From a reader:
Jonah,
Regarding Obama and “English-only”:
First, small point: there was a push in the wake of the first World War
to ban the teaching of foreign languages, especially German, in the
schools. (See Meyer v. Nebraska.) That history makes Obama approximately
2.7% less absurd here.
Second: please note how here, as with gay marriage, Obama says that he
“agrees” with us; but it is a phony agreement, meant only to placate,
and never translatable into action. He agrees that immigrants should
learn English…but refuses to support any measure that would adjust
incentives and motivations and policies so as to make this happen. He
agrees that we should not establish gay marriage…but refuses to
support any measure that would stop it from being imposed.
Democrats (as well as more than one Republican) have pulled this stunt
before, but with Obama it promises to be a recurring pattern of
behavior. And so I’d be on the lookout for something similar once he’s
finally sorted out his new improved approach on Iraq: Obama will agree
that we should not pull out of Iraq until the country’s security, and
its government’s ability to maintain same, are secure…but will, after
January 20, 2009, refuse to support any measure that does anything to
ensure effective continued American participation in Iraq.
And to think I sorta liked the guy nine months ago. Now I’m more and
more convinced that he is a sort of combined second coming of Pierre
Trudeau and Jimmy Carter.