Remittance Rip-offs

New Orleans Remittances are a huge part of the Gross National Product (GNP) of many countries around the developing world.  In fact some countries like Mexico, the Philippines, and others seem to be surviving largely because they are exporting workers who are sending back money to support families.  Remittances are the life blood and often …

Crisis of Accountability for Microfinance in India

New Orleans Microfinance has many positives, but should never be confused or misnamed as a “poverty reduction” strategy.   There is simply no way to reduce poverty through debt.  Microfinance or microcredit or micro-lending or whatever the name has a value for the poor as a way to access minimal credit to create or improve livelihoods, …

Tea Party, Me Party, More Parties

New Orleans        One of the post-lecture questions from a perceptive Lafayette College student that has stuck with me in the last couple of days, began with a phrase something like, “Since you seem to support the Tea Party, ….blah, blah, blah.”  I answered with a couple of jokes, since the premise was …