When LPJ all began back in 1999, I had a thing called “This and That” – mostly for articles I didn’t choose to or couldn’t categorize into one subject. It has since been replaced with “Random Thoughts” …
* Isn’t it odd that the Democrats main theme in the general election of 2006 was that there had to be an exact pull-out date for US troops in Iraq, yet the Senate in a recent voting session could not get the 60 votes required to create a cloture concerning withdrawal demands. Why have the Democrats balked, now that they are a majority? Because, for the most part, they do not want to be the blame for what could happen if the troops are withdrawn before their mission is a success. Also, their ideology is based upon their rhetoric that it is America’s fault, its leadership of the Bush administration, that has caused continued and increase in terrorist activities – yet will not admit that giving in to those that promote violence and civil war in Iraq will be clear winners if the US troops are pulled out before they complete their mission of ensuring that law and order is established and that the Iraqi government and its infrastructure is secure enough to go it alone. The result of the withdrawal resolution failed with 48 senators voting in favor of it and 50 against it. President Bush threatened to veto the bill if it reached his desk. Yet, President Bush will not veto a bill that comes to his desk that promotes his wacky idea that proving more guest worker permits and generally amnesty will help the illegal immigration situation. This has been peculiar to me since the President professes to be for improving national security, but allows the situation that has allowed those belonging to and affiliated with terrorist organizations to use the southern border as their access to America and developing and sustaining the terrorist cell activities in the underground network within our nation. This must be frustrating to those who are supposed to take care of our security problems, like the FBI and the American intelligence system. [See Blue Crab Boulevard].
* Contrary to belief and rhetoric seen in the media, Walter Reed conditions, as well as conditions in VA (Veteran Administration) hospitals have been poor mainly because of lack of funding from Congress. I, and others, have proposed in the past that the VA restructure itself and do away with VA hospitals and incorporate medical services within the hospital infrastructure in states where veterans needing medical care (part of the benefit for serving in any combat tour) would not have to travel so far to receive those benefits. It would be a vast undertaking but in the long run it would save the government the funding of running VA specific hospitals, allow patients to choose which local medical facility they can use, and provide better and more efficient health care. The VA would establish a liaison office within hospitals to ensure that proper paperwork and identity cards are issued (like a central office in certain locations). The system would work better. For a long time the government has promised veterans medical care, yet have balked funding the operation, and this responsibility falls upon the Congress, not the White House. And the major point is that the Bush administration is not the only administration that has overlooked its responsibilities concerning medical facilities for veterans and wounded active duty personnel. This point is important. The major concern is fixing the situation. Pinpointing the blame upon the Bush administration is nothing but political rhetoric; but my statement does not condone the fact that the Bush administration tried to suppress or reduce the public impact of the scandalous affair during its watch. In addition, with General Weightman’s four months as director of the hospital, it is hard to believe that he caused the situation. In reality it was his predecessor who did not do what was required of him, and instead of being made to “tow the line” he was promoted to another position within the Bush administration. To say that General Weightman was a “scapegoat” is to speak the truth. General Weightman’s military record never indicates that he was ever irresponsible or shirked his duties. Sometimes leadership can get in trouble because of the poor chain-of-command in place. Responsibility also lies within that chain-of-command at Walter Reese hospital. Once the situation was made public and the Bush leadership, including President Bush himself, was made aware of the situation, Building #18 was quickly cleaned up. But when it comes to proper funding, it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure that it is adequate to meet operational requirements. Congress has, in a recent long period of history, is infamous for “robbing Peter to pay Paul” type of attitude. We have seen what that sort of practice has done to the Social Security “Trust Fund” – where the funding was only earmarked for the Social Security administration and its operation, but was used elsewhere – in fact, as during the Clinton administration (and others in the previous administrations) have used the money embezzled from the Social Security fund to an effect where they could claim there was a “surplus” in the US Treasury – all false and misleading to say the least. In reality, six months before President Clinton left office, a report revealed an entirely different picture of the economic situation across America in terms of an inflated economy (prices/cost of living rose while wages remain stagnant), as well as a false impression that the economic system of government was inflated for purposes of political propaganda. Then when Bush took office, this all came out in the open and instantly blamed for the economic mess the previous administration left behind. This sort of situation is nothing new for a newcomer to the White House, but the dirty facts is that this is used in political propaganda constantly by an opposing political party/entity. It is time that the American voter let the officials of government know we are not falling for such nonsense any longer. It represents a serious mismanagement of government and an infraction against the reason why people vote for those running for the various offices within the government infrastructure.
* The Global Warming Swindle – a site where you can see the inaccuracies and propaganda concerning Al Gore’s “documentary” film that won an Academy Award (that certainly indicates what a farce that operation is in Hollywood).
* And speaking of the Global Warming nonsense – more scientists are coming foreword to debunk it, no longer afraid of any repercussions from junk scientists who will not hear any counter proposed facts concerning the most ridiculous theory since the days when humans thought the world was flat. Consensus is all it is and backed by political correctness advocates. Thus far, according to JunkScience, the Kyoto Protocol has cost $311,682 in US currency – and it has questionably reduced the temperature by 0.003232265 degrees Centigrade – and that isn’t projected until year 2050! According to a Global Warming site: (1) British companies involved in the Emissions Trading Scheme enjoy a $1.5 billion profits windfall while energy prices to the consumer increased 72 percent; (2) Germany at odds with France over emissions reductions; (3) Bank of America sees the dollar signs involving in carbon trading (for an explanation of why this is a cartel, not involving new money, see here); Hugo Chavez thinks his country has more oil reserves than Saudi Arabia; Climate scientist Roger Pielke Sr. discovers what looks like a big mistake in the IPCC summary.
Meanwhile: (1) EU industry commissioner warns against ‘climate hysteria” (note that the U’s economy is 20 to 30 years behind America and Bush wants to join the Global Warming wagon, as well as emulate the EU with a North American Union; (2) China may be the world’s largest emitter of pollutant emissions this year.
And, once again, according to Global Warming: (1) Threat of Kyoto is leading to wholesale deforestation in New Zealand; (2) UN climate talks aren’t going anywhere; (3) Scientific paper that suggested Gulf Stream slowdown was based on a trivial error; (4) the role of warming in species extinctions might be less than thought; (5) Antarctic debris may protect ice from rising sea levels; (6) Global hurricane intensity isn’t increasing; (7) John Tierney interviews a heretical environmentalist.
