SamSaid!

Prominent historians and sociologists have observed that it takes 40-50 years for major technological change to take full effect in the USA.  It was true for Steam engines, railroads, the commercial aircraft industry, Radio, TV, electronics, antibiotics, computers etc etc. Major change just doesn’t take place overnight. Right now, we live in an oil driven economy and the elites huff and puff about about ending our dependence on oil  –  particularly foreign oil.  In their anti-oil campaign, they simply ignore harsh practicality  — all in the name of the environment and global warming. Under the best of circumstances, it would take decades to replace oil with alternate energy sources. No matter, they say, we MUST end the dependence on oil  –  now.

The leftist drum beat continues  –  no drilling for oil, no processing oil shale, no nuclear power. Just rely on windmills, solar panels, water power etc etc. and let hundreds of thousands of cars run out of gas. What do they think hundreds of thousands of people will do without gasoline until this pie in the sky millenium arrives?  What is the game plan for the intervening 30-40 years?  How does our economy function? Details, details, they say. We have to see the big picture.

The tragic fact is that many of these nutcases really believe this baloney and they are willing to place their global warming hokum over the priority of the security of the country. And it is equally tragic that we have 500 elected people in Washington who don’t have the gumption to stand up and be counted. Gumption, gutless or ignorant. Take your pick.

If Mr Obama wants “change”, all he has to do is read the newspapers or watch TV. There is lots of change going on  –  all around him. Doing something about it is a different story.

The Dow Jones average is bouncing back a forth between 12,000 and 13,000, sometimes leaping or dipping by 350 points is a day. It’s enough to keep investors in their sneakers carrying pole vault poles.

Unemployment has risen to 5.5 %.  Not good. Gasoline averages $4 per gallon at the pump  –  $4.50 on the West coast. Big surge of support and demand for public transportation.

The price of crude oil is nearing $140 with $150 in sight.

The Republicans point to successes in Iraqi and the Dems ignore anything they can’t bad-mouth.

On energy or war supporting programs,the Dems are dragging their feet.  “Fiddling while Rome burns??” Some things change, some don’t.

Ethanol doesn’t seem to have helped much in the battle for energy independence. In fact, it seems to have hurt. Has anyone admitted that they made a mistake? A very costly mistake?

I haven’t noticed  — has Las Vegas quoted the odds of McCain vs Obama??

The Presidential election of 1960 was a landmark event in the political history of this country. It was Kennedy vs Nixon. More important than the outcome, it was the birth of the Pitchman in days of National TV.  If ever there was a guy born for politics and TV, it was Jack Kennedy. H e was young, handsome, articulate, bright and engaging. His TV image was superb. In comparison, he was all the things that Nixon was not. Obviously, Kennedy won.

In some of the subsequent elections there was no spellbinder and the influence of TV was less decisive. Then along came Ronald Reagan who was a pitchman par excellance, and Bill Clinton who also was impressive with words (Gotta give him credit).  They both won twice. Now we have another word merchant  –  Obama.  Where there is a difference in TV imagery, the pitchman clearly has the advantage. McCain could have a clear advantage in dealing with the issues, but he will be swimming upstream against the flowery rhetoric of Obama who keeps saying the same things.  Right now, the favored son  of the mass media — written and visual  –  is Obama and that will make the pitchmanship advantage even greater unless John Q Public can see thru the rhetorical smokescreen.

Obama is a rookie and he is simply not equipped to deal with matters of substance. Maybe his “eloquence” will backfire, but on a going in basis, he will have the advantage in debates and appearances.

Do you really feel comfortable with Obama driving the train, flipping the switch , or saying “go”??  Flambouyant phrases do not equate to sound judgment. S far, I am not convinced!