About that Alaskan island near Russia

106 people read my blog today. This is probably the best daily statistic ever recorded for this blog.

The reason is a post I wrote about Sarah Palin, Russia, and an Alaskan island that is located close to Russian Federation – namely, the Little Diomede Island. This is the island about which Palin said that if you stand on its shore, you will see Russia.

Palin was correct. If you go to that island and stand on the shore, facing Russia, you will see not only the Big Diomede Island (which is just 4 kms away, and constitutes a part of Russia), but also the Russian mainland (namely, Chukotka), which is just 40 kms away.

The Alaskan Government alone could finance a bridge (or a tunnel) spanning across the Bering Strait (which separates Alaska from Chukotka) and pipelines linking Russia to Alaska. It could finance that infrastructure by:

1) Merging the Dept. of the Law with the Dept. of Corrections, and the Dept. of Fish and Game with the Dept. of Environmental Pr. and the Department of Transportation;

2) Replacing only 50% of retiring state employees;

3) Selling unneeded state property (including state-owned airports);

4) Selling exquisite equipment of the Alaskan Government; and

5) Dedicating its budgetary surplus for this project.

But the Alaskan Government should NOT build that bridge. Why? Because Russia is an enemy of the US. Just listen to Putin’s anti-American rhetoric. Russia is an enemy of the US. There’s no reason to build bridges to Russia.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6970921.ece

The RSC’s budget proposal

The Republican Study Committee has its own alternative budget proposal – an alternative to the Dems’ irresponsible high-spending budget.

The RSC should be praised for the fact that it has managed to devise a budget that would reduce the deficit every year and finally generate a budget surplus by FY2019. However, the budget could be balanced as early as FY2012 (according to the RSC’s own estimates), for which the RSC proposed a $344 bn deficit, if the RSC also adopted my proposals alongside its own:
1) Cutting the budget of the DOS by $15 bn;
2) Abolition of farm subsidies (annual saving: $50 bn);
3) Abolition of the DOA;
4) Abolition of almost all agencies of the DOC;
5) Abolition of the USDOT (saving: $63 bn);
6) Abolition of the IRS (saving: $12 bn)[1];
7) Abolition of the federal Education Department (which Reagan tried to abolish);
8) A reduction the budget of the Secret Service by $1 bn;
9) Abolition of subsidies for the USPS;
10) The sale of unused federal property (a one-time revenue of $25 bn);
11) Privatization of almost all government-owned enterprises (incl. Amtrak, the USPS, the TVA and the CPB);
12) A gradual privatization of federal lands.

Cumulatively, savings #1-10 would amount to $328 bn, and the other 2 savings would yield the other $16 bn, thus reducing the RSC’s FY2012 budget deficit to $0.

Besides, the RSC’s budget proposes a few crucial reforms and a few crucial tax reductions, which would rebuild the US economy.

But a plan to balance the budget is not enough. Such a policy could be repealed by any future Congress. The US Congress must not only balance the budget, but also significantly reduce the civilian portion of the government. It must abolish several departments and dozens of civilian agencies.

[1]I am a proponent of the Fair Tax.

http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/Solutions/RSCBudget.htm

http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/UploadedFiles/RSC_FY10_Budget_-_Deficits_Chart2–Obama.pdf

http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/UploadedFiles/RSC_Budget_by_the_Numbers–FINAL.pdf

The Dems are hypocrites

As I reported 3 days ago, the Dems have once again demanded “big weapon cuts” and have falsely claimed that the DOD budget is designed to protect weapon contractors.

Yet, the same Democrats demand that the USAF transport them (and their families) around the world using luxurious VIP jets usually reserved for members of the Executive Branch.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/02/pelosis_monumental_abuse_of_mi.html

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2010/01/us-military-serving-as-chauffeurs.html

http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2010/jan/judicial-watch-uncovers-new-documents-detailing-pelosis-use-air-force-aircraft