This column presents a non-partisan, conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions. Now, on to the subject of the week:
We are not entering another recession. I believe the current downturn in our economy is the beginning of a long term economic change in the basics of our national well being. This is a change in economic direction, not a part of a cycle.
With this fact before us, our reactions must be different than the actions that are normally taken to correct recessionary movements of our economy. "Tweaking" of the interest rates by the Federal Reserve will have little or no beneficial effects. Rebates and tax holidays may ease the pain for families on a short term basis, but these actions will not solve the core problems we face.
I believe all citizens of our great nation are in for a period of awakening. Not one generation since the great depression has been raised in a period where our economy was not expanding, new opportunities were everywhere, and the general standards of living was not improving. Each successive generation has had it "better" than that before it as our giant economic system grew and met the needs of all.
Unfortunately, that will not be the case for all of those youngsters in our grade schools, middle schools, and high schools, since we are facing a basic change in our economy. They will be facing a protracted period of declining opportunities, falling incomes, rising prices, and reduction of their standard of living. I fear for our children and grandchildren.
It seems most of the business people and common workers feel these beginning changes already, but many of our government officials, elected and appointed do not. This is especially true at the State and Federal levels where they live in a more cloistered, false environment. They seem to feel these problems are the result of normal economic cycles and the problem will go away in a few months. They can continue to say the right things, protect their political and personal interest, and things will continue as they always have.
The truth is that this time the problems are being created by factors that are not within our span of control as a nation. Decades of bad political management of our economy and energy policies have led us to a crippling situation where we are dependent on other nations for our source of energy, combined with a declining, crippled dollar because of excessive spending and borrowing combined with ill conceived trade policies. At the present time our national fate is in the hands of others.
Our politicians and bureaucrats will wake up when they discover that their never ending flow of tax revenues is being reduced from a river to a stream. Only then will they be forced to separate government services and expenditures that are essential from those that are "nice to have". Size of government may be reduced for the first time.
The coming months will define the correctness or error of these opinions and predictions. I know for sure that it is time for our government to begin doing more things right. We are not Democrats or Republicans when it comes to our national interest….WE ARE AMERICANS!
Even though this is an election year, our elected officials must work together immediately to dig us out of this pit we are falling into.
RUDAMENTS, ODDS AND ENDS WORTH MENTIONING:
- I saw a feature on television the other night that showed how Brazil has achieved energy independence by creating national programs for growing sugar cane for ethanol, use of flex-cars that can use a variety of fuels, and national energy savings programs.
- Jackson and Washington Counties are under a West Nile equine encephalitis alert. The public health officials recommend that we only go out at night if absolutely necessary, wear heavy clothing no matter how hot it is, never enjoy an evening in our back yards grilling or socializing, always spray with stinky, sticky bug spray, and never allow an old can, tire, or boat bilge to sit with water. I would recommend also filling in most of those worthless, ugly water retention ponds that are scattered throughout town behind every business at the demands of our beloved State EPA.
They have brought the "swamp to the city" and now we have a public health problem because of it.
- The State Fish and Game Department has lowered the limit on red snapper to TWO.
Who wants to buy an expensive salt water fishing license, then spend over $100 for boat gasoline to get out to deep water, for the privilege of catching "two" measly fish? I think we should all go for a year without fishing or buying licenses so that they would realize where the money for their paychecks are really coming from.
- On the toll road issue. If the toll road is going to come through the panhandle….I
would rather see it located in Jackson County. The impact on traffic on highway 231 will be the same regardless of the exact route. It will create huge increases in county property tax revenues and possibly gas and sales tax revenues. Also a huge transportation industrial park will undoubtedly be created where it crosses I-10. I would rather see us get that benefit than some neighboring county. The designers of the project seem to be seeking a route that involves a minimum of disruption to land owners. The primary issue is whether or not it does become a reality. If so, I want it to cross through Jackson County.
- I congratulate the Marianna City Planning Commission for their reasonable approach to "tweaking" the restrictive sign ordinances that are currently in place.
Quote of the Week: The difference between a "Conservationalist" and an "Environmentalist" is:
The Conservationalist looks after the ecology on his OWN land, while
The Environmentalist looks after the ecology on SOMEONE ELSE’S land.
Folks, we need to put pressure on our State and Federal representative to spur some action and to stop this foolish partisan fighting while our nation needs action. They seem to be developing a "Nero Complex" and want to play the lyre while Rome burns. Help our nation through this crisis and you will be "Getting It Right"!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Getting It Right - I’m Having Severe Gas Pains!
This column presents a non-partisan, conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions. By the way, this week’s column is my 100th submission. Now, on to the subject of the week:
I read the actual cost of producing a barrel of oil in the Middle East is under five dollars! They are now charging over $130.00 per barrel on the international market, and the cost is expected to continue to rise. This exorbitant pricing reflects un-tethered greed on the part of the Arab Oil Barons combined with their opportunistic desire to destroy the American economy and democratic way of life. It is a form of economic terrorism from which we currently have no protection.
Whether we like it or not, we Americans are in for at least five years of hardship and frustration. Our inept federal legislators must quit squabbling and politicizing the problems and get serious about implementation of reasonable remedies. Otherwise, our period of decline and hardship will last for an even longer period of misery. It is time for our elected representatives to put patriotism and concern for our nation above partisan and personal foolishness. We can no longer afford "business as usual".
We need to formulate and focus on implementation of a well conceived five year plan, ten year plan, and twenty year plan, which will lead our nation into energy independence. Then we can let those Arab Oil Barons return to camels, hot sands, and tribal warfare.
The Five Year Plan - This short range plan should be focused on all steps that can be taken immediately that require a minimum of development for implementation. This would include consideration of such steps as:
♦ Elimination of all emission restrictions and requirements for any vehicles that can be manufactured that yield a 40 MPG efficiency. After all, if the mileage has been doubled, the emissions are automatically cut in half. Help them produce it by taking away the requirements.
♦ Begin putting federal funds into projects designed to improve the national railroad infrastructure. Some of these funds should be the result of reduced funding for the declining air systems.
♦ Provide tax incentives to assist families in improving the efficiency of their homes in terms of energy consumption.
♦ Provide funding to assist cities and towns in establishing and operating public transportation systems. If the systems are comfortable and operate on convenient schedules, the public will use them.
♦ Provide incentives to encourage conversion of all lighting, public and private, into the most energy efficient types available. This would include all street lights, home lighting, commercial lighting, and sports lighting.
♦ Pass legislation encouraging production and use of flex-fuel vehicles which can operate on a variety of types of fuel, depending on which source is most readily available and most economical.
♦ Provide funding assistance for construction projects which will revitalize housing near commercial centers to reduce suburban sprawl and subsequent commuting.
The Ten Year Plan – This portion of the national energy strategy will involve changes in infrastructure that will require several years for implementation. However, these processes should be put into "works in process" immediately.
♦ A strategy of maxim domestic production of oil in order to begin to move away from dependence on the Oil Barons for existence.
§ Approval of drilling in the ANWR area of Alaska. The exploration, drilling, and pipeline work will require at least seven years before it begins to provide some 100,000 per day in oil to us. Modern techniques today create a minimum of threat to the ecology, and for now we must take those chances.
§ Approval of off-shore drilling in Florida and California. Again, modern techniques of drilling make this a safe decision. As we sit and squabble, China is leasing the Cuba flats and beginning to drill, almost in our back yard.
§ Allow harvesting of oil shale in the Rocky Mountains in remote, non tourist areas. The reserves in this shale are larger than all of the oil reserves in the Middle East. To not use them is ridiculous.
§ Build at least one large national refinery in a convenient location. Federal support should be given to its construction if the oil companies do not want to build it. It should be designed in a manner that will enable it to be converted to other refining uses if demand eventually wanes for oil.
§ Invest in ethanol research. Encourage development of plants and crops designed for conversion into ethanol. Assist in petroleum and ethanol blending technology.
- Build additional nuclear plants, where appropriate, across the nation. To ignore this technology and energy source is political foolishness designed to capture votes.
- Build dams on all water sources throughout the nation where enough energy can be gained to justify the cost.
- Engage in federal programs for rebuilding of the national railway infrastructure. Our future will certainly involve an increased reliance on the increased use of the much more energy efficient rail system instead of highways and airplanes for travel and movement of freight.
The Twenty Year Plan – This plan will focus on emerging technologies. It constitutes a search for the alternate energy sources that will eventually move us away from use of oil as the chief provider of energy. After all, oil is a diminishing resource and will eventually not be available for mankind to use. We need to be preparing for that eventual day at this moment.
♦ Fund research programs for research in all energy technologies. These would include:
Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen cells, friction reduction technology, insulation technology, heating/cooling technology, transportation technology, magnetic technology, and any other area where improvements would result in significant energy gain or savings.
♦ Provide meaningful incentives for development of technology that significantly benefits the national good. These would include cash prizes for inventions.
♦ Reduce the amount of bureaucratic interference to patent processing and needed research activities.
♦ Assist colleges in developing programs of study in these energy engineering fields. The specialization in this arena of study is essential for the future.
♦ Form international consortiums for large energy technology projects and programs.
Conclusion: "Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance" – That was a management idiom that was taught in management school. Well, our national leadership over the past forty years has engaged in an obvious lack of "Prior Planning", and we are now experiencing "Pitifully Poor Performance". From this point forward, we would be doubly foolish to repeat the process and continue to engage in self serving actions and politically motivated actions that hurt our national good.
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning:
♦ I find it interesting that our local bureaucracy and County Commission felt the necessity to spend the $17,000 remaining in grant funds out of the $139,000 approved for the sidewalk project out by the new High School. They widened the sidewalk another foot rather than give the State back any of the money. Wise thinking?
♦ At the same time, I commend the same group for coming in $88,000 under the projected cost on the Peanut Road resurfacing project.
♦ When the Commissioners told Ted Lakey to find an alternate location for the county planning department if the developer is interested in buying their building, I had to restrain myself from jumping up and yelling "WAL-MART".
♦ Our School Board isn’t struggling with the impact of state budget cuts as they are in several nearby counties, such as Bay County. From this I would deduce they have been doing a good job of keeping expenditures within bounds.
Quote of the Week: "Those who would give up essential liberties in order to gain temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety", Ben Franklin. Keep this thought in mind as our leaders pass legislation that constantly erodes your personal liberties, and you will be "Getting It Right".
I read the actual cost of producing a barrel of oil in the Middle East is under five dollars! They are now charging over $130.00 per barrel on the international market, and the cost is expected to continue to rise. This exorbitant pricing reflects un-tethered greed on the part of the Arab Oil Barons combined with their opportunistic desire to destroy the American economy and democratic way of life. It is a form of economic terrorism from which we currently have no protection.
Whether we like it or not, we Americans are in for at least five years of hardship and frustration. Our inept federal legislators must quit squabbling and politicizing the problems and get serious about implementation of reasonable remedies. Otherwise, our period of decline and hardship will last for an even longer period of misery. It is time for our elected representatives to put patriotism and concern for our nation above partisan and personal foolishness. We can no longer afford "business as usual".
We need to formulate and focus on implementation of a well conceived five year plan, ten year plan, and twenty year plan, which will lead our nation into energy independence. Then we can let those Arab Oil Barons return to camels, hot sands, and tribal warfare.
The Five Year Plan - This short range plan should be focused on all steps that can be taken immediately that require a minimum of development for implementation. This would include consideration of such steps as:
♦ Elimination of all emission restrictions and requirements for any vehicles that can be manufactured that yield a 40 MPG efficiency. After all, if the mileage has been doubled, the emissions are automatically cut in half. Help them produce it by taking away the requirements.
♦ Begin putting federal funds into projects designed to improve the national railroad infrastructure. Some of these funds should be the result of reduced funding for the declining air systems.
♦ Provide tax incentives to assist families in improving the efficiency of their homes in terms of energy consumption.
♦ Provide funding to assist cities and towns in establishing and operating public transportation systems. If the systems are comfortable and operate on convenient schedules, the public will use them.
♦ Provide incentives to encourage conversion of all lighting, public and private, into the most energy efficient types available. This would include all street lights, home lighting, commercial lighting, and sports lighting.
♦ Pass legislation encouraging production and use of flex-fuel vehicles which can operate on a variety of types of fuel, depending on which source is most readily available and most economical.
♦ Provide funding assistance for construction projects which will revitalize housing near commercial centers to reduce suburban sprawl and subsequent commuting.
The Ten Year Plan – This portion of the national energy strategy will involve changes in infrastructure that will require several years for implementation. However, these processes should be put into "works in process" immediately.
♦ A strategy of maxim domestic production of oil in order to begin to move away from dependence on the Oil Barons for existence.
§ Approval of drilling in the ANWR area of Alaska. The exploration, drilling, and pipeline work will require at least seven years before it begins to provide some 100,000 per day in oil to us. Modern techniques today create a minimum of threat to the ecology, and for now we must take those chances.
§ Approval of off-shore drilling in Florida and California. Again, modern techniques of drilling make this a safe decision. As we sit and squabble, China is leasing the Cuba flats and beginning to drill, almost in our back yard.
§ Allow harvesting of oil shale in the Rocky Mountains in remote, non tourist areas. The reserves in this shale are larger than all of the oil reserves in the Middle East. To not use them is ridiculous.
§ Build at least one large national refinery in a convenient location. Federal support should be given to its construction if the oil companies do not want to build it. It should be designed in a manner that will enable it to be converted to other refining uses if demand eventually wanes for oil.
§ Invest in ethanol research. Encourage development of plants and crops designed for conversion into ethanol. Assist in petroleum and ethanol blending technology.
- Build additional nuclear plants, where appropriate, across the nation. To ignore this technology and energy source is political foolishness designed to capture votes.
- Build dams on all water sources throughout the nation where enough energy can be gained to justify the cost.
- Engage in federal programs for rebuilding of the national railway infrastructure. Our future will certainly involve an increased reliance on the increased use of the much more energy efficient rail system instead of highways and airplanes for travel and movement of freight.
The Twenty Year Plan – This plan will focus on emerging technologies. It constitutes a search for the alternate energy sources that will eventually move us away from use of oil as the chief provider of energy. After all, oil is a diminishing resource and will eventually not be available for mankind to use. We need to be preparing for that eventual day at this moment.
♦ Fund research programs for research in all energy technologies. These would include:
Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen cells, friction reduction technology, insulation technology, heating/cooling technology, transportation technology, magnetic technology, and any other area where improvements would result in significant energy gain or savings.
♦ Provide meaningful incentives for development of technology that significantly benefits the national good. These would include cash prizes for inventions.
♦ Reduce the amount of bureaucratic interference to patent processing and needed research activities.
♦ Assist colleges in developing programs of study in these energy engineering fields. The specialization in this arena of study is essential for the future.
♦ Form international consortiums for large energy technology projects and programs.
Conclusion: "Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance" – That was a management idiom that was taught in management school. Well, our national leadership over the past forty years has engaged in an obvious lack of "Prior Planning", and we are now experiencing "Pitifully Poor Performance". From this point forward, we would be doubly foolish to repeat the process and continue to engage in self serving actions and politically motivated actions that hurt our national good.
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning:
♦ I find it interesting that our local bureaucracy and County Commission felt the necessity to spend the $17,000 remaining in grant funds out of the $139,000 approved for the sidewalk project out by the new High School. They widened the sidewalk another foot rather than give the State back any of the money. Wise thinking?
♦ At the same time, I commend the same group for coming in $88,000 under the projected cost on the Peanut Road resurfacing project.
♦ When the Commissioners told Ted Lakey to find an alternate location for the county planning department if the developer is interested in buying their building, I had to restrain myself from jumping up and yelling "WAL-MART".
♦ Our School Board isn’t struggling with the impact of state budget cuts as they are in several nearby counties, such as Bay County. From this I would deduce they have been doing a good job of keeping expenditures within bounds.
Quote of the Week: "Those who would give up essential liberties in order to gain temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety", Ben Franklin. Keep this thought in mind as our leaders pass legislation that constantly erodes your personal liberties, and you will be "Getting It Right".
Friday, June 13, 2008
Getting It Right- The “American Way Of Life” Is In The Process Of Change
6/12/08
"The Process Of Change
In America Has Begun"
The American public is reacting to the high cost of gasoline. The changes that will occur over the next decade will give new meaning to the term "The American Way Of Live". In the process, our standard of living will undoubtedly diminish, and many things previously taken for granted will warrant consideration and evaluation.
As I stand holding the pump handle at the filling station and watch the numbers whizz by on the dial at a speed that threatens the ability of the device to keep up with the calculation of how much I will owe, I can not restrain the feeling of anger that develops within me. By the time I complete the job and return to the seat of my car, I am disgusted and enraged.
I do not blame the oil companies. I do not blame the Mid-eastern Oil Lords. I do not blame the speculators. I do not blame the gasoline retailers.
My anger is directed at the pompous herd of Washington politicians who have been proclaiming every year for the past thirty years, how they are dedicated to developing a national energy policy formulated to making America energy independent - while they actually did little or nothing. In fact, in my opinion, the actions they took actually worsened our condition and made us MORE dependent on the Mideast Oil Barons who have traded their camels for Rolls-Royce limos.
Instead of investing in incentives to encourage development of energy reduction processes and substitute sources of energy, they passed legislation that has crippled our ability to utilize what resources we have at hand to ease the public pain at the pump. In order to appear to be on the "Green" bandwagon and to be sure they had a voting record that showed their deep concern for the environment, they thus bought the environmental votes by passing legislation that prohibited drilling in vast oil reserves that exist in Alaska and off shore in Florida, they discontinued all interest in nuclear energy, and refused to allow any new refineries to be built. They got the votes from the environmental loonies…..and the nation got the shaft.
We should not forget that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) drilling approval bill was passed by both houses and put on Bill Clinton’s desk twelve years ago. He vetoed that bill!! He took this action in order to appease vocal displeasure from those who put the needs of the spotted owl, the snail darter fish, or caribou ahead of the needs of our nation. Had that bill been signed that inflow of oil would now be on line and delivering over one million barrels of oil per day. As a result, cost at the pump would be 25% less than the torture we are now enduring.
Don’t get me wrong. I can not totally point my finger at the Democrats, there are plenty of weak, misdirected politicians on both sides of the aisle. They have almost all played the game of putting personal politics ahead of the interest of the nation and the citizens of America. As a result we are now becoming a nation with a crippled economy, with a diminishing standard of living, that is held captive by leaders from nations in the Mideast that we neither trust nor enjoy.
The citizens of America have always risen to meet any challenge that threatens our homeland and all we enjoy. I believe that will happen again over the next twenty years as we respond to this threat. However, we are many years away from meaningful solutions, and in the interim we are facing conditions that most of our living population has never experienced.
Changes In Our National Transportation Systems - In my opinion, we will see a re-emergence of the rail system in our nation over the next twenty years. Until the 1950’s, the rail system was the primary means of transportation for our nation. Our highway system was narrow and difficult, and airliners were in a development phase. Most of the nation’s freight and travelers were moved by rail.
However, disruptive union activities, combined with bad management to create an unpleasant, unreliable, transportation experience. During the 1960’s the emerging airlines engaged in extensive lobbying activities in Washington and began to lure federal infrastructure financing away from the railroads and into the creation of the national air system.
As a result, the use of the railroads for travel began to diminish and the traveling public began to take to the airways. At the same time our national highway system developed into a modern, interstate network that fostered speedy, inexpensive delivery of freight by trucking for a significant portion of the goods that had previously been shipped by rail. Gasoline was relatively inexpensive and the extra cost for travel and freight delivery over rail service was justified by the added levels of service, convenience, and speed.
Due to this reduced importance, although the railroads remained a huge business, the level of investment in rail technology for creation of the rail infrastructure required for bullet trains and monorail networks was never made. The U.S. rail network became a system for movement of heavy, bulky products and lagged far behind the systems in use in other nations around the world…….now, in 2008 gasoline costs of $4.00 and perhaps eventually $6.00 per gallon or more are introduced into the picture.
At the same time air travel has become a terrible, inconvenient experience for a traveling public that is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with airline service and unable to meet the escalating costs of air travel. Thus I predict the reemergence of a reliable, efficient, national rail travel network. The new system should be designed to interconnect efficiently rail travel with air travel. Air travel should only be from major hub to major hub, or international connections. All regional travel connecting with these hubs should be by high speed rail systems. Additionally, high speed cross country rail service will be made available.
Much of the freight that is not critically time delivery sensitive will convert from truck transport to rail transport. Thus, the cost of delivery of products will be significantly lowered as rail freight is enhanced. The gallons of fuel expended per mile in a train system is much, much more efficient and less expensive than the gallons of fuel required per mile in a truck or air system. These changes will occur.
On the highways a flood of small, efficient "smart cars" type of vehicles will replace the lumbering SUV’s, Hummers, and Pick-Up Trucks that now fill the lanes. We will be seeking those vehicles that will perform at 50 miles per gallon or better. Vacations for many families will become more often focused on local attractions instead of tours around the country.
Living as close as possible to your place of work will become more and more important. This will change development patterns for new construction and will increase in-town condominium style living over suburbia and commuting lifestyles.
For many products, decentralization will become more efficient than the continual move to consolidation and centralization that has been the philosophy of the 90’s and thus far this century. The economies of scale that are realized through centralization will be overshadowed by the high cost of delivery for many products. This will foster a move to decentralization and increase localized production and delivery networks. This will especially be true for food products and building materials.
It is imperative that our nation’s leaders develop a meaningful ten year, twenty year, and fifty year energy plan. This plan must be devoid of political influence and earmark type logic. It is time to put the needs of our nation before selfish personal interest.
Changes are just beginning, but the speed of implementation will increase as the needs become more extreme because of ever increased fuel costs. The day of change is at hand!
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning:
♦ The Chinese are all getting off their bicycles and buying automobiles, while the American public begins pedaling. When gasoline reaches eight dollars a gallon I think I will start a rickshaw business.
♦ I see where Jackson County just had its second incidence of Eastern equine West Nile infect an area horse. This was the twenty third case state wide. I can not help but believe the State EPA requirement for ugly, expensive water retention ponds for every new building in all towns and subdivisions is causing a public health hazard from mosquito borne diseases. We need to rethink these requirements and only put the ponds where they are actually needed. Under the present requirements, if a structure was built in the middle of a desert, the owner would still have to dig a huge depression in the sand for a pond.
♦ If our County Commissioners would just go ahead and purchase the old Wal-Mart building while the market is depressed they would also be taking an action that would save a lot of fuel cost for the citizens of the County. They would no longer have to drive around and around the square trying to find a place to park.
Well, I am again out of room and fingers are becoming fatigued. I hope you will all help us get rid of the politicians that have created this mess over the past three decades. I say Out with the Rascals. Help in this endeavor this fall and you will be "Getting It Right".
"The Process Of Change
In America Has Begun"
The American public is reacting to the high cost of gasoline. The changes that will occur over the next decade will give new meaning to the term "The American Way Of Live". In the process, our standard of living will undoubtedly diminish, and many things previously taken for granted will warrant consideration and evaluation.
As I stand holding the pump handle at the filling station and watch the numbers whizz by on the dial at a speed that threatens the ability of the device to keep up with the calculation of how much I will owe, I can not restrain the feeling of anger that develops within me. By the time I complete the job and return to the seat of my car, I am disgusted and enraged.
I do not blame the oil companies. I do not blame the Mid-eastern Oil Lords. I do not blame the speculators. I do not blame the gasoline retailers.
My anger is directed at the pompous herd of Washington politicians who have been proclaiming every year for the past thirty years, how they are dedicated to developing a national energy policy formulated to making America energy independent - while they actually did little or nothing. In fact, in my opinion, the actions they took actually worsened our condition and made us MORE dependent on the Mideast Oil Barons who have traded their camels for Rolls-Royce limos.
Instead of investing in incentives to encourage development of energy reduction processes and substitute sources of energy, they passed legislation that has crippled our ability to utilize what resources we have at hand to ease the public pain at the pump. In order to appear to be on the "Green" bandwagon and to be sure they had a voting record that showed their deep concern for the environment, they thus bought the environmental votes by passing legislation that prohibited drilling in vast oil reserves that exist in Alaska and off shore in Florida, they discontinued all interest in nuclear energy, and refused to allow any new refineries to be built. They got the votes from the environmental loonies…..and the nation got the shaft.
We should not forget that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) drilling approval bill was passed by both houses and put on Bill Clinton’s desk twelve years ago. He vetoed that bill!! He took this action in order to appease vocal displeasure from those who put the needs of the spotted owl, the snail darter fish, or caribou ahead of the needs of our nation. Had that bill been signed that inflow of oil would now be on line and delivering over one million barrels of oil per day. As a result, cost at the pump would be 25% less than the torture we are now enduring.
Don’t get me wrong. I can not totally point my finger at the Democrats, there are plenty of weak, misdirected politicians on both sides of the aisle. They have almost all played the game of putting personal politics ahead of the interest of the nation and the citizens of America. As a result we are now becoming a nation with a crippled economy, with a diminishing standard of living, that is held captive by leaders from nations in the Mideast that we neither trust nor enjoy.
The citizens of America have always risen to meet any challenge that threatens our homeland and all we enjoy. I believe that will happen again over the next twenty years as we respond to this threat. However, we are many years away from meaningful solutions, and in the interim we are facing conditions that most of our living population has never experienced.
Changes In Our National Transportation Systems - In my opinion, we will see a re-emergence of the rail system in our nation over the next twenty years. Until the 1950’s, the rail system was the primary means of transportation for our nation. Our highway system was narrow and difficult, and airliners were in a development phase. Most of the nation’s freight and travelers were moved by rail.
However, disruptive union activities, combined with bad management to create an unpleasant, unreliable, transportation experience. During the 1960’s the emerging airlines engaged in extensive lobbying activities in Washington and began to lure federal infrastructure financing away from the railroads and into the creation of the national air system.
As a result, the use of the railroads for travel began to diminish and the traveling public began to take to the airways. At the same time our national highway system developed into a modern, interstate network that fostered speedy, inexpensive delivery of freight by trucking for a significant portion of the goods that had previously been shipped by rail. Gasoline was relatively inexpensive and the extra cost for travel and freight delivery over rail service was justified by the added levels of service, convenience, and speed.
Due to this reduced importance, although the railroads remained a huge business, the level of investment in rail technology for creation of the rail infrastructure required for bullet trains and monorail networks was never made. The U.S. rail network became a system for movement of heavy, bulky products and lagged far behind the systems in use in other nations around the world…….now, in 2008 gasoline costs of $4.00 and perhaps eventually $6.00 per gallon or more are introduced into the picture.
At the same time air travel has become a terrible, inconvenient experience for a traveling public that is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with airline service and unable to meet the escalating costs of air travel. Thus I predict the reemergence of a reliable, efficient, national rail travel network. The new system should be designed to interconnect efficiently rail travel with air travel. Air travel should only be from major hub to major hub, or international connections. All regional travel connecting with these hubs should be by high speed rail systems. Additionally, high speed cross country rail service will be made available.
Much of the freight that is not critically time delivery sensitive will convert from truck transport to rail transport. Thus, the cost of delivery of products will be significantly lowered as rail freight is enhanced. The gallons of fuel expended per mile in a train system is much, much more efficient and less expensive than the gallons of fuel required per mile in a truck or air system. These changes will occur.
On the highways a flood of small, efficient "smart cars" type of vehicles will replace the lumbering SUV’s, Hummers, and Pick-Up Trucks that now fill the lanes. We will be seeking those vehicles that will perform at 50 miles per gallon or better. Vacations for many families will become more often focused on local attractions instead of tours around the country.
Living as close as possible to your place of work will become more and more important. This will change development patterns for new construction and will increase in-town condominium style living over suburbia and commuting lifestyles.
For many products, decentralization will become more efficient than the continual move to consolidation and centralization that has been the philosophy of the 90’s and thus far this century. The economies of scale that are realized through centralization will be overshadowed by the high cost of delivery for many products. This will foster a move to decentralization and increase localized production and delivery networks. This will especially be true for food products and building materials.
It is imperative that our nation’s leaders develop a meaningful ten year, twenty year, and fifty year energy plan. This plan must be devoid of political influence and earmark type logic. It is time to put the needs of our nation before selfish personal interest.
Changes are just beginning, but the speed of implementation will increase as the needs become more extreme because of ever increased fuel costs. The day of change is at hand!
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning:
♦ The Chinese are all getting off their bicycles and buying automobiles, while the American public begins pedaling. When gasoline reaches eight dollars a gallon I think I will start a rickshaw business.
♦ I see where Jackson County just had its second incidence of Eastern equine West Nile infect an area horse. This was the twenty third case state wide. I can not help but believe the State EPA requirement for ugly, expensive water retention ponds for every new building in all towns and subdivisions is causing a public health hazard from mosquito borne diseases. We need to rethink these requirements and only put the ponds where they are actually needed. Under the present requirements, if a structure was built in the middle of a desert, the owner would still have to dig a huge depression in the sand for a pond.
♦ If our County Commissioners would just go ahead and purchase the old Wal-Mart building while the market is depressed they would also be taking an action that would save a lot of fuel cost for the citizens of the County. They would no longer have to drive around and around the square trying to find a place to park.
Well, I am again out of room and fingers are becoming fatigued. I hope you will all help us get rid of the politicians that have created this mess over the past three decades. I say Out with the Rascals. Help in this endeavor this fall and you will be "Getting It Right".
Friday, June 6, 2008
Getting It Right- Would Having A Mandatory Draft Be Good For Our Nation?
June 5, 2008
I believe the positives outweigh the negatives in this issue.
This column presents a non-partisan, conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions. Now, on to the subject of the week:
Our current military efforts in the Middle East and around the world are being manned through a volunteer army and the support provided by national guard units and state militias forced into active duty. In my opinion these guys are performing wonderfully and are getting the job done.
If we do not really have to have a draft in order to fulfill the current military requirements, why should we even consider having a forced draft for young Americans? We have not had a draft since the lottery style draft used during the Vietnam War in the 1960’s. Some nations such as Israel have a mandatory military obligation in effect. Even the Mormon Church expects two years of service to the church from its youth at age 19. Is it too much for our great nation to ask?
In my opinion a forced military draft would be good for our nation. Not on the basis of our military needs, but instead on the basis of the social needs of our country. First, I believe that every able bodied American should be willing to devote two years to the service of the nation. Just as we have an obligation to be productive, tax paying, involved citizens….we also should have an obligation to work on behalf of our collective American society for two years of our life.
I believe this would have a tremendous positive social impact on our population. The "military experience" would provide a level of needed personal development, maturity, and instilled disciplines that would help fill the role of missing fathers and dysfunctional families. It would provide an added level of educational and social development onto our national educational processes. Additionally, I believe it would increase the level of national pride and patriotism in our youth, a much needed and diminishing element of our society.
The youth involved in this draft would have the opportunity to serve with the regular Army, or to be part of a special Civil Army Corps that would be used for homeland needs. The Civil Army would be used for such functions as sealing and guarding our borders to stop the inflow of illegal aliens, airport and utilities security, ports inspections and security to support customs inspections, disaster assistance and clean-up, public construction projects, and social programs assistance such as food distribution, homeless care centers, and youth mentoring programs. The Civil Corps would function in a manner similar to the CCC of the depression era, except it would be directed into different venues of service.
After completion of the two years of required service, the individual would be offered the opportunity to reenlist into the regular Army, or to separate and go into private life. If the decision is made to return to private life, the veteran would be awarded modified veterans benefits which would enable him/her to enter college or vocational training at no cost. Thus the draft would help make up for some of the educational failures of the public school systems.
I strongly believe that this draft-obligation approach would accomplish much for our ailing nation, would strengthen the character of our society, and would provide higher levels of scholastic and skills development for our work force. I would hope that somewhere there are politicians in power that have the foresight and strength of character needed to overcome political resistance to this type of suggestion.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning
♦ Some Bureaucrats are Learning How To Manage To Save Money Instead of Managing To Spend Money
The reduction in revenues that are resulting from the general slow down of the economy and the depression in the housing and construction industries is creating a new experience for some bureaucrats. They are actually beginning to think about ways to cut costs, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. Please note I said "some" instead of "all".
Some feel that government should always continue to expand in size and services. They see this as adding to our quality of life instead of diminishing it through taking away our disposable income through taxation. Some do not realize the existing plight of many families. They would rather tax the families in order to have money to re-carpet the library or some other government service related expenditure instead of allowing the family to keep their money so they can afford gasoline and milk.
Many are continuing to spend as usual, still confident that the ever-flowing geyser of tax dollars will never cease to fund their every desire. Many State agencies are continuing to shovel our grants for "nice to have" projects instead of only funding absolutely essential projects.
I saw on television where the Bay County School System is enacting some policies designed to reduce unnecessary costs. One example is the elimination of duplicate bus runs for middle school and high school students by altering the school schedules by thirty minutes. This change supposedly will save over $600,000 per year in reduced bus usage. Another change is to completely shut down all school buildings during the summer break, spring break, and other significant breaks in the schedule. Apparently they had been leaving the utilities running because a few people were working during those times. By shutting down completely over $300,000 in utilities costs will be eliminated.
These cost reduction actions are good, and I am glad to see some officials beginning to worry about wasting funds. However, I can not help but ask.."why were these things not already being done? I can assure you that a profit minded business would never have allowed these wasteful practices to exist. Also, I wonder if the Jackson County School System is doing these things….
♦ Is Our County Really Reacting To Revenue Shortfalls?
In this issue of the Jackson County Times on page A5 we are showing the permit applications filed for the month of May. If you will note, there was actually only one commercial new construction (with the School Board Permits omitted), and only ten new houses were built in the entire month. This level of new construction is approximately 40% of the activity we had before the existing slow down occurred.
As a result, the income from permits has fallen dramatically. This also means that the departmental workload has also fallen by a corresponding amount. This logically leads to the question….what are the inspectors and planners doing with their spare time? Have the department heads adjusted the departmental staffing because of the lack of workload, or has the staff been kept at the same level? Are they doing things to "make work", are they harassing the few projects we have even more than normal since they don’t have much to do, or are they learning how to play championship level checkers?
In quest of answers to this question I contacted Larry Carnley who is head of the Inspection Department. He came up with several reasonable answers that I feel obligated to include in this discussion. He stated that some of the large projects currently underway from previous permitting have created a large, ongoing workload for his group. These would include the new 80 unit low income housing project on South Street, the prison expansion in Graceville, and the Green Circle Project south of Cottondale. He also said his department has always been one man short of its allocated staff.
This makes sense, and I yield and give him the benefit of the doubt. However, if things stay this slow, and those projects are completed…we should all be watching what happens.
♦ Roads and Bridges: I commend the County Commissioners for their quick reaction to the increased fuel costs in this department. Several weeks ago they went to a four day, ten hour schedule. This reduces road time and fuel expenses to and from work sites. A wise, frugal move by our Board.
♦ Wal-Mart Building: Well, another month has passed and we have paid another month’s rent to all of those landlords we are renting space from for county functions.
Well, it’s time to close. I hope you have a good week, and are talking to our officials about these issues every chance you get. Keep it up and you will be "Getting It Right".
I believe the positives outweigh the negatives in this issue.
This column presents a non-partisan, conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions. Now, on to the subject of the week:
Our current military efforts in the Middle East and around the world are being manned through a volunteer army and the support provided by national guard units and state militias forced into active duty. In my opinion these guys are performing wonderfully and are getting the job done.
If we do not really have to have a draft in order to fulfill the current military requirements, why should we even consider having a forced draft for young Americans? We have not had a draft since the lottery style draft used during the Vietnam War in the 1960’s. Some nations such as Israel have a mandatory military obligation in effect. Even the Mormon Church expects two years of service to the church from its youth at age 19. Is it too much for our great nation to ask?
In my opinion a forced military draft would be good for our nation. Not on the basis of our military needs, but instead on the basis of the social needs of our country. First, I believe that every able bodied American should be willing to devote two years to the service of the nation. Just as we have an obligation to be productive, tax paying, involved citizens….we also should have an obligation to work on behalf of our collective American society for two years of our life.
I believe this would have a tremendous positive social impact on our population. The "military experience" would provide a level of needed personal development, maturity, and instilled disciplines that would help fill the role of missing fathers and dysfunctional families. It would provide an added level of educational and social development onto our national educational processes. Additionally, I believe it would increase the level of national pride and patriotism in our youth, a much needed and diminishing element of our society.
The youth involved in this draft would have the opportunity to serve with the regular Army, or to be part of a special Civil Army Corps that would be used for homeland needs. The Civil Army would be used for such functions as sealing and guarding our borders to stop the inflow of illegal aliens, airport and utilities security, ports inspections and security to support customs inspections, disaster assistance and clean-up, public construction projects, and social programs assistance such as food distribution, homeless care centers, and youth mentoring programs. The Civil Corps would function in a manner similar to the CCC of the depression era, except it would be directed into different venues of service.
After completion of the two years of required service, the individual would be offered the opportunity to reenlist into the regular Army, or to separate and go into private life. If the decision is made to return to private life, the veteran would be awarded modified veterans benefits which would enable him/her to enter college or vocational training at no cost. Thus the draft would help make up for some of the educational failures of the public school systems.
I strongly believe that this draft-obligation approach would accomplish much for our ailing nation, would strengthen the character of our society, and would provide higher levels of scholastic and skills development for our work force. I would hope that somewhere there are politicians in power that have the foresight and strength of character needed to overcome political resistance to this type of suggestion.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning
♦ Some Bureaucrats are Learning How To Manage To Save Money Instead of Managing To Spend Money
The reduction in revenues that are resulting from the general slow down of the economy and the depression in the housing and construction industries is creating a new experience for some bureaucrats. They are actually beginning to think about ways to cut costs, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. Please note I said "some" instead of "all".
Some feel that government should always continue to expand in size and services. They see this as adding to our quality of life instead of diminishing it through taking away our disposable income through taxation. Some do not realize the existing plight of many families. They would rather tax the families in order to have money to re-carpet the library or some other government service related expenditure instead of allowing the family to keep their money so they can afford gasoline and milk.
Many are continuing to spend as usual, still confident that the ever-flowing geyser of tax dollars will never cease to fund their every desire. Many State agencies are continuing to shovel our grants for "nice to have" projects instead of only funding absolutely essential projects.
I saw on television where the Bay County School System is enacting some policies designed to reduce unnecessary costs. One example is the elimination of duplicate bus runs for middle school and high school students by altering the school schedules by thirty minutes. This change supposedly will save over $600,000 per year in reduced bus usage. Another change is to completely shut down all school buildings during the summer break, spring break, and other significant breaks in the schedule. Apparently they had been leaving the utilities running because a few people were working during those times. By shutting down completely over $300,000 in utilities costs will be eliminated.
These cost reduction actions are good, and I am glad to see some officials beginning to worry about wasting funds. However, I can not help but ask.."why were these things not already being done? I can assure you that a profit minded business would never have allowed these wasteful practices to exist. Also, I wonder if the Jackson County School System is doing these things….
♦ Is Our County Really Reacting To Revenue Shortfalls?
In this issue of the Jackson County Times on page A5 we are showing the permit applications filed for the month of May. If you will note, there was actually only one commercial new construction (with the School Board Permits omitted), and only ten new houses were built in the entire month. This level of new construction is approximately 40% of the activity we had before the existing slow down occurred.
As a result, the income from permits has fallen dramatically. This also means that the departmental workload has also fallen by a corresponding amount. This logically leads to the question….what are the inspectors and planners doing with their spare time? Have the department heads adjusted the departmental staffing because of the lack of workload, or has the staff been kept at the same level? Are they doing things to "make work", are they harassing the few projects we have even more than normal since they don’t have much to do, or are they learning how to play championship level checkers?
In quest of answers to this question I contacted Larry Carnley who is head of the Inspection Department. He came up with several reasonable answers that I feel obligated to include in this discussion. He stated that some of the large projects currently underway from previous permitting have created a large, ongoing workload for his group. These would include the new 80 unit low income housing project on South Street, the prison expansion in Graceville, and the Green Circle Project south of Cottondale. He also said his department has always been one man short of its allocated staff.
This makes sense, and I yield and give him the benefit of the doubt. However, if things stay this slow, and those projects are completed…we should all be watching what happens.
♦ Roads and Bridges: I commend the County Commissioners for their quick reaction to the increased fuel costs in this department. Several weeks ago they went to a four day, ten hour schedule. This reduces road time and fuel expenses to and from work sites. A wise, frugal move by our Board.
♦ Wal-Mart Building: Well, another month has passed and we have paid another month’s rent to all of those landlords we are renting space from for county functions.
Well, it’s time to close. I hope you have a good week, and are talking to our officials about these issues every chance you get. Keep it up and you will be "Getting It Right".
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