Would a New "New Deal" Prolong the Economic Crisis?

There are two schools of thought about the end of the Great Depression. One school says that FDR's New Deal got people working and began the end of the economic dislocation. The other school says that the Depression was crushed by spending surrounding World War II. It appears that Barack Obama is of the former school, promising a major stimulus program, but George Will argues that such a program could actually prolong the crisis instead of ending it.

"By acting without rhyme or reason, politicians have destroyed the rules of the game. There is no reason to invest, no reason to take risk, no reason to be prudent, no reason to look for buyers if your firm is failing. Everything is up in the air and as a result, the only prudent policy is to wait and see what the government will do next. The frenetic efforts of FDR had the same impact: Net investment was negative through much of the 1930s."

Barack Obama says the next stimulus should deliver a "jolt." His adviser Austan Goolsbee says it must be big enough to "startle the thing into submission." Their theory is that the crisis is largely psychological, requiring shock treatment. But shocks from government have been plentiful.

I do think that the Bush administration's reaction to the crisis has done a lot of harm. Yes, it has stemmed the worst of the bleeding, but it has also distorted the system to the point that people are watching the government and waiting, instead of investing on their own. I wonder what will really get us out of the swamp.

Gas prices in Bath NY

Gas prices in Bath NY
Originally uploaded by crchair

Invasion of the Turkey Cakes!

We found these cupcake creations at the Target in Bath, NY last night. I can't decide if they are works of genius or just cake wrecks. What do Mod-Bloggers think?

Downtown Bath NY

Downtown Bath NY
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Beyond Words

But then, what else should we expect from the progressive left?

If you're stay home on Black Friday, this may give you a chuckle

How can you NOT be a Phillies fan after seeing this?

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you are stressed out by holiday-related preparation

Puppy-cam to the rescue!

Hmmmmmmmmm...

Every taxpayer is a side dish

AIG CEO does something right

It's not much, but it's nice to see AIG's CEO cutting his salary to $1 this year.  Sure he'll make money in other ways, but at this point even the smallest gesture is nice.

Is it too late to declare Wednesday "Talk like Smurf Day?"

From here.

Citibank gets bailed out... again...

It is official. Citibank has recieved a second bailout and its debts are officially backed by the U.S. Taxpayer. The stock market reacted with glee at this development, but one has to wonder while we are busy playing a song to make the current market dance, whether we are preparing a dirge for the economy of 2009 or 2010 or beyond. How much debt can we shoulder and how many poorly-run institutions do we want to guarantee?

I have to wonder if a bailout is also approved for the auto companies, will the airlines be far behind? And can other industries be far behind them? Where do we stop? And do either George W. Bush or Barack Obama have the guts to finally stand up and say "NO" when the time comes?

Honestly, I doubt it. To quote Principal Skinner, "Prove me wrong, kids! Prove me wrong!"

Who wants a drink

I'm sure that there are gadgets that are cooler than this, but right now I think it's the coolest thing ever.

This close to Thanksgiving, I expect to have a lot of meetings like this

Interesting Image of the Economy

Biking Update - November 21, 2008

This week's biking possibilities were sidelines by my old friend - influenza. It hit me hard last Thursday, Friday I had a reprieve, and then I was down for the count Saturday and have been slowly healing all this week. While I was not so sick by Monday that I could not have biked in July, in December - in the middle of a cooling trend - it was a bad idea. I also have been fighting some knee pain. Anyway, I have been using the Wii Fit as my main tool for exercise this week. It is generally low-impact and fun. And it has been sufficiently effective.

I started losing weight slowly again, and reached 227 this week and flirted with 226 but never actually had an "official" reading for the graph. I am hopeful of reaching 225 before Thanksgiving, so I have some cushion to eat turkey and associated carbolicious or sugary foods without having to worry about blowing by my target weight of 230. I have set a new target of 220 to reach by February, which seems doable and not insufficiently ambitious considering the upcoming holidays when my eating will not be entirely under my own control.

Next Saturday, I will be in Bath, NY celebrating Thanksgiving Weekend with my family. So I may or may not have an update for our readers. I am hoping to bring my bike up there, so if the snow holds off, I may have some pictures taken against the picturesque Upstate New York hills. We shall see.

Happy Birthday, CRChair!

Great brother, and great friend. May this be a wonderful year for you.

eHarmony forced to support same-sex matching services

I have used eHarmony a few times over the years, without great success. I like their "compatibility-matching" business model, and the fact that they allow you to build intimacy over time, rather than being designed to get couples to "hook up" (with its myriad meanings) in the shortest time possible. I even know a few married couples, and long-term daters who met thru the service. It has always been focussed on bringing its services to single, non-divorced, heterosexual people seeking long-term relationships. And it has worked well to differentiate them in a crowded marketplace.

Somehow I missed that the NJ attorney-general had successfully forced eHarmony to begin supporting same-sex couples, as well as their traditional model. The AG has not gotten a court to force the issue, but instead bullied eHarmony into capitulating rather than face an uncertain court case and/or negative publicity.

Since there are plenty of competitors offering same-sex matching (Match.Com comes to mind immediately), this seems like less a case of "fighting discrimination" than making a point that same-sex unions are (or should be) normative. I am interested in someone from the other side presenting an argument that eHarmony's previous practices were illegal or harmful to society. But as of now, this all seems like the wrong move by all involved.

Congress Does Something Right

Congress finally did something right today. They told the Auto industry that they needed to show how a $25 Billion bailout would transform the industry. This is exactly what needed to happen. Someone had to stand up to the Auto industry and say "OK, you need money now. If we give you money now, what is to make us believe that anything will change and we won't have to give you more money in 6 months?" Bravo congress for getting it right.

Has Microsoft's $300 million gamble fallen flat?

Earlier this year Microsoft approved a $300 million advertising campaign aimed at countering the 'Get a Mac' ads.  First there were a couple commercials featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, then there were the barrage of "I'm a PC" commercials and apparently print campaign.  So, has all this succeeded in the original goal of countering the Apple ads?  At least one writer doesn't think so.  Personally I think that the first couple "I'm a PC" ads were successful, but quickly became redundant and mockeries of themselves.

First step toward Replicators

One of the cooler technologies of Star Trek: The Next Generation is "replicators" - devices capable of producing nearly any food, material, or device from pure energy. In the mythology of Trek, these devices have essentially ended the laws of supply and demand by providing any material item, providing there is enough energy available. For the first time, scientists have taken a first step toward such technology by creating a primitive form of matter out of a beam of light.

It is only a first step, but who knows where it may lead?

Arrrrrrgh, Matey?

We were discussing the hijacking of a Saudi oil tanker by pirates at Guys Night Out last night. I wonder if the pirates understand they'd be a perfect target for Obama to prove he is "tough in foreign policy" without actually having to wage war. Or for Bush to have something on his legacy that doesn't require Congressional approval. One detachment of marines and suddenly the vessel is "liberated" and all the USA would be doing is enforcing international law.

My advice to the pirates. Get while the getting is good.

Auto Industry Bailout Discussion

I have been reading lots of material on the requested (and perhaps doomed) auto industry bailout demanded by GM and others. There appear to be people of good will on both sides of the issue, so I thought it might be a good idea to briefly summarize the arguments here for Mod-Bloggers, and let our own esteemed thinktank take a crack at sharing their opinions.

PRO-BAILOUT POSITION

The automobile industry has long been the backbone of American industry and thus the backbone of the American economy. Allowing any of the Big Three to outright go bankrupt - or worse be bought out by foreign powers - would be tantamount to surrendering the future of American jobs to outside controls. The Big Three themselves are direct employers of hundreds of thousands of Americans, but more importantly they are INdirect employers of millions more who provide parts, chemicals, electronics, websites, advertising, etc. to these companies. The failure of the American auto industry would put nearly 1/3 of the American workforce out of a job, and thus plunge us into a true Depression.

But luckily, we have a simple solution. Give the automakers an additional $25 billion guarantee on their debts and/or outright loans, to be paid back to the American government. This is a paltry sum compared to the $700+ billion already secured for the economic system, and can br drawn from the moneys already allocated.

ANTI-BAILOUT POSITION

There are reasons why the Big Three automakers are failing, and in particular why GM is on the chopping block. They have failed to adapt to a changing marketplace, and have been insulated in the past from their own failures by a government eager to protect auto jobs at any cost. American automakers are producing cars that no one wants, at a price no one wants to pay. Furthermore, the largest cost for automakers today are unwieldy commitments to Big Labor negotiated during boom times. These contracts can only be renegotiated, by law, when a company is in bankruptcy. Keeping automakers out of bankruptcy and reorganization simply keeps them shackled to business models and debts that they can never get out from under, which would require on-going government subsidies.

But luckily, we have a simple solution. Do nothing. Allow GM and the other automakers - if needed - to go into bankruptcy and reorganization. Let them renegotiate their debts, reorganize their management and workforce, and emerge a stronger company. This requires little government intervention, and no extra outlay of taxpayer funds to accomplish.

What do Mod-Bloggers think? Did I summarize the arguments adequately? Which side do you find yourself agreeing with? Or is there another P.O.V. that needs to be considered? Let us know in the comments section.

Auto industry bailout cheat sheet

CNNMoney is running a nice article on the implications of the struggles of the Big Three - what they're looking for and what are some of the options.  It is helpful to get a quick grip on the situation.

Back to basics

From here.

Internet moguls call for religious harmony/unification

I always find it amusing when experts in one field (i.e. computers and internet) decide to apply their expertise to another field (i.e. religion and mass psychology) and think that the simplest of all solutions is the way to go. Consider this report which reports a plan to create a "universal charter" for religious harmony based on the Golden Rule.

Armstrong's wish is to combine universal principles of respect and compassion into a charter based on a "golden rule" she believes is at the core of every major religion.

The Golden Rule essentially calls on people to do unto others as they would have done unto them.

"The chief task of our time is to build a global society where people of all persuasions can live together in peace and harmony," Armstrong said.

While the goal is laudable - a more peaceful world with less religious conflict - it simply ignores thousands of years of history. In general, peace between religious groups has not come about by smoothing over differences. In fact, that tends to exacerbate problems by allowing each religious group to see the others in overly-simplistic terms that tend to exaggerate the strangest differences between them.

Rather, historically, engagement between individuals - usually thru trade - has been the way to defuse religious rivalries. If Bob only knows Achmed by vague reputation, he can hate him because of religion, nationalism, or vague historical notions of wrong. But if Bob deals with Achmed daily for mutual benefit, then irrational hatred becomes far more difficult.

Iraqi Cabinet sets withdrawal dates for U.S. troops

As predicted, anyone who voted for Obama because he would withdraw troops from Iraq has had their vote made irrelevant. The Iraqi cabinet has set dates for U.S. troops to leave Iraq. They claim the dates are firm and we are required to honor them.

The agreement sets June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

The date for all troops to leave Iraq will be December 31, 2011, he said.

Honestly, it is a good thing. It shows a level of maturity and confidence in the Iraqi government. Hopefully, it is truly reflective of the realities on the ground.

Tracking Your Health

I discovered the other day that my blood pressure is currently high. Part of this is due to recent stressful events, but it also is due to my poor diet, lack of exercise, and weight gain. I tend to eat a lot of sodium and drink a lot of caffeine, so I decided to start tracking my sodium and cut back on my caffeine intake. The bad news is that sodium is in just about everything. The good news is that I rediscovered a tool and discovered another tool to help. I thought that other Mod-Bloggers might find them useful.

The first tool is for tracking. FitDay allows you to track the food that you eat, the activities you do, your weight, and your moods. It also allows you to set a weight goal and to journal. FitDay is completely free, though they do try to sell you their $20 desktop software. Selecting food in FitDay can be someone complex given the number of suggestions they give you, but if you know the nutritional information for what you are eating or drinking, you can create a custom food item.

This is where the second tool shines. My wife and I love our bread maker. Sadly, the recipe book does not include nutritional information. About.com has a free service called Calorie Count which is a great source for nutritional information. They have a tool there where you can enter a recipe, have it analyzed, and see the resulting nutritional information.

Gas Tacoma Costco 11/15/08

Gas Tacoma Costco 11/15/08
Originally uploaded by anthropos9

I actually thought I'd never see gas under $2/gal. again. Thankfully I was wrong.

With economy down, Yankees decide to try and buy a championship

I am a major Yankees fan.  I like the history and the team and mostly the warm memories I have watching them.  One thing I don't like is how they throw money around hoping that it will result in an instant championship. They've done this several times as of late like Randy Johnson and A.Rod.  Now they're at it again trying to buy CC Sabathia, who many people consider the best pitcher in baseball, as well as a couple other pitchers.  If we, as baseball fans, have learned anything from this year's Tampa Bay team it's that a championship team takes time to build and that there is something to say for team camaraderie. Don't get me wrong, as a Yankees fan, I would love to see Sabathia on the Yankees, but he's not going to be why the Yankees win another championship. The Yankees along with every baseball team, needs to work on building a team and not just a collection of all-stars.

Hartford finds a bargain

Working in the Financial Services industry in Connecticut, I hear a lot of scuttlebutt about the Hartford (formerly the Hartford Insurance Group). I have even gotten several job inquiries from them (though I always turn them down because of the rep). I keep hoping they'll surprise me and show a good side. They always disappoint me.

Now, the Hartford is playing Bailout Bingo by buying a bank for $10 million, in order to transform themselves into a company eligible for up to $3.4 billion in bank bailout money.

Here is hoping the regulators are smart enough to recognize this blatant money grab for what it is. I am sure the Hartford's execs are eager to get that cash to pay off their large bonuses.

Biking Update - November 15, 2008

Finally, I can feel good about calling this a "Biking Update" again! Last Sunday, after church, we took a nice long ride with the Bowhunter/Archer family down by the beach in Stratford. It felt SO good to be out on the road again, after so many weeks of pedaling in the attic, staring at exposed walls and getting nowhere. It was not a long ride - a little over an hour from Marnicks to Long Beach to the mouth of the Housatonic River and back - but it was a good one. And I had the amazing experience of actually out-pedalling Bowhunter/Archer. For those who do not know him personally, he is a former track star and rode the 75 mile Ididaride this year. He was weighed down with a trailer containing two active toddlers, so it was not a fair "competition". But it was nice to see how far I have come since we started biking in June... when I was almost always LAST to get up to speed and first to need to stop for a rest. Fitness can be fun.

Weight-wise things have been good this week. I was more or less flat at my goal weight (230) all week until finally at the end, I dipped below it and began to stay below it for several days. It was both depressing to be stuck at one number, and exciting that the number was my original goal weight. I went back and crunched the numbers and it turned out that I was losing about 8 lbs a month (with the exception of the first month, which is always larger than all the rest) but last month I lost almost 15 lbs. That means I lost 2 months worth of weight in a single month, without having been seriously ill. So, it may mean I will need to stay flat for a month to let my metabolism return to normal. I am okay with that. I'd like to be down a bit to have a cushion for Thanksgiving (when I will eat pretty much what I want) but if I am "stuck" here, that is fine. Wii Fit asked me to set a new goal, now that I have reached my goal weight, so my next one is to be down another 10 lbs by February. I think that should be doable, even with Thanksgiving and Christmas in between, and should be a good target to allow me to lose the weight in a healthy manner. Of course, I also failed to mention that I have been suffering from the flu all week, which has probably also been playing havoc with my metabolism and has limited my exercise opportunities.

This upcoming week, I am hoping to get in one more ride. We are flirting closely with the time when it will be impractical to bike most weeks, due to early sunset, dark nights, and frozen temperatures (i.e. black ice). We have already had to abandon biking to Guys Night Out for safety. It may not be long until most of the trails will be closed for the winter and/or there will be enough ice on the roads to make it an issue to bike. At that point, I will need to make a choice to either go for an indoor exercise method (Wii Fit, exercise bike, karate, etc.) or consider taking up snow biking, which I have been reading a lot about. With a bad knee, I am thinking snow biking may not be the wisest course. But I want to research it some more before making a decision. The bike shop behind our house is closing, so I could possibly pick up some really good mountain-biking tires for a very cheap price. We shall see. In the meantime, I need to finally schedule a check-up with my doctor to see what kind of karate I can do safely, and to see if it is worth spending the $100/month on a membership.

Cities Line Up to Apply for Bailout Money

Now that banks, credit card companies and the auto industry have applied for federal bailout money, the next group to apply are cities. Major cities such as Philadelphia are asking the federal government to loan them money from the $700 Billion. I will lose the little respect I have left for the President if he allows cities and towns to be part of this bailout package. Once that happens, there will be no end to it all.

He makes a good point

Fun for a Thursday morning

"Star Wars" - an a capella tribute to John Williams

Truth is Depressing

Who is this guy?

I just have to ask. Is there ANY relation between the guy who ran for President in 2000 and 2004, and the one who is allowing the mutating bailout to continue without any controls? It is like invasion of the body snatchers.

Bailout Plan Shifts

I am caught between anger and grudging acceptance at reports that the Bush administration is already abandoning its plans to buy up bad loans at troubled institutions. Now, it plans to continue targeted investment in banks, and is expanding to invest into non-bank financial services institutions like credit card companies.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/12/news/economy/paulson/index.htm

On the one hand, I feel lied to because the very plan put forth as "extreme measures for an extreme situation" is already being abandoned. On the other hand, I am glad that the administration is not waiting on Congress to explicitly authorize each move they want to make.

Overall, I feel that the administration still has no idea how to deal with the economy. They look more and more like a teenager trying furiously to look busy, while watching for the moment they can dash out and make the disaster they caused into someone else's problem.

Global Warming? Most of the USA Cooling

Here is a cool Map that I found at Neal Boortz' blog that shows what the relative temperatures were for each area of the USA last year compared to those area's average year.

Honor & Respect to Our Veterans Today

The photo below is of a young man from my church who died in the Iraq War. A special thank you to all who have served, and especially to those who have died, in service to our country and to protect the freedoms that God has given to us.

Let the spending begin...

Or continue, as the case may be.  It seems POTUS-elect Obama along with his friends the congressional democrats would like a bailout for the auto industry.  It's no surprise that they would suggest this since they need to return the favor of millions of dollars from the UAW to get them elected.

This is such a bad idea I don't even know where to start, but what it does highlight is the direction the incoming administration is planning on going in order to fix the economy - bailouts and stimulus packages.  Supposedly congressional democrats are planning 2 - count 'em 2 - stimulus packages to be released before March.  I know the economy needs to be fixed, but I really don't think this is the way to do it. And by the way, how are taxes getting lowered while they're doing this?

If "The Matrix" ran on Windows

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Circuit City Files For Bankruptcy (Chapter 11)

Circuit City has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy over fears that they won't be able to bring in supply in time for the Christmas season. (Chapter 11 is the type of Bankruptcy that Kmart filed a few years ago... they're reorganizing instead of going out of business) Still, this is a reminder, if we've mentioned it before (and a warning if we haven't) that gift cards are the worst gift to buy this Christmas and if you get a gift card, use it quickly. We're coming up on the most profitable time for retailers. The Christmas season is what is keeping some companies open, after which they will close their doors. During a chapter 11 bankruptcy businesses are *not* required to honor gift cards.

Fed: Shut up, we're in charge!

If you're wondering why the Republican Party was trounced in November, don't look at Palin's wardrobe or McCain's debate performances or the GOP website. Look at this kind of idiocy coming from our appointed leaders. Can we really countenance this kind of resistance to oversight, and ignoring of checks and balances?

The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in September they would comply with congressional demands for transparency in a $700 billion bailout of the banking system. Two months later, as the Fed lends far more than that in separate rescue programs that didn't require approval by Congress, Americans have no idea where their money is going or what securities the banks are pledging in return.

Refusing to honor a direct requirement of a law passed by Congress is willful violation of said law. It should be a fireable offense. Mr. Bush, fire Ben Bernanke today, unless this report can be shown to be false. Or else doom your party to decades in the minority.

Shelton closes the path by the Dam

This summer, when we started biking, Archer took us down to the Shelton river and showed us a great little path down by the Hydroelectric Dam. It was a 1/2 mile long gravel-paved walkway and bike path which was great for us as beginners. It ran along the Housatonic River, giving pretty views, but was straight, flat, and simple. It was a wonderful resource to discover and we used it a lot until we had build up our experience and strength to take on longer rides and city streets.

But that option is no more. The developer who owns the area, who has been pushing the city of Shelton to buy the land, has closed the area to public access, for good. The given reason is liability. The area was originally an industrial area, so the only people on that path were people who went out of their way to find it. Now, high density condos are being built nearby, and the developer claims the path could be dangerous when the dam's spillways are in use. To my ears, it sounds more like this is a tactic on the part of the developer to force the town to buy the land.

Either way, it is bad that this is being taken away from the public. And worse that it appears to have been done without giving the public any say in the process.

For some reason, this reminds me of Archer

Biking Update - November 7, 2008

Sigh. Well, another week without any biking. We had planned to bike last Saturday, but Biscuit had a toxic reaction to one of her new medications and we spent the whole day with her in the hospital. Sunday was quiet, but not conducive to biking. And now it is too dark to bike in the evenings safely. So... no biking. I am hoping to get in a few last miles this weekend, but tomorrow rain is predicted so it may or may not happen. Of course, I am getting in PLENTY of miles on the stationary bike. But it is just not the same.

The other news is - no surprise to those who follow the blog - Biscuit died on Tuesday. After almost a month of weekly visits to the hospital, Mom called her regular veterinarian (rather than the emergency ones) and he gave us some plain talk. Biscuit was critically ill, suffering, and was not going to get any better. At that point, Mom decided it was time to end her suffering. Tuesday, at 9:30 AM, she was given the injection and quietly passed into eternity. We have no regrets about this, but we miss her terribly.

Not much else to report. My weight was basically flat this week, hovering within 1 lb of my goal weight of 230 lbs. I am hoping that next week is better for weight loss.

From the fun rumors dept.

Steve Balmer made an offhand remark that Microsoft might look into using Webkit for a browser. First off I highly doubt that will ever happen given the amount of time and money that has been wasted on gone into IE development. Still it makes for an interesting intellectual exercise to ask what a MS web browser that is not IE, as presently understood, would look like. Would they take any cues from Chrome or Safari (both built on Webkit) or would they try to strike out on their own? Like I said, this would be interesting, but I seriously doubt it will happen.

Gas prices

Gas prices
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

(Sent from my 3G iPhone)

Rebuildtheparty.com

The national college republicans have up a new site calling for fundamental changes to the GOP, to begin recovering from the huge losses suffered this Fall. It is worth a look, if you feel the same way Ward does.

Recommended Reading List for Obamerica?

Well, we will soon be living in a country with Barack Obama as Chief Executive, with Democrats in charge of both houses of Congress, and with more state governments run by Democrats. This is a change for many of us, and is sure to have a period of adjustment.

I am wondering if any Mod-Bloggers have any recommended reading for preparing ourselves for this new world? Obviously, we have Obama's two books. Another blog claimed that The Wretched Earth was a formative book for our President-Elect. What other books or websites would people recommend we use to understand the coming new world?

John Hodgman (PC) on Life and Love

In order to lighten the mood on the blog, I give you John Hodgman (otherwise known as PC on the Mac commercials) discussing life and love.

Could the excitement for Obama be his biggest problem

The NY Times is running an article today about how Obama has to temper the excitement of his supporters in order to not look like a failure.  With so many of his supporters being new, excited and unfamiliar the the trenches of actual political work it's possible that there is a let down like no other if he doesn't seem to make progress on his campaign promises.  Speculating on the future is not of use at this point, but it is clear that Mr. Obama needs to keep the base he has created solid or else he could face serious challenges the next time around.

Kissing the Party Goodbye

Well, I've had it. I've been as loyal as someone with a brain can be at this point, and I don't think I can continue on anymore. I suspect, witnessing all that has happened in the past two years and all that is happening currently, that I will no longer be a Republican by the next election cycle. Why is that? Several reasons, all centered around the fact that this party will not remove it's head from a darkened orifice. And I know, there is a big debate coming. I'll stick around to see where it goes. However, I full suspect that regardless of how this "great debate" ends, I will not wish to call the Republican party my political home any longer.

We have seen one of the most poorly run campaigns by one of the worst Republican candidates in decades. And I could deal with that, except for all that it has shown of the awful pit that the Republican party has become. On the one hand, we've seen so-called conservatives completely abandon the party with the absurd claim that Obama was actually the true conservative candidate. Right. I wouldn't mind it as much if they would just admit what they believe...That Sarah Palin is trailer park trash unworthy of their notions of highbrow societal correctness. It's hardly a surprise that someone like Noonan, Will, or Buckley Jr. would find such a woman beneath them. I mean, after all, she wasn't born into the elite class and she hasn't spent her entire life in the DC area soaking up the atmosphere. So clearly, she could not possibly offer anything. Such elitists disgust me and I'm embarrassed to be in a party with people who cannot look on a somewhat average human being with anything but disdain. The idea that you have to be of Washington-bred elite to possibly be a decent candidate is not in any way a conservative idea. If this is the "thinking class" in the party, I find no reason to stay. Add to that the constant attacks on her faith because (God forbid, she's got a Pentecostal past!) and these supposed conservative thinkers have said everything you need to hear/read to know exactly what they think of us "commoners."

On the other hand, we have far too many examples of "the base" willing to accept anything and everything they are told. How many Republicans have I had to debate about rather Obama was a Muslim? Or worse yet, that he was the anti-Christ. Please. Sarah Palin is not the best thing since sliced-bread and Obama is not the anti-Christ (I don't think he is anyway.) It seems like the party has attracted a branch willing to accept the most absurd ideas out there. In the age of Snopes, there is no reason to be that ignorant of what is going on. Now, I know that not everyone has the internet. But I would guess that everyone could at least have access to it. I mean, virtually every library in the country offers free usage. It's not that hard. I know that you could argue that these things are true of many Americans, not just Republicans. And you're right. But ignorance doesn't excuse ignorance. I expect a party of principle to demand that it's members rise to a higher standard. Of course, that same type of thinking is what got me invited to leave our last church, so maybe I just really am expecting too much. Perhaps we should just give up on the idea of integrity and principles and all that.

The third group who has really irked me, and who I believe should be run out of the Republican party forever, is the McCain staff. It's bad enough that these clownshoes ran the most idiotic campaign I'll probably ever live to see. (I pray so, anyway.) But now, rather than accepting defeat and admitting that they deserve the brunt of the blame. They are instead setting Palin up to take all the blame. Tucker Bounds is easily one of the sleaziest and most despicable people I have seen in the cycle. And sadly, he is just one of many such in the campaign. The dirt that the staff has already started to throw around is starting to make Sullivan and the rest of the left's attacks look tame in comparison. Even more sad is the information that apparently some of Romney's staffers have been behind the attacks as well. This sinking, festering, joke of a conservative campaign shows us the worst of what the Republicans can put forward. If any of these people are actually rewarded by the party with anything other than 50 lashes, I don't see any reason to stay.

I appreciate Nomad's thoughts on the past below. I think he's right. But more and more, I also don't believe that the party is going to be willing to do what it needs to. Now it's possible. We might just get some actually leadership with the will to do what it takes to actually do conservative government again. The Lord knows that after the last eight years, we need something. But from the looks of it so far, all the wrong factions are far ahead in the blame game and in the process of getting their message out. Unless those who hold dear to true conservative philosophy (and not just when the polls look good) stand up and take the party back by force, I seriously doubt that I'll wear the Republican tag in four years.

A Humble Proposal

Okay, Barack Obama is now president-elect. We are looking at a Democrat-dominated House and Senate. The age of Republican dominance is officially ended. But let's not look on this as an entirely negative development. Every revolution eventually becomes the entrenched bureaucracy - and thus requires a revolution of its own to correct its flaws. The beauty of he American system is that these "revolutions" can occur thru elections and an orderly transition of power.

The Republicans lost for mostly one reason: Americans no longer understand what it means to be a "Republican" or "Conservative." Conservatives came to power preaching small government, low taxes, a strong defense, and strong commitment to Life. They ost power when their President brought about the largest government in history, stopped talking about Life, and over-extended our defensive forces in two wars. As of now, the only ideal that voters associate with Republicans is "low taxes". How can one trust that one ideal to build a government around?

Let me propose 5 points around which to center a rebuilding of the Republican Party. And yes, I am arguing for keeping the Republican Party as a Conservative Party. The order of these points is NOT by priority, but simply by what order they came to my mind.

1. Taxation drives the economy. High taxes will always slow it, low taxes will always stimulate it.

Please note, this is NOT a one-note "Always lower taxes" mantra. It is a statement about how the system works. This allows the raising of taxes in time of War or crisis, with the understanding that the economy will be slowed. But it also points out that when we can lower taxes, we should because it will create jobs and wealth.

2. Human life is precious. From conception to expiration, life should only be taken after due process of law.

This covers being anti-abortion (though allowing for rape, incest, life-of-mother cases, potentially, given due process and analysis), being careful about application of the Death Penalty, and being careful about sending our soldiers to war without a true casus belli and endorsement by the branches of government.

3. In America, political power is distributed between State and Federal hands and given fundamentally by the People. Each should have their own sphere of influence, and stay out of the spheres of influence of the others.

This means a rollback of so many Federal mandates over non-Federal issues. It reinforces that all Rights lie fundamentally with individuals, and that the Nation has no inherent right to take any right away. It is all by social compact. Let the States run education, morality laws, etc. Let the Federal government run defense, manage interstate business, etc. Let the people live their lives. Stop trying to solve all problems with whatever office your party happens to own at that moment.

4. The primary role of the Federal Government is to provide for a common defense and ensure domestic tranquility.

Maintain a strong army, which does not merely mean a large army. Take care of our soldiers. Do not expend American lives in discretionary wars (i.e. no preemptive wars). Be slow to join battle, but once joined the battle must be fully-funded and supported.

Focus also on rebuilding and strengthening such shops as FEMA and the Treasury Department. These are critical to getting thru crises and for maintaining an even keel for the country.

All other priorities for the Federal government should be secondary to these two. That includes such hot-button issues as Social Security, Health Care, Education, etc.

5. Checks and balances are essentially to the operation of our government. We should look to strengthen these checks, not weaken them, at all times.

Forget the insanity about invoking Executive Privilege to avoid Congressional inquiries and invoking Congressional Privelege to avoid Judicial inquiries, Mr. Vice President. States should be actively checking Federal power. Congress should be actively checking Executive power. The Courts should be actively checking Congressional power. The Press should be actively checking ALL power. The People should be actively checking the Press and its own representatives. We are a nation OF the People, and should never let any one man/woman/office become the be-all, end-all. We should consider such moves as more term limits and not allowing any office-holder to vote on their own compensation as ways to keep these checks and balances working.

There is my list. What do Mod-Bloggers think? Did I go too far? Did I miss anything? How would you rebuild the Republican party?

Congratulations, President-Elect Obama

Congratulations from all of us here at Mod-Blog to President-Elect Obama. He appears to have won with a narrow popular vote victory, but a significant electoral college victory. It was hard-fought battle.

May God bless the next four years, for all of our sakes. My politics may not mesh with yours, but I hope that God can use you to do great things nonetheless.

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Biscuit Houdini Chesner: 1995 - 2008

You will be sorely missed. You brought much joy and love to our lives.

Voting at 6am

Voting at 6am
Originally uploaded by crchair

Voting is out the door at 6am in Shelton, CT.

Welcome, first-time voters!

From here.

Where Do I Vote?

If you are like me, your local election officials are constantly moving around the polling places. It can be confusing, trying to figure out which of the hundred places you have voted in the past is the one for 2008. Well, this little app tries to bring together all of that information in one place. Enter your state and address, and it'll tell you where to go to cast your all-important ballot.

If you are not sure where to vote, please run this app today. Nothing worse than getting to election day and realizing for one reason or another, you have no idea where/how to vote!

Equal Time

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