Intellectual Warrior

Pres. Obama

2009-09-24T18:12:00.001-06:00

This article is just one reason to read Victor Davis Hanson every time. He always writes great stuff, but this is fantastic. I do not think anyone has explained Pres. Obama's behavior better.

Politicians

2009-09-03T14:07:00.002-06:00

This article from Mark Steyn is a great example of two things: one is why anyone should read as much Mark Steyn as possible, and two is the support for my latest idea regarding politicians - you get what you vote for. Mr. Steyn's article about the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy is very good. He is correct that we are complicit in the career of Sen. Kennedy. Similarly, many are complicit in the career of Sen. Harry Reid. That is how it works with all politicians. You vote for them and you endorse them, mostly politically, but to some degree personally as well. I do not think that says much about the average American voter. We seem to keep putting up with tremendous crap. Why? Is it because a given politician has valuable "experience" or some other such nonsense. We need to identify ideals and principles that we want our politicians to strive for and then hold them accountable by getting rid of them when they do not uphold those ideals. There is no other way. I am not saying they need to be perfect, but there has to be some line they cannot cross, some act or non-act they cannot get away with.

Waking Up

2009-08-28T13:34:00.003-06:00

Glenn Beck has put together some audio of Ronald Reagan warning us about socialism. It is a must to listen to this. I am not a huge fan of Glenn Beck. I think he can be a bit over the top at times, but there is no denying that we are headed toward giving away (and I do mean giving away) our freedoms in this country. It is a great fear of mine that I will wake up one day and has to admit that I live in a completely socialist country. Of course, we are getting there by degrees, meaning we already have too many socialist aspects to this country and we are getting more every day. We have to find a way to stop it. I do not want to try and explain to my kids one day what it was like to live in a free country.

Health Care

2009-08-25T13:28:00.002-06:00

This seemed like a great opportunity to jump into the debate on health care. The National Center for Public Policy Research has published a book, and when I say published I mean that in the broadest sense of the term. They have apparently waived the copyright and want everyone to have access to this book for free. The book is called Shattered Lives: 100 Victims of Government Health Care. It contains stories from countries that currently use the "government option" about the health care received. Just reading the Table of Contents and Mark Levin's introduction will give you a really good idea of what the book is about.

Vacation Over

2009-08-25T13:26:00.002-06:00

I have been on a bit of a "vacation" lately, but I feel it is time to get back to posting some of my thoughts on a more regular basis. The reason is simple: I have a fan. I may have only one fan, but it is my mom and she is definitely my biggest fan. Also, she requested that I do this again. Moms are the best.

Loose End

2009-05-12T09:34:00.003-06:00

This article in the Wall Street Journal by Janet Adamy is simply amazing. It really exposes the undeniable leap in logic that liberals seem to have when it comes to taxes. First, the article talks about how some people want to help pay for Pres. Obama's new health care system by imposing a tax on soda. Then, the article talks about how taxing soda (a very unhealthy beverage) will improve people's health because they will consume less of it. Somehow, no one seems to put these two ideas together and ask or answer the obvious question: If you are taxing soda to pay for health care and the tax results in less people drinking soda, how are you going to pay for the health care? The money you think you will get from taxing soda will go down as people stop drinking soda, so you will not get as much money to pay for health care as you project. Where is the money supposed to come from? On a related note, everyone seems to understand that if you tax soda, people will end up drinking less soda. So why do people not seem to understand that if you tax prosperity, there will be less prosperity? Taxing something is how you destroy it.

Elections Matter

2009-05-05T10:42:00.003-06:00

Dr. Paul Kengor has a very interesting article that explains why elections matter. I know that during the most recent presidential campaign there were many people talking about the fact that the next president would pick a number of Supreme Court justices. I seriously doubt the implications of that were considered by many voters. If these implications were considered, I wonder if they are enjoying the consequences.

100 Days

2009-04-29T13:48:00.002-06:00

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.

Catalog of Errors

2009-04-24T14:49:00.002-06:00

Oliver North provides a nice catalog of the foreign policy errors made by Pres. Obama. Remember, these are just the foreign policy blunders.

Criminalizing Politics

2009-04-23T13:55:00.002-06:00

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.

Mr. Gore Visits Salt Lake

2009-04-07T13:25:00.002-06:00

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.

Great Choice for GM Board

2009-04-03T13:20:00.001-06:00

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

2009-04-03T08:58:00.003-06:00

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."

2009-04-03T08:44:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-04-01T11:28:00.003-06:00

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.

Pres. Obama and the Teleprompter

2009-03-27T08:54:00.002-06:00

Michael Gerson has an interesting article at townhall.com arguing that the use of the teleprompter by Pres. Obama is not a bad thing. The teleprompter is just a tool. The point is that really great writing is really great writing no matter whether delivered from memory or a teleprompter. Mr. Gerson even uses two of my favorite speakers as examples, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, both of whom were known to edit and re-edit their speeches, even to the point of near-memorization.

I would agree with Mr. Gerson's premise. I would agree that a great speech would be a great speech with or without a teleprompter. I dare say Lincoln and Churchill would have been great speakers in any age because they certainly could construct and convey ideas, ideals and principles in truly wonderful and inspiring ways. They took the time to craft their speeches. I would also say that great speeches are given in these modern times, and aided by a teleprompter. As those who read this blog regularly will know (thanks Mom) I am LDS, Latter-Day Saint or "Mormon." The LDS General Conference is coming up soon and the speakers will all use a teleprompter. They will also deliver some wonderful and inspiring words.

The problem I have with Mr. Gerson's article is not the premise, it is the conclusion. Pres. Obama is not a great speaker. He sounds polished and can deliver a speech well, but he has no substance. The "great speeches" he has delivered have not provided anything but great theatre. The only ideas I associate with Pres. Obama (after all his "great speeches") are hope and change, and his first months in office have soured those ideas. The teleprompter is a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is that Pres. Obama's speeches are flowery and vacuous. The great speeches of Lincoln and Churchill, the ones they tenderly and tenaciously crafted, contained great ideas and great substance. I cannot help but get the impression that Pres. Obama does use the teleprompter as a "crutch," not to avoid having to memorize the entire speech but to avoid having to spend too much time preparing it. I get the impression Pres. Obama thinks he could read the phone book off the teleprompter and his audience would be enraptured (which is probably, unfortunately true). At least Mr. Gerson and I agree on one thing: use of the teleprompter is not Pres. Obama's weakness.

2009-03-26T09:21:00.003-06:00

From all the stuff I have seen and heard, I am very interested in getting Mark Levin's new book, "Liberty & Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto." I read Mark Levin's "Men In Black" and it was a great book. I am sure this new one will be just as good.

Pres. Obama and Darfur

2009-03-25T09:06:00.003-06:00

Pres. Obama has a big test in front of him, as Michael Gerson explains the situation in Darfur. I will be very interested to see how Pres. Obama will deal with this possible, or likely, genocide. Mr. Gerson seems to believe that Pres. Obama has some "diplomatic capital" that can be used to help this situation. I am not so sure. I hope Pres. Obama is up for this task, for the sake of the people in Darfur. I am sure of what Pres. Obama's first step will be: blame Pres. Bush for leaving the situation in such a mess.

That Hurts

2009-03-20T09:35:00.003-06:00

As usual, Prof. Hugh Hewitt delivers a great post about Pres. Obama's initial efforts in the office of POTUS. It is well worth the read, as are the links Prof. Hewitt provides. On the bright side for Pres. Obama, I thought he looked really good on the Tonight Show. That was a great suit.

Media Cover

2009-03-20T08:28:00.005-06:00

I watched Pres. Obama on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night. First of all, I must say that I think it is a little weird to see the POTUS on a talk show promoting his administration in the same way a second-rate actor would be on a talk show promoting their latest movie. Plus, Pres. Obama is not really funny. The other thing I found weird about the interview was that the audience was so eager to laugh and applaud that they laughed at just about anything that came out of Pres. Obama's mouth. I do not mind that the POTUS is not a great comedian, it is just weird that so many people would respond that way. I think the President knows he has that ability because there were numerous times the President would say something like "I think the American people know..." and it was almost like the audience would listen and respond, "Yes, that is what I think." Luckily, there are a lot of people that do not let a charismatic President tell them what they think. And finally, even when Pres. Obama makes a mistake, the media is right there to cover for him. Pres. Obama's apology for the "Special Olympics" remark is nice and I believe sincere, but it is just one more example of the media bias. If Pres. Bush had made a comment like that, the media would have savaged him to no end, apology or not. And I think the sad thing is that since these two Presidents get such different treatment, there are opportunities we miss out on. For example, I would actually be curious to know what Pres. Bush's thoughts would be about the fun and "coolness" of being President. However, the media would have trivialized and complained if Pres. Bush had lowered himself to such inane reflections, especially during a financial crisis, but Pres. Obama is celebrated for his inane comments and glossy answers.

Which brings me to my last point: I think Jay Leno is a conservative in hiding. Since no one reads this blog (except my mom), I am not worried about "outing" Mr. Leno, but he asked some very interesting questions that I think betray some real common sense, conservative beliefs. For example, Mr. Leno's question about Congress passing a law to tax certain individuals they do not like is clearly directed at an obvious abuse of power. Also, Mr. Leno quipped about the country being 1 trillion dollars in debt, but the funny thing was that Pres. Obama did not even blink at that comment. Incidentally, Pres. Obama did not really respond to Mr. Leno's concern about Congress abusing the tax power. Maybe he intends to sign the bill from Congress.

Waiting to Strike Socialism

2009-03-19T09:19:00.002-06:00

The interesting thing to me is that it took me a minute to find this story today. I did not see it prominently displayed among my usual news sources, although I did see that Pres. Obama will be appearing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight. Pres. Obama has announced his socialist ideals in that he wants the government to "seize troubled companies," as the Associated Press describes it. I guess Pres. Obama has decided that the outrage over the AIG bonuses is the right time to declare that the government can run these companies better, despite the fact that the government has not demonstrated the ability to run the government.

Pres. Obama's Bracket

2009-03-18T13:40:00.002-06:00

The Associated Press reports on Pres. Obama's picks for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, including the indication that the POTUS will likely be watching a lot of the tournament. I have to admit that at first this article irritated me. What is the President doing picking a bracket and watching the tournament in the depths of an economic crisis? Then I realized that I was not upset that the President was watching the tournament, partly because I hope to be able to do some of the same myself, but I was upset about the incredible bias of the media. Pres. Obama makes bracket picks and it is a fun piece. If this had been Pres. Bush, the media would have savaged him for not working on the current crisis, for being lazy, and my personal favorite, for being stupid. I will have to root for someone other than North Carolina because I do not want to see the headlines that claim the Tarheels were inspired to win the tournament based on Pres. Obama's confidence in them.

Sad But True

2009-03-16T13:12:00.003-06:00

Dwayne Horner writes a great article that expresses an idea I have been trying to articulate for a while. Hat tip to Mr. Horner for getting it done, and done well. The point is simple but sad. We as a people are all too willing to give up our freedoms, or exchange our personal responsibilities, for more government and the promise that the government will take care of us. We simply want to out-source management of our lives to something or someone else. And there are those individuals who are all too willing to accept (and abuse) the power given to them. I am not much for doomsayers and Chicken Littles, but I will say that I think we need to really clean house in government. What could possibly be so bad about throwing out every politician we currently have and starting over with someone new and different? The established corruption simply runs too deep. Both parties practice it and they protect each other in practicing it. The bottom line is that I am sick of both Republicans and Democrats. I want government to leave me alone, or at least be reigned back in to the level of power intended by the Founders.

2009-03-11T10:00:00.002-06:00

I was very pleased to see this article by Nathan Tabor because at least someone in Washington is still praying. I really appreciated the reference to Abraham Lincoln and the "sweet comfort" that Pres. Lincoln received upon realizing that God was mindful and involved. For all the comparisons between Pres. Obama and Pres. Lincoln that are being made, a penchant for prayer is one I have not read.

2009-03-10T11:48:00.003-06:00

This article by Lorie Byrd provides a great summary of Pres. Obama's "accomplishments" thus far in office. I do think that history will show that Pres. Obama had one of the worst starts as president in the history of this great nation. I am not sure why I see any headlines right now with respect to Pres. Obama that do not mention the economy. The economy simply has to be Pres. Obama's focus right now, yet I seem to see him trying to accomplish everything at once.

Government Solutions

2009-03-05T13:22:00.002-07:00

This article in today's Wall Street Journal demonstrates what happens when Congress tries to "fix" the problem of toxins in children's items. Remember, now Congress and Pres. Obama want to "fix" the health care industry.

More Politics of Fear

2009-03-05T10:19:00.002-07:00

I do not understand why Pres. Obama would need to "fix" the health care system right now. (HT: Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar) The Obama administration has demonstrated absolutely no ability to fix anything, in fact, just the opposite. (HT: Hugh Hewitt) I would agree with Hugh Hewitt that if Congress can pass one simple law like CPSIA, the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, and blindly walk into the sea of unintended consequences that resulted, how quickly and extensively could Congress destroy the health care industry in this country? And why would Pres. Obama need to do this now? Could it be that Pres. Obama already feels his political capital slipping away?

The Emperor Has No Clothes

2009-03-04T12:35:00.002-07:00

This is a great article by Michael Medved talking about the contradictions in recent polls. Everyone thinks Pres. Obama is a great man and do not want to criticize him personally, but few people really agree he is leading the country in the right direction. It is very interesting to see this and I hope the confusion leaves soon. I dare say it will, but still not soon enough.

There Is No Recession

2009-03-04T09:23:00.002-07:00

I do not believe there is a recession, and we are certainly not getting close to a Great Depression. I do not believe we have serious economic difficulties because I do not want to believe that our Congress, from top to bottom, would push through so many earmarks and payouts not related to stimulus at a time when the economy was in trouble. I read stories about the amazing amount of earmarks in Congress' latest bill here and here, and how Pres. Obama is going to break a campaign promise and sign a bill full of earmarks, and I just cannot believe that Congress would be so incredibly irresponsible in the midst of a crisis. This is like kicking us when we are down. This is like a professional team running up the score on a JV high school team.

Now that I think about it, I can believe that Congress would do such a thing. Congress is full of a bunch of self-important entitlement idiots (minus a few notable exceptions like Sen. Feingold and Sen. McCain as mentioned in the news reports). I think there is one clear answer: any member of Congress, or the Obama administration, that would insert an earmark into a "stimulus" bill at a time of economic crisis should lose their job as a representative of the people at the very first opportunity. They should be impeached or otherwise removed, or they should be voted out of office. Of course, I will believe that people are actually concerned about this enough to vote them out of office when I see that happen. I will not be holding my breath.

Must Read

2009-03-02T09:47:00.002-07:00

John Hinderaker at PowerLine has posted an amazing article that should be read by everyone concerned at all about Pres. Obama's current budget, including the two people who read this blog. (HT: Hugh Hewitt) This is truly an example of fantastic analysis and reporting. This is the kind of writing that makes it clear why it is hard to argue with facts. Not to mention, it clearly exposes the incredible bias the mainstream media has for Pres. Obama. The facts simply support no other conclusion.

The Administration of Oz

2009-02-26T10:47:00.002-07:00

I have to admit that when I first started reading this article by Bob Burney I thought the start was stupid. Then I thought about it for a moment and realized Mr. Burney was making some great points. His analogy was very insightful. We have been thrust into the land of Oz. I really enjoyed his article and I hope he is right. I would even carry his analogy one step further by saying that the problems everyone wanted solved by the Wizard were actually solved by themselves, their own independent perseverance and determination, as they went through the various trials on the way to see the Wizard. I do think there is a good lesson in there for all of us.

Pork Plant Workers

2009-02-25T11:47:00.003-07:00

I was hoping this headline referred to Congress. I am glad these pork plant workers are feeling a little better, but it appears there is no hope in sight for Congress.

Pres. Obama's Surge

2009-02-20T09:33:00.003-07:00

It has not received must press attention at all, but Pres. Obama has authorized and called for a surge of troops into Afghanistan. I wanted to find a "big name" source to link to for this story, and there may be one somewhere, but it simply was not easy to find. Instead, I have a nice link to a Rockford, Illinois news station story that mentions the surge. The good news is that I also have a commentary on the story by Oliver North. You can read both and decide for yourself which story actually contains some useful information, analysis and reporting.

I cannot help but wonder what all the liberals who were so happy to vote for Pres. Obama think about this surge, or closing Guantanamo (maybe, in a year), or all the other far-left promises made by Pres. Obama that have not come to pass. The liberals I know are incredibly quick to blame Bush for all war-related casualties and problems. They were also very happy Pres. Obama would of course bring an end to war. Now that Pres. Obama is actually increasing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, I wonder if they are still happy. The press and my liberal friends are relatively silent on this matter.

Un B Lievable

2009-02-14T12:43:00.002-07:00

This article from the Washington Post is just too much to take. The praise heaped on Pres. Obama and his "leadership" to get the stimulus bill passed is just amazing. Not only does the article declare the passage of the bill one of the greatest victories for any president, let alone a president in office a mere three weeks, but it also explains why Pres. Obama has made such mistakes picking cabinet members and staff - he is just so focused on this stimulus bill. Passage of the stimulus bill is apparently already enough to declare that, according to Speaker Pelosi, "The American people know, and historians are judging, that this is one remarkable president." Really? Passage of the biggest spending bill in the history of the U.S., which other news sources are declaring a disaster that could also spark a trade war, is already enough for history to declare this one of the greatest presidential victories ever? And what was the achievement? Pres. Obama convinced an overwhelming majority of Democrats in both houses of Congress, and a trio of "Republicans," to spend incredible amounts of money? That sounds like convincing Michael Moore he wants to eat another dozen donuts.

I am not sure I can stomach four years of this adoration, even worship.

Obama's Surge

2009-02-12T15:56:00.002-07:00

It appears Pres. Obama is going to send as many as 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. The final decision, including the number of troops sent, is a few days away. However, I am willing to bet that this "surge" will be really popular and a huge success right from the start. One thing I must say is that at least Pres. Obama seems willing to learn from some of Pres. Bush's experiences.

Regretfully Agree

2009-02-12T15:14:00.002-07:00

I think Ann Coulter can have a good idea and a good message, but I also think she usually tries to make her point too aggressively, and sometimes just rude. I understand that though because she wants to sell books and articles and I understand that right now, snarky comments and mild insults seem to sell really well on both sides of the political spectrum. However, I do not discount the content of a good message when it is there. Ms. Coulter is correct that we have now become more of a socialist society than any other time previously. I hate to admit it, but I think the term "socialist-democracy" would fit all too well with America right now. I simply do not understand why there are so many people that purposefully want to relinquish their personal responsibilities, and accordingly their person freedoms, to the government. What makes them think, or believe (if I may use that "religious" term, especially in connection with the current administration), that the government can and will do a better job of taking care of their needs and wants than they will. I am afraid we will now pay the price for having the larger portion of voting Americans fit that description.

Conspiracy Theory

2009-02-12T15:07:00.002-07:00

I am not much for conspiracy theories, but I have to admit that this article by Diana West has some interesting questions. If the economy was "attacked" in some way, I would certainly like to know about it. Maybe there is a way to put an earlier safeguard that will prevent things from getting as far as they did. Then again, maybe there is not much to this article. Hopefully, time will tell.

The So-Called Stimulus Plan

2009-01-29T09:27:00.003-07:00

"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we ever
spent before and it does not work."
-Henry Morganthau, Treasury Secretary of the U.S., May 1939

I think this quote says about everything there is to say about Congress', or the Democrats' "stimulus" plan. The only thing this plan is going to stimulate is a bunch of Democratic supporters. Not a single Republican in the House voted for this bill and I am glad to hear that. I hope the Senate will at least follow suit.

Constitutional Thoughts

2008-12-19T14:32:00.004-07:00

The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall
be removed from Office on Impeachment for and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery,
or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

This is Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution, the Impeachment Clause, and I have been thinking about this lately. The "high Crimes and Misdemeanors" phrase is more of a "catch-all" to include any offense the House and Senate deem worthy of impeachment. However, the Founding Fathers were clear that two deeds not to be tolerated by officers of the United States were treason and bribery. One of the things I find interesting about how bribery is included is that it does not specify the direction, or in other words, it may apply to both the person offering a bribe or the person accepting a bribe.

Obviously, we are still at the beginning of the scandal involving Mr. Blagojevich, but it does raise some interesting issues. Did someone representing "The Office of the President-Elect" offer Mr. Blagojevich any sort of bribe? Since there really is no such office for the President-Elect and the Impeachment Clause is generally considered not to apply to members of Congress, did Senator Obama get lucky in that all this happened before he actually took the office of President of the United States? Does it matter that Article IV, Section 14 of the Illinois Constitution does not specifically condemn bribery?

Mostly, I am just curious about the fact that the U.S. Constitution is so clear that bribery is not to be tolerated. This is not about a President lying under oath or having sexual relations outside of marriage, which would be actions that would have to fit under the "high Crimes or Misdemeanors" category (thereby allowing Senators do debate whether such actions were really high crimes or misdemeanors). This about the President-Elect allegedly being connected to or condoning bribery, an action clearly not to be tolerated by officers of the United States under the Constitution.

Constitutional Thoughts

2008-12-12T09:31:00.003-07:00

The people will be represented; they ought therefore to choose the
representatives. The requisites in actual representation are that the
representatives should sympathize with their constituents; should think as they
think; and feel as they feel; and that for these purposes should even be
residents among them.
-George Mason

This comment from George Mason, Constitutional Convention delegate from Virginia, was supposed to describe the right of the people based on Article 1, Paragraph 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution. The people had the right to be represented by someone like them, who lived in the similar circumstances with them. I cannot help but feel that this right is all but gone. I will say that I think there are numerous representatives that can claim to follow this idea, but the majority do not seem to understand it in the least. The idea of politics as a profession would probably have struck the Founders as odd. Yet that is all we seem to have at this point. Professional politicians do not seem capable of understanding the circumstances and intentions of the people they represent because they appear too focused on their own goals and ambitions.

The Beginning of Real Peace

2008-12-05T09:23:00.002-07:00

Charles Krauthammer at the Washington Post pens a great article about the new security agreement between Iraq and the US. (HT: Hugh Hewitt) I think the largest point to take from this is that Iraq is turning into one of our biggest allies in the Middle East, and they are a democracy. This may very well be the biggest front in the war on terror because the Iraqis will be defending their freedom every day and providing an example to the rest of the Middle East that terrorism can be repelled and defeated, and freedom is available.

On a separate but related note, I think Pres. Bush's legacy will look fantastic in about 20 years, if not sooner.

Time Will Tell

2008-12-04T13:39:00.003-07:00

This article by Paul Weyrich is very interesting. Apparently, there was proof that Saddam Huessin was planning to produce weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, but Pres. Bush and the people who knew about it kept quiet until the material could be safely removed from within the terrorists' striking distance. How will history judge Pres. George W. Bush? I dare say time will be much kinder than his current critics. Of course, that would not take much.

Calling for Restraint

2008-12-02T12:10:00.002-07:00

Bret Stephens pens a great article supporting the idea that the media should exercise restraint, because someone may actually believe what is written or broadcast. I agree with Mr. Stephens that the media should do a better job of reporting the facts, instead of making everything a crisis of epic proportions. I also agree that it is amazing how the medial will basically accept anything claimed by dubious sources as long as it can be used to criticize the US, but will evaluate and scrutinize, and even twist, every statement from the government. The bottom line is I am tired. I am tired of always having the sky falling down on me.

Constitutional Thoughts

2008-11-28T11:52:00.002-07:00

But neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the
liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.
He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most
to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will
not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a
wise and virtuous man."
-Samuel Adams

I find this statement interesting for many reasons. To begin with, it is not the Constitution or our laws that do the most to secure our liberty; it is our virtue. Accordingly, the truest friend of liberty, or the most patriotic, promotes and practices the best virtues of the country and himself. It stands to reason that the truest leader of the country, or best leader of the country, would be that person that best promotes virtue and wisdom. And we should all do our best to make sure that our leaders meet that standard.

Course Correction

2008-11-28T11:41:00.002-07:00

I have decided that I am going to make a little bit of a change of course for this blog. My goal will be simple, I want to try and take the opportunities presented by current events to try and teach a little bit about the Constitution and the intent of the Founding Fathers. This will not be a big change, but I have been reading quite a bit about the Constitution lately and it fascinates me when compared to current events and how we view government, especially federal government. I will still do some of the other things I have done in the past, like comment about interesting articles I find, but I definitely want to add something that is more my own creation. I will use the broad subject of Constitutional Thoughts to highlight my attempts. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. Thanks.

Positives About The Economy

2008-11-25T12:34:00.002-07:00

Mr. Lawrence Kudlow has an interesting article about Pres.-Elect Obama and the economy. I find this very encouraging and very interesting. Encouraging because I do think some smart people chosen by Pres.-Elect Obama will make good decisions that will make the financial problems be as short as possible. Interesting because it is amazing how Pres.-Elect Obama can run a campaign and get elected based on so much talk about liberal ideas, but as soon as he really starts making decisions, they are center-right, conservative decisions.

Missed Opportunity

2008-11-20T15:33:00.002-07:00

Not surprisingly, Mitt Romney has the best prescription for what ails Detroit auto manufacturers, and similar businesses. It would obviously be hard, bitter medicine, but that is exactly what is needed. Unfortunately, you do not win elections telling voters they will have to sacrifice certain comforts in order for things to run correctly, honestly, and well. Now would certainly be a great time to have someone with Romney's business acumen heading to the White House. Oh well, I can still dream.

Perhaps Ignorance Is Bliss

2008-11-18T15:35:00.002-07:00

This link confirms some of my worst fears (H/T Matt Lewis). The lesser of my fears has to do with the way the media protected Sen. Obama during the campaign, down-playing every story that had Sen. Obama in a negative light or may have hurt his campaign. My greater fear is the willful ignorance of so many people. I do not think these people are unintelligent, just uninformed and perhaps uninterested in finding both sides of the story. Sure the media plays a role in that, but if people demanded more facts and wanted to learn more information, they would find a way to do it and the media would respond. I think the proof of that is the incredible popularity of conservative talk radio, and correspondingly conservative television. Fox News is vilified by liberal outlets, but it is also the ratings leader.

Gov. Palin's Actual Record

2008-11-14T13:22:00.002-07:00

This article from Matt Lewis reminds me of why I am so frustrated with everyone. I am frustrated with the media because they distorted things so badly in order to portray Gov. Palin as a social conservative, borderline fanatic. I am frustrated with Republicans because they did not combat that enough with the truth. I am frustrated with "experts" in the Republican and Democratic party that refuse to see the truth about why people supported Gov. Palin. She is a true fiscal conservative in a time when that seems non-existent.

Details on Bailout

2008-11-14T11:38:00.002-07:00

Charles Krauthammer has an interesting article about some details of the bailout. I must admit that the more and more I hear about it, the less I like the bailout. Still, I am torn. Mr. Krauthammer's analogy that the finance sector is like a utility service makes some sense and I would still hesitantly support the bailout for the financial sector, however, I would definitely not be happy about a bailout for the auto industry or the airlines. I do think there has to be a point where you let businesses fail, even big businesses.

Pres. Bush Shows Class

2008-11-11T15:39:00.003-07:00

I really enjoyed this article on many levels. The Associated Press has an article actually complimenting Pres. Bush on the transfer of power to Pres.-Elect Obama. I enjoyed this article because it does do a good job of pointing out the great lengths to which Pres. Bush is going in order to make the transition of power as smooth as possible. It even has some praise for Pres. Bush for making sure the transition is polite and effectual. Another part I love about the article is how the AP cannot just leave it at that. The AP makes a point of proclaiming that Pres. Bush's class and professionalism as an outgoing President will not help his "legacy." Pres. Bush is leaving office, never to return, and leaving with style and grace, but that is not good enough for the AP. They have to make sure his memory, his "legacy," is appropriately tarnished. Pres. Bush is setting the example, doing everything he can to be gracious and professional, and the AP has to make sure they get in a jab, a Parthian Shot of sorts.

The President-Elect's Stock Market

2008-11-06T11:14:00.002-07:00

First of all, I have to admit that I am no economics expert and the stock market is a mystery to me. Having said that, I have been trying to watch for indications of how the market would react to the election. I would have to say the articles I have seen are mixed. This article from the Los Angeles Times says something very interesting.

Obama's decisive victory didn't play a part in the market's slide, because it
had long been expected, analysts said. However, the sell-off underscored the
scramble taking place across Wall Street as investors attempt to figure out how
his presidency would affect business and the economy.

So Sen. Obama's victory has nothing to do with the drop in the market, and investors do not know how his presidency will affect business. Could it be that investors are uncertain, or at least not optimistic, about Sen. Obama's presidency and are therefore staying out of the market? The Los Angeles Times would never admit to that.

Some Good News

2008-11-05T14:29:00.002-07:00

This is why I love to read Victor Davis Hanson. Just reading his article lets you know that this is someone who knows what he is talking about. He is pragmatic and direct. And yes, we still live in the best country on the planet. I am even confident we will survive Pres. Obama.

Analysis

2008-11-05T09:04:00.002-07:00

There will certainly be plenty of people ready to give their analysis of what actually happened this election. Did Gov. Palin help or hurt Sen. McCain's chances? What could Sen. McCain have done better? Where does the GOP go from here? As is often the case, the best explanation I heard came from an analyst on Fox's morning news show. I think Sen. Obama's supporters really wanted to vote for Sen. Obama, while Sen. McCain's supporters were split on voting to elect Sen. McCain and trying to prevent the election of Sen. Obama. The bottom line is that it is easier to get people to vote for someone they want to vote for as opposed to convincing people to vote for one candidate so the other candidate does not get elected.

Historic Election

2008-11-05T08:57:00.002-07:00

One thing that cannot be denied is the historic nature of this election. The first African-American President of the United States will be a huge note in history for the duration of this country, and rightly so. I certainly hope and pray that Pres. Obama will be a tremendous President that does a lot of good.

On a separate note, the shock of the election for me was in Minnesota. Al Franken almost upset Sen. Norm Coleman. It was shown that Mr. Franken cheated on his taxes and has written pornography, yet the voters in Minnesota almost elected him a Senator to represent them. The margin is so close that I am confident a recount will ensue, and so this result may not be final yet. If Mr. Franken ends up being a Senator, I will be even more surprised, but I am stunned enough as it is.

I Am So Happy

2008-11-04T21:36:00.002-07:00

I am so happy because so many wonderful things are about to happen. Finally, the rest of the world will respect us, and probably even like us. Finally, this country will no longer be considered racist, and racial problems will cease. Finally, the poor and the middle-class will be better off, and health care will be available to everyone. Finally, the seas will rise again and the earth will begin to heal.

On second thought, I am not going to hold my breath. I will say congratulations to the Democrats. Sen. Obama is President-elect Obama. This is obviously a big victory for them. I do hope and pray they use it well.

Good News

2008-11-04T09:47:00.003-07:00

I am also seeing a lot of reports talking about record turnouts for voters today. I think this is great news. I am still (relatively) confident that if enough people actually get out and vote, we will get the best possible result. At the very least, I think we will get the government we deserve.

Voting and Results

2008-11-04T09:17:00.002-07:00

I already voted today and I have to admit that it felt just a little good to vote knowing that I was at least trying to do my part in a very small way. I highly recommend it.

Many of the stories I have read this morning talk about ignoring the "news reports" (HT: Bill Dyer) that talk about how the election is basically already over. Also, ignore all the exit poll results you hear. I think this is going to be a lot closer than the media wants people to believe. At the very least, it will be interesting. Enjoy your day.

Importance of Information

2008-11-03T17:05:00.002-07:00

This is another example of why I am so disappointed in the media. I am convinced that if everyone knew about this, there is no way Sen. Obama would be elected. (HT: Bill Dyer a/k/a Beldar). Who would elect a man that has made it clear he would "bankrupt" any portion of the economy, let alone the coal industry? Who would elect a man that admits his plan would cause electricity costs to "skyrocket"? I am afraid that if we do elect Sen. Obama, we will get what we deserve.

My Prediction

2008-11-03T15:58:00.004-07:00

My prediction for the election is simple, and comes from a movie line. Mr. T in Rocky III has my prediction summed up nicely. PAIN. Election night will be painful. No matter who wins it will be painful. If Sen. Obama wins, my pain will be rooted in the uncertainty and dread of the direction his presidency would take this country. If Sen. McCain wins, my pain will be watching the complaining and griping, the calls of racism and other forms of hatred that will inevitably come from the left. Not to mention the pain of not feeling like either candidate is someone I would truly want to lead this country. I will need to have a treat or something while I watch the returns tomorrow.

Protect and Preserve v. Use and Abuse

2008-10-30T13:56:00.002-06:00

A couple of ideas have finally come together for me. I can be explain what it is about Sen. Obama that really worries me. Before I go further, I should also admit that this same idea worries me with respect to many others, both liberal and conservative. The idea is simply the attitude one has about the Constitution. Do you really want to protect and preserve the Constitution, or do you want to use it and abuse it to reach your self-determined goals. The Constitution is the single greatest charter developed by man for establishing freedom and liberty for men ever developed. The Constitution provides a system whereby men can live as free as justly possible, while still providing enough governmental power and involvement to do those things that only a strong government can do that individuals cannot. That is the balance we are continually striving to preserve. Tipping the balance too far in one direction leads toward anarchy, while tipping the balance in the other direction leads toward tyranny.

Laura Hollis makes a great point with which I tend to agree. Sen. Obama is not worried about Constitutional restraints, and in fact sees them as obstacles to be overcome. However, I think he knows that he cannot simply bull through them; that would be too obvious. Bill Dyer provides another important piece to this puzzle by pointing out that after Sen. Obama realized the Supreme Court did not, and could not, go beyond the Constitution to achieve the goal Sen. Obama deemed important, "redistributive change," something else was needed to achieve this goal. That something else is a "coalition of power." This "coalition of power" is described as the Executive and Legislative branches working together to achieve this purpose, this extra-Constitutional purpose.

Now we see that Sen. Obama, with the help of Sen. Pelosi and Sen. Reid, may be only a week away from essentially achieving that "coalition of power" and being within sight of genuine "redistributive change." I am not so much worried about Sen. Obama shredding the Constitution as much as I am worried about him using it, because the Constitution is not really what prevents abuses of power. The voice of the people demanding and electing those people that will actually defend and protect the Constitution and govern accordingly, as opposed to those that would govern with an eye toward abusing the system in place, that is what really prevents an abuse of power by government.

Story Seeking Audience

2008-10-29T09:49:00.002-06:00

I have really enjoy Beldar a/k/a Bill Dyer guest posting at Hugh Hewitt's website. He has an interesting post about Sen. Obama's campaign finance practices. From the sound of it, this is a huge story that should be on the front page of every major newspaper. However, it is more difficult to find than stories about Gov. Palin's wardrobe. Sen. Obama needs to be held accountable for his campaign finance practices, but no one is going to question the messiah. The extent to which the mainstream media covers for Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden is truly amazing.

Chicago Politics

2008-10-28T17:51:00.002-06:00

I find this article by Eric Zorn in the Chicago Tribune very interesting. He gives 8 reasons why Sen. Obama will lose the election. There are a couple reasons there that I do not think will have much to do with the election, for example, "too much defense," "more dismissive than responsive," and not focusing on McCain's relationship with Renzi. I think these are marginal at best. Mr. Zorn mentions "Bittergate," but I think this misses the point, at least the current point. I do think Sen. Obama's comment about people in Pennsylvania being bitter does and will hurt him, but who does not know about Joe the Plumber and Sen. Obama's "share the wealth" comment? This is much more damaging, but somehow absent from Mr. Zorn's list. I will say that Mr. Zorn gets it right that Sen. Biden's comment(s) have not helped Sen. Obama. I am not sure there is a VP candidate that has done more damage to their own ticket than Sen. Biden. However, in my final comment, I have to take issue with Mr. Zorn's eighth reason why Sen. Obama will not win. Mr. Zorn claims race is a big factor, so big in fact that if Sen. Obama had all these same issues, but were white, the presidential race would not even be close because Sen. Obama would win easily. I am sorry, but I find this very hard to believe, and a bit offensive. For one thing, I think Sen. McCain and most people I know have focused on the issues and not on race at all. Second, I resent the implication that simply because someone does not vote for Sen. Obama they must be racist. To paraphrase my favorite comedian, Dennis Miller, with regard to race, "Why dislike someone based on the color of their skin when you can take some time, talk to them, get to know them better, and probably come up with a really good reason to dislike them?" I certainly have reasons why I would not like Sen. Obama (or for that matter Sen. McCain) to be the next President of the United States, and none of them have to do with the color of his skin.

The French View

2008-10-28T09:09:00.003-06:00

The French President, THE FRENCH, thinks Sen. Obama is "utterly immature" when it comes to his view of Iran. Moreover, Sen. Obama's formulations are "empty of all content." First of all, that is a very correct observation. Second, I think the French can certainly recognize surrender when they see it. Even the French think Sen. Obama has a bad foreign policy. The UN Security Council may have to rely on the French to be part of a reasoned approach. I certainly hope we do not get to a point where I have to write that the French have a stronger foreign policy than the US.

George Soros

2008-10-24T14:37:00.002-06:00

This article by Mr. Rahn explains why George Soros should be considered an enemy of the U.S. This man should be no where near any U.S. economic interest, let alone discussing such matters with politicians.

messiah

2008-10-24T10:55:00.004-06:00

I refuse to use a capital letter when referring to Sen. Obama as the messiah, however, I have to admit that the reference is very prevalent. It concerns me a great deal. Oliver North has a very interesting article about this phenomenon associated with Sen. Obama. I have seen a picture of a group of people gathered around Sen. Obama in an attitude of prayer with Sen. Obama in the middle of the group and each individual reaching out as if hoping just to be able to touch Sen. Obama. The kids in the matching blue shirts singing about the change Sen. Obama is going to bring and how he will save us concerns me. Why are people so anxious to believe that Sen. Obama will herald a new, different type of government and save all of us from ourselves? As Mr. North mentions in the article, unmet expectations are the greatest source of anger on this planet, and Sen. Obama can never live up to the expectations he has encouraged.

Also, I am reading The Making of America by W. Cleon Skousen. The title of the book is quite literal. When the book is discussing the things Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army had to endure while fighting for their "country" because Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, was so powerless and the States so disinterested, the resultant idea had by "Americans" surprised me. The Continental Army wanted to establish a king, specifically George I. Of course, George Washington turned them down and turned the tide of this idea. In the same position, which Presidential candidate do you think would do the same? Reading about the beginning of this country, both the political and financial absolute turmoil, is very interesting and very applicable today. It is clear how far we as a nation have fallen when we really look at the founding principles upon which this nation was built, and for which a precious few gave their "Lives," "Fortunes," and "sacred Honor."

Voting Reports

2008-10-23T09:39:00.002-06:00

This is good advice from Beldar a/k/a Bill Dyer. Reports regarding early voting in key state are based only on speculation and cannot be trusted. Take heart and treat your vote as if it is important because it is. I am actually planning to vote early this year, just to avoid the lines. However, I know of at least one person who is not going to vote early because "that is what Obama wants." I can see how Sen. Obama would want that based on his own mis-statements and those from Sen. Biden that seem to occur regularly. Voting early will help make sure those people inclined to support Sen. Obama have already made their choice before Sen. Biden says something else that will convince more people not to vote for their ticket. I hope Sen. Biden has three speaking engagements a day scheduled from now until Nov. 3.

Harassing Mormons

2008-10-22T10:39:00.002-06:00

The Article VI Blog with Lowell Brown and John Schroeder has a fantastic post with detailed accounts of the way those people opposing Prop. 8 in California are harassing Mormons. As you may know, Prop. 8 in California is the attempt to amend that state's Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Earlier this year, the California State Supreme Court decided by a 4-3 vote that a previous mandate from the people of California violated the state's Constitution by defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The only recourse left to the people of California is to amend their Constitution, which it looks like they will be able to do by voting Yes on Prop. 8. Those voting No on Prop. 8 have now sunk to new lows to intimidate people into not supporting Prop. 8. The part that really disappoints me the most is that Mormons opposing Prop. 8 are helping to make sure Mormons supporting Prop. 8 can be intimidated and ridiculed more easily. So much for "being one."

Why I Love the Internet

2008-10-21T17:51:00.002-06:00

Again, this is one of the reasons I love the internet. Guy Benson and Mary Katherine Ham, along with Ed Morrissey, team up and provide all the information about Sen. Obama you could possibly want to know. All the information is provided right there for you to review and evaluate, complete with links to source materials, which makes arguing the facts pointless. This is a great service provided in the article. Bottom line: do not vote for Sen. Obama.

Double Standard

2008-10-17T15:39:00.002-06:00

As usual Charles Krauthammer writes a great piece about the double standard applied to Sen. McCain. My favorite point is how Sen. Obama's campaign has even managed to suggest that Pres. Clinton is a closet racist, and if they can succeed at that, they can do it to anyone. Sen. McCain has actually been quite kind during this campaign and all he gets for it is attacks from Sen. Obama and complaints from his own party that he is not taking the campaign serious enough. Hopefully, this will be one instance where a nice guy can finish first.

The Backlash

2008-10-17T15:29:00.002-06:00

I usually do not like much of what Patrick J. Buchanan writes, but I have to admit that he has a point. Sen. Obama has certainly had to distance himself from a lot of people and policies that actaully got him where he is right now. If Sen. Obama becomes Pres. Obama, either voters will feel betrayed, or the people in his background will feel betrayed. The price of betrayal will be very expensive for all of us.

Taking Your Eye Off the Joe

2008-10-16T16:57:00.003-06:00

I have seen numerous articles today about "Joe the Plumber." For examples, see here and here and here. By my count, there are approximately 2,500 stories out there about "Joe the Plumber." But I think all these stories miss the most relevant and important point in the exchange between Sen. Obama and "Joe." Sen. Obama stated, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." That is the point. That is the difference between Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain. If you want Sen. Obama to spread the "wealth" around, then vote for him. If not, then vote for Sen. McCain. See how easy this election stuff is? All you need are the real facts. David Strom does a great job of explaining why "spreading the wealth around" DOES NOT WORK.

Obama At Your Fingertips

2008-10-16T10:03:00.003-06:00

This is one of the things I love about the internet, someone else does all this great work gathering a bunch of relevant information in one easy-to-find location, and we can all benefit from it. (HT: Beldar) Dan McLaughlin has gathered a lot of great information about Sen. Obama and made it available to anyone really interested. Enjoy a little or a lot, it is up to you.

Alarmist But Interesting

2008-10-16T09:58:00.002-06:00

Laura Hollis has a very interesting article about classifying Sen. Obama correctly, not as a liberal or even a socialist, but a communist. It does have an alarmist tone, but as John Adams said, "Facts are stubborn things." The facts in this article are certainly hard to argue.

Obama and Economics

2008-10-15T16:11:00.002-06:00

I have heard this idea repeated numberous times, but this article by Mona Charen is the latest. The idea is very simple to follow. After the Wall Street panic of 1929, there were two things that the Hoover administration did after the panic that are believed to have caused the Great Depression. One was that taxes were raised, and the other was the imposition of protectionist trade policies. Sen. Obama has said he wants to raise taxes and implement protectionist trade policies. I do hate to sound alarmist, but yes, I am very afraid that if Sen. Obama becomes Pres. Obama, this country will experience some of the most difficult financial times in history.

Chilling, Follow Up

2008-10-14T14:52:00.002-06:00

Amanda Carpenter always does a great job of presenting the facts. She has certainly done it again in this article detailing Sen. Obama's position on abortion, and specifically, how infants that manage to survive an abortion are to be treated. On October 8, 2008, I posted a "Chilling" article about what practices Sen. Obama was defending and protecting. The proof that Sen. Obama did not tell the entire truth about his position is beyond dispute.

Panic or Trust

2008-10-13T17:25:00.001-06:00

The decision is really that easy. Terry Paulson has an interesting article about the "confidence" behind economics.

Wall Street and the Election

2008-10-13T17:15:00.003-06:00

Dick Morris and Eileen McGann have an interesting article about the effect of Wall Street on elections, a previous election and the upcoming election. I think the main idea is correct. It is difficult to determine where voters will place the most blame. Will it be on the Republicans having been in power for a good portion of the problem period and known stereotypically for being rich and selfish? Will it be on the Democrats having the current political power and known stereotypically for being tax and spend minded? It will certainly be an interesting election. May the least worst candidate win.

Cockeyed Optomist

2008-10-10T14:37:00.002-06:00

Maybe I am not very bright, and I would certainly admit that I do not understand the financial systems that make up our economy, but I am an optomist. It will take time, but I do believe the market will recover, and hopefully, we will learn something from all of this. This article by Lawrence Kudlow is just one of the reasons I am optomistic that things will change. Also, we all know life is full of "cycles." Things progress in cycles and that is what we have here. It will be a tough few months, and maybe even a tough year, but we will come out of this mess and hopefully be stronger for it. Of course, I still think we need to make sure we clean house and get rid of the corruption and selfish greed that plagues our politics and our businesses. But that is just opinion.

Source of Inspiration

2008-10-10T11:50:00.002-06:00

Brett Joshpe has really hit on something in this article. Why would Sen. Obama think we all need him to provide hope and change? Have we deteriorated so far that we look to government and politics as our main source of hope and inspiration, or worse yet, one individual? Politics is certainly the new religion, and it cannot fulfill those needs or measure up to those expectations. These are indeed scary times.

Context of Anger

2008-10-10T10:46:00.003-06:00

Rich Galen does a great job of giving context to the anger felt by many Americans, including myself. I am angry that my government is buying and/or bailing out all kinds of financial institutions. I am angry at the incomprehensible amount of greed and corruption present in politics and business. I am simply stunned. Is getting Congress and the government involved in this type of business a bad idea? Yes. But this problem runs so much deeper that it amazes me. Until something is done to address the corruption and greed, nothing, no bail-out bill or not bailing out businesses and mortgages, is going to fix the root problem.

I think too many people are looking at this from the wrong perspective. The financial system is not broken. The political system, or Constitution, is not broken. The problem is that we have way too many corrupt, selfish, short-sighted individuals managing and running programs in both systems. Until that changes, other changes will only be bandages on a wound that will not heal.

Rebellion, The Original Sin

2008-10-10T10:43:00.003-06:00

This article by Sandy Rios started off fine, and the subject is of some interest to me, but the ending was fantastic. The ending really made me think about a lot of issues from a very different perspective.

The Obama-Ayers Connection

2008-10-09T16:36:00.002-06:00

I think too many people are missing the point with the Sen. Obama - Ayers connection. It is more than just Sen. Obama's judgment about with whom he associates. It is about Sen. Obama helping Ayers achieve his objectives. Now obviously, Sen. Obama never helped Ayers when Ayers was with the Weather Underground planning domestic terrorism. However, Sen. Obama clearly helped Ayers promote socialist, liberal policies in the education of children in Illinois. See, articles by Stanley Kurtz here and here. The point is that Sen. Obama knew exactly what he was doing with the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

Live Blogging Hugh Hewitt

2008-10-09T16:30:00.003-06:00

It will be no surprise to people (or the person) who read this blog, but I am a big fan of Hugh Hewitt. It is worth it to hear the beginning of his show on Thursdays if for no other reason than to hear Mark Stein be interviewed. What a great interview about politics and the economy. One point Mr. Stein made that I thought was very interesting was that the current drop in the market could be based on a number of things: maybe this is the market's reaction to Congress attempting to bail out the market; or maybe this is the reaction to Sen. Obama leading in the polls and the predictions that he will win the Presidency.

Prof. Hewitt is also talking a lot about how the focus is turning to Congress and Democrats about the source of the current financial mess, and the negative effect this is having on Sen. Obama's campaign. It is always worth the time to listen to Hugh Hewitt. He is always very informative and relevant.

We Can Only Hope

2008-10-09T15:51:00.004-06:00

I know I have mentioned before that Congress is the governmental body everyone should be looking at right now, wondering what happened. An email from one of Hugh Hewitt's fans does a great job of detailing who should be held accountable and who should resign or be fired. I also love the part about how quickly members of Congress call for someone else's resignation without turning that analysis on themselves at all. I also hope Hugh Hewitt is correct about the focus and attitude of the country shifting with regard to Congress. I actually would not mind if Sen. Obama became President, as long as both Houses of Congress were over half full of responsible, intelligent individuals. Nothing scares me like Sen. Obama as President and the Democrats (Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid) leading both houses of Congress. No matter what the perception, Congress is still the strongest branch of government, as it should be. Unfortunately, I think its 9% approval rating is richly deserved, and I am talking about both Democrats and Republicans.

Chilling

2008-10-08T14:37:00.003-06:00

This article from Terence Jeffrey is chilling. I am sorry, but anyone gone that far in arguing for abortion rights has lost all sense of decency, justice and humanity. The facts with this article would be very hard to argue since it would all be publicly available with the Illinois legislature.

Prosperity Theology

2008-10-06T16:29:00.003-06:00

This article by R. Albert Mohler, Jr. provides a much-needed perspective. I have been meaning to post on something like this idea for quite a while, so this article gives me a great reason to do so. Also, I am going to make my comments from an "LDS perspective." The idea of "prosperity" is very common in the LDS church, based on certain references in the Book of Mormon linking prosperity to obedience. The problem with this idea has many facets. First, the Lord does not consider "prosperity" to be having a lot of worldly possessions and status. Second, LDS people "know" they are members of the only true and living church, which only feeds into this idea that obedience to the Lord's commandments will bring material prosperity. There are way too many stories and suggestions that paying your tithing will mean you are blessed with material prosperity. It is simply not completely true. Sometimes it may be true depending on the individual and what the Lord determines is best for that individual, but generally speaking, material prosperity is not promised by Scripture and any indication otherwise should be considered the exception and not the rule. Also, I think most people tend to associate being "blessed" in any way with attaining some material benefit. I think this only shows our tendency toward material matters as opposed to spiritual. Clearly, our focus should be on spiritual matters.

Patience and Confidence

2008-10-06T14:17:00.005-06:00

As anyone who is paying attention will tell you, the financial markets are still in a free-fall. From what I have read so far today, including this article, this should not be a surprise. Congress did not exactly act quickly to try and dispell fears with the market, and even after passing the bill, everyone, including the market, knows it will take some time to implement the programs. The market will not bounce back immediately upon passage of the bill. Another thing that bothers me about the market, and economics in general, is that it seems to be a confidence game as much as anything. The article I have linked has another link directed toward today's drop in the market stating "Stock Drop 'Strictly a Matter of Confidence.'" Apparently, all the "market" needs is a little confidence and it will rebound. Of course, I have read another opinion that one more factor the market may be considering is the real possibility that Sen. Obama, and Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, is elected and we end up with the most liberal government in history. The market may be reacting to that possibility by getting out of the market. Would the damage to the market, and the savings and 401(k) losses, have been better or worse without the passage of the bill. We may never know. I for one am glad Congress did pass the bill. Again, is it a good bill? NO IT IS NOT. It is a terrible bill, but it is the bill for having a Congress (Democrat and Republican) determined to enforce political correctness in the financial markets, and moreover the bill we pay for having a representative government (puns intended). Also, I would have to say that I am a bit worried about what would happen if the Democrats have a firm control of the White House and both houses of Congress. Generally, I believe the country and the Constitution to be pretty strong, but that much liberal ideology may be very tough to survive. Sort of like getting chemo for cancer when you really need diet and exercise. If you do not like the way the government is being run, get new people in there. I know that is easier said than done, but it is what needs to happen. We need people that are going to reward honesty and hard work, and punish fraud and deceit. Not to mention politicians that might actually put the good of the people they represent ahead of their own careers. Frankly, I am not going to hold my breath.

Ethics Makes a Comeback

2008-10-06T13:35:00.004-06:00

At least I hope that would be the headline in a few months. Ken Connor provides a great article that gets to the root of the problem, and it is not surprising to find dishonesty and greed at the root. We can all talk a lot about the problem a market may have, or the problems with the "system" or "politics," but the real problem comes from dishonesty and greed, individually and collectively. It does make perfect sense. Until the root problem is fixed, no action (or inaction) will fix the problem. We can bailout the market, or not bailout the market, but until we demand honesty and transparency in the financial market, and actively prosecute fraud, we will end up right back where we are right now. And again, we need to address is collectively and individually.

Worth the Read

2008-10-01T17:27:00.003-06:00

The article by A. Scott Loveless should be read by everyone (HT: Prof. Hugh Hewitt, so it probably has been read by just about everyone). I will warn you that it is a long article, but well worth the time and effort to read. I say "effort" because there are some relatively deep principles discussed in the article, but the understanding received by reading it is worth the effort. The explanation of the principles described in the Declaration of Independence is very important for anyone who really wants to understand the problem with same-sex marriage. The article is a great example of the importance of fighting and winning the "culture war." The bottom line is that we have lost our perspective on the true source of our individual rights and liberties, our responsibilities to each other, and ultimately our ability to experience and enjoy true freedom.

Weak Government and Small Men

2008-10-01T09:41:00.002-06:00

That is a good summary of this article by Michael Gerson. One of the things I like about this article is that it does a good job of explaining the real problem. Politicians putting their political career and self-interests ahead of the reality of the problem. Yes indeed, Republicans and Democrats are to blame for the incredible lack of any progress, or much of anything, from an aptly titled "do nothing" Congress. I know the market was up yesterday, and only slightly down to begin with today, but I dare say it is going to crater again if a bill does not get passed by the end of this week.

One More Thought

2008-09-30T08:26:00.003-06:00

I have recently learned that I do have at least one reader. Thank you. I must re-double my efforts and try to make this endeavor better each day. I think it will be fun.

Politician Formula

2008-09-30T08:10:00.002-06:00

Another interesting thought I have had yesterday and today is that politicians certainly have an interesting formula for dealing with this. If you are a politician, you know the American people are tired of the constant, reactionary bickering that prevails between Democrats and Republicans. You know we are tired of the blame game and the constant partisan fighting. You also know that this is a real financial crisis we are facing and if there was a time to set aside partisan fighting and petty selfishness, this would be that time. But you simply cannot resist. So being a politician, this is what you do. "The Republicans caused all these financial problems, and especially Pres. Bush, but we are going to pass this bill together and prevent a crisis and then make sure another one does not happen." "I cannot believe Sen. Pelosi made that speech that cost all those votes, but we need to work together and solve this problem." "Sen. Obama did not do anything to help bring more Democratic votes to the bill, but we need to move beyond politics and pass a bill that will help America." "Sen. McCain could not get a single representative from Arizona to approve the bill, but we need to come together as a Congress and pass this bill."

You see the formula? Blame (insert Democrat/Republican), but we need to stop fighting and work together. I am tired of the blaming and the fighting and I say a pox on both your houses.

I should say that most, but not all, of the politicians I have heard react in this way. There are a very limited few, Democrats and Republicans, that are more mature and serious, but it is a very limited few.

It is times like this that I am reminded of the words of John Adams.

... [W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with
human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition,
revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a
whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and
religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other.

Results

2008-09-30T07:56:00.003-06:00

Did you think the bailout was a bad idea? Then yesterday you got your wish. What was the result? The biggest loss in the market. . .ever . . . ever in history. That is big. The financial estimates I heard said about 1.1 trillion dollars in capital were lost yesterday. This is the amount lost because the bailout did not happen. I must say that 700 billion is a big number, but I think 1.1 trillion is bigger. And where did that 1.1 trillion come from? It came from ordinary people like you and me that have money in a 401(k) and other, similar investments. Can that 1.1 trillion come back? Sure, but it will probably take years to actually get it back, and that is if the bailout still happens.

Another financial analyst I heard said something I thought funny. Everyone is so upset that there are so many executives out there whose companies will go under, but their "golden parachutes" will basically protect them from the fallout. The funny part is that the bailout legislation had a provision against "golden parachutes," so by not passing the bill, Congress (and the public that told Congress not to pass the bill) saved those golden parachutes for the executives.

I also found it interesting that world markets reacted badly to the news that Congress did not bail out the financial market. I was a bit surprised to see the Australian Prime Minister on American TV asking Congress to pass the bill. Apparently, we are still the world economic leader, which is a thought that gives me pause.

The other good news for those that did not like the bailout bill is that any similar bill will certainly not be passed for a few more days. It will be interesting to see what the markets do in the meantime. This piece from the New York Times says stocks were mixed today, and even rebounded slightly. The interesting thing to me is the reason that was given: "The action of the markets reflected optimism that Congress will act this week to approve an economic rescue plan." I guess we will have to wait and see. I am not holding my breath.

To Bailout Or Not To Bailout

2008-09-29T18:29:00.002-06:00

As most Americans today, I have been trying to follow the information about the actions, or in-actions, of Congress with regard to the bailout. One of the best articles I have read about it is from Dean Barnett. Another great source in my opinion is Hugh Hewitt's blog (see blog list on this site) and all the links Prof. Hewitt provides. My bottom line is this. The "bailout" may not be an accurate description of the legislation because the bad loans the government would buy are "low" right now, but could very well rebound and even make taxpayers money when/if the real estate markets rebounds. The reason the government would buy these bad loans is to get them off the books of the various financial institutions and because the government is the only organization that can absorb and ride-out this type of bad investment. I also happen to think the government probably should do this since it was government action, specifically laws passed by Congress, that got us into this mess. The bottom line is that a lot of the real financial experts I have heard or read say we need to pass the legislation that would prevent this crisis, or lessen this crisis. As for the politicians, I think the Democrats and the Republicans are currently acting like children. This is the time to fix the problem, not try to fix the blame. I have seen too many Democrats and Republicans engaging in partisan fighting while a real problem grows and grows. Shame on them all.

McCain's Plan?

2008-09-26T12:35:00.002-06:00

If this plan works as described by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann, it would be quite the victory for Sen. McCain. It would also clearly demonstrate the difference between Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama. The election could become very interesting very quickly.

No Spin on Financial Crisis

2008-09-26T10:12:00.001-06:00

This article from Steven Pearlstein at the Washington Post is about as clear and concise as it gets with respect to the financial crisis. Congress needs to act, and act now.

Case Against Bailout

2008-09-25T16:07:00.003-06:00

Here is a great article about why we should not bailout the financial market. I wish I knew enough about economics to really know whether the bailout was a good idea or not. At times like this I tend to fall back on the idea that this is why we have a representative government and I will just have to deal with whatever decision the government officials make. Also, it looks like Congress may actually be agreeing to the bailout anyway, so I will just accept that. In some ways, I am not sure it makes much difference. I have no doubt that bailing out the financial markets will have negative consequences, and I also have no doubt that not bailing out the financial markets will have negative consequences. It is definitely a pick your poison choice. I do tend to doubt that the economy would simply collapse the way so many seem to predict. I do not want to believe the economy is that fragile.

The Other Side

2008-09-25T10:02:00.003-06:00

The tone of this article by Dan Balz at the Washington Post is amazing. The article does a relatively good job of presenting the opinions and views of both Democrats and Republicans, but there are a number of things that bother me. Does anyone really believe that the next President of the United States, be it Sen. McCain or Sen. Obama, is not needed in Washington right now to work out a response to the financial problems facing this country, especially since both candidates happen to be Senators with direct input regarding any bill proposed and because both are supposed to be the "leaders" of their respective parties? And why is Sen. McCain's decision an indication of being selfless or reckless, while Sen. Obama's reaction is clearly intended to "show calm" in a crisis? Perhaps most importantly, is there anyone who thinks a presidential candidate debate is more important than the looming financial crisis? I can only speak for myself, but it is hard to imagine someone being more worried about a possible debate as compared to a financial crisis, which is going to affect every American in one way or another even if it is averted today. On a lesser note, Republicans (anonymously) critical of Sen. McCain's decision are mentioned, but there are not any Democrats critical of Sen. Obama's reaction? Perhaps Mr. Balz missed Pres. Clinton defending Sen. McCain's request to postpone the debate. I do not get the opportunity to say this very often, so I will now. I like the fact that Pres. Clinton is not trying to find any reason possible to criticize Sen. McCain. Good job Pres. Clinton, at least in this respect.

McCain Is A Leader

2008-09-25T09:38:00.004-06:00

I think recent events show more than anything else why Sen. McCain should be the next president and Sen. Obama should remain Senator. I also think Bill Dyer, guest-posting at Hugh Hewitt's blog, may have the best explanation of those recent events. I have really enjoyed reading Mr. Dyer and having him with Prof. Hewitt makes Prof. Hewitt's blog a must-read even more than before.