August 10, 2007, - 1:12 pm

From Afghanistan To Detroitistan: Too Many Republicans Support Bribes (of Your Tax $$) for Moral Behavior

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I never understand why Republicans who claim to be conservatives believe that we should waste our tax money to entice people who should engage in good behavior anyway to engage in that behavior.
It’s quite obvious that, like Pavlov’s Dog, those people will rely on the payments, and when the payments stop, the unlawful, bad behavior will eventually resume.
The Bush Administration announced that it will offer “increased rewards” for Afghan farmers who cut poppy production.
That means we will have to pay these Afghans forever. The minute we stop, there will be a bumper crop of poppies on each of their farms. And since the Bush Administration is now upping the payments, soon that, too, will not be enough, and we will keep increasing them to no end.
George W. Bush & Newt Gingrich . . .


Want Too Much of This . . .

Then, there’s Newt Gingrich. Minus his extremely disturbing friendship with , I like Newt Gingrich. I know him personally and was friends with his daughter, Jackie Sue. And he endorsed me in the Republican Primary and donated to my campaign when I ran for the Michigan House.
But, while I usually agree with what he has to say, his idea–made during a controversial “FOX News Sunday” appearance–to pay Detroit students to stay in public schools, instead of dropping out, is absurd. Even members of the Detroit School Board–liberals all–denounced the idea of paying kids to stay in school and do well, something they should want to do on their own, not as addicts sucking from the teat of big government.
What was he thinking? We know Bush is not too bright. But Gingrich is. And yet, he’s coming up with way too many whack-job, liberal, statist ideas to ever become President. Why on earth would we ever want to create new forms of welfare and new classes of–national AND international–dependents?
So, to recap: Big government payments by Bush to Afghan drug growers–bad; Big government payments by Gingrich to Detroit kids not to become drop-ous–bad.
Personal responsibility without government subsidies behind it–good. And I thought Republicans were all about the “teaching a man to fish” philosophy.
Silly me.




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6 Responses

Yes, well, for years we’ve been paying American farmers not to plant wheat, so…
I’M AGAINST THAT, TOO. BUT, THAT’S NOT AS BAD AS THE SCHOOL AND AFGHAN EXAMPLES.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

John West on August 10, 2007 at 1:56 pm

Right on Target!

Panchito42 on August 10, 2007 at 2:47 pm

—- So, to recap: Big government payments by Bush to Afghan drug growers–bad —-
Deb. I disagree on this. The Afghans have been doing this forever. I would change one thing though. If we pay for it we get to keep 100% of production. Give it away for the benefit of terminal patients and pain management patients. Does anyone think Afghans won’t double-dip by both growing and taking the “subsidy”? I hope not.

J-Lin on August 10, 2007 at 4:09 pm

I don’t disagree with Debbie on very much but I do disagree with her on the Afghans.
For many of them growing what becomes drugs is about the only way they can make a descent living.
I do not see anything wrong with paying them not to grow what becomes drugs. Or just letting them grow what becomes drugs for that matter, maybe that would be better. In any case either is better than having our troops dying in greater numbers fighting them over this and then having the chances of the Taliban taking over more areas increased..
As far as I am concerned if those drugs end up being taken by Americans, well then that is on the Americans who take the drugs and in the case of minors those that sell to them. They would likely just get the heroine elsewhere anyway and if the couldn’t get heroine they would probably just take meth which is worse.

feralcat9 on August 10, 2007 at 6:22 pm

Just noticed your comment. Good idea J-Lin.

feralcat9 on August 10, 2007 at 6:24 pm

The Pentagon has already told Bush they eradicated all the poppy seeds, but Bush wanted to know, what about the mommy seeds?

steve ventry on August 11, 2007 at 1:40 am

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