The Rise Of "The Bear"

You know, 15 years ago I got a lot of flak from my more liberal Massachusetts friends regarding my supposed paranoia over what I considered the imminent return of Russia. Even some of my Conservative friends thought I was crazy because I believed “the Bear” wasn’t dead he was asleep.

10 years ago I wrote about a resurgent “Bear” and what I thought its new alliance with the Germans was going to bring about for the world.

5 years ago I wrote about Vladimir Putin and his work in putting the old Soviet Military back on the map.

3 years ago I wrote about the then newfound spirit of co-operation between Russia and Iran regarding oil production and sales.

2 years ago I wrote a brief blurb about British fighters being scrambled because of Russian bombers in British airspace.

Less than 1 year ago I wrote about the Russian bombers being sent to Venezuela.

Less than 1 year ago I wrote about Russian President Medvedev’s assertion that he would invade Georgia if he felt like it and whether NATO liked it or not.

3 days ago I wrote about Venezuela’s attempts to gear up for war with Colombia and mentioned Russia’s increased military presence.

Today I found an article HERE about 2 Russian Akula class subs patrolling our Eastern Seaboard.

“The Bear” is on the rise again and we are sinking under the weight of our own crap.

Cash for Clunkers

This is yet another government program that is destined for failure, while dragging us deeper and deeper into debt. This is a prime example of a buy now pray later attitude that has gotten us into the financial situation we’re in. This program promotes us and encourages us to live beyond our means under the guise of “saving the environment”. What a crock.

Lets look at this. The cash for clunkers deal encourages us to throw away a car when there’s nothing wrong with it other than it makes crappy gas mileage. They then have to DESTORY perfectly good vehicles so that it meets the requirements from the govt. We’re in a BAD economy and the govt wants us to destroy perfectly good vehicles just because they don’t meet some sort of “green” philosophy? My truck that I drive everyday would be a prime candidate for this program. I need a truck to do the things I do so I go in and get $4500 for my truck, then have to buy a $20,000 truck (very low estimate) to replace it. I’m still spending $16,000+. How is that smart in this economy? Especially when there is nothing wrong with the truck! Taking on debt like that now seems really dumb to me. This is the government’s recommendation for me? Go deeper in debt during a bad economy and get rid of a perfectly good vehicle because it doesn’t make the best gas mileage. This is the philosophy that our congressman, senators, and our president has. Just spend more money and it will all be okay. We’re being governed by idiots!!!

Venezuela...again.

According to the Associated Press, Hugo Chavez has called for his military and citizenry to get ready for combat with Colombia and possibly even the United States. His reasoning is simple enough, the Colombian Government has agreed to lease 7 military bases to the United States. He claims the U.S. will destabilize the region and that the Colombian military has already made an incursion into Venezuelan territory.

I am far from concerned about Hugo Chavez or his country’s military prowess. What DOES bother me is that last September the Russians made an alliance with Chavez allowing the Russian military to perform exercises with long range bombers in Venezuela, even stationing them there if necessary. The Russians claimed it showed their renewed global reach and Chavez hoped it would keep the U.S. in check in his region.

Last September I said that South America was becoming our next hotspot and that the next President would have to deal with it. Well, it has now come up a second time in less than 12 months.

If we get involved in a short range war with Venezuela through our soon to be bases in Colombia.The way this thing plays out could have a catastrophic ripple effect on our hemisphere and our country.

And, if Russia takes VZ's side things could get ugly.

It could conceivably become another Vietnam for us.

It could lead to a renewed cold war with the Russians.

Ultimately it could lead to a limited nuclear exchange followed by an invasion of the U.S. from the south. Caspar Weinberger, Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger all warned of just such a scenario back in the 1980s. (The mediocre mid 80’s movie “Red Dawn” was based on one theory being put forth.) And while these predictions looked unlikely in the 80’s and somewhat unlikely now…things have a way of changing from bad to worse rather quickly in geopolitics.

And Chavez strikes me as the kind of guy who can change them in a hurry.

Community Organizer

I would like for someone to point out to Nancy Pelosi, MSNBC, ThinkProgress, President Obama (and all the others joining the bandwagon of decrying the conservatives at Town Hall meetings as being an organized oppositional movement) that the President himself started out as a “community organizer”.

You know what a community organizer is right? It’s someone whose professed goal is to organize members of his/her community for change in social policies and create a united power to assure that change.

This is such double standard crap it makes my head hurt.