Growing the Economy – the Road Ahead
This week, we learned that the U.S. had negative economic growth for the first quarter of 2015. The economy just can’t seem to get over the hump.
Common Sense Political Ideas
This week, we learned that the U.S. had negative economic growth for the first quarter of 2015. The economy just can’t seem to get over the hump.
There is an under appreciation of risk regarding explosive oil train derailments. Spokane’s Fire Department estimates that up to 20,000 people could be in danger in an oil train derailment downtown. Last month, Spokane Mayor Condon admitted that city emergency responders weren’t prepared for an oil train crisis.
My primary concern with oil trains is public safety – Spokane has several oil trains a day running through the heart of downtown. Most of the oil on these trains is from the Bakken fields in North Dakota, and is especially volatile.
Faith and trust in the federal government is at an all-time low. Our national debt has tripled in the past 15 years, and we have little to show for it. Congress is gridlocked, accomplishes little, and shows no regard for accountability. Too many of its members act entitled, and treat each other with disrespect.
Federal politics has become a corrupt system. A system fueled by big money, controlled by radicals, and populated by self-serving members.
It’s time to reform our increasingly dysfunctional regulatory system. We cannot continue on the path of overly-prescriptive laws and regulations, inconsistent oversight, underfunding, and a reluctance to hold bad actors accountable.
What we really need in Congress is leadership. Genuine legislative leaders know that the only way to pass meaningful fiscal policy requires bi-partisanship.
As explosive oil train derailments increase, concerns and questions are growing. People want to know what can be done to prevent a potential tragedy in a high-population area.
The oil trains that go through Spokane and several other large American cities each day are a real concern to me. Since July 2013, there have been over a dozen major derailments of oil trains in North America resulting in catastrophic explosions and fires, five of those in the past two months.
It’s imperative that we are able to conduct foreign policy from a position of strength. America has, and must have, the strongest military.