Posts
Or, World War By Those with Money Against Those Without
Nearly a trillion in bailout grants handed out without strings to banks and companies owned by the ubër rich while a comparatively small loan to the American car industry denied unless the last big unions agreed to commit hari kari.
Legislation to restrict bankruptcy protection for individuals but not companies, and no restriction on predatory lending and credit practices that put borrowers at risk.
Then there is the difference between what CEOs “earn” and what the average employee earns which has already multiplied by a multiplication factor thousands of times greater than it used to be and that doesn’t even include the company perks for CEOs for which they don’t even pay taxes.
Can we forget a concerted decades long attack on both health care and social security to eliminate the “safety net” that once existed for the poor?
What do these have in common?
In retrospect, what seemed to have made America great and relatively unique throughout the world after the last Depression was the size of its middle class, the opportunity at least to move upward despite more humble beginnings, and the relatively benign treatment of even those who remained in lower classes (at least in comparison to most countries) and the rough parity between the competing class groups. Class warfare has always been going on to a certain extent, but it was muted with all three classes each having some genuine power and the ability to weld it after the Depression. The situation evolved a rough set of checks and balances which tended to hold down the avariciousness of any one particular class. Two against one usually prevented excesses of any single group like the ubër rich once exercised back during the Robber Baron Age for most of the late 1800s.
Unfortunately, since Reagan’s time, the ubër rich have secretly re-declared the class war while simultaneously attacking anyone who points out the obvious by declaring that even asking the question is tantamount to “instigating class warfare.” Astonishingly, it worked. The ubër rich have pretty much won. While few were looking, they not only regained control of much of the government most of the time thereby emaciating the opposition, they also tightened control over what was left of the independent media as well. The balance of power was throughly shattered.
A key component of that warfare by the ubër rich was to emaciate or destroy the unions through new laws restricting unionization, bankruptcy courts killing labor contracts, diversion of pension funds, abusive tactics against organizers, shipping jobs elsewhere and PR campaigns vilifying the very concept of collective bargaining to redress serious economic disadvantages. Unions were the prime voice for the lower class. The only other spokesperson for the poor was churches, but the upper class managed to completely distract the ministry from their earlier biblical mission of helping the less fortunate. Now apparently, the sole interest of the clergy is the gender mix in bedrooms and conflating birth control into murder. So much for any effective voice remaining who spoke for the lower class. Keeping them ignorant of what was going on, keeping them distracted with either pablum or more pressing needs, and ultimately making them fearful of speaking up for themselves has succeeded, probably beyond the ubër rich’s fondest dreams. Although the ubër rich are few in number (and want to keep it that way), they made up for it with money and staying power.
The ubër rich war against the middle class has been succeeding too and the current economic crisis is merely one more tool to accomplish the end of reducing the middle class. The tactics there seem to be maintaining ignorance, cutting off avenues of upward mobility especially education, eliminating the good jobs that made them middle class, turning them against the lower classes and playing on fear. Fear not only of the lower classes, but fear of damned near everything starting with “terrorists,” including jihadists (pictured as anyone dark hued and of a different religion), so-called eco-terrorists (i.e. anyone who opposes corporate greed and pollution) and racketeers (usually defined as any and all labor union officials).
Whether the latest meltdown of the economy was a deliberate class war strategy or merely inadvertent side effect due to the massive move of middle class tax revenues and other resources into the hands of the already ubër rich makes no difference. The result was the same. Our large middle class is an endangered species. Downward mobility is a distinct possibility and already on the way. Those who are left as middle class have been convinced by PR that the fault is of the lower class for wanting a living wage (as opposed to the ubër rich wanting obscene amounts to add to what they already cannot spend). Cleverly done.
It also helped to have a cynical bought off journalism corp that no longer believed in quaint journalistic ethics like independence and fairness or traditional investigative reporting. Once the ubër rich controlled the reporter hiring and editorial policies, it was a foregone conclusion of how things would turn out. Of course, the subversion and perversion of the punditry was greatly helped by the laziness, greediness, and cowardice of those being hired to “report.” The capture of the media was complete when the small number of on-screen “talent” was paid so much, they had hopes of being ubër rich themselves. They certainly weren’t going to speak against the ubër rich class they hoped to join, even if they had anything in common with the lower or middle classes anymore.
Prognosis: Poor, just like what many more of the population will likely soon be. Unless we wake up and realize we are under attack, that is a foregone conclusion. Our only hope is that the economic meltdown will prove to be a Pearl Harbor in the Secret Class War of the ubër rich against everyone one else.
Showing posts with label class warfare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label class warfare. Show all posts
2009/01/10
2008/04/20
“OBAMA RAMA”
Or, Plebeian Pennsylvanians Proudly Pontificate
There’s one thing we Pennsylvania voters will never vote for – an uppity,...I mean, elitist nigger,... uh I mean, uh, person who’s colored. We certainly don’t like someone who’s smarter than we are, ...I mean, who seems smarter than we are.... I mean who ACTS smarter than we are.
Besides, his name sounds like he’s a raghead Muslim and we’d rather vote for someone with a purer, more wholesome sounding,‘Merican name like “John.” Now there’s a name that says class. Nothing smelly about it. Who wouldn’t be proud to be known as a John?
And, what’s with sticking with the same wife all those years? That not like the rest of us. It just proves Obama is really stupid. Doesn’t his family value the riches it can bring when you trade up for a perky cheerleader with hooters who happens to be wealthy. Wealth is what makes this country great. I might own a share of oil company stock some year or win the lottery and I bet he’d tax me on that.
There is one thing in his favor. We don’t really mind he can’t bowl. Naturally, we’ll make fun of how much he looks like a duffus, but we’re secretly relieved. After all, we got enough of his kind invading our sports, like golf. Course, I haven’t ever played golf myself. But, they already took away what used to be our sports like basketball and football. People with heavy tans look out of place in a windowless bowling alley. Let him stay with his own kind and leave us a few sports to play at besides just shootin deer mano a mano with high powered scopes and beer.
Speakin a shootin, he’s not a combat vet like John McCain or George W. Bush who braved bullets in war. Of course, if Osama O’Bama comes round here, we might give him that chance. To brave bullets that is. Heh, heh, heh. Target practice as our Southern cousins say.
Yeah, for sure he’s no patriot like our current Prez. Where’s Obama’a ‘Merican flag lapel pin made in China? Where’s his stars and stripes boxer underwear? He’s probably got the traitorous Dixie Chicks on his ipod and not a single Hank Williams. He doesn’t even want to torture insurgents to save America. Damn hippie commie.
And, look at all those people that gave him money and that crazy minister of his. They probably think that Obama will owe them something when he gets in the White House. You’d never catch “our” people sucking up to crazy religious leaders or lobbyists just to get votes. We don’t tolerate flip-floppers.
On top of that, can you imagine what it would be like to have a black in the Oval Office doing something besides cleaning it? All those black and brown countries around the world might think they don’t need to be afraid of us anymore. Where would we be then? We might have to say “please.” Washington and Jefferson would turn over in their graves. They gave us a Constitution that put people who are colored in their place and that place wasn’t with their finger on the red button at three a.m.
In any event, we need jobs. We can’t expect Obama to get us any. Who’s going to listen to a skinny black man who is not a multigazillionaire? No, we need instead experienced rich folks like the Clintons or McCain to get our lost jobs back. Now McCain and even the Clintons too, they got experience up the wazu. They got track records going back years and years and years in the White House and Congress already. Just because the same record says that the NAFTA and CRAPTA they gave us sent the jobs to Asia, doesn’t mean they’ll keep doing that. They musta learned how to do better by now. So, we need to give experience another chance to do it again. Let’s hear it for the Hillary or the John.
Bitter? Me bitter? Obama makes me bitter. He ain’t so smart though that we can’t teach him his high falutin dreams talkin bout working out our problems together is nothing but a bunch of crap.
So, ....God damn Obam.
There’s one thing we Pennsylvania voters will never vote for – an uppity,...I mean, elitist nigger,... uh I mean, uh, person who’s colored. We certainly don’t like someone who’s smarter than we are, ...I mean, who seems smarter than we are.... I mean who ACTS smarter than we are.
Besides, his name sounds like he’s a raghead Muslim and we’d rather vote for someone with a purer, more wholesome sounding,‘Merican name like “John.” Now there’s a name that says class. Nothing smelly about it. Who wouldn’t be proud to be known as a John?
And, what’s with sticking with the same wife all those years? That not like the rest of us. It just proves Obama is really stupid. Doesn’t his family value the riches it can bring when you trade up for a perky cheerleader with hooters who happens to be wealthy. Wealth is what makes this country great. I might own a share of oil company stock some year or win the lottery and I bet he’d tax me on that.
There is one thing in his favor. We don’t really mind he can’t bowl. Naturally, we’ll make fun of how much he looks like a duffus, but we’re secretly relieved. After all, we got enough of his kind invading our sports, like golf. Course, I haven’t ever played golf myself. But, they already took away what used to be our sports like basketball and football. People with heavy tans look out of place in a windowless bowling alley. Let him stay with his own kind and leave us a few sports to play at besides just shootin deer mano a mano with high powered scopes and beer.
Speakin a shootin, he’s not a combat vet like John McCain or George W. Bush who braved bullets in war. Of course, if Osama O’Bama comes round here, we might give him that chance. To brave bullets that is. Heh, heh, heh. Target practice as our Southern cousins say.
Yeah, for sure he’s no patriot like our current Prez. Where’s Obama’a ‘Merican flag lapel pin made in China? Where’s his stars and stripes boxer underwear? He’s probably got the traitorous Dixie Chicks on his ipod and not a single Hank Williams. He doesn’t even want to torture insurgents to save America. Damn hippie commie.
And, look at all those people that gave him money and that crazy minister of his. They probably think that Obama will owe them something when he gets in the White House. You’d never catch “our” people sucking up to crazy religious leaders or lobbyists just to get votes. We don’t tolerate flip-floppers.
On top of that, can you imagine what it would be like to have a black in the Oval Office doing something besides cleaning it? All those black and brown countries around the world might think they don’t need to be afraid of us anymore. Where would we be then? We might have to say “please.” Washington and Jefferson would turn over in their graves. They gave us a Constitution that put people who are colored in their place and that place wasn’t with their finger on the red button at three a.m.
In any event, we need jobs. We can’t expect Obama to get us any. Who’s going to listen to a skinny black man who is not a multigazillionaire? No, we need instead experienced rich folks like the Clintons or McCain to get our lost jobs back. Now McCain and even the Clintons too, they got experience up the wazu. They got track records going back years and years and years in the White House and Congress already. Just because the same record says that the NAFTA and CRAPTA they gave us sent the jobs to Asia, doesn’t mean they’ll keep doing that. They musta learned how to do better by now. So, we need to give experience another chance to do it again. Let’s hear it for the Hillary or the John.
Bitter? Me bitter? Obama makes me bitter. He ain’t so smart though that we can’t teach him his high falutin dreams talkin bout working out our problems together is nothing but a bunch of crap.
So, ....God damn Obam.
2008/03/26
“THE WAR AGAINST CIVILIZATION”
Or, How Bush Is Making America as Uncivilized as Its Enemies
Bush should be congratulated on winning the War Against Civilization.
Let’s see. So far, he’s canceled the civilizing effects of the “quaint” old Geneva Conventions. Check. He’s authorized torture of human beings which used to be anathema to all civilized human beings. Check. And, he’s pretty much eliminated the “checks and balances” in the Constitution designed to prevent tyranny. Check and Check.
Negated the Bill of Rights? Right. Search without warrants? Sealed it. Jail forever without trial or counsel? Nailed it. Presume guilt of everyone? Got it.
What about his oath of office, which expressly called for defending the Constitution? Well, he swore his oath back in January 2000. But, as VP Dick so aptly said though, “So?” Besides, crossing your fingers behind your back while taking an oath of office is a time honored way to undermine Civilization. Law are only for petty people who still foolishly believe in Civilization.
No doubt, the Constitution was far too civilized for our own good. As Bush constantly reminds us, we are now living in perilous times unlike any of our prior wars where we only fought against puny enemies such as Hitler, Tojo and Jefferson Davis. Fighting a tall bearded guy operating out of a cave and dragging around a dialysis machine? Now, that’s a real dangerous enemy, one who obviously can conquer and occupy us any time he wants to. Bush said Osama envied our “democracy.” Fortunately for us, Bush solved that problem by disposed of it along with all those hanging chads in Florida.
What else can Bush offer as proof of his success in his Crusade? Lying, cheating, attacking peremptorily and theft? Some would say even civilized countries do that. Okay then. What about invading other countries based upon whim supported by lies and cheating? Oh, that’s more like it. Civilized countries try to avoid that. How about doing it for reasons of coveting and lusting after oil, lucre and power games? Better yet. Referring to it as a Crusade, especially in reference to a Muslim country? Perfect. Bombs away, Bush! That’s the way to win your War to eliminate the temptations of Civilization.
Speaking of bombs, knowingly killing women and infants who happened to be innocently within the blast radius of dumb or even smart bombs? Heh, heh, heh. Aw, that’s just “collateral damage,” isn’t it? Yessiree. What a civilized word for an uncivilized act. Bush could have sent in trained troops to isolate only the insurgents and thereby minimize the deaths of the innocents, but that would not “support the troops,” who of course, were there in deadly danger where they should never have been in the first place if we hadn’t blundered into that particular cesspool. That creates sort of a double dip into the antithesis of Civilization.
Bush has fomented or encouraged multifront war between religions, war between ethnic groups and war between races. He even allowed ethic cleansing. Iraq is a nice example. In fact, much of the alleged success for the so-called “Surge” was due to the emptying of mixed religion neighborhoods in the previous rounds of violence. Harder to kill someone who left the country. Hell, Bush has even resurrected class warfare; i.e. the uber rich, like him, against everyone else. Yep, he is a real Warrior thanks to his multitudinous conflicts, fully entitled to wear fancy Warlord costumes on aircraft carriers. Our Fearless Leader (so long as bullet are not flying in his direction) is almost a one man conflagration, a bushfire so to speak.
He doesn’t even need fire. He has shown he can win the War against Civilization just using water. Anyone remember New Orleans? There is nothing so uncivilized as doing nothing while others drown. That’s a wonderful demonstration showing just how uncivilized he can be. Blaming the victims? Better yet. Golden Rule? Gold Rules!
Impoverishing and sickening millions and damaging or destroying both their environment, their health, their savings, their credit and means of making a living? Well, although not technically a necessity of Civilization, such amenities certainly made everyone feel more civilized. So, I suppose we should grant our Crippler-in-Chief those tools too as part of his battles almost won in his practically single handed war against anything that used to represent Civilization such as caring, compromise, cooperation, conciliation, consensus, courtesy, and a conventional Constitution.
Time Magazine ought to do a new cover feature and retire the trophy with an award to George Armstrong Custer, I mean George Bush, not just as “Man of the Year,” but “Man of the 21st Century” because it is going to take the rest of the Century to dig us out of the cemetery hole his War on Civilization has dug for us.
Bush should be congratulated on winning the War Against Civilization.
Let’s see. So far, he’s canceled the civilizing effects of the “quaint” old Geneva Conventions. Check. He’s authorized torture of human beings which used to be anathema to all civilized human beings. Check. And, he’s pretty much eliminated the “checks and balances” in the Constitution designed to prevent tyranny. Check and Check.
Negated the Bill of Rights? Right. Search without warrants? Sealed it. Jail forever without trial or counsel? Nailed it. Presume guilt of everyone? Got it.
What about his oath of office, which expressly called for defending the Constitution? Well, he swore his oath back in January 2000. But, as VP Dick so aptly said though, “So?” Besides, crossing your fingers behind your back while taking an oath of office is a time honored way to undermine Civilization. Law are only for petty people who still foolishly believe in Civilization.
No doubt, the Constitution was far too civilized for our own good. As Bush constantly reminds us, we are now living in perilous times unlike any of our prior wars where we only fought against puny enemies such as Hitler, Tojo and Jefferson Davis. Fighting a tall bearded guy operating out of a cave and dragging around a dialysis machine? Now, that’s a real dangerous enemy, one who obviously can conquer and occupy us any time he wants to. Bush said Osama envied our “democracy.” Fortunately for us, Bush solved that problem by disposed of it along with all those hanging chads in Florida.
What else can Bush offer as proof of his success in his Crusade? Lying, cheating, attacking peremptorily and theft? Some would say even civilized countries do that. Okay then. What about invading other countries based upon whim supported by lies and cheating? Oh, that’s more like it. Civilized countries try to avoid that. How about doing it for reasons of coveting and lusting after oil, lucre and power games? Better yet. Referring to it as a Crusade, especially in reference to a Muslim country? Perfect. Bombs away, Bush! That’s the way to win your War to eliminate the temptations of Civilization.
Speaking of bombs, knowingly killing women and infants who happened to be innocently within the blast radius of dumb or even smart bombs? Heh, heh, heh. Aw, that’s just “collateral damage,” isn’t it? Yessiree. What a civilized word for an uncivilized act. Bush could have sent in trained troops to isolate only the insurgents and thereby minimize the deaths of the innocents, but that would not “support the troops,” who of course, were there in deadly danger where they should never have been in the first place if we hadn’t blundered into that particular cesspool. That creates sort of a double dip into the antithesis of Civilization.
Bush has fomented or encouraged multifront war between religions, war between ethnic groups and war between races. He even allowed ethic cleansing. Iraq is a nice example. In fact, much of the alleged success for the so-called “Surge” was due to the emptying of mixed religion neighborhoods in the previous rounds of violence. Harder to kill someone who left the country. Hell, Bush has even resurrected class warfare; i.e. the uber rich, like him, against everyone else. Yep, he is a real Warrior thanks to his multitudinous conflicts, fully entitled to wear fancy Warlord costumes on aircraft carriers. Our Fearless Leader (so long as bullet are not flying in his direction) is almost a one man conflagration, a bushfire so to speak.
He doesn’t even need fire. He has shown he can win the War against Civilization just using water. Anyone remember New Orleans? There is nothing so uncivilized as doing nothing while others drown. That’s a wonderful demonstration showing just how uncivilized he can be. Blaming the victims? Better yet. Golden Rule? Gold Rules!
Impoverishing and sickening millions and damaging or destroying both their environment, their health, their savings, their credit and means of making a living? Well, although not technically a necessity of Civilization, such amenities certainly made everyone feel more civilized. So, I suppose we should grant our Crippler-in-Chief those tools too as part of his battles almost won in his practically single handed war against anything that used to represent Civilization such as caring, compromise, cooperation, conciliation, consensus, courtesy, and a conventional Constitution.
Time Magazine ought to do a new cover feature and retire the trophy with an award to George Armstrong Custer, I mean George Bush, not just as “Man of the Year,” but “Man of the 21st Century” because it is going to take the rest of the Century to dig us out of the cemetery hole his War on Civilization has dug for us.
2007/03/31
“THE NEW ‘IMPROVED’ OATH OF OFFICE FOR POLITICAL APPOINTEES”
From the Office of Attorney Generalissimo Alberto Gonzales
“I, (insert name of incompetent hack) , pledge undying personal loyalty to El Jefe, the glorious George Armstrong Custer Bush, and do solemnly swear exclusive allegiance to the current Republican Platform of military aggression, class warfare, religious indoctrination, arrogance, and intolerance for which it stands.
As to the quaint old Constitution, I promise to uphold at least the Second Amendment and whatever specific part gives sole power to the President to rule everyone else without question. I reserve the right however to invoke the Fifth Amendment when I am caught shafting the Constitution or a Congressional Page/Intern, whichever comes first. Oh yeah, I also promise to obey some of the Ten Commandments if they do not inconvenience me too much.
I understand that I serve to pleasure the President. I also understand I will be fired if ever my performance at torturing terrorists, traitors, illegal immigrants and Democrats (which are all often one and the same) fails to exceed the political aspirations of my boss because firing for lack of political zealotry and poor job performance are hereafter one and the same.
I swear this so help me God, God Jehovah of the Old Testament of course (not that wimpy liberal Jesus of the New Testament). And, except when the FCC can hear me, I will faithfully and fully swear at anyone who disagrees on anything.”
[Footnotes from the Federal Human Resources Department to all new Republican Appointees regarding oath taking: (1) “When do I get my Medal of Freedom?” should not to be the first question after giving the oath. (2) Once the oath is given, you can no longer lie to Congress until you have cleared the exact wording of the lie with Karl Rove. (3) promptly make an appointment with the Preventive Maintenance Department to have a computer specialist show you how to permanently delete embarrassing e-mails. And, (4) meetings with your future campaign exploratory committees and interviewing recruiters from K Street lobbyist firms for future jobs must be conducted after regular business hours or on weekends.]
[Special footnotes for appointees who have law degrees: (1) Be sure to turn in your ethics exemption cards before accepting bribes. (2) When taking calls from indicted Congressmen, please use only the red “scramble” phone to insure the conversations remain private. And, (3) If you have not already done so, please provide a copy for our files of your law school transcript confirming your grade in Constitutional Law 101 was a “D” or lower]
2007/03/24
"WAGING CLASS WAR"
Regarding the Undeclared War of the Upper Upper Upper Class Against Everyone Else
Class warfare was re-initiated back in the eighties. Although the war is an undeclared one, it is clear anyone making less than $100,000 a year is losing.
It is war about numbers. The ultra rich have the dollars on their side and the numbers are big. They have been using it to attack the only number everyone else still has on their side - voter totals. The latter is a superior number if the people recognize they are under attack and finally decide to vote on the subject.
Unfortunately, thanks to the multi-leveled economic attacks against those who work for a living(lobbying/bribery, control of media, spin when caught, anti-union laws, job outsourcing, attention redirection, name calling, vote fraud, theft, thuggery, etc.), the uberrich have been quite successful so far in reversing all the gains Americans have made since the days of the first Robber Barons.
The poor have been marginalized, exhausted, made ill, sold drugs or killed off. The middle class have been unwittingly distracted, deceived, out maneuvered, or out shouted. Even the mildly well off have been under attack without realizing it. They were bought off or co-opted with the illusion that they might someday be allowed to join the already unconscionably rich. Ironically, while that is the quintessential "American Dream," it has about as much mathematical chance of coming true as the lower classes' eternal dream of winning the lottery. Sadly, the ladders to the upper 1% levels have been pulled up behind established super rich by right of declared entitlement. With the exceedingly rare exception, usually self made like Gates, the titled aristocracy and self described “noblemen” of yore have nothing on the greedy offspring of gazillionaires.
Hopefully, the instinct for self preservation of the rest of us might kick in one of these days as the 99% look at the 1%'s lifestyle and ask why the 99% should pay for it. Hopefully, the concepts taught by Jesus (which have been hijacked by the greedy rich in this struggle) will be rediscovered and taken back. Hopefully, some of those who are the paid lackeys of the richest of the rich will find their conscience and re-read the principles for which this country once stood.
Class warfare was re-initiated back in the eighties. Although the war is an undeclared one, it is clear anyone making less than $100,000 a year is losing.
It is war about numbers. The ultra rich have the dollars on their side and the numbers are big. They have been using it to attack the only number everyone else still has on their side - voter totals. The latter is a superior number if the people recognize they are under attack and finally decide to vote on the subject.
Unfortunately, thanks to the multi-leveled economic attacks against those who work for a living(lobbying/bribery, control of media, spin when caught, anti-union laws, job outsourcing, attention redirection, name calling, vote fraud, theft, thuggery, etc.), the uberrich have been quite successful so far in reversing all the gains Americans have made since the days of the first Robber Barons.
The poor have been marginalized, exhausted, made ill, sold drugs or killed off. The middle class have been unwittingly distracted, deceived, out maneuvered, or out shouted. Even the mildly well off have been under attack without realizing it. They were bought off or co-opted with the illusion that they might someday be allowed to join the already unconscionably rich. Ironically, while that is the quintessential "American Dream," it has about as much mathematical chance of coming true as the lower classes' eternal dream of winning the lottery. Sadly, the ladders to the upper 1% levels have been pulled up behind established super rich by right of declared entitlement. With the exceedingly rare exception, usually self made like Gates, the titled aristocracy and self described “noblemen” of yore have nothing on the greedy offspring of gazillionaires.
Hopefully, the instinct for self preservation of the rest of us might kick in one of these days as the 99% look at the 1%'s lifestyle and ask why the 99% should pay for it. Hopefully, the concepts taught by Jesus (which have been hijacked by the greedy rich in this struggle) will be rediscovered and taken back. Hopefully, some of those who are the paid lackeys of the richest of the rich will find their conscience and re-read the principles for which this country once stood.
2007/02/04
“POPULATION CONTROL”
Or, How to Solve the Illegal Immigrant and Indolent Aristocracy Problem at the Same Time
Ya know, as I listen to all the facile “solutions” debated by office seeking politicians and spittle spewing pundits in their 30-second unilateral sound bites regarding what they term the “illegal immigration problem,” it occurs to me that there is potential alternative that can actually address the concerns of both camps in this controversy.
The “keep ‘em out” crowd says there are too many immigrants taking up jobs, costing the government money for health care, etc. In fact, many of this persuasion insist there are too many people in this country period. They claim we should make it even more difficult to enter by building a huge fence and obstacle course blocking their way.
The other side claims that anyone who unstoppably goes through such hurdles, barriers and difficulties is exactly what this county needs. Dedicated, hard working, family oriented people willing to do anything to get here and do whatever is necessary to stay.
When contemplating the dilemma, I can’t help but remember the obstacle courses from my army basic training days. They made us run them to turn us into better, stronger soldiers and it worked.
So, let’s go ahead and build a spectacularly difficult obstacle course to get into this country that must be surmounted before you can hold a job or be a citizen. While we are at it though, let’s also impose a 100% estate tax and transport every teenager outside our borders on their 21st birthday. Or, maybe just tell them they can’t come back from the Budweiser “Girls Gone Wild” Spring Break in Matzatlan.
Allot them food for a couple of days and, say, $20. Tell them that if they want to return, they must prove their future worth by running the gauntlet. They don’t get in otherwise and we live it to the smart tenacious ones to figure it out. The concept is that they don’t automatically get to have welfare or rely on inheritance or any other free ride merely because of where a sperm happened to fertilize an egg. Let everyone independently prove their worth by successfully scaling the obstacle course.
Since that would be merely a physical test of endurance and skill, maybe once they make it back here, they also should be required to pass the same basic knowledge tests as “legal” immigrants must do now before they can be full citizens and vote. If some one does not know, for instance, that there are three equal branches of government or that kings do not occupy the White House, then why should they be entrusted to figure out a voting machine?
It’s going to be tough on pampered rich kids likes the Bushes or the Kennedys who grew up feeling entitled suddenly being equalized. But, if they pass all the tests and obstacles, then even they deserve to be citizens.
Ya know, as I listen to all the facile “solutions” debated by office seeking politicians and spittle spewing pundits in their 30-second unilateral sound bites regarding what they term the “illegal immigration problem,” it occurs to me that there is potential alternative that can actually address the concerns of both camps in this controversy.
The “keep ‘em out” crowd says there are too many immigrants taking up jobs, costing the government money for health care, etc. In fact, many of this persuasion insist there are too many people in this country period. They claim we should make it even more difficult to enter by building a huge fence and obstacle course blocking their way.
The other side claims that anyone who unstoppably goes through such hurdles, barriers and difficulties is exactly what this county needs. Dedicated, hard working, family oriented people willing to do anything to get here and do whatever is necessary to stay.
When contemplating the dilemma, I can’t help but remember the obstacle courses from my army basic training days. They made us run them to turn us into better, stronger soldiers and it worked.
So, let’s go ahead and build a spectacularly difficult obstacle course to get into this country that must be surmounted before you can hold a job or be a citizen. While we are at it though, let’s also impose a 100% estate tax and transport every teenager outside our borders on their 21st birthday. Or, maybe just tell them they can’t come back from the Budweiser “Girls Gone Wild” Spring Break in Matzatlan.
Allot them food for a couple of days and, say, $20. Tell them that if they want to return, they must prove their future worth by running the gauntlet. They don’t get in otherwise and we live it to the smart tenacious ones to figure it out. The concept is that they don’t automatically get to have welfare or rely on inheritance or any other free ride merely because of where a sperm happened to fertilize an egg. Let everyone independently prove their worth by successfully scaling the obstacle course.
Since that would be merely a physical test of endurance and skill, maybe once they make it back here, they also should be required to pass the same basic knowledge tests as “legal” immigrants must do now before they can be full citizens and vote. If some one does not know, for instance, that there are three equal branches of government or that kings do not occupy the White House, then why should they be entrusted to figure out a voting machine?
It’s going to be tough on pampered rich kids likes the Bushes or the Kennedys who grew up feeling entitled suddenly being equalized. But, if they pass all the tests and obstacles, then even they deserve to be citizens.
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