By Ted Belman
Guy Milliere, a frenchman, explains Why Europe is dead..
After acknowledging some last dying gasps he avers
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Europe died because she has slipped toward socialism and the establishment of welfare states that gradually destroyed the spirit of enterprise and the will to compete… and because the slippage instilled a mentality of dependency and passivity. The Obama administration is not formally and explicitly socialist, but its members have set gears in motion that could lead to structures facilitating creation of a European-style welfare state. The health care reform signed into law a few months ago is but one of these gears.
Europe died because, in most European countries, redistribution systems are in place allowing more than half the population to pay no income tax and receive generous government benefits. This population segment is consequently always inclined to vote to raise taxes on the other segment, which makes victory nearly impossible for candidates campaigning to cut taxes. The Obama administration has begun to implement mechanisms designed to drag the United States in exactly this direction.
Europe died because the welfare states’ redistribution systems generated slow growth, high unemployment and low expectations, and because dependency and passivity created an atmosphere of irresponsibility and a preference for the present that led to a declining birth rate and to accelerated aging of European populations. The USA is not yet there, but growth is sluggish, unemployment is high, poverty is spreading all over the country, and the left is trying to instill a spirit of irresponsibility and a preference for the present that appear alarmingly similar to what prevails in Europe today.
Europe died because most of her education structures, from primary schools to universities, have been taken over by leftists and produce more misfits than people with marketable skills. Most American universities still carry and transmit a quest for excellence, but faculty adherents of political correctness who sow seeds of destruction in their courses must be unhesitatingly uprooted, as many former students go on to become journalists, politicians, teachers, professors and other agents of influence.
After listing a number of other reasons, he concludes
- The USA is not there yet. But seeing what the Obama administration and the leftist Democrat majority in Congress have done in less than two years, one could fear the worst unless a change of direction occurs in the near future.
Tea parties have shown that America is still alive and that the American people have no intention of suffering the fate of Europe. The November 2 election will have historical significance: some frightening drifts must be stopped before it is too late. Too late means that the United States would be well on the road to what is happening in Europe. The situation in Europe is more than a failure. It is a disaster that many observers have yet to fully assess.
If the U.S. followed Europe on the road to disaster, it is freedom on earth that would be seriously threatened.
I fully agree with him. This is why I support Sarah Palin. America depends on her. Israel depends on her.
AE: stop attacking Yamit. Do it one more time and I’ll moderate all your comments. This site isn’t about Yamit. You want to argue that America is Israel’s friend, do so. Yamit is also at liberty to show that their friendship is costing Israel.
This is your last warning.
I am closing off comments on this thread.
Yamit, it took some time, but I came to appreciate my wife’s words to me during some of our great debates, (polite for arguments)that it is not so much what I said, but how I said it. Some things you say I do disagree with, but more often I think my disagreement is with the way you said something or that you went beyond where the evidence reasonably could take you.
As for your not caring about having my approval, that was not the point of my comment to AE. I often rise to challenge what some of us say of the others. I thought AE was wrong about you being anti-Israel and said so.
I do care that contributors to Israpundit, regardless of their disagreements are fair with one another. I gave you no special treatment.
Narvey,
1. You are losing your marbles, man. The jihadis LOVE Jews like Yamit who undermine US-Israeli relations. Thank Allah he is not a leader of any kind in Israel.
2. Oy, veh! Canada a friend of Israel, yes. Canada as an Ally – are you serious? Can Canada watch Israel’s back, provide UNSC vetoes and the BILLIONS in aid every year in cash and kind? Is that what you are trying to sell us now, Narvey? Sheesh!
3. The last time I checked Israel was not yet like Puerto Rico. They cannot make Israel do anything as we have seen time and time again. This is a canard by whiners who want to blame the US for Israeli decisions.
Israel and America’s interests only clash in the closed minds of those who cannot see beyond their own noses, especially how America is keeping some powerful countries in joining the fight against Israel and trying to divert them to confronting Iran. Again, America cannot make Israel do anything it doesn’t agree to – that is the compromise.
4. The second part of your comment No. 4 cancels your politically correct conclusion that Yamit is pro-Israel.
He is equivalent to finding a cobra in your foxhole in the middle of a firefight against our common enemy. No country, especially one under constant attack like Israel, needs people who are “pro” like that.
Have you found that my harsh statements as you call them were untruths? Have I lied? If yes give some examples. If no then why should the truth be objectionable to anyone unless you are advocating using untruthfulness as a means to your Israel advocacy?
BTW I think I am a better judge than you as to what is in our national interests and what kind of support is either useful or window dressing for armchair pundits and supporters. If I am wrong I stand to pay the price if my opinions were to be actualized. You gain or lose Zip except debating points. That allows you lots of flexibility. We don’t need the popularity but we do need those we can depend on when needed. Polls may be soothing to ones ego but every time we have needed to depend on such support in a meaningful way for us not much was there. Give me 100 Zealous supporters of Israel against ten thousand who say Israel is important and when needed aren’t there. I look for quality of support over just popularity contests.
A long time ago I lost my inclination to be ersatz polite. That was when we were being scudded every day while you were taking in a movie and a Chinese dinner afterward. I do mind being preached to by those who would never think to put themselves in harms way. We for you are like a Hockey match on TV You get to see all the action live but are safe, warm and comfortable at home in Canada. That said, I am happy you care enough to comment on this and other pro active Jewish sites and have attempted in your own way to try and make a difference. For that you gain my respect and a lot of latitude I still give you with your ideas of which I agree not much. I don’t need or ever asked for your approval or even agreement with me on what I post or comment.
AE, much of what you say is pretty much on the same page as Ted, Yamit, myself and others.
There are some points however, that I do take issue with.
1. Because Yamit does not hold office and his words are read by Israpundit contributors and observers, he is not driving any wedge between Israel and America. With some of his comments however, while they may be fundamentally fair, that fairness is lost in the harsh manner in which he expresses them.
2. America is not Israel’s only friend and ally. Canada is very much a friend.
3. You say,
That simply is not true. As has been pointed out here many times by contributors and the views expressed by writers whose articles comprise the lead posts, America has sought to push Israel into taking decisions that are in America’s interests as American leaders perceive them, but are not in Israel’s best interests.
America’s and Israel’s perceived best interests do not always align and in fact they sometimes clash. Because there is a friendship between America and Israel, it behooves both to find some compromise that allows for both nations’ best interests to be advanced. The problem there is that in almost all cases, America takes the view that only Israel must bend to American perceived best interests.
4. Finally, I stand by my statement that Yamit is pro-Israel. That said, I also stand by my statement that I do not believe everything Yamit says is helpful to Israel and to the cause of trying to convince anti-Israel proponents or fence sitters to adopt a more favorable view as regards Israel and Israel’s best interests and needs, in particular her security concerns and interests.
The mantra that Yamit works tirelessly to drive a wedge between Israel and it’s only real ally MUST be repeated until he stops doing so. As Malibu and I have observed this only gives aid and comfort to Israel’s enemies, while confounding its real friends. It would be like finding a cobra in your foxhole at the height of battle.
Au contraire. it is comments like this that hurt Israel more than its enemies do.
This is a pure unfounded libel. All the US has demanded is that negotiations take place. If I were in charge I would not ask Israel to waste their time negotiating until the Palestinians accept their right to exist as a Jewish state and renounce violence.
WE? Did they elect you PM while I was asleep last night?
As Malibu has also observed, the only ones happy with Yamit are you and Israel’s enemies.
Deuteronomy 29:4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
Ezekiel 12:2 They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear,
Isaiah 6:9 “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. Matthew 13:13
Matthew 13:14 “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
Mark 8:18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?
Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; Ezekiel 3:27
Looks like the whole Bible mine and yours was written with you in mind.
Yamit, I hate to remind you AGAIN, that 78% of American liberal Jews voted for Obama in spite of his being a lifelong protege of virulent anti-Semites. He counts Rashid Khalidi as a close friend. Louis Farrakhan said Obama had been “selected” before he was elected. Only blacks voted for him with a higher percentage. If you are such a pro-Israel supporter as you pretend to be, why are you so sympathetic to the 78% of American Jews who voted for Obama, who is now pressurizing Israel to ofer more concessions to the Palestinians without demanding any concessions from them?
Ted, I have answered Yamit’s cowcakes in No. 12 above. So, the same answers apply to you.
Narvey, Oh, really? If so, then why does he work so hard at libelling every supporter of Israel including it’s only real ally? Why is he so sympathetic to Clinton and Obama and the 78% of American Jews who voted for Obama? Would a real supporter of Israel do that? Wake up, Narvey.
I have no antipathy towards Canada and Canadians – only towards their liberal delusions of moral superiority from a comfortable position of having a real safety net to their south. Other than that, I love them.
Malibu, You are absolutely correct that the only ones who can find pleasure in Yamit’s egocentric delusions are Israel’s enemies. That is the point I have been trying to make, which Narvey and Belman seem too blind to see. Why Ted allows this is a mystery I have been trying to solve in vain since I discovered what Yamit was up to on Israpundit. Instead, as we see, Ted chides me for exposing Yamit destructive rhetoric. I have done more to support Israel for decades now than any non-Jew or non-Israeli I know, even confronting Americans like Alan Dershowitz and Omer Bartov in the process as Ted well knows from my private emails.
Ted, it is obvious that you are for the status quo, because your call for a one-state solution is the mirror image of the same call from the opposite direction by Hamas, which is also against peace. Malibu has called it “dreaming”. I have called it a fantasy divorced from any recent precedent, that can only be achieved by a decisive military victory, for which only Iran can now provide an opportunity sometime in the future.
The original Zionist patriots who founded Israel accepted a two-state solution, which puts you at odds with them.
Unfortunately for you, those in power in Israel and America have been following a peace process based on an objective of a two-state solution based on current realities, even as America underwrites your security. Perhaps they are as misguided as the Zionist founders, but you and Yamit do not have the power to do anything about it other than bloviate on Israpundit.
AE. You talk like a broken record. You keep repeting your mantra.
The US may do more for Israel but it also hurts Israel more than its enemies do. You ignore or whitewash the evidence of US perfidy (as posted today) or agenda of shrinking Israel. You may see that as the cost of friendship, we don’t. You have yet to acknowledge these things and simply says that Israel has to go along with Israel. You are so wrong. We do not accept what the US is doing to us. It is they who are driving a wedge between us. Itis impossible to get through to you not because we don’t have the facts or logic but because you don’t listen.
When Yamit accuses them of being Israel’s enemy he is right.
It means that Eyypt has a peace treaty with Israel.
By working tirelessly to drive a wedge between Israel and it’s only real ally. By supporting the anti-Semitic Grand Caliph Obama by saying he hasn’t really had enough time to do much damage. By praising Yasser Arafat’s special friend, Bill Clinton’s surpluses without a clue how these came about, even after he came so close to selling Israel down the river. You sound like a Democrat stooge.
I have no idea – I can only comment on what you do.
If Israel could pay for the BILLIONS that the US simply GIVES it each and every year, we would n;t be GIVING it to Israel.
Supporting who a psychotic-paranoid like you thinks is an enemy, keeps tham from becoming your enemy. However, you have no interest in seeing that since your objective is to drive a wedge between Israel and the US.
Damn right. What you do NOW harms Israel by driving a wedge between it and it’s only real ally.
There is a saying about Kahane: What is the difference between Kahane and a prophet? 20 years
Rabbi Meir Kahane at National Press Club, Part 3 of 3 See Here
That said,I differed from Kahne in a lot of ways but not on his core beliefs and principles relating to the Land of Israel. Those same principles and beliefs are held in the main by at least a plurality if not by now a majority of all Israelis. That would place me in the Israeli center and all those who digress would be left of that center. Almost every poll done in the last 5 years including the last elections support me in this. I also believe that if Kahane were alive today he would probably be PM and the Israeli right would be solidly unified. Our relations with the Arab and Muslim world would be on a different level as would our relations with the West and America.
He was right.
Correct and that’s why we dumped Shamir and instead of he being one of our greatest leaders he will be remembered for this cowardly and odious act or non act to be more correct. over 40000 buildings and homes were damaged or destroyed. America did not eliminate a single scud and it was only a miracle no one was killed.
my toxic and extremist position is that our leaders should be made of sterner stuff and none over the age of 70 need apply. Shamir violate so many Israeli principles and red lines that he will at best be a very small and negative footnote in our history. In the manner of all demagogues, Shamir, Begin,benGurion and BB. They all talked the talk but when it came to crunch time they always folded like a house of cards.
No things really never stay the same. We are much weaker today then we were then in relative terms to our enemies. We are less secure today than then. and we have because of Shamir and those who followed brought the enemy to our door steps, invited them into our homes armed them and fed them and even offered them the keyes to the family car. This process started with Begin and it’s been a slow down hill roll ever since for us.
But truth to the ears of fools and cowards might seem like toxic extremism, in fact I’m sure it does.
Malibu. I am forever mindful of History. But I don’t understand the point you were making. In the blocked quote I set out AE’s opinion and said it was black and white. I did not set out my own opinion other than to say that nothing is black and white.
Every major decision Israel has made has its supporters and detractors. The left supports Oslo, the Egyption peace agreement which returned the Sinai to them, the disengagement from Gaza, the withdrawal from Lebanon, the division of Jerusalem and so on. The right is against all of them. Obviously there are pros and cons to these moves. But leadership must decide between them.
I was against Oslo when it happened and still am. I was against giving up the Sinai but keep in mind that we agreed to Res 242 that envisaged withdrawal. So the problem started there. We should have rejected 242 just as the Arabs did and do. Oslo, Res 242 and the Roadmap all part of the peace process and all limited out options. I am against the peace process.
Malibu. Yamit represents the Kahane point of view which needs to be done. We are forever being pulled to the left by the many voices out there. So for balance we should allow a voice from the far right. I try to present a realistic view rather than a religious one or an ideological one. I have a few guiding beliefs. 1) Judea and Samaria belong to the Jews. 2) Arabs want to eliminate us. 3) Arabs can’t be trusted to follow agreements. On these three, my advocacy is based. Really simply.
I disagree with Yamit when he expresses views I don’t share. I even reign himin.
toxic extremism ? I’ve heard that before. What is it you find extreme and toxic in my comments? Arabs only respect those they fear. As to Belman’s judgment, he has allowed you to comment so he seems pretty consistent. I would hope the Arabs used me in their propaganda, I would garner a lot more respect from them than those like you.
I am interested though how you feel my comments could be used by our enemies to our disadvantage and to their benefit. pls. illuminate and illustrate your thinking on this point. Maybe you can convince me that you are correct. Then I might change my style, content and modify my comments accordingly.
Your turn:
Narvey: You might be correct, Yamit is Pro Israel. But his style of writing and toxic extremism makes for excellent Arab propaganda, To the enemy he is a God-send, Thousands read this site and God forbid if they think all Jews are like Yamit.t.
Can’t say much for Belman’s judgement in allowing him full reign.
Belman:
Belman as a staunch nationalist ought to look back in history. When Menachen Begin signed the peace treaty with Egypt, his close colleague Itzhak Shamir called the move a sell-out and quit the cabinet in disgust. In that regard his attitude is similar to Belman. Shamir never trusted the Arabs, especially the Egyptians who he saw as a major threat to Israel’s future existence.Moreover he felt that Israel should not accede to America’s pressure.
In 1991, during the first gulf war, we may all recall, Saddam directed his scud missiles on to Israel’s cities and towns. Israel was told by bush 1, not to retaliate and accept America’s protection. The prime minister of Israel complied fully with that order. And the prime minister of the day just happened to be Itzhak Shamir.
This was probably the worst example of Israel folding and violating its own principles,(never to place its security in the hands of others).
After the Gulf war victory, Shamir did something else that was a betrayal of his sacred principles. He accepted
the invitation to attend the Madrid conference and while there he shook hands with the PLO delegates.
This only proves the slavish need for Israel’s leaders, both left and right, to toe the American line. The more things change, the more they remain the same
AE, Yamit is pro-Israel.
There are things that Yamit says in this regard, that in my view could be better said. There are things Yamit says with which I disagree. There are things Yamit says in harsh or extreme ways, that I feel many Jews and non-Jews who support or would potentially be supportive of Israel, might be turned off by those words. I fear some of those more extreme things Yamit says might be taken as representing a mainstream Jewish or Israel view.
Even with that, I have no doubt Yamit is pro-Israel.
AE, Yamit can be hard to take at times. He does engage in ad hominem attacks. He has however gotten to you for you are giving back what you feel you are getting from him.
Neither of you are being fair to the other. Both of you are just being mean to each other.
I encourage both you and Yamit to back off this name calling.
AE, I disagree with both you and Ted regarding Israel’s peace treaty with Egypt. It is not nearly the panacea you make it out to be AE. It does not follow that the treaty will come back to bite Israel if the Muslim Brotherhood gets into power in Egypt.
It is a cold peace between Israel and Egypt. Egypt is the one responsible for that coldness and limited benefit. The benefit however, for Israel has been that Mubarek has pretty much held the peace together from his end while tolerating, if not fomenting more anti-semitism/anti-Israelism in Egypt. There have been some meaningful efforts at co-operation on security issues between Egypt and Israel and further, Mubarek has at Israel’s request played an intermediary role a number of times.
The treaty however holds together in part at least because of Egypt’s still failing economy and military weakness. Mubarek appears not to be a fool imbued with a level of Jew hatred that will move him to abandon all reason, tear up the treaty and attack Israel.
The same cannot be said of the Muslim Brotherhood, who if they do take power and can bring a few Arab nations together to once again try to erase Israel, they would be moved by their Jew hatred to tear up the treaty and make one more genocidal effort to destroy Israel.
Finally AE, I just don’t get your apparent antipathy towards Canada and Canadians. In this regard, I find you quite unbalanced and unfair.
AmericanEagle says:
October 20, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Mer,
I am doing my darndest to teach you Canucks to lighten up and thicken your paper-thin skins, but its not working based on you, Max and Narvey.
Who are you comparing Palin’s experience to? I hope not the unqualified, inexperienced, achievement-challenged neophyte that was elected with the help of 54% of the
JewishCatholic community.Doesen’t it just just jump out at anyone reading your comments that you only seem to blame the Jews for Obama?
This also seems to describe you!
AE. The fact that you extoll the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel shows you have no appreciation of how it might come back to bite Israel especially if the Brotherhood takes over Egypt soon. Look how Iran turned Lebanon around. Lebanon was the one neighbour of ours who didn’t attack us in the ’73 War. Now look at her. Hezballah will soon be totally in charge. You seem to think in black and white when it come to some things. America is good to Israel not bad. The Treaty with Egypt is good for Israel rather than potentially bad. The record says that Israel has good reason to be wary of the US government particularly this one and to be wary of developments in Egypt.
You are incapable of seeing this from Israel’s point of view and you insist we trust Uncle Sam. America should be strong enough that she doesn’t need to sacrifice her best ally in whole or in part, to succeed.
America asks too much of Israel. You have yet to concede that America has in fact forced Israel to do what it doesn’t want to do. You see nothing wrong in America selling out Israel so America can get a little bit ahead.
I am in complete agreement with every point Yamit made in his last comment. Only an idot wouldn’t be or some one who doesn’t want to be bothered by the facts, all the facts.
Duh? Really: Google Yamit Sinai settlement. So? What does that mean to you genius?
Explain how little Ole me does damage to Israel? Why would I in your sick mind want to do damage to my country’s interests? Since I don’t have the intelligence you will have to be very explicit. You will need to explain to stupid me what are Israels interests.
I never said otherwise.
I do deny it and can prove it but my point is partially that America should not give Israel anything: Sell yes but no give. That would free us up to secure from any source at the best price what we really need. Would limit American influence on us and make our leaders take responsibility for the decisions they either make or don’t make. That would strengthen our democracy, our economy and restore a lot of lost national self-confidence and national pride.
Excuse me while I laugh, then barf. As you said America has conflicting interests with our enemies and therefore cannot be relied upon.
Your’s right That was then and this is now! 🙁