Legal Americans

© WithComment.com 2007

Well I know it has been a while since I updated the site but I’ve been on vacation and working on big projects for my business.

My vacation was a 10 day trip starting in New York City then a train ride to Delaware and then a drive to Washington D.C... It was a long yet educational trip on several levels. It helped me understand the “East Coast” attitude towards the “Fly over country” and why they are more liberal then most of the rest of the country.

New York has a lot of energy and I can see why it has inspired many people to greatness in the arts and science, yet has my friend Frank told me, (he lives in Delaware) “100 million people live within 4 hours of his house, yet 95% of them are idiots. But that still means 5 million are smart, and that is more then all the people that live in Iowa.” And I believe I met a lot of those “95 percenters” on my trip.

However, New York’s energy leads the nation and world in change, unlike Washington D.C. where I loved the giant buildings and monuments of granite, but I realized that it also meant that change was slow and honoring the past was more important then fixing the present or the future.

Commentators like Rush Limbaugh talk about how Republicans who first get elected to Washington fall for the trap of being in the “in crowd” and alter their views to be accepted and get on TV because they differ from other Republicans. I believe the city also traps men into moving slow and not making the choices that will make real change, not realizing the only people with monuments or buildings named after them are the ones that separated them selves from the crowd and made changes.

The recent immigration legislation is an example of why the solution can not come from the east coast but must come from the southwestern states who are directly involved with the situation. The east cost has such a vast population of immigrants that the average height of its population must be 5’7”! I am 6’0 and I don’t normally feel that much taller then people here in my home town of Des Moines, but in New York I felt like a giant.

This made me look around harder had who is an immigrant and I realized that almost all the service jobs were done by first or second generation immigrants. It was amazing that the first 6 cab rides had only guys from the middle-east, all the maids, doorman, fast food order takers. It had to be 75% or more from the places I went to and saw in N.Y. which lead me to the conclusion that there is an almost “Master/Slave” relationship between the wealthy, middle class and everyone else.

I believe that easterners believe that if we get tough on immigration that this “service” class would disappear and who would take care of them? Or that they fear some sort of uprising or labor strike that would close down the city and states. That’s why they don’t want the legislation to include having to go home to them come back. This would cause too much interruption in services.

The truth is that we need to first just stop the inflow by building the fence on the border. Then we work on a system to get those who have skills we can use to get into the system, get the criminals out, also we need to overhaul the whole thing to allow immigrants from other countries with skills and cash to get in easier too.

This also needs to be tempered with welfare reform. If there are “Job’s American’s won’t do” then that is because welfare pays better then those jobs, if it didn’t then they would get those jobs wouldn’t they?

Wouldn’t it be a great way to celebrate “Independence day” by making more legal Americans, and making more American’s independent of the government.

A Mad World and a President

© WithComment.com 2007

Elections matter! Tuesday’s “State of the Union” speech by President Bush has been viewed by most as a “good” speech. However, I saw it as a president who has been brought to his knees.

Most of the president’s problems have been self inflicted. His plan for a quick victory was brilliant and correct, however, his plan for winning the peace has been just as bad and slow as any guy off the street could have designed.

President Bush’s speech did point out very clearly the problem in Iraq, on the one hand you have the Sunni minority who had supported Saddam Hussein and were seen as the problem in Iraq. Those Sunni’s that have decided to take up arms have aligned themselves with Al-Qaeda. On the other hand you have the Shiite majority who has the support (openly) of Iran. So what are we to do?

The answer, not an easy or simple one, is to kill the leadership of the Shiite & Sunni militias and organize a strong central government. However, that government is always going to have to have a strong hand in dealing with religious thugs.

Because of the problems in Iraq, President Bush can not deal with N. Korea and Iran in the way that he needs to as he pointed out so correctly in 2002 as the “Axis of evil” We now get reports that N. Korea is directly helping Iran with its testing program. Ahmadinejad has promised an active enrichment process and bomb in their new year, which begins on March 20th, 2007. He has also continued his promise to end the “United States and the Zionist regime of Israel” Words that we must listen too. Although I know Iran is not ready to “destroy” the U.S. it would not take much to devastate Israel.

The Democrats have made it very clear they do not want to do anything that would expand the war in Iraq or move on to Iran. They won’t say they want to cut and run, but instead continue to use words like, “precipitous withdrawal”.

Tuesday night, newly elected Sen. Webb (D-VA) said, “…immediate shift toward strong regionally based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq's cities and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq." Sen. Webb’s words seem reasonable, but he doesn’t give us specific information on how the peace will be won, if our troops are off the streets and out of Iraq. I guess they will just come together, hold hands and sing some song from the 60’s.

President Bush is weakened and now we are in a more dangerous place, in this mad world.

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com

It is lonely being the world leader

© WithComment.com

These are the main areas that the world has a problem with us in: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6286755.stm

*The war in Iraq: an average of 73% of respondents disapproved (57% in the US). Disapproval was strongest in Argentina and France, while people in Nigeria, Kenya and the Philippines were more likely to approve.

*Detainees in Guantanamo: 67% disapproved (50% in the US). Backing for America on this issue was highest in Nigeria, where 49% approved.
Israeli-Hezbollah war: Washington's role met with approval from respondents in Nigeria and

*Philippines, but on average 65% disapproved across the 25 countries (50% in the US).
Iran's nuclear program: again, support for US actions appeared strongest in Kenya (62%), Nigeria (53%) and the Philippines (52%). But, overall 60% of respondents disapproved (50% in the US).

*Global warming: more than 80% of respondents in Argentina, France and Germany disapproved compared to 56% overall (54% in the US). But the White House had 50% or more support among those polled in Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines and South Korea.

*North Korea's nuclear program: opposition to US policy was strongest among respondents in Argentina and Brazil. On average across the 25 countries 54% disapproved (43% in the US).

The heart of this poll was to see if the US was a stabilizing power in the world. Countries that have never liked our “cowboy” diplomacy don’t like it now even more. France and Argentina have never been real friends to the US and I doubt anything we do gets a positive response.

As far as the War in Iraq and Club Gitmo I disagree but understand their problem with our involvement. However, I don’t understand the negative view of the Israeli-Hezbollah war (we weren’t involved there militarily) other then we support Israel. Same with our handling of Iran’s nuclear program. What are we to do, nothing? Allow a country that supports terrorism to have a nuclear program? Again, anti-Israel.

Global warming is a bill of goods sold to people who are self haters. That the world would be great if it were not for man. Specifically the US and its industry, which isn’t as pronounced as it use to be. But we are just energy wasters as we produce 20-25 percent of the world’s GDP.

N. Korea is ran by a whack job and what are we to do, nothing? I guess we would be much more popular if we did nothing and just went a way. Then there would be no check on evil people in the world. The world may hate us but they need us on the wall.

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com

Plan "B" for Baghdad

© WithComment.com 2007

President Bush outlined a plan to increase the number of troops around Baghdad by 21,500 in the near future. His reasoning was that 80% of the violence in Iraq occurs within 30 miles of the city. This level of troop increase would also double the number of U.S. troops in that area. Not insignificant.

As we get farther away from the initial invasion, the more I question the strategy of the war. I however, do not question the need for the military action. Hussein had to go, the middle-east needed to be changed and made more connected to the west. These countries are slipping away from the world, the more the Islamic fascist are gaining power. Iraq may have not been directly involved with 9/11 but were sympathetic to the cause.

Obviously I am not a military strategist, however, I have reviewed military actions in history and know that in every situation there are multiple plans and back ups when encountering the actual enemy and not a theoretical one. Why we would have a plan that didn’t also have plans for 20, 50 & 100,000 troops in reserve if needed is beyond my understanding. From my reading of the Pentagon they are always writing papers on this stuff and have plans to invadeCanada.

One thing I do know is that it is the President's responsibility only, and the Democrats trying to get involved with this issue is wrong and without bases in the constitution. The President told us last night that the enemy in Iraq will be very willing to increase the violence as the new troops enter the country. What he failed to mention is that the media and the Democrat leadership are also willing to increase its verbal violence too. The administration might not confirm a “Plan B” but they better have one ready!

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com

Other Minor Powers: North Korea

© WithComment.com 2007

The fact that I even mention North Korea as a “minor power” is stretching it. They have no economy and a conventional military that can only hurt S. Korea. So the only reason they are a world player is that they are testing nuclear weapons. More importantly they have missiles that could carry them to the U.S.

Kim Jong il (best portrayed in the movie: “Team America: World Police”) raised in Russia during WWII, educated in China, he is the “Manchurian Candidate”. He became leader after the death of his father in 1994. N. Korea has broken a deal with the U.S. made in the 90’s, some say it was because the Republican controlled congress pushed too aggressively against N. Korea, but the fact is that this country has too many problems to be concerned about nuclear energy or weapons.

I see N. Korea as a person who threatens suicide without really going through with it. Why do they do it? For the attention. “The leader” who has a degree in Political economics (what ever that means) hasn’t a clue to running any type of economy. So he resorts to blackmail and forgery to prop up his country. A government official of N. Korea was busted with millions in forged U.S. currency and N. Korea had the balls to ask for the cash back.

This failed communist dream of a country is another example of why that form of government and economy goes against human nature and does not inspire the best in man. I rank Kim Jong il as most likely to use his nuclear weapons in a suicide attempt. The question is how we will retaliate with China and Russia as their neighbors and throw him on the trash heap of history.

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com

Recession 2007?

© WithComment.com

Will the democrat win in November, and now a clear movement emotionally by those being polled to get out of Dodge (Iraq), lead to a recession both in the U.S. and by default globally?

World connectivity drives economic growth both in the "Core" (Europe, North America including Canada, & Mexico, Asia and Australia) and the "Gap" (All those not in the Core). If the U.S. now has a mentality of withdrawal from the world conflicts will this mean a slow down in buying from the world?

Just last week the U.S. concluded meeting with China about the under valuation of the Yuan. The U.S. doesn't like it because it creates a large trade deficit and dollars flow out of the country undermining its value. However, China snapped back that the reason we have enjoyed low inflation in the U.S. is because of the cheap goods and if they change their valuation we will experience inflation. That would lead to the Federal Reserve raising rates, which would tighten money and slow the economy. A sneeze in the U.S. economy will cause a cold in the world economy.

The democrats also are looking to raise taxes in certain areas or just don't extend some of the 2001 tax cuts that have helped the economy. These variables signal a possible change in the last two years of the Bush administration. The media has never properly covered the expansion in this economy, and a lot of America never knew we have a good economy with historically low unemployment, low inflation, wages increased and savings was up.

So far the new leadership in Washington is not making claims one way or another on how they will govern, but their party will demand they act in a way that will lead to a recession.

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com

“Hope without guarantees”

Our connection to the world.

The history of man is one of struggle. No matter if you believe man was created by god or evolved from the primordial soup, the more recent history of man has been one of struggle.

Man vs. other species, Man vs. the elements, Man vs. Man. No matter who we are at odds with we have, as a species, had to overcome the need for food, shelter and security. Those same situations still continue today, whether it is in Africa, Asia or South America, parts of the world still have man battling his surroundings to make a better home for himself and his family.

Those countries that have risen above some of this struggle form a “Core” as Thomas PM Barnett puts it in his book, “The Pentagon’s New Map” of connected countries. This connectivity is based on our common desire to trade goods and ideas across international boarders. Conspirators would contend that this is the “New World Order” that Pres. Bush (41) talked about during his presidency. Although Mr. Barnett is not against an open boarder policy, I am. I believe in the old saying that “good fences make good neighbors”

These countries outside the “Core” are called the “Gap” and are not as well connected. They have a much lower standard of living and are the regions were the U.S. and its partners have had to be involved militarily since the end of the cold war. Bosnia, Iraq, Africa are all places we have had to deal with because their populations and leaders do not want to participate in a friendly manner with the rest of the world.

They use excuses like,”it’s the devil in Washington” or, “it’s the Jews” fault, instead of understanding that their people will never get better, that their economies will never grow without the rest of the world.

Take Iran, they have all the oil they will ever need, they export enough to make them wealthy (930 million barrels per year), they consume less electricity then they produce yet they want nuclear energy. However, with their resistance to the west we have no choice but to doubt their intentions. If this were Mexico wanting to have nuclear energy, we might have to have a talk with them, but we would probably help them because we know they are very connected with our economy and not a military threat. Iran on the other hand is an unknown variable.

The United States is still the best hope for the world to live in peace. Despite what you might read, we are the only ones who can get people together but they must want to connect with the world. Our allies must also want the “Gap” countries to connect with the rest of the world, but until those countries understand that they will not be successful unless they can export goods other then oil, and that we will buy it, there will be no chance for peace.

All we have is hope for the future without guarantees.

Chris Mendelsohn
reply@withcomment.com