The Right Candor

The second mate finally agreed that the outlook for the flailing ship looked bleak.  Despite their efforts to stem the tide, icy water continued to cascade through the gaping crater that exposed the ship’s interior hull.  The beautiful ship was sinking.

So seems the scenario for America’s financial markets.  Lately, every day it seems that the sun rises and sets on new financial woes.  The Dow closed last Friday (3/13/09) at 6626.94, losing half of the value from the single high of 14,165 in October of 2007.  The rally that started earlier today now seems to be slumping; predicting another cold day for those whose retirement depends so heavily on the financial markets to rebound.

To add to the dismal picture, unemployment numbers continue to climb, rising to 8.1% in February 2009, almost a 1% increase since December 2008.  These unemployment numbers are the highest since 1983 and show no signs of slowing.

Isn’t this a beautiful picture I have painted: a sinking ship, sinking financial markets, and a giant wave of layoffs looming on the horizon?  Now, more than ever before, Americans are looking for work among an economy that has none to offer. 

But wait!  Is there is a bright spot on the horizon?  Could Congress possibly be a lighthouse; signaling hope among the waves and terror of the rising ocean?  Let’s see.

What they’ve brought before the floor in our time of need is the DC Voting Rights bill?  What is the DC Voting Rights bill and how will it help our country?  Well, put plainly; it won’t, but for our legislators, that is beside the point.  After all, this bill was created to give one congressional seat to Washington DC and one to Utah; therefore, increasing the size of the House of Representatives from 435 to 437 permanently.  Currently the District of Columbia has a delegate that has no voting credentials; this bill would change that and increase the size of our government (is this the change we were hoping for?).  The bill would treat DC as if it were a state.  DC, however, is not a state; it is the seat of government as stated in the US Constitution (Article I, Section 8).  The Constitution, you ask?  Yes, remember the Constitution?  That blessed document that is suppose to guide this Republic. (The real Lighthouse.  The one that would have prevented these continuous ship wrecks when our country has encountered dark, uncertain waters if we’d have only followed its light.)

In a time of failing financial markets and increasing unemployment, our legislators turn their faces away from us, the people, to concentrate instead on an issue that would solidify the power of one political party.  Maybe it is time they experience unemployment.  Let’s make sure they do, come the next election. Their attitudes will change if they too feel the terror of being in a sinking ship. 

Keep the Constitution alive.  Follow its light.  And there are lifeboats on this sinking ship.  Let’s use them.  Not all ships have to share the same fate as the Titanic.

“We will not be assimilated!” This was the cry that rang from the crew of the starship Enterprise to the half man, half machine Borg Collective.  This exclamation is not far from the truth today as the Republican Party faces its hardest challenge since the days of Goldwater. 

In 1964 the Republican Party was so divided that Goldwater lost in a landslide election to Lyndon B. Johnson carrying only 6 states.  Years later, during the 2004 Republican National Convention, columnist George F. Will stated, “Barry’s back.”  That statement could have been said again during this past election.  The divisions between the fiscal and social conservatives within the Republican Party became grossly apparent during the 2008 election cycle and continue to plague the party today. Winston Churchill said “Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.” 

Every Sunday morning I take solace and spend some time watching This Week with George Stephanopoulos.  I don’t really know why I term this solace since I spend most of my time disagreeing with Donna Brazile or whoever is on the show that day and does not answer the question posed to them.  This past week, Arnold Schwarzenegger was on talking about the porkulous package and other things (like having a cameo in a Sylvester Stallone film, there is a good use of California tax dollars).  One of Arnold’s quotes is as follows (please insert heavy Austrian accent.)  “And I have told you that many times that when you’re in the center, you get attacked from the left and you get attacked from the right. And this is a good sign, actually, because that means that you’re in the right place.”

Well, the center is not where we need to be as a party or as a people.  The reason that representative government works so well is that we have ideologies, a personality if you will. However, Mr. Schwarzenegger and others will have you believe that we need to abandon our beliefs and run toward the center.  He stated, “So you’ve got to do what the people want you to do rather than getting stuck in your ideology.”

Wrong Mr. Schwarzenegger, we do NOT live in a democracy, we live in a Constitutional Republic. We the People elect those that we think will do the best job of representing our views and beliefs in Washington. 

President Abraham Lincoln stated “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”  Lincoln was of course speaking about the War Between the States, but the parallel rings clear.  It is high time that we, the Republicans take back our party.  Win or lose, if we stand on a set of principals and lose an election we are net winners.  We have not sacrificed our views or beliefs for the hopes of more votes.  

As the dawn breaks on a new day of socialism in America, I leave you with this.  Upon exiting the Constitutional Convention. Benjamin Franklin was asked by a woman, “What kind of government have you given us?” Franklin responded with one of the most famous quotations in history, “A Republic if you can keep it.”

On June 24th Fort Collins Now reported that Marilyn Musgrave challenged her opponent Betsy Markey to a series of three debates over the summer.  The line from the Markey camp is, as usual, non committal

Markey’s campaign manager said they’ll happen—it’s just a matter of where, when and under what rules.

Well let’s just sit back and see if it really happens. 

Read the entire article here

Hello all.  I am finally back from vacation and ready to start the blogging again in earnest.  Stay tuned for more.

Yesterday the Coloradan printed an article on the Glade Reservoir impact on the Poudre River (Read the article here).  Today the Coloradoan reports that both sides were a bit surprised by the impact findings.  The NISP (Northen Integrated Supply Project) includes Glade Reservoir and several other projects.  The impact study did not accurately factor in certian issues, lik the fat that Galde would not pull water from the Poudre during winter months.  Read today’s Coloradoan Article here.

Read the impact study here

In an article dated 4/29/2008 in the Houston Chronicle, clarifications were made as to CSU attempting to hush Dr. William Gray.  Dr. Gray is an outspoken anti-global warming spokesperson.

Read the Houston Chronicle here.

Additional comments in today’s Coloradoan, read them here.

Ok, so I am a conservative, however regardless of my beliefs on immigration Representative Bruce’s comments were reprehensible at best.  There are a number of ways to say the same thing without alienating an entire state.

Representative Bruce stated in the Rocky Mountain News “To me it doesn’t matter, if I’m the only person in the building that cares about the truth, fine.”

Mr. Bruce just remember that even if you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you.

Doug, take a breath, get a reality check, maybe kick another photographer.

Read the Rocky article here.

In the Coloradoan today:

Students at Colorado State University will pay 9.5 percent more in tuition next year under a proposal up for approval in June. CSU announced the increase plan after I asked, given that CU approved a tuition increase today.

The entire Coloradoan Article

From th Northern Colorado Business Report

FORT COLLINS — Woodward Governor Co. (Nasdaq: WGOV) on April 21 reported sales for its second fiscal quarter of 2008 were 19 percent higher than the same period one year ago.

Read the entire article here

From the Northern Colorado Business Report 

The unemployment rate in Weld and Larimer counties dropped slightly in March from the previous month and held steady for the state as a whole, according to a report from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

Read the whole article