The Orange Way Editorial

Dear Mr. President,

Please stop with the bows already. Read Peggy Noonan's article here...

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Government Health Care and Rationing

This is a must read regarding the health care reform. One way or another, government health care reform will lead to rationing. This is dangerous.

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What's New in the News

Give it to the Obama Administration, they are tough to keep up with. It is difficult to properly analyze the president's historically dramatic decisions because there are so many is so short a time. Everything from the administration's plans for a "pay czar" to plans to for an all but in name national health care program deserve in-depth review and debate, yet little time is left to mull over each proposal as a new monumental plan pops up every day. The few ideas that are left out in the public conscious for longer than 24 hours are so devoid of detail and meaning that they are impossible to properly support or oppose. Genius.

One reoccurring issue that cannot be ignored is the increase in political payback. In only the latest act, the Administration fired the federal inspector general for purely political retaliation... read story here. This would have caused a six month long media frenzy under President Bush.

President Obama continues to prove skillful in his leadership. But intelligence and ability does not necessarily equal good. As the media continues to serve as the lap dog for the administration, intelligent Americans must be beware of where the nation is headed.

The Orange Way Editorial

The Administration

President Obama is going for it all. It a new, but somewhat admirable, political approach, President Obama is foregoing the one big issue at a time tack that many previous administrations took; rather, he is choosing to go for every issue at one time, thereby taking advantage of his party's majority and splintering opposition into numerous different areas. As a result, the opposition cannot band together behind one single position- the way Democrats fought united against President Bush's plan for more individual control over Social Security or the way Republicans fought against "Hillary Care."

And even if Republicans did find the leadership and resolve to defeat, or more likely weaken, one of the President's proposals, he would still be able to achieve the rest of sweeping changes. Whether this strategy works out in the long run is yet to be seen, but it is certainly a daring and bold approach...

Peggy Noonan has a interesting article on the government's increasingly vague diction which prevents anyone from knowing what officials are actually talking about. Ms. Noonan writes of the "simple and wholly understandable suspicion that the government doesn't speak clearly about what it's doing for the reason that they know that if people fully understood they would say, 'Oh that's not a good idea,' or, 'The cost of that will kill us.' "

I think it is just as likely that the officials often do not have a firm idea of what they are talking about yet, which is why they speak with such little concrete concepts. Either way, the fact that the Obama administration is proposing and succeeding in passing the most fundamentally sweeping changes in decades without providing clear details is concerning...

The few things that the President does say with clarity, though, are not encouraging. Likewise, this commencement speech from his wife is not reassuring. She implored graduates to "[r]emember that you are blessed. Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something back. You must reach back and pull someone up. You must bend down and let someone else stand on your shoulders so that they can see a brighter future."

First of all, I don't have to do anything, and I certainly do not have to bend down and let some other person stand on my shoulders to see a brighter future. Anything I do to help another person is because I want to, not because I have to. Likewise, allowing another person to succeed over me because I embrace such self deprecating behavior is counter to the American ideal and counter to the concepts that create a healthy and vibrant capitalist nation.

At its heart, I believe one of the most pressing concerns about the administration is that it does not have a basic understanding of what has made this country great and what will allow it to thrive into the future. Capitulation to the lowest common denominator is not a plan for success...

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Atlas Shrugged Re-Visited

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Our Leaders

A tragic mistake we make in these tumultuous times is assuming our leaders most know more than we do as individual citizens. We believe they must be more educated in matters of the economy and national defense and so forth. But, it is worth remembering that members of Congress and the Executive branch are mere mortals that may or may not have any specialized ability to lead our nation. At the end of the day, we all have a personal responsibility to be educated and make our opinions known. It is not enough to sit back and leave it up to elected officials.

If you needed a reminder, check out this gem from the one of our Florida Reps...

Hilarious? Yes. Inspiring confidence? No.

The Orange Way Editorial

Obama's Change

This will be a sad day for America if Obama really does plan to charge the insurance companies of injured service-members. This is a cheap trick to raise money. But, similar to reinstating the draft, it is another move by Democrats to make future wars all but unsupportable...

Anti-business sentiment is getting out of control in Congress. Sure it is easy and popular to bash businesses, but many recent comments and proposals indicate a severe lack of understanding of business and the economy. This lack of understanding leads to destructive policy...

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Atlas Shrugged Revived

Check out this Economist article on the rise in sales of Atlas Shrugged that tracks government intervention in the markets...coincidence?

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Weekly Roundup

Global "New Deal": Among the worst ideas to come out of the world economic crisis is Prime Minister Gordon Brown's idea for a "new deal" for the world. The only thing worse than the U.S. Government's intervention in the financial markets would be world governments' obstructionism. The new deal would simply be a tool for incompetent nations to extort huge concessions and financial welfare from the rich states, namely the U.S. (think United Nations but for the world economies).

The Stimulus Package: As stimulus package details continue to be revealed, the picture is only getting uglier. A handful of state governors are contemplating refusing the federal aid as they speak out in opposition to the long term strings that will attach to accepting federal money (though I doubt many of them will have the guts not to accept the package when it comes down to decision time).

To assess the bill honestly, it is clear that the package is geared toward enhancing Democratic party agendas rather that toward stimulating a struggling economy. The original theory for the stimulus package was the tenets of Keynesian economics. Keynesian economic theory has been dispelled by its numerous attempts and failures over the last 80 years (most recently by Japan in the 90s, leading to Japan's "lost decade").

But, even if you assume it is a workable theory, it relies on the premises of lowering interest rates and injecting government spending specifically in infrastructure. The U.S. has lowered interest rates as far as it can control, but the stimulus package does not even attempt to address the second prong- specifically directed infrastructure investment. The bulk of the bill is general pork barrel spending and some tax credits and cuts. Debate over this spending devolved to the point where President Obama was mocking those that complained about the absurd spending, stating instead that any spending is stimulus.

Essentially, a disproved economic theory was used completely incorrectly to promote a $1 trillion spending bill. This is not an encouraging sign for the intellectual honesty of the Democratic party, though, the last eight years does not say much for the Republicans intellectual financial honesty either.

The United States will come out of this recession, but it will be the private sector that leads the way. The real question will be which party is going to cause the most damage and how much government action will serve to prolong the recession.

The Orange Way Editorial

Weekly Roundup

Iran: Did anyone else find Iran's response to Obama hilarious? I hope that President Obama did not truly expect Iran to open up to him simply because he is such a sweetheart. If so, President Obama will quickly discover that Iran's hatred of America extends beyond George W. Bush.

Even more important than their ideological disdain for our nation, America serves as the foil for Iran's crumbling economic and social state. Iran's leaders maintain power by projecting America as the enemy and cause for any of their ills. This works to unify citizens against a common enemy, while they endure additional hardships in the name of the greater cause. (Natan Sharansky's The Case for Democracy makes this argument much better than I can.) As a result, Iran will never make genuine peace with America with its current leaders in place.

Russia: Speaking of crumbling economies, the dire situation in Russia is now leading to violent protests and calls for Putin's resignation. This is worth keeping a close eye on. Similar to the Iranian leaders, Putin is not about to give up his position of power. One of the most useful options for a tyrannical leader trying to maintain power is to incite an external enemy to re-focus attention away from the internal troubles. As the internal tension heats up, Russia will have to look for an even bigger external enemy, leaving the United States as a likely target. Russia's partnership with China is a major subplot to this deterioration in Russia.

Democrats and Taxes: It is no wonder Democrats don't mind higher taxes- they just don't pay them.

California Delays Tax Refunds: Speaking of giant Ponzi schemes, California plans on delaying $4 billion in state payments, including $2 billion in tax refunds. This Wall Street Journal article includes this incredible comment by Jason Dickerson of California's Legislative Analyst's Office:

"It's a substantial problem when billions in tax refunds don't go out, because they are considered a kind of economic stimulus," Mr. Dickerson said. "If payment delays continue into April and March, it will be a disaster."

This quote illustrates one of the major problems with entrusting government today with our taxes, whether it is as the state or national level- government leaders think taxes belong to the politicians and not the people. In reality, a refund is due because the government took too much money out of taxpayers' paychecks. It is the taxpayer's money, not the states. Mr. Dickerson apparently believes that the federal and state refunds are an act of kindness that is bestowed on the population in order to boost the economy.

The problem in California is not that the economy won't be stimulated, but that California is wrongfully holding on to the income that citizens rightfully own. A five year old would call that stealing...

The Orange Way Editorial

Florida's Success Story

Special Report by Our Friend Izzy Ortega

First published in the Miami Herald, check out Mr. Ortega's report on recent educational success in Florida...

"For more than 40 years, politicians in Washington have been promising that they will improve public education. But decades of growth in federal expenditures and ever-increasing federal involvement have failed to deliver meaningful results. Millions of children continue to pass through the nation's public schools without receiving a quality education" ... read the rest of the story

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Coming Out Swinging

...President Obama has come out swinging. He has already taken on Rush Limbaugh, pro-lifers, China, Pakistan, capitalism, and Republican losers... if his first week in office is any indication, the next year should be interesting...

...A great oped was in today's wall street journal titled "How Modern Law Makes Us Powerless"...

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The Inauguration

With less than 48 hours to go, one can only say "it's about time." For better or worse, the nation is ready for Mr. Obama to become President Obama. The nation has been effectively President-less since November, and with fighting in Gaza, Russian aggression in Europe, and the continuing recession, the nation needs to know who is calling the shots.

...Obama is certainly bold in throwing an inaugural bash that will cost taxpayers as much as $150 million. He may turn out to be a fantastic President, but it would be more appropriate to spend taxpayer dollars when, and if, he is successful rather than in the midst of a recession when his only achievement to date is in self-promotion.

...Once the festivities die down, one can only hope that President Obama takes a sober look at the nation's issues, choosing to focus on substantive policies of taxes, spending, and winning wars, rather than saving the earth in the next 4 years from global warming or criminally prosecuting the Bush administration.

...Obama may prove his detractors wrong, but hopefully his supporters understand that the world will still have problems when the sun rises on the 21st of January. Even if President Obama does his best, he will still be a "mere president."

The Orange Way Editorial

Thoughts for the Week

Israel, Hamas, and the Muslim World: The relative silence from many of Hamas' Muslim neighbors speaks volumes about the Muslim community's opinion of Hamas, and, more notably, Iran. Sure the standard European pacifists and anti-Israel zealots are alleging war crimes and other atrocities, but Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other leading Muslim nations have remained quiet relative to previous Israeli offensives. This says a lot for the future of the Middle East.

President-elect Obama: He is doing a solid job of downplaying expectations for immediate change. After building unsustainable promises on the campaign trail, he is now making clear that change and recovery will take longer than hoped. This builds in an important time buffer as no problem is rectified immediately. It allows him to be correct if the economy continues to tank, or alternatively to take credit if the economy improves. All in all, it is a smart play on Obama's part.

Carbon Debits: Speaking of smart, with Al Gore's profitable business of selling carbon credits in mind, I was spurred to the idea of selling carbon debits. Carbon debits are essential in the fight against impending global cooling. Essentially, you mail me money and I will pollute for you. Simply send me cash, and I will burn tires, leave my vehicle running, or otherwise waste energy and resources. The additional pollution should help warm the environment to offset the pending ice age.

These debits will be specifically marketed to global warming non-believers, and with historic low temperatures covering the Earth, there should be an increasing customer pool. All in all, this is a genius idea. A few details need to be worked out, but I wanted to get the idea out there before someone else took credit and made millions.

Have a great week...

The Orange Way Editorial

"The Empty Suits"

We write often about the lack of leadership in Washington, but the leadership demonstrated in this moment in history is striking. Maybe the sense of a lack of leadership is heightened due to a lame duck President and a reticent (on the important issues) President-elect, but the failing extends to Wall Street, the business community, and other organizations across the country.

2008 was historic in removing the curtain in front of the great financial wizards of our time. Bernanke and Paulson were revealed as having- no idea or capacity to deal with the financial crisis. The investing leaders on Wall Street who invented complex financial mortgage securities have seemingly slipped into the night. The congressmen and women who supported Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and who refused to rein in the industries, have gone on the offensive against straw man threats such as de-regulation. The Banks that provided loans to those that should not have received the money have been badly damaged financially, resulting in enormous government bailouts.

The lack of leadership is demonstrated in the well known Governor Blagojevich scandal. The governor attempted to exploit his leadership position and sell the vacant senate seat. There were allegedly a number of potential buyers, offering up to $1 million for the appointment. Once the scandal was made public, the governor refused to step down. The Illinois senate agreed to pass a law requiring a special election for the Senate seat. Once it became apparent that a Republican might win the special election, the Illinois Democrats back away from the idea. This opening allowed the disgraced Governor to make an appointment for the seat. The US Senate is now threatening to not seat the appointment, a move that is clearly unconstitutional. This scandal is stuck in a quagmire of ineptitude.

Examples of incompetence and malfeasance go on and on, from the US automakers to the Catholic Church's continuing scandal. At the heart, though, it is a symptom of what Peggy Noonan calls the men in the "empty suits." The alleged leaders of this country wear their expensive suits, and give off an aura of power, but are largely empty beneath their veneer.They range from the incompetent to the dangerous. They are the men and women leading our country. Troubling times lay ahead until genuine leaders arise from this mess.

In the meantime, we are responsible for our own future and simply relying on direction from the men in the empty suits is not a viable option. A bit of personal responsibility and independence will serve America well in 2009.

The Orange Way Editorial

Friends of The Orange Way

A quick plug for some of our friends:

Israel Ortega of the Heritage Foundation: Ortega often writes about Heritage's position on education, limited government, free enterprise and family for Spanish newspapers and publications across the country.

Check out his latest column: "U.S.: Why We Are All Winners"

lbrandy.com: Written by a friend of The Orange Way's, this blog is a hit among computer geeks everywhere. Frankly, we don't get it, but check it out for yourself.

rhog.blogspot.com: Always random, and somehow always invoking the 2nd Amendment, this blog is entertaining for any good mid-western values loving person.

First Friday: Part satire, part serious, always including drinks, this is an essential resource for any right of center individual in or around D.C. Check out their weekly podcasts as well.

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Thoughts on President-Elect Obama's Victory

Senator Obama's election serves as a historic moment in America's history. The significance or meaning is overstated at times, but real nonetheless. Regardless of the historic barriers of gender and race in play throughout this election season, the new president will be forced to lead immediately. A few thoughts on the new president:

...There is something unsettling about Obama's view of America. Daniel Henninger has an article on Obama's Dour Vision of America. It is remarkably disturbing that Obama views America as a nation in shambles, as opposed to a strong and freedom loving country that has done more to secure the liberty and safety of individuals all over the world than any nation in history. America has problems, but it is still the greatest country on earth. It is unfortunate that the president-elect does not recognize the good in America...

...I was originally critical of Obama's selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. As one of the most strident partisans in recent history, Emanuel seemed to fly in the face of Obama's promises of change and bipartisan cooperation. The wsj had a thoughtful editorial on why Emanuel may be a good enforcer for Obama and a necessary strength against the far left members of Congress. Time will tell for this pick...

...Obama's failure to make a commitment toward missile shields in Europe is disappointing and dangerous. In a world of abstracts and scholarly thought, Obama would be blessed with time to rethink through the issues and challenges that face NATO, Eastern Europe, and the West. In the real world, Obama's words and actions have an immediate impact. The stakes could not be higher.

Poland and other nations recently agreed to allow missile launch sites in their territory. America negotiated continuously for this outcome, only to finally reach an agreement when Russian invaded Georgia. America in exchange, is offering its protection from rogue nations such as Iran (and tacitly from Russia's increasing meddling in domestic politics in many of these nations). These nations stuck out their necks and provoked Russian anger by accepting this agreement, and now Obama is failing to support America's promise.

This lack of strength will be recognized by our allied in NATO and Eastern Europe as well as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Taiwan. All of these nations rely on America's promise of support. More importantly, Obama's waffling will be observed in Russia, China, Iran, and other dangerous corners of the world. An American President who fails to uphold the promises America has made will be quickly run over.

Russia and other threats do not respond to flowery prose and impressive public speaking. They respond to promises and the actions that back up those promises. By not supporting our NATO allies against Russian antagonism, Obama is setting a dangerous precedent that will lead to real consequences...

...Joe Biden is a gaffe prone racist. It is unlikely he will play a major role in President Obama's administration. It will be interesting to discover who is truly influential...

The Orange Way Editorial

Health Care Coverage and Freedom

Here is a recent op-ed from our friend Izzy Ortega of the Heritage Foundation ... read it here.

The Orange Way Editorial

Thoughts on Our Leaders

With this kind of leadership immediately preceding the bailout vote, it is not surprising the plan did not pass in the house. Republicans were rightfully upset... Pelosi's rant is certainly no reason for Republicans to vote for or against a vote, but it is the House leader's job to curry a majority vote. Many argue that she destroyed the bill on purpose, betting that defeat would hurt McCain more than the Democrats...

...I hear a lot of people cry that "no one knows what to do" about the current financial crisis. I always think to myself that plenty of people know what to do, it is just that they are not in Washington. Real leaders are building companies and pushing innovation out of sight of the NYT or CNN.

Most genuine leaders and intelligent individuals stay far away from the cesspool of incompetence and sleaze that comes from the political life. Real leaders are smart enough not to subject themselves to the muckraking and slander that accompanies the life of a standard politician.

...Friday night's debate reminded me why I do not believe either man is up to the job of being the President of the United States. They are both adequate in particular aspects, but neither is prepared to be an executive.

Neither man believes in an overarching Government theology and neither man has a believable policy for maintaining America's dominance. America will go to the polls in November to elect a President, but not a leader.

The Orange Way Editorial

Random thoughts for the week

Is it time to buy? That is obviously the million dollar question.

Another Democrat has to fictionalize a war story.

Does anyone think the bailout plans are good for capitalism? A few more bankrupt companies would force future businesses to operate responsibly. Bailing out every desperate company only leads to more investment risk and more abuse in the hopes of big winnings. Private profit, public risk.

Does any rational person really believe that Obama is going to be punished severely for being black? He is not winning bigger because he has no resume and has no real plan. He is running on rhetoric and the surge of not being George Bush and a Republican. It is not a bad strategy, but you certainly can't chalk up every non-supporter as a racist. Some people just do not support socialism.

It seems like everyone needs to take a deep breath and relax for a minute. The world is not ending, this is not the most historic election in history, capitalism is not ruined, and America is not dead. History provides a bit of perspective.

The Hype of the Election

Is Either Man Up for the Job?

Peggy Noonan has a great article and points out something I have been saying for a while:

"...A final point. Do you ever have the passing thought that the presidential election doesn't matter as much as we think? Whoever wins will govern within more of less the same limits, both domestically and internationally. A New York liberal leaning toward Mr. McCain told me this week he has no fear that Mr. McCain may be a more militant figure than Mr. Obama. We already have two wars, "we're out of army." Even if Mr. McCain wanted a war, he said, he couldn't start one.

I wonder if we follow the election so passionately because we're afraid. We're afraid a lot of our national problems are intractable, and the future too full of challenge.
We cannot tolerate feeling this way. So we make believe the election can change everything. And we follow it passionately to convince ourselves its outcome will be decisive and make everything better. We reassure ourselves with pictures of the cheering crowds at the rally. We even find some comfort in the latest story of the latest dirty trick. But deep inside we think: Ah, that won't work either.

Some part of me thinks we are all making believe this is a life-changing election because we know it's not a life-changing election. Ever have that thought? Me too. Then there's a rally or a scandal or a gaffe, and it passes."

The Orange Way Editorial

What Your Not Hearing

Check out this great article from our friend, Izzy Ortega, from the Heritage Foundation:

From rising gas prices and global warming to the war in Iraq and health care, the presidential hopefuls haven't hesitated to bring up many of the pressing issues facing America. And yet there is one issue that both candidates have avoided so far -- even though it could threaten... read more

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Freedom and Equality

"A society that puts equality- in the sense of equality of outcome- ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom, and the force, introduced for good purposes, will end up in the hands of people who use it to promote their own interests.

On the other hand, a society that puts freedom first will, as a happy by-product, end up with both greater freedom and greater equality."

-The great Milton Friedman

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Faith in Our Leaders

The economic pains of the last 12 months have led to unprecedented government control over America's economy. The government has continually stepped in to obstruct basic economics- by maintaining artificially low interest rates (leading to a weak dollar and exorbitant oil and food prices), by forcing the sale of one private company to another (Bear Sterns to JP Morgan), and by tacitly backing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's debt (putting taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars in debt, but nothing to gain if the debt is repaid). Such government intrusion and regulation, including a proposed plan to end energy speculation, is misguided and destructive and will certainly lead to a greater crisis in the future.

The future crisis will lead to even greater government control, as politicians enact foolish policies in a vain effort to gain power and votes, while the nation continues to pay for its naive faith in elected politicians. The words of AnyRand in Atlas Shrugged continually serve as the most prescient description of this downward spiral:

From the political leader, "...lack of faith is the only thing we got to fear! If we have faith in the plans of our leaders, why, the plans will work and we'll have prosperity and ease and plenty..."

Faith is obviously important to a healthy lifestyle, but it does not relieve us of our duty of discernment. At the end of the day, we have only ourselves to blame when we continue to cede more power to our political leaders who continually prove their incompetence.

The Orange Way Editorial

Obama Blames GOP for Osama's Escape

Obama blames the GOP for allowing Osama to remain at large. I can only assume that Obama intends to capture all terrorists before apologizing to them and then letting them go free.

On a completely unrelated note (but from the same story), how long will Obama's camp get away with this same insincere line: "I'm a little disgusted by the attempts of some of my friends on the McCain campaign to use the same old, tired tactics ... to drive a wedge between Americans for partisan advantage and to frankly frighten Americans." Obama and his advisers break out this same line of defense whenever he is criticized on any issue.

The Orange Way Editorial

Two Contenders Remain, But in Which Corner Do They Stand?

With Hillary's long awaited, and long overdue, "suspension" of her campaign, the presidential race is down to Obama and McCain. Peggy Noonan has one of the best takes on why Hillary's loss is good for the Democrats and good for America regardless of who now wins.

My initial concern with these two contenders, is that neither is a principled nor skilled leader prepared to handle the nation's domestic and international challenges. Each man obviously possesses talents and likability to some degree, but at the end of the day, my question remains the same: what are the fundamental government principles that each candidate believes and adheres to?

I'm not questioning their principles and morals in the religious or social sense; rather, I am questioning there loyalty when it comes to the basic role of the federal government. What do they stand for, believe in, and where do they turn for answers to the hard questions? Adam Smith? Locke, Hobbes, Marx, anyone?

McCain has exhibited little adherence to any political ideology throughout the past decade. He thrives on being the Republican rebel, which means he has enjoyed media acclaim because he is willing to fight the right wing. But where does that leave him when it comes to taxes? (taxation is a complex issue, but certain fundamental truths remain true throughout time.) Where does he stand on campaign finance reform? (he co-sponsored the broad, first amendment limiting, bill, but is now refusing to follow the spirit of its law.) Where does he stand on the role of a limited federal government? (he proposes ridiculous environmental cap and trade agreements which have proven to be nothing more than a dead weight on economies).

Obama is clearly presenting himself as the agent of change- but change to what? Change may or may not be good depending on what you intend on changing and what you intend on changing it in to. Beyond the basic political sales talk of world peace, more happy people, less work for everyone, what does Obama stand for at the end of the day? To a certain extent, it is clear that not even he knows what he believes on many issues.

Unlike Clinton who would simply lie through her teeth, Obama is not being insincere, he is simply ignorant on many of the important world issues. How would he handle foreign terrorist leaders and the threats they pose? Even he is not sure. How would he handle the current recession? He does not know. Not knowing all of the answers is fine for the average American, or maybe even for a young Senator, but he is asking to become the single most important leader in all of the world. Nonetheless, he is already planning out his second term in office.

Each man clearly wants to become president, but why? With a lack of fundamental government principles, it appears more and more that these men want to become president for the sake of becoming president.

What this country needs is an individual who wants to become president not for personal status, but for the sake of adherence to limiting government intrusion, maximizing personal liberties, limiting taxation, limiting regulation, fostering a pro-business environment, inspiring opportunities for technology and invention, requiring personal responsibility, protecting the first amendment and religious freedom, preparing and maintaining the best military in the world, and simply staying out of the way of this nation's people.

Where do McCain and Obama stand?

The Orange Way Editorial

Message of Hope?

It looks like Obama's hope is through 2016.

The Orange Way Editorial

Measuring Inflation

When reviewing the recent GDP numbers, it is important to consider how inflation is measured. Check out this chart:

Democrats Propose New Tax Hike

The Democrat tax hike on millionaires may be somewhat misleading ... According to the AP story, the millionaire threshold level is for married couples, meaning the tax kicks in for individuals earning $500,000.

My favorite quote from the story:

"What we're talking about is a one-half percent income tax surcharge on
incomes above $1 million," said Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., a leader of the Blue
Dog group. "So someone who earns $2 million a year would pay $5,000.
... They're not going to miss it."

In reality anyone is going to miss $5,000 from their income and it is amazingly presumptive of Rep Ross to assume otherwise without facts, figures, or even anecdotal evidence. More importantly, a taxpayer with $2 million a year income currently pays about $678,000 in federal income tax (not to mention sales taxes, property taxes, potential AMT). Another $5000 out the window to the Federal Government is a significant added burden that should not be thrown around lightly by the Democrats.

The Democrats seem a little too eager to volunteer other people's money.

Racist America?

Does anyone else find this story hard to believe? It seems Obama has a lot to gain by portraying the racist reception his staffers have received.