Letters to the Editor
Sean SIberio
Published Letters: 155 Editor's Choice: 32
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Where it all breaks down...
[Read the article: Ron Paul's Internet cha-ching ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To be sure, I'm not saying that more state's rights will lead to some sort of safe and cuddily utopia, but I do believe that state governments would be better able to implement what their citizens want.
But which citizens? And for whose benefit? Arguments for states rights (not unlike the argument given by non-class oriented nationalist and secessionist movements) falls on its face when it comes to ascertaining who, exactly, its supposed to represent better. One need only take a look at the corruption and ineptitude that fills the halls of just about any governing body, from city council, to state assembly, to the halls of congress, to see that giving weight to one over the other wouldn't change anything.
I think the equation of increasing state rights to increasing personal liberty needs to be absolutely trashed, because its simply not true. Personal freedom, opportunity, and equality can only be expressed in opposition to the best efforts of governments, and some of the people supporting it, to take it away from you.
And when I say freedom I don't mean this kind of absurd cowboy freedom Libertarians (with a Big L), but real freedom. Real freedom to live, to be healthy, to make a decent wage, and not have to worry about getting your door knocked down by the police or get harassed by your boss.
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That might happen anyway...
[Read the article: Bush and Musharraf's grand illusion]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Think about it. If there was a free and unfettered democracy in Pakistan, there is no doubt in my mind that the Pakistanis would elect one of a number of Islamist parties to power. Pakistan would become a Muslim theocracy with a large nuclear arsenal.
Considering the current happenings, I'm not seeing how Islamic fundamentalists won't be able to take advantage of civil unrest, frustration with "democracy" and Western meddling, coupled with a destroyed judiciary to do exactly that. Whats left of secular, humanist opposition has been destroyed by this recent purge, while the government still attempts to break bread with said fundamentalists.
I can't possibly think of a worse time or situation for a country to decide to shoot itself in the foot.
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Inflexible labor market...
[Read the article: Where have all the line technicians gone?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The reason why most people don't want to join these sorts of jobs mostly has to do with the lack of mobility. Simply put, a steel welder, or linemen, or pipe-fitter, is at the unholy mercy of the local company that, usually, is the only game in town. Companies can blame things on "poor math skills" all they want, but what the IBEW points out is true; why join a labor market where you might be downsized, have your pension or health care frozen, and after dedicating 10 or more years of your life to a company, only be thrown out on your ass. Its the same in every field, from teachers and social workers, to airline pilots and truck drivers.
Another problem is wanting something for nothing; a friend of mine is trained welder but found that no one wanted him because he did not have 10 or more years of welding experience under his belt. Meanwhile said companies KEEP putting up ads everywhere looking for skilled welders, but offering no one the chance. In the end, he packed it up and went north looking for better pastures. You can't just throw out a wanted ad and expect people to come beating down your door; you really do have to "grow" them from the inside, and no company wants to make that investment anymore. In a kind of hilarity only capitalists wouldn't find amusing, management is entering a defacto strike by simply not having enough people to work.
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Deregulation answer? Not really...
[Read the article: Where have all the line technicians gone?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]AskDong: If the problem is that utilities are regulated, are you saying that if we deregulate distribution and transmission, that wages for line technicians will rise to where they become attractive to young applicants?
Not bloody likely. As the IBEW and other ultility worker unions have pointed out, deregulation has generally meant a free for all, increasing consolidation and so-called economies of scale down to the wire. The reality is, however, that the power companies have mostly avoided, as much as possible, any real investment in physical plant or labor force since such deregulation took effect. Theres no incentive to redo 50 year old power lines, when you can charge the same for them as you can a brand new, stable set of wiring.
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Oh yes....
[Read the article: Britain in "moral collapse" over rape?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Sounds like a feminist wet dream fantasy.
Oh yes. Cause the idea of misogyny being rampant is a sexual turn on for feminists (and whats with the sexualized metaphor anyways?).
No where does anyone actually look at what Cameron says (even though I doubt the sheer number). Guys presume that if a girl is being flirtatious that she is therefore asking for sex. Half of guys think its okay to have sex without clear cut consent in some cases. These statements are neither shocking, nor that far from the truth.
The log in the above commenter's eyes though, is the fact that they imagine some sort of rape scenario out of Law and Order. A sickened pervert, prowling central park, pouncing like a beast. The reality is, like most great sins, far more mundane. The person who has too many, and doesn't say no, but really doesn't say yes. The person who doesn't want to, but is put into a compromised emotional situation. These sorts of incidents are frequent, but often time do not calculate or compute as rape, for neither victim nor aggressor. But rape it is.
So would most prey at night? No. But the number of people who coax a hesitant yes out of someone? Fairly high.