81 Replies to “If Oklahoma Had Walmart Stores”

  1. NME666 “so please, if you ain’t informed, just listen and larn me boy!!!!”
    I’d love to learn how how to turn $20,000 worth of soup into a $60,000 tax deduction. Feel free to be as technical as you wish as I am familiar with the terminology. Or perhaps it’s just the same old straw man that tax critics set up to knock down. I believe the abbreviation for the technical word is BS.

  2. EBD, but really — REALLY! — is that a realistic risk scenario?
    You mock me, so here goes: can you not ever disagree with Kate’s take on something?
    I’m a successful businessman.
    I would be able to affirm, proof positive, in about 10 minutes that this is a bona fide church charity project.
    OK, 5 minutes, then!
    I’m not arguing that she’s “wrong” about the the less efficient methods here, only that her emphasis is off. Wrong-headed. Wrong-hearted maybe?
    And Steyn being “suckered”. WOW, how Mensa!
    Not suckered at all. He commented on the ACTUAL story which is fascistic boneheaded border insanity.
    And your little risk scenario is even more boneheaded.
    Um, Barack H Obama’s bro got his “charity” approved in record time — one month — despite his connections with Sudan and islamic jihad.
    And of course, Hillary’s former assistant at State, Huma Abedin, is a Muslim Brotherhood operative.

  3. As part of the 1%,who had no idea what the purpose of this post was,I am NOW going to take the delicious baked lasagna that I had intended to mail to Oklahoma tomorrow,and eat it myself.
    Gotta go,there’s a new video out of Rob Ford smoking crack with Selena Gomez.
    Hope Justin doesn’t find out!

  4. Some times people do not have sufficient funds to meet their needs, BUT, want to do something. Good clothes not needed by the donor, may be just what someone needs. I do not think all Oklahoma residents feel they must have new clothes.
    Also think that most, if not all food, could be quickly sorted into perishable and not. Just cannot fathom any organization from Windsor not knowing a refrigerated truck would be required for perishables. My goodness literally tons of perishables cross the border every day.
    No! My thoughts fall on the side of a bureaucracy/union thinking they must show their authority/overworked/power situation. Maybe negotiations are coming their way again. Cheers;

  5. Perhaps there should be a special corridor set up for ad hoc aid shipments where cargo is undeclared and customs officials simply wave the trucks through?
    Probably wouldn’t do any more harm than the way the southern border is managed. Of course, not much aid comes from Mexico…

  6. Brings back memories of Ice Storm ’98 and how U.S. generators were stopped headed north by Canadian officials because they didn’t have French/English stickers on them.

  7. “[B]ut really — REALLY — is that a realistic risk scenario?” (2:59 PM)
    Yup. Smugglers (and would-be terrorists) go to enormous lengths, and think of the most ingenious ways, to get things across borders undetected. If semi-trailers could be waved across the border without inspection/documentation based purely on the professed – or assumed – charitable intentions of those who loaded them up, it would pretty much obviate the security procedures/protocols of border agents on both sides of the border. And if something went seriously south as a result — say, mass casualties from a bomb — you can be sure that everyone here who is complaining about security procedures at border crossings would be screaming about lax border security.
    “Can you not ever disagree with Kate’s take on something?”
    Of course. I have differences of opinion on particular issues with everyone I’ve ever met – or read – and Kate’s no exception. For example, I think the Vietnam war, and the draft, was the worst thing that ever happened to the conservative/right, because it rewired the brains of an entire generation of young men, many of whom had no higher ambition than to get a job and get married and have kids, to develop an understandably gut-felt mortal-resistance antipathy against “the military/industrial complex”, and capitalism, and in general, “the man”. The fact that working class young men were sent to a foreign jungle to die, while Ivy League students and the well-connected (including the sons of the ruling political elite) got a pass kinda ignited the “spirit” of the 60s, which we’re still suffering from the results of. The election of Obama — the fact the a guy like him could even be elected — is an end result of that particular mistake, in my opinion.
    For another example, Kate and I posted essentially opposite takes about Rush Limbaugh’s “slut” remark. But in those (admittedly few) instances where I might disagree with Kate, I don’t insult her, (“Wow, how Mensa!“), not only because I respect her, and because I’m her guest here (just like every regular commenter who uses Kate’s bandwidth free of charge, and who’s not a troll) but also because, although I do have my moments, I’m not *perpetually* po-faced by nature.
    Can’t be mad about everything 24/7, eh?
    Getting back to the topic at hand: If terrorists posing as/using a charity (for example) were to make use of the protocol you are advocating for, what you decry as “boneheaded border insanity” would probably be described – by you and others – as “boneheaded border insanity.”
    Trucks will be inspected at borders, the heartfelt intentions of the senders of the goods notwithstanding.

  8. So there is no middle ground between waving trucks through without inspection and letting perishables sent in the spirit of goodwill rot in warehouses? To me this all or nothing attitude, is the same one that leads to getting expelled from school for poptart guns. Anyone know how long would it take to inspect the shipment?

  9. Where’s the FEMA trailers and credit cards Bush sent the Katrina victims?
    Oh yea those were turned I o meth labs and crack houses. But didn’t Obamba replace those with all that quantitative easing money?
    Oh yea, Buffet needed a new yacht.

  10. Why would anyone ship perishable goods to an area without refrigerators?

  11. >i>Yup. Smugglers (and would-be terrorists) go to enormous lengths, and think of the most ingenious ways, to get things across borders undetected.
    Gee, I feel really safe with bureaucrats up against ‘ingenious’ smugglers and terrorists. And Canada is the obvious direction to look for such contraband. Mexico being such a law and order country, and all…
    Yup, those terrorists are really ‘ingenious’ to want to take the risk smuggling explosives, when explosives are easily obtained in the US. Most every farmer has tons of the stuff…

  12. Why would anyone ship perishable goods to an area without refrigerators?
    Stupid people. Just as it takes stupid people to haul them past a thousand grocery stores on the way down.
    Most of those perishables would probably be confiscated, just as they are when you cross into the the US with fresh fruit or open bags of dog food.
    It’s the responsibility of the charity to do its homework before they load the truck. It’s not the fault of front line border guards enforcing customs regulations, for whom waving the load through could mean disciplinary action.

  13. It’s not the fault of front line border guards enforcing customs regulations, for whom waving the load through could mean disciplinary action.
    Absolutely, they’re just following orders…umm, like robots 🙂
    Stupid people, who do you think you are, you must aid in the bureaucratically prescribed way…

  14. They’re following orders … like employees. They’re enforcing the law … like sworn law enforcement officers.
    There’s no obligation for US officials to permit anyone into the US, and they don’t have to provide a reason.
    That fact may not be to your liking, but a charity that solicits thousands of $$ worth of donations from their community has an obligation to make damned sure they don’t throw it all away through laziness and ignorance.

  15. …when you’re organizing the transport of thousands of $$ worth of donated aid on behalf of your community, the charity who solicited it has an obligation to make damned sure they don’t throw it all away through laziness and ignorance.
    I guess the same goes for public companies, but I’m really not concerned because I’m not invested with them.

  16. Would have to politely disagree on possibility of terrorists using this or any other short term relief effort to do anything at all. Terrorists plan for months to get the best bang for the buck. A relief effort like this does not allow for any planning at all, plus sending a destructive (name it) into a disaster zone which is already destroyed just isn’t going to give much of a bang. As long as the truck, contents and driver are verified like before 9/11 it should be allowed to proceed with minimal interference. What they do with it at the other end is not a issue. It’s just the neighborly thing to do, or it was when neighbors still cared. You know…..before they were treated like potential enemy combatants.

  17. This is really about denying foreign gifts of “goods”. Just show us da mo-nay.
    Has no one crossed the border lately? No food allowed. Unless those apples have a Grown in Washington sticker.

  18. Giving cash or commodities all depends on the degree and type of disaster and where it occurs. Take the Haiti earthquake for example; donations of cash were strongly discouraged due to the large numbers of extremely corrupt officials in every village, and the well known corruptness of the Hatian government(had been robbing the citizenry into poverty for decades).
    It also depends on what is sent and needed. Medicines and medical supplies need to be sent to countries where they are very difficult or impossible to obtain.
    Money is much better choice of donation for those who lose their homes in developed countries.

  19. Money is much better choice of donation for those who lose their homes in developed countries.
    I suppose it also depends upon what you have to give. Whatever the case, it’s personal choice and the giver’s business.

  21. With all due respect to our hostess, it is more natural an instinct to help others with direct relief supplies than to send cash which can end up in so many different pockets and unaccounted for. I have been involved in “relief operations” before (Katrina) and the cash that actually gets turned into cash cards for “victims” often shows up in Kentucky strip clubs or other questionable places.
    Secondly, even if sending relief supplies is a naive thing, the border agents are just being asshats about the whole thing. Whatever happened to common sense?

  22. “Would have to politely disagree on possibility of terrorists using this or any other short term relief effort to do anything at all.”
    In what sense is it not possible? It’s not as if the average charitable-minded Canadian would forbid a Muslim from contributing to a relief effort, or helping to load a truck, and it’s not like extremists let everyone know about their activities and plans well in advance.
    Btw, just to be clear (geez, I feel like I’m channeling Paul Martin) I’m *not* saying it’s likely — the odds are probably really slim — just that it’s possible. Someone tossing in a little contraband (cocaine?) when they see a clear opportunity to bypass border security is, IMO, a lot more likely a scenario.
    As for politely disagreeing, you’re always polite when you comment here….unless you’re hammering a troll. But we all do that, on occasion.

  23. Jimminy crickets Kate, doesn’t it just suck being the only person in the room who sees the giant rhino head in the middle of the table? I hate when that happens to me.
    I’m prepared to scream in outrage at the jackboots and apparatchiks as hard as the next guy, but in this day and age, to try and cross-border ship that much cargo with no manifest, and not even call ahead? That’s retarded.
    I bet the church types were mean to the guy who said they should call ahead, too. Somebody said it, and got steamrolled. Guaranteed.

  24. Beaureacrats are ALL lazy and stupid.
    A freind of mine was a lowbed driver.He was hired to deliver a tank of helicopter fuel to an area just inside the US border with B.C.to be used for forest fire fighting.When he got to the border they wouldn”t let him in due to red tape. His commewnt was that he didn’t really care. He would just wait as he was being paid by the hour and as he said” besides its YOUR forest that is burning” They soon let him through.

  25. “That fact may not be to your liking, but a charity that solicits thousands of $$ worth of donations from their community has an obligation to make damned sure they don’t throw it all away through laziness and ignorance.”
    100% correct. Laziness on the part of the “charity” raising/solicitating the donations. They figure they can just ship it,and get a huge gold star,and more gubermint bucks for themselves.”Look what we did!!” Crass? Nope. Been there,seen it,and was totally stunned. Try telling them that hey,you got border clearance? They look at you like you have FAS.
    Remember.If you are shipping anything, anywhere, in huge amounts,such as donations,feet on the ground help,etc.,you will get no hassles only when shipping to muzzie/commie/fascist countries. Otherwise,fugetaboutit.

  26. Donations of food, clothing, supplies vs. monetary:
    One can question the extent of generosity when donated items tend to be those of no more use to the donor! Cash is best. Keep the Thrift Store/Sally Ann mentality locally intentioned.

  27. …in this day and age, to try and cross-border ship that much cargo with no manifest, and not even call ahead? That’s retarded.
    Gee, it’s almost like you have skin in the game. Did you donate something? You must have to be this upset about it…

  28. I think we’ve covered all the positives and negatives in spur of the moment aid, but the bottom line is that it will never happen again, and that is a shame as well as a tradition that has now come to a end. Another divide between ourselves and our neighbors. Perhaps misguided but the intent was clear, help people in immediate need. A border that is now established as a perceived threat rather than a good neighbor fence. We have done nothing to deserve that, yet the perception is clear. Canadians are not to be trusted. Pity. It’s a loss for both sides.

  29. Another divide between ourselves and our neighbors… It’s a loss for both sides.
    That has been the purpose all along. Security is just the excuse, divide people and weaken them. Break the bonds that hold them together, much like traditional family bonds have been broken.
    They can’t stop tons of drugs crossing the border but they can stop charity. That says something…

  30. “Did you donate something?”
    Question is, stradivarious: do you want to be all big-hearted and generous, or do you want to actually do something -useful-?
    I donate to only one organization: The Canadian Warplane Heritage. That’s because I can see my money fly over the house every weekend, and the fuel it bought sounds good being burnt in a Merlin engine. If a bit of charity keeps warbirds flying over, I consider it well spent. Otherwise, I gave at the office.
    Stupidity is still -stupid-, even when its well intended stupidity. And expensive! Lots of food going bad there because none of the “normal” people listened to the guy or girl who said “Gee, shouldn’t we call Customs first? Ya think maybe they want it packed a certain way, maybe we should have a list of what’s in there?”
    Today that guy or girl is sitting at home thinking “TOLDJA!!!” I reserve my sympathy for that person, just as I reserve my money for the warbirds.

  31. Question is, stradivarious: do you want to be all big-hearted and generous, or do you want to actually do something -useful-?
    Neither. Really don’t care much either way. Not interested in being a busybody in the affairs of others when it doesn’t affect me.
    Those people in Oklahoma will be well cared for one way or the other.

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