# McCain's "Surge at Home" Idiocy **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 3, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681 "2008-08-03T05:43:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/61 "2008-08-04T17:52:42Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Hey, don’t be shortsighted. The communities that choose not to pursue and implement this will be extremely jealous of the communities that did when the Zombie War begins. [/QUOTE] Unless the war starts inside one of the walled communities. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/62 "2008-08-04T18:00:55Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] I didn’t notice any sort of citation when you made claims about Clinton’s successes in this area. Did I miss something? 😉 [/QUOTE] So a seven year old opinion piece from a conservative reporter counts as a citation? Allow me to write your next post for you: B-B-B-B-Buh t Clinton! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/63 "2008-08-04T18:04:38Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Does anyone else have Firesign’s “[We’re Bringing the War Back Home](http://www.metrolyrics.com/were-bringing-the-war-back-home-lyrics-firesign-theatre.html)” going through their heads? [/QUOTE] I’ve heard the elders speak of this “Firesign Theater”. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/64 "2008-08-04T18:09:44Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] I didn’t notice any sort of citation when you made claims about Clinton’s successes in this area. Did I miss something? [/QUOTE] Just to clarify, which post or posts of mine are you referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/65 "2008-08-04T18:12:02Z")
[QUOTE=Lobohan] So a seven year old opinion piece from a conservative reporter counts as a citation? [/QUOTE] Okay, then. Tell me how the program worked, if in fact you think it did, and we’ll discuss it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/66 "2008-08-04T18:18:14Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Just to clarify, which post or posts of mine are you referring to? [/QUOTE] My mistake. I should have said I didn’t see a citation that Clinton achieved his 100,000 officer goal, or that his policies contributed much to lowering overall crime. You did have citations (I should have stipulated such) but they did not answer these particular questions. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/67 "2008-08-04T18:35:14Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] ABC News: [A Surge at Home?](http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2008/08/surge-at-home.html) There’s a term for this. It’s called Martial Law. This may be the dumbest thing I’ve heard yet from McCain. My God, it’s like he wants to turn the ‘Surge’ into a metaphor for everything, because he thinks it’s his strong suit. Does he have no idea how authoritarian this sounds? Or even nutty, and a little desperate? Sheesh. The Obama team must be hoisting a cocktail or two over this one. [/QUOTE] Umm actually, this tactic has worked quite well in Baltimore. There was an article about it in the New York Times back in April about mapping crime hotspots and then devoting a greater amount of resources there. They did it in New York City as well and now New York is one of the safest cities in the nation. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/68 "2008-08-04T18:37:48Z")
Do you actually READ the posts you respond to? [QUOTE=Mr. Moto] My mistake. I should have said I didn’t see a citation that Clinton achieved his 100,000 officer goal, [/quote] That would be because I said: > [@RTFirefly](#): > > It’s disputed whether he actually managed to up the numbers by 100K > [@Mr. Moto](#): > > or that his policies contributed much to lowering overall crime. And that, in turn, would be because I said: > [@RTFirefly](#): > > it can’t be proven that the extra beat cops were part of the reason for the reduction in crime we saw in the mid to late 1990s > [@Mr. Moto](#): > > You did have citations (I should have stipulated such) but they did not answer these particular questions. Producing citations for factual claims one doesn’t make is usually considered unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/69 "2008-08-04T18:59:17Z")
[QUOTE=mswas] Umm actually, this tactic has worked quite well in Baltimore. There was an article about it in the New York Times back in April about mapping crime hotspots and then devoting a greater amount of resources there. They did it in New York City as well and now New York is one of the safest cities in the nation. [/QUOTE] The causal connection between COMSTAT and the decrease in crime rate is not obvious and is still hotly debated. Though the crime rate in NYC declined by metrics most commonly used by law enforcement, it is not at all clear that this was driven by COMSTAT. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/70 "2008-08-04T19:02:20Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] I’ve heard the elders speak of this “Firesign Theater”. [/QUOTE] You mean, elders _besides_ me? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/71 "2008-08-04T19:55:48Z")
Those that remain, yes. They’re dropping like flies, you know. Groovy. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/72 "2008-08-04T20:56:22Z")
It just _looks_ like they’re dropping like flies. In reality, they get returned for regrooving. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/73 "2008-08-04T21:22:30Z")
Groovy and out. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/74 "2008-08-04T23:56:51Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Hey, don’t be shortsighted. The communities that choose not to pursue and implement this will be extremely jealous of the communities that did when the Zombie War begins. [/QUOTE] Peace walls are used extensively in Belfast to keep the different groups apart FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/75 "2008-08-05T13:18:59Z")
Don’t crush that dwarf, hand me the pliers. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/76 "2008-08-05T14:20:26Z")
In other news, the New Jersey State Police are demanding payment from local New Jersey communities which they believe have benefitted from their protection. By which I mean, someone has to pay for all of this! ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/77 "2008-08-05T14:42:31Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Peace walls are used extensively in Belfast to keep the different groups apart FWIW. [/QUOTE] My God, Northern Ireland is being torn apart by Protestant vs. Catholic zombies! Erin go … brains! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/78 "2008-08-05T16:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=EddyTeddyFreddy] Don’t crush that dwarf, hand me the pliers. [/QUOTE] [Waiting for the Electrician](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_the_Electrician_or_Someone_Like_Him#Detailed_Track_Information_and_Commentary), actually. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/79 "2008-08-07T02:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=nameless] That would be pretty hilarious. “I propose an economic surge! Money for everyone! No timetables! Money appears in your bank accounts until I say stop!” [/QUOTE] [McCain says U.S. needs “economic surge.”](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/06/campaign.wrap/index.html) You thought you were kidding, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681/80 "2008-08-07T03:06:42Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] ABC News: [A Surge at Home?](http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2008/08/surge-at-home.html) There’s a term for this. It’s called Martial Law. This may be the dumbest thing I’ve heard yet from McCain. My God, it’s like he wants to turn the ‘Surge’ into a metaphor for everything, because he thinks it’s his strong suit. Does he have no idea how authoritarian this sounds? Or even nutty, and a little desperate? Sheesh. The Obama team must be hoisting a cocktail or two over this one. [/QUOTE] Nowhere in this linked article did McCain use the word “surge”, that was an application of a term used by the writer of the article to slam McCain. Also, utilizing “military tactics” to combat crime in no way implies that the military would actually be used to do this. Ever heard of a SWAT team? Well, THEY use “military tactics” when called upon, and rightfully so. I don’t get the outrage, nor the comparison between the war in Iraq and crime at home. It is pure unadulterated conjecture on the part of the article-writer to make McCain look bad. Not that he needs help to do that, but this is BS. And it isn’t as if we cannot adopt certain measures, military or otherwise to combat our crime issues within our country. It’s already been done, and will continue to be. What’s the point again? Oh yeah, McCain favors martial law, so vote for Obama! :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-surge-at-home-idiocy/458681.md?page=5)