Where the US government has failed
The US government, with minor exception for the White House, has failed its international responsibilities. Congress and the House are espousing isolationist economic policies and threatening China – especially risky is their opposition to China's military spending. The US goal should be to peacefully cooperate with China and the rest of Asia to build a prosperous foundation for the trans-Pacific relations that will soon become the most important in the world. However, America's self-serving politicians have sown hostility into the relations; hostility that will be very difficult to overcome as US-Asia economic competition intensifies.
Further, every branch of government has effectively ignored Sudan's genocide. A few words about 'peaceful resolutions' and 'disarmaments' are insults, not eulogies, to the 300,000 who have died thus far. A recent Zogby poll found that the great majority of Americans desire involvement, and 40% of Americans want US combat troops on the ground, despite the need for manpower in Iraq.
Regarding Iraq, some congressmen have claimed that the US plan must be overhauled. Those people do not have an iota of understanding of the conflict in Iraq. I can accurately declare that those congressmen each have two braincells left, and even those are fighting to the death. For each Iraqi civilian who is killed by insurgents and rebels, the US moves closer to its goals, because the terrorism only destroys the credibility of anti-US forces, which have already condemned themselves by refusing to participate in the democratic process. The US must show that it will stick the conflict out until the end, and that the US knows its purpose in this conflict is to ensure the peaceful and successful democratization of Iraq.
Uzbek troops recently killed hundreds of protestors in cold blood, yet Uzbekistan is called a US "ally" in the war on terror and spread of democracy. This is a farce, an insult to the dead (whom the government classifies as "terrorists"), and is treachery to the very ideas that America claims to be supporting around the world. The Uzbek government should not receive a cent from America as it is irreparably corrupt and has thus far capitalized on 9/11 to receive US backing for increased repression of its own people.
The US government has refused to either officially open or actually close the US-Mexico border, and it has done nothing to eliminate the archaic quota system. The authority of the US Border Patrol is either incompetent, corrupt, or follows its own political desires regardless of what is right for the country. The US Border Patrol, as a result, is impotent, despite the heroic efforts of the many who do the real work to secure America's borders. American borders should either be open or closed, but they should not be called "closed" when it is in fact not. Such false labels prevent internal security organizations like the FBI from effectively monitoring those who cross the border and spread ignorance of the real problem. Further, the archaic quota system should be abolished, and immigrants should be accepted based on their abilities. This would provide several million more working-age Americans per year (who happen to be incredibly productive – they have my thanks for attempting the American Dream), which would considerably balance the Social Security "crisis" by augmenting the number of people who pay into the system without withdrawing.
The US drug war has failed because politicians have failed to understand that police officers are humans. No police offer will arrest a 17-year-old for smoking a joint when that kid will have a felony on his record and his life will be ruined. The punishment comes nowhere near fitting the crime, so cops will refuse to enforce the law. With the current laws, cops will only arrest dealers and producers; as a result, that has become something of a national policy. As a result, it is effectively illegal to distribute drugs but not to use them. Public support for the drug war was obtained only by portraying the average drug dealer as a millionaire who profited from the vice and despair of others. That stereotype is disgustingly false – the average drug dealer can make about $3.50 per hour selling drugs, and may have an 8% chance of dying on the job per year (significantly higher chance of dying than they would have on death row, actually). That is why so many drug dealers still live with their moms. The US should significantly weaken punishments for carrying or using drugs; that way, police officers will actually arrest drug users, and potential drug users will be scared away because they fear being caught.
These are simply a few of the places where the US government has horribly failed. I believe my outrage at this incompetence is reasonable.
Comments and emails, as always, are welcomed and beloved.
Further, every branch of government has effectively ignored Sudan's genocide. A few words about 'peaceful resolutions' and 'disarmaments' are insults, not eulogies, to the 300,000 who have died thus far. A recent Zogby poll found that the great majority of Americans desire involvement, and 40% of Americans want US combat troops on the ground, despite the need for manpower in Iraq.
Regarding Iraq, some congressmen have claimed that the US plan must be overhauled. Those people do not have an iota of understanding of the conflict in Iraq. I can accurately declare that those congressmen each have two braincells left, and even those are fighting to the death. For each Iraqi civilian who is killed by insurgents and rebels, the US moves closer to its goals, because the terrorism only destroys the credibility of anti-US forces, which have already condemned themselves by refusing to participate in the democratic process. The US must show that it will stick the conflict out until the end, and that the US knows its purpose in this conflict is to ensure the peaceful and successful democratization of Iraq.
Uzbek troops recently killed hundreds of protestors in cold blood, yet Uzbekistan is called a US "ally" in the war on terror and spread of democracy. This is a farce, an insult to the dead (whom the government classifies as "terrorists"), and is treachery to the very ideas that America claims to be supporting around the world. The Uzbek government should not receive a cent from America as it is irreparably corrupt and has thus far capitalized on 9/11 to receive US backing for increased repression of its own people.
The US government has refused to either officially open or actually close the US-Mexico border, and it has done nothing to eliminate the archaic quota system. The authority of the US Border Patrol is either incompetent, corrupt, or follows its own political desires regardless of what is right for the country. The US Border Patrol, as a result, is impotent, despite the heroic efforts of the many who do the real work to secure America's borders. American borders should either be open or closed, but they should not be called "closed" when it is in fact not. Such false labels prevent internal security organizations like the FBI from effectively monitoring those who cross the border and spread ignorance of the real problem. Further, the archaic quota system should be abolished, and immigrants should be accepted based on their abilities. This would provide several million more working-age Americans per year (who happen to be incredibly productive – they have my thanks for attempting the American Dream), which would considerably balance the Social Security "crisis" by augmenting the number of people who pay into the system without withdrawing.
The US drug war has failed because politicians have failed to understand that police officers are humans. No police offer will arrest a 17-year-old for smoking a joint when that kid will have a felony on his record and his life will be ruined. The punishment comes nowhere near fitting the crime, so cops will refuse to enforce the law. With the current laws, cops will only arrest dealers and producers; as a result, that has become something of a national policy. As a result, it is effectively illegal to distribute drugs but not to use them. Public support for the drug war was obtained only by portraying the average drug dealer as a millionaire who profited from the vice and despair of others. That stereotype is disgustingly false – the average drug dealer can make about $3.50 per hour selling drugs, and may have an 8% chance of dying on the job per year (significantly higher chance of dying than they would have on death row, actually). That is why so many drug dealers still live with their moms. The US should significantly weaken punishments for carrying or using drugs; that way, police officers will actually arrest drug users, and potential drug users will be scared away because they fear being caught.
These are simply a few of the places where the US government has horribly failed. I believe my outrage at this incompetence is reasonable.
Comments and emails, as always, are welcomed and beloved.
posted by Chris Edwards at
10:56 PM
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