The president has committed $100 billion in new money to the nation’s public school systems, and required that states accepting the funds promise not to reduce their own k-12 spending. The official argument for this measure is that higher school spending will accelerate U.S. economic growth. But a July 2008 study in the Journal of Policy Sciences finds that, to the authors’ own surprise, higher spending on public schooling is associated with lower subsequent economic growth. Spending more on public schools hurts the U.S. economy.

Ouch! Pretty painful stuff there.  It seems it’s not all about school but more about achievement (something our schooling systems are doing less and less of). Read it all here!  Obama has to be the biggest pork barrel spending, lobby loving, irresonsible, wasteful spender of all time!

“What if man is not really a scoundrel, man in general, I mean, the whole race of mankind-then all the rest is prejudice, simply artificial terrors and there are no barriers and it’s all as it should be.” - Rashkolnikov

That previous quote is a dangerous concept.  I recently finished the book “Notes from the Underground” by Fydor Dostoyevski.  I’m a big Dostoyevski fan he was one of my first reads after becomming a new Christian and his book “Crime and Punishment” struck me deep inside.

“In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, ‘Make us your slaves, but feed us” – The Grand Inquisitor

It seems though in reflecting on much of the nonsense being batted around in the seats of power in Washington the lessons and wisdom that Dostoyevski shared with the world are being ignored as we lay our freedom at others feet.  Most importantly and dangerously we are ignoring the Underground Man who was the predecessor for many of Dostoyevski’s other famous characters.  For those of you that don’t know Dostoyevski here is a quick bio.  He lived in Russia in the mid-1800s and wrote several famous books.  He was the antithesis of Marx before Marx existed, he predicted much of the rise of socialism, discussed and explored psychological concepts prior to their explanation by actual psychologists, was precurser of much of existential philosophy, and as an orthodox Christian struggled with many issues of theology, faith and grace.

“Humiliate the reason and distort the soul.” – The Idiot

Most importantly to this analysis though are probably his books “Notes from the Underground” and “Crime and Punishment” although I’ve provide quotes here from “The Idiot” and “The Brothers Karamazov” which are the depth of my Dostoyevski readings to date although surely not the end.   Dostoyevski’s Undeground Man mimics the cry needed today.  As our reason is being humiliated today Dostoyevski in his time was concerned with Russia following the Europeans into socialism and their “enlightened” philosophies where mans fallen nature was ignored to Dostoyevski this was a grave threat to Russia.  Unfortunately, Russia did not heed Dostoyevski’s warning and within slightly more then 30 years from Dostoyevski’s death (or 53 from the writing of “Notes…”) the Bolsheviks came into power and communist Russia was born under the iron fist of the supreme technocrat Lenin.

“I admit that twice two makes four is an excellent thing, but if we are to give everything its due, twice two makes five is sometimes a very charming thing too” – The Underground Man

Today America is treading the same path.  Following the “enlightened” Europeans into Socialism whether in energy, health care, autos, or banking we are heading down the same path of Russia in the 1800s.  Less then 200 years out and we have already forgotten the lessons of history.  Washington whether under Bush, McCain, or Obama are ignoring the Underground Man or perhaps more importantly we as American’s do not know the story of the Underground Man and allow our politicians the power to indanger us all by ignoring the story.  A story of why two plus two most sometimes equal five.   Human’s are corruptable, man has a tendancy towards egoism, and a technocrat cannot predict all of humankinds actions as human nature will cause rebillion by definition of being human.  Oh, how the Underground Man would have railed against the concept of “Compartitive Effective” research.

“Lack of originality, everywhere, all over the world, from time immemorial, has always been considered the foremost quality and the recommendation of the active, efficient and practical man.” – The Idiot

And how Rashkolnikov from “Crime and Punishment” mimics our modern day politicians in his mindset of being above the law his justifications of how the ends can and could justify the means.  He was a prediction then of the rise of Lenin as he is today the prediction of the rise of our modern politicians who “sacrifice free markets to save free markets”.  The McCain’s, Obama’s and Bush’s for whom the ends justify the means.  Although, “Crime and Punishment” also deals with the salvation and redemption of a man from these ideals it is just sad to see how far we have to fall before our redemption.  The millions of Russians that died under Lenin and Stalin.  The millions of American’s who will surely suffer under the comming chaos. And yet we ignore…

“Shower upon him every earthly blessing, drown him in a sea of happiness, so that nothing but bubbles of bliss can be seen on the surface; give him economic prosperity, such that he should have nothing else to do but sleep, eat cakes and busy himself with the continuation of his species, and even then out of sheer ingratitude, sheer spite, man would play you some nasty trick. He would even risk his cakes and would deliberately desire the most fatal rubbish, the most uneconomical absurdity, simply to introduce into all this positive good sense his fatal fantastic element.” ~ The Underground Man

Quite ideological. I could agree that these entitlements are a drag on the economy and ideally should eventually be done away with. But you can’t simply cancel these systems. It isn’t feasible. While I am not a fan of these systems, they are in fact obligations that this country has promised. An outright cancel is akin to default on a debt. And while I do subscribe to the notion that the Government is not the savior of mankind, it is the duty of the government to provide the environment for commerce. Besides, if the government were to simply up and dump these three entitlements, it would not solve the current issues within the health care system. The issues being affordability of care and insurance.

- Tennessee Paul

Yes, ideological.  But I think this misses the point.  Medicare/Medicaid is in fact insolvent.  They cannot be paid for quite simply.  I realized I used the word cancel Medicare which applies something dramatic.  But I wouldn’t be the technocrat doing the canceling.  I’m sure it would be canceled in a slower planned and organized way.  However, it may be akin to default on debt as Tennessee Paul suggests.  A ugly word, default, and an ugly thought but not out of the realm of possibility.

The financial structure of the U.S. government currently has two nominal firewalls. The first, between Treasury debt and unfunded liabilities, is provided by the trust funds of Social Security, Medicare, and other, smaller federal insurance programs. These give investors the illusion that the shaky fiscal status of social insurance has no direct effect on the government’s formal debt. But according to the latest intermediate projections of the trustees, the Hospital Insurance (HI-Medicare Part A) trust fund will be out of money in 2017, whereas the Social Security (OASDI) trust funds will be empty by 2037. Although other parts of Medicare are already funded from general revenues, when HI and OASDI need to dip into general revenues, the first firewall is gone. If investors respond by requiring a risk premium on Treasuries, the unwinding could move very fast, much like the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union. Politicians will be unable to react.
-Why Default on U.S. Treasuries is Likely
Jeffrey Rogers Hummel

Further, Tennessee Paul states that Medicare and Medicaid being dumped wouldn’t solve the health care crisis [CORRECTION: TP used the term "current issues" not crisis].  To which I respond, “What health care crisis?” [To which I should have responded, "What are the issues?"] There is no crisis yet the crisis will come when Medicare/Medicaid collapse.  The crisis to me is the impending economic, social and political chaos that will come when the world economy follows the U.S. economy into the abyss while the last bastions of freedom are surround by egoists and tyranny.

The solutions I have read, put forth by many conservative pundits are directed at creating just such an environment to facilitate more economically feasible solutions for health care reform.

- Tennessee Paul

I agree with Tennessee Paul there are many conservative pundits calling for better solutions out there.  The problem is the Republican party isn’t proposing them.  I know Tennessee Paul thinks I’m being to harsh on politicians.  But I think it’s time to be harsh.  It’s getting late in the game politicians feet need to be held to the fire.  It’s up to us the voters to do this.  So even more then the politicians we the American people need to come down on our respective parties and demand change.  The more we dilly-dally around the issues and fail to address those things which are pressing on our society, culture, and lives the greater risk we are in of losing it all.  Perhaps, Paul doesn’t have the same fears I have but I think things are going to get MUCH worse before they get better.

As for Tennessee Paul’s point about doing away with Medicare/Medicaid not being the end all solution I agree.  There needs to be deregulation and a decoupling of employer provided health care in concert with the cancel/phase out/end of Medicare.   These two points I know Tennessee Paul agrees with but a deregulation and a decoupling of employer health care but these are still to me meaningless without true reform of the system.  Medicare still places way to large a constraint on the U.S. health care system.  It is the elephant in the room and it’s growing way to fast.  And it’s not being debated, solutions aren’t being proposed and I still believe there has yet to be proposals from either sides towards true reform.

Again, let me say the truth there is no health care debate.  It’s all fictional.  Like the spoon in the movie the Matrix.  It is a straw man meant to grab our attention while the true fight lays behind the scenes.

The health care debate is two sides fighting over maintaining their entrenched status quo’s.  It is a power struggle that has nothing to do about costs, health care, insurance, taxes or anything remotely resembling what the American people actually would and should care about.

Democrats are arguing to expand the Medicare/caid status quo and further entrench this with other public pay or “co-op” options.  It’s nothing new it’s been around it is wasteful money sucking, completely insolvent and nearly bankrupt power harness on the American people.

Republican’s are arguing to “contain” costs with various deregulation schemes/tort reform/etc.  Which is really again just more of the same a mix of somewhat less regulated insurance companies and lower malpratice claims meaning more money for insurance companies and less for lawyers.  (i.e. the government still picks and chooses the winners and lossers)

Neither of these choices are change the GOP or the Dems are both selling snake oil and laughing all the way to the bank.  These are just power grabbing rockstar babies fighting over the territory of the average American taxpayer.

I KNOW a thing or two about TRUE leaders.  My father and grandfather are and were both TRUE leaders, I’ve study leaders, my second business mentor wrote books on leadership, and HISTORY is full of true leaders.   A true leader is one that is willing to give away their power. Look at Washington, Ghandi, Christ, King, etc. when offered power, money, fame, and thrones they gave it up. True change would be doing away with power Washington turned down the thrown to America.   The opposite of our modern day politicians who on both sides are SEEKING power.

Deregulating an industry 50% controlled by government is meaningless. Tort reform is something that can ebb a flow with swaying legislation and is meaningless.  These are temporary band-aids for an entrenched system of opperations.  It’s like a band-aid for a man with cancer.  While the Democrats are are calling for blood-letting by bleeding the already dying system.  Both sides are fighting for their own political and corrupted power.

So, what is the answer.  If the system is broken or dying what would a true leader do?  True reform will be ending the idiocy of Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security to name a few.  Cancel these systems tell the American people to solve their own problems government is not the savior of mankind.  It is time for the children of the elderaly to step up and care for their parents.  It’s time for the baby-boomers to wake-up and realize there isn’t going to be a free lunch.  And it’s time for American’s to demonstrate responsibility, earning ones way, and hardwork to younger generations.  I am not alone in my call for true reform and am not alone in seeking true leadership – as this article points out.  Although, along with that article I feel that I’m deeply in the minority.     The American people and for that matter the world are wading through a sea of lies, power hungry, egoists seldom seen in the course of human history.

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

via The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Today we know by basic common sense that non of these things are rights.  The concept that everybody should be given as a right a standard of living is of course completely illogical.  And that this standard of living should provide us with health and well-being is purely an excercise in make-believe.   Human beings recognize that they are responsible for their own health and well-being.  One would not try to argue from an intellectual standpoint that entertainment which can help one unwind and have a sense of fun and well-being is right and therefore, they have a right to cable TV, the latest video game, or a movie ticket.  Or that they enjoy a sip alcohol after a hard days work because it helps their well-being (Ben Franklin said that alcohol was proof God wanted us to be happy); therefore, all working American’s should be given a government stipend for alcohol purchases.  It is understood that our self-esteem/well-being and health are dictated by the choices that one makes in life. 

Furthermore, those situations addressed by the UN are not beyond our control they are ALL under are control because we can plan for every single one of them.  We ALL know we will one day get sick, be unemployed, disabled, widowed, and grow old.  We control how these things happen to us and what happens when they happen.  They are predicatable and therefore controlable.  They are not avoidable of course but control and inevitability are of course two different things.  In fact the very nature of something being inevitable increases it’s controlability to our lives.  For example, if you know that today you will die your day would suddenly become VERY controlled.  You’d treat your love ones differently, you probably wouldn’t go to work, you may even do a few extra deeds, and probably visit your church. 

So, where does the right for health care come from?  It comes from those that are followers repeating their leaders words. Those that lead today seek power and fame or the in the corporations greed.   It comes out of the corruption of what a right is - human, civic, or natural.  Read carefully TheRighttoHealthCare.org and how they define a right.  Notice they do not define a right instead saying that a right is undefined.  Read through the whole site and notice there is no philosophical, intellectual, or logical reason for health care as a right.  So, how then do they make the leap?  By saying that a right is ever changing and growing.  In other word there is no standard definition of a right. 

This is the root of the problem with the health care debate (and many other “debates”).

It seems that because somebody says, “Health care is a right” it becomes a right.  Just because I say, “The moon is made of cheese” does not make the moon actually made of cheese.  The only way way to make this “health care is a right” logical is to make a right anything and everything.  In other words if cheese could also mean dust and dirt and rock then I am right the moon is made of cheese.  This is what is being done. 

What does this mean to us as citizens and individuals?  What is something that is undefined? Something that is undefined has no meaning or value.  For example, 20 divided by zero is undefined it has no meaning and no value.  If we try to add something divided by zero to something it is meaningless.  This is of course mathmatical so let me simplify.  How much would you pay me (value) for something that I’m not going to tell you what it is (undefined)? If you’re smart it better not be much.

Those that are trying to make health care a right do not (cannot) understand the consquences of their actions and what is more they are devaluing the actual meaningful value of a right by not defininging it.

Both liberals and conservatives should take serious issue with our current politicians that are debating health care and treating it as a right. 

Liberal’s and liberalism’s defined core philosophies are supposed to center around human rights and individual freedom by definition.  The undefining of a right as evidenced in the health care debate makes by it’s nature human rights something of no value.

Conservatives by definition hold on to what is traditional and try to maintain old values.  The debate around health care is redefining rights and doing away with the traditional and old values to replace them with something undefined and of no value.

Both ideologies should be attacking this “health care” plan.  Instead the liberals are debating about the form it should be in and the conservatives are proposing alternatives.

The Financial White Paper: A Fabulous Tale

Once upon a time, there was a summer camp. To entertain the kids, the counselors handed out matches¹, lighter fluid², and newspapers³. The camp burned down.

Afterwards, a white paper was written, proposing more supervision by counselors. It called for a systemic counselor to watch out for camp-wide fire hazards, and it called for procedures to put out fires that are “too big to let burn.”

The white paper was written under the direction of two counselors, Larry and Tim, with input from another counselor, Ben.

The end.

¹housing policy that encourages speculative purchases and subsidizes mortgage indebtedness
²tax policy that encourages banks and other firms to maximize debt relative to equity
³bank capital regulations that reward securitization and the creation of off-balance sheet entities

Read his full proposal if your interested.  If not I’ll provide an honest and accurate summary as follows:

1. Promote robust regulation and supervision of financial firms.   (Read: Increase the power and scope of the State.)
2. Established comprehensive supervision and regulation of financial markets. (Read: Increase the power and scope of the State.)
3. Protect consumers and investors from financial abuse. (Read: Consumers and investors are stupid and need saved by government.)
4. Improve tools for managing financial crisis. (Read: Make new governmental “regime” to find ways to increase power and scope of the State)
5. Raise international regulatory standards and improve international cooperation. (Read: Give Europe and China more of a say in our financial systems)

Taking straight from Obama’s personal notes on his plan for financial reform NO SELF RESPECTING individual could like this plan or if they do like it they have something to gain.  It straight out says individual’s (consumers and investors) are to stupid to look out for themselves!  Secondly, NO PATRIOTIC AMERICAN could approve this plan as it looks to integrate and cooperate at an international level which will translate into abuses back on us; and finally, no person who doesn’t want the governments nose in how you invest, how your company invests, how you consume, save or operate should like all the POWER this plan gives to a few limited regulator officials and in Obama’s words “regime”.   There is not any possible way to logically and intellectually defend this plan.  This is the pure definition of illogical ideology and anti-intellectualism.

Republican’s on the right.

Republicans are fond of implying that President Obama is a big-spending socialist. But the House GOP recently offered a spending cut plan that was able to find savings worth less than one percent of Obama’s budget.

~GOP 99% Socialist Posted by Chris Edwards

Those stupid Republican’s just can’t get it together!  At least the Democrats stand for something, it might be suicide but at least it’s something. 

Come on! It’s not like their aren’t some BIG pork barrel spending things going on right now that could be cut!  Medicare and Social Security to name a few are gigantic wastes!  But it would take somebody with courage  to tackle this (Obama’s taking it on although completely a$$ backwards)!  So what about elimination of some useless government agencies such as the The Office of National Drug Control Policy, The Department of Agriculture, The Department of Education, The Department of Health and Human Services, The Department of Housing and Urban Development, or The Department of Labor.  There is a list of some of the most wasteful and useless entities to man in all of human history! But nope Republican’s can only find 1% spending cuts.  If they are to cowardly to do this why don’t they cut some quasi-government agencies which opperate wrecklessly independent like the FTC, FCC, FRS, the African Development Foundation, or the EPA to name a very few! 

Me? When faced with two evils will continue to choose neither.  I’d better get to work though as our government is flushing us all down the preverbial “s#!%er”.

Here is President Obama’s speech…

Here is the text of the speech.

More to come on this very soon when I get some time for analysis.

Background

This article has been in the making for some time now.  What has prompted this post is a recent debate, which oddly started in a blog topic not at all related to the subject matter. For a little historical reference this debate can be read at the AmericanMissive.com. However, I intend to go into more depth here.

A cautionary note is also needed. This article is not intended to offend but it is also in no way politically correct. In fact, it is by it’s very nature politically incorrect.  Those of you that are like minded as I am may want to read a interesting speech on the subject of political correctness.  This topic flies in the face of political correctness because it deals directly with Islam, war, and culture.  Further, I recognize that if my beliefs were believed more broadly it would probably lead directly to more immediate bloodshed.  However, as is often the case with the difficult, waiting to solve a problem doesn’t make the problem’s solution any easier.

Finally, I will point out here that I recognize the difference between a people and an ideology.  In America we have the freedom to debate and argue back and forth.  At this time in this country there is no need or excuse for violence (although perhaps non-violent resistance is in order) of any type against those with a different ideology.  Those that carry out violence against Muslims in this country sicken me and will get what they deserve.  If in the history of man the ideology of Jihadist Islam comes to control our capitol, dictate our debate, or restrict in ANY way our freedoms perhaps strategies would have to change.

Summary

Islam was born out of war.  The often used term Jihad means struggle.  Islam comes to us for the last 1400 years carrying a sword.  We are therefore at war with a large portion of Islam (the religion not the people) whether this is open war, cold war, or a cultural war does not matter.  Further, Islam and the following theocratic governments in the Islamic world by their very nature are fascist.  It is for these reasons that I theorize Islam must be confronted in a very particular kind of way. It is my intention to outline my reasoned response to Islam which is a need for a response of the sword, the pen, and the economy.  Tomorrow President Obama will ignore the history of Islam.  He will deny it’s threat to the west and he will enhance their belief in the Muslim’s superiority.  He will cause neither change in the Islamic world nor wake the west out of their catatonic slumber.  He will ignore the warnings of history and further endanger our freedoms.

In the course of human history the powers that wage war for our hearts and minds take form on this earth in order to oppress the freedoms granted by God. In so doing only vigilance and sacrifice will secure us and our posterity from greater difficulty and threat of further separation from truth and freedom. Without vigilence and sacrifice lovers of truth and freedom (true freedom) will pay more dearly then ever.

“We are met together at a time when great exertions and a high constancy are required from all who cherish and sustain the Liberal cause. Difficulties surround us and dangers threaten from this side and from that. Exultant enemies are gathering: weak friends are nervous or disheartened. Voices are raised in counsels, both equally unwise, of impatience or of lassitude. From such a situation you may emerge triumphant, but to do that there will have to be, in leaders and in followers, shrewd clear plans of action, true stout-hearted comradeship, and unwearying determination.” – Winston Churchill

Islamic Fascism

The term Islamic Fascism is batted around today but seldom do I hear a speaker say this term in a way that implies they understand it’s roots; neither do I hear a response that reasonably refutes this term.  The common response to Islamic Fascism is that it is politically incorrect.  It is indeed unfair to compare somebody to Hitler or shoot out the term of fascism without thought.  It is so brutal an accusation as to easily close the ears of the more soft hearted.  However, to allow the debate to end because of soft-heartedness or political correctness is dangerous to say the least.  It takes reason, logic and fact out of the debate and without reason we are indeed doomed.

Fascism as a political movement (as opposed to economic fascism) is broadly defined (and oft debated) as a political movement that stirs a group through a belief in their superiority or the inferiority of others.  When this belief enters government a fascist state emerges. 

Islam is fascist in it’s nature.  While it holds provisions for non-believers (Jews, Christians and others) it requires of non-believers (dhimmis) to pay tribute to the Islamic state and openly acknowledge Muslim supremacy for personal safety (note nothing else; no rights or other liberties are granted).  These following legal, social and religious restrictions highlight non-believers inferiority.  As most Islamic nations are theocratic in nature these fascist type beliefs of inferiority and superiority are ingrained the State. 

Part of the reason why this is the case (in my opinion) is due to Islams views on psychology.  They believe Adam and Eve fell from the garden but that they were fully forgiven by Allah.  Therefore, unlike say Christianity man is unfallen creating a certain superiority of the Muslim here on earth.  This leads strength to their sociological views of the oneness of church and state and therefore into their political views of the design for a global theocratic state, which has often been expressed through their historical views as historical determinism (i.e. Jihad).

As a VERY important side note Christianity does not hold a superiority doctrine. Christianity states that Christ is the only way to heaven.  A Christian is saved by grace.  This grace or mercy shown by God does not in anyway make a Christian superior to a non-christian.  In fact, the Bible unlike the Qu’ran is quick to point out we are all sinners and therefore all equal.  It is my God that is superior not myself.  Further, currently we do not live in a politically fascist state (perhaps economically facist) and I would never support this.  I believe in the seperation of church and state. Religion should be an individual and personal thing and NOT a state thing.

Islam and the many Islamic states that are fasicst therefore pose a very dangerous and a very unique threat.  Thankfully or unfortunately depending on timing and perspective we have historical examples of fascist states and how the battle is waged and won against such dangerous ideological foes. 

A Little History 

Islam was born of the sword.  Mohammad was financial oppressed and early on in his “struggle” he and his followers made war against other Arabs that were making their financial trade difficult. 

He waged war for 8 years until his death.  In context the final 8 years of his 22 Qu’ranic years were in war.  Nearly 50% of the prophets time was at war.  Compare all other major religions of the world and find one that was written in so much bloodshed.  Only Judaism comes close until one factors in the centuries of nomadic peaceful life and oppressed slavery whether in Egypt or by the Romans to name a few. 

It is obvious Islam was born of the sword and is dangerously unique in this way.  Further, Islam has shown it’s true nature for 1400 years going directly from Mohammad’s war-faring ways to the Caliphate and subsequent “Golden Years” of Islam to piracy and now to terrorism. Please, take a minute to look at how deep and wide the Caliphate spread Islam in this 90 second quality multimedia production it’s important to watch a least up to 1200 AD (45 seconds or so).

At the end of the reign of the Caliphate and the “Golden Age” of Islam it had spread over much of ancient Christendom encroaching into Christian Europe and Mongol Asia.  Put simply Islam was taking over the world.

This brings me to a second important side point.  Often the blame for Islam’s modern hate of the West is pointed at the Crusades. Don’t believe the hype!  This is often just an easy target for the anti-Christian to attack Christianity.  By 1200 AD Islam was a serious threat to Christian Europe  as it had conquered all of Ancient Christendom and encroached on Europe via the Iberian peninsula (modern day Spain).  It also wasn’t just Christian Europe that was threatened but Mongol Asia as well (as an aside Mongol Asia was all but completely defeated culturally by Islam). 

The Crusades were not unprovoked attacks on a benign and hapless peaceful people but a response to a very real threat.  It wasn’t until the black plague ravaged the Islamic Caliphate that Islams power dissipated and was subsequently placed under various European protectorates.  If it hadn’t been for the black plague we may very well be living in a very different world.  Saladin defeated Europe in the Second Crusades (Note: Watch the movie Kingdom of Heaven for a fun little history lesson) and the balance of power by my estimation had all but tipped in the favor of Islam.

The Modern Threat

Here in Christian America we are asleep at the helm.  Islam is conquering the world once again and at the current growth rate of Islam my grandchildren will be Muslim before they reach their life expectancy (2096).

 But what if the world population continues to slow it’s growth (as it has been doing lately) and what if Islam continues to advance it’s growth (as it has been doing) by only half for the world population and only 1% for Islamic growth(conservative assumptions):

Then you and me, my kids, and my grand kids will all be Muslims before we die.  Please, note I didn’t do any trending on the data so it could be slightly worse then what I predict here (or better although I used conservative assumptions).  I used the most conservative growth rates for Islam and started Islam at a lower population then some analysts have Islam at currently.  The following are where I obtained my data:

Islamic Population and Growth: http://www.religioustolerance.org/growth_isl_chr.htm 

World Population and Growth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_growth

Culturally Islam is winning.  Take for example the fall of Europe in it’s many various forms and most recently the fall of the freedom of speech in England.   Yet, while England and Europe face conquest by Islam by refusing to confront it directly and therefore conceding the fight they still are under heavy attack.

The dangers of political correctness hampering the argument are a serious problem.  I wrote about it recently as the United States has foiled one terrorist plot after another this year.  Not only the plot in New York but the plot in Chicago are important to note.  It gives us a perspective on the cultural battle.  You have to read so deep into the articles and really pay attention to find out that these are actually Muslim Terrorists.  This is Islam attacking us.  Yet our media seems to try and hide the fact we are at war with Jihadist Islam.  Our leaders call Islam a “religion of peace” and pronounce “We are not at war with Islam.”  Yet a large portion of Islam is at war with the world. 

Please note the above number doesn’t include combat related fighting but only deadly terrorist attacks (therefore, reducing the above number by taking out fighting attacks and non-deadly attacks).  While a good number of these terrorist attacks are taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan currently there are attacks taking place in Israel, Gaza, Pakistan, Thailand, India, Chad, Philippines, Somalia, Chechnya, Jordan, and Algeria just to name a few of the most common over the last couple months.   This leads me to ask what are our leaders are thinking when the do and say the following things:

• President Bush’s claim that Islam is a religion of peace when it is a religion of the Sword as much as anything else.
• President Obama’sstatements that we are “not at war with Islam” when much of Islam is at war with the West and has been for 1400 years. 
• President Obama’s bow to the King of Saudi Arabia, which is a sign of submission and fealty.
• President Obama preparing to give the Palestinians $900 million in aid (as Bush also did). When this Government report from the GAO raises some concerns about Obama funding terrorism.

Not only are our leaders doing this we are doing it to ourselves. 

“If global oil dependence (“The Petroleum Economy”) continues at over 85 million barrels per day, and the price of oil remains around $50 per barrel, the global economy will pay out over 1.5 trillion dollars per year for oil. With 40¢ of every dollar going to OPEC, Islamic nations will take in about 600 billion dollars per year from the oil they sell.” – American Energy Independence

It would be one thing if we were using that oil to produce and then be thrifty with that money we make from production but we aren’t.  We’re squandering it on bailing out Wall Street, bad mortgage loans to people who can’t afford homes, forcing credit card companies to lend to poor payers, and bailing out bad car companies.  Then on-top of the government squandering our money our companies are doing the same thing (why the need for bailouts if this wasn’t the fact).  Companies have been raising their debt-to-equity ratios for two decades and going. And ontop of the government and corporations doing this individuals are doing it too (why the need for “stimulus” money and new credit card laws).   Suffice it to say we’re selling ourselves into slavery.

Seriousness of the Threat

It is my understanding there are quite a few religious leaders even among Sunni that support the concept of Jihad. Also, it is my understanding among Sharia Law and Islamic jurisprudence that the meaning of Jihad is warfare against non-Muslims. Sunni and Shi’a Muslims make up the majority of the 1.6 to 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and while not all leading Muslim authorities preach Jihad their is a large enough portion that preach it worldwide as to greatly endanger the world. Taking from a 2006 PEW research poll and estimating that somewhere between 20-40% are ok with attacks on civilians at least sometimes or rarely this is still in the hundreds of millions that are ok with the concept of Jihad.  Hundreds of million is a serious threat.  With Jihad Islam racking up over a hundred kills (non-combat) a day across the world this problem is serious.  I suppose with the hundreds of millions of Muslims who are ok with the concept of Jihad we are lucky the number isn’t much larger.

In the United States if somebody kills somebody because “God told them to do it” they are mentally unstable. Islam’s mentally unstable rate seems to be very high.  Simple examples of this are how can the Palestinian people elect Hamas? How can the people of Iran and Syria tolerate their leaders?  How are moderate Islamic nations responding to the threat?

I believe as long as the following conditions exist Jihadist Islam poses a clear and present danger:

• Denying the individual the freedom of choice to leave Islam
• The concept of Jihad and various calls to violence through out Islamic text
• The psychological belief of unfalleness
• The belief in Muslim superiority
• The silence of moderate nations against the previous four points
• The missing concept of love for one’s enemies

The Solution

Unfortunately, much of the Islamic moderate world is not doing much of anything to counter act Jihadist Islam, whether out of fear or due to the difficulty in mounting a counter argument it appears the the religious and state leaders throughout the Middle East are as complacent as China was against the rise of fascist Japan, as Europe was to the fall of Albania to fascist Italy, and when Germany annexed Austria at the turn of the last century. 

I have a difficult time, though I search,  finding great Islamic leaders calling for the expulsion of Jihadist concepts from the Islamic texts, or a denunciation of Muslim superiority, or most importantly a scriptural call for Muslims to love their enemies.  Instead the Islamic leadership appears ready to continue to “ride the tiger” of national sentiments in order to maintain their power and wealth.

So what then is the solution.  Do we sit ideally by and let Islam conquer the world therefore strengthening their view of superiority and the value of Jihadist revolution?  Or should we act in the face of evil to secure freedom for us and our posterity?  I believe we should act.  Fortune forever favors the bold and the brave. 

The theortical solution prepose is three-fold.  It is the sword, the pen and the wallet.

The Wallet

First, we must change our primary economic structures to enable the land of the free to have even greater economic freedom and to be competitive on the world stage.  We must move away from oil dependence and towards future oil independence.  Therefore, economic policies should be two fold taxation changes and energy changes.  As this is neither a post on energy policy or economic policy I’ll remain brief here even though this is of utmost importance.  Energy independence primarily will come through unleashing the power of human ingenuity and entrepreneurial expansion.  But nothing should be left off the table including American oil expansion, alternative energies, and very importantly nuclear energy.  Currently, we seem only capable of trying to come up with a forced alternative even though most innovation historically is not forced. 

As for true economic reform this comes in the form of taxation.  Currently, our convoluted, oppresive and counter-productive tax structure is a mess.  The 16th Amendment must be repealed and a new system should be designed.  It should be comprehensive and replace the current tax structure in a way the encourages thrift as opposed to squandering by taxing spending, not income and by taxing luxary, not investing and savings.  It should still provide protection in a progressive type of nature to ensure no American pays taxes on spending up to the poverty level and it should provide for dollar-for-dollar federal revenue neutrality.  It should be easily implemented and administered.  It should be fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent in order to truly unleash economic liberty by allowing workers to keep their paychecks, retirees to keep their pensions, create fair global competition, bring absolute transparency and accountability to tax policy and close all loopholes bring fairness in taxation.

The only way to bring this about is through our vote.  Politicians will not bring this change as they are indebted to K-Street lobbiest that buy bailouts, tax rebates, and much more.  A fair tax policy would turn K-Street into a ghost town overnight and they know it.   This is an internal battle we must have amongst ourselves but in order to win the war against Jihadist Islam we cannot be slaves to debt and cowardice internally.

The Sword

Let me say that the way to fully win the war against Jihadist Islam is not fully military, but the military must play a role in this war.  Iraq was a strong first step but it must be followed up.  Winning the war starts at home (primarily in our economic structure but also in our culture as well), but due to the passive complacent nature of the world and moderate Islam it must also be confronted in their capitol’s.  Culturally (i.e. winning by the pen) dropping books on a culture that is oppressed by current Shri’a law and either their complacent governments or oppressive theocratic regimes will not bring change.

Iraq was a strong first step and a great target of opportunity.  Having a democratically elected government that provides for a level of freedom and choice to it’s people should provide the opportunity for a culture to evolve (if it ever will).  Helping establish a free Iraq that can translate it’s own books and integrate a broader culture into itself to me is one of the best bets to make and something VERY justifiable for the long term stability of the U.S. (I’m talking decades down the road if not centuries here). Of course perhaps it fails, perhaps it works, or perhaps it even backfires but the Islamic Jihad culture never evolves.  Jihadist Islam will not evolve of it’s own 1400 years and counting is proof enough. It has great abilities to with stand cognative dissonance and currently it has very little cognative dissonance.

The #1 Principle of Warfare as pointed out so aptly by Neapoleon is that a battle is never one on the defense. It is much better to try to defend ourselves and push change onto Islamic Jihad then it is to wait for Islamic Jihad to come change us by the sword.  Of course democracy is not always the antidote.  Palestine did elect Hamas.  However, what we must defeat is the view that Muslims are superior.  We must defeat this concept on the battlefield in order to open the minds so they seek alternatives to this view on a logical level.  Our advantage is we have the pen AND the sword. Islam has only a sword.

It is important to point out that even though Iraq was a strong start just because we “liberate” the country doesn’t mean we have won the war.

Vast amounts of research has shown that the most dangerous time for a soldier or a police officer is when the battle is won or the criminal is arrested. The soldier and police officer are trained for warfare or a gun fight – they know how to handle this. After the battle is when it becomes dangerous or when the criminalin the back of the car has had time to let reality sink in. Great bodies of evidence show the advantage of counter-strikes and injured policemen as they lead the criminal up the steps of the jail. Our guard is down.   If we think setting up a democracy is the only step we need to take we are in trouble. I don’t think our militaries guard is down though they are building hospitals, schools, libraries, and many things in Iraq let’s hope it works.  The cost of freedom is vigilence! As long as the idea of “Americanism” is an ideal based on truth, liberty and justice no “anti-Americanism” should be tolerated because all it takes for the evil and unjust to succeed is for the good to do nothing. Why would we tolerate evil?

One of the greatest modern military strategists was Alfred Mahan who served in the Civil War and later wrote broadly on navel military strategy. His ideologies influenced much of our navel fleet prior to WWI and enabled us to have a strong upper hand in that war (he is still studied broadly today at the navel academy). Alfred was the person that originally termed the phrase “Middle East”. One of his most famous sayings was

War once declared must be waged offensively, aggressively! The enemy must not be fended off, but smitten down.

However, it is important to realize you can’t “fight” people into liking you. You can fight people into thinking about the benefits of the ideologies they hold though.  One of the MOST famous strategist who helped in the defeat of Neopolean was Carl von Clausewitz a Prussian who went to Russia to work to defeat Neopleon he had three keys to conducting the offensive actions of war:

(a) To conquer and destroy the armed power of the enemy;

(b) To take possession of his material and other sources of strength, and

(c) To gain public opinion.

Now, I’m not an expert but I study this stuff for business. I’ve been studying Sun Tzu and the minds that have followed him since high school. It is my understanding that these principles in coordination with another principle are in order of importance.  Notice the third principle.  How does one gain public opinion?

Clausewitz theorized that to gain public opinion one had to win great victories (shock and awe, not his words but it does correlate) and one had to occupy the enemies capitol. Now, I understand that Bagdad isn’t the capitol of Islam so we’re kind of in a different realm here but it is a first step I think.  It is important that we continue to take the fight to Jihadist Islam including Iran, Afganistan, and Syria. 

We should also demand of moderate Islamic nations to do the same internally.  America doesn’t tolerate the neo-Nazi or the KKK they are scorned in our media and our public.  Moderate Islam should not tolerate Jihadist Islam, the Muslim superiority belief, they should refute the apostacy doctrine of Islam (i.e. death in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran), and create a scriptural call for the love of ones enemies.  However, only a focus on economic thrift and expanded energy policy would enable us to demand change without the fear of sacrificing oil and therefore our economic well-being.  Currently, it appears we will choose the easy route of selling ourselves slowly into slavery.  However, taking an outside-in view would probably be the only way to force change upon ourselves which is to say act first and “become the change” (Ghandi) you want to be.

Further, I theorize that in defeating fasiscm controlling the capitol is more critical then in a war over resources or territory or some such tangible thing. WWII being a prime example of this necessity. Germany didn’t fall until the very end and Japan, well, we didn’t occupy the capitol we had to do something much harder and worse.

Why is this? Think about the root of fascism it is seated in a belief that their ideology or race or whatever is superior and because of this they can’t be defeated. The only way to defeat fasicsm therefore is to completely defeat the enemy as long as they stand their “ideology” is self-fulfilling. It won’t self defeat because it is rooted in it’s belief of superiority. It is not based on reason. You can’t culturally debate it until you physically defeat it and they are forced to look for a reason for their defeat. They must be first forced to conclude that ideologically the Muslim is not superior to the non-Muslim.  Until they are forced out of their comfort zone they cannot and will not self correct.  I am not aware of any historical context of a fascist belief being defeated with reason as it is by it’s nature culturally superior.

 The Pen

The Islamic world has only translated something like 10,000 books into Arabic in the last century.  While the entire country of Spain does this many books into Spanish every couple of years and English, well, we won’t even go their.  Islamic nations need to be fighting hate and illogical fascism with ideological free thinking.  Building schools and libraries is critical to our success in Iraq.  But it is something that the Islamic world needs to be taking up on it’s own.  It should be encouraging free thinking, free reading, and a balanced liberal education.  Liberal arts are the study of broad subjects.  Currently, Arab countries focus primarily on strong religious education and not on broader comprehensive worldview education and other various subjects.  Starting a modern rebirth of thinking in Islam will be hard to stimulate but by defeating the ideology of Jihad and superiority held by many Muslims they can be forced into open out-of-the-box thinking that is drastically needed. 

 In the meanwhile, we should be supporting institutes like the American Univeristy in Kuwait and in Lebanon for example.  It is also important that we provide what assistance we can to help with the liberal education of those throughout the Middle East.  We should take interest in our Muslim brothers political leaders and support those that stand for openness, freedom, equality, and the love of one’s enemies. 

Thankfully and confusingly enough, the Qu’ran is not a closed book Allah is “open to all types of plans”.  It’s own text allows for editing and adjustments over time.  The Muslims can change their religious text if they so desire.  What is confusing to me is why this has not yet been done. 

My Dire Concern

I put this to warning to the world.  IF Islam was ever able to unite again under a common banner (al la, a new Salidin or Mohammed) we would be in serious trouble.  Bin Laden of course thought that this would be him; thankful it wasn’t.  There is even Christian Theological debate that holds that Islam will be united under something similar to a modern day Caliphate in accordance with Christian religous prophecy.  At the growth rate of Islam perhaps my dire concern will be visited upon the world sooner rather then later.  Jihadist Islam must be confronted now waiting only will broaden not lessen the problem.

In Conclusion

Jihadist Islam counting for hundreds of millions of Muslims worldwide is at war with the west.  They are a threat to our freedom and culture.  President Obama will be speaking to the Islamic world tomorrow will he call for revolution, will he express his concern for their treatment of those that are inferior to them, will he challenge their leadership to expand on liberal education, will he call for the moderates to stop sitting on the sidelines and confront Jihadist and superiority extremism, will he challenge their religious leaders to seek out scriputural support for the love of enemies, or will apologize for the West’s failure to “understand” Islam and in so doing feed their belief in superiority and Jihad? 

We must focus on internal change ourselves, we must confront evil illogical reason on the battlefield when it holds deadly intent, and we and our peace loving Muslim brothers must take up the pen against tyranny, fascism, and the hate of our enemies.