Linkmeister

Big Brother has allies

Apparently the NGOs are supposed to stand up and salute the Bush Administration like everybody else. NGO Watch, cited in that article, has the following on its home page:

NGOWATCH.ORG is a collaborative project of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.

Recent years have seen an unprecedented growth in the power and influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While it is true that many NGOs remain true to grassroots authenticity conjured up in images of protest and sacrifice, it is also true that non-governmental organizations are now serious business. NGO officials and their activities are widely cited in the media and relied upon in congressional testimony; corporations regularly consult with NGOs prior to major investments. Many groups have strayed beyond their original mandates and assumed quasi-governmental roles. Increasingly, non-governmental organizations are not just accredited observers at international organizations, they are full-fledged decision-makers.

Throughout much of the world, non-governmental organizations are unregulated, spared any requirement to account for expenditures, to disclose activities or sources of funding or even to declare their officers. That is not the case in the United States, where the tax code affords the public some transparency about its NGOs. But where is the rest of the story? Do NGOs influence international organizations like the World Trade Organization? What is their agenda? Who runs these groups? Who funds them? And to whom are they accountable?

In an effort to bring clarity and accountability to the burgeoning world of NGOs, AEI and the Federalist Society have launched NGOWATCH.ORG. This site will, without prejudice, compile factual data about non-governmental organizations. It will include analysis of relevant issues, treaties, and international organizations where NGOs are active. There will be cross-referenced information about corporations and NGOs, mission statements and news about causes and campaigns. There will be links to NGOs and to articles and authors of interest.

NGOWATCH.ORG is a work in progress. AEI and the Federalist Society will continue upgrading and improving this site. Suggestions are appreciated. Non-governmental organizations are a time-honored tradition, in the United States and throughout the world. With greater transparency for NGOs, there will be greater accountability, and with that, we hope, greater responsibility and effectiveness for the many who are engaged in great work.

The italics are mine. "Without prejudice?" "Full-fledged decision-makers?" It's to laugh. What are AEI and the Federalist Society if not decision-makers in this Administration? NGO Watch is yet another attempt on the part of two very influential organizations to discredit the work of non-governmental organizations like CARE International, Human Rights Watch, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Rainforest Alliance, NOW, and OXFAM. If you click on the "Media Guide" button on its home page, you will find a list of its members, including Robert Bork, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and Richard Perle. I guess there's no question as to the agenda of those folks, now is there?