Thought Control

Leftist Thought Control by David Limbaugh is an article detailing what has become obvious to all but the ideologically blinded. Efforts to control what we think and believe are approaching levels that are toxic to a free society. The weapons of control come in many forms. Sometimes it is nothing more than personal insults but at other times one's very livelihood can be threatened by a failure to endorse policies propagated by leftist interest groups. From the article:


"The political left, which holds itself as progressive, rational and fact-based, is becoming an enemy of academic inquiry, and a practitioner of thought control on a wide variety of issues. Increasingly, from the left's perspective, there is just one acceptable viewpoint."


Acceptable is the operative word. It accurately conveys the arrogance of its proponents and a secular fundamentalism that is dangerous for America.

China's Military Buildup

China's Quest for a Superpower Military, a Heritage Foundation article, covers a much neglected topic on the world scene.

"As the Chinese aphorism goes, "listen to what they say, but observe what they do," and what Beijing is saying is quite different from what it is doing." This article quote nicely frames the issue of China's military buildup; for though words may mask intent, actions reveal it. The revealing action takes the form of an announced 17.8 per cent increase in China's military budget in 2007. This amounts to a 45 billion dollar expenditure- significant by any standards.

Details of the buildup are available in the linked article. It may have the unfortunate effect of encouraging an arms race in Asia and moving Japan to reconsider some basic tenets of its post World War II policies. This article quote is ominous:

"The Asian perception that the United States is a Pacific power in decline may prove prescient, even though America's leaders may not see themselves presiding over America's retreat. However, China is clearly emerging as the preeminent power in the Asia–Pacific region."

Identity Theft

The United States Federal Trade Commision (FTC) has estimated that identities will be stolen from as many as 9 million Americans during the year. I am personally familar with the problem. My son was twice victimized by identity theft. Thieves use the name and other data pertaining to the victim in order to secure credit cards, a telephone account or other things they might not secure otherwise. The victim may be unaware of the problem until receiving an unexpected bill. Then steps need to be taken to safeguard one's credit integrity and avoid unwanted bills. Fortunately this is possible. More on that in coming blog entries.