Jakubczyk on Common Sense

Applying faith and reason to ideas, issues and events in today's world

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

To John McCain - some more unsolicited advice

Well my friend, in your effort to appear relaxed, non-confrontational and appealing to those of us seriously concerned with the outrageous rise in gas prices, you spoke to Matt Lauer over at the Today Show and said some things that really do not help the conversation. All morning I listened to the various talk shows playing your comments and then blasting you for siding with the Democrats in beating up on "Big Oil." Now lets face it. You are right when you say this is a supply and demand problem. Prices go up when there is a greater demand than available supply. But is it really Big OIL who is controlling the speculation on the futures market? I do not think so. and you are right to raise the question of the competence of the federal government to interfere with the market.

But comments about "sharing profits" amounts to giving cover for Obama's line about further taxing of the oil companies.

Lets go back to the reality. The U.S. needs a steady and reasonably priced supply of oil to fuel our economy. we can drill within the U.S. and along the shores if Congress would allow it. So Congress is a part of the problem.

We also need to be able to refine the product and make it usable. That means we need to build more refineries. Again Congress and the government bureaucracies are in the way. In our own Arizona, a refinery in the southwest part of the state near Yuma could be a major help to the entire western state region. Mexico would be delighted to send their crude to us and we could ship it right back at a profit. This project would create jobs along the border and improve relations with our neighbor to the south. Tapping the reserves that we have in the U.S. would slow down the speculators and stabilize the barrel price. It is also a matter of national security. The U.S. cannot afford to have its economic power held hostage to speculators on hte futures market. The military and the transportation arms of our economy must have ready access to fuel.

There is also another issue at play. If families are spending more money to put fuel in their vehicles, then that means less saving, less spending on durable goods and less discretionary spending in an economy that unfortunately relies too much on consumer spending. Reducing the price of gas at the pump helps the transportation sector as well as mom and dad. Providing more output allows the market to stabilize.

Now liberals are delighted to seethe price go up. They like to control people's movement and hate the automobile because it allows us all independence. They want the population to depend on mass transit. The liberals are not your friends. They are not the friends of the poor, the working class and the middle class. Gore will complain about global warming ands then use his private jet to travel at his leisure. He is part of that elite class of citizens who "know best."

Remember that it is the every day people who make this country work. $4.00/gallon for gas is not acceptable.

You want to be president. I want you to be president as well. Here is an opportunity to lead this nation. We all remember the 1970s and the gas crisis. That was not a pretty time. We can do something. America is looking for leadership. America needs leadership.

"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. "

Monday, June 09, 2008

Addressing the Catholic vote and Obama

A recent article by Kathryn Lopez asks the question about whether a Catholic can consider voting for Barack Obama. She explains her thoughts quite lucidly and comes down on the side of life. She addresses those Catholics who send her emails and want to ignore the pro-life issue as they make the case for Obama. Even Doug Kmiec is back in the news sadly embarrassing himself as an obama apologist.

So let us take a moment and exercise a little common sense.

1. There is a difference between war and abortion.

Some wars can be justified. Abortion can never be justified. Perhaps you oppose the Iraq conflict. Perhaps you have good reasons to oppose our continued presence in Iraq. If you could look into the future and saw that tens of thousands would die if the U.S. left now, then if you were a caring and compassionate human being, you would not opt to leave now. You would want to protect those innocent human lives.

Abortion kills over 3600 people a day just in the U.S. alone. Is that a good thing? I don't think so. And if you are a caring and compassionate human being, you would not think so either.

2. Obama has no history of supporting Catholic principles.

Really if you think about it, what has Obama done to earn your vote?

He supports positions directly contrary to Church teachings (not to mention the Natural Law) on the family, on the nature and purpose of private property, on the role of parents, on life, on end of life issues, on marriage, just to name a few. So what does he say that should even get him in the door for you to consider him? Oh he wants to use government - oops tax payer dollars to help the poor. Check out his tax returns over the last few years. What has he ever given to help the poor?

According to Tax Prof Blog

Obama_tax_returns_2


So in 2001 he and the Mrs. made over $272,000 and gave $1,470 to charity. Amazing that during the aftermath of 9-11, Obama did not give something to some of the charities helping the families of those who dies in the attack on the World Trade Center. But then I know little old ladies (and gents) who give more than that amount on a retiree's income.

So when people tell me he is going to help the poor, where is the proof?

The only thing that i can believe is that he is going to take more of my money to fund his programs, leaving me with less of my money to give to the charities and to support the programs I think best. And of course ever since his party has taken power in the Congress in January 2007, gas prices and the cost of living have gone up. Gas prices have almost doubled since 2007.
That really helps the poor ... and the working class ... and the middle class. But then considering his income, he and his wife can tell us all to lower our expectations as she did in a speech in February this year.


But back to my point.

Common Sense tells one not to simply listen to the words but to look at the actions. So in looking at Barack ones sees a fellow

embracing abortion
embracing Planned Parenthood
embracing the homosexual movement to change the family

and that is just the beginning.

But enough for now.