William's Perspective

Always insightful and intriguing...and, by the way, he has seemed to shift a bit more to the optimistic side while firmly clinging to his guns and religion...

The Silver Lining

As an incurable optimist I habitually find a silver lining in the face of catastrophe. Even though as of this date (October 12) I believe that McCain is likely to win in November,his defeat would not be the end of the world. Perhaps the end of the nation as we know it, but certainly not the end of the Republic; that happened last week with the Crooked Democrat and Banker Protection Act, a/k/a “The Bailout.” We have no republic left to preserve, but perhaps recapturing the future will suffice.

To be sure, Obama is unpalatable by every measurement of substance. To say that his accomplishments are “modest” is to inflate them beyond recognition. Like Oakland,“there’s no ‘there’ there.” It gets worse. He hates the America we inherited. He hates free markets and prosperity. He hates whitey, or at least hangs with those who do. He hates free speech and will likely spearhead the efforts to eradicate it. He loves collectivism. He loves coercion. His thin skin cannot tolerate the pricking of criticism. And the mother of his children makes him look moderate, as do many of the unseemly folks he is allied with.

No, he is not a very attractive package notwithstanding hisclear calling as a fashion model who looks oh so suave as he perches on a stoolwith insouciance. McCain may not be fearfulof his coronation, but I sure am. Yet Isee some positive opportunities in the elevation of this Bolshevik to the WhiteHouse, provided it is not the final election in our noble experiment in self governance.

Here are some flecks of silver in the dark storm clouds of an Obamessiah Reich. Admittedly, like much optimism there is a healthy dose of “Maybe,” “Hopefully,” “But” and“Perhaps.”

1. Market behavior over the past weeks reinforces the notion that it is a rational entity and that we live in a rational world. Whether the dynamic behind the market maelstrom is the cancer of corruption interfering in the marketplace and come home to roost or the anticipation of the impending electoral catastrophe of selecting a collectivist who will eradicate a lot of wealth and liberty (yes, incentives and risk do count), it is comforting to know that the marketplace behaves rationally based on the incentives in play. It is painful to endure, but we should be celebrating it just the same. Who knows? Perhaps the current fiasco (or the coming ones) will prompt tens of millions of people to say, “This depending on the government is for the birds. Let’s take care of ourselves.” Well, it could happen…
2. If the past two years of Pelosi and Reid driving the bus in the demolition derby is indicative, leftist political pimps are a result of some horrific experiment of Dr. Moreau combining hogs and piranha as they cannot even cooperate with each other. And there is no way those two fossils are going to let this young whelp tell them what to do. Yes they agree on the fundamentals, but their negotiations will fall apart when it comes to divvying up the spoils. There is no honor among thieves, and the thieves will be unchecked on center stage.
3. The next President will almost certainly be faced with two huge crises: the further collapse of the economy and the reemergence of Wahabist terrorism (certainly much worse if Barry, Harry, and Nan succeed with their “strategy” of pre-emptive surrender in Iraq). I’d prefer the fellow farthest from me be the one holding the stinking bag when it bursts. Even though Bush/Reagan/Eisenhower/Coolidge will undoubtedly be blamed by the Obama apparatchiks including the entire Dinosaur media for whatever transpires, it would be the fashionable Messiah who would be unmasked as an exquisitely tailored empty suit and the inept and misanthropic poseur that he is as his efforts simply compound whatever the crisis is. A belligerently ignorant and indolent populace will be able to see it on grand display. Even beer swilling welfare recipients don’t like losers.
4. Returning a cranky and defeated McCain to the Senate could reap unforeseen dividends. Consider how he has treated Bush and conservatives ever since his defeat in 2000. He might as well not have had a zipper on his fly as often as he has urinated on them. If he turns that same animus towards the new Exalted Leader it could go a long way towards tying the Left in knots through plain old obstreperous obstructionism. On the other hand, if he is as unprincipled as I think he is, he could become French and collaborate with the occupying forces to garner the favor he so desperately craves
5. An Obama victory just might allow for a reformation of the GOP that would not be possible under McCain.. A McCain victory pretty much assures the GOP being expunged of any last vestiges of idealism and principled common sense. Conservatives would simply have to find a new home. With an Obama victory and McCain out of the picture, the necessary purge of RINO Bolshevik Wannabes could begin. It would cripple the party for at least one election cycle, but the prospect of forming a new constitutionally adherent GOP would be an even more onerous a task.
6. Another defeat to a vapid, sweet talking slickster just might cause conservatives to realize that among the skill set necessary for being our leader are communication and inspiration. For six consecutive elections the GOP put forward verbal stumblebums who possessed few if any ideas and virtually no ability to communicate. C’mon, admit it. Bush 41 and 43 have been a disaster for articulating or advocating anything resembling conservatism. “America First” is not an idea for governing; it is a vague and almost meaningless sentiment, albeit a noble one. I think. Obamessiah can sure dazzle ‘em with mellifluous bovine scatology, but a vigorous, skilled, principled, and passionate communicator from our side could wipe the floor with the Bolsheviks. And it begins with the deconstruction of their anti-ideas agenda of “Washington being the root of all solutions.” That doesn’t even pass the giggle test. Since the institution of the Xlintoon “War Room” politics is just that, war. The battleground is one of rhetoric, so we’d better have the weapons to win.
7. Saving Miss Sarah. An Obama victory would protect Sarah P from the ongoing contamination of McCainism. While I admire her greatly, I fear what would happen to her being surrounded by a phalanx of unprincipled RINO “handlers.” She’s already having to run AGAINST McCain in addition to Obama and Spit Bucket Joe. We have already identified our next generation of true leadership, and we need to nurture and protect it. McCain’s feckless tendencies would drive her to distraction and eventually wear her down and dispirit her. Everyone has their breaking point. I fear that continued contamination of the so-called “Maverick” would be an unnecessary risk for the nation. By the way, why does this fantasy about McMaverick persist? On virtually every large issue thus far he has reached across the aisle to protect the leftist political establishment. McCain Feingold. McCain-Kennedy. McCain-Lieberman. The Bailout.
8. An Obamessiah Reich would focus the minds of liberty minded folks to find ways to oppose it and work together for liberty. We might have to soften our edges a bit to work together. Let our rallying cry be “Reduce the Size, Scope, Power, and Influence of the Collective.” Sure, compromise with evil and evil wins. We just might have to compromise on the order of eradication which evils first. In addition to the Big Leaders we need a multitude of leaders throughout the culture and Lee Atwaters to work beside them.
9. As with every dysfunctional entity, “hitting bottom” and the subsequent repentance is necessary in order for reclamation. We are an addicted political culture, addicted to welfare and government intrusion into every single aspect of our lives both private and public. We are no longer capitalists, we are debitalists. Bolshevistic political theology has been an abject failure every where it has been tried, and the more enthusiastically it has been tried the more spectacularly it has failed. After six generations of socialist indoctrination at government incarceration centers, I guess the American electorate needs to have its nose rubbed in the stinking mess of thuggery, confiscation, internment, poverty, danger… Maybe then they will get the message that the empty promises made by the political hacks cannot be paid by the redistributionist mechanism no matter how exuberant it is. If you compare the New Europe of Poland, The Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc., versus the ossified welfare states of Old Europe you’ll get the point. The former learned its lesson from living under the heel of jack booted thugs for several generations. We bailed out the other guys time after time, and see what choices they have made. They are done for. I pray we would not be so.
10. Finally, and I believe most important, the elevation of a pagan Bolshevik Messiah might just make us more contemplative about and devoted to the Divine Messiah. As John Adams said, the government the Founders created was meant for a devout and moral people, and would be wholly unsuitable for anyone else.

Spirits up folks. Mine certainly are. But like I said, I’m an incurable optimist.

From the Belly of the Beast

Crusher

Debate

Let's look at our records instead of rhetoric...
McCain is attacking O's record on spending...good attack...look at our proposals for our economy
Health Care, Energy, Entitlement Reform...which first?
M: Work on all three. He said it! We will not have the same entitlements in the future. My record is to reach across the aisle. Energy...all of the above. Health Care...no specifics. Must do all at once.
O: We need to prioritize. Energy - 3.80 for gas, other countries benefiting. $15B a year over ten years. Cites JFK. Health Care - #2, Education #3. One point...look at records. M talks about earmarks, want to go line by line over every item. M - $300B tax cut given to corporations.

What sacrifices will you ask Americans to make?
M: May have to eliminate government programs. Defense spending, for example. Earmarks will have to be eliminated...even the good ones. Spending needs to be cut in America...recommends a spending freeze. Establish priorities with full transparency. We CAN attack all three at once.
O: Tragedy of 9/11. How all the country was willing to come together. Bush did some smart things at the outset. He messed up when he said, "go out and shop." The wasn't a call to service that we needed. The need for us to start thinking about how we use energy. How we can we start saving energy in our homes? Young people are interested in how they can serve...doubling the Peace Corps.
Wall St. "got drunk". How to break bad habit of too much debt and easy credit?
O: Starts with Washington...if we build up debts, people will think there's easy money. We need to share the burden. Can't ask a teacher making $30K to tighten up if someone making much more is living high on the hog. ??
M: He wants to raise taxes - equated O with Hoover. O's secret - his tax increases will increase taxes on 50% of small business revenue. Let's not raise taxes on anyone. In favor of leaving the taxes alone, and doubling tax credits.

Social Security/Medicare: Date certain to address this?
O: We're going to have to take on entitlements...we need to do it quickly. I want to provide a tax cut fo 95% of Americans. $200K or less, your taxes will go down.
M: I'll answer the question...SS is not tough...O's never taken on his party leaders...Medicare is tougher...we need a commission to come up with recommendations...let's have Congress vote up or down on recommendations...back to taxes...rhetoric and record...he's voted 94 times for tax increases....I have fought to reduce government.

Environment
M: Damaged planet...disagreed strongly with Bush Admin on this issue. We forced votes on this...we lost, but kept the issue...best way to fix it? Nuclear power...safe and clean, creates hundreds of thousands of jobs...can reuse spent rods...hydrogen, battery powered cars.
O: Biggest challenge of our times...not only a challenge, but an opportunity. This can be an engine that drives us into the future. We're going to have to make some investments, like the internet. I favor nuclear power. He voted 23 times against alternative fuels. Easy to talk about this stuff during a campaign. He talks a lot about drilling. We have 3% of oil reserves and use 15%.

Manhatten-like Project or garages.
Use govt. to start, then turn over to private sector. Responds to O's assertions in previous statement. Drilling will reduce the price. Nuclear power...look at the record.

Healthcare coverage profitable industry - should it be treated as a commodity?
O: Premiums double over the last 8 years. Moral commitment and economic imperative to do something...if you have health care, then keep your plan if satisfied...we'll work with employer to reduce cost of premiums...through prevention and techonology...if you don't have insurance...no one excluded for pre-existing conditions. M $5,000 tax credit...will tax this as income...could lead to unraveling of employer-based health care system.
M: Id'd one of the major challenges. Let's put health records online, community health centers, walk-in clinics...fundamental difference...starts talking about govt...he'll impose mandates...if you're a small business and you don't ...refundable tax credit you can cross state lines...do the math...those that have employer-based benefits...95% of American people will have increased funds to buy the insurance of their choice. We must give people choice in America!

HC a privilege right or responsibility?

M: Responsibility...a little nervous about government mandates.
O: A lot of stuff...health care is a right. Something fundamentally wrong about insurance not paying someone's bills. The problem with crossing state lines...you won't have consumer protections that you need.

Recent economic stress affect our ability to be a peacemaker in the world?
M: Strong military requires strong economy. (tuned out)
O: I don't understand...blah blah blah...

Obama Doctrine?
O: We have moral issues at stake. Who would say, if we had the ability, that we shouldn't have stopped the Holocaust or Rwanda. We can't be everywhere all the time...so we need to work with others. We could be providing logistical support and set up a no-fly zone in Darfur, I intend to do that as president.
M: Addresses the timeline for withdrawal. He would have brought them home in defeat. We are the greatest force for good. Must do whatever we can to prevent genocide...tempered with our ability to identify the limits of our capability. Somalia...withdrew in humiliation...Lebanon...stood up against Reagan. Must temper decision with the ability to benefit the situation...I know those situations, I've been in them all my life.

Respect Pakistani sovereignty or ignore borders like Cambodia like in Vietnam.
O: Shouldn't have gone into Iraq in the first place. We must reverse course b/c we need to focus on Afghanistan. We're going to encourage democracy in Pahkistahn. We will act on bin Ladin.
M: Teddy Roosevelt - talk softly, carry a big stick. O likes to talk loudly. Our relations with Pakistan are critical. Petraeus had a strategy - the one that succeeded in Iraq - will work in Pakistan.
O: be very clear about what I said...

M: Strategy is essentially the same

Russia - can we apply pressure without starting another Cold War?
M: There's not going to be another CW...warned about Putin long ago. Watch Ukraine. We need to give moral support to Georgia and Ukraine. Communicate that there are penalties. We can use the G8 and others.
O: blah blah blah...I really have no idea what I'm talking about...

Israel...commit troops in defense of Israel or wait on UN security council.
M: Obviously not wait for UN security council...Russia/China probably pose significant obstacles. Iran threatens the stability of the entire middle east. What would you do if you were the Israelis?
O: We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.

What don't you know and how will you learn it?
O: my wife. This country gave me opporunity...came from very modest means. The question in this election...are we going to pass on the American dream? Wages and incomes are going down, lost healthcare (in the last 8 years).
M: unprecedented challenges...hurting Americans...challenges around the world...I don't know what the unexpected will be...gave his background...I know what it's like in dark times and trying to keep hope going, to rely on others...I believe in this country...It's been my great honor to serve it for many, many years...times are tough and need a steady hand at the tiller.

John Agrees with Me

I missed this post yesterday, but John Hinderaker from Power Line states what I was attempting to say in my last post and does it more cogently.

More Questions...

Wouldn't it be prudent, since no one really knows whether or not a bailout will have the desired effect, to try some minor adjustments first and see if those things work?

For example, the SEC's adjustment of the "mark to market" rule. This change is huge, since banks would not have to virtually discredit on paper their assets. While talking with a gentleman from Sovereign Bank today, he said that the mark to market rule cost them $1 billion last year. This bank is not a national bank, so can you imagine cumulative cost to the banking industry?

With this change, let's see if the holdings of these banks will improve investor confidence and get the money flowing again.

How about we suspend the capital gains tax? This would encourage incredible investment in all markets.

These are simple proposals to try to get the markets moving again...and if, after 2-3 months, things continue to tighten, then we look at a bailout possibility.

I was disappointed in Roy Blunt's interview on NPR today when he allowed the interviewer to frame the questions in the manner that Republicans are to blame and it's his job as whip to get the votes. He was very strong on the necessity of this bill and said that opinion is shifting because people are seeing the change in their retirement portfolios. I would be interested to see if that is the case. I know that my rep (a Dem) voted against it.

There is a theory that Pelosi did not whip her party for votes with the intention of blaming Republicans for the fiasco...something they've been attempting to do all along. Add to that her diatribe on the floor and one could make a case for that.