Iranium

Last night I watched the movie Iranium at the Ahavath Torah Congregation in Stoughton, Massachusetts.  I have heard about the movie, but have never had a chance to see it.  It is well worth seeing.  I will try to highlight some of it here.

The movie begins in 1978 with Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as the Shah of Iran.  He was a dictator who was attempting to turn the country into a modern pro-Western society.  As unrest began, America withdrew her support of his regime, and in February 1979, the Shah was overthrown.  Two weeks after the Shah fled, Ruhollah Khomeini (known as “the ayatollah”) was welcomed home from exile as a hero.  In November of 1979, the American Embassy in Tehran was stormed.  The feeble response of the United States sent the message to the Iranian regime that America was weak and would not respond.  Since that time, Iran has felt free to sponsor terrorism around the world without fear of retaliation by the United States.  It should be noted that when Ronald Reagan became President of the United States, the hostages taken when the American Embassy was stormed were released.  President Reagan was not seen as the same kind of weak President that Jimmy Carter had been.

The goal of Ayatollah Khomeini is a world-wide caliphate achieved by a world-wide Islamic revolution.  Over the past thirty years, Iran has sponsored terrorism around the world in order to achieve that aim.  The movie Iranium details many of those activities and documents the fact that Iran is engaged in extending its reach into the Western Hemisphere. 

As Iran extends its reach, it is also seeking nuclear weapons.  Iran was one of the countries that received nuclear technology from Pakistani nuclear scientist A Q Khan (Abdul Qadeer Khan).   The question then becomes, “What is the impact of a nuclear Iran?”  That is the topic of the movie.

At this point the movie reminded me of something I had forgotten–it was the fact that at one point during its war with Iraq, Iran sent young boys running across minefields (promising them instant admittance to paradise when they were killed) to clear the path for tanks and troops.  I can’t wrap my head around that.  That is the mentality we are dealing with.

The movie does not recommend a military attack on Iran by western countries.    The hope in the movie and in the question and answer period that followed the movie was in the ‘Green Revolution.’  The ‘Green Revolution’ erupted into public violence after the 2009 elections.  The people of Iran felt that the elections were fixed and that their votes did not count.  It was pointed out that the regime in Iran will eventually collapse.  The hope is that the collapse will take place before they have nuclear weapons.  The current regime does not represent the Iranian people, but there is no guarantee that a new regime would not become a secular dictatorship as brutal as the religious dictatorship in charge now.

The thing to remember in considering Iran and its role in the world is the fact that the goal of the current regime in Iran is to set up a world-wide caliphate.  The goal is world-wide Sharia law.  There are areas in Europe and Britain where the Muslim population of countries is less than five percent, but there are already areas under Muslim control where the police will not go.  France particularly has had a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic activity in recent years.  Iran is not only a problem for Israel and other nations in the Middle East.  Iran is an American problem.

Memorial Service For The Fogel Family Will Be Webcast Today

As has been previously reported:

Media reports said a baby girl of three months, two children aged three and 11, and their parents Ehud and Ruth Fogel were all stabbed to death in the Friday night attack in Itamar near the Palestinian town of Nablus.

There will be a memorial service for the Fogel family tomorrow in New York City.  The following letter has gone out about the service:

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

12:00 noon
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun
125 East85th Street(Park-Lex)
New York City

Join in a community wide memorial service for the five members of the Fogel family who were brutally murdered this past weekend while asleep in their home. We must not be silent! We must demand justice for the victims. Speak out against the continuing incitement against Israel and the Jewish people.

Co-Sponsors
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Consulate General of Israel in New York
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
UJA-Federation of New York
(In formation)

Dear Friends,

In the event that you cannot join us in person at tomorrow’s memorial program, please consider participating via our online webcast using the link below. Please also help us by circulating this link and flyer to your networks.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-from-ckj

The webcast link will go live at 12 noon today.

 

More To Follow

Tonight I had the privilege of attending a showing of the movie “Iranium” and meeting Clare Lopez, a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy.  The movie puts in context many of the terrorist attacks that have occurred around the world in the past thirty years.  The movie is not a call to military action–it is a call to be informed, share information, and make sure our leaders are not ignoring basic facts.

I will write a detailed article about the movie and the question and answer session that followed the movie tomorrow, but I am still trying to grasp what I saw and heard.  I would much rather live with my head in the sand, but I suspect that the time when I, as an average American, could afford that luxury is now over.

Please visit the website linked above and learn about “Iranium.”

A Tale Of Two Cultures

I don’t claim to be unbiased in writing this article.  I am an American.  I am the daughter of a D-Day U. S. Army Officer, the wife of a Viet Nam era Navy veteran, and the mother-in-law of a Marine.  I love my country and I believe in Western culture.

In recent years, Americans have been told that their culture and ‘civilization’ is no better than anyone else’s and that there is not anything particularly noteworthy about western civilization.  Well, this isn’t an American story, but it is definitely a cultural story.

As has been reported:

Media reports said a baby girl of three months, two children aged three and 11, and their parents Ehud and Ruth Fogel were all stabbed to death in the Friday night attack in Itamar near the Palestinian town of Nablus.

Contrast that with a story that appeared in YNET News today:

“Just as IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz arrived in Neve Tzuf to offer his condolences, a Palestinian cab raced towards the community’s entrance. In it, soldiers and paramedics discovered a Palestinian woman in her 20s in advanced stages of labor and facing a life-threatening situation: The umbilical cord was wrapped around the young baby girl’s neck, endangering both her and her mother.

 “The quick action of settler paramedics and IDF troops deployed in the area saved the mother’s and baby’s life, prompting great excitement and emotions at the site where residents are still mourning the brutal death of five local family members.”

Which culture would you rather be a part of?

Unintended Consequences Of The Change Of Power In Egypt

The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday that a cargo vessel was seized by the Israeli Defense Forces.  The ship was flying a Liberian flag and was carrying Chinese-made anti-ship missiles, as well as instruction manuals in Farsi.

It is believed the weapons were headed for Hamas and other groups in the Gaza Strip. 

The article reports:

“The commandos did not encounter resistance when boarding the ship and were given the cargo certificates indicating that 39 containers had been loaded in the Syrian port of Latakia.

“Two weeks earlier, a pair of Iranian warships had docked at the same port – possibly carrying weapons. Four of the containers, found with heavy locks, were slated to be unloaded in the port of Alexandria in Egypt.

“The ship left Latakia and sailed to the port of Mersin in Turkey – likely a ploy meant to deflect attention from the ship and its cargo. The IDF stressed that it believed that neither Egypt nor Turkey was involved in the arms shipment.

“According to the certificates, the containers were supposed to be carrying cotton and lentils, but when the commandos pulled out the first row of sacks they found crates of mortar shells and advanced anti-ship missiles.”

I think one of the consequences of the change of regime in Egypt will be more of these ships.  I am not saying that Egypt was directly involved–I am simply suggesting that they may not pay close attention to what is shipped to Gaza through their country. 

Please understand, the ruling powers in Gaza have no plans for a peaceful Palestinian State–their plan is to drive Israel into the sea.  That plan has not changed in more than sixty years.

Scary News From Wisconsin

Regardless of which side of the battle you favor in the recent Wisconsin struggle, there are a few things that should concern you.  A website called Legal Insurrection posted a story about what happened when Republicans attempted to collect signatures on a petition to recall the Senators who fled the state three weeks ago.

The article reports:

“Upon arrival, members of the recall committee were encircled by union protesters carrying signs and a leader with a mega phone who began chanting and ranting loudly. They packed in tightly around the petition collection table so as to prevent those attempting to sign from doing so. At one point, a pro union protester, pretending to be interested in signing the petition, wrote profanity across a partially collected petition form, than began ripping up the completed petitions that were in close proximity.

“The policemen who were there, and who were standing in close proximity to these events as they unfolded, did nothing to assist those collecting the petitions as they were being destroyed, despite such an action being a Felony under Wisconsin law. Police also did nothing to clear the walk way for citizens that wanted to sign the petitions. Recall Committee members received many phone calls the following day from Merill area citizens who stated that they showed up to sign the petition, but were too afraid to get out of their vehicles and approach the recall table.”

The thing to remember here is that according to numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January of this year, 6.9 percent of the private sector belongs to unions and 36.2 percent of the public sector belongs to unions.  These numbers do not represent majorities.  The voters included in these numbers are not capable of passing or stopping any legislation either on a state or federal level.  That might explain some of their over-the-top antics.

The article further reports:

“Emotions ran high as ralliers took to the Lincoln County Courthouse, calling for the recall of Democratic State Senator Jim Holperin, one of the 14 senators who fled the state more than three weeks ago.

“Organizers say the rally was originally scheduled at Club 64 in Merrill, but they had to change locations after business owners say they received more than 50 phone calls threatening to destroy their business and cause physical harm if the rally took place.

“Protestors both for and against the recall showed up. Even though they initially kept their distance, Holperin supporters engulfed the recall effort, and that’s when the situation turned tense.

“”They circled around us, and they’re bullying us. They have a loud horn and they’re trying to intimidate people that would like to come and sign the petition,” said Kim Simac, recall leader, “I do think that this is an intimidation ploy.”

“Simac says protestors even got involved with their petitions.

“”We had a lady come up and write profanity and rip some of them right on our table…. so I guess that’s what democracy looks like to them.””

This sort of behavior is not good news for our democracy.  The fact that many of the police are not in a hurry to do their job is also not a good sign.

What Happens When The United States No Longer Cares About Other Peoples’ Freedom

Yesterday Hot Air reported:

“The foreign minister of France, which was spearheading the push for a NFZ initially, flatly admitted today that it’s probably too late now. Qaddafi rolled over the rebels in Ajdabiya last night and is poised to utterly devastate the last rebel fortress in Benghazi, so by the time the Security Council passes a resolution and NATO scrambles to begin operations against Libyan air defenses, the entire country may be back in Qaddafi’s hands. (So quickly are the regime’s troops advancing that when Newsweek published this piece last night about a “decisive” battle to come, that battle was already basically over. Already the news has shifted to Benghazi’s defenders “bracing for death.”) Even the rebels know it’s too late for a NFZ: Yesterday they expanded their requests from a no-flight zone to include airstrikes against Qaddafi’s compound in Tripoli. They’re not strong enough anymore to take him out so they’re begging us to do it for them.”

There was no quarantee that if the rebels succeeded in overthrowing Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi that the government that followed would be friendly to the United States.  I can, however, guarantee that because President Obama has stood back and refused to help the rebels, if by some miracle the rebels succeed, they will not be friendly to the United States.  Why would they be?  We used to have something called ‘black ops’ which took care of things like this, but the Church Committee in 1975 limited our activies around the world.  We have never fully recovered from the actions that committee took.  What we really need is Mitch Rapp.

I am truly sorry that we cannot find some way to help the rebels in Libya.  I don’t want to send troops into Libya, but a few well-placed predator drones would have been a really good idea.

Compromise Is Nice, But Sometimes It Is Inappropriate

Today’s Daily Caller posted a story about Senator Chuck Schumer telling John Boehner that Representative Boehner needs to abandon the Tea Party because Democrats helped pass the short term spending bill yesterday.  I would like to go on the record as saying that if Representative Boehner abandons the Tea Party, he will find himself in the minority after the next election.

Passing the Continuing Resolution was a serious error in judgment on the part of the Republicans.  I believe it was done out of fear that they would be blamed if the government shuts down.  Let’s remember why we are dealing with Continuing Resolutions–it’s because the Democrat Party when they controlled the House, the Senate and the Presidency didn’t bother to pass a budget for 2011.  The Republicans need to state that at every opportunity they have to talk to the press.

The Continuing Resolution is a delaying tactic by the Democrats.  By approving it, the Republicans may have simply given away the store–I will be very surprised if we see any of the measures the conservative voters have demanded put into place.  I don’t believe we will see the defunding of Planned Parenthood, NPR, Obamacare, etc.  I think the Republicans lost the battle to cut spending yesterday.  My solution–primary challenges for every Republican who voted for the Continuing Resolution.

Why I Don’t Support A Continuing Budget Resolution

This post is based on two articles–one from the Daily Caller yesterday and one from ABC News yesterday.

The Daily Caller reports that the new Continuing Resolution does not include any of the riders that were included in the first Continuing Resolution.  These were the riders that defunded such organizations as Planned Parenthood, National Public Radio, and such programs as Obamacare and EPA climate change. 

The Democrat strategy in this debate is to stall the budget debate long enough so that the Continuing Resolution, raising the debt ceiling, and the 2012 budget are all lumped together.  The idea is that doing that would decrease any leverage or political advantage the Republicans may have if all three items are debated separately.

ABC News notes:

“Rep. Steve King is lobbying his colleagues to take their fight against President Obama’s health care law to a new level: He wants to cut off funding for the law as a condition for keeping other government funds in place.

“”We have a leverage point, and it is the funding for the government for the balance of the fiscal year 2011,” King, R-Iowa, told us today on ABC’s “Top Line.” “This is the place to pitch the fight.”

“If such a stance brings about a partial government shutdown, it would be Democrats’ fault, King said: “If we shut off the funding to implement Obamacare and the Senate or the president refuses to go along with it, that is their decision, not ours.””

The thing to keep in mind here is the reason why this debate is happening.  As I have previously reported in a rightwinggranny article of March 13th:

At the beginning of January 2010, the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the Presidency.  In the Senate, after the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, there were 57 Democrats (including Independents who caucused with the Democrats) and 41 Republicans.  In the House of Representatives there were 256 Democrats and 178 Republicans.  The U. S. Government’s fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.  Congress is expected to pass a budget bill before the start of the fiscal year.  Budget bills are constitutionally required to begin in the House of Representatives.  The failure to pass a budget for 2011 falls squarely on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in the House of Representatives–they simply did not do their job–they funded the government through temporary measures.  Now they are screaming because the Republicans are introducing spending cuts into those temporary measures.  The President is screaming at Congress and blaming the Republicans because his Democrat party failed to pass a budget while they held the majority.

The time for political posturing is over.  We are in the middle of a fiscal crisis that will get worse if we do not seriously cut government spending.  Please follow this link to Paul Ryan’s Budget Presentation.  There you will see charts and graphs that explain exactly what our current situation is.  It’s time to stop playing politics and seriously cut the budget.

Score One For The Good Guys !

The U K Telegraph reported yesterday that an Indian naval ship closed in on a hijacked fishing vessel just under 700 miles off the Kerala coastal port of Cochin, capturing 61 suspected pirates and 13 of the boat’s crew who had been held captive.

According to the article:

“They were finally caught on Sunday after they opened fire on the approaching Indian naval ship. They were forced to jump overboard when their own vessel was set ablaze caught fire in fierce retaliatory fire from the Indian ship. The 13 original crew members were freed in the raid. Indian officials said they found 80 to 90 small arms or rifles and some heavy weapons on the fishing vessel.”

“The number of pirate attacks and the scale of their demands has increased singnificantly in recent months. More than 660 people are currently believed to be held hostage in pirates from raids on 30 ships.”

The article reports that India has increased its anti-pirate activity in the Indian Ocean.  In January 15 pirates were captured; in February 28.

It’s All In The Translation

I will admit up front that I do not speak Arabic and have to depend on others for the following translation.  However, I also would like to note that this story fits the pattern of stories I have heard in the past.

Yesterday, John Hinderaker at Power Line posted an article about the brutal murder of an Israeli family last Friday.  The Hamas website talks about the murders twice–once in English and once in Arabic.  The contrast between the two entires is striking.

On the English side of the website, Hamas says that killing children is not part of Hamas’ policy, nor is it the policy of the resistance factions.  The English side of the site states that Hamas is not responsible for the murder of the family.

The Arab side of the site tells another story:

Five Zionist usurpers were killed the morning of Saturday, 12 March 2011, in a knife-stabbing carried out by a Palestinian in the usurper (settlement) of Itamar east of the city of Nablus.

Our correspondent in Nablus reported that a Palestinian mujahid was able to break into the usurper (settlement) of “Itamar” south of Nablus in the occupied (West) Bank, and stabbed five Zionist usurpers.

Zionist media sources said that “A Palestinian broke into the usurper (settlement) between the hours of 9:30 – 11:00 PM, and killed five usurpers from one family while they were sleeping.” They confirmed that the perpetrator of the act was able to escape. …

Eye-witnesses informed our correspondents that Zionist airplanes, powerful forces from the military and police, and ambulances rushed to the scene and transported the wounded and slain, while occupation forces spread throughout the vicinity of the village of Awarta, and fired dozens of flares. …

Also, the al-Qassam Brigades were able to execute a series of operations in August of last year, which were named “Stream of Fire,” by which the mujahideen of al-Qassam were able to kill four Zionists. Intelligence officials from both the military and Abbas’s militias in the West Bank were confounded by these operations, and worked with all diligence to try to discover the perpetrators.

The comments on the Arabic side applaud the murders. 

Until the attitude expressed on the Arabic side of Hamas’ website changes, we need to isolate Hamas, stop sending them financial aid (which they use for weapons), and make it clear that their behavior is unacceptable.  Children are not born hating others; hate is a learned behavior.  Until the indoctrination of the Palestinian children ends, there will not be peace in the Middle East.  One thing to keep in mind as the debate on Palestine continues is a statement by Walid Shoebat, “Why is it that on June 4th 1967 I was a Jordanian and overnight I became a Palestinian?”

It Will Be Interesting To See How These Predictions Hold Up

The Wall Street Journal surveys a group of 56 economists at various times during the year to ask for their opinions on various areas of the economy.  In the lastest survey, the economists predicted that the unemployment rate would be 7.7 percent in November 2012. 

The article points out:

“The early 1980s recovery moved at a much faster pace than the current upturn, especially in the job market. The 1984 election was held two years after unemployment hit its cyclical peak, and had already fallen by 3.6 percentage points. By contrast, the most recent peak in the jobless rate was at 10.1% in October 2009, and if economists are correct, that would mean a decline of just 2.4 percentage points in more than three years.”

Ed Morrissey at Hot Air took a second look at the numbers yesterday.  Mr. Morrissey points out:

“A few caveats are in order in this analysis.  First, nothing here accounts for the civilian participation rate in the workforce, which has dropped to 64.2%, the lowest since 1982.  If that stays the same, then 7.7% won’t be as beneficial as it sounds, since it will mask a much higher drop in actual employment in relation to the population than the overall rate would indicate.  During the last expansion, that number was up to 67.2% at its peak, which means that a significant number of people have dropped off the grid.  And if they decided to start looking for jobs again, their return will spike the jobless number upward considerably even if the economy is producing a significant number of new jobs by then.”

If the participation rate is not considered in the unemployment numbers, the numbers have no meaning.  We need to keep that in mind as the numbers are announced.

Welcome Home

IMG_3420.JPG

My favorite Marine is on his way home after 13 months in Afghanistan!!!!!!!\

Thank you to him and all the men and women who serve.

Thanks also to Walpole Floral and Garden Center on Route 1A in Walpole, Massachusetts, for the beautiful bow.

Change The Culture Before You Create The State

This article is based on two articles posted on Saturday dealing with the murder of a Jewish family in the West Bank.  Yahoo News posted the Associated Press story on the murders.  Ynet News posted a story about the celebrations in Gaza following the murders. 

The Associated Press story reports:

“Media reports said a baby girl of three months, two children aged three and 11, and their parents Ehud and Ruth Vogel were all stabbed to death in the Friday night attack in Itamar near the Palestinian town of Nablus.

“Army radio said two other children had been spared and a third, a girl of 10, had arrived home late and alerted neighbours that something was wrong.”

Ynet News reports:

“Gaza residents from the southern city of Rafah hit the streets Saturday to celebrate the terror attack in the West Bank settlement of Itamar where five family members were murdered in their sleep, including three children.

“Residents handed out candy and sweets, one resident saying the joy “is a natural response to the harm settlers inflict on the Palestinian residents in the West Bank.””

To be fair, the story at YNet did report:

“…Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he “clearly and firmly denounces the terror attack, just as I have denounced crimes against Palestinians. 

“”We are against all types of violence,” Fayyad said during a tour in Bethlehem. “Our position has not changed. As we have said many times before, we categorically oppose violence and terror, regardless of the identity of the victims or the perpetrators.””

This may be a politically incorrect statement, but I don’t want to see a Palestinian state until the culture of the people of Palestine changes.  Regardless of what the Palestinian Prime Minister said, the actions of the residents of Gaza say more.  Where is the compassion for innocent children?  Slitting the throats of an innocent family as they are sleeping is not a civilized activity.  The world does not need another rogue nation–regardless of how small that nation is.

An Interesting Question About The Disaster In Japan

Obviously, my prayers go out to the people of Japan, but there is a cultural aspect of this disaster that is very interesting.  The U K Telegraph posted an article this moring that asked the question, “Why is there no looting in Japan?”

The article points out:

“And solidarity seems especially strong in Japan itself. Perhaps even more impressive than Japan’s technological power is its social strength, with supermarkets cutting prices and vending machine owners giving out free drinks as people work together to survive. Most noticeably of all, there has been no looting, and I’m not the only one curious about this.

“This is quite unusual among human cultures, and it’s unlikely it would be the case in Britain. During the 2007 floods in the West Country abandoned cars were broken into and free packs of bottled water were stolen. There was looting in Chile after the earthquake last year – so much so that troops were sent in; in New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina saw looting on a shocking scale.”

As I said, my prayers go out to the people of Japan.  I am proud that America, Britain, and many countries around the world have come to the aid of Japan after this disaster.  It also gives me hope that seventy plus years ago, Japan was an enemy of the United States and Britain, and now is a respected member of the world community.  It is amazing how quickly the political landscape of the world changes.

Two Letters

This is a link to an article in today’s Jewish World Review about two letters written following the recent events in Wisconsin.  The first letter was sent to the Republican Senators in Wisconsin who voted to limit the power of public service unions.

This is the first letter (unedited):

“Please put your things in order because you will be killed and your familes [sic]will also be killed due to your actions in the last 8 weeks. Please explain to them that this is because if we get rid of you and your families then it will save the rights of 300,000 people and also be able to close the deficit that you have created. I hope you have a good time in hell. Read below for more information on possible scenarios in which you will die.”

“WE want to make this perfectly clear. Because of your actions today and in the past couple of weeks I and the group of people that are working with me have decided that we’ve had enough. We feel that you and the people that support the dictator have to die. We have tried many other ways of dealing with your corruption but you have taken things too far and we will not stand for it any longer. So, this is how it’s going to happen: I as well as many others know where you and your family live, it’s a matter of public records. We have all planned to assult [sic] you by arriving at your house and putting a nice little bullet in your head. However, we decided that we wouldn’t leave it there. We also have decided that this may not be enough to send the message to you since you are so “high” on Koch and have decided that you are now going to single handedly make this a dictatorship instead of a demorcratic [sic] process. So we have also built several bombs that we have placed in various locations around the areas in which we know that you frequent. This includes, your house, your car, the state capitol, and well I won’t tell you all of them because that’s just no fun. Since we know that you are not smart enough to figure out why this is happening to you we have decided to make it perfectly clear to you. If you and your goonies feel that it’s necessary to strip the rights of 300,000 people and ruin their lives, making them unable to feed, clothe, and provide the necessities to their families and themselves then We Will “get rid of” (in which I mean kill) you. Please understand that this does not include the heroic Rep. Senator that risked everything to go against [sic] what you and your goonies wanted him to do. We feel that it’s worth our lives to do this, because we would be saving the lives of 300,000 people. Please make your peace with G0d as soon as possible and ay goodbye to your loved ones we will not wait any longer. YOU WILL DIE!!!!”

The second letter (unedited) was sent to a private business owner:

March 10, 2011
Mr. Tom Ellis, President
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation
770 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
SENT VIA FASCIMILE AND REGULAR MAIL

“Dear Mr. Ellis:

As you undoubtedly know, Governor Walker recently proposed a “budget adjustment bill” to eviscerate public employees’ right to collectively bargain in Wisconsin. ..”

“As you also know, Scott Walker did not campaign on this issue when he ran for office. If he had, we are confident that you would not be listed among his largest contributors. As such, we are contacting you now to request your support.”

“The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17. In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.”

“In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table. Wisconsin’s public employee unions serve to protect and promote equality and fairness in the workplace. We hope you will stand with us and publicly share that ideal.”

“In the event you would like to discuss this matter further, please contact the executive Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer, at 608.273.3840.”

“Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you soon.”

James L. Palmer, Executive Director
Wisconsin Professional Police Association
Mahlon Mitchell,President
Professional Professional [sic] Fire Fighters
Jim Conway, President
International Association of Fire Fighters Local 311
John Matthews, Execuctive Director
Madison Teachers, Inc.
Keith Patt, Executive Director
Green Bay Education Association
Bob Richardson, President
Dane County Deputy Sheriffs Association
Dan Frei, Prersident
Madison Professional Police Officers Association

I know this was an important vote.  I know that this was an emotional vote, but the behavior of the people writing these letters is totally unacceptable.  Threats are not a reasonable to a vote that did not go the way you wanted it to.  This is not even freedom of speech–this is mob intimidation.  The mob that accepts this sort of activity needs to rethink what it is supporting.

Smoke And Mirrors In The President’s Economic Report

Yesterday John Hinderaker at Power Line posted an article about the Economic Report of the President (ERP) which was released on Saturday night.  Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President of the Science and Environmental Policy Project, had a few observations about the report which were reported in the Power Line Article.

The ERP promotes the development and solar and wind power, but has no plan for developing the oil resources of the United States.  Mr. Haapala points out a few problems with solar and wind as the total solution to our energy problems.  Imported oil is generally used in the United States as a transportation fuel–less than one percent is used to generate electricity.  This opens up a whole new world of problems and solutions–unless Americans are willing to drive electric cars, our dependence on oil as an energy source will not end.  Even if we develop the technology to make good electric cars, we still have to generate the electricity to fuel them.

The article specifically states:

* It omits any discussion of the poor 120-year economic history of wind-generated electricity – erratic wind power was always rejected by consumers demanding reliable, affordable electricity.

* It omits the staggering investments China is making in traditional sources for generating electricity. The EPR emphasizes China’s development of solar and wind but ignores massive investments in nuclear, coal, and hydro. This omission leads to the false assertion that the US is in a race with China for wind and solar power.

* It omits any rigorous economic discussion of the difference between government expenditures and government investment. Expenditures are exactly that, they may create jobs and prosperity for a few, but not for the general public. Successful investments create general prosperity yielding far more to the general public than the cost. Replacing coal plants which reliably generate affordable electricity with wind farms or solar plants that unreliably generate more expensive electricity is an expenditure, not an investment. Such an action is no more an investment than replacing the reliable family car with an exotic, expensive, high-maintenance sports car. It may create jobs for some but at the expense of the family.

* It omits any discussion of an existing technology that can economically store electricity on an industrial scale. Without one, spending heavily on solar or wind is speculation.

In short, the EPR does not provide a path to a prosperous energy future, but a path to a boxed canyon that will make the US uncompetitive in the world markets.

There may someday be a technology that will completely wean the American economy from fossil fuel, but we are not there yet.  Government spending will not help us get there any sooner–the solution is in the creativity and ingenuity of the American people.  The government’s role is to make sure the American people have the freedom to be creative.

A Story That Makes Me Want To Scream

Friday’s Military Times posted an article explaining to its readers what the impact of a government shutdown would be on the military.  They are correct in wanting to keep the military informed, but they really missed a few important points.

At the beginning of January 2010, the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the Presidency.  In the Senate, after the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, there were 57 Democrats (including Independents who caucused with the Democrats) and 41 Republicans.  In the House of Representatives there were 256 Democrats and 178 Republicans.  The U. S. Government’s fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.  Congress is expected to pass a budget bill before the start of the fiscal year.  Budget bills are constitutionally required to begin in the House of Representatives.  The failure to pass a budget for 2011 falls squarely on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in the House of Representatives–they simply did not do their job–they funded the government through temporary measures.  Now they are screaming because the Republicans are introducing spending cuts into those temporary measures.  The President is screaming at Congress and blaming the Republicans because his Democrat party failed to pass a budget while they held the majority.

The Military Times reports:

“When the government was shut down in 1995, military personnel continued to report to work and were paid, but the planning guidance sent to the services and defense agencies says a shutdown this time will be different.

“All military personnel will continue in normal duty status regardless of their affiliation with exempt or non-exempt activities,” says the draft planning guidance that was prepared for the services and defense agencies. “Military personnel will serve without pay until such time as Congress makes appropriated funds available to compensate them for this period of service.”

“Troops would miss a payday only if the shutdown continues through April 1.”

The obvious questions here is, “Why will a shutdown this time be different?”  The government is the one issuing the planning guides–why will the shutdown be different this time? 

More from the Military Times:

“Troops and essential civilians who report for work without pay would receive back pay when government funding is restored. But whether furloughed civilians would receive back pay could depend on whether Congress specifically authorizes that, according to congressional aides who have been doing their own shutdown planning.

“The memo, prepared in early March but never formally issued as guidance, attempts to spell out what defense missions would shut down and what would stay open in the event funding stops.”

I have a better idea.  If the government shuts down, let’s stop paying Congress (and their staffs) until a budget is passed.  Let’s not give them the back pay for the time the government was shut down.  Do you think that might speed up the process?

Thursday Night In Stoughton, Massachusetts

Iranium, New Documentary on Nuclear Iran March 16 in Stoughton

Policy Expert is Featured Speaker

Stoughton, MA–(March 7, 2011)–Strategic policy and intelligence expert Claire M. Lopez will speak at a showing of the documentary Iranium Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Ahavath Torah Congregation in Stoughton, MA.  Lopez, who is interviewed in the film, is an expert in Middle East, national defense, and counterterrorism issues. A senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy and vice president of the Intelligence Summit, she has served with the CIA, as a professor at the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies, and as Executive Director of the Iran Policy Committee.  Admission is $10. 

 

Iranium was made by the Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization that produces documentaries on threats to national security.  The film premiered in various locations throughout the US in February.  With rarely seen footage, the film depicts the brutal reality of the regime in Tehran, and the threat it presents to its own people, to Israel, to the U.S. and to the rest of the world.  The filmmakers stress that while Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has never hesitated to declare his intentions to destroy the West and to spread Islam and Sharia law throughout the world, American and European leaders continue to misread his intentions.  Interviews with experts on the Middle East, terrorism, and nuclear politics give a clear explanation of the dangerous mix of the radical ideology and goals of the Iranian regime and its potential as a nuclear power.  For information go to www.atorah.org, call 781-344-8733 or e-mail office@atorah.org.

President Obama’s Energy Policy

This article is based on a post by John Hinderaker at Power Line yesterday.  I would also like to add the information that according to Representative John Campbell of California, there is a petition going around the House of Representatives to authorize drilling in ANWR as soon as gasoline hits $5 a gallon.  We live in interesting times.

The President stated, “So any notion that my administration has shut down oil production might make for a good political soundbite, but it doesn’t match up with reality.”

Power Line reported these statements by the Institute for Energy Research:

“The President’s anti-energy policies are a man-made disaster. Try as he may to deflect responsibility away from his own policies, President Obama can’t escape from the simple fact that the actions of his administration have dramatically slowed down domestic energy production. As a consequence, his policies are directly responsible for increasing gas prices.

“In 2007, an analysis from the federal government’s Energy Information Agency (EIA) predicted that domestic offshore production would be 717.9 million barrels in 2010. As a result of the Obama Administration’s policies, it was 600 million. Likewise, the projected onshore production was 132.9 million barrels. Under Obama, it was only 114 million.

“Under President Obama’s policies, federal land and water production in 2010 was 136.8 million barrels less than was predicted in 2007, or a 16% drop from what was expected.

“Oil production on federal lands is expected to dramatically decrease as a consequence of President Obama’s anti-energy policies. In 2011, EIA estimates that oil production in the federal Gulf of Mexico will fall by 15 percent. In 2012, it will fall by 26 percent from the 2010 production high water mark.”

The President stated, “All these actions can increase domestic oil production in the short and medium term. But let’s be clear: It is not a long-term solution. Even if we started drilling new wells tomorrow, that oil isn’t coming on-line overnight. And even if we tap every single reserve available to us, we can’t escape the fact that we only control 2 percent of the world’s oil, but we consume over a quarter of the world’s oil.” 

Well, that depends on how you count. 

The Institute for Energy Research writes:

“In a recent report, CRS [the Congressional Research Service] said that the U.S. has 19.1 billion barrels of proven reserves, which is the number President Obama cites as 2% of the world’s oil. CRS, however, showed that between our proven reserves and oil predicted to be found, there is likely to be a combined 164.1 billion barrels, or 8.5 times as much as the president alleges. And this figure doesn’t include oil shale, which has recoverable reserves of 1 trillion barrels, according to DOE.”

Mr. Hinderaker at Power Line concludes:

“The United States controls vast energy resources–the above numbers don’t include our unparalleled coal deposits–but environmentalists, supported by the Democratic Party, have hobbled our economy and our job growth much as the Lilliputians tied down Gulliver with a million bureaucratic regulations.

“With respect to energy, Barack Obama is a fraud. In reality, he is a tool of the environmentalist, anti-growth, anti-wealth Left. But he cannot go before the American people and try to defend policies that are deliberately designed to make us all poorer, so he has to pose as a sort of Sarah Palin in drag. All the while, he is doing everything he can to prevent America from developing its own energy resources, employing many thousands of people in high-paying jobs, boosting our economy, and ending our reliance on the Saudis. If the Obama administration were not a disaster on so many fronts, its energy policies alone would dictate that it be replaced in November 2012.”

How long will it be before the American voters realize they are being lied to?

 

How Important Is It To Protect Our Children From Sugar ?

Last week, Life, Inc. reported on the demise of Cap’n Crunch.  This seems like a trivial matter–kid’s cereals come and go all the time–but it’s not.  Cap’n Crunch seems to be the victim of Michelle Obama’s policies to make our children healthier.  Michelle Obama’s policies???  Who elected her? 

Cap’n Crunch has12 grams of sugar per serving. 

The article points out:

“Cap’n Crunch was once the No. 1 breakfast cereal, but pressure from the White House and health activists is having an effect on how PepsiCo and other food companies peddle their products to kids. Sales of the cereal were down 6.8 percent in 2010.”

Just to complicate things, Ad Age reported on Wednesday:

“Reports of Cap’n Crunch’s demise are greatly exaggerated,” Quaker said in a statement to Ad Age. “In fact, we just launched an official Facebook page for Cap’n Crunch. Now that our Cap’n Crunch brand is in the social-media space, our adult consumers can stay up to date on all things Cap’n Crunch.”

“The rumors apparently started with this article on Daily Finance, which speculated that Quaker was easing the captain into retirement, pointing out that he does not appear on Quaker’s main website. And along the choppy seas that is the internet, the story took on a life of its own. A Fox News blog cited the Daily Finance story under the headline “Food Police Kill Cap’n Crunch,” playing off the original story’s suggestion that pressure from the federal government — including first lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign — “may explain why the Cap’n is less visable than he was in years past.””

OK.  It looks as if Cap’n Crunch is getting at least a temporary reprieve.  The food police have suffered a temporary setback.  In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I have never tasted Cap’n Crunch.  I have always been more of a mini-wheats person.  However, it is good to know that the Cap’n will at least be with us for a while longer.

When Government Gets Just Too Intrusive

Yesterday Politico reported on some comments made by Senator Ron Paul during an applicance efficiency hearing at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  Senator Paul was addressing Kathleen Hogan, the DOE deputy assistant secretary.   The Senator asked Ms. Hogan if she was pro-choice.  She answered that she was pro-choice on light bulbs.  At that point, Senator Paul pointed out that she was not pro-choice on light bulbs.  The law requiring all light bulbs sold to be compact fluorescent lights (CFL) goes into effect on January 1st. 

A website called Benzinga.com lists a few of the problems with CFL’s:

“When a CFL light bulb is broken it releases high levels of mercury into the air.

“The quality of light produced by CFL bulbs is poorer.

“CFL bulbs are dimmer.

“CFL bulbs tend to flicker and this causes some people to become dizzy or ill.

“CFL have been associated with migraine headaches and sleep abnornalities.

“CFL bulbs are so toxic that they require special disposal.

“The mercury in CFL bulbs is particularly harmful to fetuses and children.

“The amount of mercury in a CFL bulb is enough to make 1,000 gallons of water unsafe for human consumption.”

Why in the world is the government forcing us to buy something that is known to be harmful to us?  Why does the government care what kind of light bulbs we use?

We need to get the government out of our light bulb choices! 

Wallowing In Injustices Of The Past Rather Than Dealing With The Dangers Of The Present

The hearings conducted by Peter King, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, yesterday stirred up a certain amount of controversy.  Yesterday’s Washington Times reported on some of that controversy.

The Washington Times quoted Representative Al Green of Texas:

“REP. Al GREEN:I think that all criminals should be prosecuted. I think that all terrorists should be investigated which is why I said we ought to investigate all of them and that would include the KKK. Over a hundred years of terrorism why not investigate them too. They are rooted in a religion as well. Check their website out. You’ll see.”

I totally agree with Representative Green that there was a time when the KKK was a major concern in this country.  I have a good friend who grew up in the rural south during the 1940’s and 1950’s and some of the stories she can tell are harrowing (she is black).  However, it was not the KKK who flew jets into the World Trade Center Towers, it was not the KKK who killed the soldiers at Fort Hood, it was not the KKK that tried to bring down a jet with a shoe bomb, it was not the KKK that tried to set off a bomb in Times Square, and it was not the KKK who tried to bring down a jet with an underwear bomb.  There are more examples, but I am sure you get the picture.

Yesterday, I posted a story (rightwinggranny.com) about the fact that three of the most powerful leaders of Al Qaeda right now are men that are either Americans or spent a significant part of their lives in America.  The danger there is current and needs to be investigated.  The danger from the KKK is not a current threat.  As awful as the things the KKK has done are, investigating them at this point is a waste of time and money.  We can never atone for the awful things the KKK did, but we can vow to be better people in the future and move on.  To remain fixated on events of forty or fifty years ago does no one any good.

France Takes The Lead On LIbya

This story has two sources–an article at Hot Air posted yesterday, and an article at France 24, also posted yesterday.

The article at France 24 reports:

“France became the first country to formally recognize the Libyan opposition – the Interim Transitional National Council – as legitimate representatives of the Libyan people on Thursday, pledging to exchange ambassadors with the country’s newly created transitional council in a major diplomatic victory for the Libyan opposition.

“The announcement followed a meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and two representatives of Libya’s Interim Transitional National Council in Paris Thursday

“Speaking to reporters at the Elysée presidential palace in Paris, Ali al Issawi, a former Libyan ambassador to India who quit his post last month, announced that, “France recognises the National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.”

Hot Air reports:

“The recognition comes as European Union foreign ministers meet in Brussels Thursday and defense ministers of NATO’s 28 member states also gathered in the Belgian capital to consider the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya.

“Ahead of the Brussels meeting, AFP reported that Sarkozy would propose “targeted airstrikes” in Libya as a way to end the violence.

“Reacting to the news of France’s diplomatic recognition, Imane Boughaighis, media organizer for Libya’s Interim Transitional National Council, said the Libyan people were “very grateful” to the French government.”

Hot Air points out that the actions of Europe in support of the Libyan rebels may not result in much military help for the rebels:

“But even if the political will is there, are they capable of doing it? I’ve been tweeting this idea at military expert (and Weekly Standard contributor) John Noonan and he’s skeptical that the EU, even acting in concert, could put together an effective op. Maybe there are 100 combat-ready jets available between them, and maybe you could stage an operation out of Crete or Malta (carriers are hard to come by now that the British navy has essentially been defunded), but there’s plenty of intel work to be done first and mobile Libyan air defenses are a major concern. The F-22 can handle them, but European jets? Not so much. So an EU-led mission against Qaddafi is probably a non-starter, which means when Sarkozy boldly recognizes the rebel government and calls for airstrikes, all he’s really doing is nudging Obama. It’s good domestic politics for him — showing French leadership in a humanitarian military mission will appeal to the Le Pen “national greatness” crowd on the right and internationalists on the left — but it’s ultimately hollow.”

I read this with very mixed emotions.  I am glad to see France attempt to take the lead in protecting the civilians in Libya that are being killed.  Thank God someone was willing to do that.  I am saddened to think that America, who used to lead the world in protecting innocent civilians, has abandoned its post.  I know we are stretched thin right now–I hate to see America send any more soldiers anywhere–but I am saddened at our silence and total lack of action.