President Obama got elected in part to get America working again and given the dismal state of employment, he has failed. His plan of government-created jobs has been either unsuccessful or too expensive for the results achieved. So what can we do now?

1. Allow drilling for oil off our coasts.
2. Reduce taxes on employers on labor, which means lower the payroll tax for them.
3. Corporate and individual tax reform by lowering risks and getting rid of most tax breaks.
4. Reduce the anti-business regulatory burdens by the federal government like trying to block Boeing opening a new plant in South Carolina using regulations.
5. Encourage Buy-American to increase demands for goods made in the U.S.
6. Immigration reform by significantly decreasing illegal immigration and increasing legal immigration by those with higher skill levels (value added immigration.)

What are your ideas? It's time for all of us to pitch in here.

Last week, Barron's predicted in the next 12 months we could see $150 a barrel oil as spare capacity is reduced. $150 a barrel oil means $4.50 a gallon gas. If this occurs it certainly won't be good for President Barack Obama, the economy, large automobiles and it probably is good news for the GOP, if we have a common sense energy plan.

You probably heard about Obama's shot at the tax breaks for corporate jet owners, here is the rest of the story!

• The corporate jet tax break was part of Obama's stimulus bill passed with a grand total of 3 GOP votes in both houses!
• Of Obama's new debt forecast of $9.5 trillion in the next ten years, a grand total of .03 percent is out if we eliminate the deduction, about $3 billion over that time.
• The day before his attack on jet owners he gave a talk at an aerospace supply plant that makes products for the private jet industry.
• In a few words, the president is being disingenuous at best.

Successes

1. Voter ID: Ensures truth in voting.
2. Balanced budget with money still in the Rainy Day Fund.
3. Health Care Compact: Critical to utilizing block grants and reform Medicaid which costs us $48 billion per biennium and goes up, maybe by $14 billion in 2013!
4. Strengthened property rights via an expanded eminent domain bill.
5. TWIA Reform: The states last resort insurance program has been put on a more responsible course and reduces the potential costs to the state of Texas.

Failures

1. Property tax appraisal cap: Nothing happened, even though it's been a priority in past sessions.
2. Anti-Sanctuary cities: A bill that would write into state law existing federal provisions for protecting law enforcement officers who cooperate with ICE!
3. Public Pension Reform: Coming crisis, and nothing done to avert it.
4. Water: With the Texas drought what is our long-term plan to deal with our coming water shortage?
5. Transportation: The state is growing, TXDOT has got its problems and we need to address this critical issue ASAP.

This film put a human face on illegal immigration in such an effective way that you may never look at the subject in the same way again.

The film is a reminder that our illegal immigration problem in the end is about people. It also reminds us that we must have a comprehensive plan to reform immigration. First, by controlling the borders. Second, with a workers program (like the Cornyn Plan) that brings people out of the shadows (where they are victimized and exploited) and finally with a way for law abiding hard working people to come to America.

The Democrats in Washington are hard at work with new ideas to tax you. Latest ideas are to eliminate the deductions for charitable donations, home mortgage interest and retirement contributions (which currently are taxed when you receive them.) The sooner we get the tax and spenders out of D.C., the better.

TCR mourns the unfortunate loss of Joshua & Robin Berry, who were killed last weekend in a tragic accident as they returned from vacation with their children. The loss of these loving parents, an asset to our community, shows us just how fragile life is. Our prayers and thoughts are with their friends and family, especially for their three young children.

Red, White & Blue featuring TCR Editor Gary Polland and liberal commentator David Jones, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and replaying Sundays at 5:00 p.m. on PBS Houston Channel 8 and on the web at www.houstonpbs.org.

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his thirteenth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last nine years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.