Nu-Nu Agers

Earlier this week, I received an order of books from Amazon.com. The subject of all the books was climate change; global warming, wind farm scams, and so forth. Also inside the box was a nu-nu - a baby’s pacifier, teething ring. I couldn’t imagine what this thing was doing in my order. There was no mistake on my part. I don’t have kids, of any age.


I scanned the invoice; nope, no RazBbaby silicone teething ring. Given that the books were all about climate change and nearly all countering the environmental consensus, I gathered this was a message from whoever packed the order; some college student, no doubt, or perhaps a union worker (or both).

The first chance I got, which was yesterday, I walked over to the post office to return the item. It was well worth the two dollars to tell Amazon that their puerile employee needed the nu-nu more than I did.

The letter was addressed to the Amazon.com Returns Center in Lexington, Ky.

“To Whom It May Concern:

“I received, with my order of books on climate change, the enclosed RazBaby Raz-Berry silicone teether. This item was not part of my order and as I do not keep things for which I did order or pay, I am hereby returning it to you.

“I don’t know whether the item was placed in my shipment accidentally or deliberately, as the books I ordered are considered politically controversial. Heretofore, I’ve always been satisfied with Amazon’s selections, prices, and service. I will assume this was a personal error on the part of the employee and not company policy. Therefore, I will not hold it against Amazon.com

“However, I suggest you give this pacifier to the individual who packed my shipment; clearly, they need it more than I do.

Sincerely, etc., etc."

The packer would have been welcome to crack open any one of the books I ordered if would have helped educate them on the false science which they have imbibed like Kool-Aid. For instance, Global Warming and Other Eco-Myths: How the Environmental Movement Uses False Science to Scare Us to Death.

Published by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and edited by Ronald Bailey, it's a compendium of facts a myth-busting on climate change. Bailey is a science correspondent for Reason magazine and writes a weekly online column dealing with science and technology policy for their online publication. He’s produced several weekly national public television series including Think Tank. He was a staff writer for Forbes and has been published in the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Smithsonian, National Review, Forbes, and Reader’s Digest. He’s a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and the American Society for Bioetics and Humanities.

He gathered a group of notable experts to contribute their knowledge on various topics, including Dr. Norman E. Borlaugh who won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for launching the “Green Revolution” that dramatically raised agricultural productivity and saved millions from famine. Borlaugh has been at work much longer than the eco-activists; he was awarded his doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Minnesota in 1942.

Bailey opens the introduction of the book by quoting Christopher Flavin, now head of the Worldwatch Institute when he spoke at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Flavin noted that “with socialism in disrepute, environmentalism is now the ‘most powerful ideal today.”

“The ideological environmentalism,” Bailey writes, “that Flavin talks about is far different from the pragmatic, everyday kind of environmentalism that most of us favor; for example, being thrifty with resources, lowering and air and water pollutants, and conserving wildlife. Ideological environmentalism embodies a sweeping agenda aimed at radically transforming how we live and work.

“But there is a hidden crisis growing in the heart of ideological environmentalism,” Bailey continues. “Key predictions made by environmentalist ideologues about the future state of the Earth and humanity are simply not coming true.”

Perhaps this would have been too much reading for our juvenilized, brainwashed packer. The inside jacket cover gives the reader some idea of what’s between the covers without having to strain the brain:

“Myth: Antarctica is melting due to global warming - threatening to raise ocean levels.
Fact: Antarctica has been cooling - and its glaciers thickening - for the past 30 years.”

Or how about this?

“Myth: The global population is growing faster than our ability to produce food.
Fact: Global fertility rates are falling dramatically, and with advanced technology, farmers are producing more food using fewer resources than ever before.”

There’s also this one, on the back cover jacket:
"Myth: Solar- and wind-powered generators are a renewable, efficient, and less intrusive alternative to gas-, oil-, and coal-burning generators.
Fact: Global fossil fuel supplies are in no near-term danger of being depleted, and a single 555-megawatt natural gas power plant produces more electricity than 13,000 windmills.

Finally:

“Myth: Modern pesticides and federalizes are increasing the rates of cancer in humans.

Fact: No study has ever shown that anyone has developed cancer from the legal application of pesticides, and environmental pollution accounts for, at most, 2 percent of all cancer cases versus 30 percent associated with tobacco use.”

The eco-activists have already done their little spin on Myth No. 2. They acknowledge that populations are decreasing, much delight, and that we produce too much food and we should cease sending donations to farmers in Africa because they can’t compete with America’s free food.

There are concerns about pesticides leeching from golf courses into Chesapeake Bay, killing off all the oysters, or at least depleting their population. How much of this depletion is due to poisoning at how is due to over-harvesting of oysters is hard to say. But depend upon it; either way, humans are to blame. We’re evil dudes that should be locked into communes where our activities can be strictly controlled.

That’s what the eco-activist agenda is really all about - controlling us by controlling the planet. The Amazon packer would have all of us sucking our pacifiers to belittle us and pacify us as we are robbed of our freedom, as though we were simply babies having our nu-nus taken away from us.

Here’s a message for the Amazon.com packer: We’re going to fight you eco-activists right down to the last inch of land and we will prevail. We will live in freedom. If you don’t like it, take your pacifier back and suck it up.

Gas Pains

Americans are becoming increasingly worried about the rising price of gasoline.  Normally, the price wouldn’t rise until Memorial Day, when the official summer holiday begins and people use their cars more often.  Demand drives a good deal of the pricing, but so does the government’s environmentalists who want to use taxes as a means of punishing automobile drivers and force them not to drive, buy alternative fuel vehicles, or bicycle.

In fact, they want to drive us, quite literally, into communes.  That is the object of Sustainable Development/Smart Growth and whatever new nom de guerre the Socialists can think up to hide their activities until it’s too late.

F.A. Hayek’s book, Road to Serfdom, had a prescient title.  We are on the road to serfdom.  The Progressives want to force us into high density communes, where automobiles will either be discouraged or banned outright, as they are in some experimental communities in Germany.  One way to do this is to make the cost of buying and running a petroleum-fueled vehicle too expensive for the average driver.  Hence, the higher price of oil.

Here is a breakdown of gasoline prices for the week of March 12, courtesy of energyalmanac@ca.gov

Distribution and Marketing Costs and Profits                        $0.25

Crude Oil Cost                                                                        $2.92

Refinery Cost and Profits                                                       $0.45

State Underground Storage Tank Fee                                                $0.02

State and Local Sales Tax                                                       $0.10

Retail Prices                                                                            $4.38

But according to Mark Perry’s blog on dailymarkets.com, the tax ratio is somewhat different.

The map from API shows gasoline taxes by state (combined local, state and federal), which range from a low of 26.4 cents per gallon in Alaska to a high of of 66.1 cents per gallon in California, averaging 48.1 cents per gallon across all states.  How does that compare to oil company industry profits per gallon?

According to this post on Exxon Mobil’s Perspective Blog , “For every gallon of gasoline, diesel or finished products we manufactured and sold in the United States in the last three months of 2010, we earned a little more than 2 cents per gallon. That’s not a typo. Two cents.”  

What’s more, according to Exxon-Mobil’s blog, the rise in gasoline as a commodity is relatively low compared to other global commodities such as cotton, which experience a 167.7 percent increase from March 2010 to March 2011.  Silver went up 109 percent, and corn 82.7 percent thanks to, you guessed, the failed experiment of ethanol.  Another interesting commodity whose price rose significantly was uranium (56.2 percent).

ExxonMobil is one of the largest taxpayers in the United States.  Last year, their total taxes and duties to the U.S. government topped $9.8 billion, which includes an income tax expense of $1.6 billion. Over the past five years, they incurred a total U.S. tax expense of almost $59 billion, which is $18 billion more than we earned in the United States during the same period. Critics often try to ignore these facts by saying the oil and gas industry receives “subsidies.” But what they really mean is that they want to increase our taxes by taking away long-standing deductions for our industry while leaving these same deductions in place for other sectors of the economy.

What’s more, the largest producers of oil are state-owned companies, not private sector companies like Exxon-Mobil or Sunoco.  Think Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (No. 1); National Iranian Oil Co. (No. 2); Iraq National Oil Co. (No.3); Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (No. 4); and Petroleos de Venezuela, SA .  Saudian Arabian Oil Company is far and away the biggest player, with over 19 percent of the world’s reserves.

Meanwhile, the United States is sitting on plenty of oil and natural gas.  But those fuel reserves would mean freedom for American citizens, and that’s something our government, governments like Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Russia, and China don’t want.  The Progressives talk about our dependency on oil.  But they’re the ones who created it by shutting down our refineries and our nuclear power plants.  They accuse us of being addicted to our cars.  What we’re addicted to is our freedom.

We will never see a solar-powered or electric vehicle capable of carrying us farther than the Progressives want us to go.  They intend to dictate to us what kind of company we’re going to work for, where we’re going to live, what kind of housing we’ll live in, and how we’ll get to that government-dictated job.  The Democrats here in New Jersey didn’t tax the businesses out of state for nothing.  New Jersey is the Smart Growth proving ground.  Communes have been set up in other cities in other states like Berkeley, Calif.  New Jersey will be the first test of an unwilling population.

The first phase is over:  the Democrats have driven all the private sector businesses out of the state with onerous regulations and burdensome taxes.  The residents who are still here are now at the mercy of a bureaucratic government.  Their houses are worthless.  Those who are out of work won’t be able to pay their taxes and their property will be seized.  Those who are employed will see their taxes increased to impossible rates.  Gov. Christie is doing his best, but as he said at the Monmouth County town hall meeting recently, “You need to send me a Republican legislature.”

Those who can be “greened out” of their homes are already besieged.  Lakefront properties are either being taxed excessively or regulated off their property through ridiculous wetlands rules to save the excess tax toad and the garden state turtle.  One of Sustainable Development’s goals is to give wild animals the same legal rights as human beings, with SD lawyers acting as court surrogates on their behalf.

According to Exxon-Mobil, the reality of gas prices is that for every two cents per gallon the company earns, a state, on averages, taxes the gasoline at 48.1 cents per gallon.  In New Jersey, we pay a relatively modest 32.9 cents per gallon in taxes.  In neighboring New York, the tax is 65.6 cents per gallon and in California, which has the highest gasoline taxes, motorists pay 66.6 cents per gallon in taxes.  That’s per gallon.

So we have information from Energy Cal on one hand, and Exxon-Mobil, by no means the world’s largest oil producer, on the other hand, telling us how much the government is robbing us at the gas pump, all the while pointing its oily finger at the Big Oil companies.  That’s not to mention all the taxes companies like Exxon-Mobil must pay the government.

We are on the road to serfdom, as F.A. Hayek predicted, forced just like the serfs of old to go no farther than our workplaces or our commune condos.  It's time to tell our government bureaucrats to take a hike.

What a Sketch!

Hours after long-time Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told CNN that the general election was like an Etch-A-Sketch toy that Romney can shake up and start all over again, Romney promised that he would not change his positions if he wins the Republican presidential nomination.

That analogy pretty much sums of the Conservative definition of a RINO.  For that matter, the Etch-A-Sketch analogy pretty much sums up the Government’s attitude towards the 1^st Amendment and freedom of speech and religion.  Romney is very much like George Bush when he was running for president.  We knew he was a moderate.  He said so.  “I’m a uniter not a divider,” was his mantra.  After 8 years of Bill Clinton, pretty much anyone to the right of Clinton looked like a Conservative.

That political consultants have that opinion of American voters is a sad commentary on the state of mind of Americans:  that the Government and the Media can scribble on our minds, then shake us up and erase everything we knew to be right, leaving no shred of memory behind.

Having played with the Etch-A-Sketch toy as a child, political pundits and consultants should know that the toy does leave traces of its former markings behind.  Maybe not for long, and the lines are feint, but still visible.  Rote memorization strengthens the white matter in our brains.  Since the organization of the Tea Parties, we’re not so apt to forget as we once were.  We read more.  We think more.  We talk more among ourselves.  We don’t just take anyone’s word for anything anymore.

Fehrnstrom can erase Romney’s past and sketch over it a fine recent speech.  He can’t erase Romney’s political record, though.  His health care plan was nothing like Obamacare, it seems.  Traces of other concerns remain, though; such as his stance on illegal immigration.

One thing Fehrnstrom cannot simply erase by shaking our television sets was his own blunder about the election being like an Etch-A-Sketch toy.  He revealed his own opinion about his candidate’s political tendencies, obviously trying to appeal to those “independent thinkers” who always watch CNN and never watch Fox News.

Thanks to Fehrnstrom, “etch-a-sketch” is likely to become the newest synonym for “spin.”

On the Road with Bruce and Charlie

Sorry for the gap in posts.  Generally, I try to be reliable and write every day.  However, duty called yesterday and I had to respond.  With one week left to go before my current job expires, the last thing I expected was to get to do one last ride-along interview.  I’d heard about the event about a month or so ago, but the boss didn’t think they’d want photographs.  However, they did it and I was happy to accommodate my company.

Most people express surprise that I’d so willingly accept an assignment from a company that is laying me off.  However, there’s no resentment on my part and it’s no sacrifice to do something I love doing:  interviewing people and taking photographs.  I’m just sorry I won’t be doing it anymore.

Due to proprietary concerns, I can’t disclose just what sort of drivers they are.  Let us just say that they’re tow truck drivers.  That covers the matter without disclosing their employer or my employer’s intentions.

My job was principally to take pictures of driver Bruce doing his job.  Our video team was along for the ride, as well.  They were the ones who were supposed to be interviewing the drivers but I just couldn’t help myself.

Bruce used to be a tractor-trailer driver before he took up his present occupation.  He said he loves what he does and considers it an honor to help stranded motorists.  They’re never quite sure how long their days are going to be.  Much depends on the weather and traffic conditions.  He’s seen cars and even tractor trailers go off the road and he’s been able to pull them out.

You’ll hear more about Bruce later.  The video producer had intended to ride in the follow-up truck but at the last minute, changed his mind and rode with us.

Since Charlie wasn’t the subject – he’s Bruce’s supervisor, I can tell more about what he had to say.  I rode alone with Charlie back to our originating point.  He, too, talked about the snowstorms and the varying weather in our state.  Normally, weather is a rather prosaic subject; but not when you’re a tow-truck driver.  Late one night, he came upon a stranded vehicle stopped on the shoulder.  The driver got out and wobbled along the shoulder, then collapsed.  Charlie told his partner to stay where he was while he got out to check on the guy.

The man had bullet holes in him.  Being near a run-down city, Charlie suspected it was a drug shooting.  He ran back to his truck and called for the police.  “Don’t get out!” he told his partner.  “Let the cops handle this one.”  Charlie kept an eye in his rear-view mirror, fearing the shooters were still in the vicinity.

Another time, he was sent to check a vehicle stalled on a bridge.  When Charlie went up to the driver, the man announced that he had a bomb in his car.  Charlie ran back to his truck and radioed to the police.  He said they used to pull up right behind a vehicle, but since  9/11, they’d been taught to stop at least 100 feet back from the disabled vehicle before getting ready to tow it.

Charlie ran that 100 feet or so back to his truck and radioed the police.  The state troopers talked to the man.  No bomb was in the car, but the man said his dog told him there was one.

Another time, he responded to an overturned ambulance.  As he approached the vehicle, it burst into flames.  Charlie ran up to the vehicle, and pulled at least one person out but was unable to rescue anyone else.  One other person died.

Charlie was a former volunteer fireman.  His brother was a fireman as well.  His brother and some other firefighters were responding to a fire in a subterranean tank.  The tank was overgrown with vegetation which fueled the fire.  The tank exploded, killing the first two firemen in line, and burning Charlie’s brother with 2^nd and 3^rd degree burns over 90 percent of his body.  His brother recovered and Charlie’s wife insisted he give up his volunteer firefighting duties.

Because the weather was so foggy yesterday morning, the shoot was delayed.  As a result, we spent most of the day.  The sun didn’t really come out.  But it was warm and the trees are all in full bloom.  Being outside on a warm day is always better than being inside.  Bruce, Charlie and the video team agreed.

What a wonderful coda to 13 years of interviewing and photography.

National Defense Resources Preparedness Order

It’s always on a Friday.  The White House always issues the information it doesn’t want anyone to know on a Friday afternoon.  Last week’s bad news was the National Defense Resources Preparedness executive order, essentially giving the government control over potential military resources in peacetime.  Did you read that?  Shall we repeat the word again?  PEACETIME.

This is all encompassing executive order, giving the government control over factories, farms, water resources.  Somehow this information bypassed all the Conservative pundits (as far as I can tell except Glenn Beck).  Wait, a friend said on Friday that Rush Limbaugh was beside himself over some mandate that Obama had just issued.  This may be what it was.  Then Rush was beside himself for good reason.  Mark Levin was on top of it.  Some bloggers are already thinking the “October Surprise” may be Marshall Law and the suspension of elections.  Let’s hope not.  But here is the White House Press Release:

National Defense Resources Preparedness

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

March 16, 2012

Executive Order -- National Defense Resources Preparedness

EXECUTIVE ORDER

NATIONAL DEFENSE RESOURCES PREPAREDNESS

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061 et seq.), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

PART I  -  PURPOSE, POLICY, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Section 101.  Purpose.  This order delegates authorities and addresses national defense resource policies and programs under the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (the "Act").

Sec. 102.  Policy.  The United States must have an industrial and technological base capable of meeting national defense requirements and capable of contributing to the technological superiority of its national defense equipment in peacetime and in times of national emergency.  The domestic industrial and technological base is the foundation for national defense preparedness.  The authorities provided in the Act shall be used to strengthen this base and to ensure it is capable of responding to the national defense needs of the United States.

Sec. 103.  General Functions.  Executive departments and agencies (agencies) responsible for plans and programs relating to national defense (as defined in section 801(j) of this order), or for resources and services needed to support such plans and programs, shall:

(a)  identify requirements for the full spectrum of emergencies, including essential military and civilian demand;

(b)  assess on an ongoing basis the capability of the domestic industrial and technological base to satisfy requirements in peacetime and times of national emergency, specifically evaluating the availability of the most critical resource and production sources, including subcontractors and suppliers, materials, skilled labor, and professional and technical personnel;

(c)  be prepared, in the event of a potential threat to the security of the United States, to take actions necessary to ensure the availability of adequate resources and production capability, including services and critical technology, for national defense requirements;

(d)  improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the domestic industrial base to support national defense requirements; and

(e)  foster cooperation between the defense and commercial sectors for research and development and for acquisition of materials, services, components, and equipment to enhance industrial base efficiency and responsiveness.

Sec. 104.  Implementation.  (a)  The National Security Council and Homeland Security Council, in conjunction with the National Economic Council, shall serve as the integrated policymaking forum for consideration and formulation of national defense resource preparedness policy and shall make recommendations to the President on the use of authorities under the Act.

(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:

(1)  advise the President on issues of national defense resource preparedness and on the use of the authorities and functions delegated by this order;

(2)  provide for the central coordination of the plans and programs incident to authorities and functions delegated under this order, and provide guidance to agencies assigned functions under this order, developed in consultation with such agencies; and

(3)  report to the President periodically concerning all program activities conducted pursuant to this order.

(c)  The Defense Production Act Committee, described in section 701 of this order, shall:

(1)  in a manner consistent with section 2(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2062(b), advise the President through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy on the effective use of the authorities under the Act; and

(2)  prepare and coordinate an annual report to the Congress pursuant to section 722(d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171(d).

(d)  The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and other agencies, shall:

(1)  analyze potential effects of national emergencies on actual production capability, taking into account the entire production system, including shortages of resources, and develop recommended preparedness measures to strengthen capabilities for production increases in national emergencies; and

(2)  perform industry analyses to assess capabilities of the industrial base to support the national defense, and develop policy recommendations to improve the international competitiveness of specific domestic industries and their abilities to meet national defense program needs.

PART II  -  PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS

Sec. 201.  Priorities and Allocations Authorities.  (a)  The authority of the President conferred by section 101 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071, to require acceptance and priority performance of contracts or orders (other than contracts of employment) to promote the national defense over performance of any other contracts or orders, and to allocate materials, services, and facilities as deemed necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense, is delegated to the following agency heads:

(1)  the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to food resources, food resource facilities, livestock resources, veterinary resources, plant health resources, and the domestic distribution of farm equipment and commercial fertilizer;

(2)  the Secretary of Energy with respect to all forms of energy;

(3)  the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to health resources;

(4)  the Secretary of Transportation with respect to all forms of civil transportation;

(5)  the Secretary of Defense with respect to water resources; and

(6)  the Secretary of Commerce with respect to all other materials, services, and facilities, including construction materials.

(b)  The Secretary of each agency delegated authority under subsection (a) of this section (resource departments) shall plan for and issue regulations to prioritize and allocate resources and establish standards and procedures by which the authority shall be used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and non-emergency conditions.  Each Secretary shall authorize the heads of other agencies, as appropriate, to place priority ratings on contracts and orders for materials, services, and facilities needed in support of programs approved under section 202 of this order.

(c)  Each resource department shall act, as necessary and appropriate, upon requests for special priorities assistance, as defined by section 801(l) of this order, in a time frame consistent with the urgency of the need at hand.  In situations where there are competing program requirements for limited resources, the resource department shall consult with the Secretary who made the required determination under section 202 of this order.  Such Secretary shall coordinate with and identify for the resource department which program requirements to prioritize on the basis of operational urgency.  In situations involving more than one Secretary making such a required determination under section 202 of this order, the Secretaries shall coordinate with and identify for the resource department which program requirements should receive priority on the basis of operational urgency.

(d)  If agreement cannot be reached between two such Secretaries, then the issue shall be referred to the President through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

(e)  The Secretary of each resource department, when necessary, shall make the finding required under section 101(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(b).  This finding shall be submitted for the President's approval through the Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.  Upon such approval, the Secretary of the resource department that made the finding may use the authority of section 101(a) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(a), to control the general distribution of any material (including applicable services) in the civilian market.

Sec. 202.  Determinations.  Except as provided in section 201(e) of this order, the authority delegated by section 201 of this order may be used only to support programs that have been determined in writing as necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense:

(a)  by the Secretary of Defense with respect to military production and construction, military assistance to foreign nations, military use of civil transportation, stockpiles managed by the Department of Defense, space, and directly related activities;

(b)  by the Secretary of Energy with respect to energy production and construction, distribution and use, and directly related activities; and

(c)  by the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to all other national defense programs, including civil defense and continuity of Government.

Sec. 203.  Maximizing Domestic Energy Supplies.  The authorities of the President under section 101(c)(1) (2) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(c)(1) (2), are delegated to the Secretary of Commerce, with the exception that the authority to make findings that materials (including equipment), services, and facilities are critical and essential, as described in section 101(c)(2)(A) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071(c)(2)(A), is delegated to the Secretary of Energy.

Sec. 204.  Chemical and Biological Warfare.  The authority of the President conferred by section 104(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2074(b), is delegated to the Secretary of Defense.  This authority may not be further delegated by the Secretary.

PART III  -  EXPANSION OF PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY AND SUPPLY

Sec. 301.  Loan Guarantees.  (a)  To reduce current or projected shortfalls of resources, critical technology items, or materials essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense, as defined in section 801(h) of this order, is authorized pursuant to section 301 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, to guarantee loans by private institutions.

(b)  Each guaranteeing agency is designated and authorized to:  (1) act as fiscal agent in the making of its own guarantee contracts and in otherwise carrying out the purposes of section 301 of the Act; and (2) contract with any Federal Reserve Bank to assist the agency in serving as fiscal agent.

(c)  Terms and conditions of guarantees under this authority shall be determined in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  The guaranteeing agency is authorized, following such consultation, to prescribe:  (1) either specifically or by maximum limits or otherwise, rates of interest, guarantee and commitment fees, and other charges which may be made in connection with such guarantee contracts; and (2) regulations governing the forms and procedures (which shall be uniform to the extent practicable) to be utilized in connection therewith.

Sec. 302.  Loans.  To reduce current or projected shortfalls of resources, critical technology items, or materials essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 302 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2092, to make loans thereunder.  Terms and conditions of loans under this authority shall be determined in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of OMB.

Sec. 303.  Additional Authorities.  (a)  To create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential for the national defense, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, to make provision for purchases of, or commitments to purchase, an industrial resource or a critical technology item for Government use or resale, and to make provision for the development of production capabilities, and for the increased use of emerging technologies in security program applications, and to enable rapid transition of emerging technologies.

(b)  Materials acquired under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, that exceed the needs of the programs under the Act may be transferred to the National Defense Stockpile, if, in the judgment of the Secretary of Defense as the National Defense Stockpile Manager, such transfers are in the public interest.

Sec. 304.  Subsidy Payments.  To ensure the supply of raw or nonprocessed materials from high cost sources, or to ensure maximum production or supply in any area at stable prices of any materials in light of a temporary increase in transportation cost, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(c) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(c), to make subsidy payments, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of OMB.

Sec. 305.  Determinations and Findings.  (a)  Pursuant to budget authority provided by an appropriations act in advance for credit assistance under section 301 or 302 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, 2092, and consistent with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, as amended (FCRA), 2 U.S.C. 661 et seq., the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority to make the determinations set forth in sections 301(a)(2) and 302(b)(2) of the Act, in consultation with the Secretary making the required determination under section 202 of this order; provided, that such determinations shall be made after due consideration of the provisions of OMB Circular A 129 and the credit subsidy score for the relevant loan or loan guarantee as approved by OMB pursuant to FCRA.

(b)  Other than any determination by the President under section 303(a)(7)(b) of the Act, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority to make the required determinations, judgments, certifications, findings, and notifications defined under section 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093, in consultation with the Secretary making the required determination under section 202 of this order.

Sec. 306.  Strategic and Critical Materials.  The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Interior in consultation with the Secretary of Defense as the National Defense Stockpile Manager, are each delegated the authority of the President under section 303(a)(1)(B) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(a)(1)(B), to encourage the exploration, development, and mining of strategic and critical materials and other materials.

Sec. 307.  Substitutes.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(g) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(g), to make provision for the development of substitutes for strategic and critical materials, critical components, critical technology items, and other resources to aid the national defense.

Sec. 308.  Government-Owned Equipment.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to:

(a)  procure and install additional equipment, facilities, processes, or improvements to plants, factories, and other industrial facilities owned by the Federal Government and to procure and install Government owned equipment in plants, factories, or other industrial facilities owned by private persons;

(b)  provide for the modification or expansion of privately owned facilities, including the modification or improvement of production processes, when taking actions under sections 301, 302, or 303 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2091, 2092, 2093; and

(c)  sell or otherwise transfer equipment owned by the Federal Government and installed under section 303(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2093(e), to the owners of such plants, factories, or other industrial facilities.

Sec. 309.  Defense Production Act Fund.  The Secretary of Defense is designated the Defense Production Act Fund Manager, in accordance with section 304(f) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2094(f), and shall carry out the duties specified in section 304 of the Act, in consultation with the agency heads having approved, and appropriated funds for, projects under title III of the Act.

Sec. 310.  Critical Items.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 107(b)(1) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2077(b)(1), to take appropriate action to ensure that critical components, critical technology items, essential materials, and industrial resources are available from reliable sources when needed to meet defense requirements during peacetime, graduated mobilization, and national emergency.  Appropriate action may include restricting contract solicitations to reliable sources, restricting contract solicitations to domestic sources (pursuant to statutory authority), stockpiling critical components, and developing substitutes for critical components or critical technology items.

Sec. 311.  Strengthening Domestic Capability.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense is delegated the authority of the President under section 107(a) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2077(a), to utilize the authority of title III of the Act or any other provision of law to provide appropriate incentives to develop, maintain, modernize, restore, and expand the productive capacities of domestic sources for critical components, critical technology items, materials, and industrial resources essential for the execution of the national security strategy of the United States.

Sec. 312.  Modernization of Equipment.  The head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense, in accordance with section 108(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2078(b), may utilize the authority of title III of the Act to guarantee the purchase or lease of advance manufacturing equipment, and any related services with respect to any such equipment for purposes of the Act.  In considering title III projects, the head of each agency engaged in procurement for the national defense shall provide a strong preference for proposals submitted by a small business supplier or subcontractor in accordance with section 108(b)(2) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2078(b)(2).

PART IV  -  VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Sec. 401.  Delegations.  The authority of the President under sections 708(c) and (d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(c), (d), is delegated to the heads of agencies otherwise delegated authority under this order.  The status of the use of such delegations shall be furnished to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Sec. 402.  Advisory Committees.  The authority of the President under section 708(d) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(d), and delegated in section 401 of this order (relating to establishment of advisory committees) shall be exercised only after consultation with, and in accordance with, guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.

Sec. 403.  Regulations.  The Secretary of Homeland Security, after approval of the Attorney General, and after consultation by the Attorney General with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, shall promulgate rules pursuant to section 708(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(e), incorporating standards and procedures by which voluntary agreements and plans of action may be developed and carried out.  Such rules may be adopted by other agencies to fulfill the rulemaking requirement of section 708(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2158(e).

PART V  -  EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL

Sec. 501.  National Defense Executive Reserve.  (a) In accordance with section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), there is established in the executive branch a National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) composed of persons of recognized expertise from various segments of the private sector and from Government (except full time Federal employees) for training for employment in executive positions in the Federal Government in the event of a national defense emergency.

(b)  The Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue necessary guidance for the NDER program, including appropriate guidance for establishment, recruitment, training, monitoring, and activation of NDER units and shall be responsible for the overall coordination of the NDER program.  The authority of the President under section 710(e) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(e), to determine periods of national defense emergency is delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(c)  The head of any agency may implement section 501(a) of this order with respect to NDER operations in such agency.

(d)  The head of each agency with an NDER unit may exercise the authority under section 703 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2153, to employ civilian personnel when activating all or a part of its NDER unit.  The exercise of this authority shall be subject to the provisions of sections 501(e) and (f) of this order and shall not be redelegated.

(e)  The head of an agency may activate an NDER unit, in whole or in part, upon the written determination of the Secretary of Homeland Security that an emergency affecting the national defense exists and that the activation of the unit is necessary to carry out the emergency program functions of the agency.

(f)  Prior to activating the NDER unit, the head of the agency shall notify, in writing, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism of the impending activation.

Sec. 502.  Consultants.  The head of each agency otherwise delegated functions under this order is delegated the authority of the President under sections 710(b) and (c) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2160(b), (c), to employ persons of outstanding experience and ability without compensation and to employ experts, consultants, or organizations.  The authority delegated by this section may not be redelegated.

PART VI  -  LABOR REQUIREMENTS

Sec. 601.  Secretary of Labor.  (a)  The Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of other agencies, as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, shall:

(1)  collect and maintain data necessary to make a continuing appraisal of the Nation's workforce needs for purposes of national defense;

(2)  upon request by the Director of Selective Service, and in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, assist the Director of Selective Service in development of policies regulating the induction and deferment of persons for duty in the armed services;

(3)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order, consult with that agency with respect to:  (i) the effect of contemplated actions on labor demand and utilization; (ii) the relation of labor demand to materials and facilities requirements; and (iii) such other matters as will assist in making the exercise of priority and allocations functions consistent with effective utilization and distribution of labor;

(4)  upon request from the head of an agency with authority under this order:  (i) formulate plans, programs, and policies for meeting the labor requirements of actions to be taken for national defense purposes; and (ii) estimate training needs to help address national defense requirements and promote necessary and appropriate training programs; and

(5)  develop and implement an effective labor management relations policy to support the activities and programs under this order, with the cooperation of other agencies as deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Labor, including the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, the National Mediation Board, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

(b)  All agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary of Labor, upon request, for the purposes of this section, to the extent permitted by law.

PART VII  -  DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT COMMITTEE

Sec. 701.  The Defense Production Act Committee.  (a)  The Defense Production Act Committee (Committee) shall be composed of the following members, in accordance with section 722(b) of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171(b):

(1)   The Secretary of State;

(2)   The Secretary of the Treasury;

(3)   The Secretary of Defense;

(4)   The Attorney General;

(5)   The Secretary of the Interior;

(6)   The Secretary of Agriculture;

(7)   The Secretary of Commerce;

(8)   The Secretary of Labor;

(9)   The Secretary of Health and Human Services;

(10)  The Secretary of Transportation;

(11)  The Secretary of Energy;

(12)  The Secretary of Homeland Security; 

(13)  The Director of National Intelligence;

(14)  The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;

(15)  The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers;

(16)  The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and

(17)  The Administrator of General Services.

(b)  The Director of OMB and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall be invited to participate in all Committee meetings and activities in an advisory role.  The Chairperson, as designated by the President pursuant to section 722 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2171, may invite the heads of other agencies or offices to participate in Committee meetings and activities in an advisory role, as appropriate.

Sec. 702.  Offsets.  The Secretary of Commerce shall prepare and submit to the Congress the annual report required by section 723 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2172, in consultation with the Secretaries of State, the Treasury, Defense, and Labor, the United States Trade Representative, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other agencies as appropriate.  The heads of agencies shall provide the Secretary of Commerce with such information as may be necessary for the effective performance of this function.

Malia in Mexico

Natalee Holloway disappeared in May of 2005 on a high school graduation trip to Aruba.  She was last seen by her classmates outside a Caribbean chain restaurant and nightclub in a car with three locals.  She never made her flight or her high school graduation.  She was 18, and of age.

News stories are disappearing about rumors that First Daughter Malia Obama, 13, is spending Spring Break in Oaxaca, Mexico, with a phalanx of 12 friends and even bigger phalanx of Secret Service agents.  Adding Malia, that makes a group of unlucky 13.

There are a number of questions:  First of all, is it true?  It’s mainly European papers reporting the stories.  Secondly, are taxpayers paying for the trip, just as we’ve paid for all the other trips?  Next, is it very wise to send a 13 year-old, particularly a daughter of the President of the United States, and all her friends to a part of Mexico known for its violence?  Finally, why are all the papers and websites suddenly yanking the story? 

If it’s for security, that’s understandable.  Yet, the Media has not shirked from advertising all the other Obama vacations.  Still, if it’s such a security problem, why send her to such a place to begin with?  Perhaps the parents figure since the girls are surrounded by a virtual army of Secret Service agents, the kids aren’t in much danger.

Any parents who allow their teenagers to travel to the Caribbean, Mexico or South America alone, and even worse, with a group of teenagers, are out of their minds.  Holloway was at the age of consent, so her mother couldn’t very well stop her.  But what were the school officials thinking, sponsoring such a trip?

There’s not much danger of Malia disappearing the way Natalee did, although it wasn’t a really great idea to broadcast her location.  But the fact that all the stories about her vacation are disappearing is an ominous sign of the future of electronic news.  What if Malia had been vacationing in say, Malibu, and the White House had the Media yank the story because they didn’t want bad press – i.e., wasting taxpayers money for a 13 year-old’s holiday - just before a presidential election?

If the American people, through its Media and even on their own, can’t question the President’s decisions as a parent and as a chief executive, while the First Lady certainly questions the judgment and interferes with the decisions of American parents, then we’re farther down along the road of tyranny than we thought.

Malia in Mexico

Natalee Holloway disappeared in May of 2005 on a high school graduation trip to Aruba.  She was last seen by her classmates outside a Caribbean chain restaurant and nightclub in a car with three locals.  She never made her flight or her high school graduation.  She was 18, and of age.

News stories are disappearing about rumors that First Daughter Malia Obama, 13, is spending Spring Break in Oaxaca, Mexico, with a phalanx of 12 friends and even bigger phalanx of Secret Service agents.  Adding Malia, that makes a group of unlucky 13.

There are a number of questions:  First of all, is it true?  It’s mainly European papers reporting the stories.  Secondly, are taxpayers paying for the trip, just as we’ve paid for all the other trips?  Next, is it very wise to send a 13 year-old, particularly a daughter of the President of the United States, and all her friends to a part of Mexico known for its violence?  Finally, why are all the papers and websites suddenly yanking the story? 

If it’s for security, that’s understandable.  Yet, the Media has not shirked from advertising all the other Obama vacations.  Still, if it’s such a security problem, why send her to such a place to begin with?  Perhaps the parents figure since the girls are surrounded by a virtual army of Secret Service agents, the kids aren’t in much danger.

Any parents who allow their teenagers to travel to the Caribbean, Mexico or South America alone, and even worse, with a group of teenagers, are out of their minds.  Holloway was at the age of consent, so her mother couldn’t very well stop her.  But what were the school officials thinking, sponsoring such a trip?

There’s not much danger of Malia disappearing the way Natalee did, although it wasn’t a really great idea to broadcast her location.  But the fact that all the stories about her vacation are disappearing is an ominous sign of the future of electronic news.  What if Malia had been vacationing in say, Malibu, and the White House had the Media yank the story because they didn’t want bad press – i.e., wasting taxpayers money for a 13 year-old’s holiday - just before a presidential election?

If the American people, through its Media and even on their own, can’t question the President’s decisions as a parent and as a chief executive, while the First Lady certainly questions the judgment and interferes with the decisions of American parents, then we’re farther down along the road of tyranny than we thought.

Lakefront Properties Taxed Enough Already

The words seemed still to be hanging on the air.  To friends with lakefront properties, “You’d better watch because the Agenda types are coming for your lakefront properties.  You just wait and see.  First, they’ll try to tax you and then they’ll send the environmentalists after the hold-outs.  You watch.  They’ll condemn your property.  Not just yours but everyone’s.  They’ll tell you that your homes are a threat to the lake environment.”

Now, if you live in northern New Jersey, if you don’t actually live on a lake, you live within walking distance of one, or within distance of some body of water – pond, brook, stream, river (Heaven help you).  In our case, it was the mosquito-infested swamp across the street (Mom lives on a hill).  Residents of northern New Jersey live cheek-by-jowl with Nature.  And they’re okay with it.  Residents of the northern regions have gone all-out against the bear hunts.  They’ve learned to live with the bears and the bears have learned to live with the humans.

The problem isn’t humans, or nature, or the interaction between the two.  The problem is the pseudo-environmentalists with their hidden agenda of forcing everyone to live in communes.

In Bloomingdale, a woman’s taxes went up so high on her Kampfe Lake property that it’s made the local newspapers.  Yesterday’s paper noted that West Milford’s 2011 property tax revaluation means lakefront property owners can an, according to yesterday’s Suburban Trends, “expect a hefty tax increase in an effort to correct what local officials were calling an ‘unfair distribution of the property tax burden’.”

“According to the state Department of Taxation, revluation programs are designed to have all real properties in a taxing district appraised at their full and fair values in an effort to spread the property tax burden as equitably as possible.”

Here’s some news for the state Department of Taxation:  the friend from West Milford with the lakefront property is no millionaire.  He’s an unemployed machinist who had to go into business for himself, working 16 hours a day just to make ends meet.  He bought the property at auction.  No sooner had he finished rebuilding the house (himself) than his house and five other lakefront properties were burned to the ground in an arsonist spree.

West Milford has the highest property tax rate in the county already.  It’s no wonder poorer residents can’t afford them.  Soon, the lakefront property owners won’t be able to afford them, either.  Certainly not our machinist friend.  The fairest tax rate is one where everyone pays the same percentage.  Government should not be in the business of overspending and then saddling the property owners with the bill.  Cut the spending.

This kind of taxation is clearly intended to cause further division between the classes.  If everyone paid the same tax rate, there wouldn’t be “classes” in the first place.  There shouldn’t be economic classes in American, anyway.

Even the Suburban Trends had to admit that the taxation is outrageous.  Homes on Greenwood Lake would face a 271 percent increase, Sunday’s editorial noted.  They even used the Tea Party’s frequently-used illustration of the boiling frog.  “Stop stewing and start stumping” the editorial headline reads.

What do they think the Tea Party has been doing these last three years?  What do they think TEA means?

Taxed Enough Already, dudes!  We’ve been to Morristown, to Trenton, and to Washington, numerous times already.  If you’ve finally woken up (I told the organizers that the revolution will begin at home, in our own backyards), come join us.

The North Jersey Regional Tea Party meets this Wednesday at the Barnyard Carriage House restaurant on Wednesday, at 7 p.m.  The Barnyard has great food, by the way.  Come for dinner, stay for the meeting.

North Jersey is very well-organized; so is the Morristown Tea Party.  They can tell you everything you need to know to activate.  Here are their Facebook pages; send the links to your friends.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/groups/129222850427850/

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/The-Morristown-TEA-Party-a-NJ-Non-profit-Corp/139313059455619