What you can do for your country

With GM facing the most competitive market in history, US tax payers likely to lose $30B in bailouts

While the administration, the unions and GM complement themselves for the revival of GM, a deeper analysis by Bloomberg and others, shows GM faces its most intense competitive landscape perhaps in its history.  GM is trading below its IPO price.  Taxpayers are likely to lose up to $30B in their investment.  This loss fails to include "Opportunity cost" - for example, how would other more productive companies perform if they did not have to compete with the subsidized lower performing GM? As reported in Bloomberg:

That’s not all the exposure that taxpayers will have going forward. The GM bailout has distorted the playing field so badly that its competitors are demanding their own handouts to even things out.

Freedom of Religion with a Loop Hole

Americans have a deep respect for the freedom of religion and separation of church and state.  It is disappointing that we had to wait until now to get the left to see the evil of Obamacare.  Its easy to see why the President's team was caught off guard, they figured they had already tricked the American people into a utopian vision of health care, why should people care about further state intervention?

So, faced with an uproar from religious leaders and 2012 voters, the President made another non-pivot in his evolving health care executive order (Aren't these things supposed to be put in law by Congress):

“Women will have free preventive care that includes contraceptive services no matter where she works. The policy also ensures that if a woman works for religious employers with objections to providing contraceptive services as part of its health plan, the religious employer will not be required to provide contraception coverage, but her insurance company will be required to offer contraceptive care free of charge.”

Beyond the apparent bias of thinking only women are responsible or contraception, the President offers a morally ambiguous solution.  Either way the result is the same, through the act of employment with the religious institution women will receive services that are in conflict with the religious organization's moral values.  You can imagine politicians and advocates starting their arguments with "Well technically.....".  

Morality declines slowly.  Little rules and exceptions become routine over time, ultimately acceptable.  The left continues in its quest to make pregnancy a diseases.  PS: A condom costs $1.  

 

 

 

 

 

Research Work Act - A Congressman's special deals for a privileged few

Open Government Research—or Maybe Private Ordering | Cato @ Liberty

"Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) has introduced a bill called the Research Works Act. The consensus is that it’s meant to keep government-funded research from being published for free. This would keep the publication of that research going through scholarly and scientific journals, neatly maintaining profits for an industry that society might not need while restricting public access to research the U.S. taxpayer paid for."

Dr. Chu Comes to Congress

Congressman: Dr. Chu, Do you believe the Global Climate Change is a critical threat to our country and the human race?

Dr. Chu: Yes Congressman.  We need to employ our resources to curtail global climate change.  Global climate change is a result of mankind, industrialization and wasteful activities.

Congressman: Have we invested enough in the past to address the issue

Dr. Chu: No sir, but under the Presidents leadership we are moving in the right direction

Congressman: Do we need to invest more?

Dr. Chu: Yes

Congressman: You and other scientists have worked hard at building the models and conducting analysis, proving the threat of global warming and man's role

Dr. Chu: Yes sir.  We have very detailed models that guide us to the conclusion that man is the cause of global warming.

Congressman: Specific to Solyndra, this was a big investment to address the threat of global warming?

Dr. Chu: Yes

Congressman: And it was the best example, though risky as you have said to others, of an investment we should make to save us from global warming?

Dr. Chu: Yes

Congressman: After a lot of careful analysis from experts, in the end Solyndra failed in the market place.

Dr. Chu: Well yes, but its more complex than that, there were other unexpected variables.  Things we could not account for like the Chinese dropping price.  And of course other innovations

Congressman: Yes, its good of you to point out those other unknowns.

Dr. Chu: Thank you 

Congressman: So given that global climate change is so important and the market changed in unpredictable ways, didn't it seem like people might question your credibility in doubling down on Solyndra, if Solyndra failed.  Its fine if its succeeded, but....

Dr. Chu: Well sir, hind sight is 20-20

Congressman: Oh, yes, I have heard that.  Very good point.  But I am wondering.... You are responsible for effectively spending $70B.  Do you think your decision to double down, and then failing, might make the american people worry about your other decisions.  I mean the other investments you might be making.

Dr. Chu: Put that way Congressman, I can see them worrying, but we have a very good team now and the mistakes will be minimized.

Congressman: Yes, of course.  But, I have 10 grandchildren as you may know.  And your studies say if we don't fix the greenhouse problem a lot of bad things may happen to them 60 years from now.  So it is critical that we make sure we invest now to fix the problem before its to late.  Shouldn't my Grandchildren expect more from us.  Shouldn't they expect more from you?  I mean we really don't have much room for failure here, but appear to have a ever increasing list of questionable investments?  Its ironic that in your critical efforts to deal with greenhouse gases that we are now faced questioning the integrity of the Department of Energy, your processes, and your ability to protect us from this threat.

Dr. Chu: Well congressman......

Congressman: Just one more Question.  Your team did deep and complete due diligence on the Solyndra investment.  And in the end, all that analysis was wrong.  If you are wrong on Solyndra, should the American people be worried that you are wrong about Climate Change?  You can model the global climate but not investment risk?

Jack Abramoff: How to get a politician in your pocket....

Noted lobbyist and criminal Jack Abramoff has written a book (Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth About Washington Corruption From America's Most Notorious Lobbyist) on how to get a politician in your pocket.  He provides a practitioners insight on the power of political donations, high paying jobs for congressional staff and ex-members of congress, and a range of other tools he used to wield power.  It makes sense to listen to the way a criminal like Abramoff wields power.  

Though, the very best way to limit the power of a lobbyist is to limit the influence of those they lobby - the federal government.  If the future of your business or life depends on act of Congress then groups will organize to influence the outcome.  If GE can snuff out emergining competitors through influence of various government policies, they will do so.  DC is now one of the most expensive towns in the country and has the lowest unemployment, because DC dominates the trajectory of our life.  Make the federal government smaller and force those that seek political favor to travel to the state houses.  At least it might improve local economies.

Jim Rockford Educates OWS

Paul Ryan Speaks Truth

"We should lower the amount of government spending the wealthy now receive. The true sources of inequity in this country, is corporate welfare that enriches the powerful, and empty promises that betray the powerless. The real class warfare that threatens us is a class of bureaucrats and connected crony capitalists trying to rise above the rest of us, call the shots, rig the rules, and preserve their place atop society."

"Instead of appealing to the hope and optimism that were hallmarks of his first campaign, he has launched his second campaign by preying on the emotions of fear, envy and resentment."

Paul Ryan at Heritage Foundation