The Debate I’d Like to See…

A Possible Future

Socialized Medicine

     Well, it’s campaign season again; time for pointed speeches, witty one-liners, and a fresh round of campaign promises.  For liberals, that means talk of new social entitlement programs, tax increases for the “rich,” and of course, national healthcare.

Better Late Than Never

     I apologize for my recent absence.  I have been extremely busy these past few weeks.  I will return to making regular postings shortly.

Wise Words

     It’s often said that history repeats itself.  If that’s true, and even if its not, maybe we should pay more attention to the lessons of our past.  Here’s one man’s take on what one of the most influential leaders of the World War II era might have to say about today’s current events.

African Development?

     A U.S. aid organization is donating laptops to school age children in Africa.  Their goal is admirable: “To provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves.”  You might be surprised to learn how some program beneficiaries are doing that though.  

     Apparently, schoolchildren in Nigeria have been using the laptops to explore pornographic websites.  According to Reuters, a reporter from the official News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) found pornographic images stored on several of the children’s donated laptops.  I could be wrong, but that doesn’t sound to me like the kind of exploration the program was designed to encourage.

America’s Stength

     Every now and again it’s important to stop for a moment and take stock of things so that we know where we’re at.  I can’t think of a better time to do that than on July 4th, our Independence Day.

     So far, I’ve used these blogs to criticize a few of those people who seem to have lost faith in our system.  I’ve focused on groups suggesting fundamental changes to our approach to government, arguing that everything we’ve done in the past has somehow been off target.  They’re some of the same people who apparently believe that our country may be past its prime and is starting a slow decline into the pages of history.

Bigger Problems

     Colleges and universities used to be known for being academic institutions. Most were talked about for the caliber of their professors, the achievements of their students, or the novel new ideas that developed there. Now though, one school is making the news for a much different reason. Rumor has it they’ve got some pretty unique bathrooms.

     The University of Michigan-Dearborn is planning to spend about $100,000 to upgrade two student bathrooms on its campus. About a fourth of that money ($25,000) is going to finance new “foot-washing stations,” which the University claims are needed to accommodate Muslim students who ritually wash their bodies – including their feet – up to five times every day before prayer. I’m all in favor of cleanliness, but this idea is a little concerning.

A Word About Unions

     The labor movement has been in decline for years, but that doesn’t mean that unions don’t still have alot of influence.  In fact, there’s reason to believe they may even be on the rebound.  We’ve been seeing quite a few signs of life recently. 

    I don’t think too many people would disagree that labor unions have made some positive contributions over the years.  There was a time when rapid industrialization forced unskilled workers to labor long hours in crowded, unsanitary conditions.  Unions helped to correct many of those problems using their most powerful tool – collective bargaining. 

Fuel Efficiency

     Democrats are trying to “take our country in a new direction” again. I can’t help but wonder why every time they try and do that they look to the same, tired ideas of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

     In their weekly radio address, Democrats called for “a new direction in energy policy.” What is this new direction? Well, a new Senate bill would apparently require automakers to increase the fuel economy of new cars, sport utility vehicles, and pickups beginning in 2020 to a fleet average of 35 miles per gallon. According to news reports, the average is currently about 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 mpg for SUVs and small trucks.