Good Cop: Barack Obama
Bad Cop: Rev. Jeremiah Wright
I could be wrong. Or maybe I've become a conspiracy theorist. It just seems to me that the interplay between Barack Obama and his pastor (excuse me - make that former pastor) could possibly be one of the smartest and riskiest political ploys ever.
While the commentators I've heard on the radio and television are busy talking about Reverend Wright's treacherous undermining of Obama's campaign, I'm thinking to myself that this may be a devious and clever plot between the two of them. You know, the "wink, wink, nod, nod" type of plot.
Think about it a minute. Reverend Wright gets to continue his outrageous anti-American rhetoric, enjoying every minute of his brush with fame. Meanwhile, Barack Obama gets to simultaneously condemn and excuse his old friend. While Obama is reaping the benefits of taking the conciliatory middle road, Obama's core message (and life's work) is still given more media attention than money can buy.
OK, I could be wrong about this. Or maybe I've watched too many episodes of Law and Order, but this is a scenario that makes a lot of sense to me.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
An Idiot's Guide to Overcoming Poverty
"One doesn't tackle poverty, like a football player. One shows the way of escape and provides sufficient role models along with capital and moral land educational structures that serve as ladders so people who want to climb out of the hole can do so."
Maybe this isn't the most polite title for a blog, but it does get attention. Cal Thomas wrote a great article outlining a plan that John McCain can use. Read about project HOPEFUL here. (Gotta love the acronym).
Maybe this isn't the most polite title for a blog, but it does get attention. Cal Thomas wrote a great article outlining a plan that John McCain can use. Read about project HOPEFUL here. (Gotta love the acronym).
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Great Ethanol Hoax
If you're like me you are angry about rising gas prices. And if you're really like me you aren't sure exactly who to be angry with. I listen to people talk about the rising price of fuel, food and a general sticker shock at everything they want to purchase. The price of gas is up at the gas station and the price of milk is up at the grocery store. Mainly they blame politicians for inaction, along with greedy farmers and Big Oil for high prices. And many of them are asking for more corn-based ethanol to help lower prices at the pump.
We have allowed the environmental activists (mainly in the Democratic Party) to essentially block any moves our nation wants to make while looking for a path to energy independence. We know how to get oil from places like Alaska, Wyoming and the Dakotas, but legislation to allow drilling has been blocked. We know oil is available offshore, but we are not allowed to drill due to potential environmental impact even though other nations are drilling for the same oil just a few short miles away. We have even allowed these activists to stop the building of new oil refineries.
Nuclear power could help reduce our energy demands, but again environmentalist activists have blocked the building of new nuclear plants. They've also slowed the building of wind farms through environmental impact studies to see if the wind farms will kill migrating bird. Or maybe even block Ted Kennedy's oceanfront view.
And although we have enough coal to handle our energy needs for decades, the same roadblocks slow the development of coal-based technology.
So that leaves ethanol (also known as "bio-fuel"). Ethanol may well be the biggest con game of them all. Ethanol is 20% less efficient than gasoline. It takes 450 pounds of corn to produce enough ethanol to fill the average gas tank. It also takes 450 pounds of corn to feed one person for a year. Ethanol is too corrosive to be shipped by pipeline so it must be trucked to distribution points. Worse yet, it takes more than one gallon of fossil fuel., coal, oil or natural gas to produce one gallon of ethanol.
To produce enough ethanol to replace the gas we currently consume it would take approximately 482 million acres of cropland. The total cropland in the United States is 434 and that includes cropland used for all food and fiber.
Ethanol would not survive in a free market. Instead we subsidize the production with our hard earned tax dollars.
So, next time you're upset with the skyrocketing price of nearly everything, take a look in a mirror. It's voters. . . . you and I. . . . who need to elect the people who will stop this nonsense and make the decisions that need to be made.
We have allowed the environmental activists (mainly in the Democratic Party) to essentially block any moves our nation wants to make while looking for a path to energy independence. We know how to get oil from places like Alaska, Wyoming and the Dakotas, but legislation to allow drilling has been blocked. We know oil is available offshore, but we are not allowed to drill due to potential environmental impact even though other nations are drilling for the same oil just a few short miles away. We have even allowed these activists to stop the building of new oil refineries.
Nuclear power could help reduce our energy demands, but again environmentalist activists have blocked the building of new nuclear plants. They've also slowed the building of wind farms through environmental impact studies to see if the wind farms will kill migrating bird. Or maybe even block Ted Kennedy's oceanfront view.
And although we have enough coal to handle our energy needs for decades, the same roadblocks slow the development of coal-based technology.
So that leaves ethanol (also known as "bio-fuel"). Ethanol may well be the biggest con game of them all. Ethanol is 20% less efficient than gasoline. It takes 450 pounds of corn to produce enough ethanol to fill the average gas tank. It also takes 450 pounds of corn to feed one person for a year. Ethanol is too corrosive to be shipped by pipeline so it must be trucked to distribution points. Worse yet, it takes more than one gallon of fossil fuel., coal, oil or natural gas to produce one gallon of ethanol.
To produce enough ethanol to replace the gas we currently consume it would take approximately 482 million acres of cropland. The total cropland in the United States is 434 and that includes cropland used for all food and fiber.
Ethanol would not survive in a free market. Instead we subsidize the production with our hard earned tax dollars.
So, next time you're upset with the skyrocketing price of nearly everything, take a look in a mirror. It's voters. . . . you and I. . . . who need to elect the people who will stop this nonsense and make the decisions that need to be made.
Mitt's Humor
Three months after suspending his Republican Presidential bid, Mitt Romney, not particularly known for his sense of humor, made a surprise appearance at the recent Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner. Mitt delivered a Top Ten list poking fun at himself and his image. . . and threw a few barbs at Hillary Clinton and Al Gore.
Here, in reverse order, are Mitt's reasons for dropping out of the race:
No. 10 There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
No. 9 I got tired of the corkscrew landings of my campaign plane while under fire.
No. 8 As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of varmint season.
No. 7 There wasn't room for two Christian leaders in the Presidential race.
No. 6 I was upset that no one had bothered to check my passport files.
No. 5 I'd rather get fat, grow a beard and try for the Nobel prize.
No. 4 I got tired of wearing a dark suit and tie and I wanted to kick back in a light colored suit and tie.
No. 3 When my wife realized I couldn't win the GOP nomination my fundraising dried up.
No. 2 I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
No. 1 My campaign relied on a flawed campaign strategy that as Utah goes, so goes the Nation.
Good Luck Sir!
Here, in reverse order, are Mitt's reasons for dropping out of the race:
No. 10 There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
No. 9 I got tired of the corkscrew landings of my campaign plane while under fire.
No. 8 As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of varmint season.
No. 7 There wasn't room for two Christian leaders in the Presidential race.
No. 6 I was upset that no one had bothered to check my passport files.
No. 5 I'd rather get fat, grow a beard and try for the Nobel prize.
No. 4 I got tired of wearing a dark suit and tie and I wanted to kick back in a light colored suit and tie.
No. 3 When my wife realized I couldn't win the GOP nomination my fundraising dried up.
No. 2 I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
No. 1 My campaign relied on a flawed campaign strategy that as Utah goes, so goes the Nation.
Good Luck Sir!
He Should Have Stopped At 20. . . . .
Democratic North Carolinians vote in one week and CBS News planned to host a debate last Sunday between the two front runners. It didn't happen. According to a press release from the North Carolina Democratic Party "We regret to inform you that the proposed Democratic Presidential Debate. . . . has been cancelled due to time constraints and logistical issues associated with such a large national event. There were also growing concerns about what another debate would do to party unity."
The "real" story is probably CBS News' take on things:
"Hillary Clinton had accepted the invitation but Barack Obama's campaign had not. In an interview with the Charlotte Observer earlier this month, Obama voiced skepticism about participating in too many debates. "I will tell you, after the 21st debate." Obama told the paper (in advance of the 21st debate). . . . . North Carolinians have had ample 0pportunity to watch these debates. . . . I don't know that they are ending up being more informative than the kind of town hall meetings we've scheduled."
After the last debate, I'm guessing Obama wished he had stopped at 20.
But does it make sense strategically? Obama may be setting himself up for a fall. Remember John Kerry in 2004 - He won the nomination easily with the media buying his "war hero" story. No tough questions, other than ABC's Charlie Gibson who did ask Kerry some tough questions. Once Kerry won the nomination, questions that should have been asked much earlier were finally asked. And the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ultimately did the media's job for them. If Obama succeeds in avoiding the touch questions now, someone will end up asking them in fall.
And then the fun begins in earnest.
The "real" story is probably CBS News' take on things:
"Hillary Clinton had accepted the invitation but Barack Obama's campaign had not. In an interview with the Charlotte Observer earlier this month, Obama voiced skepticism about participating in too many debates. "I will tell you, after the 21st debate." Obama told the paper (in advance of the 21st debate). . . . . North Carolinians have had ample 0pportunity to watch these debates. . . . I don't know that they are ending up being more informative than the kind of town hall meetings we've scheduled."
After the last debate, I'm guessing Obama wished he had stopped at 20.
But does it make sense strategically? Obama may be setting himself up for a fall. Remember John Kerry in 2004 - He won the nomination easily with the media buying his "war hero" story. No tough questions, other than ABC's Charlie Gibson who did ask Kerry some tough questions. Once Kerry won the nomination, questions that should have been asked much earlier were finally asked. And the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ultimately did the media's job for them. If Obama succeeds in avoiding the touch questions now, someone will end up asking them in fall.
And then the fun begins in earnest.
Now We Can Exhale!
Michael Bloomberg (Mayor, New York City):
"I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not - and will not - be a candidate for President".
Phew! After holding our collective breath we can finally relax secure in the knowledge that our fun-filled three man race will carry on without additional candidates. Or should I say baggage?
"I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not - and will not - be a candidate for President".
Phew! After holding our collective breath we can finally relax secure in the knowledge that our fun-filled three man race will carry on without additional candidates. Or should I say baggage?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Happy April 15th!
A day like today requires a little bit of levity, so here's my contribution (via Dave Barry). . . . . .
Caution: Put your coffee down before reading. Definitely do not read while swallowing any liquids.
Caution: Put your coffee down before reading. Definitely do not read while swallowing any liquids.
Operation Chaos
While accusing conservatives of convoluted conspiracies usually involving Vice-President Dick Cheney as the mastermind behind all sorts of hare-brained schemes it seems the Democrats are relying on Maxwell Smart as their campaign manager of choice.
Who could have predicted the chaos and weekly drama that has ensnarled the Democratic Presidential campaign process? Hillary under imaginary fire in Bosnia. Barack Obama showing his true elite brand of snobbery in San Francisco. Primary fights in Michigan and Florida. And who could forget the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Operation Chaos seems to be going off without a hitch.
Who could have predicted the chaos and weekly drama that has ensnarled the Democratic Presidential campaign process? Hillary under imaginary fire in Bosnia. Barack Obama showing his true elite brand of snobbery in San Francisco. Primary fights in Michigan and Florida. And who could forget the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Operation Chaos seems to be going off without a hitch.
Let us introduce ourselves
Welcome to our blog! We are the Second District (Michigan) Republicans. We hope our blog becomes a place where you can find commentary on local, state and national issues. We also want to use our blog to introduce you to local candidates and allow our local elected officials a place to communicate with their constituents on an informal basis.
Our goal is to update our blog several times each week. We also plan to provide you with important links. In other words, we want to be your "go to" resource.
The other important tool we hope you will use is the opportunity to respond and/or comment so our blog becomes an interactive place where you can communicate with us. So, without further ado, I'll post our very first entry!
Faith
Our goal is to update our blog several times each week. We also plan to provide you with important links. In other words, we want to be your "go to" resource.
The other important tool we hope you will use is the opportunity to respond and/or comment so our blog becomes an interactive place where you can communicate with us. So, without further ado, I'll post our very first entry!
Faith
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