Rick Perry, Possible Presidential Run

Texas Governor Rick Perry has yet to announce his candidacy  for President in 2012 but…… He keeps talking like one.  So what is holding back his announcement?  Can he win?  Will the Bush legacy ruin his chances?

"The Colbert Report", Laughing at Buddy Roemer?

Well, Buddy Roemer for President is receiving increased national media attention.  He was a guest on "The Colbert Report's" 29 July Episode.  I would not call his performance funny but it did seem to sit well with the audience.  He got rounds of applause and laughter.  The audience could have just been laughing because they do not think he stands a chance.  His pledge to accept no more than $100 individual campaign contributions has many people laughing at his chances.  Has the national media coverage increased his chances?  Can the internet or social media help his campaign?  Watch the video and let us know.

The Colbert Report 29 JUL Buddy Roemer Part 1     The Colbert Report 29 JUL Buddy Roemer Part 2 

Buddy Roemer For President

Buddy Roemer, former congressman and Governor of Louisiana,  officially announced his entry into the 2012 Presidential Race.  He plans to run a campaign free of Lobbyist, PAC and high dollar contributors.  Roemer pledges to only accept $100 contributions.  He has taken a moderate, common sense stand on many issues that affect most Americans.  The enormous amount of money that politicians collect in the form of large campaign contributions buys an extraordinary amount of influence.  Roemer's pledge to only take small contributions will free him from the influences of Corporations, Special Interest Groups and PAC's.  Opensecrets.org, a website dedicated to disclosing the influence money is buying in Washington, reports that 2012 is no different.  Almost $100 million has been raised by the candidates already campaigning for the 2012 Presidential Race.      Will Buddy Roemer have enough money to even make the ballet in Iowa?  Will this approach work?  I would like to find out  what you think?

Terrorist support US energy policy

The United States of America is the most energy rich country in the entire world.  Our country has Oil, Natural Gas, Coal and Alternative energy sources to supply this country for hundreds of years.  So why are we still importing energy from countries that hate us, and our way of life. There are massive oil reserves under the frozen tundra of Alaska.  There are massive oil reserves off our pacific coast.  There is so much oil off the coast of Florida that China is drilling away.  What?  China is drilling off the coast of Florida.  They are actually drilling off the coast of Cuba, which is 90 miles away from the coast of Florida.  American companies are not allowed to drill there because of our backward energy policy.  So why are we still importing energy from countries that hate us, and our way of life.  Our biggest energy partners are Canada and Mexico, but the rest of our energy importing partners are not supporters of the American way of life.  Our energy policy is also costing us billions of dollars.  The US allows OPEC to set production levels of Oil.  OPEC curves production in order to reduce supply, and therefore manipulate price.  If the price of oil begins to drop, OPEC reduces supply to increase supply.  This would be illegal under US law if it was done on American soil.  It would be a violation of anti-trust laws but,  these meetings are held in Vienna.  American companies are not held to production quotas but, some of Americas most productive oil fields are off limits to American Energy companies.  This cost all us all thousands of dollars every year.    

Government Health Care????

Dear Senator,

Please apply some common sense to the Health Care bill and repeal it.  I am for change in the Medical industry; Fair Insurance Markets, Caps on Medical Litigation.  I do not think the current approach passed by the former Congress is the answer.  This bill you voted for is only going to enrich few, at the expense of many.  Lawyers, Drug Companies, Large Hospital Corporations and the working poor will receive help from this bill.  Small and medium sized Businesses, Doctors, and everyone currently covered with health insurance will greatly suffer.  Our cost will be higher for less service.   How will we be able to pay for this when Social Security and Medicare are about to go bust?  There are many less expensive options available to combat the cost of health care.  Insurance competition, Tort reform, and simplified FDA guidelines will lower the cost of insurance and the cost of health care.  Please do what is best for the people you represent.  That is why we elected you. 

Sincerely

Stuck.n.middle

Natural Gas (CNG) vs. Electrical Vehicles (EV's)

Re-Fueling Stations: Both have home charging stations. But everybody who has a home has an electrical outlet.  Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has a recharge unit for home use, but not everybody has access to natural gas in their homes.  The CNG unit also comes with an initial cost.  Electrical Vehicles (EV's) can be recharged in more places than CNG stations cover.  Initially an extension cord can be ran to the EV.  Eventually it will not be hard to add plug in units to parking areas.  CNG stations come with high initial infrastructure cost.  I think Electrical Vehicles win this one. 

Range: How many times have you been out on the town and your cell phone battery is dead?  Electrical cars practically run on the same batteries.  Those batteries have a lot of new technology and innovation in them but they are still limited, expensive, heavy and inefficient.  Natural Gas engines are not much different than the engines we use now.  Gasoline and Diesel engines can be converted to run on CNG.  CNG vehicles get similar gas mileage to gasoline therefore a full tank will get them just as far.  CNG is more efficient for large delivery vehicles, public transportation, trash collection and fleet vehicles.   I give this one to Natural Gas.

http://pressroom.ups.com/pressroom/staticfiles/media/image/cng_1_high_res.zip

Cost: General Motors (GM) new Volt EV retails for over $40,000 before tax incentives.  Ford (F) has a Hybrid EV that runs on batteries until it runs low, then a gasoline powered generator runs the engine.  It starts at $28,000 before tax incentives.   Honda makes the only mass produced CNG vehicle in America, the Honda Civic GX starting at $25,450.  Cummings Westport has a production CNG engine for the traditional diesel market.  For large vehicles or heavy vehicles, EV is not even an option because of the size the batteries that would be needed.   I would award this column to Natural Gas (CNG) too, BUT...... It seems that the momentum is clearly behind the Electrical Vehicle.            

Welcome to The Man in the Middle

Thank you for your interest in my opinions!  Hopefully my commentary will encourage free and respectful discussion on the topics of this blog.  The purpose of this blog is to discuss current events the way I understand them.  I consider myself the Man in the Middle with a Joker on one soldier and the Devil on the other.  Yea that’s right out of the song "Stuck in the Middle" by Stealer's Wheel.  I am a just the average American GI JOE (2 Tours in Iraq) Solider whose opinion is probably much like that of Middle America.  I am an Independent stuck between the Republicans and Democrats.  I do not believe most of our current politicians represent Middle American's.  I also believe when politicians do take a stand, or make a compromise that would benefit the middle; they are shunned by their party and blasted by the press.  Since most Middle Americans are out trying to earn a living, they-we have to rely on the press to keep up with what is going on, and end up receiving only half the story.   These are the issues I will discuss.  I follow current issues and offer my commentary.  I hope you will help me by adding to the discussion.  I try to listen to both sides, cast away the fluff and form an opinion that would benefit most Americans.