# Protectionist Peckerwoods Bow Before "Enemy" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 9, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625 "2006-03-09T02:08:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/41 "2006-03-09T16:52:58Z")
> [@El Cid Viscoso](#): > > [Driven by new-age xenophobia and old-fashioned shit-pants fear](http://rds.yahoo.com/S=53720272/K=dubai/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=1/;_ylt=A9iIgNQ7gQ9ELIgAVBLQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHZkMjZyBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=12ulcfg2t/EXP=1141953211/*-http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060309/bs_afp/usuaeporttakeover_060308235021), Mr and Mrs America today succumbed to pathology and voted down, with their voices, the takeover of six US ports by a United Arab Emirates company. To the Bush Administration, it’s a meaty noise, sloppy yet defiant, not unlike a wet fart during cunnilingus. > > “In a complex and challenging time, the road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting – yet it ends in danger and decline,” the President implored us on the last day of January. He said it somewhat sweetly, furtively, even. Framed for the public to slurp up like free Jell-O at a swap meet. > > And it seems, oddly presciently. > > Why now is the Right abandoning President Bush? Why are Mr and Mrs Sixpack jumping ship? My answer: When the fox’s in the henhouse, you ain’t worried none about the color of his coat. > > That’s a shame. But that’s the America we ended up inheriting. Don’t get too excited. They’re not gonna rush into the arms of the Democrats any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/42 "2006-03-09T16:58:41Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I’m more concerned that no American company is stepping up to do the port work. Why do we have to sell out to foreigners? We can’t run our own businesses in this country, we have to let others do it for us? Of course, it’s a global economy, but letting others run our infrastructure is like burning the furniture in the fireplace. Just wanted to reply to this: No US compnay is stepping up because no US company is capable of doing the work, in my understanding. There just isn’t anyone as capable as the Dubai company. And what’s selling out? Do you feel EVERY company should only be run or owned by Americans? Why? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/43 "2006-03-09T17:50:04Z")
Not at all. I do, however, find it just a bit disconcerting that American companies can’t compete in our own country. I consider our ports to be part of our infrastructure, like roads, power lines, etc. They have strategic importance, and that should not be sold to other countries. I wouldn’t care if it was just some run-of-the mill business. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/44 "2006-03-09T18:03:05Z")
> [@pantom](#): > > And then you went on record on this one, with that lame-o argument about Bush picking this company, while some other fool went on about them “enabling terrorists” or something. > Meantime, every other country on this planet, including Israel, has no problem dealing with this company and this country. > So, you waste everyone’s time, and you discredit the left in this country, who look like a bunch of beheaded chickens, running this way to vote for the war in Iraq if they’re in Congress (Kerry & Hillary), then that way to vote against this deal (Kerry & Hillary again), each time bumping blindly against reality while flailing their arms like helpless spastics. Stupid & ridiculous. I discredit the left? All by my lonesome? WAY COOL!!! I never knew I had so much power! What a rush. :rolleyes: As far as “reality” goes, I refer you to the now infamous quote about those who create their own reality (hint hint). It’s googleable. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/45 "2006-03-09T18:31:28Z")
> [@pantom](#): > > And then you went on record on this one, with that lame-o argument about Bush picking this company, while some other fool went on about them “enabling terrorists” or something. > Meantime, every other country on this planet, including Israel, has no problem dealing with this company and this country. > So, you waste everyone’s time, and you discredit the left in this country, who look like a bunch of beheaded chickens, running this way to vote for the war in Iraq if they’re in Congress (Kerry & Hillary), then that way to vote against this deal (Kerry & Hillary again), each time bumping blindly against reality while flailing their arms like helpless spastics. Stupid & ridiculous. Yeah **SteveG1** , knock it off! If you hadn’t been discrediting us so much, Bush wouldn’t have been elected! ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/46 "2006-03-09T18:37:35Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > It says this is the kind of thing the average American doesn’t really know about. Probably can be educated about over time. Would probably trust the presidents judgement on this if he had shown them he was trustworthy. Instead he’s shown them he’s not. How else would you expect them to react? If we are to have a meaningful discussion, we need to take Bush out of equation. It’s not about Bush. Bush has nothing to do with it. The proof is simple. Who is that hypothetical “trustworthy” Prez of yours? Gore? Kerry? Suppose Prez Gore wouldn’t be mixed up with Iraq, Abu Ghraib, Plame etc. You think he would be trusted by the stupid paranoid idiots protesting the Ports deal? Of course not. He would be hounded (just like Clinton was hounded), especially for being soft on defence and security. If anything, there would be much more stupid paranoia, not less. So forget Bush. Think about the stupid paranoid idiots and how shameful it is to join them. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/47 "2006-03-09T19:13:22Z")
As English doesn’t have a plural, other than y’all I guess, you can take my you to mean yourself, the wonderful folks over at Daily Kos, and all the rest. You all look like the fools and asses you in fact are. BTW, you got your way. That’s two down, by way of Congress. Seems that the President and Congress are taking turns making us look like fools and incompetents in front of the world, and it would also seem that they have the full support of their constituents in doing so. Me, I’m off to study up some more on how to make a buck or three. I think I’ll leave politics to you folks who are sooo good at it, in whatever way good is defined in this area, which apparently has no relationship to actually getting a job done. ---
**Author:** ![samm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@samm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samm)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/48 "2006-03-09T19:23:57Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > This thing is sunk, and it’s too late for Bush to do anything. His best bet is to have DPW pull a Harriet Miers and withdraw the bid. Bingo. [Dubai to give up control of U.S. ports](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11741617/) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/49 "2006-03-09T20:12:19Z")
> [@samm](#): > > Bingo. > > [Dubai to give up control of U.S. ports](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11741617/) I’m still not clear on this, though. Will the “entity” be owned by DPW, or will it be completely seperate? [Maybe this political genus was correct in his prediction.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7147659&postcount=155)🆒 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2006, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/50 "2006-03-09T22:50:58Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I’m still not clear on this, though. Will the “entity” be owned by DPW, or will it be completely seperate? [Maybe this political genus was correct in his prediction.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7147659&postcount=155)🆒 Hey, no fair! I introduced that idea twenty posts earlier in that thread! 😃 (If you’ve forgotten, that’s the post where I confessed agreement with Michael Ledeen. Think **xtisme** agreeing with **DtC** - did we have just two Pit threads started on this in the past 24 hours, or did I miss one? - is enough to throw the stars from their courses? That’s small potatoes, I tellya!) Besides, I’m never been completely sure what genus of politico you are. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/51 "2006-03-10T00:53:06Z")
SentientMeat: at the risk you were speaking rhetorically, it tells me our public school system has churned out precisely the people Ronald Reagan envisioned to propel the Global Economy, to lift it onward, upward, as a human shield against the collapse of the Ozone Layer . . . It is awfully depressing. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/52 "2006-03-10T00:55:00Z")
I used the word _peckerwood_ because it’s honestly the nicest thing I can call the ignorant, poor white. Right now, our valley is smoggier than Los Angeles because of peckerwoods burning their fields in the brilliant tradition of Pre-Mendel nonsense. Seriously, I’ve got lots of cites that demonstrate the seat of blame. I’ve got a Gallup Poll in [USA Today](http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-03-02-ports-poll_x.htm) that says most Americans oppose the Ports deal. I’ve got pop-culture references like Leno or Conan who continue to call this a Ports’ Security problem, when it really has only to do with Arab ownership of American ports. I’ve got a representative from my beloved home state who cried “I can’t tell you [another] issue that my constituents have asked me about [repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/jan-june06/ports_3-08.html). And for Congress to not act I think is absolutely not in the national interest.” WTF is with the hysterics? She’s a Democrat! People are calling their reps on this issue in fairly unprecedented numbers. You want to talk about xenophobia? Look at your neighbor or the guy across the pump at the service station or the clerk at Target. Two of them oppose Ay-rabs owning six ports in the US. Fucking bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/53 "2006-03-10T02:22:08Z")
> [@Talon Karrde](#): > > Yeah SteveG1, knock it off! If you hadn’t been discrediting us so much, Bush wouldn’t have been elected! [Chuckles the Silly Piggy]Fear the might of my mighty mightyness!!![/Chuckles] [Cartman]Respeck my authoritah![/Cartman] But seriously, I refer everyone who hasn’t already blown a gasket, to posts 22, 27 and 31… > [@post 21](#): > > As far as the ports themselves, meh. **Security will still be overseen by our government** , in the overall sense. Meh. **The deal was approved, I understand, in a quick but legitimate way**. Meh. But Mister and Missus Amurrica are against it. Like ohmygod whatever that is so not good. Gee. Who conditioned them to hate and fear the foreign devil?? To Middle Amurrica, it’s simple. It’s US and THEM. US good. THEM evil. Them hate freedom. Them want to kill us. That’s been the core propaganda message for years. … You can’t constantly pander to **paranoia and stupidity** and then expect it to suddenly stop, just cuz you say so. I never said it was the right attitude in Muddle Amurrica, did I? I was saying that we all should have expected it. > [@post 27](#): > > **Blind paranoid ignorance?** I’m shocked! Shocked! That was sarcasm. I even had the rolly eyes thingy going. > [@post 31](#): > > **It IS prejudice. It IS bigotry**. I called it as much, didn’t I? But the kicker is, who kept feeding that **ignorance, stupidity and bigotry** , for his own poltical expediency? Bush himself. So now he reaps the whirlwind. THAT was my point. Got it yet, dumb ass? You can’t stir shit for so many years, and then expect the suckers to do a complete 180 just because you say so. There it was in the simplified version. I flat out said it was stupidity and bigotry and ignorant, didn’t I? Did that clarify things a bit? ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/54 "2006-03-10T07:38:43Z")
So now the American company in charge can out-source the jobs to Dubai and we can go on as normal. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/55 "2006-03-10T07:42:15Z")
Question for those that support the deal: Do you not think that the relationship between UBL and UAE royalty makes this situation different than just a mere “Arab” issue? For me, regardless of whether UAE is in the ME or in Singapore the fact that UBL has been friends with a number of members of the royal family raises a big red flag. In addition the company that runs the port is the company that hires and manages the security personnel at the port. Yes I know that the Coast Guard and customs play their parts, but the mgmt company substantially controls access to the port facilities (according to our local custom’s official). I don’t understand why most on this board seem to think these facts are inconsequential. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/56 "2006-03-10T08:02:00Z")
> [@](#): > > **El Cid** : I used the word peckerwood because it’s honestly the nicest thing I can call the ignorant, poor white. Right now, our valley is smoggier than Los Angeles because of peckerwoods burning their fields in the brilliant tradition of Pre-Mendel nonsense. First “Mr. and Mrs. America” were _peckerwoods_ because they bowed to some enemy. Then you said you used _peckerwood_ because it was the nicest thing you could call “the ignorant, poor white.” You don’t need to call “them” anything. You are having a fever dream. No one is bowing to an enemy. Get some fresh air. (See Utah, Idaho.) Call home. Eat more veggies. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/57 "2006-03-10T09:40:14Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > Do you not think that the relationship between UBL and UAE royalty makes this situation different than just a mere “Arab” issue? [All kinds of people](http://www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1#BODY) are ‘related’ to Binladen. One might as well ban Aresenal Football Club from touring America. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/58 "2006-03-10T12:10:42Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > [All kinds of people](http://www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1#BODY) are ‘related’ to Binladen. One might as well ban Aresenal Football Club from touring America. So it’s no big deal that a bunch of these guys went partying with him after he’d blown up two of our embassies. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/59 "2006-03-10T13:08:11Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > So it’s no big deal that a bunch of these guys went partying with him after he’d blown up two of our embassies. Who, board members of DPW? ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625/60 "2006-03-10T15:40:16Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > [All kinds of people](http://www.msnbc.com/news/190144.asp?cp1=1#BODY) are ‘related’ to Binladen. One might as well ban Aresenal Football Club from touring America. My point was that UAE royalty are not related but are UBL’s friends. So you’ve answered a different question. I would be interseted in why you think being friends with UAE royalty doesn’t matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/protectionist-peckerwoods-bow-before-enemy/347625.md?page=4)