2010 Elections

As primary election results roll in and we move closer to the mid-term elections in November, it's beginning to look like a major change in the makeup of Congress will occur. Such changes are not uncommon in the mid-term of most Presidents with only the magnitude of the change varying from one administration to the next. This time the change could be greater than most because of the poor performance of both the Congress and the White House in dealing with the economy, healthcare, foreign affairs and such tragic events as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The success of certain candidates in recent primaries suggests also a growing philosophic impact of the Tea Party Movement.

BP Spill Update

The oil continues to flow strongly from the Deepwater well and at flow rates considerably greater than 210,000 gals./day. Flow estimates now range as high as 60,000 Bbls./day or 15x earlier estimates. That is a lot of oil and very worrisome in terms of both environmental and economic damage. The Obama administration and Congress have jumped all over BP management for their failure to avoid such a disaster in the first place and in their failure to bring the well under control and seal it off. While it doesn't do much good to rant at BP executives as a Congressional committee is doing, I must admit that BP management has not covered itself in glory either. The relief well drilling is reportedly ahead of schedule and is now expected to be completed by mid-July. It should do the job of shutting off the flow of oil from the well.


Shutting Down Drilling Operations a Mistake


Declaring a moratorium on drilling in the Gulf adds to the growing list of mistakes made by Obama. The reversal of his order by a Federal Judge ought to be enough to put an end to Obama's foolishness. Everyone else operating in the Gulf continues to do so with a good safety record. Moreover, shutting down operations only makes the current economic problem worse and it surely does nothing to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

The McChrystal Firing

The firing of General McChrystal from command in Afghanistan will not help us defeat the Taliban and win the war. His replacement, General Petraeus. is a good man who did a great job for us in Iraq. Once the dust settles over the McChrystal affair, Petraeus will do an equally good job in Afghanistan. Defenders of our Constitution must admit that the President, as Commander-in-Chief of our military forces, had to do what he did to maintain civilian control of the military as prescribed in the Constitution by the founding fathers.

It isn't the first time a President has fired a General. Truman did it to MacArthur. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now, but I also support the Constitution and want to see us get back to government based strictly on its intent.