CPAC - The Republicans' Comedy Central

If the just finished CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) conference in Washington D.C. is any indicator of what's ahead for Republicans in 2012, they've got problems! The winner of the straw poll, indicating favorites, was Ron Paul, the 75 year old doctor/politician from the great state of Texas. He's not going to win the nomination.

Mitt and Newt, along with a slew of other wannabes were  there. Even "the Donald" was there telling everyone what he would do if he decides to run. He won't make the decision until the current TV season and his show The Apprentice wraps. One wouldn't want politics to "trump" profit.

Perhaps the most frightening thing to emerge  was speculation on running mates for Sarah Palin.  She didn't even attend!  One was Representative Paul.  He'd balance her youth and exuberance they speculate.  She'd not have to worry about him waiting in the wings.  He'd be 80 by the time her first term was over.  If she stuck around that long!

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) is another one.  He's as mouthy as she is.  I'd see between them having everyone angry all the time.

The other two to be suggested for the potential kiss of political death are Representative Eric Cantor (R VA), the current house majority leader and one of the bright young hopes for the party.  I can't see him wanting to take the number two spot with a candidate that would be weaker than him.

The same for number four, Senator Marco Rubio (R FL).  He's another party comer but a newcomer lacking experience.

I don't see anyone, frankly, wanting to be Sarah Palin's running mate.  There are those, of course, who think not only will she get the nomination, but will win.  I'm not one of them.  Even though she now has a better speech writer and political guru somewhere behind the scenes coaching her,  she's anything but a proven entity! We're dealing with one of those now. I don't want another.

It's said she has more experience going in than Obama had.  His lack has been apparent but he hasn't left a tough job to follow the big bucks nor do I expect it of him.  With Palin, I'd never be sure.

I haven't a clue where my sentiments are going to be as 2012 draws near.  I don't like Obama's degree of liberalism nor his grasp, or lack thereof, of foreign policy.  The problem is I don't see anyone on the Republican side with whome I'm comfortable.  The ideal candidate should have a grasp of our internal problems, of which there are many, but not to the exclusion of the tenor of the world.

I fell for the hope and change mantra hook, line and sinker.  Mostly because I really wanted to  vote for someone at least once in my life.  Well, I did, along with enough others to elect Obama.  Right now it looks like I'll be returning to voting for the lesser of two evils.

If there is a bright side to any of it, it's that, as an American, at least I'll be able to vote.  And I will.  Even if it's for "none of the above".

OMG, They're Everywhere!

I've been in my loft working. Hub has the radio on in the shop just for noise. Monica Crowley is on.

According to her and Hannity and Glenn Beck, among others, the Muslim Brotherhood is everywhere. Here in this country. Behind every corner and under every rock. Just waiting to pounce. Man, I'd better get that carry permit and the weapon to go with it!

Why is it this group is just becoming known to us if they are here and such a threat? Where has Homeland Security been? They sure haven't been taking care of our southern border!

Here I thought Secretary Napolitano's switch from "our border has never been safer" to "we've never been at more risk" was because hearings to fund her department are underway and she has to justify it.

I don't know. I'm beginning to look at things in a more abstract mode these days. If these intenders of evil are already here, lurking, why are we still mugging grandmothers and babies in airports? They obviously aren't the enemy and such tactics didn't work anyway!

It makes about as much sense to me as the suggestion planted this morning that the Democrats run Gabrielle Giffords for retiring Senator John Kyl's (R-AZ) seat in 2012! Please!

I live here in my little corner of the world where the only thing that crawls out from under the rocks with any regularity are the skinheads and the militias. I guarantee there isn't a Muslim among them. I also don't see them joining forces with the communists and socialists, of which there are also many they'd have us believe.

Since we haven't a clue how events in the mid-east are going to take shape, it seems to me these diatribes by the right wing media are nothing more than fear mongering. If that's what they consider substance, well, that's their choice. And their right.

If such a conspiracy does exist, they should know one thing. If anyone loves their freedom more than the Egyptians, it's Americans. Those who dare to challenge it will find out that we are a land of laws and elections.

We also know how to fight. The challengers should know that. We've been doing enough of it in their home countries!

Inflation And Dueling Headlines

I had to laugh this morning when one headline read Bernanke downplays risk of higher inflation and right next to it was one that read Expect food prices to increase this year!


There is no appreciable inflation.  I know it to be true because the government told us so and because of it we seniors have received no cost of living increases in our social security checks for the second year in a row.

It's because they don't count food or energy.  Is it my imagination that the cost of food and energy are sky rocketing?  No, the Consumer Price Index bears me out. Both food and energy have increased.

We seniors aren't a real needy bunch except for a few necessities.  One is a roof over our heads.  The second is heat to keep what's under that roof warm.  Third is fuel, whether it be for our own cars or public transportation, to get us back and forth to our doctor appointments - and food to sustain us between visits.  These are the items rising the most!

That leads me to wonder why we continue to subsidise corn producers so their crops can go to basically useless ethanol.  Ask anyone who knows cars and you'll find that it depletes gas mileage and does harm to the inner workings of engines.  Yet we not only continue to produce it, we want to raise the amount mixed into the gas.  Corn farmers are the only ones getting rich. And maybe those Obamamotor dealers who will be selling them their Caddies.

Forget about corn as a food for us.  I've been told humans don't digest it, but it sure tastes good.  Other critters do digest it, however, and the lack for them will raise our cost of consumption even more.  Think beef, chicken and pork.

Other food stuffs are also in short supply thanks to Mother Nature unleashing  everything known to man around the world.  Prices are indeed soaring.

It strikes me as mildly amusing when the Fed chairman says he's confident the Fed has the "political will" to stop inflationary forces before they take hold.

I doubt ole Ma Nature gives a fig about political will.  If I'm wrong and she does, then I know what will happen.  More years will pass without our seeing that increase to keep ourselves in essentials.  That being the case, the fact that seniors won't have doctors to treat them after Obamacare is in place, won't matter.

We'll just fade away to mere nothings.  Some might call it starving.  Never-the-less, out of sight, out of mind!

High Speed Rail Won't Fix The Infrastructure!

I love trains. Really. As a youngster I rode them with my family from Pittsburgh to Chicago and on to Fort Madison, Iowa to visit family. Often. My love for the rails has never waned. I've sat for hours on the back deck of the General Palmer in Durango watching the trains come and go to Silverton. On occasion I'd head for the tracks to get pictures, dodging fiery coals and belching steam. There is no better way to travel in Europe. At least there wasn't when we did so.

The fixation on high speed rail by this administration is a whole different scenario. The $53 billion they want to allocate sure could be spent better elsewhere. Like on our disintegrating highways and bridges. Infrastructure that is already in place and in sad need of attention.

As for the trains, look at the proposed routes. You'll note they are all in places of high congestion and short hops. The cross country routes, where one might like to speed up the process, are left untouched.

The process of condemning property, then clearing it for dedicated tracks will be time consuming and costly. There will be resistance.

Some of the routes make no sense either. Take the stretch between Orlando and Tampa. By road it is approximately 85 miles. A train that travels between 125 and 250 mph wouldn't get out of idle! Besides, by the time you got to the station, parked your car, checked your luggage if any and passed through security, you know they'll have it, you might as well have driven. Not unlike flying. You'd have your car at your destination and be there before the train even left the station!

The same goes for the Los Angeles/Las Vegas hook up. I notice it's not on this map. Hmmm.  Have they nixed the one that almost makes sense?  Anyway, depending on where you live in the greater LA area, it might take you longer to get to the station than Vegas itself. That one would no doubt have riders, but whether or not enough to make it pay is questionable.

All the talk about jobs and economic recovery makes no sense to me. The jobs are needed now. The economy needs to recover now. Not decades down the road.

One of the biggest problems I have with this administration is their grand pie in the sky notions that are questionable undertakings in the first place and not doable in this time of immediate needs.

The argument that it will be the best alternative to flying and driving because it won't be as costly doesn't mesh with the fact they're touting electric powered locomotives. Last I heard, electricity is power and unless we go nuclear, it isn't going to be cheap.

Look at your electric bill.  Does it give you a clue?

It's NOT About Us!

What the people of Egypt are demanding bears about as much resemblance to what we're being told as Elizabeth Taylor resembled the real Cleopatra. There is a lot to sift through.

I'm not even going to get into the Muslim Brotherhood again. Egypt is a secular country. It is likely they do not plan on taking a step backwards to a potentially violent theocracy. They have enough violence to contend with right now.

The above sentiment means I cannot consider anything coming from the FOX news channel. Every time I go there the first words I hear seem to be the Muslim Brotherhood. It's almost as if they want to see that scenario play out.

Our government, on any given day, seems to have mixed feelings as to whether or not Mubarak should actually go and when. The old school, Biden, Cheney, still consider Mubarak a good friend to the U.S. Therefore easing him out seems to be the humane thing to do. He doesn't deserve it. Nor do those who serve under him.

What the Egyptian people realize and we don't want to recognize, is the new Vice President, Omar Suleiman, is cut from the same cloth and as head of Intelligence is responsible for the brutality still being shown by the secret police.  They hold any compromise or placation offered nothing more than a ploy to buy time.  It isn't working.  They don't trust him any more than they trust Mubarak. And rightfully so.  Consider the mid eastern despots who are encouraging Mubarak to hang on! There but for the grace of Allah go they.

Anderson Cooper was correct in suspecting that when the coverage stops, Mubarak wins.  He's bargaining on time and fickle news cycles.  That's why the people are still there.  Because, too, if they leave Mubarak wins and they will be hunted down like animals to face fates we don't even want to think about.

What goes on behind the scenes is any one's guess.  I would guess that our government doesn't know everything themselves, having been caught flat footed.  Their path is a tightrope and they're not known for having good balance.  Perhaps it's best to just stay grounded and quiet.

Strength to the people and those who would lead them.  Not an El Baradei who is no more than a carpet bagger.  But men and women of the opposition who  are the true patriots.  I have to believe they are there and the people know who they are.

If we are to continue to insinuate ourselves and our interests into the drama, I hope for once we side with the people.  It may not be exactly as we would have it, but it is also not our decision to make.