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What We're Reading | July 13, 2012

Bush Institute Executive Director James K. Glassman’s latest Forbes column, The Facts About Budget Deficits: How The Presidents Truly Rank,...

Bush Institute Executive Director James K. Glassman’s latest Forbes column, The Facts About Budget Deficits: How The Presidents Truly Rank, ranks the ratio of deficit to GDP for the last five presidents. Glassman notes, “Americans can judge for themselves whether deficits are “enormous”– but only if they have the facts. In this case, there is no denying the order in which the last five presidents rank on the basis of deficits: Clinton, Bush 43, Bush 41 and Reagan in a virtual tie, and Obama.” (Forbes.com) The Chicago Tribune reports this week on the influx of money into North Korea from defectors in South Korea. Most of the money is exchanged between family members and flows through China. Kang Cheol-hwan, a survivor of North Korean gulags who has been interviewed for the Bush Center’s Freedom Collection is quoted in the article: “In the past, pro-Pyongyang people in Japan and some Korean Americans sent money but they grew old and strong sanctions from Japan also took a toll. So the generation providing remittances has changed and it is now the defectors in South Korea who are doing it.” (Chicago Tribune) After ongoing speculation and negotiations about how to allow its women to participate in the Olympics without offending Islamic sensibilities and traditions, Saudi Arabia has announced it will indeed send women to London. Two female athletes, one in track and another in judo, will participate under the Saudi flag. Outside of Saudi Arabia, the story is gaining a lot of attention and is seen as an example of the power of “international pressure”. (NPR) To raise awareness and inspire other wounded warriors, a group of disabled veterans left San Francisco on Memorial Day weekend with the hopes of cycling across the country. The goal of the ride is to inspire other disabled veterans that they too can overcome their challenges. This week the group arrived in Illinois, about halfway to their goal of riding to Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Sea to Shining Sea Ride is directed and sponsored by World T.E.A.M. Sports, a military support organization that has participated in the Bush Center’s W100. (WTHI, Terre Haute, IN) Allison Good of Foreign Policy asks, “Could the next U.S. free trade agreement be with Tunisia?”. Good reported on a visit to Tunis by House Rules Committee Chairman, Rep. David Dreier during which he announced his intention to head an initiative to propose a free trade agreement between the United States and Tunisia. Part of the Arab Spring, Tunisia held peaceful and democratic elections last October after the fall of the Ben Ali regime. (Foreign Policy)