The Ramble:4/22/11

Albany,NY— I’m at the Pilot Truck stop tonight,  and another week is in the books. Tomorrow, I take my empty to a warehouse near Rochester to  be loaded over the week end, and take my truck back to “The Barn”, and then go home to my wife and kids. I’ll be happy to see them after being gone so long.  It’s been a pretty good week, actually, with fair weather for the most part, and I’ve remade several acquaintances, with some of the regulars at the places I’ve been going. I’m starting to fit into this role. It’s nice to be recognized and greeted when you get to the journey’s end.

The truck is doing well, and I’m learning it’s particular language. To a non-driver and even to experienced  four-wheel drivers, it sounds strange to say. But experienced drivers of 18 wheel rigs, and those who are really into their cars will know well of what I speak. Each vehicle I’ve ever driven has it’s own language, it’s own method of feedback for the driver for each given situation.  The day I was assigned this truck was not unlike a first date, in that I had to work to get to know the truck… and quite literally, given computer engine controls, it had to learn about me and my habits as well. That process continues apace.

I get lots of time, in this to to watch world events, thought not nearly the time I’d like to comment on them.

I’m watching, with jaundiced eye, the weather developing in the south and midwest. While I”m sure we’ll see dire news reports from the area, I’m sure that life there will continue… as it always has after past storms.  And of course, given the left, the storms will be blamed on “Global Warming”. Of course, little mention will be made of the leftists and their pollution. Just as I’m sure Lindsay Lohan will end up in the slam, again. There are some forces of nature, that just are, they simply exist and we must learn to deal with them.

I notice on the sign at this particular truck stop, that Number 2 Diesel is running for $4.45/gal.  Obviously, this price is leveling small businesses… which independent truckers are, by the way… and smaller transportation firms. But these crazy prices are causing prices to skyrocket in every corner of our society. There’s nothing and nobody that isn’t being affected by them.  Now, of course I will point out as I have several times in the past that this is directly related to the wishes and George Soros and the actions of Barrack Husein Obama.  But in the doing I will point out to you that these are each part of a larger problem… a mindset we as Americans must crush if we are to survive as a people… liberals.

Ponder the liberal mindlessness that created and gave ultimate power to the EPA, which is laso a huge part of the problem as regards fuel prices. Yes, I said ultimate power.  Rep Mike Pompeo has written an article on the topic you must see. A taste:

Even before I entered Congress, I’ve known of EPA’s rogue behavior from my days spent running a small business and from conversations with Kansas families whose livelihoods have been put in jeopardy by reckless government behavior. For too many at EPA, it is no longer about human health and safety, but about achieving environmental perfection as they imagine it.

The harm here is not solely to those families and businesses. Rather, disregard for jobs, economic growth and wealth creation will inevitably result in poorer environmental outcomes and the destruction of human health and well-being. It takes resources to improve health, and data show clearly that nations that are wealthier are inevitably better stewards of their natural resources.

In my first 100 days, I’ve seen EPA’s lack of concern for jobs and families firsthand. Just 8 days ago, the Energy and Commerce Committee, of which I am a member, examined the EPA’s Maximum Achievable Cost Technology (MACT) rules for boilers, cement facilities, and power plants. According to EPA’s own estimates, the MACT rules will impose more than $14 billion in annual costs on our manufacturing and electric utility sectors. No material improvement to human health will result.

EPA has also exploited global warming hysteria, engaging in an unprecedented power grab from Congress by unilaterally regulating greenhouse gases. By willfully misinterpreting the 2007 Supreme Court Case Massachusetts v. EPA, and clearly ignoring congressional intent, the EPA will add a costly and burdensome new regulation to 1.2 million businesses that will do nothing to improve actual air quality.

Now, add to this, that the EPA, whose rullings are based on at least questionable silence and whose edicts cannot be gainsaid by any other agency including Congress itself, is now admitting to us that Jobs don’t matter.

This stunning revelation was made by EPA Administrator Mathy Stanislaus in response to a question by Colorado GOP Rep. Cory Gardner.  It came during Stanislaus’ testimony before the House Environment and Energy Committee on Thursday and exposes the Obama administration’s public posture on jobs and the environment as a fraud.

Gardner was asking about an EPA regulation that would govern industries that recycle coal and ash and other fossil fuel byproducts.  Recycling is a good thing. Recycled coal ash makes concrete stronger, wallboard more durable and the shingles on your roof longer-lasting.

“We have not directly taken a look at jobs in this proposal,” Stanislaus said. That’s odd, since his testimony seems to contradict Executive Order 13563, issued by President Obama in January, which requires that all new rules issued by federal agencies take job creation into account. As we have learned, you have to watch what the administration does, not what it says.

Indeed so. How can we take Obama at his word as regards jobs when he contunes to support the agency most directly responsible for destroying jobs?

Look, guys I’ve pointed this up before and will doubtless do so again, but I’m struck by the idea that our destruction at the hands of the left is by intent.

And yes, I’m serious. I want you to seriously consider this:  If you wanted to cripple the greatest nation on earth, (Who you’ve said publicly, you want to see take a smaller world role) how would you accomplish it, outside what the left has done? I think that when viewed through the standpoint of a strong America internationally speaking , and a strong private sector economy within America, and individual freedoms, Obama, and the left have gone precisely the wrong direction with a batting average that approach is as close to 1000 as no matter. Given that, it does not seem unreasonable to me to question whether this is a case of incompetence or malice. I conclude the latter.  Reasons are many, but can be summed up this way:

One does not screw up  totally every single time without a certain level of both competence, and intent.   It seems more likely to me that what’s happening is that Obama and company have a completely different goal  than the stated  strong America.

Look, let’s take the gulf oil spill as an example since given “earth day” the press has been making a bit of noise about it over the last few days. Think back now, or re-read the reports of the happening and think:

If a leftist wanted to create an anti oil-drilling sentiment in this country how would one go about it?  How does this differ from what Obama has done? That the two are so very close, suggests that our destruction is being accomplished as a matter of intent. And that is merely one aspect of the whole picture which is monotonously uniform.

Now obviously, we need to throttle the EPA. But we also need to throttle the left, including Obama.

I say it that way because Obama, for all that he represents is still a representation… the latest one… of a mindset… leftism… that has been at the foundation of our national problems for generations, now. I wonder if we can save our country in time, given the damage done.