The Social Security story is not being well covered. It’s important because it reminds everyone that the only important thing about any of these entitlement programs is cash flow.
The difference is that I think Glenn Beck is funny. But I don’t find Jon Stewart funny at all. The other guy in the video mocking Beck was just down right obnoxious.
The agencies created to run the New Deal programs are the same bureaucracies we know and love today — seventy-five years later. In another 75 years I hope the page-after-page of new agencies Glenn Beck mentioned don’t wield the power that Roosevelt’s agencies have today.
I hate to bring facts into the emigration debate, but current estimates are that over the past several years, the number of undocumented in US has declined by almost 10%. It seems to me that the recent heightened rhetoric is a result of the current economic stress not that the problem is getting worse.
I actually don’t care very much about immigration. I do care about some really nasty stuff that is happening right across the border, however. A narco state is about to emerge — ruled by vicious gangsters. And there is no way that the fallout is going to completely stay on the other side of the border.
Neil: we should be concerned about immigration. Immigration is America, and recent studies have shown that immigration and economic growth are positively correlated (see, NYTimes – Work Force Fueled by Highly Skilled Immigrants). It is no coincidence that Pres Bush introduced the idea of the guest worker program, to legitimize low-skilled labor coming from across the border. We can go even further: small businesses enjoy cheap labor, and some of them usually hire illegal immigrants. If the guest worker program was here already, crossing the border would be less frequent.
When it comes to the Narco State problem, we have to keep in mind that the drug trafficking exists because people in America will buy the drugs as well. I would say that the “really nasty stuff” happens both outside and within our borders. It is not diplomatic to blame purely or neighboors (i.e., Mexico). They are great allies and faithful trade partners we can always count on.
The Social Security story is not being well covered. It’s important because it reminds everyone that the only important thing about any of these entitlement programs is cash flow.
I notice that Pete Stark is his normal charming self. Can you believe that California voters keep reelecting him?
More on Glen Beck
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-may-12-2010/back-in-black—glenn-beck-s-nazi-tourette-s
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-march-18-2010/conservative-libertarian
I know you are being facetious, Tom. But Stark is actually on his best behavior in this video. The real Stark is much worse.
artk: You actually watch this stuff? Or did you just pick a few random links?
I have noticed that talk TV is becoming increasingly less civil.
The difference is that I think Glenn Beck is funny. But I don’t find Jon Stewart funny at all. The other guy in the video mocking Beck was just down right obnoxious.
The agencies created to run the New Deal programs are the same bureaucracies we know and love today — seventy-five years later. In another 75 years I hope the page-after-page of new agencies Glenn Beck mentioned don’t wield the power that Roosevelt’s agencies have today.
I think Stark is stark raving mad. No pun intended.
I hate to bring facts into the emigration debate, but current estimates are that over the past several years, the number of undocumented in US has declined by almost 10%. It seems to me that the recent heightened rhetoric is a result of the current economic stress not that the problem is getting worse.
I actually don’t care very much about immigration. I do care about some really nasty stuff that is happening right across the border, however. A narco state is about to emerge — ruled by vicious gangsters. And there is no way that the fallout is going to completely stay on the other side of the border.
Neil: we should be concerned about immigration. Immigration is America, and recent studies have shown that immigration and economic growth are positively correlated (see, NYTimes – Work Force Fueled by Highly Skilled Immigrants). It is no coincidence that Pres Bush introduced the idea of the guest worker program, to legitimize low-skilled labor coming from across the border. We can go even further: small businesses enjoy cheap labor, and some of them usually hire illegal immigrants. If the guest worker program was here already, crossing the border would be less frequent.
When it comes to the Narco State problem, we have to keep in mind that the drug trafficking exists because people in America will buy the drugs as well. I would say that the “really nasty stuff” happens both outside and within our borders. It is not diplomatic to blame purely or neighboors (i.e., Mexico). They are great allies and faithful trade partners we can always count on.
[…] Social Security Cash Flow Now Negative, Glenn Beck on Regulatory Agencies, and Stark on Border Secur… […]
Glenn Beck has announced recently that he has been diagnosed with a condition called “macular dystrophy”.