Governor Palin's Letter to Harry Reid

One of those mentioned as a leading contender for the VP position alongside Senator John McCain in his run for the Presidency is Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin. I like her letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid concerning drilling on the outer continental shelf and in ANWR. The letter can be viewed here. (Click on the Reid link for an entertaining video)

It's the Spending, Dummy!

Have you ever noticed that when something gets "out of whack," the more you tinker with it to get it back right, the further "out of whack" it becomes? That's what happens when the economy gets in the shape that we are seeing now.

The lawmakers and political candidates all have "fixes" for the economy. One says that we need to raise taxes for the rich while the other says that we need to extend tax cuts to stimulate investment. Proponents of increasing taxes for the wealthy think that the average person will support such increases because they see the high-earners as deserving to be taxed more. That is a very elitist attitude in itself and totally discredits the intelligence of most of the American public.

I think most folks just want our tax system to be fair -- to treat us all equally -- without special breaks for particular groups.

Those who believe the tax cuts implemented by the Bush Administration are contributing to the budget deficit are also confused. Revenue is not the issue. Spending is the issue. When you cut taxes and then increase spending substantially you are going to increase the deficit. Tax cuts stimulate market activity which in turn will generate more revenue at a lower tax rate. Those cuts must be followed however, by either holding the line or decreasing spending. Budget deficits are caused when you spend more than you bring in. It's the spending, dummy -- not the revenue side of the equation!

Political Pragmatism as Religion

There has been a lot of speculation on the web about Obama's religious beliefs. I think they can best be described as political pragmatism. If Obama claimed Islam, his chances of being elected would sink dramatically. I know this is just speculation -- but I think with a little thought, anyone in this country would agree. Claiming Christianity is certainly the better choice for a politician. Most of the voters at least claim Christianity as their religious preference.

Let me ask you -- if you had NO religious beliefs, what would be the personal compunction regarding claims to a religion that you did not truly believe? Pragmatism would dictate claiming that which would garner the most votes. Only God can judge a man's heart, but I think that there are many indicators that Mr. Obama claims Christianity merely for the name in the hope that it will appeal to Christian voters. If Muslims outnumbered Christians I suspect that his claims would be something different entirely. Do I know his heart? No. Does he know his own heart? Perhaps -- or, perhaps not. One day he will be judged just like the rest of us.

Cornyn Enjoys Significant Lead in Poll

U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas has demonstrated strong leadership in border security/immigration issues, energy production to ease our dependence on foreign oil, taking care of our military and their families and in promoting high ethical standards for members of Congress. In spite of -- or perhaps because of --his efforts in the service of his constituency which shares those same values, the Democrats have painted a large bullseye on his back. Their recruit for those purposes is a seemingly confused Rick Noriega.

In spite of their efforts, Senator Cornyn continues to enjoy a significant lead according to the latest Rasmussen poll. There will be continued attacks from the left, but the voters of Texas are usually fairly astute at seeing through the smoke screen.

A Fly in the Climate Change Ointment

The gloom-and-doom certainty of the Global Warming advocates is something that I would find to be humorous if it wasn't so disruptive to the economy. It is always nice to see something that appears to be a fly in their ointment of catastrophe around every corner. This study from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science is just such a fly. It seems that this old planet may be in better balance than the Climate-change crowd would have us to be believe.

Energized About Energy

Sometimes you can pick out the "hot spot" in U.S. politics with ease. It doesn't mean that anything will be accomplished, but lots of hot air rising can give clues to the perceived point of pain. In this case, the pain is at the pump and is hopefully being passed on to elected representatives in the form of "do something or I might actually vote for someone who will..." threats of action.

So, will anything come out of the rhetoric? Don't count on it. At best, expect a short-term band-aid to hide the "ouch" -- not a long-term fix that goes to the root of the problem. We are such a short-sighted nation that we often treat with aspirin the headache that pains us rather than pulling out the spike that is causing the headache in the first place. If only we could use that "hot air" to turn a turbine we might at least cut the energy bill for D.C. residents....

Dr. Dobson's Views

James Dobson is pro-family. There is no doubt. His message arises from his strong belief in the message of the Bible. He is also know as being outspoken about his beliefs. I respect that. I agree with Dr. Dobson in his views and recent statements about Obama. I also agree with him in what I have heard him say about Mr. McCain. I don't agree with him on a key issue however. He seems to have indicated that he would prefer to stay home and not vote rather than to vote for either of the candidates for the Presidency. Not voting is surrender. It is saying that you have given up. Would it not be better to provide a qualified endorsement of the candidate who best fits your values? I certainly agree that the idea of "the lesser of two evils is still evil" but I don't believe that is an accurate assessment of the situation. There is the danger for Evangelical Christians to fall into the trap of being Pharisaical about the issues. God can work with anyone and anything -- shouldn't we find a way to do the same?

A Senator Calls for Mortgage Loan Disclosure

As the mortgage scandal rocks on there is at least one call for clarity in disclosure. Let's hope that it passes and let's hope that it goes far enough. The only way to truly know if mortgage lenders are giving preferential treatment is to see the size of the loan relative to market value along with points paid and interest rates (along with average market rate for similar loans at the time of loan initiation). It is a scrutiny that few of us would desire of our personal lives but it is a price of public office.

Help: Guest Worker Program Wanted

Farm labor -- particularly seasonal labor in fruit and vegetable farming -- is a difficult issue. Most of the jobs last for only short periods and are difficult, back-breaking, hot, laborious jobs. They are jobs that few U.S. workers will take. They often are for low wages.

Just across the border to the south of many large agricultural areas where fruits and vegetables are primary crops, live large numbers of unemployed, or underemployed, workers who would jump at the chance to gain additional income by working in the fields. They are hindered from doing so by the border.

Border security is a major issue for our country. It is one that I won't dwell on in this post. It is also a factor in how to deal with the issue of migrant labor from south of the border.

It is time for a guest worker program. It must be part of a larger immigration reform that provides for border security. It is important for agriculture and therefore important to the U.S. consumer who desires -- and even demands -- low-cost, reliable food supplies.

Bias Within Agenda Within Bias or Good Country Living

It seems to me there is often a disconnect between the title of articles and the content of the articles. That disconnect continues to deepen when the article reflects a biased view from the author. I'm sure that I'm guilty of such in my posts, but my real target is the mainstream media -- especially concerning research about health, the environment or the economy.

Titles by their very nature are designed to capture the attention -- to sensationalize. They generally give insight into the biases of the editor or the author (sometimes you don't know which). They usually reflect the perceived key issue in the article -- according to the title writer. The article itself often "fastens onto" something out of a research paper that fits an agenda or particular area of concern of the author. Of course, the author is usually reading the research paper because it is within an area of interest for the author. So, what we have is a "piling on" of biases through the journalistic process that ultimately results in a sensational title designed to elicit an emotional response.

All of this totally ignores the inherent biases of the researcher who wrote the original paper. He starts with biases as well. They come from his funding source and they come from the framing of his original hypothesis which arises from his own personal agenda.

It is difficult for the general public therefore to obtain a reasonably unbiased account of research. First, they likely don't have the technical skills to analyze the data generated by the research and second, they probably cannot easily obtain access to the data if they so desired. So, they are left to attempt extraction of relevant bits of information from their entry point into the process (probably a news account) and then if it is of high interest, their ability to dig deeper.

This is something that I've felt is a root difficulty in sifting through the hype surrounding "Global Warming." However, what put me on the subject today is something totally unrelated. It concerns this article about the connection between Vitamin D and health risks.

I wonder if the researchers fully considered that the true connection might be that humans are made for a period of daily outdoor activity in which they naturally obtain exercise and soak up a reasonable amount of sunshine. It's another one of the chicken or the egg problems. Is it the exercise, the sunshine or the combination of both that provides the health benefit? The issue is further complicated by air quality issues. If the study subject breathed good, clean pure air while exercising/working outdoors in the sunshine, would that make a difference? In my mind, there's no substitute for good clean country living. Sorry for the ramble.

The Gender of VP Selection

It's VP time. Both candidates are deep into the necessary polling, research and vetting of potential sidekicks for their Whitehouse run. I believe it is highly likely that one or both of the candidates will choose a woman. If Obama doesn't choose Hillary he will likely pay a high price with the party loyalists. If he does choose her he will likely hurt himself among the Independents. McCain on the other hand has little to lose and almost everything to gain by adding a respected, articulate woman to the ticket. There are only a handful with the party credentials as well as the necessary resume that fit the bill. I personally like Kay Bailey Hutchison for the slot. There are both positives and negatives from the perspective of voter dynamics. It will be interesting to watch.

Politcal Cornpone

Corn has always been a part of politics. It is something that the voting public has come to expect. It is also about the gentlest description used for what sometimes comes out of the mouths of those running for public office.

This year it has taken on a new meaning. The powerful lobbies behind the ethanol industry are heavily involved in attempts to influence the race for the Presidency. That seems interesting to me considering the fact that many ethanol plants are only marginally profitable and others have sold recently due to lack of profitability. Still others have delayed plans to build more plants or to expand existing capacity due to lack of profitability.

So, who is behind the lobby groups? Could it be the large agricultural interests that are reaping the benefits from $8 corn?

I am happy to see farmers realizing the benefits of high corn prices. I'm much less excited about the impact that those same high corn prices are having on other things such as food prices and livestock feed. I'm irritated that we are supporting those prices with tariffs against importing less expensive sugarcane-based ethanol produced in Brazil. I am angry that we are propping up the domestic ethanol industry which is damaging the livestock industry, raising fuel prices and negatively impacting food prices with a $0.54/gallon subsidy. This is not energy security. This is tax-and-spend politics in a different form.

British Common Sense

In spite of the fact that Britain seems quite frequently to be headed "off-the-deep-end" on many issues, the general population there usually demonstrates decidedly good common sense. In spite of the rush by the British government to embrace the concept that mankind is responsible for the much publicized coming "global crisis of dramatic climate change," the public is somewhat skeptical. A recent poll there indicated that although many accept that the climate is changing, they doubt that man's activities are the cause. Even more doubt the ability of governments to do anything about it.

Escalating Food and Fuel Costs Create Security Concerns

What would happen if escalating fuel and food costs created widespread unrest in China? The first thought is that the government would crack-down in a very harsh manner to stop any political unrest. A second possible scenario is that their eyes would turn elsewhere -- perhaps to the perceived source of their woes. The United States? No. The Middle East. Oil prices are driving the other problems.

With the taste of capitalistic advances in the economy, the Chinese people will not be satisfied with a heavy-handed state policy to force them to "absorb" fuel price increases without some resistance. The size of the Chinese population is such that unrest could quickly grow to a size that would be difficult to handle by the internal police and military. So, the logical approach for the Chinese government is to attempt to redirect that energy. A destabilized China would be a dangerous thing indeed.

Re-thinking Indian Agriculture

Growth of the Indian economy is one of the contributing factors to escalating oil and food prices in the world. Oil is an area that little can be done about by India. Agriculture and food production is another issue altogether. But, it is an area that will require new thinking by the government in order to find a solution.

The Green Revolution saw India transform from a nation that was starving into a nation that fed itself. The evolution into an industrialized economy however, has left agriculture behind and placed pressure on farmers that was unheard of several years ago. State control of agricultural infrastructure such as granaries and also policies regarding pricing of commodities have slowly pushed the farm sector to the brink of collapse in many areas.

Almost 50% of India is arable land suitable for agriculture. Much of that land is being lost to urbanization and industrialization. There is little incentive for farmers to produce crops when they can sell their land to developers at inflated prices. Especially when they are barely surviving from farming income.

India needs to revisit its internal agricultural policies. They need to re-examine pricing mechanisms for all inputs and all produce. They need to address infrastructure needs. Instead, the government policies seem to focus on industrial and technological sectors at the expense of agriculture. Growing import requirements for food may cause them to look again. The next Green Revolution in India will need to include better mechanisms for food transport and a free-market approach to prices.

Airlines Scheme to Offset Fuel Prices

Some airlines are responding to the higher fuel costs in ways that make no sense to me. I suspect they know exactly the cost of every flight they conduct. The key is to maximize occupancy while maintaining a profitable flight. Fill the seats.

The newest strategy by United is likely to create empty seats. Requiring minimum stays will cause business travelers to purchase tickets in pairs (2 round trip tickets) and then using the first half of one ticket heading to their destination and the first half of the second ticket returning. That means unoccupied seats unless filled with standby passengers. With the discounts they are considering for "required minimum stays" it will often make sense to the business traveler to use this method to circumvent that requirement. It may require using two different airlines to accomplish, but it is doable.

Why not just price the seats at a profitable level based on anticipated usage and be done with it? The airlines have huge databases that provide very reliable traffic flow and seat occupancy statistics. Use them. Don't play games. Instead, the result is likely to be a shift to alternative means of transportation. The private aviation industry may gain more charters.

If ET Searched Earth for Intelligence Would He Find Any?

Have you noticed how lack of reasoning doesn't prevent the anti-Bush main-stream media from going on a tirade about what they claim is a lack of intelligence in the current administration? Some "talking heads" might need to consider professional counseling for outbursts such as this one concerning the FDA and salmonella-tainted tomatoes.

Midwest Flooding

I feel compassion for all of the displaced people who suffer from the flooding in the Midwest. But I also feel frustration that my tax dollars will be bailing them out. I've always heard, "If you build a flat roof, it will leak. If you build in a flood plain, you're going to get wet." I wonder why they call it a flood plain? Duh!

Will the Media Call Obama to Task?

Occasionally you see a story or commentary from a national left-leaning publication that points the finger at the hypocrisy in the media. I was pleased to see just such a story today regarding Obama's rejection of Federal campaign funds. Interesting.

The Equivalent of War

Resolving the perceived energy crisis will be one of the primary areas of focus for the next President. How that resolution is approached will have profound impact on many generations to come. Do we focus on reducing energy consumption? Do we penalize certain forms of energy? Do we allow environmental concerns to dictate policy at the expense of economic and security issues? How do we pay for government energy initiatives? How do we alleviate the burden of high energy costs on the American taxpayer?

Currently, a staggeringly large amount of U.S. productivity is spent obtaining oil from other countries. We have financed some of the most anti-U.S. governments on the planet through our energy dollars. Through some of those governments we have financed the very terrorists that have attacked us. The very terrorists who draw us into military operations that further drain our treasury. Even when we choose not to purchase petroleum directly from terrorist sponsors, our purchase of foreign oil frees those countries to sell to others who have less compunction against sponsoring terrorism.

We must become energy independent. How? We sent our first rocket to the moon as the result of a focused effort to do so. Let's focus on becoming energy independent. We can do so by implementing a comprehensive plan of 1) utilizing existing reserves of petroleum and coal products, 2) developing new forms of energy, 3) encouraging the expansion of renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind, 4) building safe and efficient nuclear power plants. 5) Implementing and encouraging conservation strategies.

All of these things can be done with proper attention to environmental concerns. Such attention is NOT preservation at all costs. It IS conservation and protection of critical species and habitat. There is a difference. We MUST be good stewards of the resources at our disposal. It is prudent for our security and our future.

Our next President and Congress have a big job ahead of them. It will require wisdom -- not just the empty promise of change for the sake of change. It will require a comprehensive marshaling of our resources as a nation and the equivalent of war on a task which is critical to our future. It requires vision and experience. It must be conducted in a manner that alleviates the stifling burden to productivity that is borne by the taxpayers of this country. It cannot be at the expense of enslaving them to the extreme beliefs of the privileged few.