The U.S. did change the conduct of the Soviet Union and China by resuming diplomatic relations with them, and it was a Republican President, Nixon, who had the wisdom to do that.

Dax,
Meaning not a dime of taxpayers money goes to fund an American athlete competing in the Olympics. US athletes are privately sponsored, fund their own way...given private grants. Other countries, for instance Canada has a carding system, where the government "pays" the Canadian athletes. AND other countries National Olympic Committees provide funding for their Olympic competitors. In contrast the US Olympic Committee provides only training centers for American Olympic athletes...but not funding. The US athlete competes in the Olympics as an individual....just like if he/she were competing in a regional AAU event.

Thank you CG. I'm guessing 95% of those watching the games think of the athletes as America's team, and they will certainly be sold that way.

The NBC Olympic coverage doesn't say much about the various sponsors of the athletes, unless those sponsors have bought commercial time.

I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to say that if the US does not financially sponsor the US Olympic Team, then the US Olympic Team does not represent the US. Horse puckey.

Aside from the US Olympic Team being the US Olympic Team, it is sponsored in part by donations from US citizens.

As for naming sponsors, in .24 seconds I found out that AT&T, Bank of America, VISA, Minute Maid and Anheuser-Busch are sponsors of the US Olympic Team. Having watched the Olympics on TV, I know from said TV watching whom it is who sponsors the US Olympic Team. They advertise, right there on the TV during the games. Having the occasion to venture out from under a rock in cave, I can also see who is sponsoring the US Olympic Team. Corporations who do are quite fond of plastering "Proud Sponsor of The US Olympic Team" all over their products.

But not all over the uniforms, Nascar style, of the players.

And why would Americans donate to the Olympic teams that are sponsored? Why should I donate money when Coca Cola is gonna get the credit for it? I don't give money to organized baseball, or NASCAE or my favorite soap opera, because I know these things are paid for by sponsors. If I like the show, I might buy the sponsor's product. If I like the Olympics, I buy the sponsors product AND help the sponsor pay for its advertising by saving it the dollars I've contributed.

No, I am saying that the USA is one of three countries that does not have a "National Olympic Team"...anymore than the USA has a National Nascar Race. All funding and competing at the Olympics is not supported by the state by any means.

Only 6% of funding for athletes come from the USOC...(2004 IRS Form 990). An Olympian must obtain his funding through sponsorship (competing with professional athletes for lucrative deals), trust funds, private funds, personal funds and or donations.

This is probably a difficult concept for you to grasp, but other countries "pay' their athletes...making their Olympic team- their national team. This is just a fact, not a judgment toward our system. In fact, our private system has worked quit well...

lizabeth, It is true thare is a division in China bewteen the rich and the poor. The western regions are still poorer that the east. This is partly because most of the big cities are in the East The rural urban gap has change over time it was 44% in 1980 rose to 58% in 1985 but has falling since to 35%. China still relies on the rural sctor for most of its food. Rural household consumption is lower tha in urban areas. However the government are trying to close the gap. Many of the Central and Western regions are rich in natural resources but poor in infrastruture. The government is trying to reduce this gap. According to the World Bank the number ofd people in poverty declined from 490 million in 1981 to 88 million in 2002. However this has fluctated over the years.

CHINA IS A DICTATORSHIP. so was the USSR when it gain the Games in 1980.
Surely being a democracy or even rich is notr a requirement to have the olympic Games.

Eh, at least we pay lip service to human rights.

Reading. It's the bomb.

human rights abuses.. and the incredible toll China is willing to pay in environmental damage .. it's truly a travesty that the Olympic committee allowed for these games to be played in China..

See www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23373004/ for article..

we humans have some f*d up priorities...