Today, Senator Obama spoke on the Reverend Wright controversy and made clear what he believes. Three points came out of his speech and I am sure he only intended one point. The biggest issue resolved was that he explained why he continued to befriend Reverend Wright and why he continued to be a part of his congregation. His explanation was both eloquent and clear. He personally understands the reasons why Reverend Wright thinks the way he does and he understands why it is different from the way he (Senator Obama) thinks. Barack Obama defined the differences so well that it had the ring of truth and clarity. This writer is convinced that Senator Obama has not exercised poor judgment when sitting through Reverend Wright’s sermons; that he successfully compartmentalized what Reverend Wright was saying compared to what he believes.

He did not address or explain the previous statements that he had never experienced these sermons personally yet now in this speech stated that he had heard the questionable sermons all along. Do we chalk this deception up to political gamesmanship? The straight talk was absent here. Two other issues surfaced during his speech, that shine a clearer light on what and how Senator Obama thinks.

His statement, that he will find a way out of the war in Iraq, did not ring as clearly as his previous definitive proclamations regarding the speed of removal of our troops if elected and taking office. Does this mean that he now understands that unraveling Iraq will be like cutting a fine diamond and that it cannot be done haphazardly or hastily? To improperly unravel or to just leave Iraq may create more world problems for us in the future than remaining and continuing to stabilize the country, which is currently happening.He needs to be pressed on this by the unbiased media – if we can find them.

His statement that we need to stop corporations from sending jobs out of the country just for the sake of profit demonstrates a glaring lack of understanding of how capitalism works and creeps up upon a socialist agenda. Under capitalism with some controls, the better the environment for profit, the better the environment for growth and prosperity.This means jobs – good jobs! The jobs are leaving because the corporations need to make profit to survive and will seek out the most advantageous environment to make that profit, even if it means to create and manufacture elsewhere. It is the responsibility of a government in a capitalistic economy to foster an environment to entice corporations both foreign and domestic to produce here thus creating good jobs and plenty of them.You cannot regulate jobs unless you are in a failing communist or socialist economy where the standard of living misery is balanced and widespread.

He should be seeking to change the health care system by relieving corporations of this burden and ameliorate the corporate tax rates to foster a profitable environment for corporations producing in this country and trading with the world.This should be the fix he seeks. This will place corporations doing business in this country in a position to grow and sustain good paying jobs. Remember, corporations do not pay taxes they collect them for the government from you in the form of higher prices, but in the world trade environment they cannot pass these taxes on so they become uncompetitive. When they are uncompetitive they move to an environment where they can be competitive and move the jobs elsewhere. He should not be condemning profit, which is the engine of prosperity and standard of living as long as it is heavily laced with successful world trade.

Why is populism so popular today? What are the real challenges facing the next President?What kind of leader do we need?

Let’s start with populism.People are unhappy with the ever lowering of their standard of living.Food, fuel, medical care, and schooling cost more each day.These are the basics to a happy and successful life.The gap between the have and the have-nots is widening.The middle class is disappearing but you would not know it because we keep redefining it.The unemployment rate is still pretty close to what has in the past been defined as virtual full employment, yet we are slipping.

The tsunami of problems we face as a country today is knee buckling.

A goodly portion of the world seeks our demise.An entire movement of millions wants us all dead.

Hostile nations can, overnight, be in control of more than half the world’s oil exports.

We consume more than half the world’s oil exports, while making unfriendly nations richer and more powerful.

Fierce worldwide trade competition has brought about a $200 billion trade deficit.We can no longer compete on the world stage.Plentiful good paying blue collar middle class jobs are gone.We no longer make much of anything in this country.

We have opened our borders – at least our government has – to just about anyone who has the temerity to sneak into our country.This uncontrolled illegal immigration has created even more pressure on state and local governments, by increasing the cost of schools, hospitals, police, fire, and all sorts of social services.

The next President must tackle two problems that are not mutually exclusive.He or she will have to change our energy culture.We must shake our oil addiction.This effort could consume an entire Presidential term of office.Multiple millions of Americans use oil for transportation, to heat their homes, and work in oil heated places of business.

Oil is our Achilles Heal!Each of our Presidents since Richard Nixon, Republican and Democrat, have know this to be our Achilles Heal and have not addressed the matter directly, thanks to the U.S. Oil interests and environmentalists.They have instead relied on international leverage of force and financial persuasion.This prescription is proving to be disastrous; as we are already experiencing serious side effects.The use of nuclear energy, using the newest technology with very low waste reactors, must become a national priority – it is the fastest way for us to replace oil imports with an inexpensive alternative.

The next President will also have to restructure our ability to effectively trade in the world.We have neglected this for nearly twenty years.No, not more agreements.This President must rebuild our ability to compete in the world trade market.We must be able to manufacture and sell to the world.We must remove all obstacles to low cost domestic production of goods and services, including low cost energy.Only then will we be able to add quality good paying blue collar middle class jobs and start this country back on its way to a sound economic footing.Get back to a sound economic footing and the desires of the populists will be achieved.

We need a leader who recognizes these two critical issues, who is passionate about these two issues, who can cut through the entrenched resistance to effect energy and trade change, and who can unflinchingly stand his or her ground.He or she will also need a Congress that understands that our survival as a great nation depends on these changes happening sooner rather than later.

Read more of this type blog at Ken Moyes' weblog