Gusher?

What's with all the wild assumptions and half-assed calculations for what might be leaking out of the busted well in the Gulf of Mexico?  Early estimates put the leak at 5,000 barrels a day.  At 42 gallons a barrel, that would be 210,000 gallons per day.  Now some are estimating that it could be a million or more  gallons per day.  Why is this so tough?  I am not an oil and gas expert, but how much oil was being produced daily before the blowout?  Someone, somewhere, has the answer to this simple question.

Some cursory research on the internet provided me with an average production for a typical oil well of between 100 and 300 barrels per day.  This seems kind of low to me, so for the sake of argument let's assume that the BP well was producing 1000 barrels per day.  That would equate to 42,000 gallons of crude per day.  I also learned that wells can produce a large amount of water along with the oil and gas that is produced.  How much of what we see on the ubiquitous gushercam is oil?  A spill is a spill, so no amount of petrochemicals in our waters are a good thing, but let's not go off half-cocked when trying to estimate the real size of the problem.  In any event, why should we care about the real size of the leak.  Our fearless president will keep his boot on the neck of BP until all is well.  Right?

Dis*con*nect

Following up on the 2+2=4 post, consider the following:

• First Lady Michelle Obama wants to fight childhood obesity.  A high percentage of poor and low income kids are overweight due to poor eating habits.  Mrs. Obama points to school lunch programs as a source for poor nutritional foods.  Free and reduced priced public school breakfast and lunch programs have served millions of kids for decades.  
• Extending unemployment benefits to ninety-nine weeks will not reduce the number of unemployed.
• Progressives want to shut down any BP drilling operations until the leak in the Gulf is stopped and investigated.  The Obama administration wants BP on the hook for untold liabilities.  Driving BP out of business will greatly reduce its ability to cover any and all claims.
• 1700 people work in the Minerals Management Service (MMS) that oversee oil drilling in the Gulf.  Democrats and the Obama administration want more regulation.  If 1700 can't do the job, what number of employees will?

2+2=4

I had the pleasure to hear Newt Gingrich in Mr. Pleasant the other day for a 4th Congressional District fundraiser.  Newt's simple message that day was for the audience to always remember that "two plus two makes four."  With President Obama in the White House it's difficult at times, especially when we are repeatedly bombarded with statements, actions, and policies that attempt to promote 2+2=5.  Newt gave the analogy to George Orwell's famous book 1984, where the state promotes obvious untruths as gospel in their attempt to brainwash the populace into submission and passivity.   Two plus two makes four becomes a kind of coda then for those who understand the real truth and will not be dissuaded by popular "truths."

Some examples of the progressives two plus two equals five dogma:

• For twenty-five years, we were pushed and prodded (with Republican help I might add) into the belief that your income need not be a deterrent to owning the home of your dreams.  No money down, interest only loans, and perennially low interest rates fed a voracious appetite that led to eventual collapse in '08.
• Finance reform without addressing Fannie and Freddie.
• That the trillion dollar Obamacare will reduce the deficit.
• The President will not sign a bill that includes congressional earmarks, then promptly and repeatedly does so.
• The President promises the most transparent administration in history, then presides over a series of midnight votes, back room deals and pay for play Chicago style politics.
• Blasts the State of Arizona for passing a law that essentially reinforces federal law and current U. S. policy.
• Dismisses the rightful ownership of a public company (GM and Chrysler) and basically divvies up their assets to powerful friends and allies.   

So for the next thirty-two months, remember two plus two always makes four.

P.S. Newt's daughter has determined that Obama's campaign slogan "Change we can believe in," should really have been "Change what we believe in." 

Summer Hiatus

To loyal followers of Citizen Leader, like my mother and brother, my apology for the drastic fall off in new posts over the last couple of months.  It is due to two things in particular, nice weather and my campaign for county commissioner.  The nice weather has provided a reason to pursue other interests as well as provide a more pleasant environment for door-to-door activities.  The coordination of my campaign and those of others in the county also takes its toll on the time I can devote to writing my blog.  I began this blog in early September of '09, just after the kids started back to school.  Although my campaign will hopefully still be going well into the fall (I have an August primary) I expect new posts to pick up when cooler weather once again sets upon Mid Michigan.  Until then, I will continue to visit these pages when I can.  Like this next post.

Stop This Train

No limits for government | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

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2010 Lincoln Day Remarks

When we last met a year ago, we were just learning what an

Obama administration would look like.  A trillion dollar

stimulus had passed, two American car companies had been

nationalized, creditors paid with pennies on the dollar while assets and ownership were shared with powerful friends.  The president’s apology tour was playing to fawning crowds around the world; old allies were rebuffed while new tyrants were courted.  The White House began what would become a yearlong process to pass Obamacare, by hook or by crook, mostly by crook.   The administration reserved its strongest words for patriotic groups, while would be terrorists were simply identified as “misguided” and quickly provided with legal assistance from our own Justice Department.  Businesses and individuals who operate on a profit motive were dismissed as greedy and un-American and have been served notice that this administration will punish such behavior with increased regulation and higher taxes.  And US states that take responsibility for their own safety and welfare by clamping down on illegal immigration, when Washington won’t, are held up for presidential ridicule both foreign and domestic.  Speaking of illegal aliens, a majority of the American people are awakening to the fact that a socialist in the White House may not be all that good for the long-term prospects of these United States.

New elections, beginning last fall in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, and again this spring, continue to spell defeat for the Obama agenda and Democrats in general.  The electorate is fed up with politicians overspending, overreaching, and overstaying their welcome.   They are looking for honesty, integrity, and conviction in dialing back the excesses of government and seek those with the ability to make clear distinctions between want and need.   

Across Michigan and here in Saginaw County, Republicans are poised to make substantial gains across the political spectrum.  With the help of about 50 new precinct delegates, thanks to the TriCity 912vers and other tea party groups, conservative candidates will get the necessary help to organize and deliver the votes on August 3^rd and November 2^nd.  For the first time in many years, Saginaw Republicans are fielding candidates in 10 of the 15 county commissioners districts.  We even have a primary in the 95^th!  Although interparty primary’s can be wasteful and counterproductive, the fact that we even have them proves that we are just as viable and energized as ever before.

In case time gets short at the conclusion of our program, I would like to thank members of the executive committee in particular, Helene Wiltse, Don Milne, Randall Norton and Greg Ostrom for their assistance in putting together today’s program.   I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our elected officials for the many hours they put in in serving the people of mid Michigan.  The time they spend away from family and friends, in the pursuit of quality service and good government is a testament to the caliber and dedication of each of these individuals.  I encourage you to assist them and other candidates for office in any way that you can.  

Republicans On The March

The Saginaw News reported this week that the 30 candidates running for 15 county commissioner seats, constitutes the largest contingent since the 1990's.  The News blames an "anti-incumbency mood" for the number of challengers and I don't disagree.  Currently the Democrats have a 11-4 majority on the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners and their party have controlled the board for the last thirty years.  Three of their seats will be contested with Democrat primaries.  Republicans are putting up challengers in 10 of the 15 districts, the largest number put up by the GOP in years.  While they say that all politics is local, I maintain that in addition to the anti-incumbency mood of the electorate, the local voter is also extremely disgusted with Washington's expansion of government and unbridled spending, which will hurt the Democrats more than the Republicans.  In other words, it's looking like a strong year for Saginaw County Republicans.