Blizzards vs. Hurricanes

I received another of those wonderful chain e-mails. You know the type, the ones that get forwarded from person to person ... and that usually turn out to be bunk. But this one, I thought, deserved some consideration. Here it is:

For those of you who are not aware, North Dakota and southwestern Montana got hit with their first blizzard of the season a couple of weeks ago.

This text is from a County Emergency Manager out in the western part of North Dakota after the storm. Amusing, if it were not so true........

WEATHER BULLETIN: Up here in the Northern Plains we just recovered from an Historic event --- May I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions"? --- With a historic blizzard of up to 24" inches of snow and winds to 50 MPH that broke trees in half, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed all roads, isolated scores of communities, and cut power to tens of thousands.

President George Bush did not come.
President George Bush was not expected to come...
President George Bush did not cause the storm...
Global warming did not cause the storm...
FEMA staged nothing...
No one howled for the government to do something...
No one even uttered an expletive on TV...
Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards...
No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House...
No one looted...
Phil Cantori of the Weather Channel did not come...
And Geraldo Rivera did not move in to be on camera.

Nope, we just melted snow for water, sent out caravans to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars and trucks, checked on our neighbors, fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Aladdin lamps, and put on an extra layer of clothes because up here it is take care of yourself and others and work or die.

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trade votes for 'sit at home' checks. Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early, we know it can happen and we know how to deal with it ourselves.

"In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 45.25 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the world's social problems evaporate."

Now, I did some checking on snopes.com and, lo and behold, there is a posting on this particular e-mail. So, while FEMA assistance was requested and the National Guard was called out to assist, there are still some striking contrasts to make with Hurricane Katrina and, especially, what went on in New Orleans.

1. People Were Prepared
Snow Storms don't usually provide the same amount of warning as Hurricanes. The folks in New Orleans knew that Katrina was coming for about a week. While the folks in North Dakota get snow storms all the time, they don't usually get them in early October. Yet, for the most part, they were prepared. When you live in an area that routinely gets hit by severe weather, you should be prepared.

2. Whining Politicians
Did you hear of any Governor, Senator, or Congressman of any of the affected blizzard States whining on the news about the federal government not doing enough? I don't recall it happening, at least not to the level of the New Orleans and Louisiana authorities. Not only were the people prepared in the upper mid-west, but the politicians were, too.

3. Pandering Federal Authorities
There also didn't seem to be any pandering to the victims of the blizzard in the form of hotel rooms, debit cards, or evacuation assistance. Why? My theory is that there aren't many poor Black people in North or South Dakota, Montana, or Wyoming. According to the Census Bureau, the four states have Black populations of 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.3%, and 0.8%, respectively, of their States' population. That's the TOTAL Black population. These States are primarily populated by White people (90.6, 92.4, 88.7, and 92.6 percents, respectively) ... so, who cares? Bottom line, there's no demographic to pander to. These States are also solid RED States. While Louisiana was also a red state in 2004, it has a Democratic Governor and Democratic officials in New Orleans.

So, what, if any, conclusions can we draw from this? Are White people more self-sufficient that Black people? Is Snow easier to deal with than Water? Do Democrats expect more from the federal government than Republicans? Maybe Blacks can't swim as well as Whites can shovel snow? Perhaps folks in warmer regions are lazier than folks in cold regions?

Regardless of what you think, the lesson to be learned from this is that the federal government should not be the FIRST entity one turns to in an emergency. That's what the local and State officials are for. Take a look at Governor John Hoeven's (ND) letter to President Bush. It's dated October 31st and the storms occurred on October 4-6. That's 3 and 1/2 weeks! What's even more impressive is the list of actions that had already been taken by the State and local authorities. Maybe the folks in Louisiana should travel up North to find out how one's supposed to respond to an emergency.

Congressional Term Limits

Thomas Sowell has a wonderful, as always, column on Town Hall today called Cheap Politicians. In his column, he makes the case for limits on Congressional terms, citing, primarily, the fact that all these professional politicians care about is getting re-elected and that they do so by doling out federal dollars to their constituents. He also proposes that we pay each member of Congress a million dollar salary. Why? To attract those who otherwise do not consider the job: " ... the most highly skilled or intelligent people in the country, people with real-world experience ... " While Dr. Sowell makes a number of excellent points, I don't agree with his conclusion - putting limits on congressional terms. I would offer a few solutions of my own:

1. Return Congressional Representation to a Part-time Job
It was never the intention of the founding fathers to have a permanent class of professional politicians. Being a Senator or a Congressman was supposed to be a part-time job. Because of this, only those who were sufficiently wealth and successful were able to take time away from their regular jobs. After all, initial pay was on a per-diem basis. Once being a member of Congress came with a full-time pay check, it could become a full-time job. My solution, cut back the time that Congress is allowed to be in session. All of the States, with a couple of exceptions - California being one, have part-time legislatures. In Virginia, where I live, the House of Delegates and Senate are only in session for 2 months of the year. I see no reason why our national representatives need to be in Washington for more than three months of the year. This limited time at the seat of power would restrict their activities to only those things that are essential.

2. Repeal McCain-Feingold (MF) & All Other Limits on Political Contributions
The hideous MF bill, and all other restrictions on political free speech, need to be repealed. Allowing any individual or group to spend as much as they like on political campaigns would, I believe, make things much clearer to the American public. The only requirement I would place on this is that each candidate must disclose ALL sources of their funds and post this on a public website for all to view. This would allow each voter to determine where the interests of the candidates in their district truly lie.

3. Eliminate Congressional Pensions
Congressmen and Senators have a VERY nice pension plan ... one that gives them more money the longer they serve. Eliminating this pension plan would not only save money but also minimize the incentive to serve long terms.

4. Repeal the 17th Amendment to the Constitution
When this amendment was passed in 1913, it was done, I believe, in the spirit of democracy. Why shouldn't the people decide who their Senator's should be? Well, there's actually a very good reason why Senators were originally selected by the State legislatures ... they were suppose to represent the interests of their States, not the "people" (that was the purpose of the House of Representatives). This was to ensure that the States' had their own representatives at the federal level, ensuring that the rights of the States were not violated or subsumed by the federal authority.

5. Repeal House & Senate Rules on Outside Employment
Currently, members of Congress are prohibited from having another job ... even if it doesn't pay anything or it just covers expenses. Obviously, if Congress becomes a part-time job, these rules would have to go.

I believe that enacting these five items would:

(1) Limit the power and influence (e.g., ability to buy votes) of Congress.
(2) Encourage the Best and Brightest Individuals to Serve.
(3) Enable the voters to be better informed.
(4) Reduce the size and scope of government by giving the States more influence.
(5) Result in Congressmen serving shorter terms.

Plus, why should the people be restrained from electing whomever they feel is best fit for Congress? If someone's doing a great job, why should they be prevented from serving? If someone's doing a poor job, and the people continue to elect them, hey, that's their problem. If they want lousy representation, who are we to deny it to them?

Christmas Books Worth Reading

Whenever anyone has trouble figuring out what to get me for Christmas or my Birthday or Father's Day, I always send them to my Wish List at Amazon.com. I love books! Actually, I love history and the best way I know to learn about it is to read it. In any case, because of this I always get an interesting array of reading material at Christmas and I wanted to share my stash with you.


Team of Rivals : The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
This recent publication has been on my list since I first heard about it. Many of you will remember the author, Doris Kearns Goodwin, for her appearances on Ken Burns' "The Civil War" and "Baseball" series.




Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
I don't know about you, but I find this guy fascinating. Independently wealthy by the time he was about 35, he spent the rest of his life doing what he wanted to do ... and we're all the better for it.



The Fair Tax Book
Talkshow Host Neal Boortz (who I've been listening to for years) and Congressman John Linder (R, GA) make the case for scrapping the IRS, all Income Taxes (corporate and personal), all Employment Taxes (social security, medicare), and replacing it with a National Retail Sales Tax. Wouldn't it be great to get your full paycheck and never, ever, have to fill out a Form 1040?


Atlas Shrugged
I've been meaning to read this for years. I'm already on page 710 ... okay, it was a pre-Christmas present. Neal Boortz said it would make most people very upset to read this ... I just want to reach into the pages and slap some of these folks upside the head.


1776
Like most of McCullough's other historical works (John Adams, Truman, Path Between the Seas) 1776 once again is history made interesting. While most of us are familiar with the events of 1776, I'm not sure many of us realize how close we came to losing our new-found independence. Thank God for George Washington!

Building Republics

The speed with which Iraqi society has changed from a despotic dictatorship to a popularly-elected parliament is breath-taking. It's taken just three years. Here, in the United States, it took nearly thirteen years (July 4,1776 to April 30, 1789) for us to establish our current form of government. While I agree with the President's statements that the best way to curb and, eventually, end terrorism in the Middle East is by introducing freedom, I do take exception with his claim that we are building a "Democracy." Hell, we're not even a democracy ... while would we offer to build one for anyone else?

"I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America. And to the REPUBLIC, for which it stands, one nation ..."

Anybody recognize this ... class? Anyone? Notice it doesn't say "And to the DEMOCRACY, for which it stands ..." The United States is not a Democracy, nor has it ever been one. The founders specifically avoided a government ruled by the majority at the expense of the minority and the individual. The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, provide a detailed analysis of the Constitution and clearly explain how and why the founders arrived at our form of government. And, as Texas Congressman Ron Paul points out, there are many undemocratic mechanisms in our Constitution: the Electoral College, and the Bill of Rights being two prime examples.

What we really have in the US, and are fostering for the world at large, is a Democratic Republic, i.e., a representative form of government where the representatives are elected by a majority of the voters within their districts. True Democracy and true Republicanism are very different forms of government, indeed.

Much like the word "inflammable" - which actually means that something will burn/explode if a match is present - has been modified to "flammable", the phrase "democratic republic" has been, unfortunately, shortened to "democracy." Except for those who are great advocates of Communism, I can't imagine any individual sacrificing their right to free speech, freedom of religion, private property, or any other individual right simply because the majority thinks they should. So, let's be clear, Mr. President, we're trying to build Republics, not Democracies.

Where Have You Gone George Washington?

Today marks the 206th Anniversary of the passing of our first President, George Washington. After spending most of the morning and early afternoon riding through snow and sleet on his daily rounds of his 8000 acre Mount Vernon plantation, George neglected to change his clothes before sitting down to dinner with his family. Within 48 hours he was dead, at the age of 67, from a throat infection that caused asphyxiation.

I had the privilege of touring the Audley Estate in Clarke County, VA this past weekend as part of an annual holiday house tour. George's adopted daughter (Martha's granddaughter), Nelly Custis, spent the last 13 years of her life here in the home of her son. The structure is rather unassuming - a one-story, painted brick, H-shaped country house. Upon entering, however, you find yourself in a rather large (at least 45' x 20') reception hall with very high ceilings (~15') and the type of intricate woodwork one would expect from a late 18th century plantation home.

To those not familiar with the Northern Shenandoah Valley, the impact of George Washington and his family on the area is quite striking. George got his start in the Virginia militia in Winchester. His first cousin, Warner, lived nearby on a plantation called Fairfield. George's surveying trips in the late 1740s and his eventual purchase of over 2000 acres of his own in what is now Jefferson County, WV no doubt was influential in his half-brother Lawrence's purchase of a large amount of nearby acreage. When Lawrence died in 1752, he willed much of this acreage to his three half-brothers (George's full-brothers): Samuel, John, and Charles. Charles relocated his family to an estate he named Happy Retreat and, on the remaining acreage, developed the site of what is now Charles Town, WV. Samuel built an estate he named Harewood where he, and his succession of wives - five in all, raised a large family. John never relocated to the Valley as his wife inherited substantial property in Westmoreland County. Two of John's grandsons, however, did come west. John Augustine Washington II, who eventually inherited Mount Vernon, built Blakeley and right across the street his brother, Bushrod Corbin Washington, built Claymont Court. Another Washington descendant, Lewis William Washington, was taken hostage by John Brown during his raid on Harpers Ferry. Lewis William's parents were both Washingtons. His father was a descendant of George's half-brother, Augustine, while his mother was the granddaughter of George's full-brother, John.

And don't think it was just George's brothers. His sister, Betty, married Fielding Lewis and lived at Kenmore in Fredericksburg. Betty's son, Lawrence, was the one who married Martha's granddaughter, Nelly Custis. After getting married at Mount Vernon on George's last birthday, they inherited part of the Mount Vernon estate after George's death and built their home, Woodlawn, nearby. Their son, Lorenzo, eventually moved out to Audley to manage the estate and it is here his mother, Nelly, came to live after her husband's death in 1839.

For a fabulous summary of the Washingtons and all of their homes in the Valley, John Wayland's 1944 book, The Washingtons and Their Homes, is invaluable. For more information on historic sites in Clarke County, VA and Jefferson County, WV, visit the Potomac Pedaler Touring Club historic site page.

Things I Hate About Democrats

1. They Spend Like Democrats
Need I say more?

2. Abortion vs. The Death Penalty
I'm a proponent of limited abortion (which I'll get into at some future time) and a strong advocate for the death penalty. What I have a hard time understanding is how one can be for unlimited access to abortion (i.e., killing an innocent life) and against the death penalty (i.e., the death of an individual found guilty of murder or some other such heinous crime). It just seems to be a paradox. Sometimes I'm not sure how they can keep a straight face.

3. Wimpy on Defense
Most of today's leading Democrats were hippies in the 60s. The anti-Vietnam-syndrome is alive and well. What happened to the Democrats of World War II? With the exception of Joe Liebermann (who I like) and Zell Miller (who I really like), the Dems are the party of appeasement. And don't get me started on John Kerry ... here's a guy who spent all of THREE MONTHS in a combat zone and thinks that makes him an expert on the military. Please!

4. Socialized Medicine
If I wanted socialized medicine, I'd move to Canada. There is no reason the federal government should tell me what Doctor I can see, what tests or procedures the Doctor can perform, or what that Doctor should be allowed to charge. And, there's no reason I should be forced to pay for the medical care of someone who has decided they don't want to take responsibility for their own health care. For those in dire need ... see my posting on Private Charity.

5. Economic Imbeciles
Three times in the last 40 years income tax rates have been drastically reduced ('64, '86, '01). Each time the result was a net INCREASE in revenue to the federal government. Democrats are so obsessed with class warfare (i.e., tax cuts for the RICH!) that they can't see the beneficial results of a policy they despise - more money to spend on social welfare programs. In addition, they advocate price controls everytime a disaster strikes (Oh my God! Price Gouging!) when the only thing that has ever resulted from price controls are supply shortages (I remember waiting in gas lines with my Mom in the '70s) and poor quality services (can you say, "Subsidized Housing?"). When are they guys going to get a clue.

6. Do As I Say, Not As I Do
I just love it when Democrats tell us to do one thing and do the exact opposite. John Kerry said we should all drive hybrids ... yet his "family" owns a number of SUVs (have he and John Edwards bought their Escape hybrids yet?). Michael Moore spouts off about how bad Halliburton is ... yet he has owned hundreds of shares of it's stock. While Republicans are not exempt from this type of syndrome, when they go against their core beliefs, it makes them look foolish or harms them individually. When Dems go against their dogma, it usually tends to improve their lives ... which makes you wonder how good the dogma is in the first place. For an interesting read, check out - Do As I Say (Not As I Do) : Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy.

Things I Hate About Republicans

1. They Spend Like Democrats
Since the GOP have controlled the Presidency and Congress, spending is totally out of control. Major increases for the Department of Education (which the GOP said they wanted to eliminate in the 1990s), a huge Medicare prescription drug plan (who says it's the government's responsibility to provide for your health care?), the sometimes unbridled throwing of money at victims of natural and other disasters, and the tremendous pork incorporated into the recent Transportation bill are just a few examples. What has happened to their goal of a smaller, less costly federal government? Forget about it!

2. Illegal Immigration
With both parties' pandering to the Hispanic vote, nothing of any substance has yet been done regarding illegal immigration. Hell, all I'm asking is that they enforce the laws that are currently on the books! Is that too much to ask?

3. Social Security
Whatever happened to President Bush's proposal to privatize social security? It was shot down by a lack of support in his own party! Not only is social security a horrible investment (less than 2% annual return), there are no guarantees that you'll ever see a dime in benefits, and it is unfairly discriminatory against men (lower life expectancies) and minorities (especially Blacks). My individual IRA and 401(K) plans are growing at 10 to 15% a year ... if I could take 1/2 of what I pay into social security and put it into these other plans, I would realize 5 to 7 times more growth than social security.

4. Forced Patriotism
Flag burning, the Pledge of Allegiance, if "you're against our goals in Iraq you're against our troops" (no federal Republican officeholder, to my knowledge, has ever actually questioned a Democrat's patriotism ... the Dems are just a little paranoid) rhetoric needs to go. If folks want to burn flags ... do we really care? If folks don't want to say the Pledge of Allegiance ... again, who cares? Can folks support our troops but not the mission in Iraq? Sure they can.

5. Religion in Government/Schools
The fact that President Bush occasionally makes reference to his religious beliefs or God, in general, doesn't really bother me. In fact, I'm somewhat relieved when I hear a politician say he believes that there is some force in the world more powerful than him/herself. What I'm fed up with is this idea that we must have prayer in school or the ten commandments in court houses or religious programs in schools. While the constitution doesn't really address any of these issues (it says "... Congress shall pass no law ..."), there are so many more important issues that government ought to be involved in and we're just wasting time and money pushing or fighting (depending upon your outlook) one moralistic view or another. For example, schools should be educating children ... if the kids want to pray on their own, who cares? But we should not take time away from what is already inadequate instruction time to spend it on "holiday" programs. The kids should be in class, not in the auditorium. If they want "holiday" programs, they should have them after school or on the weekends ... not during the school day.

6. They're Too Nice
When the Democrats are in power, they don't give a rat's ass about cooperating with the GOP. When the GOP are in power, they pander to the opposition (i.e., Trent Lott, No Child Left Behind, Supreme Court nominations, Medicare, etc., etc.). When you've got power you've got to do the things you said you were going to do if you got power ... otherwise, you won't be in power much longer.

Happy Holidays!

I claim to be a Christian ... so I celebrate Christmas. If I know for a fact that someone else is a Christian, this is the time of year I'd give them a "Have a Merry Christmas!" send off. If I know they're Jewish, I'll give them a "Happy Hanukkah!" If I'm not sure, I'll say "Have a Happy Holiday!" There's been a big deal lately over some retailers' use of the term "Holiday Trees" or some other such non-denominational (some would say politically correct) terms. Is it really that big a deal?

Let's see ... from mid-December to early-January there are two religious holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah), a celebration of heritage (Kwanzaa), and New Year's Day. Most people observe at least two of these ... and some all four. The word "Holiday" comes from the phrase "Holy Day." So, is saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" such a big deal? The first is a general greeting of the season and the latter is just a little more specific. I guess the term "Holiday Tree" does sort of bother me ... after all, none of these other celebrations have a decorated conifer as an accepted symbol.

What bothers me even more than this silly Christmas-Holiday complaining is the extent to which the season as a whole has been so commercially promoted. Yes, exchanging gifts is wonderful ... but do we have to see Christmas displays in stores before Thanksgiving (in some places before Halloween)? Really! I guess if nothing else, one can get away from the hustle and bustle of the season by doing all of their shopping online. This way, one can have a little peace and quiet to reflect on just what is being celebrated and what it means to each of us, individually.

So, from my perspective, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!