LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 2, 2005
HOUSE IN RECESS / SENATE IN RECESS (Returns next week)
THE PERFECT STORM
NEW ORLEANS
Hurricane Katrina is not to blame for the destruction of New Orleans and the thousands of deaths on the Gulf Coast. The real culprit is the large economic vise that for the past three decades has squeezed and destroyed the infrastructure of the United States. The left hand side of the vise is Democrat social spending, and the right hand side of the vise is Republican tax cuts. In the middle of that tightening vise are the dams, roads, bridges, causeways, levees and sewer systems of our nation. Nothing is exempt from the continuing squeeze -- not even the 30 year old Space Shuttles that were once the pinnacle of our engineering ability and are now an international embarrassment.
When President Lyndon Baines Johnson began his "war on poverty," the largest expenditure of the federal budget was for defense. At that time, America had the ability to place more than a million men in the field and to fight a two front war. We had hundreds of thousands of troops defending Europe at the same time we fought the war in Viet Nam. After thirty years of increased social spending to end poverty, ever greater numbers of our citizens receive "assistance" and we cannot even fight a small war in Iraq without calling up National Guard troops. Today, Defense spending is far less than by Health and Human Services. (Social Security and Medicare are not even calculated as part of the federal budget.)
For the last four years the massive Transportation Bill that would have fixed and widened much of our Interstate system was held up by a threatened veto from the White House even though the funds were available in a trust funded by a tax on gasoline. Even the cut down version was criticized by the anti-tax wing of the Republican party. The Democrats are not any better; they want to use the funds for even more social spending, instead of on infrastructure. It seems the Democrats want to pay for every kid in America to attend Harvard, even if there would be no road to drive there on. Most people tried to escape New Orleans on Interstates 10 and 55. Both of these roads were obsolete and have been too small for normal traffic in that area for at least the last decade. As people drowned in the rising water, the Democratic Mayor of New Orleans seemed more interested in how welfare checks would be delivered than in the total lack of police equipment. The cops did not even have a backup system for their radios.
New Orleans, although lying below sea level , had no master evacuation plan in place. There were no backup communications systems for the police or fire departments and the city owned no emergency inflatable rafts other than for river use. New Orleans is perhaps the second most corrupt city in the United States. Cash is regularly handed out for votes, and the welfare system is one of the most abused in the nation. At first the police were ordered to ignore looters and help those stranded, and then ordered to shoot looters and ignore those stranded. The only static command seems to be confusion.
What destroyed New Orleans? The Democrats didn't want new roads, levees or well equipped emergency workers -- they wanted large welfare checks to buy votes. Republicans didn't want new roads, levees or well equipped emergency workers -- they wanted tax cuts to buy votes.
Over the last decade as Republicans have taken over control from the Democrats in most states and at the federal level, they have indeed cut taxes, but they did not reduce the social spending the Democrats had put in place. The old Democrat motto of 'tax and spend' was replaced by a new Republican motto of 'borrow and spend.' Anti tax gurus in Washington tell states to sell bonds if they need money. Let's make one thing clear: a twenty or thirty year city or state issued bond is nothing more than a tax on our children and grandchildren. Bond money is not magic, it has to be paid back with interest.
Meanwhile there is plenty of oil but no gasoline. Environmental regulations and ridiculous "special blend" gasoline for certain cities have forced refineries to close. Since many of the remaining refineries are on the Gulf Coast and were damaged by Katrina, gas prices will soar. Before Katrina the nation was already importing refined gasoline because we do not have the ability to refine what we use in this nation. Again, our infrastructure is collapsing under the strain of economic downturn.
Make no mistake, we are a nation in economic downturn. We do not have the ability to replace the aging Space Shuttle program any more than we have the ability to fix the hopelessly outdated Interstate highway system. The money is not there to fix hundreds of dangerous dams and dikes in this nation (but we do have the money for medical care for millions of illegal aliens and the funds to educate their children).
Meanwhile the social spending just continues to climb. Next year the federal government will begin paying for prescription drugs for Medicare. This expanded program will cause shortages of drugs and huge price increases. These increases will move the cost of health insurance to an unaffordable level for many more of our citizens. Any time the government tosses money at products, those products become scarce and prices increase. The more government social spending, the higher the prices. That is how the markets work!
What is the solution: first, let families take care of their own kids. The reason most kids get a free lunch at school is because the parents want to use the money for something else. We need to force families to take care of their kids rather than the government. If dad isn't feeding the kids, then toss him in jail. Families must take on the responsibility for their aging loved ones as has been the tradition of humanity for thousands of years. The government should not be the only source of income and care for the elderly. And finally, the governments of this nation must stop borrowing money to give away to people to buy potato chips at the 7-11 stores. People who really need government aid should be forced to buy flour, vegetables and meat, not junk food at a convenience store.
The nation needs to begin to invest in its future again. The future is commerce and there is no commerce without adequate roads, secure ports, navigable rivers, railroads with good track and airports with enough runways. Further, we need a real Army so our citizen soldiers in the National Guard are home to take care of disasters such as the storm which destroyed New Orleans. The National Guard belongs at home, not in Iraq.
THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS
RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND ROBERTS
There is a small band of Christian Right leaders who are fighting against the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts. Next week they will be out in force on the street interfering with those social conservatives who support Roberts. On Thursday of this week the National Pro-Life Action Center ran a full page ad in the Washington Times demanding that Roberts answer five questions to gain their support. If Roberts publicly answers the questions of this group he will be forced to recuse himself from all cases coming to the Supreme Court that have to do with abortion and perhaps cloning. If Roberts is ever going to cast a pro-life vote on the Court, he does not dare say so now. Apparently there are some in the social conservative movement who would rather have him speak up now and be worthless on the bench. Frankly, I don't understand that logic.
As a non-profit organization the Religious Freedom Coalition cannot work directly with political leaders to assist the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts; however, the Religious Freedom Action Coalition (RFAC) can, because as a 501c4 organization it has a different tax status. Because of this the RFAC is one of the key groups with offices in Washington, DC that is working to confirm John Roberts. Next week I will be working to confirm Roberts, within the parameters allowed by the Religious Freedom Action Coalition. (RFAC) .
By the end of next week our Executive Director, Peggy Birchfield, and myself should be able to give you a full report on the status of Roberts and a date for an expected vote.
CONGRESS RETURNS FOR ONE DAY
The Senate returned to Washington Thursday to vote for emergency relief for New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf area struck by Katrina. The House will meet today to finalize the amount of funds to be allotted. The House and Senate will adjourn again and return on Tuesday for the hearings on Judge John G. Roberts.
INTERNATIONAL
A MUST READ BOOK ON ISLAM
Last week I featured Robert Spencer's new book Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam. This week the Washington Times ran a page 2 feature interview with Robert Spencer about his new book. ( Click here for interview.) This is a great, must read book on Islam and the Crusades. It is very clear and to the point on the differences between Islam, Christianity, and how they view democracy. Robert Spencer refutes popular myths and reveals facts that you won't be taught in school and will never hear on the evening news. He supplies a revealing list of "Books You Must Not Read" (as far as the PC left is concerned), and takes you on a fast-paced politically incorrect tour of Islamic teaching and Crusades history that will give you all the information you need to understand the true nature of the global conflict America faces today. Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, which retails for $19.95 is available for just $15.74 at our Christian bookstore . We make a small commission if you buy the book from us rather than at a discount retailer. ( Click here for our store) NOTE: Unlike big discount retailers, our Christian bookstore does not sell porn!
BETHLEHEM IS NOT IN ISRAEL!
THE FACTS: Under the Oslo Peace Accords, the agreement forced down the throat of Israel by then President Bill Clinton, the first city to be handed over to Yassar Arafat was Bethlehem. Christians immediately began to flee and now they number less than 20%. During my time in Bethlehem I never saw a Christian woman on the street. Every woman wears a Muslim veil or scarf and it is now unsafe for a Christian woman to be on the street without a male escort. My full report on current conditions in Bethlehem and our projects there is now complete and available online. ( Click here to read. ) There are several photos in the report showing some of the children who were helped to afford Christian school tuition and other expenses. School begins soon and we can still get more funds to Christian children for school supplies, books, uniforms, etc. You can help with an outright gift or you can help by purchasing one of the Jerusalem stone Nativity sets made by Christian families in Bethlehem. These Nativity sets were made for the purpose of assisting us in raising funds. Click here or on the image for more details on these beautiful Nativities. You can also donate directly using your credit card at our secure site or call 1-800-650-7664 during normal business hours. Gifts may also be sent to Religious Freedom Coalition , PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013
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William J. Murray, Chairman
Religious Freedom Coalition , PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 543-0300
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Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2005