by Dick Pilling, Chair
Immigration or Invasion?
I see Europe is starting to refuse entry to refugee immigrants – even send them back to their home countries – because of the deleterious effect on their cultures and economies. Should we?
In the past, American welcomed immigrants to our country – though not always without some friction – and they were able to “settle in” or assimilate to their new environment because they wanted a “new” life in America.
Previously, this was relatively easily done because in 1790, for instance, 90% of our population of 3.9 million consisted of farmers and agriculture workers and, in those days, farming was a largely physical effort which did not require vast experience and education. Accordingly, newly arrived immigrants were, for the most part, able to support themselves on farms and, therefore, could abide by John Smith’s dictum “He who works, eats.” More important, they enmeshed themselves in an existing workforce/culture which needed this “new blood”.
By 1900, however, only 38% of our population – now 76 million – was actively involved in agriculture, thereby eliminating these “interim” jobs. However, the industrial revolution had dramatically increased the number of factories which were rapidly taking the place of farming as the major employer and desperately needed man – and woman – power.
Happily, due to the division of labor, later conceptualized in Frederick Taylor’s teachings on Scientific Management, the factory jobs, while perhaps boring and robotic, were easily performed by an inexperienced and under-educated workforce. Again, an existing workforce and culture was supplemented to the benefit of both.
Fast forward to today where the administration is insisting that we take many thousands of uneducated, culturally dissimilar “refugees” and place them in our society. This is a major problem as our farms and factories no longer require vast numbers of uneducated workers and, quite frankly, there is no way for them earn a living and so they are now supported by various governmental programs which, of course, are supported by us.
These newcomers are not assimilating as have immigrants in the past due to the lack of jobs that, previously, required them to “rub elbows” with the existing population and begin an assimilation process. Accordingly, they tend to isolate themselves in small enclaves, they do not adopt our ways, and they continue to immerse themselves in the culture of their home countries. Perhaps most importantly, they do not contribute to their new country – nor do they feel the need to – and, therefore, they do not think that they have any “skin in the game”.
It is dangerous to us as a nation, a society, and a culture to allow this ongoing influx to continue creating large isolated communities of disaffected inhabitants largely bound by a religion/culture inimical to our societal norms and which tend to breed the “lone wolves” that made headlines in Europe and, lately, here in the USA.
These newcomers being forced on us are not immigrants but, rather, the forefront of an invasion that, left unchallenged, will undermine the very essence of our culture.
And we are not only allowing this, we, as taxpayers, are underwriting it.
How foolish…
The Chapman Changeling
By Dick Pilling, Chair – Feb/March 2016
Sometimes progress is slow… you know, like, two steps
forward and one step back. And then only if we are lucky…
Of course, I refer to the pending “sun-setting” of the recently approved sales tax decrease which, admittedly, was a relatively minor decrease but, since we have never had a decrease in sales tax, it was a significant step forward. Now, sadly, it looks as if it will be negated and we will take a step back.
Of course, any tax decrease is an anathema to Democrats and so newly elected Democrat Mark Ozias and recently converted Democrat and fellow traveler, Mike Chapman, jumped at the chance to eliminate it and, in effect, raise taxes.
To be fair, though, I guess Chapman was required to do it. I think raising taxes is some sort of fraternity initiation exercise for newly minted lefties. It is how would-be Democrats make their bones.
Of course, as you may recall, just a few short months ago, Chapman was all for the decrease. But that was before he became a Democrat and had cause to re-consider. And now he is floundering.
So, as a laughably weak justification for his new position, he now says that, in retrospect, he failed to properly consult with the affected department heads who, shockingly, assert that they need more money. Who knew?
Really, Mike… Isn’t that like asking teenagers if they need their allowance increased? Honestly, what answer did you expect? Other than Yes!! Or, perhaps, duh…
Of course, Mike and Mark contend that it was just a very small increase and we tax payers really won’t even notice. However, that’s how Democrats work… a little here and a bit there and a tiny chunk over yonder… it’s like being pecked to death by a duck… It may take a while but, in the end, you are still dead…
Nonetheless, you can’t really fault Ozias because he unambiguously declared himself in favor of increasing taxes. He was up front about it. He’s a Democrat and, by golly, that’s what Democrats do. You almost have to respect him for it. Almost…
But as far as Chapman goes, because he changes his mind so often, I just never know what he is going to do. But I do know one thing… they name shoes after him…
They call them flip flops…
