No substitute for good neighbors

TEXAS VOLUNTEERS HAVE SAVED THE STATE

REAL COMMUNITY EFFORT

 

Not to diminish the great work of the police, national guard, 911 operators and first responders, it is the volunteers who have been able to minimize the human toll in Texas. While we don't know the death toll in this great tragedy, it undoubtedly would have been far greater without the great number of good neighbors.

 

The coordination by local officials, the national guard, and othe government agencies with the volunteers has set a great example for the country. It is an example of what is possible.

 

While many look to the Federal government when disaster hits, it is the local people on the ground that make the difference in the initial hours, and days of a disaster.

 

The Federal government and Fema will be able to partner with the local citizens after the initial crisis has passed. It will be a mammoth undertaking, requiring months and possibly years of support for this part of the country.

 

We will all be required to contribute to this disaster in one way or another. We can expect higher auto and home owner insurance. I am sure their will be volunteers to help with rebuilding. We also will have an opportunity to contribute to those charities that will be strained to assist the residents of Texas.

 

The people of Texas has shown us all that there are still good neighbors in this country.

Afghan policy redo.

NEW AFGHANISTAN POLICY, TEMPORARY MEASURE?

WHAT WILL LONG TERM PLAN LOOK LIKE?

 

 

 

President Trump announced his administrations new Afghanistan plan in a speech on Monday night. It includes the addition of 4000 more troops, the relaxing of rules of engagement that will now be determined by officers on the ground. There also will be an attempt to pressure Pakistan, who has been playing both sides for years, to stop its support for the Taliban. This plan cannot be a plan to win the war in Afghanistan where we have been fighting for 16 years. It appears to be stop gate measure to prevent the Taliban from expanding its control of the country.

 

While many would like to see an end to our involvement in the middle east, myself included, this is not a time to depart. The war on ISIS in Iraq and Syria is going well and the U.S. involvement is limited. It seems that the plan in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan is to eliminate ISIS fighters. While many will survive, they may be disorganized and decimated to the point that they will be able to be controlled by the powers that be. By keeping control of Afghanistan, it will eliminate a refuge for ISIS fighters as they are expelled from Iraq and Syria.

 

What is our long range plan for this area? I assume it is not a defined plan as yet. How long are we expected to stay in the middle east? We have troops stationed in over 100 countries around the world. Our troops in Germany are in a peaceful environment. We have troops in South Korea since the 1950's. who could be the first line in a new Korea conflict. The time must come to re-examine our presence around the world. It may be time for many of these countries either to pay up or begin to provide their own defense.  Should our sons and daughters be the policemen of the world? These are things that must be determined in the not too distant future if we are to survive economically.

 

I doubt that our continued presence in the middle east will ever be a peaceful affair. It is not like Germany of even Korea where we are on a border with a potential enemy, but where we are living in the midst of the enemy. As long as we are occupying middle east Muslim countries we will be the target for terrorism there and at home. The long term conflict of the future in the middle east will be the war between Sunni Saudi Arabia and their allies and Shia Iran and their allies. We only have 3 real allies in the Middle east Israel, Egypt and Jordon. The rest of them are friends of convenience and have been playing both sides for years. Sometime we should support our true allies in the area and let the others determine their future for themselves either by war or peaceful negotiations. Our best plan would be to support neither side and not do any business with countries that do. This would occupy all the parties of the middle east and leave the rest of the world free of their conflicts with each other.

NW Lehigh School board Meeting

AUGUST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

JAMES WARFEL APPOINTED TO BOARD

James Warfel was appointed by the school board to serve the remainder of the position of Charlene Rauscher who resigned July 31. This position is until December.

 

Joseph Reiter, a former school board member had volunteered to fill the temporary position. He did not have any intention of running for the position in November.

 

This is a temporary position and the rest of the two years of Mrs. Rauscher's term will be filled in the November election.

 

Mr. Warfel is assured of taking a permanent 4 year position in November, having won on both sides of the primary election.

 

It is reported that the building project is on schedule.

 

Kermit DeLong complained that the school put up signs that encroached on his property. He stated that this was done without any notice or request of input from him. He also notified the School District that while the State Police are present around the school, they are not enforcing the speed limits on 309. He stated that there is a very dangerous situation with the traffic and speeding. He hoped the district would request better enforcement from the State Police.

 

All residents are encouraged to attend school board meeting held the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Dying roadside trees pose safety risk

DEVELOPING SAFETY CONCERN ALONG LOCAL ROADWAYS

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN IN COMING YEAR

Rt. 309 on Blue Mountain
 

 

In my travels along local rural roadways  I see large numbers of trees that have recently died. Much of this is probably a result of the gypsy moth infestation some years ago. I see this problem along 309 on the blue mountain, parts of Mountain Road and others. I believe these trees have died in the past year and may not pose an immediate risk, but by next year these trees are going to start falling on the highway and possibly motorists. Some of these trees are large enough to crush cars and their occupants. This situation should be brought to the attention of Penn dot and the local road supervisors. Waiting for these trees to start droppings will be like Russian Roulette for Motorists..

Who won in Carlottsville?

MEDIA AND DEMS ECSTATIC THAT THEY FOUND A NEW CLUB TO BASH TRUMP

IS ANY OF THIS A GOOD STRATEGY TO UNITE THE COUNTRY?

 

 

I doubt that  anything that President Trump would have said concerning the violence in Charlottesville would have been accepted by the Media or the left. His original statement condemning all violence, which was perpetrated by both sides, was an appropriate statement from a president. By using this as a political weapon the left and media have possibly given the extreme voices who had participated in a permitted rally more visibility and  exposure than would have originally occurred. The rally was supposed  to protest the removal of a monument of Robert E. Lee. I am sure there was a mixed group who could find cause to protest the removal. I have yet to encounter a NAZI or believer in National socialism. While I am sure there are Klu Klux Klan members I doubt that you could fill a High school stadium with them. It is true that they came prepared for struggle with shields and clubs. The biggest question is what happened to the police? This rally was advertised by the media for days. The usual strategy is to cordon off the area and keep a distance between the opposing factions. This was evident in Seattle the next day when it was done right. The only violence was from the Black lives matter and other Marxist groups against the police.

 

I question the intentions of the governor of Virginia and the politicians of Charlottesville who seemed to have the attitude of let them go at it. Many of the rally members were armed, not one shot was fired. One must wonder if they hoped it would have ended in a bloodbath so it could be used as a political opportunity?  Sadly one young women, who probably thought she would be engaged in a peaceful march, needlessly lost her life and many more were injured.

 

So who won in Charlottesville? Certainly not the country. Maybe the anti-rally protesters believe they have won something, but at what cost. Most likely the fringe radical groups on the right were not damaged in their quest to enlist more members. It may encourage some of their more militant members to take revenge in some way. The best way to marginalize their ideas is not with violence, but debate with opposing ideas. If there was no riot it would have been a non-event much like Seattle. But then that would have given up an opportunity for political advantage. It looks like this is the plan, attempt to connect to these fringe groups all Trump supporters and label them racist, bigots, and extremists of one sort or another.  Seems like the same plan they have been using for the last two years.

 

 Black lives matter and the other groups, who espouse disarming the police, who label the police as enforcers of the Capitalist system. Who are true believers of Marxist ideology. Who openly endorse violence against the police. Who riot, loot and engage in violence with the police and others at every opportunity. These are the good guys in the eyes of the media and the Democratic party. The fact that Trump chose to not name anyone by name in his condemnation, including the Marxist revolutionaries

was an outrage in their eyes.

 

 

What does North Korea want?

NORTH KOREA HAS SHORT AND LONG TERM GOALS

REDUCTION OF U.S. PRESENCE IN AREA ULTIMATE GOAL

 

 

The escalation in tensions with North Korea is directly tied to the annual joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan. These exercises are to be conducted later this month. Both China and North Korea have protested these joint exercises every year. China has also been at odds with the U.S. over their adding military bases in the south China sea. One must wonder if North Korea is not just China's pit bull who is trained to bark and intimidate at China's request. While the short term goal is to attempt to have the U.S. suspend these military exercises their long term goal is to reunite Korea under the political system of the North.

 

If you look at the record, North Korea has been in almost continuous negotiations on nuclear and missile testing for decades. All the while they have been improving both their nuclear arsenal and their missile technology. They have also been sharing this technology with Iran and Yemen. Does anyone doubt they would provide nuclear technology to Terrorists? While many claim that Kim Jung Un and his ancestors are mentally unbalanced, this is very unlikely. It seems there has been a consistent tenacious goal to intimidate and weaken the U.S. support for South Korea and Japan.

 

North Korea is the most brutal regime in existence today. They really have no redeeming qualities. They far exceed all middle east dictators and may even surpass the Stalin dictatorship. China is still a communist dictatorship fashioned after the system of the old Soviet Union. We may have actually fulfilled Khrushchev's prediction that communists would "sell the west the rope to hang themselves." We have helped to create a potential adversary by financing their expansion by our trade and technology transfers. While they have liberalized their domestic economy and their people do have more freedom than in the past, there is still the potential that it could all disappear in an instant.

 

While Trump has voiced his intention to possibly limit the trade deficits with China and push for a more balanced trade and financial relationship with China, it remains to be seen if he will be able to overcome those in our own country who profit greatly by the present relationship. This present crisis may very well be a crossroads in the future of the far east. We must be focused on the long range stakes that are at risk.

 

 

 

Even nuclear conflict has now become opportunity for political advantage.

MEDIA AND NEVER TRUMPERS DEMAND NO DIPOLMACY WITH RUSSIA BUT YES WITH NORTH KOREA

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS NATIONAL SUPPORT IF WE ARE TO AVOID NUCLEAR WAR

 

 

The anti-Trump drumbeat has now taken to the North Korea crisis to demean the president. They fault Trump for using harsh language focused toward North Korea. They claim he is forgoing diplomacy and negotiation in favor of war. This is the North Korea that is testing missiles that will reach the U.S.. The North Korea that without any real provocation by the U.S. is threatening to attack our country with nuclear weapons. So what will we give up to stop North Korea from attacking? We actually hear North Korea parroting the president's media critics.

 

The policy of the United States by Bush, Clinton and Obama has been to give into the threats. Even if it has been to aid his nuclear program. It seems this is the usual policy of North Korea with every new president. Threaten until he is paid off and then use the resources to build a bigger military. This is a time when all Americans need to come together and back up the president. Perceived weakness and division of America will only harden our opponents. This will only make the world a more dangerous place.

 

This country has always come together in a crisis. If we cannot come together in a time like this then the end of this country is near. I actually hear Trump hating pundits sympathizing with North Korea and try to blame Trump for this crisis. This crisis is a result of 30 years of can-kicking by all those who wanted to avoid a no win dilemma. Now that North Korea has nuclear tipped ICBM's we can no longer hope the problem goes away or we can leave it for the next president.

The State department bureaucrats are using this crisis as leverage to attempt to forgo the evaluation and reform of their department. Even more evidence that reform is needed.

 

The Trump administration has been clear on North Korea. Secretary of State Tillotson is holding out his hand for diplomacy and negotiation that must include an end to North Korea's ICBM and nuclear program. Trump and Madis are letting them know the other option is utter destruction.

 

No one likes the choices, we have tried to make it clear to North Korea that we are not a threat to them, but they insist on threating us with nuclear war. Are we to continue to assume they are bluffing.

 

 

Penna. senate votes to raise taxes

PENNA. SENATORS EMBRACE DETROIT ECONOMICS

BUDGET PROCESS IS BACKWARDS

 

The Pennsylvania Senate voted last week 26-24 to raise taxes to fill the budget deficit. The problem started when they passed a budget earlier in the year that was above expected revenues. I guess they thought that a miracle might happen or the tooth fairy would be generous. Why would you start the states budget process with passing a spending bill? Why not estimate revenues and then pass a budget that is balanced? Why not skip the increases and have department heads make the necessary cuts? Not the way government works. It is always more, even if the states business activity is declining.

Local Senators voting NO, were Argall, Boscola, and governor candidate Wagner. Voting YES to raise taxes were Browne, Leach, Scavello,Yudechak, and Mensch.

 

They have voted to raise $405 million from increased taxes on electric, phones and natural gas. Checking my phone bill I see that I am already paying 21% in taxes and fees. I guess they feel it is not enough.

 

They also are still salivating at the thought of taxing the gas drillers, imposing a $100 million  severance tax. They hope the drillers will actually take the gas or will they use the gas in other states first.

 

Then they hope to tax $43.5 million on internet sales. Problem is the supreme court has ruled you can't tax customers in other states unless you have a business located in that state. I doubt that customers in other states will agree to pay the tax. Or will they attempt to extract it from resident sellers in the state. They may have to pay more to enforce this tax than they can collect.

They also plan to borrow $1.5 billion from the tobacco settlement fund. Does anyone believe it will be paid back?

They also want to expand Casino gambling to add another $200 million.

We will have to see what the House does with this bill.

So, some of this will raise revenue, some may not. It will certainly drain money from the residents of the state. This will likely slow economic activity and make the state less competitive with other states. Less activity will equal less revenue, and then under the Detroit economic plan, just raise taxes some more.

 

Trump should veto sanctions bill.

CONGRESS ATTEMPTS TO INFRINGE ON EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWERS

NEGATES POWER TO CONDUCT FOREIGN POLICY

 

 

There is much anticipation of President Trumps signing of sanctions legislation against Iran, Russia and North Korea. While the sanctions may be warranted, the inclusion of a stipulation that the President cannot negotiate any lessening of sanctions without the approval of congress is the real issue. This diminishes the power of the executive branch to conduct foreign policy. Does anyone believe that this congress will ever give the president the ability to negotiate the lessening of sanctions while he is president?

 

Trump should veto this unless this stipulation is removed. It is the President's duty to preserve the power of the presidency. Let the congress override his veto, then at least he will not be a party to the consequences.

 

Is this really about punishing our adversaries to improve their behavior or an attempt to put Trump in a difficult position? If he veto's, he is weak on Russia, and if he signs they have weakened him and the presidency permanently.

 

There was a time when the best interests of the country were put before politics. Are those times gone forever?