Installing The New Caliphate In America A Little Faster
In the U.K., "Asian" is a P.C. code word that often means Muslim. Political scientist Dr. Farzana Shaikh, an Associate Fellow of the Asia Programme at Chatham House in London, has the bright idea that the globe be turned into America's 51st state, so everybody can vote in U.S. elections. Nice try, Farzana. Here's what Farzana wrote:
Given that we live in a uni-polar world, where the United States effectively controls the lives of billions across the globe.With President Barack Obama having reiterated, in his inaugural address, America's readiness to lead the world, I think it is time the international community was given a say in choosing its head.
By enabling peoples of the world to elect both their own leaders and the leader of the United States, I believe it would help establish a balance with American voters, who have until now enjoyed the privilege of deciding both the fate of their own country and the future of others.
This guy who commented below made me sick:
In the 2004 US Election, I did exactly that. As a US citizen, I made my vote in that presidential election available to the citizens of Malaysia, my adopted home.The way I did this was to start an online poll allowing people to vote their will. Over 80,000 people voted. I then committed to vote in the actual US vote for whichever candidate the Malaysian voting public favoured. It wasn't Bush. In future, similarly internationally minded US citizens might consider joining their votes and forming a sort of voting bloc to represent the hopes and wishes of the international community outside of fortress America.
Erik Fearn, KL, Malaysia
Hey, Erik, since you're voting Malaysia's interest, and not America's, how about you give up your U.S. citizenship? I believe this is Erik's website.
Its not so much alarming as it is just stupid, or childishly naive.
Or, taken in another light...well can you really blame him?
He's a foreign citizen whose country is influenced by a foreign power...so from that perspective, sure he'd like a say in our government just like untold numbers of Americans would have liked to have had a say in ohhh....the U.S.S.R.'s government way back when.
But its about as realistic.
I wouldn't mind if a few countries decided they'd like to put away their independence and asked to become American States...but we all know that's not going to happen.
Heh...hell if they want to vote in our elections fine...IF we get to govern them directly regardless of the end result.
Bet you my bottom dollar he's not also advocating direct statehood, or overt rule by the U.S.
Its just another little theoretical idea by somebody who wishes to gain greater influence for his own side without sacrificing anything for it.
We as Americans shouldn't take it to personally when other countries look for ways to seek to influence us, its only natural in the political order that we should all try to influence how our neighbor's play the cards they're dealt. We do the same thing all the time, just more effectively than most, and sometimes much more noticeably.
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As for Eric Fearn...well he's just stupid. I'm all for listening to the international community, sometimes they make good points, and we are in an increasingly globalized society with increasingly far reaching consequences for industrial, trade, and quality of life expansion from third to first world peoples. So a fair bit of the time we have to work together.
But an American citizen who thinks he should vote against American interest? Well that's just shooting the foot to spite the shoe right there.
Bloody damn fool.
Robert at February 19, 2009 2:25 AM
More human schizophrenia. Not only does this nut not recognize that it is the duty of foreign citizens to control the policies of their government - it would be a lot more effective than leaving the American power machine running and just swapping spark plugs - he doesn't recognize the number of outright kleptocracies worldwide.
Ask the idiot if he'd want Sudan's input on human rights. Screech, full stop!
Radwaste at February 19, 2009 2:28 AM
If you're afraid of the influence of foreign govt's on the U.S. you can look no further than the Supreme Court.
Justices Ginsburg, Kennedy and O'Connor (when she was still there) have openly stated that they look to foreign laws when deciding some cases. That pesky thing called the Constitution is too limiting for these champions of "social justice".
As Justice Scalia has noted, this is nonsense in that they can pick and choose which Country's laws fit their pre-conceived outcome.
sean at February 19, 2009 2:44 AM
I love it - it sounds like a great idea. So when is the next election for the Chinese President and where do I vote. Heck I live in South Korea - I want to vote for who is president here too, it does affect me. Heck I thing Americans would love it. They out number Canadians so why not allow the Americans to help with choosing the next Prime Minister that would solve our pesky problems with the Bloc Quebecois.
Sarcasm Mode End.
John Paulson at February 19, 2009 6:04 AM
So when the blowback of the Porkulus Bill causes our income taxes to soar, we can make the rest of the world pay most of it? Sweeeeeet!
Cousin Dave at February 19, 2009 7:09 AM
No representation without taxation.
MarkD at February 19, 2009 8:13 AM
I think the world ( Justices Ginsburg, Kennedy, & O'Connor included ) needs a refresher course in American history. Starting with "Don't Tread On Me":
http://www.foundingfathers.info/stories/gadsden.html
Martin at February 19, 2009 9:11 AM
> No representation without taxation.
>
> Posted by: MarkD at February 19,
> 2009 8:13 AM
A comment so strong it deserves to be repeated.
People are so demented about this. The identify with the United States so strongly that they can't even recognize the boundaries any more. It's like the child of alcoholics who starts calling his neighbor's parents "Mom & Dad"....
Except that these people aren't children, they're citizens. Why can't they get their own houses in order?
Consider Martin, in the very next comment, who wants us to learn our own history as he thinks appropriate.
This is mental illness. It's just too pathetic for language to describe.
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at February 19, 2009 11:31 AM
MarkD's point is well taken.
Mine is still valid. I was addressing "the world" - namely, all those, like Farzana, who want to remake America in their own image & impose world government on it. And I lumped in the 3 Justices who seem eager to comply. That excludes you & Americans in general, Crid. Suggesting that the likes of Farzana inform themselves a bit before they babble is not a reason to cast aspersions on my sanity.
Martin at February 19, 2009 12:13 PM
If the examples of our history are so much more useful to you than those of your own (or than those of the thrid-party nation), why don't you just fucking move here?
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at February 19, 2009 12:24 PM
Just 2 days ago, you hijacked the "Tastes Like Chicken" thread to pontificate for us about the fate & destiny of Dubai, a place where I dare say you've never even set foot. Why don't you take your own advice, shut the fuck up, and stick to your own country?
Martin at February 19, 2009 12:34 PM
I prefer to use the word, "ninja". For the obvious (and then, yet, some not so obvious) reasons.
farker at February 19, 2009 12:51 PM
Its a reference to Atlas Shrugged
COme on peoplr even those who have never read the book know the question "Who is John Galt?"
lujlp at February 19, 2009 1:11 PM
> you hijacked the "Tastes Like
> Chicken" thread...
Hijacked from what destination? The relevant conversation seems to have played itself out. But Amy's all about being generous with disk space... If there's something you wanted to say about the handsome man and his pretty parrot, have at it. But Amy's always been patient with digression. It's one reason I've been coming here over the years. Even Seipp used to get a little snotty when the topic drifted...
As if having a topic meant knowing what someone's next word is supposed to be anyway. People who worry about topics too much are just control freaks.
Tell you what, when I obsess about the United Arab Emirates with the laserlike focus you bring to the United States (on this Los Angeles-based blog), often while seeming to pass as an American yourself, then I'll concede your point. But meanwhile, it feels like we're a pretty girl, and you're a strange man on the train trying to get a glimpse of our underwear. It's creepy. Don't be a creep.
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Wait a minute! I'm confusing Martin with Norman. One of them used to be a guy from another country who liked to pretend to tell us how the United States was supposed to conduct it's affairs. Ah well, if the shoe fits....
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at February 19, 2009 1:21 PM
> even those who have never read
> the book know the question "Who
> is John Galt?
Well, if the question had been that clear, maybe. But never having made time for Rand, I'd never heard of the Gulch, and I still don't see what Google maps has to do with anything. He was too hip for the room
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at February 19, 2009 1:24 PM
Damnit I think I posted in the worng thread
lujlp at February 19, 2009 1:51 PM
"But never having made time for Rand..."
I don't think you missed all that much, as far as her fiction goes. Read Anthem in high school. I tried to get through Atlas Shrugged in college, but found it headache-inducing, and put it down. To me, her essays read a lot better, and are worth looking for.
As we digress further and further...
old rpm daddy at February 19, 2009 2:04 PM
> tried to get through Atlas Shrugged
> in college, but found it
> headache-inducing
Well, that's the effect a lot of her readers had, too. Didn't read Catcher in the Rye until after that guy shot Lennon, either.
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at February 19, 2009 3:04 PM
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