This article from the American Thinker captures a phenomenon I have been aware of for a long time. During my Foreign Service career I enjoyed meeting and working with a great number of well educated, highly intelligent individuals with advanced degrees from top rated schools. Many of them were "elitists"and I as well as other managers were often dismayed by their lack of common sense. Fortunately most of them were weeded out before they reached senior management positions.
The elusive Bin Laden sends the world still another message of hate for the USA and other industrialized nations. Now he trying to tap into the popular but dubious idea of global warming by blaming us. In addition to sponsoring and applauding cowardly terrorist attacks that indiscriminately kill innocents of any nation or religion including his own he urges economic war on us even while admitting that the consequences of our collapse would be disastrous for the whole world. He does not yet have the enormous power required to do evil on the same massive scale as Stalin, Mao and Hitler but obviously he would if he could.
Transparency is sadly lacking at all levels of government and the Obama administration has been relentless in its pursuit of imposing its agenda on a country that rejects much of it and most especially Obamacare.. He promised openess and transparency and what have we been given? More of the same kind of rotten back room deals he so eloquently and and I might add hypocritically condemned while campaigning. Promises need to be kept!
Transparency in government has become the buzzword in politics and the South Carolina Policy Council does an excellent job of fighting for it here in South Carolina. Aiken City Councilman Dick Dewar has done a great deal to increase government transparency here in Aiken, South Carolina and our elected officials have given it their full support. Gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley has been the leader on transparency at the State level and we also applaud her efforts.The following link will take you to the Bauer story.
Comments on the South Carolina Gubernatorial race from Ed Giobbe
In a time of extraordinary economic and financial stress, the race for Governor of our State is extremely important. The new Governor will set the agenda and direction of South Carolina for years. At the recent Aiken Republican Club debate with four candidates it was obvious that three of them were simply more of the same.
Gresham Barrett missed 30% of the votes in the House of Representatives in 2009 and has already missed a number of votes so far this year. His excuse for being absent is that he is running for Governor. Will he continue to be an absentee Representative in 2010? That's not what we hired him for and not what he gets paid for. He told us that he was for God, the Second Amendment, and Right to Life, none of which are issues in the race. He failed to address the crucial issues that face SC. Platitudes and no substance.
Henry McMaster and Andre Bauer were poster children for the status quo. They also failed to speak to the issues. Amazingly, both of them, in response to a question by Dick Dewar, concerning the leadership of Bobby Harrell and Glen McConnell, emphatically stated that they always received full cooperation from the Legislature and always got what they asked for! These two are simply more of the same and business as usual. It is the good old boy game of get along go along that has characterized the Legislature for decades. What you see is what you get, a wink and a nod. In addition, Andre Bauer recently equated helping the poor with feeding stray dogs. What is he running for, dog catcher?
Nikki Haley is the proverbial breath of fresh air. She introduced and passed legislation requiring recorded votes over the objections of the leadership and was punished for it. She favors raising the cigarette tax, governmental restructuring, eliminating the Budget and Control Board, tax reform and eliminating the hundreds of millions of $ of special interest sales tax exemptions. She addressed the three major issues that are absolutely crucial to our state- restructuring, taxes and education.
South Carolina can no longer afford to be hampered by a state government dominated by a legislature motivated by special interests and self preservation. The legislature has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th Century and continues to be the Enfant Terrible in the 21st. If we really want a better state government, then let's ask the hard questions and demand specific answers. The usual platitudes and trite phrases of smaller, more efficient government and lower taxes have been uttered by politicians since the first caveman ran for office. It's time to hold their feet to the fire and demand some answers. l
We are all anxiously awaiting President Obama's state of the union address.My personal opinion is that we are in desperate condition and only a real changeof direction can save us. I opposed President Obama's election because I had studied his background and associations with terrorist William Ayers and his America hating preacher. The only upside to his election was that America proved that skin color was not important. His message of hope and change though ill defined was brilliantly delivered and 53 percent of Americans elected their first black President. After he was elected I naively believed or perhaps only hoped that he would strive to be a President for all the people. Unfortunately this has not been the case and despite the strong messages that have been sent to his administration from Americans of every political persuasion it sounds as though he and his team of czars and other far left leaners are determined to prove that big brother knows best. I hope I am wrong!
As our world continues the Technology Revolution many totalitarian countries are trying to restrict internet access and even here in the United States there are elements within the current administration that would like to curb bloggers and other media that are critical of President Obama and his administration. In light of this I am very pleased that the U.S. has spoken out about the restrictions being placed by China. It will give our own free speech advocates and media ammunition should the congress proceed with its attempts to revive the so-called "fairness doctrine." See the article here
We already know how the difficulties faced by bloggers in Iran but Egypt is also trying to intimidate its very large blog population. Go here for some comments and follow on to an incident in Upper Egypt where five Christians were murdered on Christmas Day.Happily the U.S. State Department has also protested the incident according to the Egyptian Chronicles
As the current regime continues to thumb it's nose at diplomatic efforts the risk of military action grows. The WSJ Opinion Journal carries an interesting article today that suggests more options that have considerable merit. I have to believe that some of what is suggested has already been in play but certainly a more consistent and determined effort should be made. The alternative of using military action would be disastrous and might weaken the opposition rather than bring about any change.
The WSJ has an excellent report on Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts. The tea is in the harbor- next the Revolution. A center right coalition of Americans will rescue their country from those undemocratic forces that are trying to take us in the wrong direction. Thank you Scott Brown and the citizens of Massachusetts for the inspiration.
UPDATE- The first sign that the White House has heard the message comes from David Axlerod
I have posted this because the SC Policy Council is doing an excellent service for the citizens of South Carolina and their observations also have applicability at the National level.
As the whole world looks on at the horror unfolding in Haiti many may be too distracted to pay enough attention to the Massachusetts senate race; Massachusetts has always been a progressive state with many independents and they hold the key to defeating this awful health care bill. Health care does need to be reformed and many good ideas have been bruited by politicians on both sides but the shameless trickery now taking place is not the way. Such important legislation must have bi-partisan support and that has not been sought in any reasonable way. The old saying "power corrupts......" comes to mind. The following report gives me some hope that the patriotic citizens of Massachusetts will once again cast a deciding vote for the good our wonderful republic. MA Senate Race- New Poll, Brown Leads « Liveshots
I posted this article as an example of the commonality of interests that exists all over the world. I have followed the Egyptian Chronicles for quite a while.I have not always agreed with its postings and the many hateful comments made by others to the site( unfortunately a sickness that affects many blogs)but I admire the editors spunk and her desire to better the life of all Egyptians.
That sad and long suffering little place called Haiti has been struck down by a great catastrophe and assistance is urgently needed. The USA and many other countries have responded quickly and as usual many volunteers are rushing to the scene.The following account of the great loss suffered by the UN in Haiti was received by email this morning. It includes links to facilitate donations to the relief effort and I urge everyone to contribute.
The UN headquarters building for the peacekeeping force was flattened with over 150 UN folks inside, including people from at least 20 countries (U.S. included). All are missing and unaccounted for. This may shape up to be the single largest loss of life for the UN ever. Many of my colleagues fear that they have lost many good friends and mentors – Annabi (the head of the UN in Haiti) was one colleague’s direct boss for over 8 years.
The good folks at the Fairfax Fire and Rescue arrived on the ground about 2 hours ago with 72 people, 6 dogs and all the equipment needed to find and dig people out. LA search and rescue is loading up in California with a similar team to arrive overnight, and Miami Dade is loading up with an identical team. UK, Netherlands, Iceland also sending smaller teams. Next 48-60 hours is critical for getting to people.
Fastest and easiest way to give is on the front of the White House and USUN websites (www.whitehouse.gov and www.usun.state.gov) - text “HAITI” to 90999 and $10 will be added to your cell phone bill for a donation to the Red Cross.
To show you what a scary world we live in- This blog has been online for a matter of hours and already a Google ad has been placed by the SEIU - Service Employees International Union. The ad consists of a youtube purporting to be favorable to a TEAParty but it is cleverly edited.By time I got around to this posting it had disappeared but it will be back. For another look at the SEIU go here
Scott Brown is doing very well against Coakley and raised 1.3 million last night. To contribute to his campaign go here.
You will have seen the news story of the assassination of a Tehran University Professor today. The following link will take you to an interesting account. It is so sad that our government is still playing around. Talking tough and doing nothing. Weakness on the part of our leaders is a go ahead signal for terrorist leaders such as though who rule Iran.It is ironical that the current opposition is a replay of the feelings that lead to the demise of the Shah who was not as repressive. Those good young idealists who yearned for freedom and democracy made a pact with the devil and were over time consumed by that theocracy that is now in control.
As many readers of the Aiken Journal know I retired from the Aiken City Council in November 2009.The Aiken Journal was started as an email to constituents and then was also published online as a website and later as a blog. The Aiken Journal originally covered only City of Aiken and Aiken County items of concern but due to my propensity to worry about the whole world I started to cover broader interests.The Aiken Journal will generally limit its coverage to City of Aiken, County and South Carolina subjects and I have created the www.octogenarianonline.com to cover my personal interests around the world. I have also included in the archives of this new blog postings concerning national and world topics that were published by me in the Aiken Journal.These archive items have been removed from the Aiken Journal. I hope everyone visits the new site as it gets up and running. Good comments are always welcome.
The following is the beginning of an excellent piece that was posted on the WSJ Opinion Journal today.To read the entire article go here
If the government can mandate the purchase of insurance, it can do anything.
By ORRIN G. HATCH, J. KENNETH BLACKWELL AND KENNETH A. KLUKOWSKI
President Obama's health-care bill is now moving toward final passage. The policy issues may be coming to an end, but the legal issues are certain to continue because key provisions of this dangerous legislation are unconstitutional. Legally speaking, this legislation creates a target-rich environment. We will focus on three of its more glaring constitutional defects.
First, the Constitution does not give Congress the power to require that Americans purchase health insurance. Congress must be able to point to at least one of its powers listed in the Constitution as the basis of any legislation it passes. None of those powers justifies the individual insurance mandate. Congress's powers to tax and spend do not apply because the mandate neither taxes nor spends. The only other option is Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.