Conflict of Interest

The show trial that's going on in Congress over Toyota's safety engineering is a definite conflict of interest. Number one, it's unfair competition when the owner of General Motors undermines the major competition.

Number two, the relentlessness of the stories in the media indicate that Congress is catering to the UAW, not to real concerns for safety. Toyota workers have repeatedly refused to join the union which is so desperate for members that they're backing Card Check.

And then there is the sad spectacle of using questionable "experts" to denigrate Toyota. Joan Claybrook is the Carter appointee who forced automakers to install air bags despite vehement warnings that the technology was not yet developed enough. As a result, 65 deaths, mostly infants and children, occurred because of exploding air bags. Clarence Ditlow is notorious for approving the use of rocket igniters to "prove" on NBC that GM pick-ups were unsafe. These two are favorite anti-business expert witnesses. It's time the public remembered their names and protested their testimony.

On the international front, humiliating the head of the world's largest auto manufacturer on television before members of Congress is poor diplomacy. It's bad enough when the hypocritical Congressional Clowns self-righteously attack American CEO's. It's another thing altogether to do it to someone from a culture where saving face is so important that suicide is preferable to public indignity.

After this week we can hardly expect any other foreign companies to build plants in the US and give jobs to our countrymen.

After 2,065 Years, We Ought to Know This

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." ... Cicero - 55 BC

Bubba Diplomacy

Although we’re delighted that Laura Ling and Euna Lee are now free, we can’t keep from wondering what the US gave away in order to obtain the release of the two American journalists held by North Korea. To the untrained eye, President Clinton just showed up for a friendly visit and Kim Jong Il suddenly agreed to let the young women go free.

But it’s certain that all was arranged ahead of time even though Obama’s spokesmen valiantly tried to play down any collaboration on his part.

However, the real danger, as former Ambassador Bolton pointed out, is that such diplomacy puts Americans at greater risks in the future. What promises will Tehran now extract from us to set the three American hikers free? Will future hostages require presidential rescue, complete with escalating demands and concessions? Will more Americans now be at risk?

But, putting aside such worries, their release provided an effective distraction from Obama’s sinking poll numbers, especially in the health care arena. In that respect, Bubba Diplomacy worked.

The World View of A Community Organizer

As the Obama presidency continues, he reveals more and more about himself; many observers are less than inspired. Last night he based his sales talk about his health care proposals on “victim hood.” That should surprise no one since it pervaded both his foreign policy and campaign speeches.

The interesting thing about the victims he seeks to rescue and the villains he condemns is that he categorizes them by their status, not by their actions. Thus, he apologizes for the US because it leads the world financially and he ignores the many generous and kind acts the country has done for subjugated people. Who, besides the American soldier, will lay down his life for citizens of other countries and thus put into action Jesus’ words about the greatest love?

In last night’s press conference, he bewailed the insurance companies because they make a profit, ignoring the many needs they fulfill in our economy. Similarly, Wall Street was excoriated because the profit motive underlies their activities. And, like most liberals, he ignores the fact that nearly all Americans are invested in Wall Street, depending on profitability to fund their retirement programs. Wall Street is not just the traders on the floor, but anyone with money in a mutual fund.

He also threw physicians under the bus because they tend to be in the upper middle class once they become established. He ignored the years of exacting preparation, the enormous costs of obtaining degrees and certification, and the 60+ hours of work most perform every week. He also ignored their generous attempts to help patients without regard to payment in order to accuse them of unnecessary procedures that merely enhance their bottom lines.

Then, just in case one might still doubt his status as Whiner-in-Chief, he used a planted question to viciously slander all policemen in the country and defend his friend, Prof. Gates of Harvard. Does anyone other than community organizers and criminals believe that all cops are evil?

Government of, by, and for The Czars

Obama has named at least 21 czars that greatly increase the power of the Executive Branch of our government. None of these people face hearings or confirmations; their sole allegience is to the president. It is such a massive power grab that even Robert Byrd left his sick-bed long enough to pronounce the moves, which are outside of congressional oversight, violate the Constitution.

A president may have as many advisors as he wishes, however the Constitution does not provide for executive “czars” who directly dictate policy, such as Feinberg who will approve of executive pay for any business that receives government money.

After a two-hour search of the Internet I found the names and positions of 21, but I am not certain my list is complete. They are:

Af-Pak: Richard Holbrooke
Border: Alan Bersin
Cars: was Steve Rattner
Climate: Todd Stern
Cybersecurity: Rod A. Beckstrom
Drug: Gil Kerlikowske
Energy: Carol Browner
Executive Pay Rate: Kenneth Feinberg
Faith Based: Joshua DuBois
Guantamano Closure: Daniel Fried
Health Reform: Nancy Ann DeParle
Info Tech: Vivek Kundra
Mideast Peace: George Mitchell
Non proliferation: Gary Samore
Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia: Dennis Ross
Regulatory: Cass Sunstein
Science: John Holdren
Stimulus Accountability: Earl Devaney
Sudan: J. Scott Gration
TARP: Herb Allison
Terrorism: John Brennan
Urban: Adolfo Carrion, Jr.

Little is known about their backgrounds, about their direction from the President, or about the exact scope of their power. For example, few people know that John Holdren has co-authored a book praising forced abortions and mass sterilization, that his Cyber Security Czar claims to know nothing about IT, or that his energy czar is a member of the Socialist International who believes in one world government.

Next time, let's test the candidates for President on their understanding of basic civics and the Constitution. And maybe we need to re-read the Tenth Amendment ourselves.

Sometimes Obama Does Meddle

Many were distressed to see Obama waffle during the uprising in Iran because the leader of the free world did not support people who merely yearned for more freedom in a country oppressed by religious tyrants. But these same people are flummoxed that a week later he vociferously supports a leader who was removed from office in response to a Honduran Court arrest warrant.

He says he doesn’t want to meddle, yet he repeatedly meddles in Honduran affairs.

Of course, he is not alone. Both the OAS and the UN have denounced Zelaya’s legal removal office. Has rational thought about the rule of law and national sovereignty ceased to exist?