Tommy came up for a couple of days before heading back to Missouri. We managed a day at the beach surf fishing and just covering all the bases. He’s got a big year coming up as editor of a magazine on campus, working two jobs, and getting to graduation in one piece. He leaves today (Saturday) as does Simon so Tom’s house will be a quiet place tomorrow. We’ve already got hotel reservations for the graduation.
Perry just cemented his lead with me when he said that he didn’t believe in man made global warming. I’ve got a plan for him when he takes over. Phase 1 – cut the EPA and Dept of Energy budget by 90% and allow them to operate or have regulatory powers only on the West Coast and Northeast. Those folks love the agencies. In those same regions, mandate the amount of ethanol in gasoline to 25% minimum and remove the mandates totally for the rest of us. Tack on a large energy tax in those regions to fund their windmills and solar panels and to make sure the ethanol folks are healthy. The folks living in those areas that are unhappy, move out; those outside those regions that like the agencies, move in. Legalize drug sales in those special regions to supplement tax collections. Maybe stiffen drug penalties outside those areas to keep it more contained. Phase 2 – Study and analyze the performance of these special regions in terms of quality of life. That would include air and water quality, employment rate, and cost of living. It might be informative to keep track of population trends. It could be that those folks on the coast would be so healthy and happy that we’d all want a piece of it. Phase 2 would continue for 25 years or until the special regions either fill up or empty out. I’d be ok with letting other states opt in/out at the 10 year mark when the data would be firm enough to see where it’s all going.
I don’t get it. If the pres has a new plan to improve the economy, why is he waiting until after Labor Day? Why wouldn’t you just move on it quick, quick, quick? Maybe it’s not 100% done but surely most of it must be and wouldn’t there be improvements if you implemented the pieces as they are developed rather than dragging it out waiting for the whole thing. As many plans as have been generated in the past year, you would think it would just be a matter of picking a few from each plan. If he wanted to make a really smart move he should pick up the Simpson-Bowles plan that he dumped so quickly when it offended the left, buff it a bit, and put his name to it as his plan. It was bipartisan, produced by some very respected people, and solved some of the problems. But best of all, he could say he was actually putting forth a plan and put an end to all the critics saying he has never put forth a serious plan to attack the economic problems facing the country – which he hasn’t. I think after 2 1/2 years he may finally be recognizing that debt and jobs are really a problem and have been for about 3 years. He doesn’t have a clue how to deal with them which is why he should just grab up that original plan and run with it.
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