How Saudi Arabia handles possible unrest
By laglen
@laglen (19759)
United States
March 18, 2011 11:22am CST
The Saudi King is handing out money. And just increased his security by 60,000 adding 60,000 jobs.
This is his way of handling possible unrest. I think it is working. Whether you agree with Saudi's mode of government or not. you have to agree this was a pretty smart move. Should other countries look at this idea? It certainly helps that he has $400 billion in foreign reserves....
http://www.cnbc.com/id/42146910
1 person likes this
4 responses
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
19 Mar 11
Well, I think Obama's been doing that over the past year and a half with his stimulus and other give-away packages. He's certainly increased the size of government (people/jobs), probably more than the Saudi King did with his 60,000. Only problem is we were sitting on a deficit when Obama did it...we didn't have $400B in foreign reserves... Oh well, what's another couple of trillion...? But he may have bought some votes in 2012 with his "Obama money".
2 people like this
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
19 Mar 11
No, he's buying the poor and middle income earners too. Remember, he gave us tax breaks, homeowner breaks, health care for those who didn't have it, and the people he hired in government, most weren't rich people, they were just unemployed from off the street. And then think of all the breaks he's given the unions -- blue-collar workers. Think of the shovel-ready projects he's funded -- construction workers. No, he's spread the wealth...it's just money he didn't have.
2 people like this
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
18 Mar 11
Let me get this straight: you're liking the idea that perhaps the government should undertake some projects that will involve hiring lots of people as a way of combating unemployment?
Like, maybe, building a high speed rail system? Alternative energy research?
I'm pretty sure I've said this before on another topic, but congratulations! You're a Democrat! A progressive Democrat, no less! Very late to realizing it, but even so!
Now of only all these Republicants weren't so focused on everything except creating jobs...
2 people like this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
19 Mar 11
King Abdullah is a democrat? when did that happen? Oh, you mean King Obama, sorry. Hard to tell.
2 people like this
@TheMetallion (1834)
• United States
19 Mar 11
@Glen: My error -- it was your statements "I think it is working." and "you have to agree this was a pretty smart move" that threw me.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
30 Mar 11
Even the mist disagreeable system gets it right now and then. Increase jobs, and people will have less to complain about.
1 person likes this
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
18 Mar 11
Saudi Arabia cannot afford to have a violent uprising as we've seen in the other areas of this part of the globe. The U.S. could not afford a revolution in Saudi Arabia as well. Both countries will no doubt be doing everything possible to avoid it. Some of the other countries did try to buy off their citizens but it didn't work so well. We'll just have to wait and see how this policy works for SA.
1 person likes this
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
18 Mar 11
put another way....its ok that other Arab tyrants are falling, but not the one that holds the world's biggest oil reserves and is willing to play with us?
2 people like this
