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.

2012 prediction

Viewing recent events and news report of them and the political turmoil around them.  I think I can make a bold but logical political prediction.  I believe right now that Hilary Clinton is the best person to beat President Obama.   President Obama is beatable, that is obvious.  However like 1996, it has to beat the right person.  I do not see no republican right now that can do it.  However, Hilary Clinton by running against him in the primary will pull all moderates and conservative democrats in and in the general election take all moderates and win.  While it will tear apart the democratic party, it will guarantee them the White House for another 8 years.

Whats your thoughts?

Japan and Libya

Japan has suffer unbelievable death and destruction.  This will have a enormous impact on the world economy in many different ways.  The true lessons of the triple devastation will take years to understand.  There should not be a rush to judgement on any of it.

Libya is a continuation of a chain reaction civilian uprising that have and are occurring in the middle east, north Africa and southwest Asia.  While this intervention by the UN and NATO was done to protect the citizens.  Do not not think there was other reasons Britain and France were pushing it.  I.E.  Shorter and more secure source of oil for Europe.

Change world and changing country

People, the world is changing.  The events in the middle east and Persian Gulf  are showing that people are wanting freedom and democracy.  This is not a Islamic revolution.  However it is also saying that we can maintain the same policies with them.  China is a economic powerhouse, as well as India.

Our education system is falling behind other nations.  We are weak in science and in math education.  Education is not the constitutional responsibility of the federal government.   This country is going broke, not just because of the recent bailouts and buyouts, because we have a social security, medicaid and medicare system that are unsustainable.  We have politicians that are cowards in facing up to this.  We have a health care system that financially unsustainable for the public at large.  Recent legislation to make changes either do not go far enough to fix it or actually make it worse.

Our unions the bastion of workers rights, collective bargaining and workplace safety; have slowly lost power and influence since the early 1950s.  They have been unwilling and/or unable to change with the times and still use work stoppages and strikes.  They are dependent on government to maintain their place in the work place.

Business requires American consumers to spend, however developing countries and even China has a bigger and expanding consumer market then the United States.  So does not it make sense to move manufacturing capabilities closer to them.  Many unions invest their workers pensions in various companies, making these pension funds and their manager stockbrokers and not just employees.  Business needs to power of change.  To look at what business practices and/or product and product line meets the needs of consumer and allows for minimum necessity to change things or end up with a product that is suddenly not in demand due to economic and/or world situations.

The issues going on in Wisconsin and Indiana are not going to result in major changes and in fact are meaningless.  These budget continuation with budget cuts are meaningless and do not mean nothing.  While there is a need for reform in all agencies on how we do business in the federal government.  There is also a need to look at all government agencies on not just reform, but need, duplication of services and constitutionality and relevances.

There is no demons or bad guys to blame, there is enough blame to go around.  It does not matter if you are a liberal or tea party member.  Innovated and Critical Thinking leader with the courage to say what is not popular, but what it is necessary.  I do not see anyone or group who is taking the lead to do is what is required.

Egypt

President Mubarak is gone.  The Military is in charge.  The people do not want a Islamic Republic, but some type of democracy.  I applaud what has happen and the people for their courage and patience.  All Americans must be vocal in their support of a peaceful transition.  We also must be patient and helpful to them.  We must remain friends and not abandon them when there is trouble or turbulence. 

It is obvious that the people do not want a Islamic republic, how ever they will be part of the process and this is fine.  By being active and welcomed then they are controlled.  It is obvious the people do not want any type of autocratic government again.

The Middle East

The disturbances and protests in the Middle East have been a long time coming.  Most goverments in that region are not democratic.  President Bush knew this and he knew what would happen if a democracy/republic can take hold in the region.  It took other events then Iraq to be the match to the fuze.  Maybe or maybe not the wikileaks influenced events.  But now you had events in the last 6 months in Iran, Jordan, Eygpt, Tusinia and Yemen.  These events need to be allowed to happen.  We need to encourage but not influence these changes.

We as Americans must be vocal in our support.  So future generations in these countries may have it better.

MD-11F

I think it would be in the best interest of the US Air Force to start getting rid of the KC-135 as soon and as fast as possible.  With the Air Force already having around 90 KC-10, supplementing that with another 30 to 40 MD11F (KC-10R?) with both boom and Hose & Drogue systems.  You then can Remove a equal number of KC-135s.  No building of aircraft is necessary, you just need to buy them from the open market and modify them.  You assign them to Air Force Reserve and Air Guard unit to take advantage of pilots you fly this aircraft in their civilian jobs.  I believe you save on long term maintenance cost and flight restrictions.  We can also assigned  1 squadron to each the Pacific Air Force and USAFE.

This also protects the Air Force from anymore further delays in the KC-X program.  If the Air Force does not want to keep that many aircraft over the long run, then you can sell the excess to other countries.  Examples would be Spain, Brazil, Poland, Chile and PPortugal.

When the KC-X is in full swing we must start removing the KC- 135 from the active inventory aggressively.

Sarah Palin

I think the media and democrats realize that they stepped on it with harping on the Republicans and civil discourse.  I believe they realized they screwed up.  The American people saw it for what it was.  Especially when more information on the shooter came out.

The medias and Democrats attack on Palin shows me two things.  They are scared of her strength and influence.  That attacked her for being a joke, a idiot and all that.  Well as we all know if that was true, we all know they should not bother attacking her. 

The recent elections shows where her influence and power is.  I think it would be a big mistake on her part and will damage the republican party.  I think the last election, shows where she is the most effective.  I will even go on a limb that she should not endorse a republican candidate  during the primary.  She is a lighting rod and she would be more influential endorsing congressional candidate in 2012.  Democrats hate her and blame her for everything.  We need to leave it that way.

The shooting of a congressman

This shooting of a congressman in Arizona is an unacceptable act of violence.  The fact that a child and 5 other people died as result of extreme action of a individual should not be tolerated.  This act is the responsibility of the individual committing it.   Lets not get in the frenzy of blaming a political movement and/or talk radio.  Lets investigate the shooting and take appropriate legal action against all who are directly involved.

We all must fight for positive change in government.  We must demand more of our political leaders.  if we are not satisfied with our governmental leaders; lets remove them from office by voting. 

New year in congress

The GOP has the majority in the House of Representatives.  They have cut down the majority of the Democrats in the Senate.  However this does not guarantee nothing.  The GOP faces great challenges that can doom them in 2012.  The party is basically divided in to conservatives and moderates.  Both sides are important to the survival of the party.  Who every is elected as the Republican candidate for president needs a partner who is on the other side of the party.  Conservatives might not like to hear that but Conservatives really do not have the numbers to guarantee sucess all the way to the White House.

Things must get accomplished in the house.  Bills must get passed and sent to the Senate and hopefully to the President.  The House of Representative must produce.  Bills must get passed.  The growth of government must be slowed.  We must return to pay as you go, so their is responsible fiscal government.  This includes DOD.  Reform must be introduced to all aspects of government purchasing and procurement.  Out dated agencies must be shut down.  Duplicated agencies must be merged.  Good stewardship must be shown with the taxpayers money.

It can not be smoke and mirrors.  it will hurt the party and the country.  We need bold thinking and leadership.  Unfortunately I do not see it in the Republican Party.

D. McNabb benching

While I believe that the trading of D. McNabb to the Redskins was a signal that they felt they could not win with him.  I was never a big fan of McNabbs.  While I believe was a great quarterback, I felt something was missing.  He reminded me of Jim kelly of the Buffalo Bills.  He could not wing the big one.  I do not understand the choice of the Redskin's picking him now.  That said, Shannon totally mis-handled the situation.

Are conservatives being conservatives

I have been evaluating my political beliefs recently and am wondering as a conservative should I be for extending the current tax cuts.  Would not it be more responsible as conservative to support their termination so the debt and deficit can be decreased.  We have not started to cut back the federal budget and we are taking more income away from the goverment.

Would not a more responsible thing to do is to work on cutting back federal spending.  To give all programs a serious review.  To insure good stewartship of the tax payers money.   for a example; maybe certain programs can be change to a grant program and run at the state level instead of the federal goverment.

I though that was a major reason for the Tea Party protest?

A true conservative idea would be to end tax cuts.

If ending the tax cuts would bring in more money to the government and we follow a pay as you go method as we did in the 1990s with funding programs; would that not be beneficial in ending helping to solve our budget issues.  I wonder if this whole change thing we went through this last election was a hoax.  We need to make hard choice and it is appearing obvious that maybe no one is willing to do this.  The same thing goes with the deficit commission.  It appears there will not be enough votes to send it to congress to give them a tool to start working on solving our fiscal crisis. 

WikiLeaks

I personally do not see any major damage from these leaks.  It validates many things we already know.  Russia is corrupt, Pakistan is in a fragile state, Arab leaders want us or Israel to attack Iran and China has been hacking our computers.

The founder of Wikileaks did this for transparency in government.  If you noticed the highest level of security status was secret.  So what do you think that diplomats are now going to do.  Change the level and means of communicating.  So it will be harder for this thing to happen again.  This will have the opposite effect of transparency.