Shame on U.S. Democrats
Allow me to stand-up on my soapbox for a minute and wag my finger at U.S. Congressional Democrats for threatening to block the Dubai Ports World deal. I get sick to my stomach at this blatant and obvious xenophobia coming from my own country. What makes it worse is that they know there will be no security implications by this deal whatsoever -- it is a cheap trick designed to stir up racial hatred and score cheap political points.
Expatriates living in Argentina see it happen here all the time when the politicians go ranting and raving about the IMF or the World Bank or foreign-owned utilities, about how foreigners are all evil and out to destroy the country, blah, blah, blah. The fact is, it is a cheap political trick that appeals to the very worst in our nature.
I'm ashamed at this behavior coming from the party I typically vote for. I have to say that I'm glad Bush is willing to stand-up to this kind of xenophobia, even though it is costing him points politically. This is probably one of the only times you'll ever see me saying Bush is doing the right thing, but I'm not such a partisan that I won't call bullshit when I see it.
I think that, as expatriates, we all have the obligation to try and discourage xenophobia, especially when we see it coming from our own country.
Labels: Current Events
posted by SoyYo at 2/27/2006 05:47:00 PM
5 Comments:
Expatriado,
I agree once again. The dems are playing to the post 9/11 fears shared by so many americans(just like the Bush administration). They see this port debacle as a way to score points with "middle america", and siphon off more of the republicans usual base. Of course it is absolutely fear mongering and cheap. More positioning for the mid term elections, and for some, the presidential election in 2008. How else to explain Robert Menendez and Hillary Clinton sponsoring the same bill ! When push comes to shove the dems usually cave in to political expediency. Best example I know is that every serious dem candidate for president going back 40 years has changed their tune on the embargo of Cuba in order to pander to the cuban expat community in Florida. Everyone knows that the embargo is a joke, and that Castro actually loves the damn thing. One can make the point that the embargo is the most important factor in keeping Castro IN power. Ah well, these are the political realities, but I agree with you, they need to be pointed out for what they are. It's a good policy to stay in touch with reality !
Great comment on the port details. I couldn't agree more. While I'm uncomfortable with the deal just because it's a foreign country owning the company (it's the free market capitalist in me), I have no problem with an Arab company making the purchase.
It's racism and scare tactics that rule the feelings of most people. Some of us need to think beyond.
Politics is so "ugly" not only in the USA but really in many countries throughout the world. One of my majors in college (I had 2) was Political Science. I use to be really interested in government, the inter workings of it all. Now it's just rotten in so many places.
To be, Republican/Democrat..it doesn't really matter these days..it's all the same. I voted Republican before mainly because I was making a lot of money and I didn't believe in paying so much taxes. Then once I started making money, I started donating more to charity and wanting to help the less fortunate more. Go figure.
The reality is that in most places things won't change so much. Here in South America the government might steal during their term. In the USA and other places they reap benefits later....it's pretty much the same.
Now, I really don't care what happens in the USA with politics. I don't follow it, I don't watch the news about it and you know what? I really don't care. Actually it's refreshing not to know or really care what is going on with the politics in the USA.
Hey, wag your tongue at the conserevative republicans as well.
Rep. Ducan Hunter (republican) has said that he will see to it that the port deal is killed. And he chairs the congressional committe that has oversight authority. Also consider that former president jimmy carter came out early in favor of the deal.
So, it's not just the Dems that are offended by the deal. Personally, i don't think it matters either way. It's not like our ports were secure befor the deal.
It's not the fact that it's a foreign-owned company that bothers me. It's the fact that it's a foreign-owned company with connections to al Qaeda owned by the same people who owned the bank that laundered the money for the 9/11 attacks that bothers me. And contrary to popular belief, the UAE has *NOT* cooperated in tracking down and closing down al Qaeda's bank accounts in the UAE... in fact, a high-ranking al Qaeda terrorist was recently apprehended in Afghanistan carrying a credit card issued by a UAE bank.
Seems to me those are reasonable concerns, and that they deserve more than a blithe "it's just xenophobia" or "it's just stupid partisan politics" dismissal. I'm not saying that the deal should be zapped on national security grounds, just that it's not as open and closed a case as you present, and needs more thought and reasoned debate before I'd agree it's a good idea (reasoned debate? In today's fervent "you're with us or you're a terrorist/fascist" environment? HAH!).
-BT
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