Off of my soapbox...

"Anything that government can do, private enterprise can do for half the cost." –Milton Friedman
I admit that I was on a bit of a soapbox yesterday. I have very passionate feelings about Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and communism/socialism in general. Today I thought I would come down a little and talk about a more palatable subject; the war on terror. I have a plan for the President to help him become more popular...bring the troops home (all of the troops...Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Germany, etc.). That would make him more popular, but the next few moves might drop those numbers again - deploy the recently recalled troops to the borders with Canada and Mexico (maybe have them build a wall between us and Mexico) as well as all of our International Airports and International ports. Perhaps use the National Guard to assist the Immigration and Naturalization Service, in cracking down on employers who hire illegal aliens and in deporting those illegals.
Think of the money saved from funding the war on terror and closing all of our overseas bases...that's BILLIONS of dollars. While we are at it, we should also cancel the war on drugs. With the increased border patrol by the military and national guard we can focus more on stopping it from entering the country and less on giving money to other countries to stop its production. That's even more billions back into the government's pockets.
Another money saver: Drill in ANWR and begin using our oil reserves and immediately cut off oil supplies from any OPEC nation. Again we are looking at a savings of billions of dollars to the American people and government. While we are at it, let's begin giving incentives to inventors looking for new renewable fuel sources that won't starve half the world or cost us more than oil.
Lastly, let us abolish the IRS and impose a flat tax, or a fair tax...abolishing the IRS is easier than you think...if there is a flat tax instead of the current convoluted system, there would be no need for the tax man. Again saving the government (federal and state) millions of dollars.
I have just saved billions of dollars...woo-hoo! This is just a start, I have a million other ideas on how to cut the budget and raise income...now, if only the Feds would ask for my help.
However, since the general mood of the government (and nation) seems to be moving towards a more socialist plan...none of this is plausible. As a good friend of mine tells me continually, I am too much of an idealist.
* Great article that shows how being Politically Correct can be Incorrect.
* Michelle Malkin calling out Beyonce and others who denigrate our children.
* More evidence that the Republican party will win the Presidential election in spite of itself. The Republican Party has moved so far from its core values and left so many of its constituents out in the cold...and yet the Democrats are falling all over themselves to give McCain the victory. Barrack Obama cannot beat John McCain in a National Election, there are no two ways around it. Obama will win New York and California but he cannot win in the swing states (IE. West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, etc.). People may hate Hillary but she has a better chance to win the National Election.
* Maybe Hillary could pull a Ross Perot?
* In this piece Zachary Karabell asks "Who stole the American Spirit?". Well Zach, I think the blame for that can be laid at the feet of the two major American political parties, snd their fight to see who can scare Americans more. The Democrats try to scare us into thinking the world is dying and the economy is imploding...while the Republicans try to show us that everyone is out to get us.