Oil drilling ban will expire!

On October 1, 2008, the long-standing ban on offshore drilling, as well as the ban on shale-oil drilling will expire! Democrats apparently attempted to sneak a continuation of the ban into a continuing spending resolution for Fiscal Year 2009. President Bush threatened to veto any such legislation if it contained the drilling ban. Such a veto would have shut down the federal government. Faced with being blamed for shutting down the government over their truly unpopular support of the drilling ban, Democratic leadership in Congress buckled and passed a continuing resolution without the ban! 

The legalization of offshore drilling as well as shale drilling should have a significant effect on the oil futures market, as speculators are now confronted with the prospect of a significant increase in oil supply in the near future. When President Bush lifted the executive ban on drilling, the price of a barrel dropped by almost $10 virtually overnight. Now that Congress has apparently lifted the last obstacle to drilling, it's hard to imagine that the price of oil will not plummet even further.

Drill baby, drill!

God Bless America

Seven years ago this morning, I couldn't find a decent song on the preset stations on my car radio, as I drove to my morning class: Issues in World Politics. I switched to the local AM talker, and heard the news that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. At class, our professor, a man of Middle Eastern descent, announced that class was cancelled for the day. I drove home to my apartment with a classmate friend, and we watched the events of 9/11/2001 unfold live before us on TV.

My life changed forever that morning, as I know it did for so many other millions of Americans. Every September 11, I watch the ceremonies on TV, marking the moments of the plane crashes and the corresponding moments of silence. I always cry as I watch and hear the reading of the names at Ground Zero. Always. It's truly overwhelming. I vividly remember that day, and that week. I'll never forget watching President Bush talking with Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani from the Oval Office. After his chat, he spoke with the assembled reporters. One reporter asked the president what he was thinking. Tears immediately welled up in his eyes, and he said:

Well, I don't think about myself right now. I think about the families, the children. I am a loving guy, and I am also someone, however, who has got a job to do - and I intend to do it. And this is a terrible moment.

He then began to cry, and left the Oval Office. In that single moment of honesty, of heartfelt truth, George W. Bush captured the feelings of grief and resolve of all the American People. I have loved that man ever since, and always will. I never cried, really, before those days. But while watching the National Memorial Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, I cried openly during the singing of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. I always do that now. In fact, it's hard not to shed a tear or two at the sound of any patriotic song.

It's not hard for a patriotic American to feel that way about his country. I recognize that America isn't perfect. We've made our mistakes. But our country is a shining city on a hill - a beacon of light and hope for so many millions of others. We've done so much - at so great a cost - and asked so little in return. This is a direct reflection of the fundamental goodness of the American People. It was those honest, decent, humble people who were so viciously attacked that morning seven years ago. That memory will always enrage me, and I will never forget it. I will always remember that the best of America was demonstrated in those days. I will always cling to the memory of a Great People, who had suffered so terrible and undeserved a blow, but who rose to the occasion, and made me so deeply proud of and in love with America. I am and will forever be, proud to be an American.

Obama concedes tax increases hurt economy

The Bush tax cuts expire in 2010.

FOX News is reporting that Barack Obama is promising to temporarily extend the Bush tax cuts if the US economy is in a recession as of their expiration date. Ultimately, he intends to let the tax cuts expire, but not while the economy is "fragile."

This is a blunt admission that a tax increase would be harmful to the economy - yet that is precisely what he's going to do. He says he won't do it unless he feels the economy is strong enough to absorb the blow he intends to inflict. How comforting.

Sarah Palin = True Feminist

The irreplaceable Victor Davis Hanson has done it again, brilliantly describing the unlikely nature of the rise of Sarah Palin to the heights of political prominence. His latest piece at National Review Online describes the obstacles she was required to overcome to get where she is now. His conclusion, that Palin is what a true Feminist ought to be, (and the disingenuous liberal reaction to her ascendancy) is priceless.

In short, Sarah Palin is the emblem of what feminism was supposed to be all about: an unafraid, independent, audacious woman, who soared on her own merits without the aid of a patriarchal jumpstart, high-brow matrimonial tutelage and capital, and old-boy liaisons and networking.

Instead this entire sorry episode of personal invective against, and jealousy toward, Sarah Palin is surreal. Given the rising backlash, Palin Derangement Syndrome may prove to be the one thing, fairly or not, that sinks Barack Obama.

Media inadvertantly boosts, fortifies Palin

I spent all yesterday morning and afternoon sorting through the barrage of media reports concerning Sarah Palin's 17 year old daughter, Bristol, and her pregnancy. My reaction was like that of most Americans: so what? Who on earth was shocked that a 17 year old high school senior had pre-marital sex? 

The utterly liberal and secularized mainstream media believed, in its ignorance of Evangelical Christianity, that the Religious Right would be so turned off by the news that they'd turn away from McCain/Palin. As such, we found ourselves in the paradoxical situation where the "open-minded" and "progressive" Left was boisterously condemning Bristol's behavior, while conservatives were embracing and forgiving her. It amazes me how ignorant the Left and its adherents in the MSM remain concerning Christians. They should have known that Christians are quick to forgive sin. Christians expect sinful behavior. 

It was a combination of the MSM's overreaction to and condemnation of Bristol, and by implication, Sarah's parenting, that caused the American People to rally in defense and support of the Palin family. Normal Americans are naturally sympathetic to the plights of other families. Millions of Americans have dealt with similar circumstances. The Left's shameless attempt to exploit the plight of Bristol Palin, and to use it as a political wedge issue, has backfired - as anyone could have foreseen.

Add to that the condescending and belittling of Sarah Palin by the likes of MSNBC's Chris Matthews, who last night was downright incensed by her selection as McCain's running mate. He tore into her for her alleged lack of experience. He seemed completely enraged that McCain would pick someone who, as of a few weeks ago, "no one was talking about." However, when you role out her list of accomplishments - and the fact that as governor she oversees a state government of 24,000 employees, 14 cabinet departments, and an $11 billion budget - Obama's claims to the presidency simply melt before your eyes. 

The Obama campaign's criticism that Palin is merely a "small-town mayor" (while neglecting that fact that she's been governor of America's largest state for 18 months) has already backfired. Yesterday, Rasmussen conducted a poll, asking who (Obama or Palin) has more experience to be president. 39% said Palin, while 49% said Obama. After the outrageous attacks against Palin, and her stunning speech last night, Rasmussen will conduct a new poll, and ask the same experience question tonight. My prediction: Palin will either tie or surpass Obama as "more experienced" to be president.

The bottom line, I think, is that the Mainstream Media has gone out of its way to destroy Sarah Palin. This has massively backfired. Not only was her speech universally acknowledged as a smashing success, but over 37 million Americans watched it. Her viewership exceeded Joe Biden's by 13 million viewers, and came within a million of Obama's viewership. Almost half of America now believes that Palin is more qualified to be president than Barack Obama - and Palin is merely the VP nominee... Add to this the Rasmussen finding that a majority of Americans believe the media is out to harm Sarah Palin.

A sympathetic American public is beginning to rally around Sarah Palin, and views her and her beautiful family as a victim of a partisan media. Not only have the attacks generated sympathy, I believe they'll have the effect of partially inoculating her against future attacks and criticism. Democrats and liberals in the media now attack Sarah Palin at their own risk!