Mr. President - What If You're Wrong?

Reading some of the summaries of the Cap and Trade bill that are now coming out, I'm not only sickened by what the bill is supposed to DO, but get even more queasy at the possible unintended consequences if you are wrong, Mr. President.

The premise of the bill is the issue of global warming. There is still enough debate in the scientific community, that someone who is sure that global warming caused by man-made CO2 emissions is not making a rational, informed decision. Looking back a couple of decades, we had a period of cooling. Maybe cooling is the trend and the last couple of decades of warming are just anomolies? So what if the warming crowd is wrong?

Cooler climates will have one big effect on the planet - shorter growing seasons and the complete destruction of food growing areas in the higher lattitude areas of the planet. Hmmmm. Shorter growing seasons lead to less food? Less food leads to poorer nutrition at best and famine at worst? The Law of Unintended Consequences striking again?

In addition to all the provisions of the bill that have been discussed recently, now it comes out that there are provisions for trade tariffs against countries who do not also reduce their emissions, chiefly aimed China and India. The good intentionists are trying to keep a level playing field between American industries that must comply with Cap and Trade and the industries in the countries that don't comply with OUR view how to prevent global warming. Hmmm. Sounds good. Fair play is the American way, right?

Those that know a bit of history, know that virtually all serious economists acknowledge that the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 was the chief cause of the Great Depression. Most economists believe that tariffs are bad in any form. Starting with the Market Crash in 1929, the economic health of America started on a rapid decline, with Smoot-Hawley being the major nail in the coffin.

Tariffs have never been in the best interest of our, or any other country. So why have we used this mechanism now? My belief is it's just another action designed to destroy the economy of this country, so our politicians can save us again, but this time by a complete remaking of the social and political fabric of this country.

An Open Letter to Michael Steele, Chairman RNC

by Chuck Schaeffer

Dear Chairman Steele,
My letter today is in response to your letter concerning the Census of the Republican Party. I have taken my valuable time and have carefully read all four pages. I request in return the courtesy of reading of my entire letter. After all, my letter is only 2 ½ pages.

In looking at the questionnaire, I find it to be, in large part, an ineffective, poorly constructed instrument. However, I have returned it under separate cover. Your letter states the cost of the census is $.42 cents each. However in the donation section, you ask for a donation of $12? I am highly skeptical of the census mailing because of the blatant fund-raising appeal at the end of the questionnaire. Asking for funds in EVERY piece you mail to me destroys the credibility of the survey. However, I have enclosed a check with this letter for $.42 to cover the cost of the questionnaire, according to your assertion.

As for a larger contribution, I will no longer make contributions to the Republican National Committee. (So if you wish to save money, take me off your list for any mailing that requests a contribution.) I base my decision on how the “National Party” handled the candidacy of Jack Hoogendyk in his bid for Sen. Carl Levin’s US Senate seat last Fall. Between the national and state party organizations, I believe Jack received a mere $500 total (perhaps may have been as much as $1000, I have forgotten).

The point is, Jack was only able to raise about $275,000 against Levin’s $2,500,000 or more! Jack was a candidate that can and did re-energize many Republicans in Michigan, but since he was unable to afford ANY TV ADVERTISING in Michigan, he went unknown to the voters as a whole. The Republican Party failed him, and thus failed the State of Michigan.

I would now like to address your intent to “revitalize” the party. I have seen you speak on television and read much about you in the conservative blogs. In your rhetoric I see a glimmer of hope, given that you can turn the rhetoric into genuine action and revitalization of the party.

Revitalization of the party only needs one specific topic of its focus. It does not need another questionnaire like the one just sent. The party needs only to find candidates with fire in their belly who are 110% committed to not just stopping, but reversing our gallop towards socialism. In my view, socialistic leanings are EMBRACED NOT JUST BY DEMOCRATS BUT BY NEARLY EVERY REPUBLICAN now holding national office. The Republican Party is NOT the party of the right. It is the party of the Just-Slightly-More-Right-Than-The-Democrat Party. It is conservative only by comparison to the democrat party.

Our future candidates need to have a full commitment to ending socialism and moving back toward genuine respect for the Constitution, as intended by its authors. (Plus the ability to articulate the message clearly and simply.) Period. If you adopt the primary goal of moving away from socialism and big national government, everything else flows from that. It’s a simple message, understood by everyone.

Now, how to find the candidate? I believe that the movement toward primary elections to select a Presidential candidate has hurt both parties! I do not believe that the primary system selects the most electable candidate. In the past election, I did not want to vote for either candidate. I did not support John McCain because he was not the best candidate the Republican Party had. Early in the primary cycle, I was supported (through signs, talk, and money) Rudy Giulani. My reason was that at the time it looked like the democrat nominee was going to be Hillary Clinton. My support for Rudy was based on my conviction that he was the only candidate capable of beating Hillary. But he ran out of money. McCain had money. Obama had (more) money. We had a choice, then, in the general election of voting for the candidates with the most money, not the candidate who would be the best President.

Many people urged moving away from “smoke-filled back rooms” at conventions where the party big wigs select the Presidential candidates. I believe ever since that happened, the Party has not, in general, fielded the best candidate. I would rather have “professionals” in politics select the candidate who has the best chance of winning, rather than the candidate who has the most money and charisma (of which John McCain had neither).

Another shortcoming of the party is that now it seems that the party platform is the platform of the nominee, not the platform of the party delegates. In fact, in the past 3 elections, I don’t even remember any major news coverage of what came out of the Platform Committee. Come to think of it, WAS THERE a platform or committee? If so, it was not a centerpiece of the convention.

Let’s turn to my US Rep., Dave Camp and how he typifies our incumbent legislators. Dave will not get my vote in 2010. Dave is a moderate- to left-leaning Republican. He will never get my vote, primary or general. Dave represents a lot of what’s wrong with our Representatives and Senators.

The winning strategy for regaining control of the House in 2010 will not be about holding on to Republican seats, and ousting some Democrats. The Party doesn’t need to hold on to Camp and his ilk, but instead needs a slate of candidates that, as I said earlier, “have full commitment to ending socialism and moving back toward genuine respect for the Constitution, as intended by its authors. Period.”

If this means withdrawing support from incumbents, so be it. If it means losing seniority on congressional committees, so be it. The rebuilding of conservatism and the tearing down of socialism will be a long process. Let’s bite the bullet and do it the right way.

Finally, lest you think this is the opinion of one person, I would like you to know that I am the organizer of a group of like-minded individuals in my region. We have people who are officially signed up as members, and more people who are our supporters, but not “joiners” at this time. We’ve only been at it a few weeks, but see new people joining nearly every day and have passed 20.

Parenthetically, we all believe in the principles and values that have been formalized in writing by Glenn Beck. In Michigan, we are the eighth such organization formed since March of this year. I only mention Beck, not because we feel he is our leader, but rather that he articulates our principles and values. I mention him also because if you know what he stands for, you know what we stand for and I don’t have to take time to explain it. WE LEAD OURSELVES.

If the Republican Party has the guts to make MAJOR changes in its philosophy and stops worrying about what blocks of voters it will try to co-opt or pander to, the party will have our support. If it’s the same business-as-usual party with a new logo and fresh talking points, forget about support from grass roots organizations such as ours.

If the person who is reading this is, in fact, Michael Steele, thank you for your time and consideration of my thoughts. If you are someone else, throw this away. My time in crafting and drafting this was for Mr. Steele’s benefit, and if it does not make it to his attention, I will know that it’s just “business as usual” for the Republican Party. I would appreciate at least a personal acknowledgment from Mr. Steele that he has read this letter.

Cordially,
Chuck Schaeffer

With Little Effort You Can Help Fight For Your Country

by Desiree Paquette

I do this because I love my country. I do this because I really feel our country and our liberty, not to mention our hard earned wages, are in terrible jeopardy.

This is not because we have democrats in power, of late the republicans have not been much better. This is because the government no longer cares what we think, regardless of who is in power. It matters not what side of the fence you're on - just that you are proud to be an American.

I know many people no longer watch the news as they feel it depressing, or perhaps they just have no time. Even if the do watch the news, most of the news outlets and the papers selectively issue the news with little regard for true journalism. This includes even FOX, but they are by far the most reliable of available sources.

I have put myself in contact with people like me, who care about the country. Who care about our liberty and freedom, and the future of our children and grandchildren. Of the many alerts I receive in a day, I pass forward those I feel are of dyer importance. These come from watchdog groups national in scope, national institutions, truth in news organizations, etc..

I feel that as a citizen who believes in the country the way our forefathers meant it to be, it is my obligation to help educate our fellow citizens to the overwhelming assault on our country. The new assault is much quieter than 09/11, much sneakier and hard to detect unless you are paying close attention. Worst of all, it's from the people we elected to office to represent us! Most people are not even noticing...and may think the "recession" is just dumb luck. No, really.

Please help. Help by passing these items along to your friends who may be too busy to pay attention.

The only way we can fight this battle to win is to educate the public. Make them aware of what is really going on, not just what the national media wants them to know.

Many people gave their lives for our liberty.. all we have to do to keep it is pay attention and fight back!

Most of us want to be good citizens and good Americans, it's only the information needed that's lacking. I know there are many more on our side than on the side that wants our country to transmuted to socialism and fascism. Join in.

You, too, can link with people. If you have not yet joined twitter, please sign up, it's free. Hook up to me if you want .. my screen name is DesireePaquette ... you can see who I "follow" (which is where most of my alerts come from) and choose to follow them too, if you want. Then you will also be on the forefront of fighting peacefully for our country. Our country really needs you to help.