On the wrong side of the street - again

 

 

"Torture? Torture is sitting on an airplane, being flown by a terrorist, knowing you are about to die..."

Yesterday was yet another day where the Loony Left showed us they live on the wrong side of the street. The release of this piece of garbage called the "Torture Report" was so stupid, so galling, it left me speechless and flummoxed. To go back to a program which as been over for 8 years and besmirch the character of patriots involved with it, leaves me dazed and confused.

The interrogation done at Gitmo as well as certain black sites was not done of a large scale - it was done very selectively. As I mentioned in an earlier post, right after the attack, America was in an information void. As brazen as the attacks were on 9/11, we did not know if there was a phase 2, phase 3 or whatever coming next. For all we knew, Al Qaeda had suitcase nukes, bio agents, or nerve gas already on our shore and were ready to use it. We simply did not know.

The interrogation techniques were used not because our interrogators were sadistic. They were not. They knew they needed to get the information from these bad actors sooner rather than later. We honestly believed that time was not our friend. And now we want to expose our patriots who were involved in the interrogations. We want to castigate them, and maybe even prosecute them. Only the Loony Left could be so stupid, so clueless.

During World War II, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt (a DEMOCRAT), issued an order which interned over 100,000 American citizen of Japanese heritage. Why did he do that? We simply did not know who was on our side. Nary a peep was uttered about what he did. It was a violation of many American's civil rights on a gigantic scale. Imagine if President Bush, after finding out the planes on 9/11 were flown by Muslims, ordered all Muslims in this nation to be locked up. He would have been tarred and feathered by the Loony Left.

What if in three years if we have President Gowdy and a Republican Congress. The new Administration decides to address the issue of drones under the Obama Administration. I dare say more innocent life has been lost by collateral damage in drone strikes than was ever lost in water boarding. It is then decided to pay the Loony Left back for the torture report, a scathing report is produced on drones. Once the report is out, the new Justice Department threatens to prosecute the Obama Administration for war crimes. Would this ever happen? Of course not. That is not how we roll. Even though drone strikes are more egregious than water boarding, it is a necessary tool to use in the never ending War on Terror.

Yesterday was a sad and painful day for America. We showed our gratitude to patriots who dedicated their lives to keep us safe by dragging them through the mud. Most people in this country are grateful to the patriots who worked tirelessly to get the bad guys and keep us safe after the 9/11 attacks. And I am one of them.   

Our Strategic Petroleum Reserve

 

 

"Hey! There is oil in them thar caverns!"

Our Strategic Petroleum Reserve was a good idea whose time has come and gone. Seriously. Most of us were alive in 1975 and remember why it was established. We were in deep, deep weeds due to our need for oil. OPEC had shown their true colors during the 1973-1974 oil embargo. In other words, they showed us they were not our friends - they were nothing but blood suckers.

When the reserve was first built, it was a smart idea. The plan was to stash away enough oil that in the event of another disruption from OPEC, we would have enough to last us for a bit over one month. Not much, but it was something.

The reserve consists of four separate facilities, all located in salt caverns on the Gulf Coast. Between the four facilities, the reserve could hold a bit over 700 million barrels. The reserve was designed to cover the nation's oil needs for 37 days (with 1974 domestic supplies) and 70 days with 2013 domestic supplies. I dare say the 70 days is even higher going into 2015 with our ever increasing supplies.

A problem has always been these numbers are a bit deceiving. The maximum amount of oil that could be released from the reserve is 4.4 million barrels a day. That being said, it would be well over a hundred days if we starting draining this reserve at 4.4 million barrels a day.

My feeling on this reserve is simple. It was outlived its purpose. It is old news. The world now knows that we are becoming an energy force to be reckoned with. We should release half of the reserve and keep the other half until 2020. Then release the rest. Why do this? First off, we don't need it as much today as we did in the 70's. It would save money by having two of the four facilities shut down.

Next, by releasing another 4.4 million barrels on the market, it would further depress prices. Would that hurt our domestic suppliers? To a degree, yes. But it would also be another huge body blow to bad guys like Russia, Iran, and ISIL would need high oil revenues to be used for nefarious purposes.

Anyway, this is just a thought. OPEC used oil as a weapon against us in the 70's by curtailing supplies. Today we can use oil as a weapon by increasing supplies. If this is not irony, I don't know what is. And I love irony.

A great problem to have!

 

 

"Despite the President's best efforts to keep this from happening, America has become an energy giant!"

Watching a bit of business news last night, the pundits were speculating on why the market fell 100 points yesterday. Ironically, one reason was energy stocks. Why? Thanks to Canada and North Dakota, the worldwide supply or crude oil keeps going up. Even though the thirst for oil is high and growing in developing countries, supply continues to meet the demand.

Our new found supply of oil is good for so many reasons. First off, many energy experts believe the depression of crude oil prices will continue throughout 2015, and maybe beyond. Translation - $2.50/gallon gasoline could be common next year. The side benefits are even more tasty. It seems the world's troublemakers have financed their shenanigans by using high oil revenues. With the depression in crude oil prices, it has put them in a financial pinch. Shame. Yes, I am talking about Russia, Iran, ISIL (who steals oil and then sells it), and Venezuela.

The only downside to this glut people holding energy stocks. They might not be doing as well in the near future. Also, this growing oil supply might also end up being a limiting factor to long term low prices. Should the price tumble low enough, oil companies in North Dakota might cut back or curtail production. Low prices might not make high production financially feasible.

In the meantime, the Golden Fleece still hangs somewhere on a tree. The Golden Fleece of course is the technology to produce unlimited, clean, affordable energy.  Whichever country can come up that technology first, will probably control the financial future of the world.

In the meantime, a true comprehensive energy policy would have included "all of the above". Besides exploiting our petro resources, we would reopen Yucca Mountain and then authorize the construction of more nuclear reactors. We would refine the technology to allow more vehicles to run efficiently and cheaply on natural gas. We could finish fuel cell technology to make it a viable and affordable source of energy to years to come. Finally, accelerate passive solar collector technology which would allow families to capture a portion of the energy needed to power and heat their houses.

So there it is. It is all good. The extra money we are saving on gas has gone right back into the market to buy Christmas presents and other sundry items. Today when my wife and I are running around doing errands, I will pull into a gas station and proudly say, "Fill her up!" And I can say that without the worry of putting a big hole in my wallet.  

Not a peep, mind you...

 

 

"Where were the peaceniks when innocent Americans were being beheaded? Good question!"

Here we go again. The Loony Left is hell-bent on doing our great nation harm. How, you might ask? The Democratic controlled Senate is going to release a report that by all indications, will put Americans overseas at risk. As why then would they do that? Ah, the $64,000 question.

The report on "CIA torture" is being released today, as time is running out for the Democrats. Next month, control of the Senate goes over to the Republicans. Under Republican control, something so stupid as the release of this report would never be tolerated. The Loony Left believes this report should be released to show how evil our country is. We did after all, water board three very bad terrorists shortly after 9/11. And by the way, by doing so we obtained actionable intelligence which allowed us to stop additional attacks as well as eventually find and kill OBL himself.

The release of this report will probably bring Code Pink and WAMM out of hibernation. Ever since President Obama has been in charge, peaceniks have been very sleepy. One would have thought when innocent Americans were beheaded by the worst of the worst, protestors, like Code Pink, would have flooded the streets. One would have also thought when ISIL went into Middle Eastern churches, pulled innocent Christians out in the street and shot them, WAMM would have protested in every city. Nope - not a peep, mind you.

However, to pour water on a terrorist's face to make him think he is drowning, is now worse than firebombing Dresden in World War II. To set up "black sites" in Poland is now worst that interning innocent American citizens of Japanese heritage during World War II.

Here is the raw, unvarnished truth. We were "sucker punched" in the 9/11 attacks because we were not ready, we were unprepared. However during the aftermath of the attack, our police work, our ability to find bad guys and put them in Gitmo in such a short period of time, was jaw dropping. It was our country at its finest.

My personal feelings on this issue are simple. When this great nation is in danger, where innocents could again be killed, we will do whatever it takes. Period. If it means water boarding, fine. If it means something worse than water boarding, I am also fine. If it means finding a real life Jack Bauer to come in and do the dirty work, I am good to go.

In the last election, the message was loud and clear. The American people want the adults back in charge. They know the adults can keep us safer. They know the adults are not saturated with ideologues. The change we have all hoped for is not over yet - we will have to wait until 2016 to see real change in our government.

Strength and Honor!

 

 

"Even though it was only a movie, the concept of 'strength and honor' has stayed with me..."

In the movie Gladiator, which was based somewhat on history, prior to going into battle General Maximus Decimus Meridius would say something his fellow officers. "Strength and honor" - and then it was passed on to fellow soldiers down the line. It was a simple yet very profound saying. It readied the troops for the upcoming battle. It was how they were to fight, it was how they were to win, it was how they were to die. It was their code of conduct.

For some reason, I started thinking about the saying again yesterday on the way home from church. Could that memory have been triggered by something I heard in the message which was delivered? Very well could have been. However in the movie Gladiator, "strength and honor" had to do with battle. Yesterday, my thoughts concerning "strength and honor" had nothing to do with battle, and everything to do with how we live our lives.

Why do I say that? When I watch the news or read the paper, I often see behavior or actions which exhibit everything but strength and honor. I see lies, dishonor and weakness of character. It is easy to see the very worse of us rather than the very best. We as a society have lost our way with our honor, with our strength. Many today embrace hedonism and nihilism, and walk away from virtue and compassion. As Judge Robert Bork pointed out in his book, as a nation we truly are "slouching towards Gomorrah". And that is not a good thing.

By the way, this is not a sermon to condemn others. The finger points directly back at myself. Our elected leaders are only a reflection of us. If we want them to be better, we need to be better. We need to live our lives better. We need to be more God honoring. We need to live by the principles defined in our Constitution. We need to be more loving towards others. We need to practice the age old rule of telling the truth - being honest with others. And we need to be more caring. Not through government, but through ourselves. It is vital we care for the least of us.

Mahatma Gandhi said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." He was right. Change starts right here inside of me. And it needs to start now. Not January 1st, so it can be one more resolution which I break. It will start now. Strength and honor in everything I do, every day I am alive. So I close by saying, strength and honor my brothers and sisters, strength and honor.

Infamy, plus one...

 

 

"Shortly after December 7, 1941, FDR told the nation that day would 'Live in Infamy' - and it does..."

 

Today is an important and sobering anniversary for many of us. For the survivors who are still alive, today's anniversary is an indelible imprint on their memory. For us as a nation, it is an important lesson that we - maybe forgot?

 

Prior to September 11, 2001, the warning signs were there for something bad coming. President Clinton did not grasp the significance of the developing events. He was too busy in the Oval Office doing other things. By the time President Bush (43) took the oath, the table was already set. The attack was planned and was going through the final stages of readiness. Then on September 11, 2001, just like on December 7, 1941, America got ambushed. And it can, and most likely will, happen again.

 

Sometimes I believe our leaders look at the world in similar fashion to a drug induced "la-la" land. For example, our current President does not seem to give a wit to who is in our country legally and who is not. We could have hundreds, maybe thousands of trained terrorists here. They could have snuck across our very porous southern border, and we would not know their vile intentions until it was too late. As a nation, we are like Hawaii on December 6th. Our naiveté on who is evil and who is not, could very well be our undoing.

 

Even the person who many think will be our next President has shown her true colors on naiveté. Recently she said, "We need to empathize with our enemies." What the what Hillary? These people want her, her husband, her daughter, her grandchild, and the rest of us, DEAD! They don't want to "empathize"  or understand us - they just want to kill us. And how would they do that? Just go on the internet and view some of the clandestine videos which have been smuggled out of the Middle East. You will see ISIL perform butchery which is beyond human comprehension.

 

So where are we folks? Are we living on December 6th, feeling fat, dumb and happy? Or are we living on December 8th, wounded and much wiser. It is up to us to elect leaders who can see reality for what it is. Who understand the landscape. Who can read the stiches on a fast ball in a rapidly developing world. We have tried ideologues and charlatans. That did not work well for us. Now is the time for brave, courageous leadership. Leaders who can keep us, and the rest of the free world, safe from evil.

 

   

And failure - is always an orphan...

 

 

"Success has many fathers and failure is always an orphan...

 

 

Oh my. How the mighty continue to fall. As most know by now, last night the results were disclosed of the run-off election down in Louisiana. It did not bode well for the incumbent, Mary Landrieu. It seems the good people of Louisiana have had a belly full of the lies, half-truths and out and out failures of ObamaCare. And in 2009, poor Mary had "ObamaCare" tattooed on her back, and she could not remove it.

 

And who beat her? Who could have possibly unseated a sitting congresswoman who comes from a very well connected political family? A doctor. Not a career politician, a doctor. Someone who really understands this mess called ObamaCare, and was able to articulate its shortcomings to the masses. Mary on the other hand, was stuck trying to defend the un-defendable. By now,the people in the great state of Louisiana had with the architect of this law (POTUS), and their senator who happily (at first) supported it.

 

Not only did Mary vote for it and support it, she also propagated the bevy of lies that went along with it. "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor." And the whopper, "Your medical insurance costs should go down $2,500 a year." When the people of Mary's campaign team realized she was backing a sinking ship, an immediate change of course was ordered. Too late - the Titanic had already hit the iceberg. Mary was about ready to go down with the ship.

 

Starting next month, the Republicans will have a huge majority in the House and 54 members in the Senate. The world will be their oyster. Will they show the American people they can govern? Will they be able to pass common sense legislation that the President can either sign or veto? Will they be able to keep the President in check without bringing the country to a grinding halt? Will they grasp this opportunity, so that the 2016 election is even better for them? Or will they be a "one hit wonder" like they have done in the past.

 

As for success having many fathers, yes - right now the Republicans feel that way. They are basking in the glory of this new found success. However failure is just around the corner, waiting. Going forward, the Speaker and the Leader must be smart and nimble. To not do so with mean their days of driving the car will be short, and soon they will again be sitting in the back seat.