Power Plants Are Batteries

Human Events | Dr. Arthur Robinson | June 8, 2009

We are all familiar with various kinds of batteries — batteries that power all sorts of devices such as cell phones, toys, motor starters, and even some automobiles. Electrical energy is easy to make by several methods, but it is difficult to store. This is the reason that most devices that use electricity are stationary, so that they can be connected through the electrical power grid directly to electricity generating plants. Portable batteries and electrical generators are bulky and expensive.

Most of us are not aware, however, that our electrical power plants themselves are also batteries in a sense — huge installations that cost very large amounts of energy to construct. This construction energy comes in various forms, but all of it is fungible — that is to say is inter-convertible with electrical energy when estimating its value and availability. [Read more…]

The Church Everywhere

BreakPoint | Stephen Reed | May 29, 2009

Chuck Colson is fond of saying that the church shines brightest in tough times. History appears to support BreakPoint’s founder on this, as Christians have served extraordinarily well in a variety of ways during economic difficulties and social unrest. John Wesley, William Wilberforce, Mother Teresa—none of them had ideal circumstances in which to operate. That is why their respective ministries were so needed.

So what happened to America? Here we are, known far and wide as the most religious country in the West, and yet people constantly turn to the government more than the church in times of crisis. President Obama’s approach of having the federal government bail out banks, the automotive industry, and now perhaps even credit card users makes him the man of the moment. Obviously, even if the nation’s churches banded together and gave sacrificially to bail out all these entities, we probably couldn’t pull it off. [Read more…]

62 Million Voiceless Americans

America Thinker | Nancy Morgan | June 9, 2009

Is it still called debate when only one side controls the conversation? That’s the question the 62 million Americans who didn’t vote for Obama are asking themselves.

These millions now have absolutely no voice in the way our country is being governed. No say in the quadrupling of our debt or in the onerous taxes being piled on top of record unemployment. They have no say in the pending trillion dollar health care ‘reform’ or the more costly ‘cap and trade’ legislation steadily making its way through Congress. With Democrats firmly in control of the White House and the House of Representatives, and most likely the Senate, the left has found no need for bipartisanship. After all, ‘Obama won.’ Case closed. [Read more…]

The Collapsing Global Left

America Thinker | Bruce Walker | June 9, 2009

Conservatives can take heart from the crushing blow that taxes and spenders received in the California election. Six propositions were on the ballot in May. All six passed the California Legislature easily. Republicans in the legislature generally opposed them. The five supported by the Left were defeated by huge landslides. Four of those five were defeated in every single county in California (the fifth barely carried the San Francisco area.) The proposition to limit legislative salaries while the state ran a deficit, however, carried every county in California and won 75% of the vote across the state. [Read more…]

Obama Tells American Businesses to Drop Dead

Bloomberg.com | Kevin Hassett | June 8, 2009

I’ve finally figured out the Obama economic strategy. President Barack Obama and his team have been having so much fun wielding dictatorial power while rescuing “failed” firms, that they have developed a scheme to gain the same power over every business. The plan is to enact policies that are so anticompetitive that every firm needs a bailout.

Once that happens, their new pay czar Kenneth Feinberg can set the wage for everybody and Rahm Emanuel can stack the boards of all of our companies with his political cronies. [Read more…]

Obama’s Lost Opportunity to Address Coptic Persecution

FrontPageMag | Joseph Puder | June 8, 2009

President Obama’s trip to Cairo gave him an opportunity to confront the persecution of Egypt’s ancient Christian community, an opportunity he apparently passed up. The American Coptic Association had planned a demonstration in front of the White House during the June 4th meeting between President Obama and Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

Dr. Monir Dawoud, chairman of the American Coptic Association, is an Egyptian native who has since retired as a heart surgeon. He said he would ask President Obama: “Where is the change you promised during your campaign? Do you realize that by announcing that you will speak to the Islamic world from an Islamic country you are blessing the continuance of human rights violations against minorities in Islamic nations?” [Read more…]

49 Million to Five

Townhall.com | Ann Coulter | June 3, 2009

In the wake of the shooting of late-term abortionist George Tiller, President Barack Obama sent out a welcome message that this nation would not tolerate attacks on pro-lifers or any other Americans because of their religion or beliefs.

Ha ha! Just kidding. That was the lead sentence — with minor edits — of a New York Times editorial warning about theoretical hate crimes against Muslims published eight months after 9/11. Can pro-lifers get a hate crimes bill passed and oceans of ink devoted to assuring Americans that “most pro-lifers are peaceful”? [Read more…]

From Crisis to Creative Entrepreneurial Liberation

Acton Institute | Anthony B. Bradley Ph.D. | May 6, 2009

Necessity is the mother of invention, said Plato, and the truth of the proverb has been borne out once again. Necessity is generating entrepreneurial energy amid America’s current economic crisis, according to a new study by the Kansas City-based Kaufman Foundation. The study reveals an increase in business startups during 2008, as the recession was taking hold. The rise is consistent with similar previous trends, such as the boomlet occurring after the tech bust of the 1990s. Throughout human history, a nation’s best resource in time of crisis has been the unleashed creative and entrepreneurial spirit of its citizens. [Read more…]

When Faith met the Free Market

Life, Liberty Blog | Daniel | April 22, 2009

Is the Christian Faith compatible with a Free Market economy? Many lay people and most clergy would probably answer that question negatively, especially during these times. But is this really the case?

Kevin Allen, at Ancient Faith Radio, discussed these topics and much more with Chris Banescu. The answers Mr. Allen received are very enlightening. This is a must listen to anyone, not just Christians, who work for a living, which means it is a must listen for everyone. [Read more…]