Meanwhile back at the ranch...
While Americans, including me, focus on the Schiavo case the rest of the world has inexplicably kept rolling along. The Fed raised interest rates another quarter point, sending stocks plummeting on the news that the inflation had still not been checked. Support for Bush’s social security plan has diminished despite his attempt to speak to carefully selected groups of future and current retirees at barnyard meetings across the mid-west and south. There is a still massive problem with border security between Mexico and the US that billions of dollars in funding hasn’t solved. And Tom Delay is still the most corrupt US politician with a job.
posted by mochi at 9:27 AM
11 Comments:
By no means am I attempting to trivialize the plight of Terry and her family, but there are hundreds of other cases like hers with the same life-altering decisions being made by doctors and families each day. So, how this one got escalated to what it is now is difficult to answer. But when these family issues do get escalated to the national level, we become overzealous at the very opportunity to engage in debate on that issue of the day. Again, with all due respect to Terry and her family, there are hundreds of cases like hers; so what then motivates our media to escalate just this one? There are issues outside of Terry’s that are more damaging than what has become this moral debate; the war in Iraq, the border issue, Iran, our economy.
I see your point here, CH. Kind of like the Scott Peterson case, Michael Jackson's trial, etc. What's bad too, is that in the wake of such tragedy, someone ends up writing a book and making tons of money off of the misfortune of others.
I think though that it is often sigular issues like this and our opinions and beliefs concerning them that define us as a people, make us think and basically separate us from animals.
When Terri passes, people in general will have forgotten about it within the week--only those who are involved have to live with it.
Btw, what is your position on the border issue?
Mochi, inflation has been with us since NAFTA--I think that it has been artificially offset by cheap imports from places like China. Over the last decade we have seen substantial increases in domestic products; although inflation has been purportedly holding steady. Consumer spending increased when interest rates bottomed out-primarily due to new construction. Its my personal opinion that inflation is much higher than is reported and we think!
Bush is making a huge mistake. He should stick to his guns on the issue of social security--he is showing signs of weakness as you pointed out. Political suicide at this point.
Mochi, have you done a post on the border situation? Would like to know what you think should be done.
Tom Delay--maybe not the most "corrupt" but definitely not smartest...
I know generally these people will come over for work to feed their families back home. Having lived out West, I know they primarily hold jobs working in fast food restaurants or caretaking; they accounted for a majority of the caretakers at my college. So given that they hold those lower paying jobs, it does not seem threatening. However, are they paying taxes like anyone else who works legally in this country? Further, while they might be taking the less desireable jobs, when I hear that there are 11 million illegals in the country, that alarms me. It seems that number could only grow so large before they may actually be taking many Americans' jobs. Illegals are increasing in number and border patrol numbers are down, and if what we are doing is ineffective, it seems that the taxpayers' money is being wasted. It is perhaps a politically sensitive issue among Hispanic-Americans, however, the politicians have been dodging this issue and playing around with it for too long. I understand how they are always preparing for that next election but someone should sack up and take a stand. I am sure that many of the illegals have no bad intentions when they come here and illegal immigration is probably inevitable, but it seems to be out of control right now.
I agree 100%. A porous border contributes towards insecurity also. It hardly seems fair that some people are trying to come here legally wiht much difficulty, when others are ushered in without any problem. Do you think the solution is heightened security? Maybe increased jurisdiction for law enforcement? I DO agree that it is such a political issue with the hispanic population that no politician is willing to risk his career to stand up for the injustice. And because of that we the people are bound to suffer the consequence.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Edited for clarity and poor typing skills:
Just chiming in on this multi-subject blog:
Terry Schiavo: Government intervention bad. Expert medical diagnosis better. Family's wishes should be considered. Patient's wishes should be paramount.
Tom Delay: Hideously corrupt. So vile that the republican party tried to change the ethics rules to accommodate him. Funny in a movie. Not so much in Congress.
Border Security: I grew up in the southwest, so this subject is a favorite of mine. If one considers illegal immigration in terms of supply and demand, then the illegals are only half the problem. Those who illegaly employ them in the U.S. are the other half, and I think they are the more serious problem. While the illegal immigrants themselves may be desperate laborers trying to scramble for a living, their American employers are well aware of the law, and they go right ahead and violate it anyway. No taxes, no benefits, no overtime pay, no health standards, no osha, no civil rights laws, no accountability. And, it's not just companies that hire, there are individuals who hire illegals also, as maids, day laborers, or whatever. In fact, there is a neighborhood in a major city where the illegals hang out waiting for employers, who pull up and offer them jobs on the street. Little or no attention is paid to the employers; the guilt always seems to be applied the immigrants. I'll bet there would be dramatic change in the current situation if the employers were prosecuted!
SNC, I have some additional info on my site about Terri. I realize that it was from a Hannity and Colmes interview, but would like your thoughts about what the neurologist said.
Completely agree about the employers. It's a double standard--cheat a little on any other kind of situation, environmental, tax, etc., and you will find yourself in jail for years, hire an illegal and nothing happens. I agree too about the illegals themselves. I think the majority of them don't think of themselves as "illegal" as our border is wide open and welcoming.
One positive about the illegals: If they are legalized eventually, then they could supplement our waning work force. One thing not often talked (except sometime in the social security debate) about is the growing disparity between retirees, government spending and the amount of American workers able to support either.
As for Delay,(not excusing his behavior, or his ethics), isn't he just about the norm on Capitol Hill?
(unedited for spelling and many other things)
JM, I posted a comment there. I'm skeptical about that doctor's evaluation, because I get the impression he is capable placing his his own interests ahead of the patient's.
As for the politicians, corruption does seem to be the norm. I think Delay is an example of extreme corruption, though. But as the Demotivator says, "the talles blade of grass is the first to be cut down by the lawn mower."
Shean, one thing I've noticed is that we become a lot more tolerant of corruption when the politician is on our side of the aisle. For example, Republicans are more tolerant of Delay than Democrats--and it shouldn't be that way. Corruption is corruption no matter what and it should be dealt with swiftly and judiciously. Back when Clinton purjured himself I was all in favor of swift and blind justice. I could have cared less about his dalliance in the oval office, and actually defended his indiscretion, (could you imagine being married to Hillary?-Oops, that wasn't very nice) But for purjury, I wanted him to get the same penalty I would. The same would go for Bush, the Pope or anyone else who committed a crime.
Relativism is dangerous today as it ever was--it creates double standards. It separates the privileged from those less fortunate.
If Delay commits the crime, he needs to do the time.
Since I am an independent liberal, I tend to spout off more about evils from the right than from the left, and my best defense for my bias is that there is so much crap in the world to comment on, and not enough hours in the day do do it. Nevertheless, I keep reminding myself to be an equal-opportunity critic. One thing I remember that I found interesting was Michael Moore's chapter in Stupid White Men devoted to unsparing criticism of Clinton. It seemed more profound coming from a guy who is often regarded as pro-Clinton across the board. And, of course, I have been know to rant about Kerry's betrayal (conceding the election too early).
I have to say, though, that out of all of them, I find the BFEE to be the most thoroughly evil.
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