Robert's Ramblings

I've heard about enough from the whiners about how bad the United States is. Some people have some very selective memories and are quick to forget all the good we have done. They seem to forget that when a nation is in need, we are the first they call. They are also dishonest, dishonest with themselves. They have benefited from the very things they now condemn. In fact the radical Islamists are most upset about the decay of morals in the West and how those morals are infiltrating their country. Need I point out who is primarily responsible for the decline in Western morality?

Like most Americans, I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have a fairly comfortable life, a house that is not too bad, a really cool car, a loving family, the best friends in the world, a job that I enjoy and pays well (not that a raise would not be appreciated), and many opportunities to further my education and understanding. I have these things for some very simple reasons. First, I worked hard. While others were playing, I was studying. When some graduated from high school and went to work, I went to college. While some took the easy classes in college, I opted for the tough ones. While others merely did their jobs, I tried to do mine a little better than was expected. I was also blessed. Yes, I believe that I was given something to make me work a little harder than some. And of course all this was possible because I had parents who made sacrifices to make sure I got these opportunities. They made sure I lived in the best school districts, had the school supplies I needed, sent me to the college of my choice, and encouraged me in all that I did. I have nothing to be ashamed of other than those who are ashamed to be an American

I must admit, I find those people to be insulting. They insult me and all the Sailors I know. They insult those who have died in this war and those who are yet to die. But the funny thing about it is that I will fight for their right to insult me. They will not go unchallenged; they will not be allowed to have their say without the rest of us having ours, but we will fight for their right to say what they will. Why? Because we are Americans and that is the way we do things.

We, as Christians and Americans, do need to better understand Islam. It is the right thing to do but we must be careful that we do not turn this into an us against them war. This is not a war of Christians against Muslims; it is a war against terrorists who happen to claim the religion of Islam. It will be a long war and many good people will die before it is over. But we will win it.

I do still worry at times. The left has taken hold of many of our nations institutions with the belief they are doing good. I come back to the words spoken by Benjamin Franklin at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention when he was asked, "What have you wrought?" Franklin answered, "...a Republic, if you can keep it." I pray everyday that we can keep it.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)

Just a Little More Time

29 December 2001

Just a little more, that's all we need, a little more time to do the job you elected us to do. We have been too busy fighting amongst ourselves to get any real work done on redistricting so someone took it court. But we really want to do it now. We really do! Let's push back the elections next year so we can have more time to work and we will do our jobs this time. Really. We will. Promise.
So goes the argument seemingly proffered by Representative Bill Miles (D-21st District). He has pre-filed a bill that would push the elections further into 2002 than currently scheduled so that the legislature would have time to work out a redistricting plan. I say enough is enough.

Our elected representatives have had plenty of time to work this out before now. The taxpayers even gave them more money to have a special session to work out a plan for Congressional redistricting and, once again, they let us down. The issue went to court and that decision, by a Democratic judge, is, as expected, now under appeal. And our beloved legislators want the good citizens of Mississippi to give them more time. I say the only thing we need to give them is a good swift kick in the pants, a kick right out of office and make room for some people who can make decisions.

Let's see now, just how many decisions have our elected officials put off for one reason or another? Well, there was the issue of the state flag. Too much to loose on that one so lets spend tax dollars on an election for it. Let the people decide.

Then there is the budget issue. The legislature continues to set unrealistic budgets with growth projections that no one believes, simply so they do not have to make the hard decisions of what to cut. And why are we suffering? Is it because there is less money coming in to the state? Why no, it is because the money coming in to the state, although more than in years past, is less than our fearless leaders projected and expected. They were too busy spending money that isn't here yet and when it didn't show, the taxpayers and state employees will have to suffer. They have their head buried so far in the sand they should be able to tell us if there is oil down there.

Well, okay, they learned a lesson and it won't happen again, Right? Wrong! They've gone and done the same thing again. As a whole, the legislature is incapable of making a good decision.

Remember the Mississippi governor election? The one before Florida? The election was too close to call so it went to the Legislature for a decision. As I recall, the vote could have gone two ways, our legislators could have voted with their districts and we would have had a Republican governor, or they could have voted along party lines and we could end up with the Democrat Musgrove. They had no trouble with this decision and overwhelmingly elected Musgrove. They were thinking they could work better with him than with a Republican. Wrong. Look at how they can't even get along with the person they elected as governor.

Our legislators seem to not understand that they have been elected to make decisions for the betterment of the state, not necessarily for their careers. Not all decisions will be popular and they may be a price to pay for at re-election time for making them, but that is simply the price of being a public servant. Of course if they could take the time to communicate the reasons behind their decisions to the people of the state, then perhaps, just perhaps, they could make the decisions they need to make and still keep their jobs. But that takes effort, a lot of effort. And just when was the last time you heard from your representative?

Just whose interest does the legislature have at heart? I don't know but it seems clear it is not the people of Mississippi. The best outcome we can have here is to clean house during the next election. But, unlike the legislature, I know the people of this state and am confident that the majority of them will be re-elected and we will continue to suffer under them.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

December 29, 2008

Mississippi is Not Embracing the "New Economy"

"State Face New Imperative: Turn to Global, Entrepreneurial and Innovation-based 'New Economy' to Boost Competitiveness," PA Times, Vol 31, No. 12, p. 1, December 2008 (American Society for Public Administration)

I was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that Mississippi was ranked at the bottom of this list along with West Virginia. The 2008 State New Economy index is compiled and released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation as a measure not of how a state's economy is performing but rather how they are embracing the new economy. It focuses on a single, narrow question: "To what degree does the structure of state economies match the ideal structure of the New Economy?"

One of the key factors driving the New Economy is the information technology revolution which is measured by the index. The states at the top of the list tend to be states with "a high concentration of managers, professionals and college-educated residents working in 'knowledge jobs'--those that require at least a two-year degree." Obviously the vast majority of this state fails to meet these criteria. Other states such as North Carolina are ranked lower than expected (25th), according to the article, due their concentrations of high-tech. In a sense that is also true of Mississippi. Our high-tech areas are concentrated and, while they are as high tech as any, they represent a small percentage of the population.

The concern is not so much where Mississippi is ranked now but the fact that Mississippi led the way in states that declined in their performance from the last survey in 2007. While 36 improved, 11 declined. Mississippi fell "in twice as many indicators as it increased, while Wyoming and Indiana also fell." Given this is the "New Economy" it is not going to go away so every state should be getting better, not worse. Mississippi has, in my opinion, focused far too long on the old economy (attracting automobile fabricators and their associated support industries, rather than focusing on the high-tech, new economy. This is not true in all of the state; the area around Mississippi State for example, has seen some high-tech industries develop. But it represents a small portion of the state.

To turn things around the elected officials in Jackson are going to have to change the way they think and focus on long-term goals. That is difficult for a state in which I have repeatedly heard elected officials say they did not want to tie the hands of those to be elected in the future. That kind of backwards thinking limits how progressive a state can be when long-term strategic planning needs to be done.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)

December 26, 2008

Reading Habits of President Bush

"Bush Is a Book Lover," by Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal, Friday, 26 December 2008, Vol. CCLII, No. 150, p. A11.

This is an insightful article into the reading habits of our president. What began as a New Year's resolution in 2006, to read a book a week, became a competition between Karl Rove and President Bush. Rove, like many of us, had gotten out of the habit of reading as much as he used to and decided to turn things around. President Bush joined in and it was soon a competition. Rove has won each year but that is not important, what is important is that if someone as busy as the President of the United States still finds time to read, it makes it difficult for most of us to say we do not have the time to read.

The scores: 2006 Rove 110, Bush 95; 2007 Rove 76, Bush 51; 2008 (as of today) Rove 64, Bush 40. The President has also read the Holy Bible cover to cover each year through his daily devotional. The books have ranged from history to biography and even included some fiction.

Some points I found interesting in the article are on Bush's theory of competition. Rove states:

"The reading competition reveal Mr. Bush's focus on goals. It's not about the winning. A good-natured competition helps keep him centered and makes possible a clear mind and a high level of energy."

"There is a myth perpetuated by Bush critics that he would rather burn a book than read one. Like so many caricatures of the past eight years, this one is not only wrong, but also the opposite of truth and evidence that bitterness can devour a small-minded critic. Mr. Bush loves books, learns from them, and is intellectually engaged by them."

According to Rove, the President is never without a book. He reads instead of watching television and reads on Air Force One. To read as much as he does, he obviously reads most anywhere he can. It reminds me of a story I read about William F. Buckley a few years ago that pointed out he always had a book with him. I also always have a book with me. You never know when the car might break down or you might have some time to yourself. When I know I am going somewhere that will require a wait (the doctor, the dentist, to get a haircut) I always take my own book. It is nice to have magazines in a waiting area but I prefer to take my own books.

I'm not much for New Year's resolutions but this year I may have to break my tradition.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:48 PM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2008

Landslide? Hardly

The AP is saying that Obama won the election in an Electoral College landslide. A what? What the heck is an Electoral College landslide other than over-the-top journalistic rhetoric? Strafor is more reserved, and hence why I prefer them, and say he won a “solid majority” of the popular vote but nowhere near a landslide and that his Electoral College win was “decisive”.

Stratfor goes on to point out that, in effect, now it is time for Obama to perform. They discuss his statement that he will withdraw from Iraq but he does not have a timeframe nor does he discuss how this will work with Saudi Arabia or Iran. They ask, can he offer Iran anything that will cause them to accept Iraq as a neutral government serving as a buffer between Iran and Saudi Arabia? They state:

“What is important is that Obama, having won the election, will now have to face a range of foreign policy issues that will challenge his ideology and policies, and where his personality will matter little. He will be dealing with people like Vladimir Putin, Hu Jintao and Angela Merkel, none of whom are swayed by charisma and all of whom govern countries with interests very different than those of the United States.”

Yes indeed. Now it is not charisma and charm, it is the real world.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:39 PM | Comments (0)

High Voter Turnout?

I’m wondering what turnout was for voting in Mississippi. There was a lot of talk of record turnout so I voted early this morning rather than my usual mid-afternoon time. I had to wait about 25 minutes when I usually have to wait less than five. However, I heard that later in the afternoon there was little to no wait. So, I wonder, did all of the talk of high turnout get people out early to “beat the rush” or was there really an increase in turnout?

Posted by robertgreen at 8:26 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2008

Lots of Talk, No Action

Barack Wrote a Letter… Wall Street Journal, 29 October 2008, p. A16

The Wall Street Journal had a telling article about Obama’s work on the subprime lending crisis. In his 07 October debate, the Journal says, Obama stated that he “’never promoted Fannie Mae’ and that ‘two years ago I said that we’ve got a subprime lending crisis that has to be dealt with.’” The Senator wrote some letters to the Secretary Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke. The letters, says the Journal, called for decisive action. Obama suggested that they “’consider options’ and that ‘the relevant private sector entities and regulators’ might be able to provide ‘targeted responses.’” My favorite line from the article is “Then in paragraph four, the Harvard –trained lawyer dropped his bombshell: a suggestion that various interest groups get together to ‘consider’ best practices in mortgage lending.”

This scares me to no end. For all those who tout the Senator’s vast experience at “community organizing” this is the result of that experience. An executive makes decisions; an organizer gets people together to talk. When the Senator was blowing the top off of this crisis all he wanted was to get people to talk. We need decisions in Washington not gripe sessions. The lack of leadership in this candidate is astounding. The number of people who fail to see that lack of leadership is scary.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:57 PM | Comments (0)

October 2, 2008

Vice-Presidential Debates

Palin did well. I don’t like trying to pick winners and losers of debates but if I were to say who won, it would be Sarah. Biden seemed whinny to me most of the night and he, like Obama, do not understand that George Bush is not running for re-election. Palin connected with people I think. Biden didn’t.

Interestingly, I’ve been switching back and forth between Fox News and CNN to see differences in reporting. According to Fox Palin killed Biden; according to CNN both exceeded expectations. Prior to the debate it seemed everyone was talking about how important this debate was but now that it is over, perhaps because Palin did so well, the talk is that this debate is not going to change too much. We’ll see.

Biden also seemed to have a few facts wrong. We’ll how that shakes out over the next few days.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

General Colin Powell Speaks at MSU

What a man! I attended the Colin Powell talk tonight and was more than impressed. I read his autobiography many years ago and was impressed then but seeing him in person was even more impressive. He is clearly a very intelligent person and has a keen sense of humor. His talk was informative and entertaining.

We had some students present who embarrassed me, and their fellow students. Some kid (yes, kid) showed up on the floor wearing a “colorful” t-shirt and black and white checked shorts. Most everyone else was wearing business dress. Perhaps he thought he was cool, but I, and even the students sitting near me, thought he was ridiculous and an embarrassment to the university. Some students even called that he be taken off the floor.

Questions were submitted to General Powell and read by students who apparently had some role in deciding which questions to ask. One question dealt with how you could work with someone and work on topics you disagreed with. The implication was that General Powell continued to work on the Iraq war even though he disagreed with President Bush. The General set the student straight and noted that the question assumed he and the president disagreed. He clearly stated that he did not. He was in agreement with going to war but differed in how things were handled after the fall of Baghdad. Another question was so boggled and senseless I can’t even remember what it was. I only remember that the General did a great job in handling it with dignity. I was impressed with the answers given but disappointed in the questions asked.

His talk covered his time in the military, his time as SecState, retirement, and his outlook on life--he looks ahead, not to the rear.

General Powell is definitely a speaker to hear given a chance.

Posted by robertgreen at 2:58 PM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2008

Whoopi Goldberg--Is She Really That Dumb?

The McCain interview on "The View" has been reported on the web is several places which is why I know of it. Does anyone with half a brain actually watch that show? From what I have heard about it it is not a talking head head but a talking empty head show.

Reportedly, John McCain stated that he would appoint justices to the Supreme Curt who strictly interpreted the Constitution. The McCain interview on "The View" has been reported on the web is several places which is why I know of it. Does anyone with half a brain watch that show?

Reportedly, John McCain stated that he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court who strictly interpreted the Constitution. To which Whoopi, the idiot, replied, "Do I have to worry about becoming a slave again?" Okay, idiot Goldberg, just when were you ever a slave? Never! So you could never "become a slave again". Second, is Whoopi so stupid that she does not know what "strictly" means or perhaps she does not know what he Constitution says? In fact has she ever read the Constitution? (All who think not say “aye”.)

You see Ms Goldberg, those of with brains who understand English and have read the Constitution know about this little thing called the thirteenth amendment, ratified on 06 December 1865 (long before you were born) which says, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." If a justice "strictly" interprets the Constitution then he/she most assuredly could guarantee that you would never be a slave. Of course this is only applies to slavery as in involuntary servitude--being a slave to your own ignorance is not covered by the Constitution and can only be remedied by yourself.

One the things that is often misunderstood about those of us of the conservative bent is that we are opposed to change. We are not. I am aware of no conservative who objects to the amendments to the Constitution. Our objection is to judges and justices who change the Constitution based on their “interpretation” of it. The Constitution can be amended and the process is clearly spelled out in the Constitution itself. We can also enact new laws, through the legislature. It is not the job of the judiciary to create new laws or rights based on how they choose to interpret the Constitution.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:34 PM | Comments (0)

September 3, 2008

Sarah Palin Impressed Me

Sarah Palin impressed me with her speech tonight at the RNC. Yes, as the news “reporters” have mentioned so many times, I am sure it was written for her, but then aren’t all speeches written for politicians? The point is she delivered it with force and it touched on some important parts. I was especially impressed with the number of Obama votes of “present”.

I have had several discussions about which position is more important in the sense of decision-making and I come down strongly on the side of governors, and even mayors. As executives they have to make decisions and their decisions can be attributed only to themselves. They cannot hide behind other senators or representatives. They cannot get a feel of how the vote will go and then go with the flow. They cannot say they did not cast the deciding vote. When an executive make a decision it is a personal one. Governor Palin has certainly made decisions. She has not voted “present”.

Palin also hit a home run on the family issue. She is from a small town and she has a family with problems—like the rest of us. She is from the part of American that most of us grew up in, not San Francisco and LA or New York and Boston. It will also be interesting to see how the blue collar vote comes in now. While the dems talk a good game, it is laughable to think of Obama or Bidden ever actually have worked in a factory. Palin’s husband, on the other hand, is not s supporter of unions, he is a member of one—and a commercial fisherman to boot.

The talk about McCain was also good I think. It seems the maverick is back which appeals to people like me but puts off some other republicans. I will also admit that McCain’s character is not flawless but I do think it is good. He has made mistakes as we all have but his time in Vietnam has proven his character. Most dems I talk to float out the standard line that being a POW does not mean you will be a good president, and they are correct. However, it is character that counts in a president. Neither Bush nor Gore ran on a 9/11 platform yet that has defined the Bush presidency as it would have a Gore presidency.

Further, it is not the fact that McCain was a POW that matters; it is the whole Vietnam experience. When the USS Forrestal had the missile incident and McCain was injured, he did not ask to be sent home or to take a few days off. He asked to be transferred to an undamaged ship so that he could continue to fly sorties. When he was shot down and tortured, he did not crack. When offered the chance to go home early, he said he would only go home after everyone captured before him had gone home. It is times of adversity that a person’s true character comes out and that is why I prefer who has been tested and proven himself over someone who has only talked.

Obama’s mantra of change also bothers me. Change can be good or change can be bad. As a friend said once, “The bank is raising their interest rate. Yea! Oh, it is on loans and not savings.” I have also observed time and time again that people resist change. So why are so many people on board with change? I have no idea. I also doubt there will be significant change, regardless of who gets elected. Remember the promises made if only the democrats could control Congress? This has been a very ineffective Congress and I think Pelosi will be recorded in history as one of the least effective speakers. So much for promises of change.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

May 29, 2008

The Problem with Trusting Secondary Sources—Admiral Mullen’s Open Letter

I have always been a proponent of going straight to the source for information, but apparently not everyone else is. Admiral Mullen has penned an open letter in the new issue of Joint Forces Quarterly that has grown legs. It has been summarized in several publications and I’ve seen several Google Alerts about it. The problem is that some people rely on what others say about the letter rather than read it for themselves.

What Admiral Mullen says is that military personnel, especially those on active duty, should keep their politics to themselves. I agree. Military personnel are most certainly citizens but they are to carry out the policies of those elected by the American people. That was my position when Bill Clinton was president and it is my position now that George Bush I president. If those in uniform become too political, and express those opinions too openly, especially the senior officers, then we undermine the civilian control of military.

Admiral Mullen’s letter is available on the web, you only need Google Joint Forces Quarterly and you can find it. However, the New York Times also wrote about the article and some people chose to read the NYT’s opinion rather than read the source directly. On such person is Samuel at Gilgal.

Sam blogged an article entitled Do You Give Up Your Rights When You Join the Military. Sam states “But is this “apolitical” view of individuals in the military historically correct? According to President George Washington, “When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.” Washington’s words indicate that the individual does not give up his inalienable Constitutional rights when he puts on the uniform of the United States military.” I mention this only because in the original article Admiral Mullen himself says “I am not suggesting that military professionals abandon all personal opinions about modern social or political issues. Nor would I deny them the opportunity to vote or discuss . . . or even to debate those issues among themselves. We are first and foremost citizens of this great country, and as such have a right to participate in the democratic process. As George Washington
himself made clear, we did not stop being citizens when we started being Soldiers.”

Now I ask, does that read like the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is asking military personnel to “give up their Constitutional rights”? Doesn’t sound like that to me, at all.

But of course, I would never imply that the New York Times has an agenda or shows their bias.

Posted by robertgreen at 6:42 PM | Comments (0)

March 22, 2008

Flowers Before Security

Extension Computer Donation to Help Agencies Communicate
Starkville Daily News, 21 March 2008, p A-6

“A donation of old-but-functional computers from the Mississippi State University Extension Service will soon give local law enforcement, intelligence and public safety agencies connectivity for sharing information.”

Okay, for the record, I am not being critical of the Extension Service making the donation—I find it admirable that they are finding second-uses for their old computers. However, it bothers me immensely that the state of Mississippi seems to provide better funding to the people who help us grow prettier flowers than they do to the people who are charged with ensuring our security. I just bought a new laptop because my three-year old laptop was taking too long to check my email, open a doument, and surf the web. I would think that our “law enforcement, intelligence and public safety agencies” might also appreciate, perhaps even need, more up-to date computers than I do.

Posted by robertgreen at 12:24 AM | Comments (0)

March 15, 2008

Character Matters--and John McCain hs it

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—character matters. When forming judgments about people or institutions, the most important factor to consider is character. Although the saying that past performance does not guarantee future results may apply to investments, the past behavior of a person is the best indicator of their future behavior. Promises have no meaning unless the person making them has a history of living up to them.

Thirty-five years ago today, John McCain came home from the Hanoi Hilton where he spent five and a half years of his life. John McCain is a hero but he is a real hero, not one of the new-fangled heroes we have today. The term hero is thrown around so much these days that it has almost lost it meaning—but McCain is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

He is not a hero because he fought in Vietnam. He is not a hero because he was shot down while completing a bombing mission. He is not even a hero because he spent time in a POW camp. Those actions were merely part of or a result of doing the job he willingly chose to do. John McCain is a hero because of what he did, and what he did not do, while a POW.

During his time in the Hanoi Hilton, John McCain was offered early release because of who he was. He was not only severely injured while ejecting from his airplane as it was hit with a surface to air missile, he was injured further by his captors. The easy thing to have done would have been to accept the release. I honestly think that most people would have understood had he accepted the release. Instead, he stood fast and said he would go home as soon as everyone who had been there longer than he had was also released.

John McCain is a hero because after he came close to death in the fire on the USS Forrestal, he requested a transfer to the USS Oriskany so that he could continue to fly missions. It was from the Oriskany that he would fly his mission before being captured.

To see more about this check out this video.

Is John McCain perfect? No. Do I agree with everything he has done? No. Do I think he will be elected as President and then never make a decision I disagree with? No. Do I think he will be a man of character and make decisions for the good of the country, as best as he can? Absolutely. Why? Because he has character. He has the character that will allow him to put country before self. He has shown he can make the hard decisions—even they have significant personal costs.

Senators Clinton and Obama seem to be fine people but what we know of their character? Senator Clinton and her husband have yet to release records that could show her character. Senator Obama has done nothing but talk about change without really defining what that was. He has yet to point to any decisions he has made that had a personal cost.

If you agree with me, how about making a contribution to the John McCain contribution? Click here.

Posted by robertgreen at 5:13 PM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2008

Too Offended to not Offend Others

It is too bad that the Rev. Philip Headd of the Oktibbeha County Justice Coalition was too occupied with being offended by others to take the time and not offend. Rather than spend a few dollars to buy bunting, the Rev. Headd and the Oktibbeha County Justice Coalition chose to use the US Flag to cover their monument. (Photo from the Starkville Daily News, 25 February 2008).

Posted by robertgreen at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)

January 8, 2008

McCain Wins New Hampshire

Needless to say I am pleased that John McCain won the New Hampshire primary. It was not unexpected nor is it ia sign that he has the nomination wrapped up. He also won the last time he ran but it did not result in becoming the President.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)

December 16, 2007

McCain Endorsed by Over 100 Admirals and Generals

Click here to see the press release at JohnMcCain.com or look below. The list is impressivee and there are several Admirals that I personally admire.

For Immediate Release
December 15, 2007 Contact: Press Office 703-650-5550

McCain Endorsed by Over 100 Admirals and Generals

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today over 100 retired admirals and generals endorsed John McCain for President of the United States at a press conference in Columbia, South Carolina. These distinguished leaders supporting John McCain come from all branches of the armed services and include former POWs, Medal of Honor recipients and former members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

John McCain was joined today in Columbia by five distinguished military veterans: Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, USN (Ret.); Vice Admiral Mike Bowman, USN (Ret.); Rear Admiral Tom Lynch, USN (Ret.); Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, USN (Ret.); and Major General Stan Spears, USA, Adjutant General of South Carolina.

"This nation is at war and we'd better damn well understand that fact," said Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, USN (Ret.). "John McCain understands it, and he is the only candidate that has not wavered one bit in his position regarding the importance of victory in the war against Islamic extremism or in his commitment to the troops who are doing the fighting. He has consistently demonstrated the kind and style of leadership that we believe is essential in our next Commander in Chief. Our nation faces a growing array of serious foreign policy challenges. John McCain is the ONE candidate who, in our view, truly understands the strategic landscape and is fully prepared to deal decisively and effectively with those who wish to be our friends and, importantly, those who wish us harm."

John McCain thanked the admirals and generals, stating, "I am deeply honored to have the support of so many distinguished military leaders. I thank them for the trust they have in me, but more importantly, our nation is indebted to their service in defense of our freedom. Our next president will face two wars and an array of national security challenges around the world. My experience, knowledge and background have prepared me to confront these great challenges and lead as commander in chief from day one."

Retired Admirals And Generals Joining John McCain In South Carolina Today:

Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, Jr., USN (Ret.): Admiral Smith retired from the Navy after over 34 years of service in positions that took him, literally, around the world. His last active duty assignment was Commander, U.S. Naval Force, Europe, Commander in Chief Allied Forces Southern Europe (NATO) and, concurrently, Commander of NATO's first ever out of area land operation, the Implementation Forces (IFOR) in Bosnia charged with implementing the Dayton Peace Accords. As a naval aviator Admiral Smith flew carrier-based light attack jet aircraft during multiple deployments to the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Western Pacific and Indian oceans. These included three cruises in waters off North Vietnam where he flew over 280 combat missions.

Vice Admiral Mike Bowman, USN (Ret.): Bowman spent 36 years in the Navy, attaining the rank of Vice Admiral. Highlights of his Navy career include: Naval aviator with tour tours in Vietnam and Wing Commander during Desert Storm and notable assignments including Squadron command, three Air Wing commands, Senate Liaison for the Secretary of the Navy and later Chief of Legislative Affairs, Carrier Group command, Chief of Naval Air Training and Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Rear Admiral Tom Lynch, USN (Ret.): After a 31-year career of naval service, Lynch retired in the rank of Rear Admiral. His naval service included Chief, Navy Legislative Affairs, command of the Eisenhower Battle Group during Operation Desert Shield, Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1991 to 1994 and Director of the Navy Staff in the Pentagon from 1994 to 1995. Admiral Lynch graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with his Bachelor of Science degree in 1964 and received his M.S. from George Washington University.

Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, USN (Ret.): After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956, Admiral Shumaker attended flight training and eventually joined VF-32, a fighter squadron in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a finalist in the Apollo astronaut selection, but a temporary physical ailment prevented his selection. In 1964 he graduated with a masters degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and then joined VF-154 in San Diego, California. In February 1965, he was shot down on a mission over North Vietnam, was captured, and spent the next eight years as a POW. In 1973 he was repatriated and resumed studies, which eventually led to a doctorate degree in electrical engineering. As a Captain he was a government project manager for smart missiles at the Naval Air Systems Command. In 1983 he was promoted to the rank of Commodore and became the Superintendent of the Nav al Postgraduate School. At the Pentagon in 1986, as a Rear Admiral, he was responsible for coordinating the research efforts of the Navy's air, surface, electronics and space activities. He retired from the Navy in 1989 and became an assistant dean at The George Washington University and later became the associate dean of the Center for Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota, from which he retired in 1991. Admiral Shumaker's military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, four Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

Major General Stan Spears, USA: General Spears is Adjutant General of South Carolina. He leads and directs the 10,500-member South Carolina Army and Air National Guard. He serves on the Board of Visitors for the Citadel, the military college of South Carolina. General Spears is the senior Adjutant General in the United States and the several territories. Born and raised in York County, South Carolina, General Spears is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he played on the football team. In 1962, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army National Guard. He served as a traditional Guard member for the next 32 years, achieving the rank of Brigadier General and assignment as Assistant Adjutant General.

RETIRED ADMIRALS AND GENERALS SUPPORTING JOHN MCCAIN FOR PRESIDENT

Rear Admiral John W. Adams, USN (Ret.)
Major General Albert B. Akers, USA (Ret.)
Major General John Blatsos, USA (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Harry Blot, USMC (Ret.)
Major General John L. Borling, USAF (Ret.), POW
Vice Admiral Mike Bowman, III, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Roger Box, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Bruce Bremner, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Thomas Brown, III, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Tom Bruner, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Lyle Bull, USN (Ret.)
Major General George Cates, USMC (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Jack Christiansen, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Edward Clexton, Jr., USN (Ret.)
Lieutenant General John B. Conaway, USAF (Ret.), Former Chief of the National Guard Bureau
Lieutenant General Matthew T. "Terry" Cooper, USMC (Ret.)
Brigadier General Robert Dastin, USAF (Ret.)
General James B. Davis, USAF (Ret.), Classmate of Senator McCain's at the U.S. Naval Academy, Former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe (NATO)
Vice Admiral Walter J. Davis, Jr., USN (Ret.)
Major General Hollis Davison, USMC (Ret.)
Colonel George "Bud" Day, USAF (Ret.), POW, Medal of Honor
Rear Admiral Jerry Denton, USN (Ret.), POW, Former U.S. Senator
Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Russ Eggers, USAF (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Paul Engel, USN (Ret.)
Major General Bill Eshelman, USMC (Ret.)
Major General Merrill Evans, USA (Ret.)
Admiral S. Robert Foley, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPACFLT
Rear Admiral Skip Furlong, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Barton Gilbert, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Andrew Giordano, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Russell W. Gorman, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Ronald J. Hays, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPAC and CINCUSNAVEUR
Rear Admiral Robert P. Hickey, USN (Ret.)
Major General Don Hilbert, USA (Ret.)
Major General Kent Hillhouse, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral A. Byron Holderby, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James L. Holloway, USN (Ret.), Former Chief of Naval Operations
Lieutenant General Jefferson D. Howell, USMC (Ret.)
Major General Evan Hultman, USA (Ret.)
Major General Charles Ingram, USA (Ret.)
Admiral Bobby Inman, USN (Ret.), Former Director, NSA
Major General Harry Jenkins, USMC (Ret.)
Admiral Jerome Johnson, USN (Ret.), Former Vice Chief of Naval Operations
Rear Admiral J. Michael "Carlos" Johnson, USN (Ret.)
General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.), Former Commandant, USMC
Admiral Robert J. "Barney" Kelly, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPACFLT
Admiral Frank Kelso, USN (Ret.), Former Chief of Naval Operations
Major General Phillip G. Killey, USAF (Ret.)
Admiral George "Gus" Kinnear, USN (Ret.), Former COMAIRLANT
Admiral Charles R. "Chuck" Larson, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPAC
Vice Admiral Tony Less, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Frederick L. Lewis, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Joseph Lopez, USN (Ret.), Former CINCUSNAVEUR
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Lynch, USN (Ret.)
Admiral James "Ace" Lyons, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPACFLT
Vice Admiral Michael D. Malone, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Daniel P. March, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, USN (Ret.), POW
Vice Admiral John J. Mazach, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral William "Scot" McCauley, USN (Ret.)
Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle, USMC (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Denny McGinn, USN (Ret.)
Major General Ed Mechanbier, USAFR (Ret.), POW
Rear Admiral George Meinig, USN (Ret.)
Major General Robert L. Menist, USA (Ret.)
Admiral Paul David Miller, USN (Ret.), Former CINCLANT
Vice Admiral Joseph Mobley, USN (Ret.), POW
Rear Admiral Patrick D. Moneymaker, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Benjamin Montoya, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Douglas Moore, Jr., USN (Ret.)
General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., USMC (Ret.), Former Commandant, USMC
Rear Admiral Jack Natter, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Warren "Bud" Nelson, USAF (Ret.)
Brigadier General Eddie Newman, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Robert S. "Rupe" Owens, USN (Ret.)
Major General Earl G. Peck, USAF (Ret.)
Major General John Peppers, USA (Ret.)
Brigadier General Maurice Phillips, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral David Polatty, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral William E. Ramsey, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds, USAF (Ret.), POW
Vice Admiral David B. Robinson, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General Wayne Rosenthal, USAF (Ret.)
Vice Admiral John R. Ryan, USN (Ret.)
Major General Michael D. Ryan, USMC (Ret.)
Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad, USAF (Ret.)
Vice Admiral James E. Service, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Edward D. "Ted" Sheafer, Jr., USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Robert F. "Dutch" Shultz, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Robert H. Shumaker, USN (Ret.), POW
Admiral Leighton "Snuffy" Smith, Jr., USN (Ret.), Former CINCUSNAVEUR, CINCSOUTH, Commander IFOR
Lieutenant General Norman Smith, USMC (Ret.)
Major General Stanhope S. Spears, USA, Adjutant General of South Carolina
Lieutenant General Hank Stackpole, USMC (Ret.)
Vice Admiral Howie Thorsen, USN (Ret.)
Colonel Leo Thorsness, USAF (Ret.), POW, Medal of Honor
Rear Admiral Ernest E. Tissot, USN (Ret.)
Vice Admiral John B. Totushek, USN (Ret.)
Major General Alfred A. Valenzuela, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Lloyd "Joe" Vasey, USN (Ret.)
Brigadier General W.L. "Bill" Wallace, USA (Ret.)
Major General Gary Wattnern, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Donald Weatherson, USN (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Hugh Webster, USN (Ret.)
Lieutenant General James A. Williams, USA (Ret.), Former Director, DIA
Brigadier General Mitchell M. Willoughby, USA (Ret.)
Rear Admiral Dennis Wisely, USN (Ret.)
Admiral Ronald J. Zlatoper, USN (Ret.), Former CINCPACFLT

Posted by robertgreen at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)

December 9, 2007

CIA Tape Revelation Spurs Rebuke

Wall Street Journal, Sat/Sun Dec 8-9, 2007, p. A4

The CIA is once again in hot water with the US Congress. Several years ago the CIA taped some interrogations it conducted and recently destroyed those tapes because they had no additional intelligence value. Keeping the tapes, however, put at risk having the interrogators identified.

Shortly after 11 September 2001 there seemed to be a lot of discussion about who knew what and when about the terrorists. It came out that law enforcement knew some useful information but kept it quite so as to not have the criminal investigation tainted. I thought we had learned from that experience that there were greater goals to be obtained than simply “brining terrorist to justice”. Is not better to prevent acts of terror than to allow them to occur and then put the parties on trial?

Assuming the CIA’s version is correct and that Congress was indeed notified of the destruction, then I think they did the right thing

Posted by robertgreen at 4:39 PM | Comments (0)

April 29, 2007

LEE HAMILTON SIGNS MY BOOKS

I just got this picture for the Director of the Shackouls Honors College. Pictured is Representative Lee Hamilton autographing my 9/11 Commission book (the person on the left is Mike McGrevey, our Chief of Staff). He also signed my Iraq Study Group report.

As I said in my previous post, if more pople, both Democrat and Republican alike, could discuss issues in the manner of Rep. Hamilton, we would make much more progress in politics and public policy. The truth is there really is more gray in the world than there is black and white, yet most people tend to aruge politics as if there are only black and white.

Posted by robertgreen at 3:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2007

A BALANCED VIEW OF AMERICAN POWER

Representative Lee Hamilton visited campus tonight and gave the inaugural Lamar Conerly Honors Lecture Series. The event was held in the recently renovated Lee Hall Auditorium.

Hamilton, former US House of Representatives member from Indiana, and co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group and vice-chair of the 9/11 Commission delivered an excellent talk entitled “A Balanced View of American Power”. He made some interesting points about the use of American power in the world and said the goals of the Bush Administration were appropriate. I can’t say he agreed with the methods employed in Iraq however.

One point he made is that the US should intervene at he appropriate time but he did not say what time was the appropriate time. Before the 9/11 the World Trade Towers had been attacked twice, we had the bombing in Beirut, we had the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen, and others. In retrospect it is easy to see the connections but the problem was seeing them at the time. Was the appropriate time after the first attack on the WTC or after the USS Cole? It is a tough question but it is also an important question.

At the reception following I was able to get both my 9/11 Commission Report and my Iraq Study Group books signed.

I also have to admit that the questions asked by our students were also excellent. This was a great experience and I only wish more students could have been there to hear what was said.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)

March 4, 2007

DEMOCRATS CAN'T CAP TROOP LEVELS

Article: "House Democrats Set to Retreat From Effort to Cap Troop Levels", Wall Street Journal, 02 March 2007, p. A4

One thing I cautioned my Sailors against was expecting to see much change in Iraq as a result of the November elections. The Democrats may have gained the majority, but it was not enough to override a veto or, as we have seen lately, not even enough to bring bills up for a vote. According to the WSJ apparently the Democrat’s are now beginning to see that as well.

According to the article, Rep. John Murtha has been humbled. I doubt I would go that far but he has certainly run into some roadblocks. I can’t say that I’m bothered by that, in fact I think the roadblocks are good. I, for one, never understood the purpose of a non-binding resolution. What were the Democrats trying to prove? Were they trying to tell the President that they were unhappy? If so, they needn’t have bothered; I’m confident the President Bush knows the Democrats are unhappy with the situation in Iraq.

Perhaps they are simply schizophrenic. They holding hearings before they confirm General David Petraeus and he makes it clear that he supports a surge in troop level. After the hearings, they confirm him by an overwhelming number. Then they want a resolution to keep the surge from happening. It makes no sense to me, but then I’m not in Congress.

House Republican Leader John Boehner is quoted in the article as saying “For seven weeks Democrats have been all over the block. They have no strategy to stop the war. They have no strategy to win the war. They are the majority here on Capitol Hill. It’s time for them to grow up make a decision.” I can’t say that I agree with him because I fear the decision they might make.

The truth is that Iraq is not another Vietnam. It can be if we yield to those who want to cut funds and withdraw troops. On the other hand, if we tough it out, we just might win. It was our weak response to prior acts of terrorism that led Osama bin Laden to believe we were a paper tiger and hence the reason he was willing to stage the attacks of 11 September 2001. Imagine what would happen if we were to pull out of Iraq too soon. The acts of terrorism on American soil would drastically increase and they could well prove difficult to counter. Yes, the Iraqis need to take a more active role in running their country; yes they need to do more to quell the sectarian violence; yes they need to train more troops; but their failure to so should not result in our withdrawal for we, along with the Iraqis, will suffer.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2007

JOHN MCCAIN WEBSITE

John McCain announced his new website today. It is available at JohnMcCain.com. Of course, I have a website on his website too, it is robertgreen.johnmccain.com. You can make a donation to the McCain Committee there if you would like.

I supported McCain last time in the primaries for several reasons. He is certainly a maverick, although he seems to be down-playing that a little bit this time, and I think is needed in Washington. He is also a naval officer who spent years in the Hanoi Hilton. There is no doubting this man's courage and resolve.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:02 PM | Comments (0)

December 14, 2006

FAIR TRADE NOT SO FAIR?

Dateline: Courtyard Marriott Capitol Hill/NavyYard, DC

"Voting with your trolley", The Economist, December 9-15, 2006

For the last few years our church has been brewing Fair Trade coffee at our coffee time on Sunday mornings. We've done it because it was the "right" thing to do. It has always bothered me because it never made any sense, but it what liberals do--take action even if it doesn't make sense. The problem is people do not understand economics.

My concern has always been that "fair trade" artificially boosts the price of coffee and encourages people to grow coffee even though there is an overabundance. Of course, with the liberals paying better than a fair price for the coffee more people want to grow coffee which lowers the price even further.

Well, now I have others who agree. The December 9th - 15th 2006 issue of The Economist has an article outlining my objections exactly. They also confirmed a suspicion I've long had about the "fair trade" and that is that it is the retailers who are making a killing, not the growers. "Fair trade" coffee gives the farmer about a 5 cent per pound premium, according to The Economist.

Now I'm going to be generous. Let's say we use four pounds of coffee per week at church (I doubt we do because we always seem to run out). That means that each week we put an additional twenty cents in the wallet of the coffee farmer. Another way of looking at it is that we give Juan Valdez an extra $10.40 per year. I have no idea how much we are giving the retailer but I suspect if bought regular coffee ("unfair trade"??) and wrote a check to the coffee farmers for, say $30, we'd save a lot of money and the farmers would get a lot more money.

It seems like a better idea would be to give the money to the farmers and help them move into growing a different crop that they can sell and make a profit. Kind of makes me wonder why no one has thought of it before. Well lo and behold, someone has. The Economist Article mentions the Rainforest Alliance. They are not a trade association, they do not artificially inflate prices, they simply help farmers learn to grow other crops and provide them the credit they need to do so.

Some other myths shattered by this article:
1) Organic food is not better. Organic food requires more land which takes away the rain forest. Artificial fertilizer allows more food to be grown on less land. Example; cereal production tripled but the land required for that only increased 10%.
2) Buying local produce is not better for the economy. It consumes fewer resources to transport food in bulk to the supermarket where we all go that it does to have every soccer mom and her SUV drive to the market for some things and then drive to the farmers market. Add to that the fact that local farmer is not as efficient as the big farmers and you have a truly inefficient process.

This just goes to show you, everyone needs to take at least one economics class.

Posted by robertgreen at 9:57 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2006

DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON’T

Dateline: Home Study

Rice Is Under Fire as Mideast Peace Falters, by Neil King, Jr., Wall Street Journal, Friday, 25 August 2006, p. A4

Well Rice and Bush are surprise, under fire. When Israel attacked Hezbollah the world screamed for peace. Our European called for UN intervention. My own Presbyterian Church (USA) decried the attacks by Israel because of the harm that was being inflicted on the Lebanese people, revealing once again that Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick should keep his pen capped when it comes to international affairs. So, Bush and Rice went to the UN and brokered a peace deal.

Now that we have the peace deal, our European allies still are reluctant to provide the peace-keeping force (sound familiar?) and Rice and Bush are being criticized for not effecting a long-term solution in the Middle East. So, if you go to war to effect peace, you should declare peace. If on the other hand you declare peace, you should go to war.

I’m personally disappointed because I thought Israel was going to really cripple the terrorist Hezbollah organization once and for all. But alas, they were called down by the US. It seems to me that the US policy is inconsistent and that is what bothers me. Perhaps we changed to appease our friends in Europe but their reluctance to supply peace-keepers is perhaps an indication that we really should ignore them and do what we think is right.

Posted by robertgreen at 10:54 PM | Comments (0)

July 8, 2006

HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

Dateline: Boston Marriott, Copley Place

John Gonsalves, President and Founder of Homes for Our Troops gave a very moving talk about his organization and what it is doing to our disabled veterans. Home for Our Troops was John's brainchild and is proving to be very successful. This organization is doing great things and is deserving of support.

What was truly impressive about John's presentation were the stories he told about the generosity of Americans. He related stories of anonymous donors giving thousands (even hundreds of thousands) of dollars. But he also had many stories of the average working American who shows up to donate time and services building houses. More proof that Americans are giving people.

Posted by robertgreen at 8:34 AM | Comments (0)

June 30, 2006

PALESTINIAN AUTHORTY SETTING ITSELF UP TO LOSE

An Israeli Attack Could Spark end to Palestinian Authority’s Grip by Karby Leggett, WSJ, Wednesday, 28 June 2006, p A4.

As I write this it appears Hamas is already backing down, and in my opinion, showing signs of weakness. Leggett points out that some sources indicate a re-invasion of Gaza in the next year is likely because Hamas is moving weapons into the area that are capable of reaching major Israeli cities. I agree.

The problem in Palestine, and with Hamas, is that they are still a disorganized government. Hamas could do some things, such as act like guerillas, before the election because that is exactly what they were. Their tactics, their methods, and even their strategy was exactly what you would expect from a group of terrorists. However, when they were elected as a “real” government, all of that changed. They now have to live by the rule-set that all governments live by. The problem is they can’t.

The reason the Hamas government can’t live by the international rule-set all other nations have to live by is the same reason we are not doing more, faster in Iraq. Hamas, like the insurgents in Iraq, are at best a quasi-government. There is no real control of them, they have now formal strategy, they have no formal structure. They are individuals and cells seemingly acting independently of each other and often at odds.

The Hamas government, as Leggett points out, can not pay government salaries. How then can they maintain control and credibility? The answer is, they can’t. How much longer will the government last? Who knows, but they seem to be killing any chance they have being a respectable, recognized government. And while some in the media will discuss the “brutality” of the Israelis, I remain amazed at their restraint.

Posted by robertgreen at 1:33 AM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2006

WILL PCUSA BE LEMMINGS?

Dateline: Home Study

Will the PCUSA be a bunch of lemmings and be used by the Palestinians? Most likely yes. Interesting post at IsraPundit today. I wish had more faith in the PCUSA but, honestly, right now, I fear the church is hopelessly lost and based on some of the mail I have exchanged with the "leaders" of the church, they have no idea they are lost.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 17, 2006

PUBLIC RADIO NOT SO PUBLIC

Dateline: Home Study

The Wall Street Journal, Friday 17 March 2006, V. CCXLVII, N 63, P 1. “As Sponsorship Sales Blossom, Public Radio Walks a Fine Line.”

I used to be a big fan of public radio. It did provide a source of music I couldn’t find elsewhere, and I even enjoyed the news. Although I did, still do, refer to NPR’s Morning Edition as Morning Sedition and All things Considered as All Things Left and Liberal I was able to cut through the left-wing bias and find the kernel of truth there. What I liked about it was that the news stories were more in depth and a greater length of time was spent on individual stories than on other news stations. It was also convenient while in the car traveling. I actually was able to get caught up on some of the news on my drives to Memphis for my Naval War College classes.

But then along came Sirius satellite radio. With well over 100 stations from which to choose, I could listen to all the classical music I wanted. And if I was in the mood for jazz, blues, rock, comedy, or talk, I had many options to choose from there as well. But I also have access to news. I can listen to Fox News, CNN, CNN Headline News, CSPAN, ABC News, the BBC, and others, including NPR. All this, and more, for less than $15 a month!

The WSJ article discusses how elite the public radio audience is, which is true. I certainly fall into the categories they discuss about household income and education levels, which raises the question, why is the government subsidizing radio for those of us who are most able to afford it on our own? Could we not simply let the public radio stations go public and spend our tax dollars on other worthy causes? Do we even need public radio and public television anymore? We did at one time, but now give me a choice between The Learning Channel, The History Channel, Discovery, or public TV and it is goodbye public TV.

Public radio is moving in the right direction, just not fast enough.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

MEDIA GETS IT WRONG

Dateline: Home Study

The news media gets it wrong...again. No real surprise here. There is a lot to cover and too few people to cover it, so I can accept some mistakes. What is bothering me however, is the laziness of the media. They seem to not even bother with checking facts any more.

Earlier this week the Wall Street Journal ran a story about how Chinese bloggers turned off their blogs and the media reported it as government crack-downs. They reporters never bothered to check for facts. The bloggers? Well they just wanted to prove how lazy and inaccurate the press is; point made.

Today I learned of more erroneous reporting; in Iraq nonetheless. General Chiarelli, in a DoD news conference today had a few words to say about the exaggerations of attacks on mosques in Iraq. Although the press reported numerous mosques burning, the reality is that there were no fires. Here's the quote:

In the days immediately following the Samarra bombing, the press was actively tracking and reporting every single mosque attack, but the vast majority of the reporting was off the mark. I recalled reports of hundreds of mosques attacked and 30 mosques burning in Baghdad in one night. These reports were terribly inaccurate.

As we received reports of mosque attacks, we sent forces out to physically check the mosques for damage. We received 81 reports of mosques being attacked from sources other than our subordinate units. Of these 81 mosque reports, 17 had light damage, such as bullet holes or broken glass, and six had medium damage, repairable within six months. Only two mosques were completely destroyed, and none were burned.

Keep in mind, these reports are for a country that has thousands of mosques. Yet as I watched the news, I thought that every mosque in Iraq was being attacked.

Again, I'm not making light of the tragedy of the violence that has occurred. But I remain convinced that the resiliency and optimism of the Iraqi people will keep Iraq moving in the right direction.

What really bother s me is that the general public is not getting this information as I am (although they could). Instead, they believe what they read in the papers and form opinions accordingly. So, when I read of the effort in Iraq is loosing public support I know it is based on false information. That is not responsible journalism.

Posted by robertgreen at 11:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

READ MY LIPS: BARBOUR VETOS TAX BILL

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Haley Barbour vetoed the tax bill sent to him by the Mississippi Legislature. Was there any doubt? Neither Barbour nor the Democrats are dumb. Just a few years ago, after careful consideration, a certain President George W. Bush decided that a proposed tax increase was the right thing to do. Clinton then reminded him of his "read my lips; no new taxes" campaign promise he made.

Barbour ran on a similar "no new taxes" platform and now the legislature is surprised that he vetoed a tax increase. Sure, the other side of the argument is that there would be tax cut for food, and the tax increase is only cigarettes, but Barbour knows and remembers the Democrats. When (notice I didn't say if) he makes a id for national office, he does not want this to come back and bit him in the butt.

Mississippi Democrats have, finally, learned about regressive taxes. They are now talking about the high taxes we have on groceries and how it is harmful to the poor. Yep, sure is. It was just as harmful when they raised the tax rate and did not grant an exemption of groceries. If they are truly concerned about the high grocery tax, then send Barbour a bill lowering it. But make sure it includes where the cuts will come from to account for the loss in revenue. And there, my friends, is the rub, a Democrat would have to propose budget cuts!

Posted by robertgreen at 8:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 31, 2005

MILITARY DEATH TOLL IN IRAQ

Dateline: Home Study

Up until today, listening to the news you would think there were a record number of soldiers killed in Iraq in 2005. After, we are losing the war, the Iraqis hate, people are dropping left and right…at least that is what the liberals want us to believe. The truth is much different, something you can find by reading the many blogs of soldiers who are in theater.

And what about that record death toll? Well, the Associated Press put the death toll of American Soldiers this year at 841, five LESS than last year. Wait a minute. I thought things were going worse than last year! Okay, those are still 841 Patriots we lost this year doing their duty, and the death of any one of this is a tragedy, but the death toll seems to be headed in the right direction (down), and opposite the direction the media has led us to believe.

Today’s Washington Post states that the DC Medical Examiner’s Officer is a wee bit backlogged on autopsies, some 1,037 are incomplete, including 84 homicides. Granted, some of those cases go back a decade, and not all autopsies are the result of homicides, but they did report 1,163 were performed last year. That’s a lot of deaths that need an autopsy and it helps put the Iraq death toll in perspective. Over eight hundred American deaths in a country at war compared to over 1,000 deaths in an American city not at war. The web reports that there were 248 murders and homicides in Washington DC in 2003.

Posted by robertgreen at 1:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 29, 2005

WHILE MANY MEMBERS USE THE INTERNET, SOME STILL DO NOT

Dateline: Home Study

The title of this entry is a quote from today's Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. There was an article about the Mississippi Legislature and what they had to look forward to this year. At the conclusion of the story the author was kind enough to provide information on how to contact state legislators, including what their email addresses were. The contact information paragraph ended with the statement “While many members use the Internet, some still do not.”

That, my friends, in a nutshell, is the problem with the Mississippi Legislature. We are about to enter the year 2006 and we still some elected officials who are either too stupid or too arrogant to use email (or, in some instances, both). What better way to keep in touch with those who elected you than use email? Ahh! There's the rub...keep in touch with those who elected you. Obviously we have some officials who do not want to keep in touch for fear their constituents might find out what they really do.

Posted by robertgreen at 1:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 4, 2005

WHY DIDN'T THE MILITARY GET THERE SOONER?

Dateline: Home Study

I've been asked several times or heard comments several times, over the last day or two, asking why the military did not respond faster to the hurricane. The answer is really quite simple--Title X of the US Code. To make it plain and simple: this is the United States of America, not Iraq. We have civilians who control civil law, not military.

Compound the problem further by the New Orleans Police Department officers who resigned. They certainly have no honor, no courage, no commitment. If the Mayor and Governor have any leadership qualities, they will pass a law forbidding those cowards from ever holding a public job again.

The National Guard can essentially be deputized by their respective governors and can then enforce laws, but the active duty can not.

Why didn't they get there sooner to provide humanitarian relief? Again, you have to first ask and then it takes time. From what I've seen the Navy actually began executing a plan before the storm hit but it takes times. If you put troops close, they become casualties. If you put ships in the Gulf of Mexico, they sink.

There was also a lot of damage. When the storm moved on and the winds died down there was very little infrastructure left. Roads were blocked, bridges washed away. I heard last night that some National Guard trucks were stranded in Meridian, Mississippi because they didn't have fuel. Why? It was a combination of the lack of electricity to pump fuel and the freaking idiots in the state (and now surrounding states) who panicked and made a run on gas.

Will it be better in the near future? Certainly. Will we have fuel here soon? I hope. Of course all the fans who came to town to see a football game that should have been canceled have surely consumed what little there was available earlier today. I wonder, is "I can't get gas" an excuse to miss work? I would not be surprised if we did not hear that reason in the next few days, particularly for those who commute to work from out of town.

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August 28, 2005

PRESBYTERIANS OPPOSE SCHOOL VOUCHERS--NO SURPRISE

Dateline: Home Study

I read the latest issue of Presbyterians Today and once again find I am disappointed in my national church organization. Vernon Broyles column borders on encouraging breaking the law and he seems to want to encourage illegal immigration. He even uses the term illegal in quotes, as if it those who cross the border and enter this country without passports and visas are not in violation of the law. But Broyles is pretty much a lost cause anyway.

The editor however troubles me. I’ve often disagreed with her but she usually well-reasoned and is not nearly as militant as Broyles. But this month she exhibits a quality I find in far too many people these days—the belief that change can happen in a vacuum. Secondary and tertiary effects are seemingly never considered.

This month the issue is school vouchers. Like so many, Ms Stimson makes the assumption that if vouchers are issued parents will flock to the private schools; in other words it is assumed that public schools are bad and everyone will leave them. Well, there are some problems with this thinking that is seldom discussed by the liberals. First, private schools will give preference to their current students meaning that there will in general be limited space for new students. If the private schools add students faster than they grow their resources they will fail.

Second, and perhaps most disappointingly, Ms Stimson assumes that public schools will do nothing. Such thinking is too shallow. Public schools will strive to improve their infrastructure to retain current students and attract new students. They will actually be forced to listen to the public they serve and offer programs accordingly. If the community values art, then public school art programs will grow. If the community wants more science and math, more science and math courses will be added by both public and private schools. If discipline is valued, discipline will be instilled.

No, the real reason liberals oppose schools vouchers is, I believe, that the public will take control of public schools. If vouchers come to be, local citizens rather than the National Education Association will make decisions over what is taught in the schools and what program are offered. IN other words, the market will dictate that the local school board be accountable to the public. Now that is a novel concept!

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July 8, 2005

BUSY TRIP WITH TIME TO THINK

Dateline: Fairfield Inn Greensboro, NC

Arrived tonight in Greensboros for drill after another long trip. I left work later than planned (I always do) but had a meeting with someone interviewing for a faculty position. It was a nice meeting and the position is one of the more visible. Worth the delay.

Of course the delay meant hitting Atlanta traffic at the wrong time. I keep thinking that one day Atlanta will get this traffic thing figured out but they seem to do it. At least I don't live there and have to deal with it everyday. Lots of people on the road tonight for some reason. Lots of people who shouldn't be on the road tonight. I continue to be amazed at how many poor drivers there are and how they can block all lanes of traffic, and I'll not even start on the inconsiderate truck drivers out there. There are some nice ones but nothing like just a few years ago.

During the drive I did have some time to think, listen to the news, and catch some talk radio. Bill O'Reilly was really down on the Brits for being anti-American based on editorials in British papers. I think he's just plain wrong. If editorials were reflective of the people's thinking and feelings, then the New York Times would have Al Gore in his second term as President.

While at the Current Strategy Forum at the Naval ar College, a German militarry person was asked, in effect, why weren't the Germans more supportive of America. After talking for a while, he finally made the point that there is a difference between the German government and the German people. Hmmm, just like in America. Perhaps just like in Great Britain? Yea, I think so.

Put some more thought into the Leadership Academy. More on it later.

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July 6, 2005

RUSSIAN SPEAKS ENGLISH?

Dateline: Home Office

I read today that Putin was to speak to the IOC via videotape i hopes of being selected to host the 2012 Olympics...in English! I don't know how many people picked up on that but it seems pretty big to me. Perhaps this is a sign that the former USSR really is interested in becoming more of a player in work events. Can you imagine a Soviet speaking in public during the USSR times? I can't.

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June 30, 2005

THE CORRUPTION OF POWER—THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK

Dateline: Home Study

So goes the title of Vernon Broyles III latest tirade in Presbyterians Today. At least he quotes scripture here but that does nothing to open his eyes or his mind. This man is so arrogant that if he were trying to convince me that the sky is blue I would probably disagree with him.

Vern, like so many these days, is convinced that the Republicans are taking over the world and “abusing power”. Vernon seems to have lost sight of what a democracy, or at least a Republic, is all about. The “Reds” as he calls them, are in power because the American people put them there. The American PEOPLE put the President in the White House, put a majority of Republicans in the Congress, and even put Republicans in the governor’s mansions across the nation. That is obviously a sin according to the great Vernon Broyles who, like the majority of the power elite in the Presbyterian National Office, know so much better than we about what we need.

Vern is not even original in his arguments which is what really frustrates me. If he had some new arguments at least it would be fun to read him but he merely repeats that which comes from the DNC—Republicans are rich, Republicans hate the poor, Republicans hate charity… He is, plain and simple, a bigot. Not a bigot in the racial sense but a bigot in the political sense. He obviously thinks he has some special status that allows him to stereotype people and then complain about the group he has defined—-erroneously defined.

This month, just like in previous months, the sky is falling. This month it is democracy itself that is in danger of collapse. “[W]hat was once a model for democratic process for the world has been turned into a war zone between the ‘Reds’ and the ‘Blues’” Vern, I think the United States is still a very good example of democracy for the world. You are not getting your way and your are entitled to whine all you want (although I’m tired of it), but democracy is perfectly safe. Perhaps, Vern, you’ve not noticed, but our government is functioning. The “Reds” and the “Blues” may be at odds over some issues but they are arguing about those issues in Congress and fighting with words. They are not arguing in the streets and fighting with guns. Sir that is what I call Democracy at work. Perhaps you should step down from your ivory tower and review some American Government. All is well, we are not Iraq, or Iran, or Cuba, or China, or (fill in the blank with your choice of third-world country or dictatorship).

Actually what is happening in Congress is rather novel to the PC(USA) leadership. What we are having in Congress now is debate, something sadly lacking in the PC(USA). The best the PC(USA) can do is say well we kind of sorta got some guidance at the last General Assembly but really we just know best and don't need to bother you with anything.

Vern is also a little confused about who has the power and how it is being used. He certainly has not been watching or reading the same news I have. According the all-knowing Vernon Broyles,

The near absolute power now in the hands of the “Reds” has caused even leaders who once claimed to be “unifiers” and “healers of the divisions” to forget those commitments in the euphoria of their advantage; an advantage which has, in fact, strengthened the proud in the imagination of their hearts, secured the powerful on their thrones, lifted up the elite, filled the rich with even more good things and sent the hungry away empty.

I can just hear his smirks in his use of quotation marks. But let’s look at the facts, something Vernon seldom does. If the “Reds” are so powerful, why have more judges not been confirmed? Heck, why haven’t they even at least voted on them? The “Blues” remain quite powerful themselves is why and they are denying the American people the exercise of the democracy we fight for. And what’s with this rich stuff again? I’ll believe it a little more as soon as John Kerry, Teddy Kennedy, and the other rich liberals in Congress give up some of their money. This is more of Vernon’s bigotry easing in his argument as he leads one to believe that it is the “Reds” who are rich and elite.

I do agree with the last part of Vernon’s diatribe however. He says “we who claim to be Christian citizens, must say ‘No more!’” I’m with you brother! No more Democratic stall tactics that prevent Congress from doing what they were elected to do! No more interference from the Presbyterian elites in Louisville and Washington pretending to speak for the church against the war and against the Israelis!

Of course there is also another explanation for what is happening, an explanation given by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Adams: “Men of energy of character must have enemies; because there are two sides to every question, and taking one with decision, and acting on it with effect, those who take the other will of course be hostile in proportion as they feel that effect.”

And now I await next month’s issue of Presbyterians Today to see what nonsense Vernon Broyles is able to contrive.

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June 1, 2005

DEEP THROAT

Dateline: Home Study

Am I the only one that is a little sad that we know who Dep Throat is now? I kind of enjoyed that mystery and got a kick out of the speculation. Now we know that it was the second in command at the FBI. The problem is that he is now too old really tell us anything about why he did it. If I can't have the whole story I'd rather have the mystery remain. Maybe Woodward will have something interesting in the Thursday Washington Post.

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May 21, 2005

WHAT HAPPENED TO CRITICAL THINKING IN THE NEWS MEDIA?

Deateline: Home Study

Two articles in today’s Washington Post really makes me question the ability of the news media to think critically. Is it the purpose of news organizations to merely present facts, or should they attempt to interpret them, is an age old question but the problem I have with the media is that they selectively interpret news. On some items they want us to believe they are offering insightful commentary but on others they just report the facts.

• U.S. Officials Condemn Hussein Photos by Josh White and Ellen Knickmeyer
• New Swedish Documents Illuminate CIA Action by Craig Whitlock

I’m not going to argue about Islam or Muslims. They have a right to their own beliefs and I respect that. If they are offended by half-clothed people then so be it. My gripe is with the WashPost again. The photos were published in the Sun, a London newspaper, not an Iraqi or even Arab newspaper, so where is the offense? The counter argument would be that the Sun is an international paper and is read by people in Iraq. True, I agree with that argument. But I would also argue that the WashPost is an international paper that it too is read in Iraq. So, publishing the photo in the WashPost makes them as responsible (irresponsible?) as the Sun for publishing the photo. And if you really want to offend someone, look at the advertisement for South Moon Under on page C4 of the Post. Those half clothed women would be enough to really get some red blood boiling.

The greater question is, should we all have one standard for publishing to avoid offending anyone else or should we accept that Western papers exhibit Western values and Arab papers exhibit Arab values? Is diversity of ideas, values, and culture not what we all want? Never mind, the evidence is clear that Al Qaeda does not want that. But really, should the Sun, the Washington Post, the New York Times, or the Backwater Weekly worry about offending the values of someone on the other side of the world. I think not.

And if the Iraqis are offended by the “Saddam in his underwear” picture, they should never again check their email. Some of the spam email I have received, in living color, would surely give them all heart attacks.

The press problems continue in the article about the CIA helping Swedish officials transport terrorist prisoners to another country. The Swedes wanted to deport these terrorists to their home country for interrogation and solicited the CIA’s help in getting them out of the country before their judges could block the transfer. Well now they are upset the CIA came in wearing masks, cut the clothes off the prisoners, strip searched them, dressed them again, and then restrained them in the Gulfstream V aircraft for transport.

Where’s the problem here? Even the Swedes admit they were amazed at how quickly the CIA personnel removed the prisoners’ clothes, searched them, and had them dressed again. If the objective were to humiliate or degrade the prisoners then why would all of this be done so quickly? The Swedes had already told the CIA personnel that no one was at the airport and that their masks were unnecessary so, if humiliation were the name of the game, why not blindfold the prisoners and march them naked to the airplane? No one would see but it would certainly be humiliating. The Swedes also said the search was unnecessary because the prisoners had already been searched and were handcuffed.

We can believe, as the WashPost seems to want, that the CIA personnel were animals who were out to humiliate and trample as many human rights as possible, or we can believe a more plausible and reasonable explanation—the CIA was concerned about safety and security! Three months prior to this event, terrorists had passed through American, not Swedish, airport security and inspections then boarded large planes with hundreds of passengers. Once airborn the terrorists took control of the planes and flew them into buildings. Perhaps the CIA was concerned that their terrorists had explosives secreted on them somewhere and might attempt to blow up a plane. What’s that? Surely the Swedes would have found any explosives? Right. And you have faith in TSA as well, don’t you? After all, making those 75 year old ladies take off their shoes has those terrorists trembling with fear.

I am worried that we are becoming a nation in which we believe that flying planes into buildings and killing people is something we deserved because we try to help the world and that having a picture of someone in their underwear is a violation of human rights. I wonder, how many pictures of naked women do you think Saddam and his sons had in their rape palaces? And we are to be concerned that pictures published in a Western paper are offensive to Arab values? No, perhaps the problem is not with the pictures but it is with the radical, militant terrorists. After all, how else can you explain the fact that Muslims living in the West have not picked up arms in protest over the photo?

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May 18, 2005

ANN COULTER NAILS IT!

Dateline: Home Study

Ann Coulter nails Newsweek and their highly sourced Koran abuse story. My, my, Newsweek biased? Never!

Still waiting for the cowardly editors to resign...

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WHITAKER CONTINUES TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY

Dateline: Home Study

The Newsweek story continues and Whitaker continues to hide. In today’s Washington Post there was another story about other reports of Koran abuse from detainees. Come on guys, the detainees have every reason in the world to make up stuff. Why do we not take the word of every criminal who claims innocence as seriously as we do radical militants in Gitmo?

Whitaker claims he was out of town so he is apparently not responsible. From the WashPost:

In the case of the Koran item, Whitaker said, he saw a draft version on April 29, Friday, and raised no questions. The next day, which is the magazine’s deadline, the final draft would have been approved by Periscope editor Nancy Cooper. Whitaker said he did not see the final version because he was traveling on personal business. Managing Editor Jon Meacham was out of town for an interview and for the White House Correspondents Association dinner. Washington bureau chief Dan Klaidman said he was also involved in the editing.

What a lame-assed excuse! “But sir, I wasn’t actually at the Concentration Camp where the Jews were killed so I can’t be held responsible.” I think we’ve been down that road and found that “not being there” is “not an excuse”. Whitaker needs to step up and resign, but he won’t.

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