COLLECTIVE MADNESS
“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."
(Next, he applies moisturizers and emmolients to his inner thighs)
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RICH LOWRY: The U.S. border is a lot like Iraq.
“Defeatist at the Border” 04/10
BYRON YORK: Robert Rector tries to nail down numbers. “What Does Illegal Immigration Cost?” 04/10
All our efforts in Iraq are for nothing if we can't find allies to fill state and municipal positions. Here's a quote from the WaPo article Wretchard linked to that shows the utter perversity of our mission:
ReplyDeleteThe [American] soldiers said they do not know which police officers are involved with the Mahdi Army. Their Iraqi interpreters, who also serve as cultural barometers, tell the soldiers that all the police officers are.
"That's why they're still alive," said interpreter "Adam" Abdul Kareem, 29, who uses a false first name and covers his face to conceal his identity while working.
Outside, the U.S. soldiers asked some policemen to accompany them on a patrol. The Iraqis initially refused, saying they would be kidnapped by the Mahdi Army if seen with the Americans. Mixon insisted. So they tagged along in a beat-up SUV -- placed second in the convoy, Hansen explained, so they could not lead the Americans into a trap.
Yes, that's the sort of state we're wasting our soldiers lives to build. It's treasonous.
4/10/2007 07:53:00 AM
(Reocon at Belmont}
ReplyDeleteThen the debate moves to what defines "treasonous"
ReplyDeleteNot the implications that the Police represent the "base" in Iraq.
Just a slightly different version of the "base" that aQ claims to be.
But the "base" none the less.
From Doug's 12:20 link to Rich Lowry:
ReplyDeleteThe burden on taxpayers, meanwhile, is a function of the nature of government benefits. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation calculates that low-skill households receive $32,138 in direct government benefits and services, $10,000 more than the average household. These low-skill households pay less than $10,000 a year in taxes, meaning they get three dollars from the government for every dollar paid. Because almost all immigrants from Mexico are low-skilled, they can only add to this fiscal drain.
From Doug's Byron York link:
ReplyDelete“Within ten years, you would have four million of these individuals, each of whom can bring family. You’d be looking at a cost of $80 billion per year.” Perhaps Congress and the president will decide to do that. But if Robert Rector is correct, no one should underestimate the cost.
We are quickly entering the uncharted waters of tax policy gone awry. The tax policies of governments; local and state as well as Federal are based on unchecked spending at the expense of taxpayers. At every level, someone is subsidizing those who pay no taxes. Governments at all levels (especially local) have refused to acknowledge that runaway spending costs are being unfairly borne by fewer and fewer taxpayers. It appears that they have no concern about the inequities in their policies. This is an untenable situation and we are beginning to see the first revolts.
Lord Acton:
ReplyDeleteCould it be that Canada is now seeing the unforeseen consequences of its multi-culti, helter-skelter, "come get your socialism here" immigration policy? In their desire for a larger population did they sacrifice their national identity and now find themselves little more than a disparate collection of unassimilated immigrants?
Yes, that's the sort of state we're wasting our soldiers lives to build. It's treasonous.
ReplyDeleteDoug, its worse than that.
Some of the cops are Mahdi army / Sadr associates, but I understand that most are Badr brigades / SCIRI associates (ie Iranian proxies). The Badrist militia got wise early and legalized.
Ergo, the best case is the Mahdi army is driven out (by us) and replaced by Iranian proxies. Thats it, thats the plan, that would be counted as a win.
Success, anyway.
ReplyDeleteViva Success!
ReplyDeleteViva Presidente Jorge!
another term for it might be "saving face".
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