What are Real Solutions to America's Energy Problems?

With all of the troubles facing our nation on energy and with the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico I thought I would give my oppinion on what the United States should do to solve its energy problems.

First of all, the United States will always rely on fossil fuels for products and transportation.  Hybrid cars and the like are a great experiment, but they are not practical for every citizen in America to use.  They aren't as powerful as other cars and they are usually more expensive.  Ethonol fuel is not very practical for vehicles either because it is a waste of corn and food products.

If America wants to be more stable in matters of energy the government needs to drop some restrictions on drilling for crude oil.  One reason the Gulf oil spill leak was so difficult to slow down was because it took place deep under the ocean rather than in more shallow waters.  Crude oil spills would be even easier to clean up and stop if the rigs were on land.  I would contend that some areas in Alaska and other places in our country hold the key to our energy independence and our energy stability.

Second, America needs to have energy to generate electricity.  This is something that doesn't have to require coal or oil.  Windmills, solar panels, geothermal, and hydropowered power plants are great things to use for electricity, but they do not generate even a fraction of the electricity that fossil fuel plants create.  There is however a very good option for creating electricity and that is through nuclear energy.

Nuclear reactors and power plants are rarely heard of in the United States and yet they are amazingly clean energy.  The only real waste is the rods used to split the atoms.  Nuclear energy does not take much material, other than the reactor and plant, and from that small amount of matter comes great amounts of energy.  I would say that building nuclear power plants would reduce our dependance on those "evil" fossil fuels for electricity.

In the end the earth has the resources that we need. We just need to find ways to harness and reach those resources.  The earth is meant for the use of man, but we are still meant to be careful.  Just not so extremely, careful that it becomes more important than human life and the well being of the human race.  Moderation is required between both extremes.

When Will the Spending Stop?

Under the Obama administration the United States Congress has been pushing legislation through which is very damaging to both our freedoms and our ecomomy.  The stimulus package consisting of trillions of dollars was passed shortly after Obama was inagurated and the health care bill was passed a year or so later adding more to the national dept.  Now, even in our horribly sinking economy, President Obama wants congress to pass a 50 billion dollar "emergency bill" to avoid "massive layoffs of teachers, police, and firefighters".

This is absolutely insane.  Does it make sense to anyone to spend money in order to earn money? NO. Not to any sane person.  Our national dept could theoretically go to the moon and back in stacks of 1 dollar bills.  Does it make sense? No. Why do politicians in Congress and the executive leader of our country want to increase our dept and worsen our ecomomic situation by spending money we don't have?

A wise and most notably one of the greatest presidents in our nations history (at least since Abraham Lincoln) once said,"Government is not a solution to our problem government is the problem".  We as Americans want to get rid off our national dept?  Elect people who will cut spending, cut funding to government programs, cut unneccesary goverment programs, reduce the taxes of both rich and poor, and plain and simply listen to the pleas and advice from all the various ecomomic class levels.  Hopefully the people of the United States of America will realize the importance of electing individuals who will represent them, not just their own personal government paid views.

Sound Like Someone You Know?

"There are illigitement means by which the President may influence the action of congress.  He may bargain with members, not only with regard to appointments, but also with regard to legislative measures.  He may use his local patronage to assist members to get or retain seats. . . . He may also overbear Congress by arbitrary acts which ignore the laws or virtually override them.  He may even substitute his own orders for acts of Congress which he wants but cannot get.  Such things are not only deeply immoral, they are destructive of the fundimental understandings of constitutional government and, therefore, of constitutional government itself. . . . No honorable man includes such agencies in a sober exposition of the Constitution or allows himself to think of them when he speaks of the influences of life. . ."
     -Woodrow Wilson,  American Progressivism

Does this sound like stuff President Obama has done and would do?  I think it does.

"Experience has shown that even under the best forms [of government], those entrusted with power have in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and. . . the most effectual means of preventing this would be to illuminate, as far as practicible, the minds of the people at large. . . ."


-Thomas Jefferson, The Real Thomas Jefferson

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and was first observed on  May 30, 1868.  The first Memorial Day took place 142 years ago. It was first known as Decoration Day and the day was originally intended to remember and honor those who had died serving their country.  We also remember and honor people we know who have passed on.  In a way, some people who have died served their country even without being involved in the military. Individuals who have served in their communities, helped others, and were good citizens should also be honored on Memorial Day. However, the most important thing to remember is all of those men and women from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror who have given their lives or were involved with securing and maintaining the liberties of the United States.

Today our family went to visit my Grandpa Alf's grave.  While we were there the VFW preformed a 21-Gun Salute and Taps was played.  Standing next to my Grandpa's grave, the beautiful day, and American flags everywere made me feel very appreciative of those who have fought for our countries freedoms.  Grandpa Alf drove a Sherman tank in the Pacific theatre of World War Two.  He, like many who have fought for others freedoms was just doing his duty, but what a great sacrifice they gave for us.  They sacrificed lives, family, pleasures, comforts, and dreams to protect ours. On this Memorial Day I feel extremely indebted to my Grandfather and all those other men and women who fought for my freedoms. 

Founding Fathers' Views on Faith

THAT it is an indispensable duty which we owe to God, our country, ourselves and posterity, by all lawful ways and means in our power to maintain, defend and preserve these civil and religious rights and liberties for which many of our father fought, bled and died, and to hand them down entire to future generations.
-First Continental Congress in 1774

This quote is from one of three posts on Glenn Beck's website which was written by Dr. Peter A. Lillback who wrote the book George Washington's Sacred Fire.  He also had two other authors write sections about the views our Founding Fathers had on faith.  The author of part two is Rog Gragg who wrote Forged in Faith: How Faith Shaped the Birth of the Nation 1607-1776 and the author of part three is Bruce Feiler who wrote America's Prophet: Moses and the American Story (Hardcover).  I read the sections and I found them very interesting and a great defense that our Founding Fathers were very much religious men who beleived in God.  They also based this countries laws and principles on those morals found in the Bible.  I am not saying that in America we are only Christians and except only those of Christian beleifs because under the founders ideas there is a right to the freedom of religion.  What I do wish all Americans would know is that this Nation was founded with a belief in "Providence" or God and that He has a lot to do with the principles of our nation.

If you have not already read these posts I have posted the links below if you would like to read them.

  Views on Faith Part One: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41075/

  Views on Faith Part Two: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41139/

  Views on Faith Part Three: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/41192/

Arlington National Cemetery and Obama

Arlington National Cemetery is located in Arlington County, Virginia and the land was previously owned by General Robert E. Lee.  It has been used to inter fallen soldiers since the Civil War.  Because it contains the bodies of men and woman who have served the United States since the Civil War it has a great importance to our nation.

It is amazing to think that Obama would skip out on a Presidential tradition which has taken place since the ceremony has existed.  Obama is the first president to be skipping the ceremony.  He will instead be in Chicago speaking at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and then visiting with friends.  I think it is rediculous that President Obama would skip a tradition to honor past and fallen military men and woman.  It just goes to show that President Obama does not care about our military members.  This also shows that our President does not care about tradition and feels he can do just about anything he wants.