Election 2009 - Who Cares?

Yesterday New Jersey and Virginia elected Republican Governors and the TV pundits are trying to explain what it means now and what it could foretell about the 2010 Congressional election.

I can tell them what its all about, the American people are pissed off at all of their leaders and are looking for fresh options.

Congress made us bailout the banks and financial markets with our tax dollars and are now allowing those same banks to pay exorbitant bonuses to the same jerks who put us in the crisis. In addition, these same banks are now upping credit card interest rates every two weeks, with some rates reaching the 40% range. Congress has a bill that would curb interest rate increases. Problem is, they were waiting for February 2010 to take effect. By then interest rates could be at 80%. (I heard this evening on the news that Congress is going to move that bill up, but established interest rates will not be touched.)

The USA is still fighting, after eight years, two wars, neither of which is promising to be resolved as a clear victory for the USA or the world over terrorism.

The government wants to take over even more of health care in this country. Its not enough that they are totally mismanaging MEDICARE and MEDICAID (there was a special recently about a special FBI unit in southern Florida combating MEDICARE fraud. According to their spokesperson, MEDICARE fraud is generating millions more dollars than the drug trade in what used to be the cocaine capital of the USA.)

Where are all the jobs Obama promised? Congress has extended unemployment benefits once again, although I am unclear where the money is coming from to pay for these benefits.

The swine flu pandemic is sweeping the nation and there isn't enough vaccination for the children, much less adults.

When you take all of this into account, its a wonder the reaction of the American public has been as calm and controlled as it has been.

That said, if the current Presidential Administration and Congressional majority don't get their act together and show some real concrete progress, then the independents who brought them to power are going to go seeking someone else who offers better hope.

Politicians in this country need to wake up to the fact that the independents are on the rise and they have no loyalty to either of the primary political parties. Independents are looking for truth, honestly and a square deal. They'll listen, they'll vote and if they feel they were mislead or lied to, they'll do it all again next time for somebody else.

Wake up Congress - its time to start doing your job and representing your constituents, not the power boys and lobbyists.

Its Common Sense!

Senator Mikulski on Energy

The other day I shared Congressman Ruppersberger view on energy reform. Today I have the response I received from Senator Barbara Mikulski.
Let me know if you think they are addressing our concerns.

Dear Mr. Wolfe:

Thank you for writing to me about funding for alternative energy in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(P.L. 111-5). It's great to hear from you.

I have good news! The ARRA included over $41 billion to improve the way our country uses, produces and conserves energy. This will support projects such as the Weatherization Assistance Program, modernizing the electric grid, repairing federal buildings to increase energy efficiency, fossil energy research and development, energy efficiency and renewable energy research and many others. Securing our energy future is important. I supported this funding legislation because I believe in a sensible energy plan that promotes alternative energy and energy efficiency and reduces global warming pollution.

President Obama and Congress have taken a major step forward by enacting the ARRA. Only a few weeks into a new Congress and a new Administration, we stood up for America and enacted the most significant economic stimulus legislation in our nation's history. By standing with President Obama, we stand up for America to create jobs for people who have lost them and to help those who have jobs keep them.

The ARRA creates jobs by investing in our infrastructure. It fixes aging physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, public transit and water systems. It invests in the technological infrastructure like broadband to expand small businesses. And it makes major improvements to our social infrastructure by investing in education so that families and local school districts can help special needs children, extending unemployment insurance for struggling families, and increasing federal assistance for the Medicaid program so states won't cut care for seniors and the poor. It also has targeted tax breaks to help families and small businesses.

For more information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, you may be interested in the White House website http://www.recovery.gov, where you can read the full text of the legislation and see how the money is being spent.

Thanks once again for writing. Please let me know if I can be of assistance in the future.


Sincerely, Barbara A. MikulskiUnited States Senator P.S. If I can be of further assistance in the future,please visit my website at http://mikulski.senate.govor call my Washington D.C. office at 202-224-4654

Self Sufficient Energy

I was asked to look at the following sight, http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911
which goes into detail about a large oil deposit in North & South Dakota, as well as Montana. Based on the article there is enough oil available to keep the USA of self sufficient for 40 some years, plenty of time for us to develop alternatives. Definitely a way for us to stop our dependence on foreign oil.

I wrote my senators asking what they plan on doing with the reserve. I'll let you know if and when I get a response.

The USA could cut its bonds to foreign oil. Imagine that. Prices would be set at home, not by a world market. Finally we can take care of ourselves first and the rest of the world later.

In these tough economic times we have to do what is best for us. It will create jobs, cut our dependence on foreign oil, and allow us to pursue alternative energy forms at a healthy rate.

The oil is here, we should use it responsibly.

Its Common Sense!

The Pickens Plan

Today I finally took the time to take a look at the Pickens' Plan of energy independence. A lot of things we have heard of, but the oil billionaire has plans to get it started. I would like to go to Texas and have a look at the windmills. Just how huge are they? How much power do they produce? How bad an eyesore are they?

My understanding is that the state of Delaware is going to begin the construction of some windmills in the near future, so I will drive over there and take a look. (Texas is too far at the moment.)

I signed Mr Pickins' petition because I want John McCain and Barrack Obama to come out and give some specifics. Can they convince the power companies and the oil companies (notice I am trying to avoid taxpayer dollars and loans from China) to put up the money to get these alternative sources of energy working? We know if there is a profit the energy and oil companies will be interested, and as long as it is a reasonable profit - nothing ridiculous like the oil companies made during this year - then more "power" to them.

The rhetoric needs to stop and action needs to begin. Obama and McCain need to present clear, specific plans and if they don't have one then they should sit down with T Boone Pickens and the executives of the energy and oil companies and come up with a plan that will make the USA energy independent and an example of clean energy for the rest of the world.

Its Common Sense!