Your Nation's Voice

Are We Are A Society of Nuts?

Two things recently became very clear to me through a personal experience:  1) we have become so spoiled that we think others should cater to our every whim and 2) we've lost track of what is really important. This story wouldn't be that interesting if not for the fact that it's a perfect example of these two points.

The following story is true.  The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Will The Current Economic Downturn Kill Consumerism?

Think about it.  Sixty five to seventy percent of American Gross Domestic Product is a direct result of consumer spending.  That means that practically 2/3 of every GDP dollar earned in this country is a direct result of what you spend on clothes, homes, cars, insurance, etc.  American consumer spending represents 18% of the entire world's GDP!

BPA In Baby Bottles - Is It Safe?

I was listening to a program on NPR a few months ago about bis-phenol A (BPA), which is a potentially dangerous chemical in certain plastic baby bottles and in the liner of some baby formula cans.  While there is no definitive evidence as to the actual risks for infants, laboratory tests show that there is reason for concern.

Obama Announces National Security Team

As of 8:50 am EDT, President-elect Obama announced the following people to fill posts on his National Security Team.

Foreign Imports and National Security

Plenty of attention has been paid to the amount of oil our country currently imports (70% +).  Some pundits have warned that depending on oil from certain foreign sources, such as those with extreme religious or political views, is a national security threat, while others diffuse this suggestion by pointing out that our largest supplier of oil is Canada, which is hardly a threat to national security.  For may Americans, this true but totally misleading point is enough to make this a non-issue.

This Fire Needs To Be Put Out (Newsweek)

My first memories of the Taj Mahal hotel are probably of when I was 8 years old, going to the Sea Lounge restaurant with its lovely view of Mumbai's harbor to eat sev puri, a savory Indian treat. I also remember passing through its grand ballroom a few years later, while it was being decked out for a dinner in honor of the president of Bulgaria—crystal chandeliers, ice sculptures, bouquets of roses, platters of shrimp carted around by liveried waiters. My family would celebrate special occasions at the Golden Dragon, one of the best Chinese restaurants outside of China. The Taj is a fixture in the life of Mumbaikers (or Bombayites as we used to call ourselves). Last week, those memories came flooding back as I watched from New York, and saw the Taj hotel on fire.....read entire article.

Give Obama Some Time

He hasn't even been sworn in yet and people are already setting aggressive expectations for President-elect Obama.  True, he has his work cut out for him, but we all need to set our expectations at a reasonable level.  It took years to get into this mess and it won't be resolved in 90 days.

Re-Industrializing America

Anyone watching the hen house?  Other than some complaining about job loss to foreign countries, I haven't found anything lately in the news that discusses the National Security implications of the outsourcing milieu that has been building momentum for the last 20+ years. 

Is anyone looking at what the potential risk is for a World Superpower who outsources a large portion of its manufacturing capabilities to foreign countries?  What about basic production capabilities like steel, aluminum and critical minerals?  Should we be trusting foreign countries, some of which could easily turn on us, to supply these materials?

Airwave Assaults

Many people are hoping that the recent election will usher in a new era of cooperation and accomplishment between the two political parties.  The celebration, both nationally and internationally, of the Obama election is indicative of a new sense of hope and cooperation that people haven't felt for quite a while.  Seeing tens of thousands of people cheering in the streets of cities across the world was a moving moment and demonstrates how excited many Americans are about the future of our country. 

Weekly Address From Obama Started

A new website has been created by the Obama Team to share information and to obtain input from citizens.  The new government leaders will be more focused on sharing information with Americans and Obama will be appointing a Chief Technology Officer to make government more efficient.  This is great news for the government and American taxpayers.