Revitalize the Republican Party

In 2008 the Republican Party was given an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and losing in that election.  Thanks to President Obama we were not allowed to take advantage of that.  It is time now for a renovation of the Republican Party.  Just like the Democrat Party, we are a diverse party with core beliefs.  We must accept this and make it a center of our beliefs.  There are several things we must do.  I will be making them brief and go in to more later.

All individuals who identify themselves as Republicans must do a political soul search.  Why are you a Republican what issues are out there that concern as a citizen of this country.  Second part of this is the realization that there is more than one way to solve an issue and almost all issues are inter-connected.  For an example Abortion and the healthcare act are inter-connected issues.  The third part of your review need to pass the “Good for the goose is good for the gander test.”  This means if you use an argument for a cause that you believe in; can a democrat use the same argument for their cause?  Last part, know your history.  Know this history of this country, know the history of this party and know the history of the issues.

Second thing; commit yourself to the resolving of these issues.  Many organizations on both sides of the political spectrum are there to stand up for their cause because it gives them political clout and to have their issue resolved or on the way to being resolve brings a loss of political clout.  So commit yourself and the different levels of the Republican party to resolve these issues and support and encourage your candidate  to work on bring tough issues to the for front to discuss them and move them further to resolution.  Is there a more better way to represent your beliefs and also being a effective citzen and Republican.As Richard Murdock said recently, be Bipartisan in your beliefs, morals and principles but do not be Bipartisan in resolving the issues.  Encourage all Candidates to be that way. 

Outreach, All Republicans at all levels, no matter if they are moderates or conservatives must go out and do outreach.  Does not matter if there is an election or not.  Educate people on why you believe the way you do based on your principles.  This will educate you and them both at the same time.  Volunteer as an individual, at the local, state and federal level.  Make this a commitment as a good citizen of your community and country.

Lastly, take control of your candidate.   Make sure they have the means and capability to maintain a residence in their district.  Make them understand that they are needed back home to stay up to date on what is going on.  Make sure the local Republican Party goes to Washington to insure that line of communication remains open and not lost.  Let him know, the people back home are more important than lobbyist and their trips.

This is it right now and I hope you get the idea of the direction I am going in.  Want to hear your feedback.

The future of the Aircraft Carrier in a conflict with China

The Future of the Aircraft Carrier

With the shift of the US Strategy in foreign policy and defense more toward the Pacific Rim and less toward Europe. This has brought attention to a weakness in our naval strategy as it relates to the Pacific.  This weakness is because of several factors;  One, the navy has increased the numbers and length of deployments of almost all class of ships, two, the aircraft carrier has not changed it basic mission and reason for existing.  It is a mobile naval airbase.  Three, the assumed threat is China and it has been aggressive in developing a anti-ship and anti access capability or its official term anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threat.  It is the capability to deny naval forces in to areas they consider territorial and national coastal areas.  The current problem is China is in dispute with both the Philippines and Vietnam with the Spratly islands and Japan with the Senkaku Islands.

The (A2/AD) threat is a long-term situation that has to be mitigated in some way if the United States is to freely engage in that area and insure freedom of navigation for all.  However, from a military standpoint the carrier require a heavy support system for survival. The aircraft that are assigned to the carrier have a short range without constant refueling.  The aircraft’s weapons are only short range stand-off weapons.  The carrier air wing must also supply its own  air defense suppression capability.  An air wing cannot sustain heavy flight operation tempo for more than a few days.  A wing cannot hit multiple targets effectively if they have a strong air defense system. 

No matter the reason of the conflict between the US and China and part of the conflict requires military air strikes in to China, the aircrafts  from the carrier are going to be first needed as part of the (A2/AD) threat suppression just to get in range to effective strike the targets necessary as to positive conclude the conflict.  So the question boils down to this.  Should the Aircraft Carrier be consider a primary weapons system/platform to risk it?  To expand the energy to get it in place for continuous air operations or is it a platform that is primarily used to defeat the A2/AD threat in the case of a conflict with China.  Or, is the carrier a too costly of a platform to even be used?

Are we using our tier 1 forces properly

United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and SF Detachment-Delta

If you read about direct actions by United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) they have conducted many operations in Iraq and Afghanistan going after High Value Target.  Reading such books like “Cobra II”, “Master of Chaos”, “Lone Survivor” and the recent book on the Bin laden raid has given many of us an insight of their missions.  The thing I have noticed about many of these missions is that do they truly rate the necessity of using these tier 1 units.  In Cobra II a Delta mission was describe of seizing a dam that was believed to in poor shape and needed to be taken.  Delta got the mission, but in reading about the mission makes you question was this a Delta mission and did they take it just to be in the war.

With the recent Helicopter crash of a CH-47 that held 15 Seal members, you have to question why was Seals used as a QRF.  This also goes for the Lone Survivor rescue attempt when a RPG brought down a chopper full of Seal Team members.

My question boils down to this.  Are many of these missions Require these two Tier 1 forces or could regular seal teams and Army Special Forces A-teams be used.  By using them, are we truly using these valuable resources to their maximum potential?

Stewardship and value with taxpayer money

With the end of the year situation with sequestration and many tax cuts expiring the government, country and the defense budget faces many issues and hard times over the next several years.  However, as tough as it will be, this might be the best medicine this country could have have at this time.  No matter who is President and the make up of the congress, this is time to put long term fixes in to structure, model and procedures on the way this country does things and how they do business with the individual states.  Tax laws must be streamed lines.  Corporate welfare must end as we know it.  If we assist corporations in anyway, there must be a return on the assistance.  If federal research is used for commercial reasons, then the government must be compensated at the market rate.  Rules and regulations must be in place to insure honesty, integrity and compliance with the law.  Enforcement and Judicial mechanisms must be in place to properly handle enforcement and investigations on a timely manner.  All laws that have been and will be passed, must have the means identified and put in to place to be in forced properly.  All government entitlement programs must come with the capability to be regulated, monitored and all unlawful usage identified and prosecuted aggressively. 

the governors of the 50 states must come together on how they want to conduct business with the federal government as it deals with rules, regulations, mandates and funding for various projects.  Mechanisms must be put in to place that trigger changes immediate changes to programs when revenue amounts are below what is need and programs can be adjusted.

The department of defense needs to streamline acquisitions and purchasing.  Congressional earmarks must not be for military equipment or aircraft.  If they are stilled allowed then the earmark must be for the initial purchase, long term maintaince and modifications that can be project.  Department of Defense must be allowed to do another base closure commission. 

Mainly what I am getting at their must be better stewardship and value in the taxes that are collected from the people of this country.

It is been a long time since I posted in my blog.  I decided I needed to start again to amplify my views.  I first want to state that both political parties are broken and do not serve their cause or this country.  This country has two dysfunctional parts of the legislative branch of government.  You can play the blame game, but both the house and senate has failed leadership.  The executive branch is no better. 

To see this country waiting to see what direction the government is going.  People in food lines, people unemployed and people underemployed.  No matter what your political beliefs, personal beliefs or professional beliefs there has to be a idea to mitigate the situation are people are going through.  To prepare them to take that new jobs that will be coming. 

Now is not the time for the same old way of doing business politically, now is the time to true question your belief and understand political issues are there to be solved, not to be used to politically beat each other up. 

Where is the true leadership in this country?

Ask GOP canadiates tough financial questions.

  The overall quality of the republican candidates is disapointing. Now that Mitch Daniels is not running, there is no one who has what it take to be president and be electable. I want to make it clear I do not think that the current republican candidates or even potential ones are not capable to offer the leadership, critical thinking and moral & political courage to be an effective president to deal with our financial situation.  I know this sounds extreme, but the reason I am saying this is to encourage all financial conservatives to ask these candidates’ the tough question on how they will lead. How will they work with congress? Is getting a yearly budget in on time important to them?  How will they work with the individual states to work these financial changes in without causing undue burden on the states?  Are their plans financially sound and make sense?  Ask them the tough questions and make them better canadiates.

F-35 Fighter

The F-35 program is on life support.  All three version have issues that delay initial operational capability to around 2018.  This is not including sales to foriegn countries.  Many, if not all became partners in the program, to include making major financial investments.  Some of these countries, example Australia, have been forced to make investment in other aircraft as a temporary fixes. 

The Marine Corp version is the main one with the majority of issues.  Right behind that one is the Naval verision.  What is the solution?  In this era of budget cutbacks, deficit an debt.  the solution might not be pretty.  i believes if things continue the program could be at risk to be cancelled.  However, the realistic possibility that more then likely will happen is a extremely scaled back the program.  This will force the cost per aircraft to go higher then the current estimate of $450 million per plane.

My recomendation/s.  Re-open the F-22 line.  Build 100 more aircraft.  They already are testing a upgrade program for the F-22 that will give it limited air to ground capability.  It is already known, that the F-22 has very good air to ground possibility. 

Put the priority of  the Air Force Version of the F-35.  It has the fewest problems.  Even with issues it can be declared Initial operating capable the fasted.

Consider purchasing 100 F-15K to replace current older F-15s, especially in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Help countries in the F-35 programs lease F-18Fs or F-15Ks to tide them over until the F-35 program is healthy.   This will also keep high tech production lines going and Americans working.