Tag Archives: R. Alan Harrop

Drones Part II 

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

In Part I, I presented a summary of how the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (i.e. drones) have changed the conduct of military combat as witnessed most vividly in the Ukraine/Russia War. These changes must be addressed by the United States if we are to preserve our national security. This article will address the potential impact of domestic drones.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established rules for the recreational and commercial use of drones. A quick search of the Amazon website will show an amazing variety of drones available to the general public. Here are some of the FAA rules for recreational drones:  Maximum flight elevation: 400 ft., weight limit: 55 lbs., must be flown within visual line of sight of operator at all times, and must observe airspace restrictions, such as around airports. In addition, operators must be at least 13 years of age and pass an operator’s exam and register their drone. Commercial drone operators must be at least 16 years of age, obtain a remote operator’s license, and speak and read the English language. Commercial drones may be flown at night and out of sight of the operator.  What is troubling is that non-citizen foreigners may operate drones in our country, even those manufactured outside the United States. Note that individual states may impose stricter regulations. Commercial drones are used, among other things, for real estate and agricultural purposes, such as monitoring crop conditions. There is also an effort underway to use drones to deliver online purchases.

Law enforcement use of drones has been expanding rapidly. Drones are used for search and rescue operations as well as border control surveillance, for which they are quite useful and economical, having been used since 2005. They have replaced helicopters in many circumstances. They also have an important role in security surveillance, which unfortunately was not done effectively by the Secret Service on the two assassination attempts against President Trump. Of course, criminals can also use drones to monitor potential crime scenes, as we have seen. Some police departments are considering using drones to approach vehicles they stop rather than having vulnerable officers approach the vehicle.

As we can see, there are some positive uses for drones. But like all things, the potential negative aspects must be addressed as well. For example—privacy. Right now, there is no way to prevent anyone from flying a drone over your home/property and photographing everything they wish. The ability of a drone to hover for extended periods is far different than a small airplane flying overhead.  By the way, do not think about shooting a drone down. You will become the law breaker.  Another concern is the potential for any drone to become a carrier of explosives. It is certainly feasible for criminals and assassins to equip a drone with explosives and strike their targets. Detection of drones is very difficult since they fly at elevations that are below normal radar detection. The recent reported sightings of drones in New Jersey (and other locations) for which no adequate explanation was forthcoming, shows the inability to track and identify all drones.

The potential threat by terrorists is especially worrisome.  China in particular, has sent thousands of their citizens over our open borders, and since they own thousands of acres of land in this country, could conceivably establish centers of drone activity that could destroy our electrical grid and attack military targets. It should be noted that China has probably the most sophisticated drone technology in the world.  By the way, foreigners cannot own land in China, nor can they own or operate drones. Should we trust the Chinese communist government?  Absolutely not.

So, what should we do? First, stop China and other communist countries from owning any land in the United States. Second, non-citizens should not be allowed to own, import, or operate drones in this country. Third, establish a standing security task force to monitor and assess the threat of domestic drone activity. Fourth, harden our power grid to reduce its vulnerability to terrorist attacks. It is time for our elected officials to deal with this issue.

Drones and Artificial Intelligence: Part I 

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Advancing technology is the essence of modern civilization. The rate of technological change is becoming downright mind boggling. Since changing technology is neither inherently good or bad, the question becomes how effective will mankind be, in using these rapid technological changes in a manner that benefits the human race. Looking back in history is not reassuring, especially how new technologies have permitted mankind to dramatically increase the lethality of war.

One of the major changes impacting the military is the development and use of drones (i.e. unmanned vehicles).  When most people think of drones, they imagine small, battery powered flying devices used for recreational or aerial photography. The war between Ukraine and Russia has shown that drones have become major components of war. It is estimated that over a million drones have been used thus far in that war. The United States military has been exploring the use of drones, and in fact deployed them in Afghanistan and possibly other areas such as Iraq. Most other countries are now producing and equipping their military with drones.

The variety of military drones is amazing and getting more sophisticated by the day. Here are just a couple of examples. One of the simplest is the RQ-11 Raven:  Size 3 ft. by 5 ft.  Hand launched.  Speed: 18 mph.  Endurance:  90 minutes.  Cost: $250,000.  Purpose:  Used for close-up reconnaissance and observation of enemy positions and troop placements.   A medium size drone example is the Boeing RO-21 Blackjack.  Size: 8 ft. by 16 ft. Ground launched. Speed: 100 mph.  Endurance: 24 hrs.  Cost:  $ 14 million. Used for longer range and higher elevation surveillance. The third example is the MO Reaper:  Size: 36 ft. by 65 ft. Land or aircraft carrier launched. Speed:  400 mph. Range: 1200 miles. Cost:  $28 million.  Essentially replaces manned air craft. Notice the cost of these drones. Not cheap.

Most of the drones used in the Ukraine/Russia war have been relatively small drones used in support of local ground forces. With appropriate explosives they can attack and destroy not only infantry positions but artillery placements and even armored tanks. This undoubtedly has saved many human casualties. One aspect of drone attacks is that they are effective against parked aircraft and even naval ships; especially if they are deployed in swarms which overwhelm defenses. There is also the disparagement in the cost. The smaller drones that the Houti rebels have launched against our naval ships require expensive defensive missiles to shoot them down.   Drones that cost, say $25,000, require Patriot system missiles to shoot them down which cost well over $1 million each to produce.

Most of the early drones were radio signal controlled. However, the development of artificial intelligence is allowing the control of the drone far beyond most radio control systems. How much independence AI systems have when controlling and directing the drone attack remains to be discovered. Admittedly, the military use of drones is in its beginning stage.   Have we reached the point where robots flying robotic vehicles are fighting our wars? If so, who will actually be in control? Also, there was a time in the Cold War where only super rich countries could afford the expense of nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Will the spread of inexpensive drones expand the threat of war by other countries? Will there come a time when countries will no longer need highly trained pilots? Just reflect on what China has been doing buying up extensive farmland around our military bases. How about attacks on our power grid?

The challenge of drones from a security perspective must be taken seriously.

Culture And Birthrate

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

History clearly shows us that the culture of a society determines whether that society will advance the quality of life of its citizens or lead to a deterioration and eventual downfall.  In most cases, cultural deterioration is not obvious to the members of a society until it may be too late to turn things around.  A declining birthrate to a level that is less than needed to maintain its population (usually about 2.3 children per woman) can be a significant warning sign. The U.S. birthrate has been declining for several years and now is at 1.6 births per woman for year 2022, which is considerably below replacement levels. The birthrate in 1960 was 3.5. What is true for the U.S. is also true for most, if not all, Western countries.

As a result of the declining birthrate, the percentage of the U.S. population over 65 has been steadily increasing and is now at 17.3%. That percentage is expected to increase to over 22% by the year 2040. This will put increasing demands on the Social Security system since there will be fewer workers paying into the system. It will also make it more difficult for the younger population to achieve their goals since they will have to pay higher taxes.

Now some people may argue that this is a reason to increase immigration to offset the declining birthrate. The difficulty with that solution is the impact of large numbers of immigrants who do not share our cultural values. Instead of a unified population, the result is a splintering of the population into subcultures that may be at odds with our values and beliefs. The idea of the United States as a “melting pot” has definite limitations. In fact, in the mid-1920s, Congress passed immigration restrictions that severely limited immigration into our country because of concern that the high number of immigrants would not be able to be assimilated smoothly into our culture. Those restrictions were in place until the late 1960s when Democrat Ted Kennedy led an effort to greatly expand the allowable number of immigrants and opened immigration to America up to countries from around the world. The recent flood of illegal immigrants encouraged by the Biden administration has created substantial problems with crime, economic dependency, and the public-school systems.

The question before us is how do we encourage our native-born women to have more children? This will be a challenge for not only the new Trump administration, but for subsequent administrations. Part of the problem comes from young people marrying later than they used to. In the 1960’s, the average age of first marriages was the early twenties. Now it is in the thirties, which of course leaves fewer years for child rearing. There was a time when being married was expected before two people lived together. Now it is commonplace for young people to live together without being married. This seems to be totally acceptable where previously it would have been highly frowned upon and disapproved of. Another issue is economic. In the 1960’s it was still expected that the man would be the sole support of the family; and generally, a man could find a job that would allow him to be the “bread winner.” The economic realities of increasing inflation have made it difficult for a young family to live comfortably with only one income.  Another factor, of course, is the increasing expectation that women should have a career, and motherhood is not valued as it once was in our society.

The solution to this problem may not be easy, but the problem is one that needs to be recognized and efforts made to solve it if we are not to lose our cultural heritage.

Standing Up To China

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

Let me start off with a clear understanding of our relationship with China. Is China an adversary or an enemy? According to Webster’s dictionary, both labels refer to an entity that is out to harm and diminish you. What do the facts show about China’s actions and plans towards our country?

Here are a few things to consider: 1)  China is ruled by a communist government which we have been resisting and fighting (Korean and Vietnam Wars) since the end of World War II. Communists are committed to over-throwing all other forms of government worldwide. It is an essential part of their mission.  2)  The Chinese are shipping vast amounts of fentanyl to the cartels in Mexico and killing approximately 100,000 Americans each year.  3)  The Chinese steal our intellectual property and protected information to produce products and weapons.  4)  The Chinese are infiltrating our borders and subverting our universities by using grants and student visas.   5) The Chinese recently hacked into our communications network and recorded telephone calls made by our elected officials (e.g. J.D. Vance) and business leaders.  6) The Chinese flew at least one spy balloon (probably one of many) across our country targeting military bases.  7)  Just recently, several drones were sent over three of our military bases in the United Kingdom.  8)  The Chinese are in the process of using the profits from our trade deficit with them to build the largest and most advance military in the world–especially naval ships and supersonic aircraft.

In addition to these actions, China has announced its so-called Belt and Road Project, which involves expanding its economic influence globally, and consequently, diminishing our role and influence with other countries, seriously injuring our economy and making the world dependent on the Chinese. This, if it happens, will provide the communist takeover that they have been seeking.

The question is what do we do about it.  Thankfully, on January 20, 2025, we will have a president and administration that recognizes the reality of the threat from China and will not be afraid to take necessary action. One obvious thing for us here in North Carolina, is to follow Florida’s lead and curtail and reverse the ownership of land in our state– especially around our military bases. A recent report  by the federal Agriculture Department listed North Carolina as one of five (5) states that have “…worrisome amounts of land owned by the Chinese.”  (Always remember that all private Chinese businesses are beholden and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.)   In 2010, China did not own any land in North Carolina. They now own over 50,000 acres, most of which is in close proximity to the largest military base in the state:  Ft. Liberty ( formerly Ft. Bragg).   If you believe this is by mere chance, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you! Posing as farming operations, the Chinese can set up reconnaissance, radar tracking devises, monitor communications and troop movements, and send out spy drones. Fortunately, the House portion of the General Assembly drafted and passed HB 463 in the last session to restrict China’s ability to purchase land around military bases. The bill was not taken up by the Senate. Personally, I do not think the bill goes far enough. If we really believe that China is an existential threat, we should do what Florida did and preclude them from owning any land in North Carolina and force them to divest themselves of what they currently own. By the way, China does NOT allow any foreign entity to own land in their country; why should we?

We need to get serious about the threat that China poses before it is too late!    No more half-measures!

Time to Stand Up

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.  

The recent election was very positive for freedom loving Americans at the national level, but not so much at the local level. Case in point is the struggle to ensure that our public education system follows the guidelines and principles that made this country great. Clearly, many of us believe that the public school system in North Carolina has been on the wrong path. The evidence in part is the large numbers of parents who are electing to send their children to private, charter or home-schools.   The demand for school choice has grown substantially.

The results of the race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction should set off alarm bells for all those who were hoping for change. The defeat of conservative Michelle Morrow by a left learning Mo Green, as well as the election of a Democrat Governor and Lieutenant Governor, will ensure that no significant improvement in the public schools will come from the state level. When asked what he would do if elected, Green is reported to have said he would keep things on the same path.   After serving 8 years as superintendent of Guilford County schools, he became the director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a notoriously leftist organization that is committed to supporting “social, economic, and environmental justice.” Sound familiar? In spite of spending 10 times the amount on the election than did Morrow, Green narrowly won by 119,000 votes.  It should be noted that Green opposes school choice and Opportunity Scholarships. Instead of a rational debate of the issues, Green’s campaign engaged in what all Democrats do–that is, personal attacks without any basis in fact. This is their typical strategy, and unfortunately, it frequently works.

So, faced with this situation, what can be done? A review of the General Statutes that govern the role and authority of local county Boards of Education does provide some glimmer of hope. For example, the local Boards of Education may:  provide training for teachers; make rules concerning conduct and duties of teachers and staff; obtain and select books and material not adopted by the state Department of Public Instruction; and regulate extracurricular activities such as athletics. The question now becomes whether the local Boards who want to return to traditional learning and stop the “Woke” indoctrination of our children will step up to the challenge, even if it means confronting the state Superintendent of Public Instruction. Many of the local Boards have Republican majorities. Let’s hope they have the courage to step up to the plate. If not, even more parents will take their children out of the public schools. I would not blame them.

Christians and Politics

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

As a practicing Christian, I have frequently been troubled by the seemingly low interest in politics in churches. Since this country was founded on Judeo/Christian principles, it is essential that those principles be proudly and consistently displayed and promulgated. If Christians would consistently vote in high percentages in every election, then those who want to remove Christian principles from our schools and culture would fail. In fact, John Adams, one of the original Founding Fathers, wrote that our country would not be successful if the people did not continue to practice Christian principles.

Let me give you an example. While attending church service a couple of weeks ago, I reminded the congregation that the upcoming election was crucial and that they should get out and vote and base their candidate selection on which candidate(s) advocated Christian principles. I did not specify any particular candidate.  A week later, I was informed that a married couple told the pastor that they would never again attend that church because politics were mentioned. Now you have to ask yourself, if practicing Christians do not stand up for Christian principles and values, who will? Fortunately, our pastor was not intimidated by the couple leaving and advocated exercising our constitutional right to vote and to select candidates with biblical teachings in mind. Good for him.

How did we ever get to this point? Throughout most of this country’s history, pastors routinely discussed what was happening in the political arena because they realized our freedom and welfare depended on who was elected. In 1954, Democrat Lyndon Johnson (who later as President would author The Great Society, a leftist program that destroyed the black family structure as well as making people dependent on the federal government welfare programs) introduced an amendment to a spending bill that prohibited churches from advocating for specific political candidates or they would lose their tax-exempt status. Note that even though no church has ever lost their tax-exempt status since the restriction was enacted, the majority of churches have caved in and restricted their own freedom of speech. The amendment only prohibits churches from formally endorsing or raising money for a specific candidate. The impact, however, has been the silencing of many churches on any matter that even appears in anyway to be political.

This is very unfortunate since issues in the political realm frequently reflect values and principles that are prohibited by the Bible. For example, homosexual marriage, abortion at any stage of pregnancy, and transgender mutilation of children are contrary to Judeo/Christian values and teaching, but are now rampant in our increasingly secular society. And we are the worse for it. A recent survey reported that 94% of atheists voted Democrat in the last election. It is past time for Christians in general and pastors in particular to stand up for the values and principles that are essential to the survival of this country. The invasion at our borders by people who do not share our values will destroy this country just as it destroyed other countries throughout history. This invasion is being facilitated by Non-Government Agencies (NGOs) many of which are religious organizations that are being paid to assist the flood or aliens into this country.

It is time for true Christians to stand up against this.

Civics At Home

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

A very unusual thing happened to me on Election Day, as I was providing voter information outside the election site.  A man walked up with his grandson who looked about ten years old. He asked me if I would explain to his grandson how the voting process worked and why it was important.  I responded with a short summary of how our government is controlled by the people and how important it was for all citizens to vote.  After a short discussion, the man took his son inside to observe the voting process and to vote himself.

I did not ask the man why he felt a need to do this, but he volunteered that he was not certain that the public schools were teaching his grandson the civics he had learned when he was a student.

This incident, which I found refreshing, reminded me of an article I read recently about a patriotic family and how they observe Constitution Day.  Most of us may have heard of Constitution Day, but most likely do not celebrate or recognize it. What the family in the article does is gather as a group and take turns reading the U.S. Constitution from start to finish.   They have been doing this for several years with family members taking turns reading. Takes about 30 minutes.

Both of these events demonstrate that we, the parents and grandparents, can make sure that children not only are exposed to the essential elements of our country but they learn that we as adults believe that these things are vitally important.

Given all the woke nonsense that children are exposed to, we cannot be certain that civics is being taught and emphasized in the schools. The recent election of Mo Green, leftist Democrat, as the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, is not reassuring to me; quite the opposite.

When my grandchildren visit me for Thanksgiving, I plan to do a group read of the Constitution. You might want to try it yourself.

According to the North Carolina Civics Coalition:

NC requires one high school civics course for graduation.
Several states also have a middle school civics class. NC
does not. In K-5, social studies often shares instructional
time with science and is rarely taught daily.

Unfortunately the requirement for a high school civics course is not actually being enforced. Rather than have a separate civics course, schools are including civics in other courses. In most cases, the subject of civics is not getting the individual attention that is needed.

NOTE:

In 2011, The North Carolina legislature passed The Founding Principles Act, House Bill 588. This bill required local boards of education to teach a semester course, “American History I – The Founding Principles” to includes at least the following:

    1. The Creator-endowed inalienable rights of the people.
    2. Structure of government, separation of powers with checks and balances.
    3. Frequent and free elections in a representative government.
    4. Rule of law.
    5. Equal justice under the law.
    6. Private property rights.
    7. Federalism.
    8. Due process.
    9. Individual rights as set forth in the Bill of Rights.
    10. Individual responsibility.

A passing grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school.

Is your school board following the law?

Christians and Politics

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

As a practicing Christian, I have frequently been troubled by the seemingly low interest in politics in churches. Since this country was founded on Judeo/Christian principles, it is essential that those principles be proudly and consistently displayed and promulgated. If Christians would consistently vote in high percentages in every election, then those who want to remove Christian principles from our schools and culture would fail. In fact, John Adams, one of the original Founding Fathers, wrote that our country would not be successful if the people did not continue to practice Christian principles.

Let me give you an example. While attending church service a couple of weeks ago, I reminded the congregation that the upcoming election was crucial and that they should get out and vote and base their candidate selection on which candidate(s) advocated Christian principles. I did not specify any particular candidate.  A week later, I was informed that a married couple told the pastor that they would never again attend that church because politics were mentioned. Now you have to ask yourself, if practicing Christians do not stand up for Christian principles and values, who will? Fortunately, our pastor was not intimidated by the couple leaving and advocated exercising our constitutional right to vote and to select candidates with biblical teachings in mind. Good for him.

How did we ever get to this point? Throughout most of this country’s history, pastors routinely discussed what was happening in the political arena because they realized our freedom and welfare depended on who was elected. In 1954, Democrat Lyndon Johnson (who later as President would author The Great Society, which was a leftist program that destroyed the black family structure as well as making people dependent on the federal government welfare programs) introduced an amendment to a spending bill that prohibited churches from advocating for specific political candidates or they would lose their tax-exempt status. Note that even though no church has ever lost their tax-exempt status since the restriction was enacted, the majority of churches have caved in and restricted their own freedom of speech. The amendment only prohibits churches from formally endorsing or raising money for a specific candidate. The impact, however, has been the silencing of many churches on any matter that even appears in anyway to be political.

This is very unfortunate since issues in the political realm frequently reflect values and principles that are prohibited by the Bible. For example, homosexual marriage, abortion at any stage of pregnancy, and transgender mutilation of children are contrary to Judeo/Christian values and teaching but are now rampant in our increasingly secular society. And we are the worse for it. A recent survey reported that 94% of atheists voted Democrat in the last election. It is past time for Christians in general and pastors in particular to stand up for the values and principles that are essential to the survival of this country. The invasion at our borders by people who do not share our values will destroy this country just as it destroyed other countries throughout history. This invasion is being facilitated by Non-Government Agencies (NGOs) many of which are religious organizations that are being paid to assist the flood or aliens into this country.

It is time for true Christians to stand up against this.

California Here We Come (or Not)

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

One way to determine where a presidential candidate will take the country is to examine their past record. Uniquely, we have clear evidence of what we can expect from former President Trump and Kamala Harris. The evidence about President Trump could not be clearer: low inflation, cheaper energy, high employment, lower mortgage rates, secure borders, and few international conflicts. One way of determining where Kamala Harris will take us is to examine what has been happening in California, which clearly reflects her socialist principles and values, where she was the Attorney General.

Let’s take a look. As a comparison to California, I will use North Carolina, which has benefitted from conservative leadership consistent with what we can expect from President Trump.

There is an old and valid saying that people vote with their feet, meaning that when able, they will choose to live where conditions are most favorable to their standard of living. California has been steadily losing population in spite of a steady influx of illegal immigrants. Over 500,000 residents of California have left the state over the past couple of years. The percentage of immigrants is California (a sanctuary state) is 27%, as compared to 9.2% in North Carolina. It is well known that a country can only absorb a small number of immigrants and still maintain their essential cultural integrity. Another issue is the destruction of their cities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles, due to the out-of-control homeless population. California, due to its lack of enforcement of vagrancy laws, has the highest number of homeless persons, at 172,000, in the entire country. North Carolina reportedly has just over 9,000 homeless. The homeless in California are notorious for illegal drug use and dealing as well as property crimes and other crimes.

Besides these population factors, there are many economic factors causing people to exit California. For example, the median price of a home in California is an astounding $807,000, compared to $336,000 in North Carolina. Similarly, the state income tax in California is 13.3%,  compared to 4.75% in North Carolina. Sales tax in California is 7.25%, and 4.74% in North Carolina. In spite of these much higher taxes, California has managed to accumulate a debt of $73 billion, whereas North Carolina has a budget surplus and a rainy-day fund. The cost of energy shows a great disparity with gas in California at $ 4.64 as compared to North Carolina at $2.96. Cost of electricity is 29.5cents per kWH as compared to North Carolina at 13.0 cents. There are also many regulations in California that have caused a closing of many businesses and retail stores.

The reality is that the conditions in California are the result of socialist policies and actions that have effectively destroyed one of the most successful and prosperous states. The facts are clear. If you want to keep this country from becoming another California, you know what to do. It is essential that you get out and vote to keep this from happening to the entire country.

Conservative Replies to Debate Questions

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

I watched the Vice President candidate’s debate the other night and thought that J.D. Vance did a good job. The following are my answers to some of the critical issues that were raised in the debate.

Climate Change. The climate constantly changes. Always has; always will. The idea that the recent destructive hurricane, Helene, was caused by man-made climate change is pure ignorance and typical of the environmental extremists. Severe hurricanes have occurred as far back as records have been kept–long before man’s burning of fossil fuels could have caused them. The Left continues to spout the idea that man-made climate change is “settled science” when it is not. This allows them to justify ruining our energy production.

Green Energy. The Democrat agenda is to spend more of our taxpayer money on solar and wind projects purchased from China, and importantly, to mandate electric vehicles. Meanwhile, China is building a new coal fired plant about every month and using coal that we ship to them. As Europe has found out, no modern civilization can exist on wind and solar. We need more access to fossil fuels and to start building nuclear plants which the environmental extremists are blocking.

Open Borders. The Democrats want open borders in order to get more voters who will support their socialist agenda. They give illegals free housing, food, cell phones and healthcare and will, if allowed, grant them citizenship so they can vote. They realize that they are losing support from working class Americans, blacks, and Hispanics because of their harmful policies and need to replace these voters. Biden/Harris have had the ability to close the borders just as Donald Trump was able to do. THEY WANT OPEN BORDERS!

Housing Costs. The cost of new homes is up over 30% since Biden/Harris took office. Their reckless government spending caused the highest inflation in 40 years. Soaring fuel prices have increase the production cost and shipping cost of all building materials. Inflation caused a surge in mortgage rates from 3% under Trump to over 7% under Biden/Harris. Their solution–to start another big government program of taking money from working Americans and give it to first time home buyers.

Abortion. There is nothing in the Constitution that addresses abortion as a right. In fact, the Constitution specifically states that if an issue is not specified as the responsibility of the federal government then it must be left to the states. That is exactly what the Supreme Court’s ruling against Roe vs Wade rightfully concluded. The Democrats do not want to follow the Constitution–they want a federal law on abortion. Kamala Harris has promised to remove the filibuster rule and pack the court in order to accomplish this objective. They also want to avoid the reality that terminating a child that can live on its own with proper medical care, is not murder.

As in any debate, there are important issues that were not addressed. For example, the increasing crime rates and the destruction of our cities by failing to enforce the law. Anyone want to visit San Francisco? I do not. Recent reports show that due to the Biden/Harris open border policy, 425,000 criminals, 13,000 convicted murderers, and 16,000 sexual assault offenders were released into this country. The Democrats abuse of the law to go after their political opponents should alarm all Americans. No president has ever been indicted while in office or out of office other than President Trump. Yet, they continue to say that he is the threat to democracy when they are the real threat!

Let’s face reality. Harris/Walz are the most radical socialists ever to run for president and vice president. Their policies will make America a weak, failing, socialist country. Choice: big government socialism or traditional American free enterprise and individual freedom. Easy decision actually.

Poking the Bear

Posted on by

Article: : R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Since the end of WWII, the United States and Russia, the world’s nuclear super powers, have avoided direct armed conflict. This may be about to change. Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO and part of which has historically been linked to Russia, is losing the war of attrition started by its much larger neighbor, Russia. This, in spite of the billions of dollars of American taxpayer’s money and diminishing stockpile of our weapons being sent to Ukraine. We are not replenishing these weapons at the necessary rate. Now we have their leader, Zelenskyy, persuading the Biden/Harris regime to escalate the war by allowing American made missiles to be fired deep inside Russia. This will not end well and must be stopped.

History shows repeatedly that wars once started take on a life of their own and frequently spin out of control. The time to stop a war is before it starts. The perceived weak Biden/Harris regime failed to do this. Now, Zelenskyy is desperate and sees the only path forward is to involve the United States more directly in the conflict. Sending American troops to Ukraine will be next. The missiles in question can reach 300 miles into Russia. Let’s face reality. Putin will never allow Russia to be defeated by Ukraine. Will he use tactical nuclear missiles to keep from losing the war? He says he will. No one knows for sure. If so, the next question becomes, “How would the Biden/Harris regime respond?” The hypocrisy of Biden/Harris is obvious when they put total pressure on trying to get Israel to agree to a cease fire, but no such pressure is placed on Ukraine to negotiate with Russia. How would we respond, if we got into a war with Cuba, and Russian supplied missiles were striking deep into the southern United States? Zelenskyy’s hope that he can persuade us to escalate and get more involved against Russia keeps this war going which is actually destroying Ukraine.

Not only do we risk a war of global annihilation with Russia, we are increasingly pushing Russia closer to China, who is our actual existential threat. We are weakening our military by using armaments at a pace faster than we can replace them. The missiles in question are considered essential to our defense and cost $1.5 million each. China is watching and elated by what is occurring. They get stronger, we get weaker. How will we respond if Taiwan is attacked by China? Good question.

What is needed is a negotiated settlement that concedes some of Ukraine to Russia. Just like what happened in Korea. The cease fire there, gave the northern part to the communists but preserved the south as a free country. And remember, China was not a nuclear power at that time but it was recognized that a compromise was necessary to stop the war and preserve at least part of Korea from communism.

We must not allow ourselves to be drawn into an escalating war that is not in our interest and the consequences could be total destruction of our civilization as we know it. I do not want our existence to be dependent on the decision of one man, Putin, who is being pushed into a corner. Not a good idea. We need an exit strategy and need it fast. The Biden/Harris regime is not up to the task. Consider this when you cast your vote. Who is most likely to resolve this situation favorably for the American people?

Choosing a Candidate

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Let’s face reality. There are no perfect candidates running for office in any election. Never have been; never will be. That being the case, voters need to be sure to focus on what really matters when selecting a candidate. If we don’t, we will find ourselves victims of propaganda and so-called “dirty politics” attempting to appeal to factors that are not the most important. People making decisions can do so based on reason or emotions. We can only survive as a country if our decisions are based on reason not emotions.

Take as an example, Donald Trump. He is a candidate that could not be better known as to how he will perform in office since we already have his first term to judge him by. We know how he will deal with critical issues such as the economy, energy, the border, and foreign threats and wars. Even so, most of the people who are opposed to Trump when asked why, almost always criticize his style, personality, brashness, or past personal behavior. When asked what he did while president that was not good for the country, rarely if ever, does the person opposing Trump cite any action that was detrimental to America. Now this focus on issues other than actions and promised actions is exactly what the Democrats and others that attack a candidate want us to do. That is what is behind all the coordinated lawsuits and bogus charges being brought against Trump. As well as the attempts to distract him and ruin him financially.

Another example is Mark Robinson. The recent attacks against him have absolutely nothing to do with his platform and the actions he will take if elected governor. They are all focused on his past alleged behavior, all of which supposedly occurred many years ago and have nothing to do with his ability to lead North Carolina in a conservative direction. These personal attacks, which the Democrats are famous for, appeal not to reason but to emotions. They do not want to discuss the issues, because most voters do not agree with the leftist/Marxist agenda that the Democrats are increasingly supporting: like indoctrination of school students, transgender sport activities, mutilation of children, the war against fossil fuels, supporting illegal aliens with taxpayer funding, and higher taxes.

Unfortunately, our modern system of emails and other electronic communications potentially records everything a person says or does. Artificial intelligence allows duplicating a person’s voice. Should an alleged comment by a person made twenty years ago be used to disqualify a person from office? Are any of us so perfect that we have nothing in our past that we regret saying or doing? The very people who want to destroy Mark Robinson are the same who want us to believe that Kamala Harris now supports a border wall, protecting your gun rights, supporting the police, and expanding energy production including fracking.

Voters need to stay focused on what matters: the actions the candidate will take when in office on the key issues that matter. Allowing ourselves to be distracted by personal attacks on things that do not matter is exactly what the political left hopes we will do. Your choice, don’t blow it.

Injustice for Homeschools

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

Recently, the NC General Assembly passed significant additional funding of taxpayer money for the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) which provides stipends to parents who send their children to private schools. Some of the funding for this program comes from the budget for public schools, but most comes from new taxpayer money. The funding for the OSP has expanded significantly in the past couple of years and is justified as part of expanding school choice for parents. The scholarships vary from $3,300 to $7,400 per student each year. There is a serious problem with this program, and that is that parents who choose to home-school their children receive not one penny of assistance. How can our elected representatives claim to support school choice when they ignore homeschooled children who actually represent the highest number of non-public school students in North Carolina?

As someone who has had my own children in public schools, private schools and homeschooled, I can assure you that the sacrifice and commitment to the education of a child is greatest when homeschooling. According to the state Division of Non-Public Education, there are at least 158,000 home school students in North Carolina which is significantly more than the number of students in private schools. At the current rate of spending for each student in public schools of approximately $10,000 per year, theoretically, by homeschooling their children, parents are reducing the public school budget of $18 billion by over $ 1 billion per year. Home school parents not only have the expenses of typical school supplies, but also spend significant sums on home-school books and instructional material. They also have to pay for field trips and other educational activities that are free for public and private school students. Of course, the largest financial burden is foregoing employment so they can provide the home-school instruction.

Now it should be recognized that all families pay taxes that support the public school system which includes federal, state and local taxes regardless of which educational option they choose for their children. Home-school parents are the only ones who do not receive any of this taxpayer money to support their children’s education. I have been told that some home-school parents would be reluctant to accept state funds for fear of having educational requirements imposed. However, this objection could be easily handled by limiting/prohibiting the state from imposing such requirements and ultimately by making the reception of any funds voluntary. As far as student performance goes, Parentscience.com reports that homeschoolers score at least one grade level above public school students on 5 of 7 academic subjects tests.

It is past time that the General Assembly include home-schoolers in the OSP and correct this obvious injustice. They should also limit the issuing of scholarships to citizens only which is currently not the case. Failure to correct this situation will ultimately lead to a class action lawsuit by the parents of home-schoolers against the state. Seems well deserved. What is more American than allowing parents to educate their own children instead of exposing them to the woke agenda in most public schools. Freedom requires free choice.

Economic Vulnerability

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

A strong economy is essential to the security of any nation. Not only to provide a reasonable standard of living for its citizens, but as protection from external adversaries. This was never more evident than in World War II when American industrial might saved the world from fascist tyranny.  As the “Arsenal of Democracy,” America provided the military equipment and weapons without which Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan would have succeeded in their wars of conquest. This was made possible, in large part, by the conversion of existing factories producing consumer goods to producing military hardware. Unfortunately, the American economy does not have the dominant manufacturing capabilities that we once had.

Let’s look at manufacturing in America today. It is difficult to find any manufactured product nowadays that is not labeled “Made in China.” In 1980, 22% of jobs in the U.S. were in manufacturing; now that percentage is 8%. Just this past July, 24,000 manufacturing jobs were lost. In addition, many factories are owned by foreign entities. The recent approval by the Biden/Harris administration to allow the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company is a perfect example of what has been occurring. Not only has this been occurring in the manufacturing sector, but with pharmaceuticals as well. Many Americans were shocked during the COVID crisis to find out that most of our essential medications are manufacture overseas. A disruption in the supply chain signaled what could happen if a global conflict occurred.

Recently, we have begun to rely on imports of essential food products. A recent article in the Epoch Times reported that thousands of U.S. cattle raising operations have gone out of business. This appears to be due to increasing imports of beef from Mexico and South America as well as the burden of green energy demands imposed on U.S. farmers. In addition, China has been greatly expanding its commercial fishing fleet. Like many things done by China, they are violating international restrictions. China was described as the world’s “biggest perpetrator of illegal fishing.” Not only does China have over 3,000 commercial fishing vessels deployed worldwide, but they pay poor countries to allow them to fly those countries flags so they can fish in their local waters. They are putting our fishing sector out of business and destroying fish stocks.

It should concern every American that our economy can no longer support our needs. Former President Trump recently announced his intention to reverse this dependency on foreign countries. One way is to give tax incentives to American corporations to return production to this county and cancel the green new deal. So far, no comments from the Harris campaign on this critical issue.

The Impact of the National Debt

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

We, the American taxpayers, need to be aware of the soaring national debt; primarily because we will ultimately suffer the consequences of this out-of-control spending. Let’s take a look at the facts. I strongly suggest that you sit down as you read this.

Much of the following data was obtained from the website www.us.debtclock.org as of the end of August 2024. The total debt is currently 35.2 trillion dollars. This debt, by far the highest of any country in history, is increasing at the rate of 1 trillion dollars every three months. This amounts to $268,000 per taxpayer. The debt to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio is 122% as compared to 35% in 1980. This is comparable to an individual having a debt that is 122% higher than their total assets and income. The interest alone on the national debt now amounts to 918 billion dollars per year, which is more than the entire military defense budget. This is clearly unsustainable.

The impact of federal spending on inflation is equally alarming. Compared to the year 2000, the price of essentials is truly shocking. For example, the average price of a new home is now $406,000 as compared to $166,000 in the year 2000. New cars now average $49,000 as compared to $22,000; annual healthcare now averages $15,000 as compared to $5,000; college tuition now averages $27,000 per year compared $11,000. Contrast these dramatic increases to the increase in median annual income that is now $39,000 compared to $32,000 in the year 2000. Clearly, the standard of living of the average American, especially the young, has diminished significantly, especially when you add the $268,000 we all owe on the national debt!

As we face the upcoming election, we need to evaluate the impact the Democrat and Republican platforms will have on the national debt and inflation. The Democrat platform, as far as we can tell, includes price controls, $25,000 gifts to first time home buyers, increases in corporate tax rates, allowing the Trump tax cuts to expire, a tax on unrealized capital gains, transferring student loan debt to others, and a wealth tax. History shows that none of these proposals will reduce the national debt or inflation–they will only increase government spending and reduce the incentive of the average person or corporation to invest.  Couple this with the money being spent to support illegal aliens, and the problem only worsens. For example, price controls lead to shortages in supplies and result in price increases. The Republican platform includes efforts to reduce the cost of energy by eliminating costly green energy programs and expanding the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, reducing excessive government regulations, incentives to increase investments, and returning manufacturing to this country. Decreasing the cost of energy is essential to reducing inflation. The national debt crisis can only be solved by reducing the size of the federal government (e.g. abolishing the federal Department of Education and cutting the budgets of all federal agencies) and growing the economy by encouraging investment.

We have a very clear choice in the upcoming election. The fate of the economic survival of this country is on the ballot. Time to face reality.

Recognizing Marxism Part II

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

In a previous article, I outlined seven indicators that a politician or government is advocating destructive Marxist principles or actions. Here are a few more that we should be aware of if we want to protect our freedoms as true American patriots.

First: Government giveaways. Marxist governments seduce citizens for support by providing things, seemingly for free. Examples:  free healthcare for all, canceling student debt, providing guaranteed income for all, and recently, free down payment money for first time home buyers. Of course, the government does not create wealth but merely takes from a person who earned it, and gives it to another who did not earn it. This is actually wealth transfer which penalizes the hard-working person.

Second:  Inflation. Most, if not all inflation, is caused by excessive government spending that exceeds revenues. The government does this by printing money that is not backed by actual economic growth.  Printing money is the Marxist way of buying votes while at the same time devaluing the buying power of the currency. This essentially amounts to a tax that makes citizens poorer. The Harris campaign’s recent announcement that inflation will be reduced by going after corporations who are “gouging the public” is misdirected and typical of trying to blame private companies for government caused inflation. Price controls always lead to shortages and increased inflation.

Third:  Suppressing dissent. Controlling the press, limiting free speech, and prosecuting opposition occurs in all Marxist countries such as China, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, and Venezuela. Alarmingly, this is now occurring in America. Blocking people from social media platforms, falsely prosecuting January 6th demonstrators as “insurrectionists” (while allowing actual rioters after the George Floyd incident to go free) are examples of what Marist governments do. The most glaring example, of course, is the Biden/Harris administration’s persecution of Donald Trump for bogus crimes. This has never happened before in the history of this country and represents a serious change which should alarm us all.

Fourth:  Intentionally distorting the truth. Truth is not a Marxist value. Marxists will say anything in order to hide the truth from the people. This includes mislabeling their destructive actions to hide the real impact. For example, the so-called Inflation Reduction Act did nothing but increase inflation. The Biden/Harris administration spent billions of dollars on green energy and other programs that required borrowing more money, that the government did not have. Another example, is the tragic effort to encourage the surgical mutilation of children. They call it “Gender Affirming Care” when it is the exact opposite. Instead of encouraging children to accept and be content with their birth gender, they advocate gender hormone blockers and genital surgery in an effort to change the child’s true gender. Some states like California and Wisconsin (where VP candidate Tim Walz is governor) threaten to take a child away from the parents if they refuse to agree to hormone blockers or surgery.

Fifth:  Open borders. Marxism always attempts to eradicate the national traditions of any country they control. One way of doing this is to flood the country with immigrants who do not share the principles, values, and traditions of that country, thereby allowing the government to define the culture. Demeaning a country by focusing on flaws from their past diminishes patriotism and love of country and ignores the positive accomplishments.  This is especially destructive to the youth.

The issue facing America in 2024 is whether there are enough clear-thinking patriots who recognize the destructive path we are on and are willing to do what is necessary to reverse course.  The upcoming election will answer that question, once and for all.

Recognizing Marxism

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D 

Since WWII, America has resisted Marxism at home and abroad. The reason for that  resistance is not only that Marxist ideology is contrary to the founding principles of our country, but also because no Marxist country has ever brought economic success and freedom to its people. Unfortunately, some Americans do not recognize the extreme threat that Marxist ideology presents to our freedom. It is essential, that all of us recognize when our politicians, leaders, and the media, are advocating for Marxist principles and leading us on a destructive path.

Here are some Marxist principles that should raise a red flag. First: Central government control. Marxism cannot exist without strong central government control over people’s lives. Expanding the size of the federal government and allowing federal agencies to issue increasing numbers of regulations directly limits our freedom. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that federal agencies are exceeding their authority by issuing increasing numbers of regulations with the force of law, without congressional approval.  There are currently over 3,000 federal rules and regulations spanning 90,000 pages.  Second:  Income equality. Marxism advocates reducing income differences so that everyone earns the same. This would eliminate rewards for effort and creativity essential to economic growth and prosperity. Examples are increasing the minimum wage, guaranteed minimum income, reparations, and many existing and proposed welfare programs. Third: Disarming citizens.  Every Marxist government prevents citizens from owning firearms; for example: China, Russia, North Korea, Venezuela, etc. They obviously want to remove the ability of the people to resist their authoritarian dictates. Some countries, such as Australia, have moved in this direction through mandatory firearm buyback programs. Fourth:  Destroying traditions. Cultural cleansing attempts to remove the history and traditions that are an essential part of a country’s identity. Removing statues, rewriting history books, re-naming military bases and schools, are some examples of cultural cleansing that then allows the central government to impose its own Marxist culture. Open borders allow the influx of diverse people who do not share American principles and beliefs. Fifth:  Destruction of the traditional family, which has always served as the primary mechanism to teach essential cultural values. Homosexual marriage, government funded childcare, Head Start programs, marrying later in life, if at all, have undermined the integrity of the family.  As Hillary Clinton once said “ … it takes a village”  to raise a child, thus putting the government in charge of child rearing. Sixth:  Information control. If the government can control the people’s access to the truth, they can control their decisions and behavior.  Social media and the broadcast news outlets are increasingly relaying government dictated information. A free press is essential for a free people. Marxist governments want the people to rely on so-called  “experts” who are controlled by the government.  Seventh:  Indoctrinating the youth. All Marxist governments control the education of their youth to ensure that they are committed to the correct principles. Public education from kindergarten to the universities are used to ensure this indoctrination.   Homeschools and private schools are threats to this process.

When evaluation any candidate for public office, especially for president, it is critical to examine their prior actions and stated goals to see if they advocate any of the above seven Marxist principles. If you want to preserve this country’s freedom for future generations, you will know what to do.

Targeting Taxpayers

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

The Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association is committed to ensuring that citizens receive accurate information about policies that impact taxes. The election in November will have a major impact on federal taxes. It is important to note that 47% of earners paid no federal income tax in 2022 and the top 1% of earners paid a whopping 76% of federal taxes collected. This means that there are a substantial number of people who have no stake in how much federal taxes increase. Also, be aware that the Left’s constant refrain that the top earners do not pay their fair share is a lie.

What can we as taxpayers expect in the future? Let’s take a look. First, if a leftist Democrat, like Kamala Harris, is elected we can expect that Trump’s tax cuts from 2017 will be allowed to expire in 2025 increasing taxes substantially; particularly on middle class wage earners. Second, we can expect an increase in spending on “green new deal” programs, which are not only a hoax, but will destroy this country. Subsidies and mandates for wind, solar, and electric vehicles will increase your tax debt. The war on fossil fuels is the major cause of the increased price of energy and inflation. Third, runaway government spending has increased the federal deficit to over $35 trillion, which amounts to $104,000 for every man, woman and child in this country. This will only get worse, and ultimately must be paid by you the taxpayer. Fourth, the so-called student loan forgiveness scam (which is really a transfer of the debt to you the taxpayer) will be pursued in order to buy votes from those who actually benefited from the loans. Fifth, the open border policy is costing taxpayers billions of dollars in direct payments, housing subsidies, food stamps and free healthcare. Kamala Harris has previously advocated free healthcare and Medicare/Medicaid for all, including illegal immigrants. Since hospitals are not allowed to turn people away, you are actually paying this bill now, and it will get worse.

Of course the biggest tax of all is rampant inflation, which has increased the cost of living for the average American over 23% since Biden/Harris took office. Even though the inflation rate has diminished somewhat, prices continue to increase and will never return to their previous levels. In the meantime, mortgage rates, housing prices and rising rents are an increasing burden on the American people, especially the young. The American Dream is being shattered by excessive government spending.

By contrast, a Republican administration is likely to expand energy production, which will not only ease inflation, but provide revenue from the sale of oil and gas to other countries. Trump’s “Drill, baby, drill” plan needs to be implemented. Tax rate cuts to stimulate economic growth and productivity can be expected and are the only positive way of attacking the federal debt. Shrinking the federal government such as eliminating the federal Department of Education and cutting agency budgets are planned. President Trump’s commitment to closing the border will not only reduce taxes but ensure greater security and protect American jobs. Last, but not least is Trump’s commitment to revoke China’s most favored nation status which would help level the playing field and return manufacturing to this country, as well as provide revenue from equal tariffs as appropriate.

Regardless of other issues, and there are many, the impact on taxpayers of this coming election could not be more profound. As taxpayers this should be of the highest concern.

No More Half Measures

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

Members of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association (CCTA) generally believe in smaller government, lower taxes, and individual freedom.  Unfortunately, to the disappointment of many, elected officials are frequently unwilling to take truly conservative positions on key issues.  While the art of negotiation sometimes require compromise; clear, conservative positions should always be the starting point.  Starting negotiations with half-way measures is unacceptable.  To do so leads to voter frustration and apathy.

For example, the integrity of the election process is of deep concern to all clear-thinking patriotic Americans.  For over 200 years, the election process in our country was reliable and trustworthy to voters.  This is no longer the case.  Early voting, machine counting, and excessive use of mail-in absentee ballots have undermined confidence in the election process.  The Democrat party’s refusal to support citizenship requirements and photo IDs that will allow illegals to sway the result of our elections is also part of the problem.  The question is, “What should our elected officials be doing about this?”  Simple, we should return to paper, hand-counted ballots, cast on Election Day with minimal absentee ballots (e.g. for military and physically infirm).  Instead, we hear talk about reducing the number of early voting days.  Not good enough–a halfway measure at best which in no way solves the potential for fraud.

Another issue is climate change legislation.  Do our conservative leaders actually believe in the unproven hoax that climate change is being caused by CO2 levels in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels?  Do they not realize that the green energy agenda will destroy our economy and make us vulnerable to our adversaries like China and Russia? They should be introducing legislation to stop all subsidies for wind and solar, as well as requirements on energy producers to reach unrealistic, and costly carbon emission standards.  Off-shore wind farms in North Carolina should be prohibited, and all restrictions on new nuclear energy plants removed.  These measures would reduce the cost of energy, which is hurting the average citizen, and make our state competitive in a free economy.

The public education system in the state continues to promote critical race theory (or misnamed “social learning”); Diversity/Equity/Inclusion; as well as transgender ideas in our schools.  Some efforts have been made to reign in this indoctrination, but the prohibition against these destruction ideas should be absolute.  No society can exist and prosper that does not recognize and reward the effort and skill of their citizens regardless of race, gender, or other factors.  Recognition and promotion should be based solely on competence and merit.

The socialist left has been undermining our country and having considerable success.  Standing up to them will require determination and the courage to take strong positions and fight the good fight.  Compromising and half measures will not return us to the country that we once were.  Let’s hope our elected officials are up to the challenge to save our country from socialism.

 

Bidenomics or Badonomics?

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop,Ph.D     harropcrew1@gmail.com 

Biden keeps saying that his economic plan is working for the American people. Is his so-called Bidenomics good or bad for the country? Let’s take a look at the truth; something the Biden regime seems allergic to.    

Inflation is a hidden tax that never is reversed. It may slow down, but short of an economic collapse, prices will not go down and we will always have some inflation. When Biden took office, the annual inflation rate was 1.2%.  Now it is about 10%.   This rate, however, does not reflect the actual increase in prices since 2020. Food has gone up close to 80% as any food shopper can tell you. Gasoline is up from $1.87 per gallon to $3.45 per gallon which is an 85% increase. These are essential expenses that are not included in the government’s Consumer Price Index and therefore make this estimate of inflation unreliable. Housing, which we all must have, has gone up dramatically. The cost of the average home has gone up 47% since 2020 which is unheard of. Rents are up an average of 26% over the same period. Most importantly, mortgage interest rates essentially doubled to 7%, which represents an increase in monthly payments of about $1200 for the average home purchase. Insurance has also gone up substantially for automobiles and homes (30%). Utility Costs have also increased significantly since they are up about 30%. None of these items are optional and cannot be avoided. Other items like cars, appliances, clothing, etc. are also up substantially. Who is hurt the most by these increases? Well of course, the average American not the Democrat elite. 

As a result of these increases, the average family has experienced an $8,500  annual reduction in their purchasing power and standard of living. But according to Biden, his economic plans are working and you are just too blind to see it!  You are being gas lighted. 

What has caused this destructive inflation?  Excessive government spending and printing paper money is the primary cause. However, the war against fossil fuels and excessive government subsidies for so-called green energy projects are also major contributors. All of these things are part of the Marxist agenda of the Biden regime that is out to destroy this country. 

This situation threatens the traditional American Dream. This is especially true for younger Americans. There was a time when young married couples could afford to buy a new home and begin the journey to financial security and wealth. The equity in a home is the bedrock of financial security and the American Dream.  With the dramatic increase in home prices, mortgage rates, and home insurance, young people can no longer afford to buy and must resort to paying rent.  Not a good thing to do in the long run. 

So, we are back to President Reagan’s question, “ Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” The answer is a no-brainer. You know what to do. 

 

Dealing with China  

Posted on by

 Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D   harropcrew1@gmail.com

It should be obvious to any clear-thinking American that China is our biggest threat. During the 1930’s there were many American leaders who refused to recognize the threat posed by Nazi Germany. We cannot allow that to happen again. Just like Nazi Germany, China is rapidly building their military capability while we focus on DEI and woke ideology in our armed forces.

What makes the China threat even greater than Nazi Germany is the degree to which our country is increasingly dependent on Chinese products for our existence. A recent report showed that 75 % of items sold on Amazon are manufactured in China. Similarly, at Walmart the figure is 70-80%. What allowed us to defeat Nazi Germany in large part was the industrial manufacturing capacity of our country to not only arm ourselves, but our allies as well. We were rightfully called the Arsenal of Democracy. Now we are not only losing our manufacturing advantage over China, but we are paying for their military expansion by the profits they make on the products they sell to us. We are funding our own potential destruction.

The most glaring example of this absurdity is “Green Energy.” The Biden regime, uses government taxpayer subsidies and mandates to build solar panels and wind mills that we buy from China, and they turn around and take the profits and build coal fired plants that provide them with abundant cheap energy. Some of the morons in our military have proposed electric powered tanks to replace diesel power! Where do we get most lithium batteries? You guessed it: China.

China is expanding its influence around the world. They are funding ports and infrastructure projects in Asia, Africa, and South America. They are taking over the South China Sea by building island bases. They are threatening the Philippines and our other allies in the region. What is the Biden regime’s answer to all this? Silence.

What we should be doing is recognizing we are in a cold war with China and act accordingly. Restore our manufacturing capacity, impose tariffs as needed, and build our defense capability such as the so-called iron dome which would provide a protection against not only missiles from China, but other bad actors, like North Korea and Iran. Peace can only be secured through strength and resolve. No more allowing China to own land anywhere in the United States. Stop the admission of Chinese students and Chinese funding of our colleges and universities. The flood of single Chinese men over our southern border must be reversed, as also, the fentanyl crisis. We need an administration that recognizes the threat and has the courage to act accordingly. The upcoming election will determine whether we will get one.

 

Population Bomb/Population Fizzle

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D harropcrew1@gmail.com

In the early 1970s, a writer by the name of Paul Ehrlich wrote a doomsday book (typical of the Left) called the Population Bomb, where he essentially claimed that humankind in the near future would experience mass starvation, since we would not be able to provide sufficient food for the rapidly expanding world population. Like most leftist fear mongers, he did not give sufficient credit to man’s creativity which has actually demonstrated that through technology food production has been greatly expanded. Now, thanks to other Leftist ideas, Western Civilization is facing a crisis caused by declining population.

Statistically it takes approximately 2.1 children per woman to just maintain the population. Europe’s declining birthrate is near 1.4, and ours at 1.7 is the lowest in our country’s history. Rome, in part, declined due to low citizen birth rates and having to rely on foreigners for workers and soldiers. The Biden regime is leading us down the same path with open borders, abortion, and their war against the traditional family. According to FOX News, there have been 63 million abortions in the United States since 1973 when Roe vs Wade was decided by the Supreme Court. It has been clearly demonstrated that it is better for any country that wants to preserve its culture and heritage to birth and raise their own children than to rely on immigration. This is common sense. The question is what can America do to increase its declining birth rate?

Since there are many other countries with the same problem, let’s see what they have tried. It is reported that currently, 28% of developed countries are trying to increase their birth rates. Several countries (e.g. Poland, Hungary) have started economic programs to increase the number of children per household. Poland’s program consists of monthly support payments for each child that continue until age 18. Hungary is focused on assisting young families with children, to afford a new home. Not only do they receive grants for each child, but parents are eligible for mortgages at 3% for 25 years. These programs appear to be increasing the birth rates, but the long-term impact is still to be seen. Hungary’s prime minister Orban, demonstrated his commitment by stating “Make families again the core of European politics”. This statement contains the essential problem. Western Civilization has lost its focus on the importance of the intact family to the functioning and success of the culture.

What can we do? President Trump’s tax cuts included a significant increase in the child tax credit deduction as a start. Assistance with childcare, support for homeschooling, and a return to religion and the family would all be helpful. Remember, Marxism is based on destroying the family and replacing it with reliance on the government. This is exactly what the Biden regime is doing with their Woke agenda. Stop this LGBT Pride Month nonsense and replace it with Family Pride Month. All benefits must accrue to all income levels, not just the low-income groups, as the Marxists would have us do. This problem can be solved, but it will take strong leadership that recognizes the problem and is not afraid to deal with it.

 

Vote for Biden:  Get Harris

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D   harropcrew1@gmail.com

It is very clear to every honest person, that Joe Biden is in serious cognitive decline (i.e. dementia).  As expected, the fake news is oblivious to what we see with our own eyes. As a clinical psychologist, I have some familiarity with dementia, which affects approximately one third of people 80 years or older. The most likely cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible brain deterioration. While being sympathetic to someone with dementia is humane, electing that person to be president is a different matter entirely.

There are seven defined stages of dementia. Each stage represents a definable set of symptoms of cognitive decline. It should be noted that progression through each stage accelerates as a person reaches the later stages. Based on observations, it appears that Biden is in stage three or four. It would be easier to determine the correct stage if the Biden regime was honest with the American people, which they are not. Their refusal to release the audio tapes of Biden’s interview with special prosecutor Hurr is a prime example of hiding the truth. He is too old and bumbling to be prosecuted, but he is fine to be president. Rather absurd, wouldn’t you say?

Symptoms of stage three and four include such things as being disoriented, getting lost when walking, forgetting the names of people they should be very familiar with, difficulty remembering important details from the past, and lack of knowledge of current events. Some examples from observing Biden:  total reliance on scripted teleprompter recordings, having to be led off the stage and being brought back to the group after wandering off,  appearing to blank out for seconds at a time, not remembering details of his son’s death, and making up absurdities like his uncle having been eaten by cannibals. His handlers are hiding him with a part-time schedule and excessive vacation time.   It is reported that Biden has been on vacation 40% of the days he has been in office and that his daily schedule starts at 11 AM and ends at 3 PM.  Not exactly what one would expect leading a country in the midst of foreign and domestic crises.

Here is what we can expect if Biden is re-elected. The next stage of dementia includes:  trouble organizing or planning; confusion concerning day, month or year; difficulty staying on task; inability to make decisions; and fatigue. Now, what do we expect a fully functioning president to be able to do? To start off with, he should have the energy and stamina to deal with the demands of the presidency. This is a full-time job, or actually a more than full- time job. The President must be able to absorb facts, weigh the advice from others, and make prompt decisions. This is especially true during times of crises. He must be able to communicate clearly and openly with others, especially to the American people. He must be able to project an image of strength and competence to other world leaders.

Now you have to ask yourself, “What is the likelihood that Biden will be able to meet these expectations in a second term when he cannot do it now?” Outcome? If re-elected, count on having Kamala Harris as your president.  A scary thought to most people.

What We Can Learn From Europe

Posted on by

Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D   harropcrew1@gmail.com 

Having derived our essential culture from the Western Civilization of Europe, we may be able to learn something from what they are experiencing at this time.  Last week’s election held in all of the countries of the European Union demonstrated a clear political shift to the right, that is, what we call conservatism. This is long overdue. Let’s take a look at the issues that are behind this shift, and perhaps we can learn something before we make the same mistakes. 

Immigration was undoubtedly the most important issue for Europeans in this election. European countries received 5.1 million immigrants in 2022, which was an increase of 117% over 2021. The numbers keep rising.   Germany, the UK, France, and Italy are the most targeted countries by illegals. Along with this out of control immigration, the crime rates are going up dramatically.  Murder, sexual assault, and robbery are up in some cases in double digits.  Since 2018, Sweden has experienced over 800 bombings and a substantial increase in gang violence. Sexual offenses have gone up over 75% over the past few years. Countries like France have designated “No Go Zones” warning French citizens that those designated areas are unsafe for French citizens. A country can only admit a limited number of people from other countries with different cultures without substantially altering their own culture. I lived in Germany for two and a half years as a member of the U.S. Army in the late 1960s. I assure you that since that time the German culture has been significantly altered by the admission of Turks and others from the Middle East.   

One of the reasons that some European countries have allowed, and in some cases encouraged immigration, is to offset their declining birthrates.  It takes 2.1 children per adult woman to just maintain a country’s population from one generation to the next. Over the past several years the birthrate in Europe has been declining and is now at 1.46 which is insufficient to maintain their populations. The birthrate of immigrants is typically about 35% higher. The birthrate in the United States is now at 1.66 which is the lowest on record. If not changed, this will result in fewer young people to support an increasing older population. The empire of Rome experienced a similar phenomenon which most historians believe contributed to their ultimate decline and overthrow.   

Another item that contributed to the move to more conservative candidates In Europe is frustration with the so-called “green agenda.” The rising cost of energy, subsidies for ineffective wind and solar energy, and the attack on traditional farming are increasingly being rejected in Europe. This past winter, Germany had to reopen coal fired electricity generating plants because solar and wind were inadequate. The people of Europe recognize the need for abundant and cheap energy to sustain their standard of living. 

We have an opportunity on November 5th to take a stand against these same issues that are destroying our country. Donald Trump is absolutely correct when he says America is in decline. We must turn things around if we are to preserve this country.    

Truth vs Lies

Posted on by

Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D harropcrew1@gmail.com

The basis of all effective human dialog and interaction should be truth. This is particularly vital in the political realm where voters must make decisions on critical issues. Politicians have always been somewhat suspect about being truthful. What is occurring now in our country is beyond anything I have ever seen and threatens to further divide our country. This reminds me of George Orwell’s novel 1984, where the so-called Ministry of Truth, controlled what people were told.

There are far too many examples of politicians lying to list them all, but here are a few. The Inflation Reduction Act, initiated by the Biden regime, not only had nothing to do with reducing inflation, but actually did the opposite by increasing government spending and resulting in more inflation. Similarly, with the so-called student loan forgiveness program by Biden. This effort unjustly passes the debt on to other taxpayers. Truth would require it to be called the student debt transfer to others program. Management of the COVID19 pandemic was full of lies. Starting with the origin of the virus from gain of function projects funded by Dr. Fauci’s organization to the lack of effectiveness and danger of the vaccine, we were told numerous lies.

The border crisis that has been occurring during the Biden administration has resulted in an invasion that threatens to destroy our country was blamed on President Trump, The truth, of course, is that the Biden regime wanted an open border in order to get more voters. This lie continues with Biden’s recently announced program to limit illegal immigration. It does no such thing. The reality is that allowing 2500 illegals per day will produce 925,000 per year in addition to 900,000 from other admission programs. Another glaring example of government lies is the term “gender affirming care”, for the prescribing of destructive hormones, puberty blockers and surgery. It is truthfully biological sex change which is rarely ever successful and a reflection of, in many cases, an underlying mental illness.

The most recent example was Nancy Pelosi being caught on a video recording admitting that she was to blame for January 6th because she did not authorize the placement of National Guard troops around the Capitol as had been recommended by the Trump administration. Her lie was the basis for the entire effort to prosecute President Trump for what happened on that day and resulted in the unjust prosecution of thousands of innocent protestors.

It is obvious to any rational person that Truth is not a left wing value. They will say anything, do anything, and lie as needed to fool the public. The sad thing is that many people in this country accept these lies. The recent vote in Europe that has produced a move toward conservative government is encouraging. The election on November 5th will show whether the majority of citizens in this country realize they are being lied to and are ready to throw out the liars.