The First Shot: Cap & Trade

It has begun.

There is no shortage of threats to our economy. America's unemployment rate recently hit its highest mark in more than 25 years and is expected to continue climbing. Worries are widespread that even when the economy finally rebounds, the recovery won't bring jobs. Our nation's debt is unsustainable, and the federal government's reach into the private sector is unprecedented.

Unfortunately, many in the national media would rather focus on the personality-driven political gossip of the day than on the gravity of these challenges. So, at risk of disappointing the chattering class, let me make clear what is foremost on my mind and where my focus will be:

I am deeply concerned about President Obama's cap-and-trade energy plan, and I believe it is an enormous threat to our economy. It would undermine our recovery over the short term and would inflict permanent damage.

American prosperity has always been driven by the steady supply of abundant, affordable energy. Particularly in Alaska, we understand the inherent link between energy and prosperity, energy and opportunity, and energy and security. Consequently, many of us in this huge, energy-rich state recognize that the president's cap-and-trade energy tax would adversely affect every aspect of the U.S. economy.

There is no denying that as the world becomes more industrialized, we need to reform our energy policy and become less dependent on foreign energy sources. But the answer doesn't lie in making energy scarcer and more expensive! Those who understand the issue know we can meet our energy needs and environmental challenges without destroying America's economy.

Job losses are so certain under this new cap-and-tax plan that it includes a provision accommodating newly unemployed workers from the resulting dried-up energy sector, to the tune of $4.2 billion over eight years. So much for creating jobs.

In addition to immediately increasing unemployment in the energy sector, even more American jobs will be threatened by the rising cost of doing business under the cap-and-tax plan. For example, the cost of farming will certainly increase, driving down farm incomes while driving up grocery prices. The costs of manufacturing, warehousing and transportation will also increase.

The ironic beauty in this plan? Soon, even the most ardent liberal will understand supply-side economics.

The Americans hit hardest will be those already struggling to make ends meet. As the president eloquently puts it, their electricity bills will "necessarily skyrocket." So much for not raising taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 a year.

Even Warren Buffett, an ardent Obama supporter, admitted that under the cap-and-tax scheme, "poor people are going to pay a lot more for electricity."

Not hesitating to naming names!


Related: The Economy Is Even Worse Than You Think
The average length of unemployment is higher than it's been since government began tracking the data in 1948.

Media Political Distraction

There has been alot of noise in the media of late pertaining to Republicans or Conservative personas. By this I mean the White House vs Rush deal, the Steele vs Rush deal, the Steele & abortion/nazi deal, the Megan McCain vs Ann Coulter vs Laura Inghram deal. None of these things matter now or in the long run.

I think Republicans and Conservatives need to stop reacting to the Democrat/Progressive agitators. We should all remember that the Liberals control the mainstream media. All this is meant to distract the voters from the Obama agenda and incompetencies.

Newscaster

I wonder what it would be like if our newscasters delivered the news like the sportcasters (say from ESPN Sportcenter). The sportcasters are able to be critical of mistakes (as they and newscasters should be) and yet remain cheerful when the right things are done (as they should be but newscasters are not). I understands that world events, economic reports, and crime news are significantly more serious than a sport contest. Yet the dour harping of negatives by newscaster need to be balanced by positive reports.

To some extent, some bloggers ("blogcasters?") already do this. Bill Roggio and his crew certainly have done this very well. Too bad we don't get more of this from the MSM when it comes to news. We only get if from the MSM when it comes to sport news.

Can Google be trusted? No

Google cranks up the Consensus Engine

Google this week admitted that its staff will pick and choose what appears in its search results. It's a historic statement - and nobody has yet grasped its significance.

Not so very long ago, Google disclaimed responsibility for its search results by explaining that these were chosen by a computer algorithm. The disclaimer lives on at Google News, where we are assured that:

The selection and placement of stories on this page were determined automatically by a computer program.

I know that its signifies. This means that the results of searches will be biased rather than objective. For the users, some searches, likely political or controversial topics, will be less reliable. For the searched, they too will be affected and it will only be a matter of time when this will be influence by money to google.

While not what one would typically think of as a media company, Googles delivery of information to users for both news and entertainment does qualify it as a media company of sort. It has thus acquired the same status as most other Mainstream Media outlets, that of bias driven policies.

What we all need and search for is objective truth. Once that was thought to be probable with google searches. Now that is no longer the case. The solution for now is to go beyond the first 2-3 pages of google search results.


HT: Public Secrets

Mainstream Media

In the lead up to the invasion of Iraq the MSM was pretty much committed to promoting the invasion. Afterward, they became rather critical of their lack of critical evaluation of the justifications for war. More recently the MSM promoted the candidacy of Obama without much critical evaluation of who he is and where he stands on the issues. I wonder how long it will be before they come the regret their Obama worship.

It is not MSM bias that should concern us all. Everyone has bias. I am certain even they are aware of their bias. What should concern us all is the fact that the MSM are so gullible. Or perhaps even worse, that they know it and still feel compelled to go forward.

Prediction: McCain wins PotUS

I just voted. Turn out I believe will be high.
I believe McCain will wins for the following reasons.

Major Factors:
1. Obama is a socialist. America will not vote for a socialist.
2. Palin will induce a high turn out for McCain. The base is excited like never before.
3. PUMAs will vote for McCain in substantial numbers, enough to win it for McCain.

Minor Factors:
1. We remain at war against terrorists. McCain will be viewed as better than Obama.
2. Obama's luster will not rub onto the independent.
3. Independence are independent because they do not trust the MSM. The fact that the MSM has been in the tank for Obama will help drive the independent voters toward McCain away from Obama.

Non Factors:
1. Obama's race. Yes most African-Americans will vote for him, but they always vote Democratic anyway. I suspect the increase in turn out for his race will be offset by the increase in turn out against his race.
2. That McCain is defending red states is irrelevant. Because Bush won in 2004, the only way any Democrat can win is to contest enough red states to win. But despite the hype, that will not be as easy as we are led to believe. Not only that, McCain is also contesting blue Pennsylvania.
3. The polls may show that Obama leads, but most of the polls are actually within the margin of error. That means statistically, the race remains a tie.

McCain is a Class Act

Alot of anger at recent Republican rallys i do not believe are primarily directed against Obama. Everyone is frustrated with the economy and many are angry about the US government bailout. And in regard to the presidential campaign, many Republicans are particularly frustrated with McCain's inability or unwillingness to get tough to get the message out and angry at the bias of the MSM and ACORN fraud. Thus this has so much more to do with everything else other than Obama. (And no, no one cried out to kill Obama as indicated by the FBI.)

Tonight I watched this video and I came to understand McCain better. He is a class act.




Thus I wonder whether it is fair for us to expect McCain to sacrifice a bit of himself inorder to put our Country First by winning this election over Obama.

Live blogging at Palin rally in Richmond VA

9:45a. Among the first in line for a 2p rally. Bought a t-shirt and a cap.
11:00a. Front at the rails and will have great view.
12:00. Crowd is building and is upbeat.
12:36. Cannot tell how big the crowd is but it intermittently errupt into cheers. Not many minorities here though. They need to do more to explain to minorities why they would be better with the Republicans.
13:36. Supposedly the crowd is at maximum allowed and they are turning away people. Not sure how big the crowd is. Thousands?
14:00. Still no Sarah at listed start time.
14:11. Kilgore introduces the flags.
He reads an opening prayer.
14:16. Kilgore warms the crowd. Palin seems to get the loudest cheers.
14:22. Congressman Littman on stage; Straight talkxpress arrives
14:24. Senator candidate Gilmore takes the stage. "Who do you trust? McCain Palin Gilmore!"
14:36. Palin arrives to raucus cheers.
14:41. Hank William Jr sings the anthem.
15:00. Paying attention to her speech delivery and crowd responds enthusiastically!
15:06. Her comments on society need to protect the most vulnerable are moving.
15:26. Done now. Sarah signed my cap!

Afterthoughts:
She emphasized the positives rather than attacked Obama has she had been. I wonder if this is the campaign's response to the negative reports of negativity at the rallies. If this is the case McCain is paying too much attention to what the MSM is saying and not enough attention to what he should be saying.

Update: the crowd was estimated at 20-25,000.

Here are my pictures.

McCain & the MSM Re: Palin

I don't think McCain really understand that the mainstream media is not his friend. I think he got culled into a false sense of friendliness when he was a maverick against the Republicans. The media liked him then because he was against other Republicans. But now that he is against the anointed One, he is being treated like a red headed stepchild.

It became clear that he did not understand how he was perceived or being played when Palin was rolled out. Had he understood, he would have anticipated the PDS and prepared for it with a series of adds introducing Palin to the public along with a series of friendly interviews. These should have been done so that for independents, the campaign of disinformation would not and could not take hold. Only after the message regarding who Palin is and what she is about has taken hold should she been introduced to the enemy vis a vis the MSM.


Watch CBS Videos Online