1. John LeBoutillier: Obama Goes Against History
2. Gerard Lameiro: Taxes are Going Up – But Will Deficits and Debt Go Down?
3. Tim Connolly: Should We Ban Offshore Drilling of Oil in the U.S.?
4. Daniel Ruddy’s New Book: History Through Theodore Roosevelt’s Eyes
Obama Goes Against History
We should all fear a looming disastrous debt-driven new recession. Greece was not an isolated case of a national government living beyond its means. No, that problem – The Consequences of Irresponsible Deficit Spending (CIDS) – is certain to spread first to some of the other PIIGS nations: Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. But now it is thought that England and the United States may also be in for the same consequences: austerity budgets, which cause social dislocation.
The riots in Athens came from people protesting draconian cuts in government pensions. Greece had to make these cuts in order to qualify for the massive almost-one trillion-dollar bailout from the EU and the World Bank. The real story here is that Western European socialism has virtually bankrupted all these countries. Germany and France are ahead of the game; they elected more conservative governments in the past several years and are already economizing, as painful as that might be. [more...]
Taxes are Going Up – But Will Deficits and Debt Go Down?
Lots of people have been calling for new taxes and tax increases at the federal, state and local levels. We also know that Washington will allow the Bush tax cuts to expire soon. So, taxes are going up – no doubt about it. But, as our taxes go up and up, will our deficits and debt decline? A brand new article in The Wall Street Journal sheds some light on this important topic that impacts both jobs and economic growth.
As first thought, it might seem to make sense that we need to increase taxes to cover Washington’s lavish spending spree. Remember all those costly stimulus bills that failed to bring down unemployment substantially? Unemployment is still around 9.9%. It’s actually 17.1% if you count all those people who have given up looking, or all those people who have settled for part-time work because they couldn’t find full-time work. Washington has spent lots of money following the discredited Keynesian policies of the past. [more...]
Should We Ban Offshore Drilling of Oil in the U.S.?
By Tim Connolly
There is a tremendous amount of concern over the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill; and senators, congressional representatives, and even President Obama have called for the suspension of offshore oil drilling, and its possible termination. Is this possible, or even the right decision for our country? Let’s look at the data provided today from Gibson Consulting Online. All of the oil that comes from the Gulf is used in the U.S. The total current percentage of oil produced in the U.S. for our consumption by offshore wells is 37%. If we only look at the Gulf of Mexico, that percentage is still 32% of all the oil consumed in the USA. Given that during the 1974 Arab Oil Embargo the Middle East provided 37% of the non-communist world with all of its oil, we can easily see the magnitude of disruption in our markets if we eliminated 37% of all oil produced in the USA – long lines, perhaps $150-200 per barrel oil prices, and an economic crash that would make the last two years look tame. [more...]
History Through Theodore Roosevelt’s Eyes
By Dick Morris
In political campaigns, we consultants are always seeking opportunities for our candidate to speak for himself without passing through the prism of editorial and journalistic opinion. We buy ads, we schedule debates, we set up town hall meetings, all to reach and communicate directly with the public without media intermediaries.
Imagine the frustration of a dead historical figure from the past, now able to communicate with modern generations only through the distorted lens of history. If you think journalists are bad, wait until you meet historians!
Now, Daniel Ruddy has freed former President Theodore Roosevelt from these shackles and given him a chance to address us directly, articulating his view of American history without the varnish of modern historical fashion. In his new book Theodore Roosevelt’s History of the United States, Ruddy has mined the words of the great man and organized them into a newly created history of the U.S. up to the time of TR’s death in 1919. [more...]
