tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86368853164341848672024-03-25T21:17:55.906-07:00Pick the Low Hanging Fruit FirstTo cut fat and waste out of a government budget, pick the low hanging fruit first! --- The lowest hanging fruit has a small constituency, does actual harm, and provides no benefits to the general population--consider tobacco subsidies.DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-9247510791593867542024-03-15T11:15:00.000-07:002024-03-16T19:43:06.571-07:00 House “Munich” Republicans Need to Learn the Cost Of Isolationism and Appeasement<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The fact that the party of <i>Barry Goldwater</i> intends to let Vladimir Putin concur Ukraine over <b>“Chump Change”</b>utterly appalls me — and I hope you too. Why has Ukraine cost so much? Why hasn’t Ukraine won by now? <b>Joe Biden! </b>But that will have to await another post. The current post is about isolationist Republicans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Ukraine is showing the world how things <i>might</i> have gone had Czechoslovakia told Neville Chamberlain where to stuff his appeasement policy, embodied in the notorious </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Agreement" style="color: #954f72;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Munich Agreement</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">. Had the Czechs put up the fight that the Ukrainians have since 2022, Hitler’s government might have fallen. Alternately, Hitler might have postponed his invasion of Poland. Briefly, invading Czechoslovakia would have cost Hitler many more losses than he expected. His attack would have gone through fortified, and apparently rugged, mountains not through the relatively open tank-country of Western Poland—now Eastern Poland. Of course, the Czechs would have probably fought alone; just as Ukraine fought alone from 2014 through much of the spring of 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Isolationism<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">Pearl Harbor utterly discredited isolationism. </span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">During the 1930s isolationist Republicans ignored the “Gathering Storms” in Europe and Asia. They opposed enlarging the Navy and the armed forces generally. “America has 3,000 miles of ocean between us and Europe. We have 6,000 miles of ocean between us and Japan. We don’t need to waste money on ships, planes, and soldiers.” On December 7 1941, they learned just how little those oceans protected us! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;">From Pearl Harbor until last year, Isolationism was safely tucked away on the Ash Heap of History. Over the last year or two, Republican “Budget Hawks” have resurrected Isolationism, saying that the United States cannot afford to assist Ukraine. That stance is incredibly short-sighted. To quote a European analyst heard on Youtube, “<b>It is much cheaper to <u>deter</u> a war than to <u>win</u> a war. </b>(<span style="color: #70ad47;">And we haven’t even started count’n the bodies yet!—DJ)</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Appeasement<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Putin initially justified invading Ukraine to rescue ethnic Russians whom he claimed Ukraine was mistreating. Hitler used <b>exactly</b> the same reason—about German speakers—when demanding that Czechoslovakia cede the Sudetenland to Germany. Putin rapidly added “de-De-Nazification” and then NATO to his ever-growing list of justifications as each argument failed to convince other nations. The Munich agreement was among the last times Britain and France backed down from a provocation by Hitler. Each time that the allies caved-in, Hitler’s appetite for conquest grew! When Hitler invaded Poland, the world learned the futility of appeasement—at least until now; or so it would seem. <b>The same holds today</b>. Selling out Ukraine will lead to more than Putin threatening other nations. It will encourage Communist China to follow through on its threats to invade Taiwan. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Chump Change?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Total aid to Ukraine through October 31, 2023, was a <u>nominal</u> $75.4 Billion: or roughly $2.3 Billion per month. The Fiscal Year 2023 Federal Budget was roughly 6,350 <b>billion</b> dollars; or 512 billion per month! I do not believe the Fiscal Year 2022 budget was materially less. For now, let’s assume the total Federal Budget for the two years was a mere 12,300 <b>billion</b> dollars. Given the total Federal Budget, the paltry the $75.4 billion, $2.3 billion per month, of Ukraine aid, truly is “Chump Change”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Keep in mind that a huge proportion of the “funds” sent to Ukraine were nominal dollars consisting of the <b><i><u>book values</u></i></b> of <b><span style="color: red;">retired</span></b> equipment the United States military no longer uses. Weapons and vehicles the Federal Government pays to store as a reserve, for military sales to allies, and for aid to nations such as Ukraine. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Surely, the “Munich Republicans” can find $2.3 billion out of $512 billion we spend each month to help Ukraine. During the week beginning March 10, 2024, the news reported something like 6,000 earmarks in the upcoming Federal Budget! More importantly President Biden pumped out an extra 3.5 <b>T</b>rillion dollars in <i><b><u>pork</u> </b>his</i> first year in office. I’m sure some of that spending has gotten “carved in stone” as a permanent part of the Federal Budget. The Munich Republicans should look for for budget cuts among things such as pork and needless programs. Military assistance to Ukraine is cheaper than fighting a war when Putin eventually invades Poland or Rumania. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">What about Border Spending?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">When the Munich Republicans got little support for their “Chump Change” argument, they switched to the Border as an excuse for their short-sighted campaign against Ukraine aid. They know, or should know, that Biden will break any border agreement he makes. While critically important, Border control is unachievable under any President who wants an open border. Remember DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. President Obama defied the law and setup a bureaucracy to administer a program that violated immigration law. Republican George Walker Bush defied the law requiring him to build a 2,000 mile wall to allow a free flow of illegal immigrants across the border. The Bush Administration slowly built at best about five hundred miles of the 2000-mile wall the law mandated.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The new interest in Border Security by the Munich Republicans is simply a smokescreen to cover their rush to embrace the Isolationism that led to Pearl Harbor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><b style="font-size: 11pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">What are nominal dollars?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">A huge chunk of weapons the United States sent to Ukraine were obsolescent, obsolete, or otherwise retired. Consider M-109 Paladin Self-propelled howitzers and M1A1 Tanks. Our armed forces use newer versions of the M1 tank and the Paladins sent to Ukraine. The United States Army has just over 2000 M1 tanks deployed and roughly 2900 in storage. The 31 M1 tanks we sent to Ukraine were long since retired M1A1s.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Enabling Ukraine to visit a humiliating defeat on Russia is the best way to deter further adventurism in Europe and Asia, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 12pt;">Munich Republicans need to learn the lesson that the Second World War taught their 1930s predecessors before Europe and Asia boil over. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-36365094745505247322024-01-22T10:37:00.000-08:002024-01-22T10:37:03.567-08:00 Thoughts for Donald Trump<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. President:</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You must state</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">facts</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, clear, convincing, well known or easily verified</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">facts</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">before you</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u><span style="color: red;">ever</span></u></b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">utter a positive superlative about anything other than your wife or your descendants.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You would be President today IF you had stated facts rather than saying you had done “great things” during the <u>first</u> 2020 Presidential Debate. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mr. President, you must tell the American People <b><i><u>in detail</u></i></b> what you got done! Very few Americans know any, much less many, of your very remarkable accomplishments as President. Fewer yet realize how effectively Nancy Pelosi blocked so many of your initiatives, especially the Wall. I suspect that if a pollster asked 100 American voters the last time America was energy independent, over half would answer 1970 or earlier. Some would say never. Few would know it was early 2021!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I only heard you speak about <b>deregulation</b> once or twice over your entire presidency; yet deregulation was the primary reason for the “Miracle Recovery” during your first year in office.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rather than, “I had the greatest recovery ever,” how about:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">My first official act as President was to reverse 50 job killing executive orders issued by Barack Obama. In addition, I ordered all departments to repeal two regulations for every new regulation they wanted to impose. Three months later, the Economy took off like a rocket ship in no small part because I removed the suffocating lead boot of Obama from the neck of the Economy. Joe Biden has plunked that heavy boot right back onto the neck of your employer. That puts everyone’s job right in the crosshairs!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instead of, “Illegal immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood’ of America, list six of the greatest harms trafficking in illegals does to our nation—starting with:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Fifty-nine percent of </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;">non-citizen households (e.g. green card holders and illegal immigrants)”</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> receive some kind of transfer payment—a technical term for welfare programs. (Note 1. Below)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many illegals “pay” the coyotes who lead them here by carrying a pack of fentanyl or other illicit drugs on their backs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The cartels force many illegals, including children, into actual, not figurative, slavery—including sex-slavery. [How troubling that this item is arguably number four on a list of ills brought to America by the trafficking in persons on the Southern Border.]<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instead of, “I had the strongest foreign policy ever,” perhaps:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">President Obama famously said that he could not bring peace to the Middle East in one speech. After a great deal of hard work, I personally meditated “The Abraham Accords”—peace treaties between Israel and three Muslim nations. If given four more years, I can move the Abraham Accords further ahead. In addition, I got “Little Kim” of North Korea to stop threatening his neighbors and launching missiles over their territories.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes, Mr. President, you had many more Foreign Policy wins; unfortunately, your campaign did not seem to mention those accomplishments. Of course, I live in <i>Soviet</i> California; and your campaign did not do much here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You probably will find more success by purging from your public statements:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">All forms of “Great” and all of its synonyms<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Inflammatory terms such as, “Poisoning the blood.” Again, your supporters know what you mean by such comments; the people you need to reach generally do not.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bottom Line: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You must state <b>facts</b>, clear, convincing, well known or easily verified <b>facts</b> before you ever utter a positive superlative about anything other than your wife or your descendants. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Those facts should consist of your accomplishments as President. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do not call any opponent a name. That’s not stating a fact.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><h1 style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Note 1: </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Survey of Income and Program Participation Data Available <o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/sipp-data.html">https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/sipp-data.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> Referenced in, <a href="https://cis.org/Report/Welfare-Use-Immigrants-and-USBorn">https://cis.org/Report/Welfare-Use-Immigrants-and-USBorn</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> Both retrieved 10 January 2024<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-50400183024770734912023-12-29T16:33:00.000-08:002023-12-31T08:04:21.229-08:00Responding to Iran and the Houthis<p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><a name='more'></a></h1><span style="font-size: medium;">If America had a Commander-in-Chief instead of a Pussyfooter-in-Chief, Iran would no longer have a functioning drone factory or a functioning Ballistic Missile factory! Instead, President Biden has allowed Iranian proxies to attack American land forces, Navy ships, Israel, and merchant ships of many nations without any meaningful retaliation. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After commentator after commentator has asked why the President has not responded more forcefully to Iranian attacks </span><span style="font-size: large;">on Americans </span><span style="font-size: large;">that must by now number over 100, President Biden has assembled a force of naval vessels who will shoot down $10 thousand drones with $2.5 Million missiles! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the best and most knowledgeable commentators, retired Four-Star General Jack Keane, has advocated striking high-value targets of the Iranian Republican Guard Corps (IRGC). Perhaps the most valuable targets to Iran, if not the IRGC per se, are the aforementioned drone and ballistic missile factories. Destroying those factories will put a serious crimp in the ability of Iranian Proxies to launch drones and ballistic missiles at anyone. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is how a Commander-in-Chief might have responded to the first attack on an American naval ship:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Destroy the aforementioned drone and missile factories</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">During the announcement of the factory attacks, announce that going forward the United States will hold Iran responsible for the actions of its proxies</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><u>Reimpose</u> all of the sanctions President Trump imposed to significantly throttle Iran </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;">While direct attacks on important IRGC facilities well might deter Iran, I suspect that the actions recommended above would do so much more effectively. Of course, the most valuable target to the Iranian Government would likely be their nuclear weapons facilities; of course, we know that President Biden would never hit those. After all, he went above and beyond to fund those facilities—see the underlined word above. But perhaps I digress. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Comments welcome. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">DJ</span></div><div><p></p></div>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-17132120504816564102022-09-22T16:56:00.002-07:002022-09-22T16:56:38.848-07:00To the people of the Russian federation Remember Chernobyl! <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Only if hundreds of thousands</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> of Russia</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">ns demonstrate in the streets of virtually every Russian city</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">and town soon, and continue do so, can they have any assurance that Vladimir Putin will not plunge them and the world into</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">a</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> horrific nuclear</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> war</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Seeing that tens of thousands demonstrated in Moscow was encouraging. The people of Russia must turn out in great enough numbers every day that arrests do not deter most other demonstrators. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">On</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">, 21 August 2022, President Putin</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">threatened the use of nuclear weapons </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">in</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> the Ukraine </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">W</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">ar! President Putin’s threat followed months of similar threats by lower ranking </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Russian officials, most notably, Dmitry Medvedev. Putin said he was not bluffing. I believe him. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">In all likelihood, Putin has already picked the date, the time, and targets of the attack. Here is how I see the start of Putin’s Nuclear War. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Putin will soon hold “elections” in Donbas <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Within hours of those sham elections, the Duma will vote to annex Donbas, the territory linking Donbas to Crimea, and the already annexed Crimea<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Putin will demand that Ukraine remove its troops from “Russia”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Ukraine will refuse<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Nuclear war of <b><u>unknown magnitude</u></b> will ensue<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Apparently erroneously, I concluded long ago that the Soviet notion of “winning a [protracted] nuclear war” had died among the ashes and debris of </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">Chernobyl</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">. Putin’s speech on the 21<sup>st</sup> has proven me wrong. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">At some point, a short-sighted Russian strategist apparently came up with the stupid notion of “Escalating [with nuclear weapons] to Deescalate” a war. A nuclear attack on Ukraine will amount to betting millions of Russian lives on an untried and idiotic idea. Putin appears to think the idea has merit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">President Putin </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">must have</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> forgotten Chernoby</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">l. Within</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> a week of the •meltdown•, the Soviets went from </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">denying </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">anything </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">had</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> happened to asking for help from the west, from the whole world</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">. The Soviets admitted </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">they could not </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">deal with</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> the casualties</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">, the mitigation,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> and the cleanup of Chernobyl</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">— much less of nuclear attacks on cities. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">I recall that hundreds</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> if not thousands</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">,</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> of West</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">ern</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> doctors and other experts went to Chernobyl to help the Soviet</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">s recover from</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> the disaster. Embarrassingly, I cannot find</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> the relevant</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> statistics. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Regardles</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">, the people of Russia know that Chernobyl overwhelm</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">ed</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> the Soviets.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">To</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <span lang="X-NONE">state the obvious, if President Putin starts a nuclear war</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">, Western</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> doctors </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">and other experts </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE">will not be going to Russia </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">to aid with casualties or anything else.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Finally, I realize how easily I can ask Russians to turn out in Russia. Still, if 1000 Americans picketed the Russian embassy, Putin would simply snicker and continue his plans. Only people in Russia can influence this man.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="X-NONE"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: medium; line-height: 32px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-12971069155325191242021-04-24T22:23:00.001-07:002021-04-24T22:23:51.521-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;"> Protect Critical Infrastructure</h2><p style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal">President Biden should reallocate funds in his <i>Infrastructure
</i>Bill from its lowest priority projects to hardening our <i>na<span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: X-NONE;">ked</span>ly <span lang="X-NONE" style="mso-ansi-language: X-NONE;">vulnerable</span></i>, most critical
infrastructure (critical systems) against Cyber-attacks from the Public
Internet. <b><i>Some</i></b> of the most critical systems: Electrical Grid,
Water purification and distribution, and pipelines. Long ago, China had
reportedly penetrated many electrical systems; and, “60 Minutes” showed the ••<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJyWngDco3g">destruction</a>••
via the Internet of a large generator in only a few minutes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Private Wide Area Networks (Private WANs) can provide a
fast, feasible, proven way to secure critical systems. If President Biden plans to spend two <b>T</b>rillion dollars on infrastructure, that should include helping all critical intrauterine utilities
to quickly move those systems to private WANs—••NOT•• a single government
network. That would quickly morph into the same mess we have today. Specifically:
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Move every critical system, including remote computers
used to monitor and control the equipment, from the Public Internet to a
Private WAN. This would a computer that cannot reach the Internet; not simply putting a second Network Interface Card in a computer attached to the Internet.<br /></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Copy every computer and server, prior to wiping
the drive, “bit-buy-bit” for offline later penetration analysis.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Rebuild each computer and server from a blank
drive to its proper configuration.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recently, Admiral Charles Richard, Commander of the U.S. Strategic
Command, was reported as testifying that nuclear weapons could become “the
least bad option” in a war with Russia, China, or both. As war clouds gather,
over Taiwan, North Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Lebanon, and Israel, critical
systems need hardening against cyber-attacks more than ever; doing less could
tie the hands of the President in a crisis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1982, the bank for which I worked, and virtually every
other bank, used a Private WAN, whether owned or leased, to operate every terminal and printer in every branch
and office. This included processing virtually every financial transaction. I
believe Public Utilities also used private WANs before the Public Internet
became available; although, I have no experience in that industry. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Considering the testimony of Admiral Richard, please
consider the following very plausible scenarios:</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>China:</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>China invades Taiwan. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>The President moves to the defense of Taiwan. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>China ••destroys•• every electric generator near
the Mississippi River from Cape Giraudoux, MO to Cairo, IL, </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>China threatens to destroy every generator in
the United States unless the President gives up Taiwan. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Russia probably can attack critical systems almost
as effectively as China. That could allow Putin to use similar threats against an
American intervention in defense of Ukraine. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Perhaps worst of all, the Mullahs in Iran might
get the same attack capability. If successful, they conceivably could:</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Attack Israel and follow the “China scenario”
above.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.5866in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Try to ignite a war between the great powers by
launching an attack on one and “pinning the attack on” one or both of the
others.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do not want any President to have to consider either
jeopardizing the entire electrical grid or using nuclear weapons in the face of
aggression by any nation. Moving critical utilities to Private WANs could <b>reduce</b>
the danger of any nation miscalculating American Resolve. Some other advantages
of hardening infrastructure include:</p>
<br />Addressing a critical vulnerability earlier
Presidents have ignored or kicked down the road.<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Republicans might support the project, rendering
the entire Bill bipartisan.</li><li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Having utility rate payers pay for most of the
project over time by making low interest<br /> or no-interest loans to the utilities
for, say, ten years. </li><li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Upon completion, the Project will leave America,
our allies, our adversaries, the world,<br /> much safer.</li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"> As always, comments invited.</p><p class="MsoNormal">DJ<br /></p>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Current Biden Administration Border policies will make Cuomo’s
slaughter of nursing home patients seem like a game of touch football!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">President “Double Mask” Biden tells us, <b>“For God’s sake,
wear a mask!”</b> Then he turns loose an average of 8,000 COVID infected illegals
each month to mix freely into the United States population—no COVID test; no quarantine;
no masks; presumably not even a normal temperature test! The Biden
<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>O</b></span>ddminstration gives many unscreened illegals a bus ticket to the city of their
choice, a cash stipend, and effectively says, “Go into our country and mix with our
people.” <b>(Note 1)</b> <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">President Biden has a lot of nerve telling us to wear masks
while unleashing upon us a deadly plague of <b>unknown </b>intensity and breadth! When
massive deaths ensue, the President can say, “Tut! Tut! President Biden told
you to wear a Mask! It’s all the fault of mask-resisting Republications.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe the cronies running President Biden have decided to
swap “eternal plague” for “eternal war” in their very own <u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>1984</b></span> </u>“Take
Over” Scenario.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p>
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(See <b>HR-1</b> for details.)</span></p><p><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p><p><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Note 1: </b>The best average value I have seen. About 100,000 border crossings have occurred in recent months. Here is a link to two or more sets of positive percentages; I will stick with eight percent: </span><br /><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> https://www.westernjournal.com/stunning-percentage-illegal-immigrants-dropped-off-texas-city-tested-positive-covid/ <br /></span></span></p><p> </p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-65392719141307127642020-01-15T23:28:00.001-08:002020-01-16T14:45:55.790-08:00Can President Trump Possibly Win in November?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">If the President
continues blithely and complacently running against the current crop of
hopeless candidates much longer, <b>Michele Obama</b> will “mop the floor” with
him in November. The time for unfocused speeches “preached to the choir” has
ended. President Trump<b> must</b> tar President Obama with all his duplicity, failures,
and excesses—<b>without</b> mentioning the name of Mrs. Obama. In essence, President
Trump must win the election <b>before</b> 13 July 2020, when the Democrat
Convention starts. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">The democrats will
likely nominate<b> </b>Michele Obama on ballot three through six. The move for
an Obama Candidacy has become increasingly clear for a couple of months. The
Obama Team really “amped up” its campaign during post-debate comments on
January 14, 2020. Numerous commentators, as shown on Fox, all seemingly
“independently” concluded in unison that, “None of these (Debate) candidates
can beat President Trump.” Until the fourteenth, the Obama Team seemed focused
on subtly making sure the convention deadlocked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">The early Obama effort
took two forms. First, questions as to why numerous “can’t win” candidates entered
the race in the first place. It seems clear that some, if not most, entered to
dilute the delegate counts of the front runners. Second, many comments such as,
“Why hasn’t President Obama endorsed Biden?”—comments designed to make sure
that Joe Biden, at first, nor anyone else, later, could win the nomination on
an early ballot. You see, for several ballots, many delegates must vote for the
candidate who won their seat at the Convention. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">The foregoing certainly
gives a plausible answer to why Michael Bloomberg would suddenly jump into a
race so late—too late to win even if he actually ever had a chance in
the first place. Diluting support for the four front runners seems more plausible
than a desire to ride in on a green dragon and rescue the Country. Even Bloomberg
knows he could never win. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">President Trump needs
to hammer home that the American Economy <b>took off</b> when he yanked the <b>Obama
Boot</b> off its neck. And, that <b>any</b> Democrat President will jam that <b>Obama
Boot</b> right back onto “your back”, <b>suffocate</b> the Economy, and
decimate jobs. In fact, if “you” got a job after March 2017, chances are good
that you will lose that job shortly after <b>any</b> Democrat takes the White
House in 2021. More than any other action, deregulation launched the amazing
Trump Recovery—a recovery President Obama ridiculed as impossible. President
Trump must make that clear; and he must do it now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;"><b>Before</b> the
Democrat Convention starts on 13 July 2020, President Trump would do well to
make the “<b>Obama Boot</b>” a part of the American Political Lexicon. Each
voter the President wants to win needs to <b>know</b> that their job hangs in
the balance in 2020—ideally, by or before 6 July 2020. After someone puts the
name Michele Obama before the Democrat convention, a gushing “media tsunami”
will drown out President Trump. The opportunity to run against President Obama
will have dried up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">In addition to the
foregoing, President Trump obviously needs to hang the myriad other Obama
failures on the shoulders of the former President: Obama Care, Israel,
Benghazi, Iran Nuclear Deal, Ukraine, Defense Build Down, and on and on for
another couple thousand words. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;"><b>Sub themes on the
Economy</b>:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">Rolling
back Obama era regulations gave businesses the confidence to expand, which in
turn launched the Trump Recovery </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">President
Obama spewed out more job killing regulations than any President in history</span>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“If
you got a job after [the President’s] inauguration, you stand to lose it if <b>any</b>
Democrat takes the White House—the Democrat way: ‘last hired; first fired’”</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>After telling the American People many times
that “the days of three percent growth [are] <b>gone forever</b>” President
Obama:</span></li>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
<li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">Ridiculed President Trump for saying the Economy
would grow at or over three percent</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
<li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Suddenly wants to claim credit for the gone-forever-growth
that blew through three percent after President Trump took office</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">Comments welcome</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk30019308;">DJ</span></div>
DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-29449101380549064102018-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:002020-01-16T14:48:40.443-08:00Teachers Deserve a Fighting Chance to Survive a School Shooter<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">During a
February 25, 2018, interview on FoxNews Sunday, Chris Wallace asked Florida
Governor Rick Scott about arming teachers. Governor Scott said, in effect, he
was willing to sacrifice one to two classrooms full of students rather than
allow teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus. Surely the Governor would take
great umbrage at that conclusion. Still, what he said was that he wanted
“teachers to teach” and law enforcement to handle active shooters—sentiments
echoed by various teachers and others in clips preceding the interview as well
as news clips across the broadcast media. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;">History has
shown that at some point, a determined attacker can usually defeat a peripheral
defense. Given the nature of our government, one can expect determined
attackers to find various ways through the perimeters of “hardened schools.” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Unless “law enforcement” can
instantly identify, locate and confront the threat immediately, it seems likely
that at least one room will suffer casualties. In all likelihood, more than one
room will come under attack as law enforcement verifies the active shooter
reports and moves to where they can effectively engage the perpetrator. </span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;">Beyond that, we will not</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> rehash the arguments for allowing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">qualified</i> teachers to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">voluntarily</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">arm themselves</i> as long as they keep their weapons concealed. Keep in mind
that Florida is a “shall issue” state, see below, so many Floridians have
concealed carry permits already. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you are a
teacher who “doesn’t want the responsibility to protect children,” please look
over the following short exercise:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Presumably
every teacher has a few memorable great days during their teaching career. Pick
out the best of those that comes to mind and replay it in your mind. Then,
scroll down to the next step; if you don’t work in education, think of your
best moment in school. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
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<![if !mso]>
<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%">
<tr>
<td><![endif]>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%'>Move through the experience to
that peak moment<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%'><span style='mso-tab-count:
2'> </span>Then, scroll or look down<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</div>
<![if !mso]></td>
</tr>
</table>
<![endif]></v:textbox>
</v:rect><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><br />
</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Move through the experience to that peak moment<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
</div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
</span>
<div align="left">
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: right;">
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Then scroll down or look down</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td height="13" style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="13"></td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span></div>
<span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> <b>
</b></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>“Oh
my God! O my God!!!” No!!”<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You
hear the voice of your friend and coffee-break-mate in the next room; rapid gunfire
suddenly silences your colleague <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You
immediately report the active shooter, lock both doors, and simultaneously direct your class to perform their well-practiced “Active Shooter: Shelter in
Place” procedures<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hearing
the sound of children running and gunfire now coming from the hallway, you
silently hope the shooter picks some other room<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">While
trying to comfort and silence a whimpering student, you hear the rattle of the
locked door at the far end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i>
room</span></span></div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A
gunshot rings out as a bullet flies through the door followed by more rattling <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A
second gunshot sends pieces of the lock flying into the room; a couple of yanks
and the door opens outwardly into the hallway<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0033cc; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">What do
you do now?</span></b><span style="color: #0033cc; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You have to
do something. Pick up scissors and a yardstick? Hide under the desk? Wait
quietly? If you have a concealed carry permit and a handgun, the firearm sits at
home—safely locked in a strong safe. </span>Of course, if that 9 mm was
concealed on your hip, you would have additional options. Certainly<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;">, absent a video feed</span>, firing at the
rattling door <b><i>alone</i></b> seems out of order. Once the shooter fires through the
door, you know you can safely return fire. Immediately sending three or four
shots back through the door seems like a good choice. Less desirably, you can
wait for the shooter to burst into the room. Unarmed, you have <b><i>no</i></b> good choices.
Armed, you at least “have a fighting chance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, you may
not want the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">responsibility</i> of
protecting students; but, I hope you at least want to protect yourself. If the Florida
PE Teacher who bravely stood between his students and the shooter had carried a
9 mm automatic, he and many of the murdered students might today be discussing
their terrifying experience; the teacher might be talking about how frightened
he was to stand down an M-16 with a tiny 9 mm pistol. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 85.5pt; text-indent: -85.5pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Shall Issue State: </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This term applies to states that have
passed laws requiring the issuance of concealed carry permits to anyone
who passes the rigorous requirements. Such states do not require the applicant to
show a capriciously interpreted “good reason” for a carry permit. Most such
states enjoyed markedly reduced crime rates after enacting their “shall
issue" ordinances. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">DJ<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-16106358408914576442014-06-29T23:01:00.000-07:002014-06-29T23:04:39.014-07:00Nigerian Freedom FightersTonight, I sent my Congressman, Brad Sherman the following letter. I urge anyone reading this to send something similar to their Representative.<br />
<br />
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<br />
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Dear Congressman Sherman,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please introduce a bill as soon as possible to arm and
provide training to Nigerian Freedom Fighters resisting the butchers of Boko
Haram. Images tonight showed many of these brave men, dubbed
"vigilantes" by an obviously hostile press, armed only with machetes to
fight heavily armed and well trained Islamist Militants! Some were
"armed" with farm implements! A few had antiquated firearms, among
them double-barreled big-game rifles, expensive in the U.S., used decades ago
to hunt dangerous (four-footed) animals. One man fielded what looked like a cap
lock muzzle-loader.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These men are fighting the same war we are. We owe it to
them to provide the arms and at least rudimentary training necessary to save
their lives, the lives of their families, and to help defeat OUR foes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For Mrs. Obama to hold up a "Give back our girls” sign
for a “photo-opp” is well and good; but, over the weekend, Boko Haran
butchered dozens of defenseless Nigerians. For the United States to do nothing
more than fly a few drones over the area and carry some protest signs is
nothing short of an outrage. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Nigerian Army refuses to engage Boko Haram. Moreover, up
against a mobile guerrilla army, self-defense is the first, and often <i><b>only</b></i>,
line of defense. Just as Americans had to defend themselves on the Frontier,
these people need the arms to defend themselves against a foe that is far
better organized, armed, and far more ruthless than any pioneers faced in North
America.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
AK-47s are cheap in nearby Somalia. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I look forward to hearing your reply.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sincerely,</div>
<br />
<br />
Your Faithful Correspondent DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-69977595832359729002013-10-01T22:38:00.004-07:002013-10-01T22:38:58.943-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note to GOP: <span style="color: blue;">To defeat Obamacare </span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Follow <span style="color: blue;">Captain Kirk</span>, <i>not </i>the <span style="color: #b45f06;">Tea Party</span></span></span></b></div>
<br />In <i>The Corbomite Maneuver</i>, the captain of a huge, overwhelmingly powerful alien ship gives Captain Kirk and his crew 10 minutes "to make preparations" with any deities they revere. Then, he will destroy the Enterprise—and them. Asked for options, Mr. Spock replies (short form), "checkmate." Kirk pauses, turns, and says, "Not chess, Mr. Spock. <b>POKER</b>!" From there, the episode follows an interesting path to a favorable ending.<br />
<br />If Republicans in Congress want to <b><i>win </i></b>the battle over Obamacare, they need to <i>stop </i>"tilting at windmills" and <b>start </b>playing <i><b>poker</b></i>! It might help if they realized they hold a much stronger hand than does the President.<br />
<br />President Obama's clearly unconstitutional postponement of the Act’s "Employer Mandate" evidences the stronger Republican hand. Fearing the electoral backlash from the economic horrors his "ivory tower" brainchild would unleash, President Obama conveniently "postponed" the Employer Mandate until safely after the 2014 election. If Republicans can get close enough to overturning that delay, the President will soon enter into "fruitful negotiations" that (will ultimately lead to) "useful improvements" in the Affordable Care Act—improvements the President no doubt “always expected to make”; and for which he will probably attempt to take credit.<br />
<br />
To bring the President to the bargaining table, the GOP should <i>push </i>the following "chips" into “the middle of the table”:<br />1. Have a group, ideally made up of democrats, independents, and as few republicans as necessary, file suit to enjoin the President from delaying the Employer Mandate. It would be nice to have former supporters of the Act lead the suit. Examples might include James Hoffa, Junior, Warren Buffet and a few suddenly concerned former and current Democrat Senators and Representatives who actually voted for the Bill.<br />2. Pass ten to twenty <i>individual </i>House bills—no riders, no pork, and no side issues—implementing the best of the myriad GOP healthcare reform proposals.<br />3. Tell the American People why the House passed the new, substantive improvements; and why their proposals are better than the Act.<br /><br />
The day any court grants, or looks ready to grant, an injunction requiring implementation of the employer mandate, President Obama will find himself facing an electoral tsunami. (Why else did he postpone the Mandate?) That possibility would almost surely lead to the President quickly scrambling for a deal.<br /><br />
If you agree with the ideas expressed here, I hope you will share them with your legislative representatives, your friends, and even your relatives. For consistency, let’s just tell the Republicans to perform, “The Obamanite Maneuver!”<br /><br />
<br />
DJ<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Addendum</b></i></span><br />You might wonder what I meant by, “clearly unconstitutional postponement of the ‘Employer Mandate’".<br />
1. The postponement violates the Separation of Powers, a key foundation of our Constitution, our Government, and a pillar of our freedom: o Changing such a key provision of the Act amounts to legislating; President Obama has no authority to legislate.<br /> o To this observer’s knowledge, nothing in the act allowed any President to postpone or unilaterally change any key parts of the Act; if any did, future Republican presidents could, in effect, nullify the Act via an executive order or a regulation.<br /> o The Supreme Court found the Act Constitutional under the taxing authority of Congress. Postponing the Employer Mandate amounts to the President unilaterally changing tax law; imagine if George W. Bush had changed the tax rates in 2001 via regulation rather than a vote of Congress.<br />2. One could argue that treating one class of tax payers—businesses—more favorably than another class—individuals—violates the “Equal Protection Clause” of the Fourteenth Amendment. While perhaps a stretch, that clause all too often seems to resemble the proverbial “rubber man” at a circus.DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-54391213443814372162012-10-31T03:02:00.001-07:002012-11-01T16:29:43.655-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Benghazi-gate, <span style="color: blue;">Occam's Razor</span> and <span style="color: #38761d;">Napoleon</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">They all come together here!</span></strong></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Occam's razor? Napoleon? What do they have to do with Benghazi-gate? In a few minutes, you will know. First a few preliminaries. In case you missed it, the much-ballyhooed demonstration, riot, or other <em>disturbance</em> outside our Benghazi Consulate on 9/11/2012 <strong>never happened</strong>; <strong><span style="color: blue;"><em>and</em> the President knew it</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: magenta;">that very day</span></strong>. In reality, a group of terrorists launched a well-planned, well-executed military assault; they were equipped with heavy weapons, including a mortar. Earlier on the same day, a mob in Cairo had stormed our embassy in reaction to a video insulting Muhammad.</div>
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The Obama Administration tried to cover up what really happened in Benghazi with a <strong><em><span style="color: red;">blatant lie</span></em></strong>--the demonstration cover story--the idea presumably spawned by the Cairo riots. The Administration repeated and compounded the demonstration cover story for many days--until, and even after, the "inconvenient truth" gradually began leaking out. Those leaks have now burst forth and have ignited a cascade of controversy. </div>
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Pundits ranging from Rush Limbaugh to the relatively obscure have suggested myriad answers to the question, "What was the administration covering up and why?" Most hypotheses seem esoteric or the very complex. Some would require intricate conspiracies. Today, October 29, 2012, yours truly read an assertion that administration involvement in some kind of gunrunning scheme was "the only explanation" for Benghazi-gate. That signaled this observer that Occam's Razor had to enter the fray.
<br />
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<strong></strong> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<strong>Occam's Razor:</strong><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>
<br />
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". . . often expressed in Latin as the <strong>lex parsimoniae</strong>, translating to <strong>law of parsimony</strong>, <strong>law of economy</strong> or <strong>law of succinctness</strong>, is a principle which generally recommends selecting the competing hypothesis that makes the <strong><span style="color: blue;">fewest <em><span style="color: magenta;">new </span></em>assumptions</span></strong>, when the hypotheses are equal in other respects . . . .” (From Wikipedia; retrieved 10/29/2012): <br />
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</div>
Rather than reaching hither and yon for elaborate explanations of a presumed Benghazi Cover-up, consider a relatively simple hypothesis, simple in the sense of Occam, and a few related facts. <br />
<div>
</div>
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Hypothesis</span></strong>: While watching <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">live video</span></em></strong> of the Benghazi attack over a six-hour period, President Obama <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">simply</span></em></strong> <strong><em><span style="color: red;">waffled</span></em></strong>; that is, he could not <strong><em><span style="color: blue;">decide</span></em></strong> whether or not to send help.<br />
<div>
</div>
This rather simple hypothesis seems to fit into the constraints set down by Occam's razor better than other explanations your faithful correspondent has heard to date.<br />
<ul>
<li>It requires only one new hypothesis: President Obama waffled.</li>
<li>Fact: the President is in the midst of a close reelection campaign. Nothing new there.</li>
<li>Fact: Foreign Policy has given President Obama his one consistent advantage over Governor Romney. Nothing new there.</li>
<li>Fact: the Obama Campaign has repeatedly trumpeted the <strong><em>courage and <span style="color: blue;">decisiveness</span></em></strong><span style="color: blue;"> </span>exhibited by ordering the bin Laden killing as evidence of the President's foreign-policy superiority. Nothing new there.</li>
<li>Fact: evidence to date strongly suggests a Benghazi cover-up. Not universally accepted; not as widely known as one might expect. </li>
</ul>
If the voters suddenly learned, before election day, that the President had waffled on Benghazi--if indeed he did--it would bring the President's basic qualifications to serve as Commander-in-Chief into question and largely sink the President's reelection bid. If anything could trigger a cover-up--if there <strong><em><span style="color: red;">is</span></em></strong> a cover-up--a waffling story surely could.
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<div>
</div>
Speculating about the unknown, and speculating about motives in particular, almost always lands one on rather thin ice. Still, if the Obama administration launched a cover-up, the "waffling hypothesis" would seem to fit the circumstances as well as, if not better than, most notions offered to date. The suggestion, for example, that Benghazi was a false kidnapping to enable "trading" Ambassador Stevens for the now imprisoned "Blind Sheik" seems, by comparison, a bit deep.<br />
<div>
</div>
Many would argue against <strong><em>any</em></strong> intimation of a Benghazi cover-up. They might ask, "Would a rational group of people really attempt a cover-up in light of the Watergate experience?" They probably would conclude that the idea is, at best, fanciful speculation. (One would presume then that the "well documented" complicity of the Bush Administration in the original 9/11 attacks simply proves the irrationality--not too mention the craftiness-- of the Bush Cabal.) <br />
<br />
<strong>Enter the Emperor Napoleon</strong><br />
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</div>
Napoleon receives credit for many insightful and memorable quotations. Few come up very often in the day-to-day lives of most people. While, "An army travels on its stomach," I get to work in a car. A relatively lesser-known quotation attributed to Napoleon does seem to fit the circumstances of Benghazi and provide an answer to the objections of any who might strongly doubt a cover-up:<br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Never assume malice when incompetence is a possibility."</div>
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One might add that, <strong><em><span style="color: magenta;">despite</span></em></strong> the lessons of Watergate, incompetence plus <strong><em>arrogance</em></strong> could <em><strong>easily</strong></em> lead one to devise a "perfect and undetectable" cover-up. <br />
<br />
<strong>Alternate Hypotheses:</strong>
<br />
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</div>
<br />
Two similar ideas could fit the facts outlined above and still account simply, in Occam's sense, for a cover-up. Perhaps the President:<br />
<div>
</div>
<ul>
<li><strong>For whatever reason, decided to let those people die </strong></li>
<li><strong>Bungled the operation</strong>; by, for example:</li>
</ul>
o Failing to make sure any help that he ordered sent arrived in time.<br />
<div>
</div>
o Having one or more subordinates who felt at liberty to blithely overrule a presidential
decision.
<br />
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</div>
<br />
As with the hypothesis that the President "waffled", each of the alternates requires only one new hypothesis; either: President Obama didn't care; or, President Obama was incompetent.<br />
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</div>
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.<br />
<div>
</div>
DJ </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-49059624795841758632012-08-14T17:34:00.001-07:002012-08-14T18:24:38.552-07:00Who Built That? Who Built America?<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To
date, your faithful correspondent has not yet heard of anyone making
the most obvious response to President Obama's controversial "</span></span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">You
didn't build that</span></u></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"
speech. Here then, is that </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">seemingly
obvious</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
response.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mr.
President, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">everyone
</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">had
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">everything
</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">you
cited in your outrageous remarks.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
had access to the courts and could purchase eyeglasses; only one
person invented bifocals.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Everyone
knew about </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">lightning;
only one person invented the lighting rod.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
had access to boats, roads and waterways; </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>only
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">one
person invented the first commercially viable steam boat.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
had patent protection</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">;
only one </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">person
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">invented
interchangeable parts.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
had access to</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
roads, rivers, sickles and scythes; only one person invented the
reaper and revolutionized grain production.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
knew about electricity; only one person </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">perfected
the electric light, founded the General Electric Company, electrified
the world, and almost single-handedly launched the modern era.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
had access to roads</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
courts, and public schools; only one person invented the Model-T </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>and
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">instituted
the first moving assembly line.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Everyone
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">had
music and "</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>teachers
who helped them along the way;"</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
only one person invented the phonograph. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Come
to think of it</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
at age seven, three months after that person entered school, his
teachers called him "addled" (or, depending on the source,
"retarded"). He didn't have </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>teachers
"</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">helping
him along!" His mother home schooled him. Think about that
Barbara Streisand; a home schooled capitalist made your success
possible.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Everyone
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">had
access to all that went before them; only two people launched Apple
Computer.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr.
President, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">America
has </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>flourished
</i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and
led the world in inventions and commerce for over two centuries by
celebrating, fostering, and </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>rewarding
</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">success.
America </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>did
not </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">get
here by </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>demonizing
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the
successful. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">he
peers of these American inventors had </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>everything
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">they
had, including everything President Obama cited in his controversial
"You didn't build that" speech. Yet, only these few created
what they did. For the most part their success flowed from hard
work--often with a touch of genius tossed in. The same is true of the
vast majority of successful entrepreneurs.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">P</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">erhaps
if President Obama understood what built America, he would recognize
that businesses principally spring forth and succeed through the
</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>motivated
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">efforts
of entrepreneurs, not through underhanded scheming, and "exploiting
downtrodden workers." Perhaps if the President understood </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>free
market </i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">economics,
he would have come up with a recovery plan that worked.</span></span></div>
DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-65505488626000784602012-02-10T15:19:00.000-08:002012-03-01T00:11:06.653-08:00 <style>
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<b><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Some thoughts for “Values Voters”</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Will anti-abortion zeal reelect President Obama?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">No president <i><span style="color: blue;">can, </span></i>much less will, <i>materially </i>reduce the <i><span style="color: blue;">number </span></i>of abortions performed in the United States.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>Nor </i>will any president's Supreme Court appointees.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> If you think otherwise, check out Table One. A mere 13 states accounted for just a touch under 75% of all abortions performed in United States during 2008. Those statistics hold the key to important realities that "values voters” would do well to consider while casting their ballots in 2012 Republican Presidential primaries and caucuses.</span></div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 4.65pt; width: 319px;"><tbody>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td colspan="4" nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 239.55pt;" valign="bottom" width="319"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Table 1</span></b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>2008</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Total US</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>1,211,500 </b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>State</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>Number</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>Percent</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>CumPct</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 0.2in;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 0.2in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>California</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 0.2in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
214,190</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 0.2in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>17.68%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 0.2in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>17.68%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>New York</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
153,110</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>12.64%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>30.32%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(255,102,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Florida</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
94,360</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>7.79%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>38.11%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red; height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Texas</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
84,610</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>6.98%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>45.09%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>New Jersey</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
54,160</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>4.47%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>49.56%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Illinois</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
54,920</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>4.53%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>54.09%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Michigan</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
36,790</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>3.04%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>57.13%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Maryland</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
34,290</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>2.83%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>59.96%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(255,102,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Ohio</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
33,550</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>2.77%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>62.73%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red; height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>North Carolina</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
33,140</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>2.74%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>65.47%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(0,153,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Pennsylvania</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
41,000</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>3.38%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>68.85%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: red; height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Georgia</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
39,820</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>3.29%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>72.14%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td nowrap="nowrap" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: rgb(255,102,255); height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 81.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="108"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Virginia</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 56pt;" valign="bottom" width="75"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
28,520</div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 47.95pt;" valign="bottom" width="64"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>2.35%</b></div>
</td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 54.3pt;" valign="bottom" width="72"><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b>74.49%</b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td colspan="4" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 239.55pt;" valign="bottom" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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[Number of abortions by state of occurrence from surveys of hospitals, clinics, and physicians identified as providers of abortion services conducted by the Guttmacher Institute. The Guttmacher Institute reallocates abortions to the woman's state of residence for survey years. Abortion rates are computed per 1,000 women 15 to 44 years of age on July 1 of specified year]</div>
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<tr style="height: 1pt;"><td colspan="4" nowrap="nowrap" style="height: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 239.55pt;" valign="bottom" width="319"><div class="MsoNormal">
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For more information:</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.agi-usa.org/"><span style="text-decoration: none;">http://www.guttmacher.org/</span></a></span></div>
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Internet release date: 09/30/2011</div>
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<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/">http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/</a></span></u></div>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For 38 years, anti-abortion advocates have spent millions of dollars and tens of thousands of hours <i>failing </i>to “overturn Roe vs. Wade.” None of those efforts has reduced the number of abortions one scintilla. Moreover, had they managed to overturn Roe vs. Wade, Table One demonstrates that they would not have accomplished <i>much more</i> than the <b><i><span style="color: red;">nothing </span></i></b><span style="color: black;">they </span>have accomplished so far. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A little background. </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If the Supreme Court reversed itself <i>tomorrow </i>and overturned Roe vs. Wade, abortions would not suddenly become <i>illegal</i> <b><i>anywhere</i></b>, much less nationwide. A reversal would simply <i>enable </i>individual states to pass new laws restricting or banning abortions; just as when the Supreme Court partially reversed its nationwide ban on the death penalty. That reversal did not <i>reinstate </i>the death penalty; it <i>allowed </i><i>states</i> to reinstate<i> </i>the death penalty—albeit, under specific guidelines. Reversing Roe vs. Wade would doubtless operate in much the same way. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Possible exception: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">According to Wikipedia, some states, including Illinois, have passed “trigger laws” that would reinstate abortion bans if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade. This might reduce some abortions if <b><span style="color: blue;">bright blue </span></b>Illinois does <i>not repeal </i>the trigger. Thus, the impact of trigger laws remains to be seen. For now, your author will stand by his premises.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Cold hard facts.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Without considering the oft debated moral, theological and freedom issues swirling about the abortion debate, consider some facts that clearly demonstrate the <i>ruthless </i>bottom line on abortion. Seven of the 13 states in Table One are “<b><span style="color: blue;">bright blue</span></b>”; that is, they virtually always vote overwhelmingly Democrat in national elections. Three of the states are “purple”; that is, they sometimes vote Democrat; they sometimes vote Republican. Second, remember that Roe vs. Wade originally applied only to the first trimester of a pregnancy; although that has crept up to around seven months today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In 2003, the <a href="http://encyclopedia.tfd.com/Partial-Birth+Abortion+Ban+Act">Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act</a>, which the Supreme Court upheld, outlawed <i>some</i> late-term abortions; thereby stripping away the arguably most powerful anti-abortion argument. A reversal of Roe vs. Wade might lead to state laws outlawing other late-term abortions; but, those are generally few in number. Thus, while Table One's three red states, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina, might restrict some abortions, they probably have gone about as far as is feasible already.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">One must recognise that, as in the case of "values voters", pro-abortion voters tend to passionately hold their positions. Those passions, the large numbers of abortions in those <i>13 </i>states, and the existing latitude states already have make it unlikely, arguably remotely likely, that any states in Table One will <i>materially </i>restrict abortions further.</span></div>
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</style><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What about a constitutional amendment?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Some have glibly suggested passing a constitutional amendment, in the <i>unlikely </i>event Congress fails to outlaw all abortions nationwide after a hypothetical reversal of Roe vs. Wade. Remembering that 39 states must ratify a constitutional amendment, take a second look at Table One. The reader</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> will <i><b>not </b></i>see the eight <b><span style="color: blue;">blue </span></b>states of Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin, Delaware, Connecticut, or Rhode Island. That makes 15 <b><i><span style="color: blue;">bright blue </span></i></b>states that almost surely will not ratify such a hypothetical and <i>fanciful </i>constitutional amendment—at least not much before hell freezes over. Given the math, the idea, when emanating from a leader, seems either delusional or demagogic<span style="color: #660066;">.</span> It will never happen—and this from someone who “never says never.” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What have Anti-abortion advocates accomplished?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Instead of reducing the number of abortions, antiabortion advocates have elected myriad pro-abortion fanatics, most of them leftist democrats. Some would argue that antiabortion advocates gave Bill Clinton just the edge he needed to beat George H. W. Bush. Moreover, President Clinton paid no political price when he vetoed a bill banning virtual <i>infanticide</i>! One can further argue that, in league with the tea party, “values voters” let the democrats hold the Senate in 2010. How! By nominating an airhead to run against the supposedly “doomed” Harry Reid; an airhead who had publicly acknowledged at least dabbling with witchcraft. Anti-abortion and Tea Party fanaticism gave the Democrats their 51st vote—a clear, if thin majority in the Senate. Congratulations, “values voters”.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For almost 38 years, “values voters” have done little more than “tilt at windmills!” </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Along the way, they have weakened their own Cause, enabled democrats to weaken and damage the military readiness and economy of the United States; and they have given people of faith a bad name. The Nation has sustained far too high a cost to justify a 38‑year‑long "feel‑good statement." “Values voters” would do well to leave such things to the "Losertarians".</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Implications.” </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Insisting on candidates with impeccable “right to life” credentials has only elected people with whom "values voters" intensely disagree! “Values voters” need to recognize that they have <i>lost the battle</i> among the electorate. Through the ballot box, "values voters" have accomplished almost nothing; they have <i>not </i>materially reduced, and <b><i>almost surely will not </i></b>materially reduce, the number of abortions. <span style="color: black;">They </span>need to find other, <b><i>non-violent</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, means to reach their goal. Perhaps more importantly, “values voters” need to recognize that “one trick pony” Rick Santorum will begin any General Election campaign with a huge number of women <i>deeply, and intansingently <b>committed</b></i><b> </b>to his defeat. He has no more chance of winning in <i>November </i>than does yours truly. For myriad reasons, it seems almost equally likely that Mitt Romney would lose in November as well—polls and pundits notwithstanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today, America needs a conservative and practical <i>visionary </i>to win the Whitehouse and <i>start </i>pulling the nation out of the morass into which it has sunk. From this observer’s perspective, only Newt Gingrich satisfies those criteria. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Values voters” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">need not concede their deeply held moral and theological concerns about abortion. They do need to recognize the practical implications of their dogged insistence on solid anti-abortion credentials in <i>every</i> Republican candidate and consider their next steps!</span><br />
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<strong>ADDENDUM:</strong> Since this post went up on February 10, 2012, Senator Santorum has unleashed a torrent of inflammatory comments on topics ranging from the <em>evils</em> of birth control to the <em>nauseating nature</em> of the separation of church and state. One might think that the Senator wanted to make sure he never won another election in his life, much less the Presidency in 2012. Perhaps Senator Santorum is a mole for the Obama campaign.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">DJ </span></div>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-20888001102140452852010-07-02T14:35:00.001-07:002011-10-10T22:28:55.275-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Good News; Bad News</span></span><br /></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A post on a Yahoo Group to which your</span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i> Faithful Correspondent </i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">subscribes decried some rather troubling news. Disturbingly, the post claimed that on May 11, 2010, President Obama abolished the “Veterans Preference” in Federal hiring. A bit of research turned up both good news </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>and</i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> bad news. On that date, President Obama issued the: </span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="center"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">“</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Presidential Memorandum – Improving the Federal Recruitment and Hiring Process.”</span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>First, the good news:</b></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.49in; FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The following paragraph contained the only reference to the Veterans' Preference in the Memorandum:</span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.54in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)">“<span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(2) a goal-focused, data-driven system for holding agencies accountable for improving the quality and speed of agency hiring, achieving agency hiring reform targets, </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>and </b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,66,14)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>satisfying</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> merit system principles </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><b>and</b></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>veterans' preference requirements</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>....</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">”</span></span></span></span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Nothing in the cited paragraph supports the assertion, even to your utterly GOP, but still <i>Faithful, Correspondent</i>, that President Obama had abolished the Veterans' Preference.</span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Now for the </b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><b>possibly </b></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><b>bad </b></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>news:</b></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.49in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)">“<span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(a) consistent with merit system principles and other requirements of title 5, United States Code, and subject to guidance to be issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), adopt hiring procedures that: </span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.98in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none">“(1) <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">eliminate </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>any</b></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> requirement that applicants respond to </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>essay-style questions</b></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> when submitting their <strong><em>initial</em></strong> application materials for any Federal job . . . .” </span></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Many jobs require the ability to write clearly and concisely. Essay questions can reveal a great deal, but not everything, about the writing ability of a candidate. For example, since the paragraph above addresses the <em>initial</em> application, typically completed online, an applicant might have someone else wrote the essays--although that seems a bit unlikely. </span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Used</span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> properly, essay questions can help weed out many applicants </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>early in the process</i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> who will not measure up</span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><em>. </em>Secondly, subsequent rounds of the process <em>might</em> include essay questions under controlled conditions. This would eliminate those who had no chance at the position early; thus, to the extent that essay questions remained, the new rule could save costs.</span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A question remains as to whether essay questions now included in initial applications would find their way back into a second round of examining candidates. </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In addition, essay readers need to remember the necessarily subjective nature their task.</span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal"> </span></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Despite the possible flaws of using essay questions, your </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>Faithful Correspondent </i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">sees no benefit or value in </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">completely </span></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">tossing them out. Doing so would almost certainly result in a longer, more costly hiring processes; and a somewhat less qualified Federal workforce than otherwise would be the case. So much for the </span></span></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(51,51,255); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">possibly bad news</span>.<br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal"><b>N</b></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>ow for the </b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i><b>really bad </b></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>news:</b></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">First, a bit of historical context. </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">As presidents have <em>left office, </em>they </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">have typically </span></span></span></span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">re</span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">classified</span> the statuses of some jobs from “discretionary appointment” to Civil Service. Doing so kept the <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">incoming</span></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> presidents </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">from firing cronies the outgoing president had appointed, and replacing them with-----their own</span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> cronies.</span></span></span></span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">With the foregoing historical perspective, consider the following paragraph from the </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Memorandum:</span></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> </span></span></span></span><br /></p><br /><ol start="3"><br /><li><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">provide for selection from among a larger number of qualified applicants by using the </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>"category rating" approach</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> (as authorized by section 3319 of title 5, United States Code), </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>rather than the</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>"rule of 3"</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>approach</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">, under which managers may only select from among the three highest scoring applicants; </span></span></span></p></li></ol><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="center"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Likely </span>Translation</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(53,94,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>:</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,128,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>“To the victors go the </b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>spoils</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,128,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>.”</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> </span></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><span style="BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Crafting “category definitions” to fit the background of one's cronies would not seem likely to "strain the brains" of many executives.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> Over a century ago, the blatant corruption of the “Spoils System” led reformers to the create the <em>Civil Service </em></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><em>System</em></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">. A linchpin of those reforms was the </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">“</span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">rule of 3”. While one can criticize the rule of three for many reasons, it has, for over a century, protected Civil Service and the Nation from many abuses inherent in the old</span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> “Spoils System”. </span></span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Perhaps President Obama prefers the “efficiency” and </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><em>convenience </em>inherent in</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> </span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">weakening </span></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">the Civil Service System</span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> </span></i></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">to its time-tested safeguards</span></span></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>.</b></span></span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"> Perhaps President Obama misses his “Chicago roots” more than we all realized.</span></span></span></span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Here is a link to the Memorandum text:</span></span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="font-family:Courier New, serif;"><span style="font-size:100%;">http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-improving-federal-recruitment-and-hiring-process</span></span></span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-10206722316401404802010-03-23T10:08:00.000-07:002010-03-23T11:31:02.844-07:00<div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="font-size:130%;">Picking Apart the Health Care Takeover</span><br /><br /></div>Your correspondent has not heard anyone discuss the idea that the Preexisting Condition Requirement of the Health Care Takeover amounts to an <span style="font-weight: bold;">"unconstitutional taking."</span> Thus, the Fifth Amendment could provide a strong argument for overturning at least what is perhaps the most onerous provision of the Health Care Takeover:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Amendment V (1791) <p></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0.5in;">No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; <b><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">nor shall private property be taken for public use, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">without just compensation</span>.<br /></span></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></p></span>As I wrote to my son, only somewhat tongue-in-cheek, last night:<br /><p></p><p></p> <blockquote><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">"The first form hospitals will have anyone sign when they comes into the emergency room, or are admitted generally, will be an application for a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Cadillac</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span>insurance policy." </span><br /></blockquote> <p style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;"> Said differently, when those who forgo health insurance and <i>suffer</i> that huge <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">$700+ </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><i><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><b>annual</b></span></i> </span>fine, hospitals and doctors will routinely have them "buy" insurance upon admission for a critical injury or illness. Ultimately, they will probably develop a <i>standard form</i> that combines signing over benefits <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><i><b>and </b></i></span>applying for insurance should the person not have it. So, "Pay an annual $795 fine; get busted up in an auto accident; sign here--your covered. Insurance company can't say no."<br /></p>Given the foregoing scenario, private insurance companies will become insolvent long before Obama Care starts paying benefits. Accordingly, the preexisting condition provision will almost surely lead to the bankruptcy of, or the dramatic decline in the value of, every health insurance carrier in America. That would seem to give "standing" to the following "persons" to file suit asking for the overturn of this most onerous provision of the bill:<br /><ul><li>Health Insurance carriers</li><li>Stockholders of Health Insurance carriers</li><li>Bondholders of Health Insurance carriers</li><li>Unsecured Creditors of Health Insurance carriers</li><li>(Conceivably) Those dumb enough to actually buy health insurance<br /></li></ul> The argument from the Fifth Amendment could provide a means to overturn, or at least nibble at the edges of, the Health Care Takeover.<br /><br />One last point, the exact calculation of the fines remains a bit unclear to yours truly at this moment. Still, the calculations reported to date all come in well below the unsubsidized cost of my COBRA coverage.<br /><br />DJDJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-48531345589875254922009-12-24T01:53:00.000-08:002009-12-24T02:24:37.519-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Corn Husker Kick Back -- What to Do?</span><br /></div><br />I hope everyone reading my blog has heard about the Corn Husker Kick Back and the Florida "Medicare Advantage" given in exchange for "Yes" votes on the Health Care Takeover bill by their "undecided" Senators. While we citizens can seemingly do nothing about the bill now, I think we have one card to play. Here is what I did:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Dear Senator Feinstein:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Please fight to get California the same benefits under the Health Bill as it bestows on both Nebraska and Florida.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">The desire of President Obama to sign a "deficit neutral" bill should not force California into bankruptcy. The Health Bill could do just that as it pushes a big Medicaid burden onto the states. With the California economy on life support, no state needs more relief from the increased costs than ours. California has far fewer per capita resources to absorb the Bill's large unfunded Medicaid mandate. At the same time, a greater percentage of Californians than Nebraskans rely on Medicaid.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">If the new Medicaid burden will give Nebraska a headache, it will give California a concussion</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">In addition to pushing costs onto the states, the Health Bill takes away an important senior benefit: Medicare Advantage--except that is for seniors living in Florida. Before my late father passed away, he frequently extolled the virtues of his Medicare Advantage plan. Imagine then, the frustration that thousands of California seniors will feel when their benefits disappear. Realizing that Floridians will continue enjoying their Medicare Advantage plans will only compound that frustration. While you may not be able to undo the unfair "Florida deal;" you can at least get California the same deal.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">One would expect that having an experienced, loyal and highly regarded Senator would bring significant benefits to California. Instead, your loyalty to the cause of Health Care seems to have brought Californians less value and higher taxes.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Merry </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Christmas </span>to all; and to all, a good night.<br /><br />DJDJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-3738135393126171052009-07-27T23:39:00.000-07:002011-10-10T22:46:21.837-07:00<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><b><span style="color:red;">The Great Health Care <i>Takeover</i></span></b><br /></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b>As Compared to <span style="color:blue;">Health <i>Insurance</i></span></b></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">During an apparently unplanned moment of candor at his press conference on July 22, 2009, President Obama seems to have accidentally “tipped his Health Care hand.” He did so by honestly answering <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-dQfb8WQvo">a question from Ms. Jane Strum</a> about how he would have handled a health care situation faced by her mother. The primary physician had recommended that her then 100-year-old mother receive a pacemaker. The cardiologist said she was too old; fortunately, a second cardiologist agreed with the primary physician. In the event, her Mom got the pacemaker; mom is still vibrant and “still kicking around” at 105.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">In contrast, the President essentially told Ms. Strum that <i>under his plan</i>, her mother would have gotten pain pills and been told to “go home and die.” Does that last seem a bit acerbic? Perhaps one might better paraphrase the comment as, “Dr. Obama says, ‘Take two aspirin, and <b><i>don’t</i></b> call me in the morning--or any other time! <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:85%;" >{deleted, see addendum}</span>.’” </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">President Obama insists he wants everyone “to have coverage”—an insurance term, incidentally. His answer to Ms. Strum highlights the sharp contrast between his proposed <i>Health Care Takeover</i> and actual “insurance”:<br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 1in 0pt 40.5pt" class="MsoNormal"><span class="hw"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><a href="http://www.tfd.com/Insurance">in<span style="font-family:Arial;">·</span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">sur</span>·<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ance</span></a><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 1in 0pt 40.5pt" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:green;">2. a. </span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:green;">Coverage by a contract </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:red;">binding</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:green;"> a party to indemnify another <b>against </b></span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:red;">specified</span></b><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:green;"> loss</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:green;"> in return for premiums paid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">More generally, for almost four thousand years, insurance has meant that one party assumed some of another party’s <b><i>risk of </i>loss</b> in exchange for money <b>in advance</b>:</p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0.75in 0pt 49.5pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://encyclopedia.tfd.com/insurance">The Babylonians developed a system which was recorded in the famous Code of Hammurabi, c. 1750 BC, and practiced by early Mediterranean sailing merchants.</a> <span style="color:green;">If a merchant received a loan to fund his shipment, he would <b>pay the lender an </b></span><b><span style="color:red;">additional sum</span></b><span style="color:green;"> <b>in exchange</b> for the lender's guarantee to <b>cancel the loan</b> should the shipment be stolen. </span>(See the <b>History of Insurance</b> caption in the linked article.)</p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Does President Obama <i>really</i> want everyone “to have coverage?” If that were true, the plan would spell out the all <b><i>risks</i></b> it was taking on, <i>and</i> those it was not. Moreover, since the plan <b><i>forces</i></b> everyone into the System, one would expect it to “cover” any and all risks now covered by our “broken, profit ridden, greed plagued, and inefficient” health <i>insurance</i> system. His accidental moment of candor shows that President Obama has no plan to cover all the risks currently assumed by insurance. In fact, no one can know which risks the government will cover at any given moment.<br /></p><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Clearly, the President has no more intention <b><i>insuring</i></b> anyone than he has of resigning his office. Instead, he wants to <b><i><span style="color:red;">force</span></i></b> everyone into a system of <b><i><span style="color:blue;">capriciously dispensed</span></i></b> <i>medical care</i>; a system that <b><i><span style="color:blue;">will</span></i></b> <b>definitely </b>include “go home and die” for some; and inferentially, “go home and suffer” for others. </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Whatever you choose to call the President’s plan, please <i>do not</i> call it “insurance.”<br /></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">==============================================================</span><br /></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Addendum: Reflections upon some acerbic comments</span><br /></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">We ought to recognize</span> </span>that in his rather callous remark, President Obama breached an extraordinarily difficult point: <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">an enormous percentage </span>of a person's lifetime medical spending occurs in the last months of life. No compassionate society seems to have dealt effectively with that <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">seemingly <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">intractable </span></span>issue; thus, Medicare is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">actuarially</span> bankrupt; and European economies stagnate under almost unbearable tax burdens. At the same time, scrapping the current, admittedly flawed, essentially market based system for a "pig in a poke" patterned on flawed European models that have met with enormous difficulties does not seem wise.</p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">A couple of acerbic terms:<br /></span></p><br /><br /><ul><br /><br /><li>"apparently unplanned moment of candor"<br /></li><br /><br /><li>"accidental moment of candor"</li><br /><br /><p>President Obama has become well known for carefully choosing his words. Telling someone, "I would have sent your mother home to die" while trying to <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(51,102,255); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">sell </span>a health plan seems quite uncharacteristic of either the President or any salesperson. In addition, the comment seems clearly more candid than President <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obama's</span> typical style. Thus, while somewhat harsh, the two phrases seem fitting enough.</p><br /><br /><p><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">dj</span><br /></p></ul>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-36578180734838198662009-07-06T22:34:00.001-07:002009-07-07T07:47:39.979-07:00Identity Theft Gets a Boost!<p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Congress should move quickly to allow businesses that protect consumers from identity theft to continue doing so. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">An article in the on-line magazine Wired.com reported that Federal District Judge Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guilford</span> ruled the protection offered by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LifeLock</span>, and presumably other companies that provide a similar service, was illegal. Reading the article could give one the idea, at least in your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">correspondent's</span> mind, that the judge might have wanted to protect credit-reporting agencies from competition. In doing so, he exposed millions of consumers to identity theft.</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">We live in an era in which businesses; including credit-reporting agencies, “routinely” lose critical identifying data <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">belonging to</span> millions of <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">consumers</span>. We have seen far too many stories about a single breach exposed information on <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">millions </span>of consumers. In light of that fact, Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Guilford</span>’s ruling seems far worse than "unfortunate." </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">To cite a personal experience, two companies have purchased me credit-monitoring services: one for two years; one for a single year. They did so after they, or a vendor they used, lost or compromised my personal data. While not detailed here, I did give Senator Diane <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Feinstein</span> some details in a letter— regardless of your experience, I hope you will write an equivalent letter demanding action. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Please note that, so far at least, my experience pales before the nightmares suffered by tens of thousands of identity theft victims. Some have suffered financial losses following an identity theft; others have spent hundreds of hours trying recover from identity theft; many have lost both money and hours. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The fact that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Experian</span> was the plaintiff in the case <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">particularly</span> galled me. A couple of years ago, two of the three primary credit-reporting agencies finally agreed that I had not resided in my former wife's “post office box”! This was after several years of on and off effort on my part; albeit, probably not more than twenty or thirty hours in total. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The third credit bureau insisted that I had indeed once lived in that 6 x 6 x 18 inch space; they had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">verification</span> of my residence there! Moreover, the website of that bureau provided no reasonable means to correct <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">their </span>error. The address presumably remains on my credit report; I have not checked in a couple of years. Hence, you can imagine my sense outrage at seeing Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Guilford</span> take the side of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Experian</span>, and credit bureaus generally, in the case at hand.</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">As the article appeared in May, 2007, Congress may have moved to correct the law, called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">FACTA</span>, so that businesses may once again protect the privacy of consumers. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">In the <span style="font-style: italic;">likely case </span>that Congress has not yet acted, please consider sending your Senators and member of the House a polite email asking them to address this issue during the current session.</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >Clicking on the title of this post will take you to the article at Wired.com.</span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-16679774309080015552009-06-04T23:52:00.000-07:002011-10-10T22:50:27.849-07:00<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; COLOR: rgb(51,102,255)"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:180%;" >What’s wrong with this Picture?</span> </div><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Today, June 4, 2009, Yahoo news featured this headline:</span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,102,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">"As of 9:18 a.m. PDT </span>•</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,102,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)"></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">"Can Obama win Muslim hearts and minds?</span></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><br /></span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">"Bin Laden threat"</span><br /></p><br /><p></p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Presumably, the writer of the headline thought that some chance existed that President Obama ,</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)"> in his Cairo speech</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">,</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)"> could</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)"> indeed “win (a large number of) Muslim hearts and minds,”. Keep in mind that Muslims have harbored hostility towards the West, the Jewish People, and Christians generally </span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">since </span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">at least the Crusades, the last of which ended about A.D. 1296, if not longer. </span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Said differently, the headline seemed to presume that the President had at least a <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">fighting chance</span> to achieve what one could arguably call a miracle. Let us hope the writer was not educated in the United States; however, your correspondent remains dubious about that possibility. </span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Fortunately, in his Cairo speech, the President cautioned everyone, worldwide:</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)">“I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> no single speech </span>can<br />eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,102); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">in the time that I have</span> <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(255,0,0); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">this afternoon</span><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(51,51,255); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">all </span>the complex questions that brought us to this point.”</span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Perhaps someone should caution the President against the dangers of excessive humility. After all, if he keeps saying things like that, the entire world could lose all hope for the future. </span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">OK, that last paragraph was <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; COLOR: rgb(255,102,102); FONT-WEIGHT: bold">somewhat </span>tongue in cheek. At the same time, it did seem to capture the general tenor of the President’s words; particularly since, instead of saying, “years of mistrust,” the President should have said, “centuries of mistrust.” </span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">The most disturbing thing about the President’s remarks was that he seemed to feel compelled to include them in the speech at all. O</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">f course, we do have that disturbing headline. Still, including the lines </span><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">must say something about the President's view of the American People, the people of the world in general, his own powers of persuasion, or some combination of the three.</span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Regardless of his view of the hearers of his speech, one hopes the President believed his own cautionary words.</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)"></span></p><br /><p><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">DJ</span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-28135329383191206872009-05-05T17:44:00.000-07:002009-05-06T00:21:22.844-07:00A Song for Our Time<p>Recently, some good person decided they needed my car's AM antenna more than I did. The inability to listen to my usual "right-wing, fascistic, insensitive claptrap" has left me floundering in the world of <span style="font-weight: bold;">FM</span>. Still, the FM Band has reminded me of an old truth: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Country Music is <span style="font-style: italic;">Truly</span> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">the </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Last Refuge </span>of Rock and Roll</span>.<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">More importantly</span>, I discovered <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">"a song for our time;"</span> albeit, a six year old song.</p><br /><br /><br /><p>Years ago, I asked a musician friend to write a song with a <span style="font-style: italic;">similar, </span>but more strident<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>theme; to my knowledge, he never did. I took a shot; but, I am no song writer. Darryl Worley has indeed written <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"a song for our time."</span> Click on the title of this post to hear 30 seconds of <span style="font-style: italic;">his </span>song; and you will understand what I mean.</p><br /><br /><br /><p>(The song should start automatically, <span style="font-style: italic;">probably</span> in a new window. If a window opens but nothing plays, pick sample number one.)</p><br /><br /><br /><p>I do hope you click the link; maybe buy the song; and, of course, pass along a link to this post. If the song is "old news" to you, you might want to pass it on anyway just to jar someone's memory. As for me, perhaps I need to listen to music on FM more than once or twice a year. After I scrape together ninety-nine cents, I may just download the single.</p><br /><p></p><br />DJDJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-19929283017034289012009-04-25T01:59:00.001-07:002011-10-10T22:54:15.344-07:00<span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >On Friday, August 24, 2009, General David <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Patraeus</span> suggested that civilian ship owners retain armed guards to protect their ships. His remarks re-kindled my interest in the possibilities of using "Q-Ships" to <b><i>deter </i></b>pirates.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153);font-family:arial;" ><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-size:130%;" >Q-Ships were used during the <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">previous </span>two World Wars to disrupt enemy merchant vessels. Whether categorized as lightly armed warships made to look like merchant ships, or simply heavily armed merchantmen, Q-Ships normally flew neutral flags until they came upon an enemy ship. Then, they "showed their 'true colors'" and opened fire or took a prize.</span><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-family:';font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:';font-size:130%;"></span><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:130%;">Today, the Navy could <b><i>lease</i></b> container vessels for use as Q-Ships. Armor plated containers could provide "modular" means to add "specialized functions" and equipment: weapons, protection for the those manning the weapons, camera platforms for those <i>gathering criminal evidence</i> and, of course, <i>public defenders to </i>represent any captured pirates.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:130%;">One wonders how keen on ship hijacking these young men would remain after two or three intended victims turned out to have "cargoes" of "quad-.50" machine guns, "obsolete" M-60 tanks, a few wire-guided anti-tank rockets, and a platoon of United States Marines. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:130%;">While the Navy would probably feel an obligation to pick up any survivors from crippled speed boats, it would not trouble me if the Navy "left them where it found (or last saw) them." The Navy could simply say that there was not enough evidence to hold the survivors for trial; hence it left them alone--after, of course, sinking their boats.</span></p><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:130%;">Despite my tongue-in-cheek remarks, Q-ships seem to deserve a trial.</span><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></span></p><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:130%;">DJ</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-62623981952689679052009-02-05T23:25:00.000-08:002011-10-10T23:18:47.036-07:00<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Tomorrow, February 6, 2009, Newt Gingrich will "premiere" a DVD commemorating President Ronald Reagan. While this post percolated in the "I'll get a round TUIT'" section of my organic CPU for some time, the imminence of the DVD pushed the project to the front of the queue. To begin, please take a moment to reflect on the following: <?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 45pt 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Typically, at the change of Presidents, leading historians and political scientists rank every President from George Washington through the departing incumbent. Should the experts vote in 2052, which Presidents will they rate as the top <i>three</i> of the <i>twentieth</i> century? <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Your correspondent created the challenge, or puzzle, after many years of listening to people bash President Reagan. Trying to defend President Reagan directly generally proved fruitless; however, giving them a challenge to consider normally moved them from stridency to reflection—perhaps a "Reagan-free reflection." A somewhat reasoned discussion, though certainly not always agreement, typically followed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Among all of the responses to "the challenge," one stands out. Although your correspondent would not recognize her today, one woman burned her response vividly into my memory. Upon hearing the challenge, she thought a moment, and then followed:<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0.75in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Franklin Roosevelt, I suppose . . .” <pause>, <more>. Then, with an increasingly strident and frustrated tone, "You don't mean <b><i>Reagan </i></b>do you!" <o:p></o:p></more></pause></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Your correspondent diplomatically avoided the terms “checkmate" and "touché." Still, she had quickly reached to the core of the argument. History grades presidents on their accomplishments, not on charisma, looks, or speaking style. Here then, are <i>the </i>top three presidents of the Twentieth Century, the same today as years ago: <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">1. Franklin Roosevelt (apologies to my fellow Republicans) <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">2. Ronald Reagan<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">3. A two and a half way “toss up” among: <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">a. Teddy Roosevelt<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">b. Harry Truman<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">c Dwight Eisenhower - Ike had the "misfortune" of presiding over a period of relative peace and prosperity; this has tended to mask the significance of his accomplishments. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">By now, the question burning—perhaps searing—in the hearts of some readers is, "How did Ronald Reagan rank so high/low on this list?" Here, in "sort of" priority order, are <i>some</i> of the accomplishments that earned Ronald Reagan a place in history that many of his peers will and would envy:<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">1.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">While far from Reagan's greatest accomplishment, someone defending Ronald Reagan does well to start here. Citing this one act blunts the most common Ronald Reagan myths: the myth of Reagan the front man, the puppet; the man reciting the lines fed to him by “his handlers”—those "real powers," and brains, in his Administration who <i>really</i> got everything done. The story of that most famous line in his most famous speech <i>obliterates</i> those ill-informed claims. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The man who wrote the speech included the line in his first draft after a visit to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Berlin</st1:state></st1:place>. Those “puppeteers” and “tune callers” repeatedly deleted the line from the speech over the following months. Each time, <i>Ronald Reagan</i> put the line back in. While flying to <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Berlin</st1:state></st1:place> on Air Force One, the President was still receiving messages and Faxes begging him to take that "inflammatory remark" out of the speech. If Reagan were only a puppet or a toady, the world would never have heard those now universally recognizable words.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">2.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Won the Cold War<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Despite the claims of Mikhail Gorbachev and hoards of others to the contrary, polices implemented by Ronald Reagan ultimately buried the System that so confidently planned to bury us. Many specifics that follow will buttress this claim; so only two need appear here: ramping up the arms race; supporting the <span style="font-size:+0;">Afghan</span> resistance. These two much maligned polices went far to bankrupt the <st1:place st="on">Soviet Union</st1:place> and end the Cold War.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">3.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Regained strategic nuclear supremacy conceded by Carter<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">While "conceded” in this context could have <b><i>several</i></b> meanings, we will focus on the more important one. During the <i>only</i> Presidential debate of 1980, President Jimmy Carter <b><i>acknowledged</i></b> the Soviet lead; although he did not mention that he had lost it. President Carter probably felt quite smug after asking:<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1.5in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Governor Reagan, what do you suppose would be the response of the Politburo if Secretary Brezhnev told them he planned to concede nuclear supremacy [back] to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>?" <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As in so many cases, President Carter apparently failed to consider the implications of his little coup. The answer in the end was of course, "Go broke trying to keep up."<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">4.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Regained, or extended, supremacy in conventional arms</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Reagan took office at the lowest point of American power, relative to our adversaries, since about 1942. The world viewed Communism as the wave of the future, and <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> as beginning her inevitable decline. Ronald Reagan <i>left</i> <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> with a restored and peerless military; the Navy was the strongest we have ever had. No one believed that the Soviets could cavalierly threaten Western Europe, Asia or anyone outside of <st1:place st="on">Eastern Europe</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">5.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">START talks <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon began the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) in the late 1960s. These were an effort to reduce the <i>rate of increase</i> in the <i>deployment</i> of nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles. While SALT may have slowed the <i>rate</i> of increase somewhat, nuclear weapons continued to increase in number. Ronald Regan had a different vision—perhaps more accurately he had <b><i>a</i></b> vision. START stands for <i>Strategic Arms Reduction Talks</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">During the 1980 Campaign, when Ronald Reagan proposed START, few believed he was serious, much less that he could pull it off. In rather unkind and cynical terms, some of Candidate Reagan’s detractors said START was just campaign rhetoric; that he had no intention to pursue the idea beyond Election Day. Your correspondent considered START a good, but probably doomed, idea. Fortunately, one “amateur” believed the idea was achievable; when he left office in 1989, the world the super powers had far fewer nuclear weapons aimed at each other than when that same “amateur” took office in 1981. Moreover, START not only survived his return to <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>, much of it remains in force at this writing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">6.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">INF Treaty<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">INF stands for “Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces.” In many ways, the INF Treaty highlights the most effective way to negotiate with a bully. In the mid-1970s, the <st1:place st="on">Soviet Union</st1:place> began deploying what became 300 SS<sup>‑</sup>20 “Intermediate-Range” ballistic missiles, aimed them at the Western European NATO nations. President Carter began, and President Reagan carried through with, a plan to counter to the Soviet threat with additional ballistic missiles and cruise missiles that employed new technologically. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As negotiations dragged on, and American plans moved ahead, the Soviets pulled out all the stops to halt the NATO deployment. “Pulling out the stops” meant setting in motion what one might call their “Western European Assets”—leftists, pacifists, agents, fellow travelers and others—both on and off the Soviet payroll. In huge demonstrations, tens of thousands of people protested the U.S. Missiles. Banners, signs, and effigies of skeletons and missiles abounded. Oddly, no one seemed to protest the <i>already deployed</i> Soviet SS-20s. As stated above, “Assets . . . both on and off their payroll.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Throughout the protests, and both diplomatic and domestic opposition, President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher stood resolute; eventually, leading to the treaty in <st1:city st="on">Reykjavik</st1:city> eliminating intermediate range weapons in <st1:place st="on">Europe</st1:place>. Many may remember watching the nightly news and seeing large explosions on TV as Soviet SS-20 and American Perishing and cruise missiles were blown up. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">By standing firm in the face of intense pressure, President Reagan achieved a <i>second</i> deep reduction in <i>deployed </i>nuclear weapons: 900 Soviet warheads on 300 missiles—fewer NATO weapons because the Soviets backed off before NATO completed its deployment. Incidentally, the “Nuclear Freeze” movement emerged in the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> at this time, added its weight to the protests overseas, and eventually faded away along with the SS‑20s.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">President Reagan could have gone along with advice to negotiate rather than risk provocation. That was the view of many experts, those masterminds “pulling his stings.” Had he done so, the Soviets would probably have long ago replaced aging SS-20s with updated SS-40s—incidentally, the Soviets never produced a missile that NATO named the SS-40.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:blue;">Is this getting long? Consider a bookmark. Just don’t blame your correspondent; Ronald Reagan did all of this stuff; yours truly only reports it. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">7.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">SDI – Star Wars<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">SDI—Strategic Defense Initiative—Star Wars—the final nail in the coffin of the <st1:place st="on">Soviet Union</st1:place>. Need one say more? Only that we should hope someone finishes enough of SDI to stop incoming missiles launched from some rogue state. Dick Morris coined the term “Kamikaze Country” to describe the new threat.<o:p style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 0.5in; FONT-FAMILY: arial; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Ref221468241"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-size:+0;">8.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b>From National Ennui to National Confidence and </b></a><b>Optimism<o:p></o:p></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">In a rare moment of clarity and candor, Jimmy Carter characterized the mood of </span><st1:place style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)" st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> at one point during his presidency as “a state of national ennui.” Paraphrased that meant a we were all “bummed out”; bummed out by Post Viet Nam Syndrome; bummed out by American decline internationally; <i>and most of all,</i> bummed out by the horrible state into which Jimmy Carter had plunged both the nation and the world. It is rare that a peacetime president can have as huge an impact as did Jimmy Carter; sadly, that huge effect was a nightmare.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As Carter before him, Ronald Reagan had a material effect on <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the world; and he did so during a time of relative peace. President Reagan took office with <st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region> in a state of national ennui; and he left office with <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> in a state of unparalleled, to then, optimism and prosperity. The 1984 Reelection Campaign used the theme, “It’s Morning Again in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>”; and truly, it was.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">9.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">From Stagflation to Growth and Prosperity<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In his 1976 Campaign, Jimmy Carter developed the “Misery Index”: defined as the rate of inflation plus the rate of unemployment. Candidate Carter castigated President Ford, saying that he, <i>or anyone</i>, should be <i>ashamed</i> to run for reelection with a misery index above 10. In 1980, the rate of inflation was 13% (Wikipedia says 11.8%); unemployment was around 9% (Wikipedia says 7.5%); the Prime Interest Rate was <b><i>21%</i></b>; Jimmy Carter did not make much of the Misery Index in 1980. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">When Ronald Reagan left office, Inflation was about 6.5% and falling; the Prime Rate was around 9%, and falling; the January 1989 unemployment rate was 5.4%, well below Carter’s. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">10.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Income Tax Reform<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In what one could arguably call the most important single domestic policy stroke of an American presidential pen, Ronald Reagan eliminated the profit that had accrued until then to the Federal Government from inflation. The action in question was the 1981 tax law that indexed the basic income tax tables. In addition to bringing about an end to inflation, indexing slowed, if it did not completely halt, the phenomenon known as bracket creep. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Bracket creep came about when, because of your pay rate went up to match inflation. Your increased money income put you in a higher bracket despite the fact it did not purchase any more. In 1980, I received a 16% pay increase—13.5% for the Cost of Living plus 2.5% for merit. The inflation part alone pushed me into a higher tax bracket. Thus, the money I received just to “tread water” caused my tax rate to go up and my real income to drop. Indexing fixed most of that by moving up all the numbers when the CPI went up. Lacking an incentive to cause inflation, Federal Policies changed; and since then, inflation has remained quietly lurking in the background. While more important than “Stagflation” and “National Ennui”, they came first to lay a foundation for the importance of tax indexing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">The much-maligned Tax Reform Act of 1986 further improved the tax code by reducing the number of tax <i>rates</i> from 24 to three and then two. The law offset revenue losses by eliminating most tax loopholes. Both of these measures increased incentives for entrepreneurs and decreased the negative affect of the tax code on the economy. Perhaps least known, the Tax Reform Act of 1986—backed by Democrat Tip O’Neil—dropped about 16 million poor families from the income tax rolls. Not a bad piece of legislation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">11.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Leon Klinghoffer</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <b>/ Achille Lauro<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">For those who do not recall, Leon Klinghoffer was an American passenger on the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro. Palestinians hijacked the ship; and, because Klinghoffer was a Jew <i>and</i> an American, the hijackers murdered him. The ship then sailed into <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place> amid a hero’s welcome. Later, the “heroes” boarded an airliner for <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place>, their point of origin; presumably, expecting another hero’s welcome. Moments after Egyptian airliner entered international air space, the landing, and running lights on a flight of American Navy F-14 fighters suddenly “lit up” all around the plane. The F‑14s ordered the Egyptians to follow them or be forced down. The plane landed in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Italy</st1:country-region></st1:place> where the terrorist murders received long prison sentences. Sadly, one, Ibrahim Fatayer Abdelatif, was released in 2008. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In his speech announcing the capture President Reagan gave a memorable warning to the terrorists, “You can run; but you cannot hide.” Few Presidents would have “the moxie” to order such a bold action; but then, Ronald Reagan was both a visionary, <i>and</i> bold. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">12.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Berlin</span></b></st1:state></st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> Night Club Bombing Response<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">On April 5, 1986, terrorists bombed a discothèque in <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">Berlin</st1:state></st1:place> killing several Americans, including two soldiers, and injuring many more. Nine days later, after finding evidence of Libyan complicity, the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> bombed that nation in retaliation for the attack. Among the targets of the American planes was the home of <b>Muammer<span style="font-size:+0;"> Gaddafi</span>. </b>Sadly, his stepdaughter died in the raid. After the retaliatory bombing, Gaddafi “cooled his jets” somewhat. That is, he apparently decided to tone down his support for terror—although the Lockerbie bombing, one month before Ronald Reagan left office, was a noteworthy exception.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">13.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Grenada</span></b></st1:country-region></st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> Rescue<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In late October 1983, a pro Castro radical wrested control of the small island nation of <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Grenada</st1:country-region></st1:place> from an ostensibly more moderate<i> pro Castro </i>regime. Chaos immediately erupted; order broke down. Cuban construction workers, probably combat engineers as events would show, <i>continued</i> their work of building a military grade extension of an airport runway they had begun months before. The chaos led to concerns over stability of the <st1:place st="on">Caribbean</st1:place>; and, over the fears that about 800 Americans attending medical schools on the island would become hostages. Remember that President Reagan took office literally during the closing moments of the Iran Hostage Crisis; the Iranians released their last prisoners just as Ronald Reagan finished taking the oath of office. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">President Reagan doubtless had all of this on his mind as he listened to pleas for help from the leaders of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and weighed his options. As was his way, Reagan acted quickly, sending troops to liberate the tiny island nation and rescue the American students—likely averting a second national humiliation. At the time, a friend at work observed that the Cuban "construction workers" were almost certainly soldiers; "civilians do not fight that well,” he said. Incidentally, this Marine Reservist friend did not say "almost certainly”; he said, "were.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">14.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><st1:place st="on"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">Latin America</span></b></st1:place><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:+0;">When President Reagan took office, dictators or authoritarian regimes ruled much of <st1:place st="on">Latin America</st1:place>. When he left office, all but two Latin American nations were representative republics with free and frequent elections. Technically, only <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region></st1:place> remained a dictatorship; however, in <i>one</i> Latin American country, the same political party won every Presidential election from 1924 through 2000. Somehow, counting that nation as a representative republic, as of 1989, seems less than accurate. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:+0;">Part of the liberation of Latin America involved toppling the Marxist Sandinista regime in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Nicaragua</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span style="font-family:Arial;">—</span><span style="font-size:+0;">this brings up the <b>Iran-Contra Affair</b>. Given the overall outcome, historians will probably treat Iran-Contra much more gently than do most Reagan detractors of today. Keep in mind what happened when the Sandinistas boldly believed their own bilge. They recklessly held a <i>fair</i> election and got tossed out on their collective ear; the entire nation then spontaneously partied in the streets for a week. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: avoid; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:+0;">15.<span style="font-family:';font-size:7;"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family:Arial;">PATCO Strike<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In 1981, the Air Traffic Controllers staged an illegal strike that tied up air travel nationwide, and threatened to continue doing so until the Federal Government caved in. During a hastily called Cabinet meeting, all but one person there was engaged in a rather heated, if not frantic, discussion of options and risks. One of them though seemed so disinterested that he had begun to "doodle" on a yellow pad. That was, of course, the President. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">After doodling a while longer, President Reagan nudged James Baker, showed him the yellow pad, and told him to call a press conference in a few minutes. There, President Reagan read his "doodles" to the world. In short, precise and firm words, he told the strikers to return to work in 48 hours or find other jobs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in 0pt 1in" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Nobody believed President Reagan would carry out his threat; the end of air travel and commerce would follow? When the deadline passed, those controllers who stayed home lost their jobs. Amid much hand wringing, commentators nationwide predicted disaster; one in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Los Angeles</st1:city></st1:place> gravely stated, "people will die." In the end, no one died, air travel resumed, and commerce continued. Again, the bold decisiveness of Ronald Reagan had triumphed over the sober, experienced, thoughtfulness of "his handlers."<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Naturally, you have seen a somewhat winnowed down list of Reagan accomplishments. Some readers probably still feel that the author omitted some critical Reagan achievement; of course some will wonder how I, or anyone, could admire Ronald Reagan. Many readers may have noticed that "PATCO" would have gone well with the story of the Berlin Speech. It seemed fitting though to put PATCO here. It makes a nice bookend to emphasize that Ronald Reagan kept a firm hand on the tiller of <i>policy</i> during his Presidency. PATCO also demonstrates how President Reagan so often accomplished the unthinkable; all the while proving that he meant what he said; and making every effort to do what he promised. Contrary to what the “best minds in <st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region>” believed, this unique individual proved that he could indeed become, Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-69443107797361156442009-01-27T23:18:00.000-08:002009-01-28T00:15:45.448-08:00Stimulus and Readiness<span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">As Congress works to transform President Obama's economic recovery package into a trillion-dollar picnic featuring pork, payoffs, and pandering, let us hope they to divert some funds to the task of restoring part of </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial;" st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family:arial;">'s strained, if not quite broken, military.</span><br /></span><p style="font-family: arial;"></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Former President Bush, while pursing the campaigns in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place> and elsewhere, allowed Defense budgets to remain dangerously low. As a consequence, the last three presidents have left America with a military that finds much of its equipment in a state of disrepair, and with some equipment "just plain used up" and in need of replacement. The much needed stimulus package provides an opportunity to restore some of the military capability lost over the last 20 years. One program in particular fulfills a critical need; <i style="">and </i>satisfies the requirements President Obama defined for programs in the stimulus package. That program, the F-22 Raptor, would:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="font-family:arial;"><li><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style=""><span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:180%;"><b style="">Put people to work quickly</b></span><span style="font-size:180%;">. Because the Bush Administration left the program on life support, the F-22 is, to steal a term from governors and mayors, "shovel ready". The production line is in place, costs, suppliers, and contractors are known. All that remains is to call back laid off workers, order and receive raw materials, and start building planes.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="font-family:arial;"><li><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style=""><span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:180%;"><b style="">Provide a lasting benefit. </b></span><span style="font-size:180%;">The F-22 will have a life span of 20 to 40 years; considerably longer than the playground equipment, pothole repairs, and water slides proposed by many state and local politicians.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="font-family:arial;"><li><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size:180%;"><b style="">Stimulate the Economy quickly by spending most of the money over a couple of years. </b></span><span style="font-size:180%;">The F-22 will employ myriad contractors and thousands of workers in many states. Running production lines three shifts a day will get Americans back to work and deliver more bang for each buck than spreading the purchases out over many years. Building the F-22s faster will also restore Air Force capability more quickly, which could in turn deter a war; a "small benefit" that might ultimately save the lives of many. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Arguments that fighter planes have become unneeded, obsolete relics of the Cold War reflect a dangerous tunnel vision. If you disagree, please consider what might happen if <st1:country-region st="on">Taiwan</st1:country-region> made an ambiguous statement that <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> misinterpreted as a declaration of independence. <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> has emphatically stated that such a move <i style="">would</i> lead to war. Provoked or not, one reality above all others has deterred any Chinese move across the 90 mile <st1:place st="on">Taiwan Strait</st1:place>. Regardless of how many troops <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region> dispatches to <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Taiwan</st1:country-region></st1:place>, the Chinese understand that none of those troops can <i style="">swim across </i>the <i style="">last</i> 45 miles of the Strait.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">For ten years or so, <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> has worked on modernizing its Air Force; a program that continues today. With equally capable pilots, most of the new planes could match or best a <i style="">new </i>F-15--much less one degraded by age. Of greater concern, if <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region> <i style="">believed, </i>rightly or wrongly, that it could gain and hold air superiority over the Strait, <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> might gamble on an invasion--regardless of provocation. Thus, a role seems to remain for air superiority fighters.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Designed to replace aging F-15s, the Air Force urgently needs the F-22. During 2007, an F-15 broke apart in the air, injuring the pilot. The crash investigation found flaws that endangered pilots and indicated that some F-15s had simply worn out. For about three months, the Air Force grounded or severely curtailed the operation of roughly half of the F-15 fleet. The grounded planes had, and still have, the mission of winning and holding control of the air; that is, flying against and defeating enemy fighter planes. The pilots of those F-15s could easily find themselves up against newer, more modern fighters; fighters that are superior to <i style="">brand new</i> F-15s.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:180%;">Deployed in sufficient numbers, the Raptor <i style="">could</i> give <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> unchallenged control of the air for years to come; years during which no power would dare challenge our Air Force. In the face of that opportunity, imagine your son, grandson, or any American pilot flying from Okinawa to <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Taiwan</st1:country-region></st1:place> in a<b style=""> worn out F-15 </b>to duel newer, more advanced fighters.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;">For years, the Bush Administration ignored Air Force requests and defied Congress by holding up production of the Raptor. A continued willingness to send American pilots against up to date fighters in F-15s, and later in F-35s, instead of more capable F-22s breaks faith with our pilots and those on land and sea who depend on them. Doing so when Congress plans to toss a <i style="">trillion dollars</i> around like hot cakes at a church breakfast borders on criminal malfeasance. The time has come to fund enough F-22s to allow the Air Force to do its job.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">If you agree with the views presented here, please send a note to your senators; your Congressman probably has a safe seat; hence, he or she does not care what you think or how you vote.</span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">DJ</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:11;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>DJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-86373237344871925862008-07-01T06:55:00.000-07:002008-07-01T06:57:05.232-07:00Read These Questions for Obama By George WillDJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8636885316434184867.post-54976797487457303172008-04-12T11:34:00.000-07:002008-04-12T11:39:05.332-07:00Obama's Scary Defense "Strategy"Take a look at this You Tube Video if you want a frightening reason to vote for McCain over Obama. After hearing it on Micheal Medved's show, it has taken me quite some time to find the clip. The video speaks for itself.<br /><br />Click on the title of the post; it links to the video.<br /><br />DJDJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04012419112543240925noreply@blogger.com0