George Will's standup routine at CPAC, genius!

George Will spoke to CPAC recently, it should be required viewing! Laugh, cry, enjoy:

George Will's Spectacular Speech to CPAC NewsBusters.org

Will Obama listen to other ideas?

They say that great humor always has some basis in fact... The cartoon below seems to illustrate how ridiculous the administration looks when they keep saying "We'll listen to good ideas" but, somehow never hears them. The highway to turn things around in this country has been paved for years, most recently by JFK and Reagan. Unleash the American free enterprise system by taking high taxes and regulation away from individuals and businesses. Let them do what they have done best throughout history, innovate, create, and push the state of the art in ways that had never been considered before.

FOXNews.com - Obama's Middle-Class Tax Pledge in Question as Deficit Challenge Looms

FOXNews.com - Obama's Middle-Class Tax Pledge in Question as Deficit Challenge Looms

Another example of how far from reality this administration has become... of course, none of them have ever actually worked for a living in the dreaded private sector, so it shouldn't be a surprise. I'm afraid they are falling into the mode that President Reagan warned us about:

The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

The good news is, we can fix the problem, it just may have to wait for the next election cycle. If the last few special elections around the country have been any indication, our chances are looking good at this moment.

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Snow in DC, proof that divine intervention is on the side of the American People?

Quick thought today... The past couple of massive snowstorms that shut down Washington, D.C. are more proof that the good Lord is on the side of America. Only divine intervention could cause this, since we know that global warming wouldn't allow it to happen... Shutting down the politicians is perhaps the only way to keep them from spending our money foolishly. As Mark Twain was quoted as saying: "No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while Congress is in session."

Innovation, why we can't afford socialized medicine...

With all the talk about the administration and Congress conspiring to take over the US medical system with a government run system, there have been many concerns expressed about choice, costs, overhead, rationing of care, and I'm just scratching the surface. I have concerns in those areas, but, an overarching issue for me is what would happen if the US abandoned the current system, where there is a competitive medical industry. Would we be giving up one of our greatest strengths, research and innovation in medicine?

Imagine a world where a government run system determines what the most cost effective treatments are, and approves those for payment. If you're a doctor, are you going to recommend a course of treatment that may be the most appropriate, but, that won't be reimbursed because it's too expensive, or considered experimental? That kind of thing, trying to do what you believe is in the best interest of your patient, but, not what big brother thinks is cost effective, well, I hope you have good malpractice insurance...

Imagine a world where you are running a drug company. You can find ways to produce existing medicines, in a generic form, at lower production costs, and know that the government system will create a market for your generic, albeit dated and marginally effective product. Your other alternative, is to invest dollars and manpower in research and long trials for a new drug that in 10 years might, just might be considered for use, and only if you agree to price it the way the existing, less effective drug is priced, so that it will be covered. Will any company take the risk of long research cycles, and trials, and the FDA approval process if they may not even be able to charge enough to cover the long lead time and expense associated with creating a "breakthrough" drug?

When you look at the most significant advances in medicine, is it any surprise that the majority of them come from the US? Is there any surprise that foreign dignitaries would fly to one of the teaching hospitals in Boston for leading edge medical technology and proceedures, rather than their socialist utopia health care systems? (Think of the most recent case, where Danny Williams, the Premier of Newfoundland, came to the US to have heart surgery. I thought the Canadian system was supposed to be a model for us to look up to?)

Is it any wonder that when the Nobel committee hands out prizes in physiology or medicine, that more of them go to American residents than all the other countries combined? Do we think that will continue if those researchers don't have the potential for a payday somewhere down the line if their highly risky and speculative research is successful?

Risk/Reward, it's a pretty key motivator. The best and brightest, throughout history, have been motivated to take on the toughest challenges, and achieve amazing results, because they believe that their success will be rewarded. They also understand that failure isn't rewarded (which provides a pretty good incentive to keep trying until you accomplish something!)

We can't afford to take the most innovative and forward thinking medical research engine in history off line. It's not just the US that depends on our health care system, the majority of the world has based their system on copying the innovations that were born here. What happens when we're just another government run system?

We Self Correct

There has been a great deal of discussion in public media surrounding the election of Scott Brown, as the next Senator from Massachusetts. There are many positives we can link to this incredible upset of the established Democrat party machine in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (Some call it the "People's Republic of Massachusetts...) In my humble opinion, Brown's election represents one of the amazing strengths of our representative republic form of government. We self correct. The people of Massachusetts, being in a position to replace the late Senator Kennedy, a fixture in the senate for decades, chose to change paths from his liberal policies, and elect a person representing an alternative viewpoint regarding challenges facing our republic. Clearly, there were many dynamics at work in this election, going beyond the state to the national stage. The message being sent to the administration, and congressional leadership was clear, they don't like unchecked power to undermine their Liberty. Clearly, establishing that 41st vote was intended to force alternative viewpoints to be heard in the health care, goverment spending, taxation, and national defense debates.

This was no small act, being compared to the original "tea party" revolt in Boston Harbor during the days of British rule. Of course, the beauty of this "revolutionary" act, was that it was done peacefully. Our form of government allows for the people to see extremes in the way our legislature and executive branches are acting, and change paths. We have seen it numerous times in the past; I think of Ronald Reagan in 1980, bringing real hope and change to an America desperate to recover from the Carter years, years when we last heard about a term called "the misery index".

The founding fathers, in crafting the Constitution, and the checks and balances so carefully incorporated into that historic document, understood a key concept. The American people, given reasonable access to the facts, can be trusted to do the right thing. In Federalist 55, Publius, (Madision) is discussing some concerns that people have about the makeup of the proposed legislative branch, specifically the House of Representatives. Scott Brown of course, was elected to the Senate, to complete the last 2 years of a 6 year term. Still, I think the key concept is that Madison concludes that the American people can be trusted to elect and monitor their representatives:

I am unable to conceive that the people of America, in their present temper, or under any circumstances which can speedily happen, will choose, and every second year repeat the choice of, sixty-five or a hundred men who would be disposed to form and pursue a scheme of tyranny or treachery. I am unable to conceive that the State legislatures, which must feel so many motives to watch and which possess so many means of counteracting the federal legislature, would fail either to detect or to defeat a conspiracy of the latter against the liberties of their common constituents. I am equally unable to conceive that there are at this time, or can be in any short time, in the United States, any sixty-five or a hundred men capable of recommending themselves to the choice of the people at large, who would either desire or dare, withing the short space of two years, to betray the solemn trust committed to them. (Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 55)

When I talk to folks concerned about what's happening today, I try to bring them back to the basics. I think we all need to understand the underpinnings of our form of government. Modern Americans are living in an "instant" world, and may find it difficult to endure representation that they don't agree with. Still, the mechanisms are in place to allow for peaceful change, when the people see the need. The pacing of that change has a benefit too, it keeps us from moving to extreme positions too quickly.

Keep the faith people, and feel good about our chances for the future. Remember that given access to the information, the founding fathers had a great deal of faith in you to make the right decisions!

Why America is still relevant?

When we think of world powers, the United States of America, stands out as what is commonly referred to as the last remaining "Superpower". Certainly in terms of traditional military measures, we are blessed to be protected by the most powerful military in the world. The people making up our force structure are the best trained, have volunteered to serve, and are dedicated to Liberty. The technological innovations that our military bring to the fight are second to none. We are indeed blessed in this country that these amazing men and women in uniform are on our side, doing what they do, so the rest of us can live the good life.

Military power alone, however, isn't what makes America relevant. What makes us relevant, and important, is the way America has used her power for good. When you think about the outcome of significant world conflicts over the past century, you might find that although they all have different stimuli, and the players may change, they all rhyme...

People are being repressed, rights are being violated, and a dictatorial leader is using power and force against his own people, and/or neighboring powers.

America's role in these conflicts also will vary, but, will have a similar rhyme as well...

America will stand by free people, or those longing to be free, and will use her military and economic might to pressure the oppressive ruler, and return people to a free state. We don't seek to expand, or rule, we just want a self governing people that will function in the neighborhood of free countries.

I think about what has happened in the past, and wonder why so many countries we have helped have such a short memory. Do the great powers of Europe recall how the United States stepped into WWI and WWII to provide arms and supplies, and eventually the full might of our armed forces to vanquish the aggressive expansionist powers that were running them over? After the beating that France and Britain suffered at the hands of the Germany and Italy, when we worked together to defeat the Axis powers, do people also recall that we were the first to come to the aid of both our allies, and enemies, in rebuilding their countries when the conflict was over? America was in a position to take a great deal back, but, instead, we sought to make sure that the soverign nations were once again self governing, and able to be self sufficient.

When we rebuilt Europe, and Japan after WWII, there was certainly some mutual benefit for US industry, but, we are also the country that essentially forgave many of the war debts, rather than forcing their repayment, with interest, when Europe and Japan were back on their feet. Wouldn't it be nice to have some of that money back in our coffers, to pay down our debt now. Debt, by the way, that is partly increasing because of internal spending, but, also because we have forces around the globe, in multiple conflicts. We also borrow to help nations whenever there's a dissaster. We borrow, incur debt, to help countries that have never, and likely will never be in a position to help the United States. We do it because we know that it's the right thing to do.

We are still doing similar things today. Who is rebuilding Iraq, Kuwait? What happens when there's a flood, earthquake, sumami? While people can quibble about how we make things happen, the bottom line is that without our involvement, does anyone really think that some other world power would pick up the slack?
One of these days, it would be nice if instead of taking up an argument against America, we'd start hearing an occasional "thank you"...