Speaking Personally

Sometime in his first term President elect Obama will face the great dilemma President Bush faced on taxes in his four year presidency.  I suspect conditions will force Obama to do the same and raise taxes during the third or fourth year of his first administration. 

Senator Biden during the campaign spoke of early challenges to an Obama presidency from abroad.  U.S. Roman Catholic bishops have warned the President elect that his heavy support from Catholic voters should not be taken as a referendum on abortion.  Cardinal Francis George said "If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve.  ... Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion."   I don't see a connection between available abortions and "free exercise of their religion"  unless free exercise of religion means using government to enforce their religious views on the general population.

T. Boone Pickens said on Meet The Press he had heard President-elect Obama say twice that in ten years the U.S. will be importing no oil from the middle east.  Its true.  "Oct 15, 2008 ... OBAMA : I think that in ten years, we can reduce our dependence so that we no longer have to import oil from the Middle East or Venezuela." 

Something will have to be done for the automotive industry but America should draw a line or else there will be pleas to bail out Hollywood and Broadway.  David Bonior is whispered as Obama's pick for auto industry czar.  If this happens it will be interesting to see if he is tough enough to order entire plants and lines closed. 

Three 

Important Stories

The Plum Book (United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions): 2008 Edition

GSA Transition Directory

Special Report Energy & Genius

Quotes and Pointers

 

'APPENDIX NO. 5
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice Presidency is a unique office that is neither a part of the executive branch nor a part
of the legislative branch, but is attached by the Constitution to the latter. The Vice Presidency performs
functions in both the legislative branch (see article I, section 3 of the Constitution) and in the executive
branch (see article II, and amendments XII and XXV, of the Constitution, and section 106 of title
3 of the United States Code).
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plumbook/2008/2008_plum_book.pdf

'The executive functions of the Vice President include participation 
in Cabinet meetings and, by statute, membership on the National Security 
Council and the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.'
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2008_government_manual&docid=214669tx_xxx-18


'This special issue of Forbes explores both the supply and the
demand sides of energy economics. On the supply side we look at
biofuel-emitting bacteria, micronukes, smarter grids, clean coal and
that perennial favorite of politicians, ethanol. On the demand side we
look at hybrid cars, the metal mining that may make hybrids more
compelling and a utility chief who wants to get paid to produce fewer
watts.'
Edited by Bruce Upbin 

Out and About on the Net.

 

A Kurosawa Celebration, From Many Angle

120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power

et alli is cross posted at The Intelligence Forum 

A.Word.A.Day from Wordsmith.org: logy