Random Stuff

It's been three weeks since my last post, and I apologize. A lot of stuff going on...soccer, t-ball, volleyball, softball, work, vacation days...just haven't felt like doing much.

1. This isn't just Obama, but he is the poster boy for government in general. Government doesn't produce anything. It first has to take from the productive. Otherwise we could simply have everyone work for the government...and the obvious question is where would the money come from? Some great examples of government (and Obama in particular) of only being able to destroy and not create - oil spill (moratorium on drilling), cap and trade (which by any standard will kill jobs and economic production), green energy (at the expense of cheaper and more efficient energy), and jobs in general (stimulus, extending unemployment benefits, etc).

2. I don't know how many have read 1984, a book by George Orwell. A great book and kind of scary. It is hard to describe, but it really doesn't seem that different from Communist Russia (or eventual path for us). Rewriting history in the present ("we have always been at war with East Asia"). But just a great quote from the book about totalitarianism (the evil party in the book's vision of what life would be like).

There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always — do not forget this, Winston — always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.

3. Which leads me into my next comment, just about Ken Salazar's comment about keeping a boot on the neck of BP. We already have laws that people can use to sue BP, but that apparently isn't enough. Hence the $20 billion coming from BP via the White House. As a wannabe economist, what surprises me most is just the lack of understanding about risk (assuming good intentions). Sure fishermen are hurt by the oil spill, as are a lot of other people. If I have to pay more for gas because of the BP spill, am I entitled to sue (and where does it end as Rush pointed out...shrimp will cost more, as will other foods, and anything that relies on gas would see some sort of increase)? It appears more like another boost to the trial lawyers which will have a field day with BP. But for a great article on Obama's thuggery see this.

4. Rush pointed out about minorities were hardest hit by the mortgage meltdown. You don't say. I could have told anyone that. Granting or refusing a loan to a white person, no big deal. But refuse a loan to a minority and you are in big trouble (and both Republicans and Democrats are responsible for it). The problem isn't minorities, it is granting loans to people who couldn't pay them back (through political pressure). These people just happened to be minorities. And what I just said would be construed by a lot on the left as racist. But is it? If the reverse were true and banks loaned to a lot of white people through political pressure who couldn't pay it back, would I give them a pass? Of course not.

5. Obama, in his push to grant amnesty to millions of illegals (didn't we try that before...I thought Obama was going to bring change and hope), keeps talking about our "broken" immigration system. Okay...but why is it broken? It is Presidents, including Reagan, who refused (along with Congress) to enforce the border. Might as well look in the mirror.

6. On computers, when did it become recycling bin rather than garbage bin? Was it always recycling bin and I just didn't notice? Funny how little stuff like that never seems to garner our attention.

7. Inclusiveness. This seems to be coming back around again. Just curious, but those who want inclusiveness demand it, thus excluding those who don't want to be inclusive. Is that in the spirit of inclusiveness? Same thing with diversity. People claim to be for diversity, but against the diverse opinion that diversity is not an unqualified good thing.

8. I definitely can't do better than this. Will Ken Salazar suffer for exploiting a crisis? Probably not, seems what the Obama administration is made for.

9. With the resignation/firing of McChrystal in Afghanistan, now Petraeus is taking over (obviously one hopes, for the best of the country). But it seems like not too long ago that Democrats were furious at Petraeus (MoveOn and the Betray-us ad). Hillary Clinton even called out Petraeus for being a liar. Well which is it?

(Unfortunately Late) Memorial Day Tribute

My eternal apologies for this. I wanted to post something Monday and ashamed to say that I didn't find the time.

Memorial Day is so often treated as nothing more than a holiday to a lot of Americans, and that is truly disagraceful and despicable. So many lives lost, and those that sacrificed didn't care whether the policy was bad or the war strategy was bad. There was a job to do. In hindsight we see the benefit and a winning overall strategy in places like Iwo Jima. At the time it might be hard to come to any conclusion beyond a costly victory. Though I do not agree with Presidents like Clinton or Obama (and even sometimes whether Bush was correct), we should definitely continue to pray for our Presidents that they make the right decisions, and for our war commanders that war is neither taken lightly nor for unjust causes.

As a side note, on Monday we saw the veterans come out in my parent's town and fire shots in remembrance of those who have fallen. The flags at half-mast, and trying to explain to Joseph (my son for those who don't know) why. Just seeing the POW/MIA flag, it is very hard to instill in a young person how appreciative they really should be.

And then wondering how many Americans would truly give their lives for this country. Would you? Would I?