Charley Reese

[Gypsiyee]

So in a local newspaper, we have an opinion columnist, Charley Reese. I don't know if he's in other papers too, I just know he's in this one. I love reading his opinions, because they're often well thought out and opinions I tend to agree with. So, I'd like to share. Forgive any typos as I'm typing quickly looking from the paper. Today, he wrote this:

US need to get priorities in order

America has no need whatsoever for more actors, comedians, dancers, lawyers, social workers, masters of business arts, marketing people, journalists, or other such vocations.

America needs scientists and engineers. If we don't straighten out the public education system and produce those scientists and engineers, then the Chinese, Japanese, and Indians are going to eat our lunch and reduce us to a Third World status.

You belong to the Third World when most of what you sell abroad is raw materials and most of what you import is manufactured goods. Look at the Made-In-Everywhere-But-America labels and you will see that we are well on the way to a much lower standard of living, the dot-com and financier billionares not withstanding.

No nation has ever achieved or maintained great-power status without a strong agricultural base and a strong manufacturing base. We once had both, but we are rapidly losing our manufacturing base as greedy corporations ship American jobs overseas to cheap-labor countries. And while that is happening, uncontrolled immigration is driving down wages in the service economies and building trades.

And the US government is doing nothing to address either problem. On the contrary, it is proposing to aggravate both of them with some kind of amnesty program for illegal aliens and a new "free trade" agreement that will provide American corporations with even more cheap labor.

You would think Amerians could at least apply common sense rather than accept the intellectual manure that is spread by Washington. Do you realize how poor Honduras and Panama, for example, are? What do you think they have to sell us? What do you think they can afford to buy? The answer to both questions is nothing. Even their banana plantations are owned by foreigners.

So a free-trade agreement with Central America just means American corporations will move jobs to those poor countries and ship the products back to the US duty-free. And the difference between the cheap labor of those desperate people and the higher wages of American workers will go into the pockets of the corporate owners. I assume that by now most Americans have noticed that these Made-Someplace-Else products aren't cheap.

Before the North American Free Trade Agreement was adopted, we had a trade surplus with Mexico. Now we have a trade deficit. How many Mexican products do you buy? Not many, I venture to say, but a lot of the American brand-name products you buy are made in Mexico, where wages are very low.

By the way, do you think a government that allows an estimated 3 million illegal aliens to come into the country each and every year really gives a hoot in Hades about homeland security? Don't kid yourself. The government's so-called war on terrorism is a con game and a boondoggle.

What the government jargon calls "first responders" are really first reactors. Cops and firefighters get there after the act of terrorism has already been committed. If you are serious about fighting terrorism, you have to concentrate on prevention, and you can't do that when 3 million strangers pour into your country every single year unnoticed and unknown.

The attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, were pulled off by people in the country illegally or in violation of their visa status. I spent a week with the Border Patrol near San Diego, and the officers will tell you that people from more than 60 countries cross the southern US border illegally.

So to the list of scientists and engineers, add honest politicians who sincerely care about the welfare of the country as a whole. That's what we need desperately.

But in the meantime, you can feel perfectly safe, because the US government makes Martha Stewart wear an electronis ankle bracelet and therefore knows exactly where she is at all times. Never doubt but that the US government has all its priorities in order. God alone knows who's in that 3 million who cross illegally, but at least you don't have to fear that Martha Stewart will knock on your door and offer you a plate of cookies.

[Ginzburgh]

but at least you don't have to fear that Martha Stewart will knock on your door and offer you a plate of cookies.

Wtf, I hear she makes blazin cookies. Thanks for ruining everything big brother.

[Narrock]

I disagree with most of what he said, but agreed with him on some issues. Unless he was trying to be funny... this comment is ludicrous:

America has no need whatsoever for more actors, comedians, dancers, lawyers, social workers, masters of business arts, marketing people, journalists, or other such vocations.

I agree with this comment:

America needs scientists and engineers. If we don't straighten out the public education system and produce those scientists and engineers, then the Chinese, Japanese, and Indians are going to eat our lunch and reduce us to a Third World status.

However, tying this comment in with the first comment I quoted, we absolutely need MBA's and managerial type people. Just because you are an engineer or scientist doesn't make you a good manager. Essential management techniques include exceptional people-skills and organizational skills. We also need attorneys, marketing people, journalists, etc. Like I said, he might have been trying to be funny. If so, then hahahahaha. If not, then he needs his head examined.

I agree with this statement:

You belong to the Third World when most of what you sell abroad is raw materials and most of what you import is manufactured goods. Look at the Made-In-Everywhere-But-America labels and you will see that we are well on the way to a much lower standard of living, the dot-com and financier billionares not withstanding.

I highly agree with this statement:

No nation has ever achieved or maintained great-power status without a strong agricultural base and a strong manufacturing base. We once had both, but we are rapidly losing our manufacturing base as greedy corporations ship American jobs overseas to cheap-labor countries. And while that is happening, uncontrolled immigration is driving down wages in the service economies and building trades.

This is true also:

And the US government is doing nothing to address either problem. On the contrary, it is proposing to aggravate both of them with some kind of amnesty program for illegal aliens and a new "free trade" agreement that will provide American corporations with even more cheap labor.

You would think Amerians could at least apply common sense rather than accept the intellectual manure that is spread by Washington. Do you realize how poor Honduras and Panama, for example, are? What do you think they have to sell us? What do you think they can afford to buy? The answer to both questions is nothing. Even their banana plantations are owned by foreigners.

So a free-trade agreement with Central America just means American corporations will move jobs to those poor countries and ship the products back to the US duty-free. And the difference between the cheap labor of those desperate people and the higher wages of American workers will go into the pockets of the corporate owners. I assume that by now most Americans have noticed that these Made-Someplace-Else products aren't cheap.

Before the North American Free Trade Agreement was adopted, we had a trade surplus with Mexico. Now we have a trade deficit. How many Mexican products do you buy? Not many, I venture to say, but a lot of the American brand-name products you buy are made in Mexico, where wages are very low.

You can thank your beloved clinton for that NAFTA disaster.

I highly disagree with this statement:

By the way, do you think a government that allows an estimated 3 million illegal aliens to come into the country each and every year really gives a hoot in Hades about homeland security? Don't kid yourself. The government's so-called war on terrorism is a con game and a boondoggle.

I pretty much agree with this:

What the government jargon calls "first responders" are really first reactors. Cops and firefighters get there after the act of terrorism has already been committed. If you are serious about fighting terrorism, you have to concentrate on prevention, and you can't do that when 3 million strangers pour into your country every single year unnoticed and unknown.

Interesting factoid:

The attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, were pulled off by people in the country illegally or in violation of their visa status. I spent a week with the Border Patrol near San Diego, and the officers will tell you that people from more than 60 countries cross the southern US border illegally.

I will comment on the following quote after the quote:

So to the list of scientists and engineers, add honest politicians who sincerely care about the welfare of the country as a whole. That's what we need desperately.

This is interesting too. What he fails to acknowledge is that the Republican party's entire platform is for the greater good of society. The democratic platform caters more to minority groups than to America as a whole. On that basis alone, we find more effect leadership and governmental representation in the Republican party to represent the greater good of society, and the majority of society.

The following (ending) statement is very ( '_' ) so I will not comment on it.

But in the meantime, you can feel perfectly safe, because the US government makes Martha Stewart wear an electronis ankle bracelet and therefore knows exactly where she is at all times. Never doubt but that the US government has all its priorities in order. God alone knows who's in that 3 million who cross illegally, but at least you don't have to fear that Martha Stewart will knock on your door and offer you a plate of cookies.

I've seen much more accurate analysis than this one.

[veeneedefeesh]

You can thank your beloved clinton for that NAFTA disaster.

hmmm Was Clinton a big supporter of NAFTA? I thought that was W's baby....


This is the third time in as many days that someone (2 from Mindia) has blamed Liberals/Democrats for something that the GOP set in motion, put in place, continues to support, and has made provisions to assure it stays in place long after they loose control of the white house and senate.

Now I am a conservative by nature even tho I have a hatred for W that is almost holy, but come on guys call a spade a spade take credit for the good with the bad, and remember just because you dont like something your party did and attributing it to your political opponent proves that either a.) you are an idiot and have no clue what you are talking about, or b.) you are a hypocrit.

[Narrock]

You can thank your beloved clinton for that NAFTA disaster.

hmmm Was Clinton a big supporter of NAFTA? I thought that was W's baby....


This is the third time in as many days that someone (2 from Mindia) has blamed Liberals/Democrats for something that the GOP set in motion, put in place, continues to support, and has made provisions to assure it stays in place long after they loose control of the white house and senate.

Now I am a conservative by nature even tho I have a hatred for W that is almost holy, but come on guys call a spade a spade take credit for the good with the bad, and remember just because you dont like something your party did and attributing it to your political opponent proves that either a.) you are an idiot and have no clue what you are talking about, or b.) you are a hypocrit.

I believe it was 1993 or 1994 when Clinton implemented the disastrous NAFTA agreement. Yes, W didn't do much to change it. I was just placing the orginal blame on Clinton, which is truthful.

[Tikker]

Mindia Said:

I disagree with most of what he said, but agreed with him on some issues. Unless he was trying to be funny... this comment is ludicrous:

America has no need whatsoever for more actors, comedians, dancers, lawyers, social workers, masters of business arts, marketing people, journalists, or other such vocations.

I think what he's saying is that america needs to return back to it's hardworking roots, rather than spend it's time trying to be a "star"

[Narrock]

Mindia Said:

I disagree with most of what he said, but agreed with him on some issues. Unless he was trying to be funny... this comment is ludicrous:

America has no need whatsoever for more actors, comedians, dancers, lawyers, social workers, masters of business arts, marketing people, journalists, or other such vocations.

I think what he's saying is that america needs to return back to it's hardworking roots, rather than spend it's time trying to be a "star"

In that context, it makes much more sense.

[dammuzis]

actually NAFTA was bush sr's baby

both parties pushed for this piece of poop