Wednesday, April 29, 2009

100 Days

I thought this article by Laura Hollis about Pres. Obama's first 100 days in office was very interesting. Basically, 100 mistakes in 100 days, including links to back up every asserted mistake. This article reminds me of the saying (I believe by Winston Churchill) that facts are stubborn things.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Criminalizing Politics

Pres. Obama has again opened his mouth and caused more problems than he could ever solve, and the unintended consequences are sure to haunt him for quite a while. This article from the Wall Street Journal discusses very clearly the real problems behind the President's announcement that certain officials from the previous administration may be prosecuted for crimes. The unfairness of applying current standards to previous behavior is manifestly wrong, and the consequences will make this country less safe.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Mr. Gore Visits Salt Lake

This article in the Salt Lake Tribune by Judy Fahys about Mr. Gore's visit with LDS church officials seems unusual to me for several reasons. For starters, the church's participation in "Earth Hour" and the counsel to use resources wisely seems a far cry from the draconian measures and fear mongering generally associated with Mr. Gore and his message. Next, Mr. Byron Daynes from BYU does not seem to understand the church very well. The church and its leaders are not "in charge of 13 million people." The church may provide counsel, but it is not "in charge" of anyone. I find this particularly offensive in light of the fact that individual agency is one of those things safeguarded by the Lord, and all too often forgotten in the church. Church members are supposed to think and act for themselves. While I would agree with the church about the wise use of any resources, I would never agree with the premise that CO2 emissions by man are near the problem global warming activists claim, as discussed more here and here. The only CO2 emissions I am worried about as being toxic are those coming from Mr. Gore. Next, I listened to all sessions of the most recent LDS General Conference and I do not remember anything remotely related to global warming (unless you count the snow in Salt Lake on Saturday), so Mr. Gore must not have made that big an impression. Finally, I will comment on Ms. Fahys's assertion that "many Christians have begun treating global warming as a moral issue." While that may be true, and is most assuredly true of global warming adherents, I will be very surprised if the LDS Church starts treating this as a moral, religious issue to the extent Mr. Gore would appreciate. The last thing we need is another "political" or "ideological" idea seemingly endorsed by, or carrying the authority of, gospel truth. Especially since the generally accepted idea of global warming is far from truth, let alone gospel.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Great Choice for GM Board

This article by Hugh Hewitt is a classic example of why he is so good at what he does. Make a great point. No need to be offensive. Add a little humor.

Pres. Obama and the Warranty

Charles Krauthammer has a great piece about what Pres. Obama's real intentions are. Pres. Obama is a statist (for definition, see Mark Levin's "Liberty and Tyranny"). Trying to "level" everything and make it "fair" simply will not work for Pres. Obama. Despite all the comparisons to incredible people, including the Lord, Pres. Obama does not have the power or charisma to accomplish his goals. Rush Limbaugh does not have to hope Pres. Obama will fail. He will. The only question is how long and rough the road will be until enough people realize it, and how many failed policy and program attempts we will have to endure before enough people say "Enough."
An Episcopal minister becomes a Muslim, and then wonders why she cannot be an Episcopal minister anymore? The sad truth is that this woman probably does not have any faith.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Hugh Hewitt has a great article about how important it is for conservatives to maintain clarity and objectivity. This is not the first time I have heard this, which is great because this is very important. I did read a separate article earlier that mentioned Obama Derangement Syndrome (obviously similar to Bush Derangement Syndrome) and how it needs to be stopped now. I would completely agree. There are so many important issues that need to be dealt with that we do not have time to argue about Pres. Obama's every little move. Cut the man some slack, especially on those things that are not that important.

Having said that, those people who want to declare everything Pres. Obama does as greatness also need to tone it down. Marvin Olasky has a great article explaining the dangers of comparing Pres. Obama to every other "great" president you can think of. Pres. Obama simply has not been in office long enough to determine much at all. I would certainly say there are some policy decisions that I do not agree with, but the final determination is a long way off.