Anyone thrilled with the mess in Washington, DC?  Do you find yourself grieving over unending incompetence, dim-witted scandals, moronic rhetoric and hypocrisy cascading out of our nation’s capital daily?

 

Anyone excited about the activities of our U.S. Senate? How about the House of Representatives?   Do you like Vice President Dick Cheney’s actions for the past seven years?  Would you again vote for the bungling, if not lawless leadership, of President Bush?

 

Would you again choose 4,000 of our kids sacrificed in an endless, ludicrous and totally fabricated Iraq War?   Is the carnage we provoked in Iraq worth destroying our national treasures: our youth, our moral standing in the world, our financial balance or our military? 

 

In six years, what have we accomplished in Iraq?  Answer: weekly killings, bombings, mayhem, chaos and millions of refugees.  Our military destroyed a functioning society under one of dozens of similar dictators in the world.

 

At what cost? Answer: $600 billion and counting! $12 billion a month with no end in sight!

 

Are we safer from Islamic radicals?  You answer that when our borders remain wide open to terrorism 24 hours a day!  President Bush wouldn’t know a terrorist from an ice cream cone.  Dick Cheney wouldn’t know an IED from a bag of popcorn.

 

What do the democrats and republicans deliver for the money we pay them to maintain our country?  What proud accomplishments might they boast?

 

Do they pride themselves about their $700 billion trade deficit that they facilitate annually by doing nothing to stop it?  Do they brag about the $9 trillion national debt they bequeathed upon our citizens for decades to come?  Can they stand tall as they rebuild Iraq but watch Katrina-ravaged New Orleans slog through the unending rubble of devastated neighborhoods of our poorest Americans?  Such profound incongruence!

 

How about 14 million unemployed Americans while 20 million illegal aliens depress and wreak havoc on our wages and jobs across America?  How do they fabricate, “Illegal aliens do the jobs that Americans won’t do at slave wages….”

 

While we give billions of dollars to Iraq--and thousands of our soldiers’ lives, how can our President tolerate 1.3 million homeless people in America with 13 million children living below the poverty level? 

 

While Bush sends 572,000 troops to 700 bases worldwide, how can he allow our borders to stand wide open to an invading armada of illegal aliens?  How does it make sense to maintain 35,000 troops on Korea’s border, but not on our own?

 

Is it right for our Congress to force American taxpayers to shell out $338 billion dollars annually to pay for education, medical care, language translation, food, assisted housing and incarceration costs for people who broke our laws to enter our country and break our laws daily by remaining here?  What rationale does the president use for his lack of upholding the U.S. Constitution?

 

Why would this Congress uphold and increase H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and many other visas that undermine and steal jobs away from millions of Americans?  Why would those we elect to serve us enslave us?   Why would they outsource, in-source and offshore our jobs to third world countries in order to give our own corporations greater profits at the expense of our citizens?

 

The War on Drugs costs us $70 billion a year for the past 37 years, but drugs remain as available today as in 1971.  Why does Congress ignore viable options while continuing to waste our money for its failed drug war?

 

We could address another dozen items ignored by our president and Congress: 80 percent of Americans want out of Iraq, 50 percent of black Americans that didn’t graduate from high school can’t find a job; 50 percent of American Hispanics and blacks drop out of high school, 50 percent of black and Hispanic teens have children out of wedlock and land in welfare lines; average American credit holder suffers a $9,240.00 balance; absence of national container recycle/deposit law to conserve resources; missing national energy policy; lack of water usage policy, shallow enforcement of our immigration laws, outright anarchy by employers of illegal aliens, mortgage foreclosures, national language usurped by immigrants, thousands of Americans killed by illegal aliens on our highways and in our homes, and the list goes on!

 

What’s at the base of this national trauma?  Both republicans and democrats fail our country at the most profound level: integrity, common sense, reasoned solutions and actions!  Reelection trumps unified efforts.  Senators Obama,  Clinton and McCain failed to address our most pressing problems in their years of service.  The House of Representatives languishes in Abramoff scandals, Duke Cunningham $2.4 million bribes, Tom Delay money laundering and God only knows how many other payoffs and kickbacks continue under the radar.

 

At the beginning of the 21^st century, republicans and democrats fail citizens of the United States of America. They undermine our jobs, our laws, our language, our safety and our Constitution.  Both parties fail this republic.  What’s worse?  Based on their past track records, we may expect more of the same no matter whom we elect—without a 180 degree turn-around.

 

Americans long for that day and a candidate to meet countless challenges facing our republic.   Let a third party candidate step up to serve with honor and accountability

Dear Presidential candidates;
Please go home. Stop buying votes for the office of president. We have enough flim flam men, robber barons, corporate owned cowards and plain old (in the worst sense of the word and meaning no disrespect to used car salesmen or women by calling them politicians) used car sales persons in Washington D.C. and our country has been raped enough.

Mr. Obama, Your whole rhetoric talks about change we can believe in. Um sir you’re from Chicago. Outside of Washington, Chicago has the dirtiest politics in the nation. I was born there and thankfully removed at a very early age but I still remember at the tender age of five our garbage not being picked up for 30 days because my father (and my hero) did not vote as he was told. Further, vandalism happened to our home and finally a monetary donation to the correct Alderman’s pocket ended it.
I read in awe your plans for IF you get in office. I agree 1,000 percent on one item; this is a defining moment in history. I just do not want you to define it. 1.7 TRILLION For universal healthcare? Billions on feel good programs like a tired parent that does what’s good to their child instead of what's good for their child?
Lets be honest the position you held most while in congress is to “NOT VOTE”. I think the thing you could do best IF you end up in office is to expand on that theme and NOT SPEND TRILLIONS. If you must spend how about spending on our crumbling infrastructure only. Just a thought.

Mr. McCain. I remember as a young sailor the stories of the USS Forrestal I will not go into it because it would be speculation. I do remember with a laugh how the officers would joke how if another officer was advanced because of family in important places; they would call it the McCain unable advancement program. Wonder what that means. As a fellow Veteran I must pose a question if in fact you are comfortable reaching across the isle and compromising with the Democrats to get things done was there not a way you could have done it in 2003 at which time you encouraged other senator’s to table a vote to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq related to a shortage of helmets, tents, bullet-proof inserts, and tactical vests or in 2006 voting against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for just by closing corporate tax loopholes. Mr. McCain, Senator, John, Shipmate please can you say moral turpitude?

The biggest two issues that leads me to write both of you this letter are these: The latter being the most important reason I CANNOT vote for either of you and will for the first time in 30 years as an adult will not fill what I see as my civic responsibility.

Each time I hear either of you talk I hear playing over and over in my head the song Charles Durning (WW II veteran I might add) sings in the movie “Best little Whore house in Texas” OOOOHHH I like to do a little side step, now you see me now you don’t I’ve come a gone.

The most arrogant and miscreant thing that just makes my insides darn near reverse gears is both of you time and time again state you are running for the highest office in the land. WOW I would think as senators, one civil right’s attorney and one veteran you would know. In this country under our system of government the highest office in the land is that of CITIZEN.
I have no doubt if the main stream media has/ had the chutzpa to print this you have prepackaged answers but the story will remain the same that of a oncoming tragedy from either side.

Six weeks before election you come around

Shaking hands, Hey! We won't let you down.

We believe the conviction it could never be hype

To defend our way of life they'll do what is right

 

We believe you're for "WE THE PEOPLE" when all else is lost

Support and defend no matter the cost

In the steps of our fathers, our representative

Then six weeks and a day you loyalty's tentative

 

Lobbyists, the Party, political pacs

Your sell HONOR cheap as if from a rack,

What about the CONSTITUTION, what about the republic?

You sit upon high and look on us as subjects.

 

You allow our own borders to be over run

While to war you send our daughters and sons

Preserve and Protect our president swears to the creator

Then ignores the will of the people like a benevolent dictator

 

We know what important "THE PARTY" AND POWER  

We're not Servants of the Public but your owners in towers

We're not quelled by your pleas we must do what we're told  

Corporations have the power because they have the gold.

 

So by your sweat and your blood we sit until we retire

Because six weeks of integrity is all that's required.

On February 11, 1985, President Ronald Reagan hosted a State Dinner for Saudi King Fahd at the White House.  It was earlier in the day at a private meeting between the two that history was made.

With oil at sky high prices and the Soviet Union producing more oil than the Saudis, the oil revenues provided Moscow with a cash cow financing an incredibly aggressive expansion of its imperialist empire.

The Soviets had added 14 colonies to their empire in recent years, and with Nicaragua and the El Salvador insurgency as its bases, were ready to make a move on Mexico.  The largest Soviet embassy in the world was in Mexico City.

With this in mind, Reagan told Fahd what he wanted the Saudi king to do:  quadruple oil production and crash world oil prices.  Fahd was stunned.  "Why should I ever want to do that? " was his response.

"Because your main competitor is the Soviet Union which has extremely high extraction costs:  it costs them many dollars to get a barrel of oil out of the ground while it costs you a few pennies," Reagan answered.  "Quadrupling your production will drop the world price below the Soviets' extraction cost and you will drive them out of the market.  You will increase your market share to the extent you will end up making much more money than you are now."

Fahd was now far more stunned than he was at first.  He quietly conferred in whispered Arabic with his closest advisor who confirmed Reagan's assertion.  Fahd looked at Reagan with respect and admiration, then inclined his head ever so slightly.  His interpreter announced, "His Majesty accepts the President's proposal." 

Within a few months oil was below $10, the Soviets' cash cow was dead, the Kremlin was going bankrupt and could no longer sustain its empire.  Just like that, what seemed impossible a few months before was now on the horizon - the Soviet Union losing and America winning the Cold War.

On June 6, 2008 - this past Friday - I wrote to a friend of mine in the White House, a close advisor to President Bush. 

He needed no reminding that on that day the DOW had tanked almost 400 points, unemployment shot up to 5.5%, oil was at $138, the dollar at 1.57 to the euro, and the Republicans face certain disaster in November.

I did remind him that always, where there is danger there is opportunity, for it is the danger that creates the opportunity.  All it takes is the courage to accept both and carpe diem.

So I suggested that presidential courage take the form of signing an Executive Order, then going on national television to explain it, in words such as these:

"Last week, the Senate wisely rejected a misnamed Climate Security Act which I promised to veto should it reach my desk - for it would have made our current energy situation far worse than it already is.

"The bill claimed it is necessary for the United States to reduce its emissions of carbon dioxide which it claimed contribute to global warming.  Yet such a reduction of US emissions will be utterly useless unless countries such as China and India do the same.

"Until they do, we cannot afford to treat carbon dioxide as a bogeyman to frighten us into blocking every attempt to increase energy production here in America.

"Our economy today is in grave danger because of the astronomical price of oil.  I don't have to explain this to you, for you feel the pain of it every time you put gas in your car so you can go to work in the morning - if you still have job.

"Every effort to increase energy production has been consistently blocked in Congress.  This creates an artificial shortage of energy leading to the current astronomical prices - and it gravely threatens our national security by making us dependent on unstable and sometimes hostile foreign energy suppliers.

"Thus I am declaring today an emergency of national security, and have signed today a Presidential Directive under my Constitutional authority to do so, ordering the following:

"1.  All restrictions other than those preserving public safety imposed by the federal government or its agencies, or by state governments and their agencies, upon the extraction of crude oil and natural gas in Alaska, in the offshore waters of our coasts, and on federal onshore lands, are hereby waived. 

This includes all environmental restrictions and those regarding the Endangered Species Act  -- for these are used by obstructionists merely as a rationale to block oil, gas, and coal extraction, not to actually protect the environment or protect genuinely endangered species.

"2.  All restrictions other than those preserving public safety imposed by the federal government or its agencies upon the building of crude oil refineries are hereby waived.  This includes all environmental restrictions and those regarding the Endangered Species Act.

"3.  The depreciation schedule for deducting capital expenses from corporate federal income taxes is hereby waived for any energy-related capital investment, allowing first-year expensing of such investments.

"Yes, there will be a enormous hue and cry of protest by those special-interest groups who don't want you to have cheaper gas and a growing economy.  Let's see how loudly they protest after they - and you - see how much world oil prices drop in the wake of my announcement today.

"For it's critically important for Americans to understand and the world to realize the incredible amounts of oil, gas, and coal resources we have on our own land and off our own shores.

"As a recent report of the Interior Department reveals, there are 139 billion barrels of recoverable, untapped oil on our land and off our shores, more than any other country on earth except Saudi Arabia and Canada - plus over one quadrillion cubic feet of natural gas, more than any other country except Russia.

"Further, we have hundreds of billions of tons of coal, far more than any place on earth.

"And this is what we have now, can recover with current technology now.  There are as much as two trillion - trillion - barrels of oil in shale deposits in Colorado and other Western states, and the technology to inexpensively extract them is being developed.

"Add all of this together, and there is enough oil and gas and coal right here on our land and off our shores to provide America's energy needs at current levels for the next one thousand years.

"Yet, our energy companies are prevented by government restrictions from accessing this amazing abundance of energy - and in the case of oil, of processing it, for there hasn't been an oil refinery built in America for 32 years.

"This ends today.  America is going to start producing energy, as much oil, and natural gas, and coal as we can.  Watch what happens to prices once we do.  The fearmongers will say it will take years for this new production to come on stream - which they've been saying for years so it will never get produced.  So-watch what happens to oil prices now, after we simply start to produce.

"Then watch, with cheaper oil and gas and electricity, how our stock market rebounds, how our economy starts growing again, how much better your job prospects are.  Let's see the fearmongers try selling their fear then.

"As your president, I am taking the steps necessary to provide Americans with the energy supplies necessary to keep them safe, prosperous and free.  Thank you, and God bless America."

My friend called me back and we had a lengthy talk.  He is an extraordinarily capable, talented, and bright guy who could easily pull down seven figures a year on Wall Street or at any number of major international companies.  Yet he decided instead to make a contribution to America, to work for a president who professed the conservative values he believed in.

We agreed that if the president signs such an order and gives such a speech, oil and gasoline prices will crash;  jobs, the dollar, and the Dow will rocket up;  and public anger will then turn towards the Dems and the enviros and their lawsuits.  Then it's the Dems who will be in trouble in November.

Sure, it will create a firestorm of protest - but he will have seized the momentum, taken the offensive, put the Dems on the defensive.  And what will they say when oil drops to $80 within two weeks of his speech - and keeps falling?

We agreed that there's a real tipping point here, a chance to turn the political momentum 180 degrees with amazing speed.  The president can do it, and only the president can do it. 

But, he sadly informed me, the president won't do it.  "He's coasting, Jack, taking the safe, conventional route.  He has no appetite for the kind of bold, risk-taking action you're suggesting and what is needed so badly.  He's into nursing his popularity rating from 28% all the way up to say, 35%, and won't do anything that really rocks the boat."

It's hard to think of a more dispiriting contrast with Ronald Reagan than this.

We sighed.  All I could think of to say was, "This is why I wish Cheney were president instead."  He responded, "I have to disagree with you there, Jack.  Cheney would not be issuing the EO you want now."

"Really?" I sputtered.

"Yes," he explained, "because he would have already issued it a long time ago."

It's always good to close a conversation with a laugh.

That Dick Cheney would have been a better successor to Ronald Reagan was emphasized yesterday (6/11) in his speech to the US Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

"Oil is being drilled right now 60 miles off the coast of Florida. But we're not doing it, the Chinese are, in cooperation with the Cuban government. Even the communists have figured out that a good answer to high prices is more supply.

Yet Congress has said no to drilling in ANWR, no to drilling off the East Coast, no to drilling off the West Coast, no to drilling off Florida. Given the high prices Americans are now paying, we should hear no more complaining from politicians who've stood in the way of increasing energy production inside this country. They are part of the problem.

And it's not just crude oil or natural gas production that's being held up. We also have to import ever larger amounts of refined gasoline, because we don't have enough refining capacity to satisfy our own demands. We haven't built a new refinery in the United States in three decades. It's high time we did so. There's not a reason in the world that our gasoline should not be made right here in the United States, at American refineries, by American workers."

Even more dispiriting than having a non-Reagan president in Bush rather than Cheney is an even more non-Reagan candidate to succeed him.  Cheney's speech yesterday was one that McCain should have given.  But as the Wall Street Journal commented:  McCain is "clueless - a don't-drill zombie."

There could not be a more clear-cut example of how masochistic and self-mutilating Pelosi-Reid-Obama Democrats are than in their total opposition to America producing more oil, gas, and coal.  Yet Bush has lost his nerve, and McCain has lost whatever brains he ever had.  Neither can defend America against it's most dangerous enemy:  the leadership of the Democrat Party.

So somehow, Americans are going to have to defend themselves.  A Gallup poll says 57% of us want to open up our coasts and wilderness areas to drilling.  Newt Gingrich has collected over 600,000 signatures for his Drill Here, Drill Now, PayLess petition and is headed for several million.  Senate Republicans have now blocked cap-and-trade and "windfall profits" taxes on "Big Oil." 

But there is no champion, no national leader who could take action, no Ronald Reagan to defeat the bad guys in Washington.  It's up to us, folks, and it's no use wishing otherwise or drowning in Reagan nostalgia.  It's up to us to elect pro-Americans to the House and Senate in November, to drill into McCain's thick skull and empty it of glowarming idiocy.

Evil most always loses to good people who act with courage and intelligence.  We have to be those people.  For if we are, evil will lose in November - despite neither Bush nor McCain being Reagan.