On John McCain

John McCain recently made news when he broke with fellow Republicans regarding America’s place in the world. For a hundred years there has been a good bit of residual isolationism within the Republican Party and it has recently reared its ugly head again. McCain publicly disputed that concept and clearly stated that isolationism had no place in America’s foreign policy. Isolationism will never be to the benefit of our nation.

From my perspective, Senator John McCain is a real patriot as he is proved time and again. While I did not vote for him in the 2008 election, I have a great deal respect for the man. He puts America first, ahead of his own personal and political interests. Would that more politicians were as loyal to the best interests of America as he is.

An Outstanding Display of Political Skill

I just finished watching the first debate of the 2012 presidential campaign. CNN hosted the event set in New Hampshire with the seven declared candidates for the Republican nomination. How fitting that the debate took place in the state that is first in the nation to have a primary contests in the election year. It was a most fascinating display of political skill and should portend an interesting election season.

Most notable among the candidates was the similarity of their positions on the issues. They all took a far right stance in response to most questions. What I found fascinating was the candidates’ consistent ability to dodge the question and speak to a different issue of more importance to them. This was a direct violation of the rules that were set out at the beginning of the debate. The moderator kept reminding them that they should stay on the topic at hand, but they frequently ignored his pleas.

From my perspective, it would be refreshing indeed to find a politician that could give a direct answer to a direct question. I was impressed with the quality of the questions, both from the moderator and from those in the audience. They were specific and to the point. However, the answers where anything but specific and frequently missed the point of the question. Hopefully someone will give the candidates coaching on how to give direct answers to direct questions. The American people deserve politicians who can do so.

Mike Huckabee Discovers Money

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee shocked the political world recently when he announced that he would not run for the Republican nomination for president in 2012. He admitted that after testing the waters all the signs pointed to a decision that he should be a candidate for the high office. Yet, in his heart he decided not to. Why did his heart prevail over his head in this matter?

From my perspective, money was the deciding factor which convinced Huckabee that he should not be a candidate in 2012. No, it’s not that he couldn’t raise the money. He was, in fact, convinced that he could raise enough money to make a credible campaign. But, he has discovered his power as a political celebrity to make money. Royalties from his book sales and his contract with Fox news brings a healthy income on a regular basis. It no doubt surpasses anything he earned as governor of Arkansas or as a Baptist minister. He is building a house in Florida which is estimated to cost in the range of $2 million. Why should he give up the lifestyle of the rich and famous just for the glory of being a candidate for the presidency? I’m sure he could find no credible reason to make that sacrifice.

The Photographic Evidence

Good news: Osama bin Laden is no more! In a brilliant maneuver our intelligence community teamed up with the Navy SEALs to kill the evil man and send him to be with his maker. I am sure his maker is not the Creator of this world. It is fascinating that no sooner had the deed been done then conspiracy theorists began to doubt it’s truth. To quiet them down some are demanding that photographic evidence be produced. The news reports indicate that there are indeed photographs and even videotape of bin Laden being killed and buried at sea. So, if they’ve got nothing that hide, why doesn’t the Obama administration produce the evidence?

From my perspective, the United States government should not produce the photographs and make them available for public display. To have on view the gory details of the killing and disposal of the evil man’s body would serve no useful purpose. And, it certainly would not convince those who gravitate naturally towards conspiracy theories. They will find a hundred reasons why the photographic evidence is not convincing and is probably even part of a fraud. Hopefully President Obama will stick to his resolve not to publicly display the photographic evidence of bin Laden’s demise.

Is That the Best They Can Do?

Donald Trump is the latest entry into the race for the Republican nomination for president for the 2012 election. The first big issue that he brought to the front is the legitimacy of Obama to be president as long as there is a question regarding the location of his birth. The Constitution requires that a president must be a natural born citizen of the United States. Obama has only released a Certificate of Live Birth and not the long form birth certificate which some claim is the definitive document for them to see. There is plenty of other evidence that Obama was indeed born in the state of Hawaii.


Trump has made this a major issue. Today Obama released certified copies of the long form birth certificate. Donald Trump’s response was very interesting. He said, “I am very proud” that he was able to force Obama to show his birth certificate. He reiterated that he is both proud and honored to have accomplished this important task. From my perspective, one has to question: is that the best the Republican Party can do for a presidential contender in 2012? If it is, it should be a very interesting election season.

What I Found in the Koran

I recently came across an English translation of the Koran. Being the curious sort I opened it up to see what it contained. I discovered that each page had three columns, only one of which was in English. The other columns contain the same text in different languages. I also discovered that Arabs read books in reverse order of what we do. They start in the back of the book and read forward.

I found that it’s easy reading so I started with the very first verse of the first chapter and I’m now halfway through chapter 2. I ran across an interesting statement from the Muslim holy book: “O Children of Israel! Call to mind the (special) favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your covenant with Me and I shall fulfill My covenant with you, and fear none but Me.” Koran 2:40. This sentiment is repeated in verse 47: “O children of Israel! Call to mind the (special) favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all others.”

From my perspective, it is very surprising to discover that instead of historic animosity between Muslims and Jews, the Muslim holy book ascribes special favor of God to the Jewish people. It will be interesting to see what other surprises I find as I read this book.

What We Learn from History

A recent issue of The Week quoted Aldus Huxley who famously said, “That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.”

From my perspective, this is directly applicable to our current situation in Libya where the United States has once again dabbled in a foreign society we do not understand. It’s a wonderful goal to get rid of a vicious dictator. But, like Iraq and Afghanistan, we do not understand their culture. What comes after the dictator?

Libya is a tribal society where people owe their allegiance to family and clan and tribe more than to the nation. As soon as the dictator is overthrown they will begin fighting each other for supremacy. Which side will we be on in such a case? Unfortunately, our political leaders learned nothing from the mess we found ourselves in when we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. So much for learning the lessons of history!

Resist the Pressure

Newspaper reports indicate that the Obama administration is under tremendous pressure to intervene in the Civil War in the North Africa country of Libya. President Obama has declared publicly that the dictator, Qadhafi, must step down. To date he has declined to do so. Political hawks want the United States to declare a no-fly zone to protect the rebel forces from the dictator’s loyal air force. Defense Secretary Gates has indicated that initiating and maintaining a no-fly zone is much more complicated than it sounds.

From my perspective, President Obama should resist the pressure to get involved in the Libyan civil war. We already are engaged in two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan. We should have learned something from that experience. We do not have the resources to get bogged down in another Middle Eastern war. Nor is there constitutional authority for doing so since the United States has no vital interests in the country of Libya. We must stay out of this!

An Interesting Comparison

The Governor of Wisconsin has been cheered on by conservatives for his bravery in taking on the teacher’s union as well as other public service workers. He needs concessions from them to balance the state budget. Conservatives are all in a twitter over the fact that the average teacher’s salary in Wisconsin is $51,000 a year. I find that an interesting area of concern when conservatives maintain that people who make $250,000 a year can hardly make do and need a tax cut. The disparity in this comparison is puzzling indeed.


A further insistence by the Governor of Wisconsin that even though teachers are under contract he ought to be able to breach that contract and get financial concessions from them When reminded that contracts should not be violated the response from conservatives has been that the tough times require us to make hard decisions. People who work in public service must realize that their employment contracts cannot remain binding under such conditions.


Back when the country was in a financial crisis, Wall Street bankers who drove their companies to the verge of bankruptcy were still getting multimillion dollar bonuses. We were reminded that contracts are binding and could not be violated just because we were in a financial crisis. The message here is that for really wealthy people contracts may not be impaired but for people who make $50,000 a year as a public employees, contracts are meaningless.


From my perspective these comparisons show the moral bankruptcy of conservative leaders in America. What is good for one income group should be good for the other. It appears that conservatives are indeed waging class warfare.

A Complex to Guard Against

President Dwight Eisenhower surprised many Americans some 60 years ago when, in his final speech to the nation before he retired from the presidency, he warned his countrymen to “guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” Thus the term “military-industrial complex” was introduced into the American political lexicon.

Maybe Eisenhower saw even 60 years ago the pernicious influence that big business was having on government policy, not only in military matters but also in foreign affairs. Corporate power over the American political process generates a corrupting impact on the normal democratic functioning of our government. Decisions regarding what military equipment to purchase are based not on the needs of the military to keep our nation strong, but more on which corporation has bought the most influence in Congress. Thus, the decision on which jet engine to purchase or which company gets a contract to build flying tankers for the Air Force will certainly not be based on military need.

President Eisenhower did us a favor when he told us to guard against the growing influence of the military-industrial complex. It is unfortunate that for the past 60 years we have let our guard down. Our current government must address that serious issue as it faces the financial crisis that is soon to be upon us.

Mixed Emotions

It has been several days now since the peaceful protests by citizens of Egypt resulted in an overthrow of the government. It was good to see a dictator being forced out of office with a minimum of bloodshed. Much credit for this goes to the Egyptian military as well as the restraint of the protesters.

So, why am I not celebrating in jubilation? I have a strong belief in democracy as the foundation for good government. However, I also have a respect for the value of democratic processes. From my perspective, the force of mob action is in itself antithetical to democracy as it is usually defined. What starts out as a peaceful protest can quickly turn into gang violence. That is not the best foundation for good government.

Accountability In American Business

Recently, it was reported that the Wall Street investment bank, Goldman Sachs, had a 38% decline in profit over the previous year. Mr. Lloyd Blankfein, the CEO, was held accountable for this poor showing by getting his salary raised to three times what it had been. In addition, he was given a $12 million bonus. That is accountability in the business world in America! From my perspective, it is no wonder we had a near financial collapse just three years ago. If business leaders get rewarded for their ineptitude there is not much hope that they will have incentives to function effectively in the future.

Proving His Point

Recently we celebrated the 30th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s inauguration. It was interesting to hear the response on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal regarding the Reagan presidency. Most conservatives remembered him with a great deal of fondness. He restored pride in America, faced down the Soviet Union, and initiated the era of small government they claim. More liberal callers remembered that his out-of-control spending was the beginning of the long slide into the huge amount public debt have in America today.

Reagan famously said, “government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem!” And, from my perspective, for the next eight years he proceeded to prove his point.

Protecting Capitalism

In reading a review of a recent book by Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on the subject of why the rich are getting richer, I note some interesting statistics. “In the past 40 years the average income of the top 5% of wage earners went up, while on the average everyone else’s income went down.” In other words there’s been a shift of wealth from those who do the work to those who are at the top end of the economic scale. To clarify the picture, the share of total income going to the top 1% of Americans has increased from 8% in 1960 to more than 20% today. Our economic system has caused a tremendous concentration of wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people to the detriment of the majority of people in America.

I am a capitalist. I believe in the capitalist system, that it works best to benefit a majority of the people. However, what I see happening given the statistics presented, is that our system of free markets is slowly eroding to the place where it will eventually be destroyed. It has come to my attention that our markets are no longer free. Some members of society have access to insider information while most of us who have small investments do not have that benefit. When the financially elite are free to raid the market, it is no longer a free market which is essential to a healthy capitalist based economy.

When one business entity is able to restrict others from entering the market, capitalism is weakened. For example, when Microsoft requires purchasers of its products to pledge not to use their competitors’ products, we no longer have a free market or true capitalism. When managers of investment banks make risky bets with other people’s money and get multimillion dollar bonuses even if their business fails, we no longer have a true capitalist system. In response the government tries to regulate and protect the ordinary investors from being victims of fraudulent behavior on the part of the bankers. The business community squeals in agony at such regulation.

Without question too much government regulation weakens our capitalist system. However, if government regulation seems oppressive just wait till you are caught in the clutches of corporate policy. There is no due process or free elections to throw the bums out when you’re dealing with an American corporation.

From my perspective, our capitalist system, which includes free and open markets, is the most beneficial to most of the people and is the reason why America is the most productive nation in the world. That is soon to disappear if left in the hands of corporate moguls who are bent on enriching themselves regardless of the effect on the rest of the nation. The one most important goal for our government in the new year is to find a method of protecting capitalism from the destructive behaviors of corporate America. If that can be achieved much of the rest of the nation’s needs will fall into place.

The Reason for the Season

From my perspective, the tradition of Christmas celebration is an important aspect of American culture. However, Christians should remember that the reason for this season is to commemorate the birth of Christ who is the founder of our religion. I would suggest that we, His followers should give careful consideration to his teachings about how to react to other people. Reading the three chapters in the book of Matthew which document His famous Sermon on the Mount, one can hardly find justification for an in-your-face response to those who are nonbelievers and object to public observance of the religious holiday. There are specific instructions about turning the “other cheek,” loving our enemies, and even praying for those who treat us poorly.

Further, the depiction of the judgment day given in the 25th chapter of Matthew’s tome should be instructive to Christian believers. Here Christ identifies the things which are most important in terms of behavioral norms for the Christian. All of them have to do with how we treat other people, especially those who are at the lower end of the social scale. “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto Me,” is the standard to be applied on that fateful day. Some conservatives decry this as “social gospel,” and so it may be. However, any true Christian believer would be well advised to integrate this gospel in their daily lives.

Now, I’m not talking about anything related to politics or the Church, or any other organization. What I am suggesting is that true believers treat others as the Christ of Christmas has suggested. This is an individual mandate, more than one that’s to be carried out by the government or some other organization. It is the reason for this season that in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ we would be brought back to his basic teachings while He was here on earth. The world would be a much better place if more people would follow the tenets of Christianity as taught by Jesus.

Here is wishing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the readers of this blog.

Stockman Repudiates Reaganomics

In 1980 I made a feeble attempt to enter national politics when I was candidate for United States Congress in Michigan’s fourth Congressional District. My opponent, David Stockman, was very popular, well-financed, and had a national reputation as a congressman. It was a losing battle but I had a lot of fun and met a lot of interesting people. Stockman overwhelmed me in the election and soon afterwards was chosen by President Reagan to be his budget director. Stockman assisted in the development of the doctrine of Reaganomics. At the time I thought it was just voodoo economics as George Bush had claimed.

Imagine then my interest last night when Stockman was interviewed on national television. When asked about Reaganomics he surprised me by stating frankly, “it didn’t work.” When asked about the current situation especially regarding the Bush tax cuts Stockman said, “they should all be repealed.” “But,” asked the interviewer, “don’t tax cuts generate more revenue?” “No they don’t!” Stockman replied. That’s partly what’s responsible for getting us in the mess we’re in right now, he indicated.

So, there you have it. One of the architects of Reaganomics has repudiated the work of his own hands. He’s no flaming liberal, just a commonsense conservative. From my perspective, the conservatives who are attempting to impose their will in Washington should pay attention to what David Stockman has to say.

A Sad Commentary

A recent item in The Week magazine captivated my attention. It is a direct quote taken from the Wall Street Journal and written by Scott Adams. From my perspective, it provides a sad commentary on the state of American business.

“The primary purpose of management is to kill any hope that staying in your current job will work out for you. Bad management is how imagination gets wings. The economy needs workers who are fed up, desperate, and willing to quit their jobs for something better. You can’t do something great until first you quit something that isn’t. The last thing this world needs is a bunch of dopey-happy workers who can’t stop humming and grinning. The economy needs hamster -brained sociopaths in management to drive down the opportunity cost of entrepreneurship. Luckily, we are blessed with an ample supply.”

Sad to think that the Wall Street Journal expressed the opinion that bad management abounds throughout our country. America take note!

The Republican Agenda for America

It has been interesting to watch the resurgent Republican Party plot a strategy for flexing their newfound political muscle. They will soon take over the House of Representatives in Congress and increase their strength in the Senate. What will they do with all this power? Will they focus on addressing the fiscal problems that plague our American democracy or will they fritter away their energies on gaining retribution on their Democratic enemies?

Unfortunately, one of the Republican leaders remarked recently that “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one term president.” Is that the purpose which will direct Republican strategy in the coming months? Is that what will benefit America most? Is President Obama the great Satan who must be removed at all costs?

Hopefully the new members brought to Congress, particularly those from the Tea Party wing of the Republican party, can stick to their principles. During the campaign they seemed to be well centered on financial issues and if they can just keep that sense of focus as they move on to Washington the country will greatly benefit.

From my perspective, our best hope is that the new Republicans in Congress will grasp control of their party and focus it on solving the problems of our nation rather than on defeating Obama. They need to put together a plan to immediately address the deficit spending that has plagued our nation for some 30 years now. We have to get control of that bad habit or we will see a financial collapse in this country which will make the great depression of the last century look like a Sunday school picnic.

Sarah Palin’s Alaska

I watched the first episode of the eight part series about Alaska being carried on The Learning Channel. It is billed as something of a travel log, showcasing the wonders of nature in our largest state. However, if the first episode is any indication, it is misnamed. It should be titled Alaska’s Sarah Palin. It features more of Sarah and her family than it does of the state she loves so much.

There are scenes of Sarah Palin with her children both together and individually; Sarah trying to keep her daughter’s boyfriend from visiting the upstairs bedroom; Sarah taking the family fishing; Sarah flying in a float plane; Sarah walking on a dangerous glacier; and Sarah climbing a steep rock in the mountains and courageously overcoming her fear of heights to conquer that obstacle.

Though the producers claim it is nonpolitical in nature, there is a scene with Sarah having a discussion with husband Todd regarding the negative effect of taxes on business. There are also several shots of their next-door neighbor, a would-be biographer who she claims moved there to spy on them. The whole family reacts with disgust at his intrusion on their private life. Their protests of innocence aside, the producers have put together what from my perspective, is the slickest political infomercial I have ever seen. The film series probably should be seen by the American public as the opening volley in the 2012 presidential nominating process for the Republican Party. The next two years should be very interesting for us political junkies.

More Reflections on the Election

In further reflection on the recent election, I was much impressed with Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate in the last election. From my perspective, Mrs. Palin has shown evidence of tremendous maturity as a savvy politician. Please note: I do not use the word politician in a pejorative sense. America needs effective politicians as their leaders.

I must note that I do not support Palin’s political position on most issues. I am, however, fascinated with the growth she has made as a public speaker and in her ability to maneuver through the minefield of American politics. She put her considerable reputation on line during the midterm election campaign. She was not afraid to support relatively unknown candidates even though they had little hope of winning. She had enough winners among her picks so that she earned bragging rights in the world of politics.

It will be interesting now to see how Mrs. Palin maneuvers in preparation for the 2012 presidential race. A lot of important Republicans owe her political support. In the common vernacular, she has amassed considerable political capital. While her star may fade before the nominating convention, she has to be seen as a dominant force in the Republican party at this point in time. I do not see any other Republican that has given evidence of the political skill she has developed in the short time she has been active in American politics.

My prediction is that Sarah Palin will run for president in the Republican primaries in 2012 and be a strong competitor in the nominating process. All the other Republicans who plan to cash in on a weakened democratic President had better take notice.