More math classes and fewer press releases please

Growing up in Northwest Iowa we always had a nice laugh when we heard the "poor" local farmers complain about crop prices, the weather, etc. while they were driving around down town in their brand new vehicles.

I had a flash back to this childhood memory tonight as I read our local newspaper here in Minnesota. Tucked inside the Local Section was a small story about the Stillwater, Minnesota public school district (today's "poor farmer") which announced it was able to hire a new "Communications Coordinator" (today's "new vehicle") which was a job eliminated earlier due to budget constraints. The article went on to note that this position's annual salary was $70,820.

Personally I would rather see my local school focus on hiring an additional math teacher or perhaps a Chinese language instructor to better prepare students for our global economy if it was able to find an extra $71,000 (plus that excellent benefits package including health insurance, public pension, etc.). No doubt school administrators would defend this hiring by stating -- "we need to develop communication tools (newsletters, website, etc.) to communicate with our students and parents.................." -- but I have to believe a current Stillwater student could easily manage the school's website better than any communications coordinator they hire and a student newspaper could be started in partnership with the local community newspaper. Such a partnership would provide the school with trained students able to produce any required newsletters but more importantly these students would develop tangible job skills needed after graduation from high school. Any money spent in this area would be a better expenditure than adding one more FTE (full time employee) via the Commuications Coordinator job.

There are better uses for this $71,000 at Stillwater Public Schools if the education establishment truly believes in putting "students first" as the Education Minnesota teachers' union TV ads want us to believe.

Then again perhaps I should apply for this Stillwater job (insert laughter here!),

Todd

US Senator Ted Kennedy

Political news in the USA this week has been dominated by the disclosure that US Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. According to today's Wall Street Journal (front page coverage in fact!) the life expectancy for the type of tumor Senator Kennedy has is about 14.5 months so by July of 2009 the last of the Kennedy Brothers political dynasty will have passed into the afterlife.

Now I do not share Senator Kennedy's political views nor his driving record but let me be clear I do not wish him ill. This is tragic news for him and his family but it is also a "learning opportunity" for American voters this November. First, a short history lesson -- when US Senator Hillary Clinton, current presidential candidate, was named by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as director/chairman-in-a-pants -suit of a health care reform commission she was First Lady of course. Via this commission she advocated a complete takeover by the federal government of the entire American health care system to ensure we have universal health care/single payer health care. As most astute observers noted at the time such a "reform" would have ultimately created "health care rationing" such as is practiced in Canada which motivates Canadians to drive across the border into New York State, USA to get MRI tests conducted due to the existence of long waiting lists (rationing) in Canada.

So if the utopia that was to be -- "Hillary Health Care" -- existed today the principles of health care rationing would be applied to people like Senator Kennedy because he is 76 years old with a brain tumor. Senator Kennedy would clearly have to be placed VERY LOW on the waiting list for treatment since he is clearly at the end of his projected life expectancy for white men in America so the government's limited health care resources would be better spent on a 25 woman with ovarian cancer. Doesn't that make sense??

Of course not -- instead of some government health care rationing commission deciding which patients live or die based on the health care rationing regulations, actuary tables, etc. we need to empower family members to make these very personal health care decisions.

So if any readers out there believe the American health care system is completely broken then let's "reform" it completely by getting government the hell out of the system!! No more mandates on insurance companies regarding which services/procedures should be covered. Personally I would like to have massages and yoga instruction paid for by my insurance company since I believe in this form of "alternative medicine" but I am not about to lobby my government to require such coverage nor should another group of people lobby the government to force my insurance company to pay for plastic surgery procedures. Such mandates simply add to the overall cost of insurance thus resulting in insurance premium rates which are too high for a segment of society -- essentially government health care regulations have caused people to go through life with out health insurance.

Rationing is not rational,

Todd

Klansmen for Obama

Throughout my nearly 20 years working in politics I have built and have witnessed some creative coalition building but yesterday's news out of West Virginia is perhaps the best one yet.

US Senator Robert "Name Another Building After Me Paid With Your Tax Dollars" Byrd of West Virginia endorsed US Senator Barack Obama for President of the USA yesterday. Now this biographical note does not appear on Senator Byrd's official website (http://byrd.senate.gov/bio.htm) but he was (can you quit this organization?) a member of the Ku Klux Klan which he comes to grips with via his book noted in this Washington Post (if you don't believe me perhaps you will believe the Post) article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061801105.html

A Senator's Shame
Byrd, in His New Book, Again Confronts Early Ties to KKK
By Eric PianinWashington Post Staff WriterSunday, June 19, 2005; Page A01
In the early 1940s, a politically ambitious butcher from West Virginia named Bob Byrd recruited 150 of his friends and associates to form a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. After Byrd had collected the $10 joining fee and $3 charge for a robe and hood from every applicant, the "Grand Dragon" for the mid-Atlantic states came down to tiny Crab Orchard, W.Va., to officially organize the chapter.

So congratulations Senator Obama -- you have to be the first black man/African-American (covering my bases here!!) in American history with a 50/50 chance of becoming president to be endorsed by a recovering Klansman. This is even a great accomplishment than when the Reverand Jesse Jackson ran for President.

Personally I think race relations in the USA would be helped by Senator Byrd taking his endorsement one step further by doing a national town hall meeting with Senator Obama to talk about his experiences in the KKK.

Now this is diversity,

Todd

Oil Imports and Free Trade

This weekend's Wall Street Journal ("WSJ" -- oh, if only more Members of Congress read this sacred text!) featured an article reporting on the recent failure by President Bush to convince the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to produce more oil. This request was designed to increase world oil supply to help drive down gasoline costs for American consumers.

The WSJ article included a very informative bar graph which depicted the USA's "Crude Oil Imports, March 2008, millions of barrels a day" (from specific countries). The overall rankings included the following list from highest to lowest provider of crude oil to the USA:

Canada
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Nigeria
Venezuela
Iraq
Angola
Algeria
Ecuador
Brazil

Now without me conducting extensive geo-political/cultural research on these 10 nations here is my quick snapshot overview of our reliance on these oil exporters based on my years of general observation, study, and travel:

Four (4) of these ten countries' (located in the Mideast and Africa) political systems are dominated by Islamic organizations -- many of which are hostile to the USA. Another three (3) of these countries (located in South America) have socialist governments with cool diplomatic relations with the USA but one in particular, Venezuela, consider the USA to be a greedy and corrupt empire destined to be overthrown.

Which leaves us with three (3) of these top ten oil suppliers to discuss -- Angola, Canada, and Mexico. First - Angola, located in Africa of course so this can pose distribution problems for the USA since President Chavez could use his oil money (partially gained from the USA) to build a naval presence capable of destroying Angolan oil tankers -- far fetched you might say but did anyone predict the Twin Towers in New York City would be bombed by passenger aircraft??

So that leaves us with Canada (which is # 1 on this WSJ list) and Mexico (coming in at #3 on the WSJ list) that we should consider not only valuable oil suppliers but also solid allies for the USA. Let's pause here to count our blessings since these two countries are of course our northern and southern neighbors. Additionally the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) helps to ensure that these three economies are reliant and inter-dependent on each other. Tell me -- does anyone out there fear Canadian troops invading the USA? No because the old maxim is true -- "trading nations are not warring nations."

Here are two key things we should focus on in terms of American foreign policy:

1.) Encourage (and assist) Mexico to modernize and privatize its national oil monopoly to increase its production capacity so the American economy receives an increase in supply.

2.) Enhance the Canadian-USA relationship via --- increased exchange student programs especially in the fields of geology and engineering, state trade missions led by all 50 of our governors to Canada, and film festivals featuring movies like "Canadian Bacon" and "Strange Brew" (hey -- just trying to little the mood here after the earlier talk of Islamic radicals and Latin dictators!!).

Free trade has benefits that people like Senator Obama and Senator Clinton want to overlook since they are pandering to the Democratic Party's "base" at the general public's expense not just in pocketbook but also in national security terms.

Free trade is the oil that lubricates the world economy,

Todd

Obama and Clinton Cutting a Deal

As the Democratic Party presidential nomination winds down to what appears will be a victory for US Senator Barack Obama all the pundits are speculating what will become of his challenger - US Senator Hillary Cattle Futures Clinton.

From what I have seen all the speculation has focused on whether or not Clinton will become Obama's Vice Presidential running mate or that Senator Clinton would drop out gracefully to help unite the party as she looks towards the 2012 presidential election - which of course is based on the scenario that US Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee, would defeat Senator Obama in November 2008.

Let me offer another scenario I have heard or read anywhere. Here is a hint -- Hillary is a "lawyer". Any guesses?

If you haven't guessed yet here we go -- Senator Clinton drops out gracefully by cutting a deal with Senator Obama and does all she can to help Senator Obama elected in November 2008 with no plans to run in 2012. The deal? President Obama appoints Senator Clinton to the US Supreme Court which of course is a lifetime appointment versus the potential 8 years (assuming she get re-elected in 2012 or 2016 depending on when she would potentially run - this year or in 2012. Yes - I know that is complicated!) that Senator could serve as President due to the current constitutional limitations.

Today Hillary is 61 years old so assuming President Obama appoints her to the Supreme Court in 2009 (assuming there is a vacancy - although the Clintons could probably arrange that!!) she could serve in that capacity for potentially 25 years based on current life expectancy rates.

Wow! I don't know which scenario gives me worse nightmares -- President Clinton for 8 years or Justice Clinton for 25 years.

Sleep well,

Todd

Follow The Money

Since American taxpayers lose nearly 50% of our wages -- when you add federal, state, county, city taxes together -- due to the tax burden we suffer in this country we have every right to demand where OUR money is spent. Don't you agree?

Here in the State of Minnesota we had a new law that went into effect in 2007 that requires the state government to create a database/website (aka "Google Government") which would show any interested person where the state spends OUR money. After nearly 1.5 years since this bill became law we tax slaves of Minnesota still do not have a tool that will allow us to follow the money.

After numerous telephone calls and emails -- too many actually in terms of transparency/efficiency for citizens -- with the state Department of Administration , the state legislature, local activists I know, and even some Washington DC groups that track these issues for a career -- I still do not have a good answer that explains why we do not have this database/website operational yet. Today I was told that "yes this is the law but we did not receive any money to pay for the implementation and our consultant told us we need $1 million to $2.5 million to implement this website............"

Wow, that sounds like real money!!

How is it that several states have moved forward with this "Google Government" concept at very low costs but Minnesota needs millions of additional tax dollars to do the same thing? Here are some examples for readers to ponder and for asking your own state governments why they don't have such a website:

http://www.nebraskaspending.com/ -- Nebraska

www.window.state.tx.us/wherethemoneygoes -- Texas

The one encouraging aspect of my last two days of telephone calls and emails is that I found out our local media is very interested in this database project. Historically I have "challenged" far too many journalists to emphasize the "investigative" part of their reporting such as when I read an article about the St. Cloud, Minnesota school district being unable to purchase textbooks due to a lack of funding. No where in the article did you see evidence of the reporter asking some hard questions like -- how much does the school district need for text books and how much does it spend today on automobile allowances for administrators? A classic question since my teacher friends complain this is why they have to purchase equipment for their classrooms with personal money every August. The vital lesson for me is that even though they are un-elected/un-paid by taxpayers our journalists are currently more accountable to taxpayers than many government officials are today. Yet another reason to continue buying newspapers!!

Finally, I need to note that the population of Minnesota is about 4.5 million people while the population of Texas is nearly 17 million YET the Comptroller of Public Accounts for Texas reports that she developed their spending transparency database/website at a total cost of --

$310,000

So Minnesota needs at least $1 million dollars but the State of Texas did essentially the same thing for only $310,000?

Something is clearly wrong here and further justifies the need for spending transparency in government.

Todd

Run Hillary Run!!

Via my blackberry news service I just heard that former US Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia has announced he will run for President of the USA under the Libertarian Party (LP) banner. While this news will no doubt excite many of my conservative friends especially the Ron Paul supporters I doubt the LP will win more than 5% (perhaps 3% maximum in fact) this year even with a former Republican US Congressman (Barr) at the top of the ticket. I have met with Mr. Barr and like his worldview but unfortunately he is just not high profile enough to capture the national headlines needed to advance his campaign.

However, what REALLY does excite me is the opportunity that US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has at her fingertips. Since Senator Clinton highlighted for American voters that her opponent for the Democratic Party nomination, US Senator Barack Obama, is NOT qualified to "take that call at 3 am" that tests what every president is made of during a crisis.

If Senator Obama is really not prepared for the extreme challenges that are likely during his presidential term then Senator Clinton must, in fact is required, to launch a third party campaign assuming Senator Obama wins the Democratic Party nomination for President and does not choose Senator Clinton to be his vice presidential candidate.

So which party for Hillary to save the American public from an unqualified President Obama? Green Party? Not a great option since she would somehow have to overcome/replace Ralph Nader who is seeking this party's nomination -- http://www.votenader.org/

I won't even begin to find a new party for Senator Clinton to join but here is an extensive list of her choices --

http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm

Given her current opposition to free trade agreements and "concern for working families" perhaps she should pursue a "Hillary Clinton-Lou Dobbs" ticket with one of these various third parties.

Imagine how much fun November would be for voters -- beyond college football of course -- if the presidential candidates included -- McCain, Obama, Clinton, and Barr -- running as candidates from four different political parties. Now that would be an exciting range of choices.

Run Hillary Run until November,

Todd