THE ENTERPRISE--INDEPENDENCE DAY-WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY?
I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday weekend. I spent Sat. night as part of a crowd of over five thousand, sitting in lawn chairs drinking and eating with friends while listening to the Columbus Pops Orchestra play patriotic music and wrap up with a fireworks show. In other words, an old-fashioned Fourth of July. Exactly ten years ago, my wife and I stood on the deck of the QE-II anchored in the entry to New York Harbor and watched the largest parade of Tall Ships ever, sail and motor into the harbor of New York, while surrounded by fireworks displays, including the one over the Statue of Liberty.
THESE ARE THE TIMES AMERICA MUST CHERISH AND PROTECT
When I sit like I did tonight, I think about this great country of ours. I get even more emotional about America. It is flawed in many ways, and being taken in wrong directions. But WE, the People of the United States of America can still control our destiny. That is a large and difficult task, but no more difficult than during WW-II and times in the past--just different this time around. Our Founding Fathers were "mere mortals" with plenty of their own flaws. (Watch the HBO Series JOHN ADAMS for a great 7-hour history lesson about how our country was formed.) John Adams, who along with George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were really the "fathers" of our country. They disagreed dramatically about how America should be organized and governed. The difference was that their respect for each other transcended their political differences. While they "agreed to disagree," they tried sincerely to bridge their differences for the good of the country. Every legislator and elected official should learn from their efforts.
HOW IS THIS ALL RELEVANT TO TODAY--FROM 1776 TO 2010?
First an interesting and perhaps ominous piece of history. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were polar opposites in political philosophy; Adams a "Federalist" who believed in strong central government, and Jefferson, a "Republican" who believed in states' rights and decentralized government. And yet they were best of friends to the end. Together they devoted their lives to our country and both of them died on the same exact day: July 4, 1826, FIFTY YEARS TO THE DAY after the Declaration of independence was signed--which Jefferson first drafted--but which Adams profoundly influenced. How wise they were to write these words:
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE--PLEASE READ THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS (AT LEAST)
===================================================================================================================
===================================================================================================================
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME
You will see that much of what our forefathers revolted against was the kind of tyranny and government intrusion we are experiencing today--but from our own elected government, not the king/queen of England. The difference is that their revolution required guns, bullets and battles; ours requires battles of the mind and votes, not guns and bullets. Just read the start of the Declaration of Independence below to remind yourself what we Americans are all about.
WITH RIGHTS COME RESPONSIBILITIES--HOW HAVE SO MANY AMERICANS FORGOTTEN THAT?
A few years ago, the topic of our Reunion Conference was "Rights and Responsibilities." I had shirts made with those words embroidered above and below and American flag. I have several shirts left that I wear a lot. I almost never wear one out in public without someone, sometimes several people, commenting on how much they like them--and the message they send.
TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AT ALL TIME LOWS--NO SURPRISE
22% Trust "Government!" 23% Trust Congress!" Notice I didn't specify any political party. Surprising? Not at all. If the GOP thinks it is going to take back Congress, it will have to deal with the same trust issues. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? Check those candidates--and incumbents--carefully. This is no time for mistakes.
Don't ask Europe what to do!--watch this video: it is under 3 minutes; it is funny, but it scary too: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/05/20/2905304.htm
LET'S SEE, HOW DEEP OUR DEFICIT IS:
$13 TRILLION ($13,000,000,000,000) But that's not all. Social Security (an obligation of the Federal government) has a $15.8 trillion ($15,800,000,000,000) in unfunded liabilities. Medicare is our winner, with a deficit of (approximately, because no one really knows for sure) $50 trillion ($50,000,000,000,000! Raising the tax rate on the rich to 88% and on the middle class to 63% won't reduce it at all. That would just keep up with the rate money is flowing out (like that leaky oil well). Altogether, that is almost $80 TRILLION DOLLARS that the US has spent or promised to spend, and NOBODY in Washington, DC has any idea how to pay it down--EVER! And they want to spend more. Instead of reallocating the unused portion of prior huge spending bills ("the stimulus") to extend unemployment pay, the Democrats want to spend billions more, and now they are bad-mouthing the Republicans for resisting another unnecessary spending spree. No wonder our economy is not recovering. It is sinking in debt, regulations, government intrusion and more. It may get worse before it gets better!
THE RECESSION MAY BE OVER TECHNICALLY, BUT THE RECOVERY IS WEAK, AND QUESTIONABLE
Consumer confidence dropped like a rock. Job growth is not happening, and unemployment is running out. Nobody in Obama's cadres of advisors, czars and administration have enough business experience to know what to do. Even Walmart is showing signs of the size and stagnant maturity that leads to anemic growth. No matter how low its prices get, people can't spend what they don't have. Target is going after spending a different way--offering a 5% discount on everything in the store if you pay with a Target credit card. it's a way to get people to buy even if they don't have money, and with competitive prices on lost of goods, it is a "hot deal." The global economy is reeling from Euro-fever. Nobody knows how that will play out.
LOWERING EXPECTATIONS TO DECLARE VICTORY BY RE-DEFINITION?
I heard President Obama speaking to a group (he's always on TV it seems) explaining that even if we couldn't reach his (promised) goal of 7 or 8% unemployment anytime soon, that 9.6% or even 10% "wasn't all that bad." "It could be far worse, like 15% or more." He also explained that the stock market "has recovered a long way from where it was," although it has fallen back quite a bit lately, it's still better than it was. Talk about lowering expectations. Recent employment figures were dismal. Not nearly enough jobs created to simply absorb new work force entrants. And the drop in the Unemployment rate wasn't because there were fewer people unemployed--it was because so many simply gave up and quit looking for a job.
WE MAY BE ON THE CUSP OF A DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION--COMING IN 2011?
When (IF) the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire in 2011, watch out for another economic collapse in the USA. If the government continues to spend, thinking it can spend us out of recession (which doesn't work), it could happen. Consumer prices are dropping. If DEFLATION hits, we are in real, big trouble. NOBODY knows how to manage in a deflationary economy--and the government doesn't know how to help break out of it. Ask Japan. Deflation will make a second dip of a recession a near certainty.
WILL AMERICANS STOP SPENDING? (YES--THEY ALREADY ARE) WILL AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT STOP SPENDING (NO! THAT'S THE PROBLEM!)
Now there is talk of a Value Added Tax (VAT) which will bring in trillions of dollars to help balance the insane government spending--but from whom? Companies who make and sell goods and services to the people of America, and from those American taxpayers. The problem is that it's another tax layer on top of the already overdone tax burden in America. A VAT is a sure sign that the Socialization of America--Obama's game plan--looks a lot like Europe (did you watch the video?). It has not worked there ...and it will not work here. It will cripple America for decades to come. But first Obama & the Dems want to add a Cap & Tax (Trade) on top of it all, to go with the Obamacare "Trillion $$" health care reform (spending) plan. When does it end? When is enough, enough?
PUBLIC UNIONS--THE "CANCER" SAPPING OUR GOVERNMENT
Unions may only represent 7% of the population but they are growing like crazy in the public sector, protecting people who already make higher wages and get more benefits than their private sector counterparts. Unions a growing like a cancer in our cities, townships, states and Federal government. Seeming to be normal, they have mutated into something growing out of control, and killing the bodies they inhabit. That is what cancer does. The public employee unions in collusion with the politicians who support them, are sucking the money out of the wealth producing segment of our society and giving it away in irresponsible amounts to the bureaucrats and patronage workers.
IF THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T LIKE WHAT EXPERTS SAY, IT JUST DISTORTS THE INFO & LIE
President Obama's right hand man on the Interior, Secretary Salazar produced a report on drilling safety recommendations, upon which the drilling moratorium was based. It was allegedly peer reviewed by seven experts identified by the National Academy of Engineering. However, when the report came out, it turns out that the report draft the seven experts reviewed had nothing in it about a drilling moratorium. Ah, Barack, Al Gore would be proud of you. You have finally figured out how to distort expert opinions to make it say what you want. The truth? No. But don't worry about a little "misspeaking," we all do it in Washington.
THE OIL SPILL ISN'T THE BIGGEST DISASTER
What it will do to the USA energy policy will be. Three Mile Island was a lot less harmful and it stopped nuclear power development for decades, increasing the USA dependence on foreign oil (a lot of it from hostile countries). Now the overreaction to this deep well debacle will stop drilling and worsen everything. Of course we still have coal--lots of it--and since it pollutes the air, we can place a Cap & Tax (Trade) limit on it, raising more money for the government to spend (NO it won't pay down debt. Never has before, why would it now?)
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY JULY 4 WEEKEND, JOHN
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
-----------------------------------------------------------
John L. Mariotti, President & CEO, The Enterprise Group, Phone 614-840-0959 http://www.mariotti.net http://mariotti.blogs.com/my_weblog/
------------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday weekend. I spent Sat. night as part of a crowd of over five thousand, sitting in lawn chairs drinking and eating with friends while listening to the Columbus Pops Orchestra play patriotic music and wrap up with a fireworks show. In other words, an old-fashioned Fourth of July. Exactly ten years ago, my wife and I stood on the deck of the QE-II anchored in the entry to New York Harbor and watched the largest parade of Tall Ships ever, sail and motor into the harbor of New York, while surrounded by fireworks displays, including the one over the Statue of Liberty.
THESE ARE THE TIMES AMERICA MUST CHERISH AND PROTECT
When I sit like I did tonight, I think about this great country of ours. I get even more emotional about America. It is flawed in many ways, and being taken in wrong directions. But WE, the People of the United States of America can still control our destiny. That is a large and difficult task, but no more difficult than during WW-II and times in the past--just different this time around. Our Founding Fathers were "mere mortals" with plenty of their own flaws. (Watch the HBO Series JOHN ADAMS for a great 7-hour history lesson about how our country was formed.) John Adams, who along with George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were really the "fathers" of our country. They disagreed dramatically about how America should be organized and governed. The difference was that their respect for each other transcended their political differences. While they "agreed to disagree," they tried sincerely to bridge their differences for the good of the country. Every legislator and elected official should learn from their efforts.
HOW IS THIS ALL RELEVANT TO TODAY--FROM 1776 TO 2010?
First an interesting and perhaps ominous piece of history. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were polar opposites in political philosophy; Adams a "Federalist" who believed in strong central government, and Jefferson, a "Republican" who believed in states' rights and decentralized government. And yet they were best of friends to the end. Together they devoted their lives to our country and both of them died on the same exact day: July 4, 1826, FIFTY YEARS TO THE DAY after the Declaration of independence was signed--which Jefferson first drafted--but which Adams profoundly influenced. How wise they were to write these words:
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE--PLEASE READ THE FIRST TWO PARAGRAPHS (AT LEAST)
===================================================================================================================
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
— Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
— John Hancock,
Signed by: New Hampshire:Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton, Massachusetts:John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, Rhode Island:Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery, Connecticut:Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott, New York:William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris, New Jersey:Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark, Pennsylvania:Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Delaware:Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean, Maryland:Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Virginia:George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton, North Carolina:William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, South Carolina:Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Georgia:Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
===================================================================================================================
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME
You will see that much of what our forefathers revolted against was the kind of tyranny and government intrusion we are experiencing today--but from our own elected government, not the king/queen of England. The difference is that their revolution required guns, bullets and battles; ours requires battles of the mind and votes, not guns and bullets. Just read the start of the Declaration of Independence below to remind yourself what we Americans are all about.
WITH RIGHTS COME RESPONSIBILITIES--HOW HAVE SO MANY AMERICANS FORGOTTEN THAT?
A few years ago, the topic of our Reunion Conference was "Rights and Responsibilities." I had shirts made with those words embroidered above and below and American flag. I have several shirts left that I wear a lot. I almost never wear one out in public without someone, sometimes several people, commenting on how much they like them--and the message they send.
TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AT ALL TIME LOWS--NO SURPRISE
22% Trust "Government!" 23% Trust Congress!" Notice I didn't specify any political party. Surprising? Not at all. If the GOP thinks it is going to take back Congress, it will have to deal with the same trust issues. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? Check those candidates--and incumbents--carefully. This is no time for mistakes.
Don't ask Europe what to do!--watch this video: it is under 3 minutes; it is funny, but it scary too: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/05/20/2905304.htm
LET'S SEE, HOW DEEP OUR DEFICIT IS:
$13 TRILLION ($13,000,000,000,000) But that's not all. Social Security (an obligation of the Federal government) has a $15.8 trillion ($15,800,000,000,000) in unfunded liabilities. Medicare is our winner, with a deficit of (approximately, because no one really knows for sure) $50 trillion ($50,000,000,000,000! Raising the tax rate on the rich to 88% and on the middle class to 63% won't reduce it at all. That would just keep up with the rate money is flowing out (like that leaky oil well). Altogether, that is almost $80 TRILLION DOLLARS that the US has spent or promised to spend, and NOBODY in Washington, DC has any idea how to pay it down--EVER! And they want to spend more. Instead of reallocating the unused portion of prior huge spending bills ("the stimulus") to extend unemployment pay, the Democrats want to spend billions more, and now they are bad-mouthing the Republicans for resisting another unnecessary spending spree. No wonder our economy is not recovering. It is sinking in debt, regulations, government intrusion and more. It may get worse before it gets better!
THE RECESSION MAY BE OVER TECHNICALLY, BUT THE RECOVERY IS WEAK, AND QUESTIONABLE
Consumer confidence dropped like a rock. Job growth is not happening, and unemployment is running out. Nobody in Obama's cadres of advisors, czars and administration have enough business experience to know what to do. Even Walmart is showing signs of the size and stagnant maturity that leads to anemic growth. No matter how low its prices get, people can't spend what they don't have. Target is going after spending a different way--offering a 5% discount on everything in the store if you pay with a Target credit card. it's a way to get people to buy even if they don't have money, and with competitive prices on lost of goods, it is a "hot deal." The global economy is reeling from Euro-fever. Nobody knows how that will play out.
LOWERING EXPECTATIONS TO DECLARE VICTORY BY RE-DEFINITION?
I heard President Obama speaking to a group (he's always on TV it seems) explaining that even if we couldn't reach his (promised) goal of 7 or 8% unemployment anytime soon, that 9.6% or even 10% "wasn't all that bad." "It could be far worse, like 15% or more." He also explained that the stock market "has recovered a long way from where it was," although it has fallen back quite a bit lately, it's still better than it was. Talk about lowering expectations. Recent employment figures were dismal. Not nearly enough jobs created to simply absorb new work force entrants. And the drop in the Unemployment rate wasn't because there were fewer people unemployed--it was because so many simply gave up and quit looking for a job.
WE MAY BE ON THE CUSP OF A DOUBLE-DIP RECESSION--COMING IN 2011?
When (IF) the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire in 2011, watch out for another economic collapse in the USA. If the government continues to spend, thinking it can spend us out of recession (which doesn't work), it could happen. Consumer prices are dropping. If DEFLATION hits, we are in real, big trouble. NOBODY knows how to manage in a deflationary economy--and the government doesn't know how to help break out of it. Ask Japan. Deflation will make a second dip of a recession a near certainty.
WILL AMERICANS STOP SPENDING? (YES--THEY ALREADY ARE) WILL AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT STOP SPENDING (NO! THAT'S THE PROBLEM!)
Now there is talk of a Value Added Tax (VAT) which will bring in trillions of dollars to help balance the insane government spending--but from whom? Companies who make and sell goods and services to the people of America, and from those American taxpayers. The problem is that it's another tax layer on top of the already overdone tax burden in America. A VAT is a sure sign that the Socialization of America--Obama's game plan--looks a lot like Europe (did you watch the video?). It has not worked there ...and it will not work here. It will cripple America for decades to come. But first Obama & the Dems want to add a Cap & Tax (Trade) on top of it all, to go with the Obamacare "Trillion $$" health care reform (spending) plan. When does it end? When is enough, enough?
PUBLIC UNIONS--THE "CANCER" SAPPING OUR GOVERNMENT
Unions may only represent 7% of the population but they are growing like crazy in the public sector, protecting people who already make higher wages and get more benefits than their private sector counterparts. Unions a growing like a cancer in our cities, townships, states and Federal government. Seeming to be normal, they have mutated into something growing out of control, and killing the bodies they inhabit. That is what cancer does. The public employee unions in collusion with the politicians who support them, are sucking the money out of the wealth producing segment of our society and giving it away in irresponsible amounts to the bureaucrats and patronage workers.
IF THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T LIKE WHAT EXPERTS SAY, IT JUST DISTORTS THE INFO & LIE
President Obama's right hand man on the Interior, Secretary Salazar produced a report on drilling safety recommendations, upon which the drilling moratorium was based. It was allegedly peer reviewed by seven experts identified by the National Academy of Engineering. However, when the report came out, it turns out that the report draft the seven experts reviewed had nothing in it about a drilling moratorium. Ah, Barack, Al Gore would be proud of you. You have finally figured out how to distort expert opinions to make it say what you want. The truth? No. But don't worry about a little "misspeaking," we all do it in Washington.
THE OIL SPILL ISN'T THE BIGGEST DISASTER
What it will do to the USA energy policy will be. Three Mile Island was a lot less harmful and it stopped nuclear power development for decades, increasing the USA dependence on foreign oil (a lot of it from hostile countries). Now the overreaction to this deep well debacle will stop drilling and worsen everything. Of course we still have coal--lots of it--and since it pollutes the air, we can place a Cap & Tax (Trade) limit on it, raising more money for the government to spend (NO it won't pay down debt. Never has before, why would it now?)
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY JULY 4 WEEKEND, JOHN
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
-----------------------------------------------------------
John L. Mariotti, President & CEO, The Enterprise Group, Phone 614-840-0959 http://www.mariotti.net http://mariotti.blogs.com/my_weblog/
------------------------------------------------------------
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