Think About It

Pakistan - Post Bhutto

Was the assassination of Benazir Bhutto a surprise to anyone?  According to some news outlets, the American plan went like this: Musharraf couldn't win the upcoming election, so the U.S. hedged their bet with Bhutto, a moderate compromise candidate.  When she won, we would still have an ally in Pakistan.  Only problem is it didn't go that way.  Now what?

Was Bhutto's assassination the handiwork of Musharraf as claimed by Bhutto in e-mails to journalists?  Or, was the assassination the work of the Islamic fanatics? 

Will the Islamic extremists take over Pakistan in 2008?   What are the implications of such a take-over?
Will they pass nuclear technology to the terrorists?  It may be a big year for the U.S.

Your Predictions for 2008

OK, the new year is coming up soon, so it's time for annual predictions.  We'll check at the end of 2008 to see who made the most accurate predictions.  Yes, you can come off looking like an idiot at the end of the year, but therein lies the fun.  We're guessing here, be brave!  Our prediction categories will include: POLITICS, NATURAL DISASTERS, TERRORIST ACTS, WAR IN IRAQ, RELIGION, PROMINENT PERSONALITIES, ECOLOGY, WORLD AFFAIRS, ENERGY, and ANY OTHER CATEGORY THAT IF FORGOT TO MENTION.

As to politics, Hillary will win the Democratic primaries.  The Republican side is harder to call, but I think when it all shakes out it will be Romney.  I think Hillary will not want to take a chance on having a female/African-American ticket and will choose Edwards as her running mate.  Romney will want to court the Evangelicals and he will ask Huckabee to be his running mate.  I think Hillary's negatives will be her undoing in the end, but it will be a very tight race.  The Republicans will win by a narrow margin.

As to terrorist acts, I suspect we will get hit somewhere in the U.S., but it won't be on the magnitude of 9/11.

The War in Iraq:  I think more of Iraq will be turned over to the Iraqis in 2008.  I predict the terrorists will have their own "surge" before our elections.  At the end of 2008, there will be a slight reduction in troops, but nothing significant. 

Energy:  Gas will stay above $3.25 a gallon in early 2008 and will spike at over $4.50 later in 2008.   Crude will hit $100 a barrel before the end of 2008.  The  public interest in hybrid  and alternative energy cars will show more of an increase than thought by experts.

That's all of my predictions.  I know, some are pretty safe, but I took a flyer on the political predictions.

If You Had to Do It All Over Again

This is the season for soul searching and general ruminating about one's life in general.  I assume most of us are pretty content with our career choices, but if you were handed the opportunity to have another "go at it," what career would you choose?  As for me, I think it would have to fall in the humanitarian category.  But what would one do to have the greatest impact in the span of one short life. 

I think I would dedicate my second career to energy and desalinization research.  IF, thats the big IF, one could figure out a way to make fresh water out of sea water, cheaply, then pump it into the arid regions of the world it would have an enormous impact on the world's food supply. 

Why hasn't this happened? 

Is Bush a Hypocrite when it Comes to Pardons?

From:  http://agentramos.blogspot.com/

Two U.S. Border Patrol agents were sentenced to prison terms of 11 years and 12 years for shooting a drug-smuggling suspect in the buttocks as he fled across the U.S.-Mexico border.

A U.S. District Court Judge in El Paso, Texas, sentenced Jose Alonso Compean to 12 years in prison and Ignacio Ramos to 11 years and one day despite a plea by their attorney for a new trial after three jurors said they were coerced into voting guilty in the case.

A federal jury convicted Compean, 28, and Ramos, 37, in March after a two-week trial on charges of causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and a civil rights violation.

On Feb. 17, 2005, Ramos responded to a request for back up from Compean, who noticed a suspicious van near the levee road along the Rio Grande River near the Texas town of Fabens, about 40 miles east of El Paso.

Ramos, who headed toward Fabens hoping to cut off the van, soon joined a third agent already in pursuit.

Behind the wheel of the van was an illegal alien, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila of Mexico. Unknown to the growing number of Border Patrol agents converging on Fabens, Aldrete-Davila's van was carrying 800 pounds of marijuana.

Unable to outrun Ramos and the third agent, Aldrete-Davila stopped the van on the levee, jumped out and started running toward the river. When he reached the other side of the levee, he was met by Compean who had anticipated the smuggler's attempt to get back to Mexico.

"We both yelled out for him to stop, but he wouldn't stop, and he just kept running," Ramos told California's Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Aldrete-Davila crossed a canal.

"At some point during the time where I'm crossing the canal, I hear shots being fired," Ramos said. "Later, I see Compean on the ground, but I keep running after the smuggler."

At that point, Ramos said, Aldrete-Davila turned toward him, pointing what looked like a gun.

"I shot," Ramos said. "But I didn't think he was hit, because he kept running into the brush and then disappeared into it. Later, we all watched as he jumped into a van waiting for him. He seemed fine. It didn't look like he had been hit at all."

"The supervisors knew that shots were fired," Ramos told the paper. "Since nobody was injured or hurt, we didn't file the report. That's the only thing I would've done different."

Had he done that one thing differently, it's unlikely it would have mattered to prosecutors.

The question of the day is this:  President Bush pardoned several people this week, including  four drug smugglers: however, he did not pardon these two Border Agents who were doing their duty.  The office of the President reportedly issued a release stating the reason they weren’t considered is because their case is on appeal.  This did not stop him from promptly pardoning “Scooter” Libby.  Is this right?  Is this hypocritcal of Bush to pardon drug smugglers and not pardon those who were defending  us against drug smugglers?

Treason and Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi and her supporters voted to cut off funding for the war in Iraq.  The Pentagon has announced this will mean 100,000 civilian workers will be laid off.  The questions of the day are:  At what point does an elected representative's actions become treasonous?  Does this constitute "lending aid and comfort to the enemy in the time of war"?

Bush - Bad President or Good President?

Some of these posts are for daily discussion while others look for long term solutions.  This one is for discussion.  President Bush is certainly not the most articulate of our presidents, nor is he the most suave, and many would say he doesn't look presidential.  However, when looking at his record, I suspect history will treat him much better than many presidents.

When measuring the worth of a leader, we must look at the economy.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we have a current unemployment rate of around 4.4%. 

The Dow Jones is currently around 13,600, which is certainly higher than normal.

Home ownership is at an all time high, not withstanding the failure of the sub prime lending market.

The interest rates are at an all time low. 

On the downside, our trade deficit continues to grow.  How much of this should be laid at Bush's feet?

Illegal immigration appears to be rolling along unabated.  How much of that is his fault?

The war in Iraq continues and apparently will continue for quite some time.  Did he take the right course of action by invading Iraq?

How Do We Take Back Our Churches?

There appears to be a growing discontent among many who attend various churches.  Many feel their churches have been hijacked by special interest groups, i.e., officials of the Catholic Church in Los Angeles declaring the church a sanctuary for illegal aliens.  How can church officials be held accountable by their flock?  Should they be held accountable by their flock?

The worldwide scandal of pedophile priests is without parallel.  Many parishioners felt at first it was an anomaly, not systemic.  Many are asking why church officials didn't do more, earlier, to put a stop to it.  Many have said they didn't leave the church, it left them.

Other church members have told me they feel church mergers "watered down" the essence of their church.  New rules and edicts are suddenly coming down from the church hierarchy which congregations often feel has more to do with politics than the Bible.  This has led to splits within churches, i.e., the Episcopal Church.
How much has this contributed to cynicism about religion in general?

Can the Middle East be Saved from Radical Islam?

How exactly does one define "Radical Islam" from regular Islam?  Radical to me means condoning the killing of non-Muslims for religious reasons.  Are there other benchmarks?  Will the radical elements win out in the Middle East?  They appear to be gaining popularity.  Why?

Should We Stay in Iraq?

Should we stay in Iraq?  If so, for how long?  What are the benchmarks that need to be met before leaving Iraq?

National Health Care

Can we institute a workable national health care system?  Does the AMA want a national health care system?  How would this affect the profits of insurance companies?   What would be the annual budget for a Federal Department of National Health Care?

Under the Clinton Administration, Hillary was appointed to spearhead the effort to establish a national health care system?  What happened?  What did she actually propose?  Who was for it?  Who lobbied against it?

I recently spoke to a friend who moved to Toronto, Canada.  She became a Canadian citizen, but tells me she has to carry supplemental insurance because the basic health care system isn't that good.  How much does the average Canadian pay in taxes for their national health insurance?

Don't we already have a modified national health plan through Medicare and through state welfare programs for children of low income parents?