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We the People - January 15, 2008

 The Preamble to our Constitution begins with three simple words, four syllables, two pronouns and an article:

"We the people"

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other “rebels” risked life and limb to secure the blessing of freedom we call liberty.  Under cover of darkness, Thomas Paine's Crisis Papers were pressed, one sheet at a time.  Our progenitors began with a simple idea, a government for the people by the people.

These great men began the grandest experiment known to man, Democracy.  Over two hundred years after the first shots were fired in the Revolutionary War, we have become apathetic and disengaged.  We go about our daily lives; unconcerned and uninvolved in the political change that constantly re-shapes our lives.  Americans now fill their role in the experiment as test subjects rather than researchers. 

Yesterday, at noon, the skies over Baton Rouge became a somewhat brighter.  Our new Gov. Bobby Jindal took the oath of office.  Before he was able to utter the words, “I do solemnly swear”, the political pundits were making predictions as to the success or failure of his ethics reform package.  The all-knowing media personalities debated how a Republican Governor would work with a Democratic House and Senate.  Despite years of experience, the most crucial aspect of the equation was forgotten:

"We the people"

Corruption is seen as a part of Government in Louisiana.  It is a sport.  Citizens swerve around deception like a pothole on the I-10 and just keep going.  While I have great faith in Bobby Jindal, he cannot do it alone.

I graduated from LSU recently.  Over three quarters of my classmates were native born Louisianans.  Few from my graduating class still reside in the state.  As politicians divert public funds to pet projects and brother-in-law deals, the infrastructure and the citizenry suffer.  Corruption and waste in our state government deters businesses from locating in Louisiana.  Our young people are moving on to greener pastures.  They left to escape the tax burden and to provide a decent education for their children.  They left to escape the traffic and cratered roadways.  We are losing our best and brightest to neighboring states. 

We have two options, Louisiana:

  Either we can sit idle or we can stand-up and demand change.  We can call our State Representatives and let them know the status quo is not good enough.  Tell your elected officials that you have had enough. 

I have had enough.

Maybe you haven't?  We, the people, could control this country.  We have the power to make as we see fit.  Until we become an active citizenry, the politicians have no incentive to change.  We are fundamental part of the equation.  The relationship is linear.  The less you pay attention to the problem, the worse it becomes. 

It is time that we, the people, restored order and honesty to our system.  Few Americans bother to vote three or four times a year.  Even fewer care to see what their local municipalities and State offices are doing with their money.  We are the ultimate check in the series of checks and balances.  When we stop checking, the whole system becomes imbalanced. 

Take a moment to save the numbers of your state and federal representatives in your cell phone.  When you find yourself at a dead stop on the I-12 or waiting for you little one to finish up at soccer practice, pick up your phone and call.  When you see your elected official misbehaves, remind them you are watching.  Tell them to support ethics reform or be prepared to go job-hunting next election cycle. 

But no one listens to me                                                              -Patriotic Progeny

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I hear no fat lady singing - January 11, 2008

In less than a month, the great state of Louisiana is going to vote in our Presidential Primary.  Louisiana is a closed primary system and I am a registered Republican.  For this reason, we will restrict the conversation of presidential candidates to the Republican ticket.  I do not share the policy platforms of the Democratic Party and do not feel qualified or motivated to chose their Presidential candidate. The Republican Presidential field is wide open.  The news coverage of this election cycle has been quite depressing.  Political pundits predict incorrect outcomes from poor polling data.  The media focuses on sound bites and focus groups, leaving issues and debate to the bloggers and talk radio personalities.  The raw data on both sides of the aisles is, to say the least, inconclusive.  Less than three percent of the national delegates have been committed to a candidate. 

Primary election voters have assigned 70 of 2,830 delegates to the Republican National Convention. If you were to turn on the television to any twenty-four hour electoral circuses, one would assume there are four candidates for the Republican Presidential Nominee (Romney, McCain, Giuliani and Huckabee.  I am a Fred Thompson supporter and a statistics watcher.  I watch polling data and debates religiously.  I research election rules and study past elections results, turnouts and demographics.  I follow the money trail each candidate files with the Federal Elections Commission quarterly.

I would like to dispel some myths about the candidates and assessments for the outcome of the race.  It is not logically, statistically or remotely possible to predict the outcome of this election at this point.  All of the major indicators (money, percentage of the vote, state primary winners or the infamous opinion polls) disagree on the outcome of the election.  However, the television analysts are picking new horses despite the misleading exit polling data gathered in New Hampshire Democratic primary.  Mitt Romney has 30 Convention Delegates assigned to him.  These 30 delegates account for a whopping 42% of the 70 assigned delegates or 1%of the total vote.  Romney has brought home two silver and a bronze, but not yet a gold. 

Romney is winning the race for delegates, but Giuliani is winning the race for cash.  The Giuliani campaign has $16,649,826 on hand, but only one National Convention delegate.  The Romney campaign has $9,216,517 is available funds.  Ron Paul fanatics have supposedly revolutionized the internet campaign fund-raising.  Ron Paul only has $5,443,667 cold, hard cash.  I must commend Ron Paul for being the only candidate who has raised all of his money from individual contributors.  Fred Thompson has more money and three times the delegates Ron Paul does.  McCain won New Hampshire, but only has 14% of the delegates.  McCain's campaign is also running low on funding.  Huckabee won Iowa and has gained 30% of the delegates.   His coffers are quite bare as well.  (The Center for Responsible Politics has a wonderful campaign finance comparison).

The Real Clear Politics assemblies the average of all the national pools and currently has McCain on top (Huckabee, Giuliani and Romney have been favored in the last 30 days).  The race is up in the air.  Thompson, McCain, Giuliani, Romney and Huckabee all have a chance.  Ron Paul, Alan Keyes and Duncan Hunter could still show well.  Take a minute and read about the candidates.  This election is about what is best for this country; it cannot be reduced to a pithy sound bite.  This race is not over.  Your candidate and my candidate still have a chance.  Get involved.  Declaring any candidate out of the race today is comparable to declaring Ohio State the National BCS Champion based on the score at the end of the first possession.  We know how that turned out. 

But no one listens to me                                                              -Patriotic Progeny

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Thermostat - January 10, 2008

My husband and I disagree on very few things, or nothing we care to argue.  Invariably, we disagree on what temperature the house, car and hotel room should be.  He prefers ice cycles hanging from the ceiling fan and I do not own a snowsuit.  Now imagine if a committee of people had to decide what temperature the house should be.  My office cannot agree on a temperature.  Most of the women keep a sweater at their desk.  At least three times a week, I find myself discussing whether we should turn on the heater.  If you do not like the weather in south Louisiana just wait.  Within an hour and it will change.  Last week I was protecting my plants from frost.  Two days ago, it was in the 80's.  This weekend we are expecting another cold front.  Every day, I negotiate the thermostat with those I share space.  Thankfully, the government does not control the thermostat.  Government could bring a new level of efficiency, equity and customer service to the energy industry.

California is truly the cereal state.  The California Energy Commission has proposed the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (see page 70), which mandates the installation of a Programmable Communicating Thermostat (PCT) connected to the Energy Management Control System (EMCS) via radio waves in all public buildings, commercial establishments and residences.  The EMCS adjusts the thermostats in all dwellings connected to the system in the event of an energy emergency.  The California Energy Commission (CEC) will have the ability to adjust the thermostat in all newly constructed buildings.  On January 30, 2008, the commission will consider adopting this policy.  California's energy infrastructure is incapable of supporting the citizens of that region during the summer heat waves.  The CEC proposes to solve the energy crisis by limiting the consumption of energy, without making significant efforts to increase the supply of energy. 

Like the baking soda, your thermostat is the victim of another government policy of quick and easy solutions.  Governor Schwarzenegger's energy policy is one of the most liberal in the nation.  The energy policies focus on reducing demand instead of increasing supply.  The supply divides further as the population increases.  Gov Schwarzenegger continually proposes large government solutions to economic problems.  California generally prefers to allow a compassionate government to consider the needs of the many in spite of sacrifices made by the individual.  The North County Times reviewed the proposed energy plan positively.  A true conservative leader would encourage market growth in the sector to provide more options to the consumer to solve their personal energy needs.  For a little balance, the “evil corporations” developed the PCT technology years ago to expedite payment.

America is facing a growing energy crisis.  Limiting energy consumption will only postpone the impending energy emergency.  Energy is one of the most regulated and taxed industries in the United States.  Ironically, it is also one of the most subsidized.  The Federal Government pays a subsidy of over fifty cent a gallon to ethanol producers.  While the government is paying ethanol producers, oil companies pay fines for exceeding the government imposed price caps during the 1970's and 1980's.  The Federal Government knows far more than you or I.  With this infinite wisdom, our bureaucratic machine is uses the oil companies fines to provide power to low income households.  The concept is difficult to grasp.  The government provides financial assistance to families unable to purchase power, because the inadequate supply has driven up cost.  The petroleum industry is forced to raise prices in order to pay for the fines.  More families are then in need of energy assistance. 

While Big Oil is busy helping those who are down on their luck, the ethanol and alternative energy industries are booming.  Bio-fuels, (with the possible exception being cellulosic ethanol) are not the long-term solutions to our energy crisis.  It is not wise to burn your food.  If large portions of our agriculture capacity are devoted to energy production, food prices will increase.  More families will then require government assistance for food.  If one were to follow the thermostat, the Federal Government should then ration food to the citizenry by means of satellite controlled Emergency Food Monitors in the esophagus at birth (or when any major medical repairs are made).  It would seem far more logical to grow more food.  The fines collected from the oil companies and ethanol subsidies could build several nuclear power plants around the nation.  Nuclear power plants produce more energy than any ethanol facility and leave all the corn Kansas in the fields for eating.  Upon commissioning, nuclear power plants will generate enough revenue from power sales to subsist without government intervention; I can go back to arguing about the thermostat with my husband.

But no one listens to me                                                              -Patriotic Progeny

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There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust. 

~Demosthenes

 

It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting. 

~Tom Stoppard, Jumpers

It might be more worthwhile if we stopped wringing our hands and started ringing our congressmen. 

~Author Unknown

If people behaved like governments, you'd call the cops. 

~Kelvin Throop
 

We live in a world in which politics has replaced philosophy. 

~Martin L. Gross

Julie's Wedding