North Korea Ramps Up Rhetoric

North Korea has been back in the news lately. The government is preparing to launch what is being called a satellite in early March. There are, of course, many skeptics to this so called satellite launch. Some intelligence agencies are saying this could be a disguised missile launch with the capabilities of reaching Alaska, or the western coast of the lower 48.

The government is North Korea is always willing to negotiate, as long as they get millions in aid in the form of food, supplies, or energy. North Korea says they not give up their nuclear program. They say the program is for power. However, the rest of the world disagrees with that statement. Most world governments believe they are using the program to develop nuclear weapons.

Whatever the uses, North Korea has been threatened with sanctions again and again.

It is finally time for a change in strategy. With so many countries geographically close to North Korea concerned about their nuclear ambitions, it is time to deal with this threat with force. And I fully understand that now is not the time to get bogged down in war with another country. However, I still believe this can be accomplished without a full scale war.

Many media pundits seem to have already forgotten that the United States dealt with a similar issue in the 1980s. Without going to war, President Ronald Reagan authorized air strikes against Libya. Deemed a success, the strikes forced Muammer Gaddafi to stand down in his rhetoric against the west. Although North Korea probably has a much more organized army than Libya did at the time, I do believe strikes would work as long as we had the support of neighboring countries China and Russia. That would probably the hardest part.

Other links:

North Korea Economy Watch

DPRK Studies

Subtraction by Exponential Multiplication

When I was in the 8th, my algebra class had a hard time understanding some of the principles involved. So, we would just say our teacher was using her magic powers. It was a convenient explanation of math we didn’t understand. Well, I would like to say congratulations to her. She is no longer a math teacher. She is now working for the Office of Management and Budget. And they have figured out a way to reduce the deficit in half by 2013, along with proposing the largest budget in history in terms of dollars and percentage of national GDP. Shazaam!

When President Obama was campaigning, he said he would rule from the middle. He failed to mention that he would write his budgets from the far left. But conservatives have been waiting for this since he took office. He had the most liberal voting record in the Senate, when he wasn’t voting “Present.”

In presenting his outline, Obama said there would be "some hard choices that lie ahead." I really find it hard to believe that there would be some extreme cuts in a government budget that is the largest in history.

Highlights include and additional $250 BILLION to stabalize the financial system. I guess there wasn’t enough money in Porkulus to get the job done? And then there is $634 BILLION for a reserve fund for health care for those without coverage. Wealthy seniors will fund some of the increase by paying more in Medicare premiums. And so will those making more than $250 G once the Bush tax cuts expire. I’ve combed over the Constitution, and I still can’t find where health care coverage should be covered by the government.

During his inaugural addres, Obama asked Americans to make sacrifices, to get this great country on the road to recovery. Well, President Obama, we are going along the best we can. It’s nice to know that we shouldn’t worry about the government struggling.

It was nice to see the GOP leadership come out swinging, though. From CNN.com:

"There's been too much spending under the Republicans over the last couple of years, but if you begin to look at what's happen over the last month and what's being proposed in this budget, the president's beginning to make President Bush like a piker when it comes to spending," said Rep. John Boehner, the House minority leader.

Even Mississippi Democrat Gene Taylor was critical of the proposal, saying “I don't like it ... Change is not running up even bigger deficits that George Bush did”

Of course, Nancy Pelosi almost fell over herself praising it as in line with our national values. Well, considering we are in an economic mess right now because people got mortgages they couldn’t afford, maybe she’s not too far from the truth.

I just pray that the GOP makes enough racket about the proposal and can get some Democrats on their side.

Good News From CPAC 2009

Of this year’s CPAC attendees, half will be under 22. That is great news for the conservative base.

During the 2008 election season, the GOP looked like your grandpa’s party. No offense against McCain, but we did march out the oldest candidate in history. If it wasn’t for Sarah Palin being on the ticket, there would have been no excitement about the ticket. The only reason some people voted for McCain/Palin was to not vote for Obama.

With the Governors in town last week, many GOP Governors were thrust to the forefront of the party. That was great news. The GOP needs fresh faces to attract the next generation of conservatives.

But this isn’t all about national leadership. As parents, we are also responsible for raising our own kids to be gracious Americans, to have personal responsibility, and to understand and embrace conservative principles.

Tax Deduction for Jury Duty

From today’s News and Observer (Raleigh, NC):

Randolph County Republican Jerry Tillman has introduced a bill in the NC Senate that makes jury duty not seem like such a bad idea.

“A bill would let you deduct income lost while on jury duty. Sen. Jerry Tillman, a Randolph County Republican, said he filed the bill after he heard from a constituent who lost thousands of dollars while serving on a federal grand jury.

"They were paying him $40 a day," Tillman said. "That will barely cover his travel and his food, and he would lose several hundred dollars a day by not being able to run his business."

Under Tillman's proposal, North Carolinians who serve on state or federal juries would be allowed to deduct the lost income from their state taxes.”

For years, citizens have tried to avoid the big J for fear of losing income. It’s not the actual service we mind, it’s that we would only get about $12 for an entire days worth of service. I know, there is the whole “community service” aspect and that we should be proud to be citizen volunteers. I’ve also thought it was a bit draconian to request citizens to serve jury duty, and in turn lose pay from their job.

Hopefully, Senator Tillman’s proposal will gain some traction and pass through the NC legislature.

Obama gives speech, Pelosi drinks 20 Red Bulls

One thing I had a problem with during the Obama speech was the fact that he said we would possibly have to give the banks more money for a continued bailout effort. MORE MONEY!?

I thought the $700 BILLION was a final measure and we would be on the great road to recovery. Well, it might not be. We’ll just keep printing money until we reach late 1970s inflation and interest rates. It’s not even debt if we just print money.

Other notes of interest:
I head Mike Gallagher talking about it this morning as well, but I thought Nancy Pelosi was going to explode with giddiness last night. Mike compared her to a pogo stick. That’s about the best analogy. Every time Obama paused, she would bounce up and clap like a madman (or woman).

When Obama made a point about the “deficit we inherited,” he continued on saying we were going to tackle it and reduce it and so forth. The Congressional Democrats were loud with their applause. What was VERY noticeable though were the Republican boos and aggravation about the deficit comment.

Clyburn continues oppression of African-Americans

Earlier, I posted a link about Mark Sanford (South Carolina Gov.) saying he would deny the stimulus funds. Unfortunately for Mr. Sanford, his own state rep, Jim Clyburn, had language written into the stimulus package that if the state executive denied the funds, then they would go to the states’ legislatures. In the same article a quote was attributed to Clyburn saying that the opposition to the stimulus money was a “’slap in the face’ to black Americans, because most represent Southern state with large black populations.”

When Clyburn added the language, he said he was trying to help Black Americans. This statement by Clyburn continues the oppression of African-Americans by the Democrat party. His statement implies that black people are unable to find work or pay bills without government assistance. What about white people that work along side of blacks every day? Does he think they don’t need jobs, too? Or is the stimulus money only going to black people?

Today’s Democrat party continues to pander to the lowest common denominator. By suggesting that by denying the stimulus funds, governors are not helping Black Americans is crazy. The Democrat party is plainly using scare tactics to keep the Black population in its pocket. Democrats continue to scream from the mountains that without them, Blacks have no chance against the “good ‘ol boy” GOP. They continue to be the social and economic crutch they tell Black Americans they need in order to succeed.

When Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream about being free, do you think he also meant being free of government support and assistance? Clyburn did issue an apology where he didn’t mean to infer that governors denying the stimulus money were racist. Great. But he should also apologize to the white people he represents for not representing them, and to the black people for trying to keep them enslaved in government oppression.

Young Republicans Shine

While Obama and his congressional bosses continue to shove through legislation explain that this pill is the best thing for us, it has given the new faces of the GOP a chance to step forward.

Tonight, in his first starring roll, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will be giving the Republican response to Obama’s joint-session speech. I haven’t been able to find any video, but Jindal gave a press gathering in DC today a nice run for their money when they pressed a group of GOP governors in town for their annual conference. He was direct in answering their questions about how much pork was in the stimulus and he questioned how it was going to help the economy in the long term. CNN has a nice bio on him.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford made waves recently by publicly saying he would not accept any stimulus funds. He is known as a fiscal hawk, and is worried about the government borrowing so much money to create growth. Of course, as much as we would like to see the Gubernatorial ranks make such a bold stand, provisions exist in the bill for the money to go the state legislation if the governor denies the money – thanks to South Carolina’s own Democratic Rep Jim Clyburn.

Michael Steele, a black conservative from Maryland, was recently voted to Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Steele goes against every stereotype Democrats have labeled Republicans. He’s not white. He’s Catholic.

Of course, there is Sarah Palin. Despite her short time on the national stage, she shot up like a meteor to be a rock star in the Republican party. Besides the problems of geography, the one problem she may have is trying to leave behind the problems of Troopergate and other media created problems. We all know she is pro-choice, anti-gun control, and a fiscal conservative.

I’m sure more will rise, but it is becoming apparent that it will be up to the GOP Governors to become the new voice for conservatives.

Dear Mr. Penn, my grandchildren will have no shame

Even when I had a regular chance to watch movies, I never got caught up in the awards season as those obsessed with Hollywood do. If it was a good movie, great. If not, oh well. I've been out of college now for 8 years, and my life has changed dramatically with having a family. One thing I really understand, now that I have kids, is how hard it is to protect them from the world and its influences. One of those influences is that from the entertainment world and the message they broadcast.

And My God helps me do that. Even though I am not a citizen of California, I was pro-Prop 8. I believe that marriage should be defined as that relationship between man and woman. Sorry, Mr. Penn, but I disagree with your message. God made man and woman to be partners together, to worship their Creator.

It is not because of hatred that I disagree with you Mr. Penn, it is because My God says this is how it is supposed to be. I will raise my children to understand how and why God made us, and I pray that they will do the same for their children. And I hope my family realizes that it is not a message of hating people, but of the act. Yes, I do realize that we shouldn't hate people, but hating the act is different.

I increasingly become annoyed at those in Hollywood who think that they are so popular because of their social beliefs and values. If you want to be a mouthpiece, then run for public office.

Lets Make a Plan to Make a Plan

CNN had a story this morning about how divided President Obama’s first 30 days in office have been. During the campaign season, Obama planned to bring both parties together and transcend Washington politics. Unfortunately for Obama, the entrenched divisiveness of DC politics is bigger than he is.

Obama’s first major act, closing Gitmo, ran headstrong into cries from the GOP wondering what to do with the prisoners housed there. There was absolutely no plan forthcoming from the administration about what to do with the prisoners once Gitmo was closed. Even congressional reps that wanted the base closed didn’t want them brought to prisons in their district. It seemed Obama just wanted to make nice with Muslim nations, no matter the cost to U.S. security.

So far, the only plan that the Whitehouse seems to have is to not have one.

One of the funniest moments so far was the first press conference by Treasure Secretary Timothy Geithner. Even when Bush fumbled through speeches and tripped over his own words, at least he tried to look confident. At a time when citizens want to see the people in charge of the nations economy look confident, Geithner looked like a deer in headlights at his press conference. There seemed to be no organization to his plan on spending $70 BILLION dollars. He might as well have said, “We are going to spend a whole lot of money. We just aren’t sure how, yet.”

Today and tomorrow, Obama is focusing on the economic recovery of this country. He is heading a budget conference today to discuss the ballooning deficit and how to reduce it. Tomorrow night, he plans to give his first address to a joint session of Congress. Hopefully, he’ll introduce a plan.