance in the expenditures are 40 times greater dollars this year—through mas- ing the public’s future social criticism of this administration with world is central to the war with than the money being spent for sive social service cuts in the security savings for a tax refund. a lack of patriotism,” explained Iraq, he believes. “The war was foreign assistance. “This is eco- future. “This war is being According to Sachs, the war in Eric Foner, Dewitt Clinton Profes- never about weapons of mass nomics at its worst,” Sachs financed, in the view of the Iraq was a longtime in the mak- sor of History, who moderated the ing. In what he describes as a event. These people, Foner said, are hunch, Sachs surmises that the trying to create an atmosphere WKCR Back on the Airwaves in Tri-State Area Arab oil embargo of 1973 heavi- where people are too intimidated to ly influenced the thinking of Dick present their views to the public. He BY ELIZABETH GOLDEN Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, pointed out that there has never who at the time were young been a U.S. war that hasn’t encoun- olumbia’s student-run senior officials in the Ford admin- tered dissenting views--from Abra- radio station, WKCR istration. Since that time, Sachs ham Lincoln to Martin Luther C89.9FM, can once again emphasizes, Cheney has been fix- King, Jr. “Dissent is a central part be heard throughout the tri-state ated on the idea that the core of of our democratic tradition,” he area. U.S. national security depends on said, emphasizing the need for Since the destruction of securing the flow of oil. these types of forums and open dia- WKCR’s antenna on the World Suggesting a reallocation of the logue and describing them as cen- Trade Center two years ago, the $87 billion budget proposal for tral to university life. radio station had been broadcast- ing to a limited area of upper Manhattan surrounding the Columbia campus. While broad- WKCR Schedule Highlights casting atop Carmen Hall, October 2-4: Latino Heritage Month Festival WKCR’s potential audience was Latin Department Head: Justin Padro reduced from 12 million to 2 mil- WKCR will hold the Latino Heritage Music Festival Oct. 2 at noon lion. The new transmitter, located until Oct. 4 at midnight. Oct. 2 will be devoted to the music of Brazil, at 4 Times Square, will once again ranging from Samba and Bossa Nova to MPB (Musica Popular make it possible to reach more Brasileira) and other contemporary artists. Oct. 3 programming will RECORD PHOTO BY EILEEN BARROSO than 11 million homes in the Tri- delve into traditional and contemporary music from Latin America. State Area. Matt Herman shows students the ropes at WKCR. Oct. 4 will focus on Caribbean and Latino U.S. music with interviews Members of the WKCR team from some of Latin music's living legends. are both relieved and excited by content of the music we play and programming with “Bird Flight,” their return to the airwaves. the artists we showcase. Nowhere a daily exploration of the music October 22-24: New Music 20th Anniversary Festival “After such a drawn out else can you get 24 hours of jazz of Charlie Parker and his associ- New Music Department Heads: Jacob Danziger and Erin Chun process to get our new antenna, it celebrating a single artist during ates. Also, New Yorkers will The New Music Fall 2003 Festival will take place for 72 continu- is just a huge relief to get our pro- birthday and memorial broad- once again be able to hear the ous hours on Oct. 22- 24. The festival celebrates the 20-year anniver- gramming back out to the greater casts. Or day-to-week-long festi- area’s longest-running jazz DJ, sary of the department. Oct. 22 will feature sound poetry (from dada New York area. Hundreds of peo- vals exploring in depth the music Sharif Abdus-Salaam, on the to improvised music) and music from the FLUXUS art movement. ple are calling and e-mailing to of a particular genre, region or Thursday edition of the weekday Oct. 23 will feature soundscapes and music of improvising collec- congratulate us on our return,” artist. It’s essential to provide the program “Jazz Alternatives.” tives. On Oct. 24, we will broadcast live on-air performances by new said Matt Niederhauser, WKCR's opportunity for people to hear this Evening listeners can also enjoy york city percussionists Tim Barnes, Sean Meehan, and Tatsuya publicity manager. kind of programming on the specialty shows featuring the Nakatani. WKCR has remained active in radio--and now they can,” she expertise of such DJs as its commitment to alternative pro- said. Lawrence Nii Nartey (The November 26-28: African Music Festival gramming. It has long attracted African Show), Doug Tuchman In All Languages Department Heads: Tom Mayer and Alba Garzón listeners to a distinctive and eclec- (Honky Tonkin) and Jassvan de Over Thanksgiving weekend, In All Languages Department and tic mix of jazz, classical, new, Lima (Som do Brasil). the African Show hosts its annual African Festival, which will American, Latin and world These specialty shows tap into remember the late Michael Babatunde "Baba" Olatunji; Master Per- music. In addition, WKCR offers both the historical and modern cussionist, Grammy winner, and former WKCR programmer. The a variety of arts, sports, news and developments of their respective music festival begins at 6pm on Nov. 26, and runs through Thanks- public affairs programming that musical genres at a depth unpar- giving up until 9pm Nov. 28. provides uncompromising view- alleled in other New York City points in an increasingly commer- radio programming. December 19-26: Bach Fest cialized radio marketplace. The launching of the new Classical Department Head: Peter Mondelli “As the community of WKCR, antenna signifies a momentous WKCR Classical is once again proud to present our annual Bach our vision is to produce quality event in the history of WKCR as Festival. This year's festival will run from the morning of Dec.19 programming of a kind which can it resumes its role as a vibrant through the evening of Dec. 26. A beloved fixture on New York's be heard nowhere else,” said WKCR’s revival also marks the promoter of the arts and returns airwaves at Christmas, the Bach Festival presents a week's worth of Laura Welikson, programming return of some of New York’s as an integral part of New York’s the music of JS Bach uninterrupted - thoughtfully organized to high- director for the station. “We are most beloved on-air personalities. cultural landscape. light different genres and performance styles, incorporating record- dedicated to educating the public The inimitable Phil Schaap still More information regarding ings both old and new, often accompanied by the insights of leading about both the history and the presides over the regular morning WKCR, visit, www.wkcr.org performers and scholars.