How Barack Obama Lost the Youth Vote

In 2008, Barack Obama won the Presidency partly due to his "celebrity" status with the 18-25 age block.  His speeches, his use of new technology, and his "hope and change" message won over the hearts and minds of this pivotal age group.  My how things have change four years later.

In a new study, the economic future for American college graduates is bleak and could spell electoral trouble for President Obama.  With these results, he could be a one-term President:

• 53.6% percent of recent college graduates are unemployed or underemployed,
• 85% percent of college graduates expect to move back home.

With a failing economy, those who are fortunate to find employment are less off than four years ago.  A pivotal question when deciding which Presidential candidate to vote for.  Here are some key metrics:

• Decline in starting salary for high school graduates is down for both men and women.  Men realized a $2,040 salary loss in 2011 versus 2007.  Women realized a $640 loss for the same period.
• Decline in starting salary for college graduates is down for both men and women.  Men realized a $2,400 salary loss in 2011 versus 2007.  Women realized a $1,740 loss for the same period.

These salary metrics paint a daunting picture for college graduates as both dollars and time invested does not match the starting salary success of years past.  This could be another blog topic - but with these numbers - is college worth it?  Not under President Obama.

With regards to the 2008 platform of "Hope and Change", young adults are not sold on the performance.  Young adults saddled by less job and income opportunities realized it was just smoke and mirrors and if these numbers hold through election day, it could spell trouble for President Obama.  Here is why:

• 82 percent think it's harder to find a job
• 75 percent think it's harder to save for the future
• 71 percent think it's harder to pay for college
• 69 percent think it's harder to buy a home

 Hardly a success story.  With these numbers President Obama should have the Mayflower Moving Company on speed dial.

Kevin Wade Hits Home Run at GOP Convention

Kevin Wade (R-DE), U.S. Senate candidate hit a home run at the Delaware Republican Party state convention held over the weekend.  The convention held to nominate the slate of state-wide candidates marks the beginning of the 2012 election season here in Delaware.  Please take moment to look at the following You Tube clips.

Full video of nominating and seconding speeches for Kevin Wade, and the acceptance speech by Kevin Wade on his nomination by acclimation:




The nominating speech by Wilmington Councilman Mike Brown (R-DE) is fantastic!  So worth the time.

A Citizens Rant

While visiting my parents at the beach, I came across perhaps one of the best letters of the editor I have seen to date:

Reader offers opinion on Obama presidency

Editor:

For those who support Obama, you may reconsider after reading the following. Mr. Hope & Change wants to create a nation humbled, humiliated, casting-aside capitalism and individual freedoms for one where we the people are government-controlled. This would be a system that genuflects mediocrity, steals personal aspirations and opportunities, and punishes those who strive to be successful. Should you doubt this, read on.

A gallon of regular gasoline the day BHO was inaugurated was $1.79 on an average. Today, that price has risen to $3.59, a 100.6 percent increase! The number of food stamps recipients has risen since BHO took office, from 31,983,716 to 43,200,878, a 35.1 percent jump. Long-term unemployment has soared 146.2 percent during the same 34-month period, from 2.6 million to 6.4 million.

This is hope and change?

American citizens living in poverty has risen 9.5 percent and the number unemployed has risen almost 25 percent. The number of unemployed blacks has risen from 12.6 percent at the end of George Bush’s terms to 15.8 percent today. Our national debt has been increased from $10.627 trillion to over $15 trillion under BHO. Remember, these figures can be documented, as we recount the number of firsts for this sitting president:

• First president to refuse to show valid birth certificate.
• First president to apply for college aid as a foreign student, then deny he was a foreigner.
• First president to have a Social Security number from a state he has never lived in.
• First president to preside over a cut to the credit rating of the USA.
• First president to violate the War Powers Act.
• First president to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
• First president to defy a federal judge’s court order to cease implementing the health care reform law.
• First president to require all Americans to purchase a product from a third party.
• First president to spend a trillion dollars on shovel-ready jobs and later admit there was no such thing.
• First president to abrogate bankruptcy law to turn over control of companies to his union supporters.
• First president to bypass Congress and implement the Dream Act through executive order.
• First president to order a secret amnesty program that stopped the deportation of illegal immigrants across the USA, including those with criminal convictions.
• First president to demand a company hand over $20 billion to one of his political appointees.
• First president to terminate America’s ability to put a man into space.
• First president to encourage racial discrimination and intimidation at polling stations.
• First president to have a law signed by an auto-pen without being present.
• First president to arbitrarily declare an existing law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it.
• First president to threaten insurance companies if they publicly speak out on the reasons for their rate increases.
• First president to tell a major manufacturing company in which state they are allowed to locate a factory.
• First president to file lawsuits against states he swore an oath to protect, i.e. Arizona, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana.
• First president to withdraw an existing coal permit that had been properly issued years ago.
• First president to fire an Inspector General of Americorps for catching one of his friends in a corruption case.
• First president to appoint 45-plus czars to replace elected officials in his office.
• First president to golf 73 separate times in his first two and a half years in office.
• First president to hide his medical, educational and travel records.
• First president to win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing absolutely nothing to earn it – amazing!
• First president to coddle American enemies while alienating American allies.
• First president to go on multiple global apology trips and tours.
• First president to go on 17 lavish vacations, including date nights and Wednesday evening White House parties for his friends, paid for by us tax payers.
• First president to early on in his presidency refuse to wear the U.S. flag pin. Now that he is on the campaign trail, he is never without it!
• First president to have 22 personal staff members at taxpayers’ expense work for his wife.
• First president to keep a dog trainer on retainer for $102,000 per year, again at our expense.
• First president to repeat what the Holy Qur’an tells us and openly admit the early morning call of Azan, the Islamic call to worship, is the most beautiful sound on earth.

How can we possibly afford another term under BHO? I suspect we have a fraud, a Muslim sympathizer and narcissist in the highest office in our land. We knew little or nothing about this person a few years ago. Today, we still lack knowledge about who BHO actually is. We do know he is a danger to our constitution, freedoms and way of life as our forefathers intended. Vote him out come November or suffer the consequences.

Jack Rine
Ocean View

From Coastal Point, April 27, 2012

Radell: Charlie Copeland for RNC Committeman

The Delaware Republican Party elected new leadership last year and turned to a new beginning with messaging tied to traditions of Delaware’s interest, job creation.   The party has made progress in that effort and its members and leaders are making sacrifices every day to build our party around a core set of values and issues that will make Delaware stronger.  However, even more is needed and that will take fresh ideas and new energies that will help us turn the page on our past; and move forward with the people of Delaware in building and securing a better life for Delaware families.

To accomplish this, our legislatures will need a Committeeman who understands their needs; and we need someone who understands the needs of our members as we continue to build on last year’s progress.  We also need a leader who knows how to raise funds in the highly competitive political arena, can build coalitions, and put to rest the conflicts of the past.  There is one man who has served in our state senate, worked with our grassroots workers, and has shown leadership in addressing the tough issues--Charlie Copeland.  So we call on Charlie to run for National Committeeman for the Republican Party.  His loyalties and fund raising will be exclusively for our party and his focus will be on getting Republican candidates elected. 

We ask you all to join with us in bringing the resources our party needs to develop a fresh approach to very old problems.   Charlie Copeland is that resource and we give him our full support and trust. 

John Radell

Continuing on the Path to Delaware GOP's Renewal

Since the historic 2010 primary win over liberal Congressman Mike Castle in the U.S. Senate GOP primary, the Delaware Republican Party is in the midst of a re-birth.  From last year's leadership change at the top with John Sigler as Party Chairman, the party is finding its voice again.  The following letter by John Radell is part of continuing sea change within the party for a new beginning:

 The Delaware Republican Party elected new leadership last year and turned to a new beginning with messaging tied to traditions of Delaware’s interest, job creation.   The party has made progress in that effort and its members and leaders are making sacrifices every day to build our party around a core set of values and issues that will make Delaware stronger.  However, even more is needed and that will take fresh ideas and new energies that will help us turn the page on our past; and move forward with the people of Delaware in building and securing a better life for Delaware families.

To accomplish this, our legislatures will need a Committeeman who understands their needs; and we need someone who understands the needs of our members as we continue to build on last year’s progress.  We also need a leader who knows how to raise funds in the highly competitive political arena, can build coalitions, and put to rest the conflicts of the past.  There is one man who has served in our state senate, worked with our grassroots workers, and has shown leadership in addressing the tough issues--Charlie Copeland.  So we call on Charlie to run for National Committeeman for the Republican Party.  His loyalties and fund raising will be exclusively for our party and his focus will be on getting Republican candidates elected.  

We ask you all to join with us in bringing the resources our party needs to develop a fresh approach to very old problems.   Charlie Copeland is that resource and we give him our full support and trust. 

-- John Radell

Photo Gallery: Prayers for America Event

Delaware Faith & Freedom President John Radell introducing Speaker Newt Gingrich

Speaker Newt Gingrich meets Pastor C.L. Bryant

Delaware Faith & Freedom leadership team with Prayers for America guest speakers

A Line In The Sand

Yesterday, something remarkable happened.

Over five hundred faithful attended a unique event to Delaware culture that could also create a sea change within Delaware politics.  The culmination of months and test of faith turned out to be very encouraging for those who every election cycle sees the glimmer of hope fade away. 

The Delaware political scene has seen tea party groups and Occupy Wall Street, but the event held yesterday at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware was unique.  In its inaugural event and first event to the mass public the Delaware Faith & Freedom Coalition held a Prayers for America event.  The event pulled pastors and priests from all walks of life and from all across the state and the nation to pray for our nation.

From the moment the shofar was blown calling the faithful to prayer to the conclusion, attendees were drawn to their feet in praise and grounded in their seats in prayer for a nation torn by the secular movement attempting to dismantle a society through a rabid progressive agenda.  But these faithful would not hear any of that.

Through the uniqueness of the faith leader's words a line in the sand was drawn:

No longer are we going to stand for secularization from every facet of society, from our schools to our government to our media.  No longer are we as a society going to stand for elected leaders who allow for the genocide of the unborn. No longer are we as a society going to stand for the rampant destruction of the basic economic unit - the family. No longer are we as a society going to stand for election and re-election of political leaders who want to label and divide our communities, and instill a progressive, secular agenda that punishes prosperity and success and promotes dependency on the government to live.  No longer will we be silent, and today and everyday forthcoming we will fight until our last breath to stand up for preservation of a moral and just society.

While it is truly magical that our republic still endures over 236 years after its independence and 225 after the ratifying our nation's Constitution, our nation has see an erosion in moral and political discourse that must be reversed if the republic is to survive.  As each pastor spoke on various topics relevant to our society, it became more relevant that every vote that is cast matters and every election matters.  It became visibly clear that if united, a sea change could emerge in our communities, our cities, our counties, our state and our nation.  A sea change that could restore the order of every layer of government to the moral foundation created by our Founding Fathers. 

But no longer will we be silent.

With the upcoming election in the fall from President to every other office down to city or county council, the faithful must vote their conscience and not through the prism of a corrupt media whose sole intention is to distort the truth.  For the truth is the path forward to restore order in this chaotic world.  This sea change cannot be done without you and the hard work and dedication of the grass roots groups that want a sea change.

Surely, Faith & Freedom and its Delaware chapter will be part of this sea change, but it cannot be alone.  In the prism of faith, it would remiss that without the wisdom and education done by the Delaware Family Policy Council that the knowledge instilled by this group, the sea change would be difficult.  What the Delaware Family Policy Council does through education, policy and legislative work; the Delaware Faith & Freedom team will do through grassroots political engagement and activism to mobilize the faithful to elect leaders who have a Biblical world view and value life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  The resources of these two powerful organizations should make the secular left very nervous.

United on faith and with knowledge and perseverance, the Delaware Way will soon be a thing of the past.  God willing a restored and renewed Delaware and nation will emerge based on the Judea-Christian values our Founding Fathers envisioned for this great nation.

Are you ready for this call for action?

VIDEO: If I Wanted America to Fail

A must watch video.

Communism's 45 Goals

On Jan. 10, 1963, Congressman Albert S. Herlong Jr. of Florida read a list of 45 Communist goals into the Congressional Record. The list was derived from researcher Cleon Skousen’s book “The Naked Communist.”

1. U.S. should accept coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.
2. U.S. should be willing to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the U.S. would be a demonstration of "moral strength."


4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extend long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.


7. Grant recognition of Red China and admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the U.S. has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.
11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces.

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.
13. Do away with loyalty oaths.
14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the U.S.
16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for Socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
18. Gain control of all student newspapers.
19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations that are under Communist attack.
20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.
21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV & motion pictures.
22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings," substituting shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms.
23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."
24.Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV.
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural and healthy."
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state"
29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.
30. Discredit the American founding fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."
31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.
32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture – education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.
34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.
36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.
37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.
38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat.
39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose communist goals.
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special interest groups should rise up and make a "united force" to solve economic, political or social problems.
43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.
44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.
45. Repeal the Connally Reservation so the U.S. cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.

Mark Your Calendars - PRAYERS FOR AMERICA EVENT

Is Delaware’s Lampstand About to Be Extinguished?

No matter which Main Street you walk or drive down in any town in Delaware, reminders of this fragile, global economy show lifelessness and despair.  Empty storefronts have become the new symbol of the Obama and Markell economy.  Broken American dreams are all that remain.

Thirty years ago, Delaware was the economic engine of this nation. Corporate powerhouses such as  DuPont, Wilmington Trust, MBNA were once symbols of Delaware’s former prominence on the global economic stage. Today, DuPont is a shell of what it once was in Delaware due to a shift in global demand of chemicals to developing nations.  Wilmington Trust and MBNA have been bought by other banks and are no longer.  Delaware was once the proud home to two automotive plants run by General Motors and Chrysler.  Today, they are gone.  Delaware’s economic stature is dimming.

What has changed?  Thirty years ago, Ronald Reagan was in the White House and Governor Pete du Pont was in the Governor’s mansion.  Today, it is President Obama in Washington and Jack Markell in Dover as Delaware’s Governor.  In a generation, Delaware has lost its footing and unless things change, it does not look like we will gain it back.  

Today, Delaware’s economic performance and outlook are bleak with no signs of hope on the horizon.  While Delaware is in the top ten states to make a living, the state’s budget and tax policy hinder economic growth.  As of late, due to Democratic control of both chambers of the Delaware General Assembly and the Governor’s mansions, Delaware has been in a continual tax and spend marathon. 

Since 2009, Delaware has ranked 49^th out of 50 in legislative tax changes¹ with over $9.38 out of every $1000 being levied a new tax.  Since then the top marginal personal income tax rate increased to 8.2 percent and the top marginal corporate tax rate climbed to 9.98 percent.  These legislated tax increases are the result to address an 11.4 budget gap in the FY2011 budget gap.

For us conservatives, we know Delaware has a spending problem.  If you don’t think so, then why are taxes soaring to make up for the spending spree?  Perhaps if Delaware wasn’t spending $6,800 per person² it is annual budget, then these tax increases would not be necessary.  Perhaps if that expenditure wasn’t two and half times that of Nevada (which is 44 times the size of Delaware), then Delaware families and businesses would not be the state’s ATM.

Thirty years ago when conservative principles governed Delaware, its economy functioned on all cylinders.  With each passing election since, liberals replaced conservatives.  Spending boomed, taxes soared, companies left for more business-friendly states.  The result of what we are faced with now, is a state riddled in big government, bureaucracy, and an ideology that government is the solution.

2012 brings enormous opportunity and responsibility for the Delaware voter.  This very well could be the last meaningful election to make a difference.  Do we allow Delaware to be driven off the cliff pedal to the metal, or do we elect constitutional, fiscal conservatives to Legislative Hall who are going to take a machete rather than a scalpel to the state budget?  If we remember one thing from the 2010 election, remember the wise words of State Senator Colin Bonini (R-Dover) who echoed time and again “It’s OUR money.” 

Perhaps with proper representation and leadership in Dover, Delaware would not have a spending problem that forces individuals and businesses to carry the weight forced upon us by those elected to serve.  Delaware Democrats has been on spending binge, but when you have a trifecta of government control (Governor, State House and State Senate) with no opportunity to have proper checks and balances or adults in the room, the taxpayer credit card will be maxed out. 

Perhaps if our elected leaders were good stewards of our finite resources and If we treated elections with the same care as we did for our loved ones and not like a popularity contest, Delaware’s lamsptand would shine a bit brighter.

¹ Source: America Legislative Exchange Council.  Rich States, Poor States 4^th Edition.  http://www.alec.org/docs/RSPS_4th_Edition.pdf

² Source: The Six States Where Taxes are Soaring via 24/7 Wall Street  http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/21/6-states-where-taxes-are-soaring/

Obama's Corporate Tax Rate Highest in the World

In case you missed it, the U.S. corporate rate is now the highest in the world.  The current corporate tax rate stands at 39.2 percent.  The United States was second behind Japan, until dropped it tax rate to 38.01 percent following economic struggles after last year's earthquake.  Today, the average corporate tax rate is 25 percent.

At a time when Germany cut its corporate tax rate by 22 points and Canada by 13 points, the U.S. refused to re-evaluate its corporate tax rate.  Even Russia at 20 percent and China at 25 percent, have lower tax rates than the U.S. does.  With U.S. unemployment above nine percent and U.S. forms moving operations off-shore, you would think the U.S. would re-evaluate its corporate tax rate.

What Obama fails to understand is the U.S. Treasury loses out on having the highest corporate tax rate in the world.  No longer does the U.S. have a competitive advantage amongst cheaper nations to do business in and the treasury loses out on both corporate taxes and lost personal income taxes paid to those that would be employed stateside.  For Democrats to fawn over tax revenues, they cannot connect the dots between more jobs stateside to higher tax revenues in the federal coffers.

President Obama should take heed that the Heritage Foundation, albeit a conservative think-tank, has highlighted that after-tax personal income would rise by $2,500, and over 580,000 jobs would be created per year for the next year.  Higher personal income and the repatriation  of  jobs would give the U.S. economy a welcome boost.  But political ideology seems to prevail over common sense and it is wise to not hold one's breath that Obama would listen.

Just Who Is John Carney Representing?

Congressman John Carney (D-DE) as Delaware's lone Congressman, is our only voice in the U.S. Congress.  But in his first term, he has failed to understand who he represents.  Based on the scorecards put out by the Club for Growth and the regional Independence Hall Tea Party Association, he has failed to protect to the general welfare of the citizens that put him in office.

In true form, John Carney has either put party, allegiance to Obama or self above the required service to his constituents in how he votes.  In a previous Blue Hen Conservative post, we commented on the coveted Club for Growth scorecard of which Carney failed.  He also failed the recent scorecard put out out by the Independence Hall Tea Party Association on votes related to Tea Party principles.

Both scorecards underline a problem with how John Carney views America and how the Democratic Party disconnects with the hard-working middle-class American.  Let's look at key votes that highlight a pattern of contempt for the Constitution of the United States of America:

• H.R. 2 - Repeal ObamaCare:  Congressman John Carney voted against the repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Despite its benign name, the bill is unconstitutional due to the individual mandate and violation of the Tenth Amendment in how it is applied, Carney voted against the repeal.
• H.CON.RES 35 - Defund ObamaCare: Congressman John Carney voted against the de-funding of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
• H.R. 358 - ObamaCare Conscience Exemption:  Congressman John Carney voted against the passage of a conscience exemption for religious institutions.
• H.CON.RES 36 - Defund Planned Parenthood:  Congressman John Carney voted against the de-funding of Planned Parenthood at the federal level.  Planned Parenthood is the largest organization in America that aborts pre-born children.
• H.R. 1076 - Defund National Public Radio (NPR): Congressman John Carney voted against the de-funding of the NPR, in light of its media bias.
• H.R. 2560 - Cut, Cap & Balance:  Congressman John Carney voted against the resolution to address federal spending and balancing the federal budget.
• H.R. 1231 - Off-Shore Drilling:  Congressman John Carney voted against allowing off-shore drilling and American energy independence.
• H.ADMT 596 to H.R. 2354 - Energy Department Budget Cut:  Congressman John Carney voted against cutting the federal budge to the federal Energy Department.  The Energy Department does not produce energy and allocating funding for the Energy Department is misguided.
• H.R. 822 - Right-to-Carry Reciprocity:  Congressman John Carney voted against the allowing the federal government to recognize right-to-carry permits passed by the respective states. A vote against is a voted against the Second Amendment.

 As you can see, Congressman John Carney is no friend of the U.S. Constitution and in his first term has failed to uphold the oath he took to uphold the Constitution when he sworn in.  John Carney can no longer be trusted to be a servant to the citizens of the great state of Delaware.

John Carney is up for re-election this November and must be replaced.  New Castle County President Tom Kovach is seeking this office and deserves our support.  We cannot afford to give John Carney another term to further erode the U.S. Constitution and America' relevance.

Independence Hall Tea Party Association Releases 2012 Scorecard

The Independence Hall Tea Party Association released its 2012 Tri-State Area Congressional Scorecard.  The scorecard compiles votes of members of both the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate and rates the members according to Tea Party principles.

For Delaware, lone Congressman John Carney (D-DE) scored a seven out of possible 100.  Delaware Senators Thomas Carper (D-DE) scored a nine out of 100 while is junior colleague Chris Coons (D-DE) scored the lowest amongst the Delaware delegation with a six out of possible 100.

Congressman John Carney and Senator Tom Carper are up for re-election in 2012 and analysis on this scorecard for each candidate will be done under separate posts.

Isn't It About Time We Send an Engineer to Washington?

Problem: noun \ˈprä-bləm, -bəm, -ˌblem\ a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution  

Solution: so·lu·tion noun \sə-ˈlü-shən\ 1a : an action or process of solving a problem b : an answer to a problem

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. You see, Kevin Wade is an engineer and through his firm, Philadelphia Control Systems that he started over thirty years ago, has been successful in solving problems with technical solutions to help Fortune 500 companies bring everyday products that we enjoy to life.  From manufacturing bread, automobiles, antibiotics, infant formula, nylon, chocolate and peanut candies, aircraft, paints and coatings, oil and electricity and many, many other things.

In a previous post, we highlighted Kevin Wade's first hand knowledge of working on an oil rig as being a key asset to leveraging America's treasured crude oil reserves to be part of America's path to be energy independence.  In this post, we would like to share Kevin's own words on energy and the vital importance of our nation's security in being energy independent from foreign energy (oil, etc):

My decades of professional work and rigorous education allow me to see America’s energy problems and energy solutions through pragmatic experienced eyes and with an engineer’s clarity.

First of all, the politicians continuously confuse the various energy problems facing the country. This may be by their personal lack of understanding or by their personal intention to confuse the public.

There are two different energy problems in the US. The first and most critical to our security is our reliance on imported oil. The second is the artificially high cost of electricity. Both energy problems are due to the bad hands and failed policies of the career politicians in Washington. They are guilty of one or both of the charges of not knowing what they do or not caring what they do to the American people. This must end at election day in 2012.

Imported Oil – Today and everyday America imports 10 million barrels of foreign oil. This drains more than 1 billion dollars each day and every day from our sick and anemic economy. This is one billion dollars not here to build schools, hospitals, new plants and offices or to create new American jobs and a real sustainable prosperity. This treasure of dollars runs to waste from our hands into foreign hands. This drain has killed our national prosperity and armed so many of those in the Mideast who are at odds with our values.  

American Oil – Every new barrel of American oil directly offsets imported oil. Dollars stay at home. Jobs are created here. North Dakota is producing lots of oil in spite of Federal policies because the oil is produced on private and state owned lands. North Dakota’s 500,000 barrels per day in oil production has created a booming economy and very low unemployment. It is an island of prosperity beyond the reach of Washington. There is far more oil to be discovered and produced across this country and in our offshore waters. There is far more prosperity to be found using the new technologies developed by unfettered free enterprise. The road block between us and the treasure of resources beneath our feet is the willful blindness of the bleed America first crowd in Washington.

Oil Prices, the Dollar and Gas Prices – Gasoline is only made from oil. No number of windmills or solar panels will ever put gasoline in our tanks. Any career politician who speaks of energy security and gasoline prices when promoting solar or wind sources of electricity is guilty of misleading the American people. There is no connection. Repeat, there is no connection.

Oil is bought and sold worldwide in US dollars. As Washington policies destroy the value the dollar and of our dollar savings and dollar wages, it also increases the dollar price of oil. Every dollar increase in a barrel of oil results in a 2 cents per gallon increase at the pump. Fifty years ago, 2 silver dimes bought a gallon of gas. Two silver dimes still buy a gallon of gas because the price of silver in terms of oil is almost unchanged. It is the value of the dollar that has been destroyed. Who did this? Look again to Washington and the career politicians there.

Oil is a commodity that has a special economic property. Its supply and demand curves are economically “inelastic”. This means that consumption changes little with changes in price. If grape fruit suddenly doubles in price, most consumers switch to an alternate fruit to save money. They buy cheap cantaloupe, for example, and stop buying expensive grapefruit. Oil has no equivalent replacement. As oil prices soar people have no choice but to pay. School buses must make their rounds and people need to drive to work. As an inelastic commodity the slightest changes, up or down, in supply result in a great change in price. America can drive down the cost of oil (gasoline) by pumping more oil. Small changes in the total world output will bring major price reductions. The price of gas will tumble when combined with policies to protect your dollar savings and ensure a sound and stable currency.

American Electricity – There is no shortage of fuel sources or generating technologies to produce cheap American electricity. Electricity is made primarily from American coal with significant contributions from nuclear, natural gas (methane) and hydro sources. Federal policy and overreaching regulation have limited access to coal and restricted the use of coal fired power plants. Federal policy has delayed for a generation of small and safe nuclear designs. Federal intervention impede the use of new technologies to produce extremely cheap natural gas. This has limited the rapid drop in natural gas prices needed to fuel modern gas fired turbine driven electric power plants. If we remove the onerous regulations American can see electric rates drop more than 30% in the coming years.

Inexpensive electricity is the essential building block to a high standard of living. It is electricity that moves our industrial sector of the economy and its high wage manufacturing jobs.

America has hundreds of years of natural gas and coal supplies. Washington’s distorted focus on solar and wind sources of electricity has blocked our natural energy advantages. This forced artificially high prices on the American consumer and crippled our ability to compete in the world of high value/high wage manufacturing. Solar power and wind power are technical curiosities today. They are not solutions to rebuild our country.

 The technical analysis above by Kevin Wade on the current state of imported oil and high electric rates, and the alternatives are why we need someone to represent Delaware in Washington who will actually look at practical solutions rather than kicking the can down the road.  In true engineer form of offering solutions rather than rhetoric, Kevin Wade has a unveiled a robust platform to preserve America's national security through energy independence:

• Increase American oil production to 20 million barrels a day over the next 12 years; become oil independent by opening Alaska and most Federal lands to safe and responsible drilling and production to those willing to take a the risk of safe and productive exploration and production; NO TAXPAYER dollars

• All new oil is for use of the American people and is not for sale overseas; American oil independence before multinational oil company profits

• Stabilize the value of the dollar to eliminate currency decline affects on oil and gas prices

• Reanimate the country with the treasure of resources beneath our feet

• Remove Federal regulations that prevent use of high MPG engines operating on clean diesel for autos and trucks

• Allow alternate technologies to flourish in a free enterprise economy; the best ideas win in a fair marketplace

• Remove ALL energy subsidies and let the market decide; this applies to wind, solar, “Green”, oil, gas, coal and nuclear