A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics
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A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics | |
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January 07, 2006You really got to love an election year.The politicians just get so concerned about the comfort level of the little guy. I get the distinct feeling, that if I asked my local representative to drive over to my house, an adjust the pillow behind my head, he would actually do it. On the other hand, if I asked him to never take a contribution or gift over 50 dollars, he would morph into a savage animal an consume my liver. The republicans are reeling from a series of disasters both man made and natural (DeLay, Katrina, Iraq, Plame, Oil, Abramoff), and the democrats seem to be wandering around aimlessly, like a bunch of autistic children. However, both parties are in one of their more accommodating moods. So I thought I'd make up a New Year's wish list. Oil: All domestically produced alternative liquid fuels not using natural gas, oil or coal for (or during) production will be exempt from all federal, state and local taxes. Electricity: All electric utilities will accommodate “net metering” for residential customers. Bribes: No elected or appointed official (and their staff) will accept a trip, entertainment, fee or gift valued over 50 $. Disaster response #1: Fix the freaking radios already! Katrina showed that the best way to communicate was text messaging. You've got six months before the next hurricane, get off your butts! (hint: Cell phones are cheap and readily available.) Disaster response #2: This country can't survive without our port cities. On the other hand it is absurd to use federal funds to constantly rebuild homes and businesses in hurricane alley. You can't fight mother nature. From now on federal hurricane funds should only be used to relocate people to safer ground. The only exception would be for port facilities and the people working there. A moratorium should be enacted on all building in hurricane prone coastal zones. WOT: Have an intelligent debate on the War On Terror. Then have congress vote on a policy for dealing with a planet full of angry Muslims. And it wouldn't hurt if congress actually exercised some over site on the president, rather than just handing him the keys to the Hummer and walking away. Budget: Pass an amendment that would split the budget into domestic and foreign then require the domestic side to always be balanced, while the foreign side could only be unbalanced during time of war. Obviously there would have to be a huge amount of details worked out on each item. So for the president and all the congressional leaders reading this, just shoot me and email. We'll set up a meeting to iron out all the little stuff. Comments
I like all those, especially the one about splitting the budget. Defense spending needs to efficient as well (we can't just waste money), but in wartime, foreign policy takes a greater priority in many respects. Posted by: Rafique Tucker at January 8, 2006 02:19 AMCommon frequencies would be great, but you MUST have extensive multiple-channel capabilities in the designated ranges. That one keeps falling down on funding--the locals are not wild about spending millions they don't have to revamp their systems. Cell phone systems go down too--the text messaging that worked in Katrina was mostly via satellite cell phones and the occasional WiFi point that kept power and linkages. Responders found that their best bet was to have several different methods available, so they could plug away until they found one that worked in a specific location. Most of the responder crews I know are working on satellite cell phone systems for primary base communications to "outside" and their own radio systems for short range coordination. You still need a good number of channels available to handle concentrated radio traffic when different units are in the same area, or confusion multiplies. Posted by: Tully at January 8, 2006 01:25 PMAnd it wouldn't hurt if congress actually exercised some over site on the president, rather than just handing him the keys to the Hummer and walking away. I like that!!! There's, what 5 major players in any administration and almost 500 congressmen? Posted by: Rachel at January 8, 2006 06:18 PM |
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