Cut and paste the following address and read "Our moral code is out of date."

Now, this is truly refreshing and, I suspect, highly controversial. While I respect people of faith, it is reason that has advanced civilization.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate: Human progress has come as result of science, democracy
• They say our view of morality hasn't been updated since the Bible and Quran
• World credits Bill Gates only with his philanthropy and not his achievements, they say
• Pursuit of innovation, productivity and personal profit should be valued, they say

GGULF SPILL: Obama tries to quell rising public discontent with U.S. efforts Katie Howell, E&E reporter (Energy and Environment)

President Obama vowed today that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill would be contained and attempted again to address concerns about the disaster as a new poll showed growing dissatisfaction over the federal response.

"This will be contained," Obama said after meeting with his Cabinet at the White House. "The one thing I'm absolutely confident about is -- as we have before -- we will get through this crisis."

Where are Sarah Palin and the Tea Party nincompoops when we need them most?

Free markets at work. Let the oil go where it may. Let those states and businesses impacted take care of this catastrophe at the local level. This is none of the Federal Governments business!

Inept government regulation at work.

Something for everyone.

The solution: For those of us who can think, a simple government rule/regulation would have prevented this environmental catastrophe. No oil drilling permit issued to any one without demonstrating a fail-safe shut off system like nuclear power reactors are required to have.

So, raise your hand if you believe in free markets, without government intervention! All those in favor say aye! Those opposed say nay!

I am still with the ayes. The pain caused by, even a corrupt free market, while severe, is better than the false promise of a politically motivated government intervention. Too bad very few Americans have the stomach for a truly free market save for when supported against the competition.

I am on no team save for the team that tries to speak the truth so that we can have some real progress. Our politicians feed us what we demand---good news, from the majority party, bad news from the minority, until an election reverses the roles!!!

My note of a few weeks ago about the tape (the stock market indices) not lying about the economy is now also true. The bet was that things were getting better but since we wallpapered over the facts, once the paper peeled we are left with an emperor with no clothes.

Yes President Obama’s policies of intervention did not work, and businesses from the banks to real estate, to British Petroleum, to Fannie and Freddie, to auto companies, and farmers and home owners, and seniors and …on and on…all, wanting someone else’s help when things go south. I wonder what would happen to crop prices without continued government support?

Well, our investment portfolios are down and I expect nothing. This is a good market to buy into. Reason: if things go south much from here, significantly, we will be in a depression!

There is nothing new under the sun. Like the “Gingrich Revolution” and the Contract with America, the Tea Party Revolution will end with few changes to our resilient system of government. I cast my vote for the founders, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin,Washington, Adams, etc., who, with miraculous vision, and an in-depth, comprehensive understanding of human nature, designed our Republic for the long haul, somehow knowing that humans are short term,greedy, and manipulative.

Besides, I am for cutting entitlements just like the Tea Party folks---Medicare, Social Security, Farm Programs, Housing and Business Subsidies, Federal Disaster Aid to the idiots living on flood plains, etc., etc. The only difference is that I would cut defense spending and end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (we are going to lose, in the end, like Viet Nam, because we have little understanding of the history of the region). It is time we put all this smaller government rhetoric to the test with the voters. It is also time to teach the voters the real cost of ignorance. I am most excited about stopping the redistribution of resources from wealthy, high tax states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, New York, Washington, Oregon, etc. to many Southern and Western States. (Google Balance of Payments to the States for details.)

For those of you not paying attention, the all-knowing, all-powerful God, blesses all countries and all peoples, not just the United States of America. Interestingly, I understand, God is re-thinking this blessing thing until Americans wake up to the idiocy of their ways.

One more set of promises that will not be kept by the next set of know-it-alls who just want a new job with great single payer health insurance and guaranteed pensions that they oppose for the rest of us.

Now there are three teams: the Vikings, Packers and Giants (Democrats, Republicans and Tea Party)

Please find attached an interesting, reasonably well-documented study of the job creation impacts of the $787 billion stimulus package. While I still have longer term concerns about the aggregate personal and government debt, I did not believe the stimulus would work this well. Corporate profits have been surprisingly consistent and strong. While consumer spending is on the rise, it looks like it is coming from savings and income increases rather than borrowing, which is also positive. Consumables need to be replaced but big ticket items like cars and houses are not necessary purchases.

Sustainability is, of course, the key, but businesses are hiring again, albeit in a measured way which is positive.

Finally, I am very concerned about the depth of the misinformation being passed off as gospel. As Daniel Patrick Moynihan said 40 years ago: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts." Reasonable people can disagree about what agreed upon facts mean. However, to suggest that President Obama is a socialist, or worse, a communist, wants to destroy America, is absurd on its face and must be confronted for the sake of the democracy.

As well you know, I do not support government bailouts of business, government subsidies of business, or voters, or out-of-control, unaccountable government spending. Government has a role to play in modern society and we need to have a national discussion about the parameters of that role. Per this morning's e-mail, I also support cutting federal aid to those states who are on the socialist-redistributionist balance of payments list (predominantly red states). This would permit taxpayers in states like California, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, etc., to get a significant federal tax cut, permitting those of us who are taxpayers in these states to keep more of our own money in order to take better care of our families and communities (greater self-responsibility). Those taxpayers living in low tax states will have what they want also---local control of their lives devoid of federal control and revenue. If they desire services they will lose when the intergovernmental socialism (balance of payments) end, they can choose to pay their own way just like the rest of us.

Defense, education, preventing bigotry, providing that every American has a chance to succeed based upon his/her hard work and diligence are some of my favorites. Subsidizing housing, farmers, stadiums, banks, auto companies, research, most individuals are not. To suggest that African Americans, Native Americans, or women were given the same opportunities to succeed as white men prior to the passage of laws equalizing their rights is absurd and a revisionist reading of American history. As I have previously stated, the immigration debate might look very different if the "immigrants" were all of us, and the "natives", American Indians!

Vibrant debate of multiple positions is as much a part of American law and history as are the lobbyists who exercise their Constitutional right to petition their government on behalf of like minded individuals.

We cannot and should not stop stupid, misinformed people from sounding stupid or exercising their right to stupid free speech. What we can and must do is not permit our national conversation to degrade those who have fought and died for the the American ideal of freedom, liberty, truth, and forming a more perfect union. We owe our children, grandchildren and future generations of Americans this much.

CBO study of Job Creation impacts of Stimulus Package

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/110xx/doc11044/02-23-ARRA.pdf