Thank you, media. You are forcing the immediate shutdown of 7 of Germany’s 17 nuclear plants (41%), two of them permanently within a year or two. You’ve stopped two new Swiss power plants in their tracks. New plants within the US (none have been built in thirty years) will also likely be put on hold, despite perhaps being one thing that Obama has done right. | Read More »
I like simple things. And the simplest, most comprehensive article on this year’s budget appeared today in The Motley Fool. “It’s only mandatory until Congress says it’s not mandatory.” If rules are preventing vital change, why not change the rules?” I don’t always agree with The Fools’ financial advice: When they weigh in on politics (rarely, if ever), I have to pay MAJOR attention. The | Read More »
The “government” of Iraq recently requested another $billion in damages from the US! Of course, the Iraqi Parliament couldn’t even get it’s act together to MEET for about a year (and OUR Congress thinks it has the corner on “vacation time”). But now, they’ve got their hands out. There is no end to the greed of politicians. But they only follow our own lead. $billions | Read More »
Sunday’s CNN and BBC and FOX are all reporting on the revolution in Egypt. It is just that, and so far pretty peaceful. Early on, police reacted violently. For that matter, so did a few pockets of dissidents, burning some police stations. It is uncertain how prisoners took over and escaped from prison, but the fact that they raided the prison armory and started a | Read More »
So, our Republicans are once again attacking entitlements … but this is a good thing. House GOP considers privatizing Medicare I’m not sure how this works, but I might be eligible in a few years, and my “private medical insurance” is reaching $20,000/year (for the family) … I’d like to get some relief from Medicare; I’ve paid into it long enough. Obama’s “Health Care” Bill | Read More »
My sympathies go out to the families of those wounded or killed in Arizona by a mad man. Investigations are already attempting to tie the murderer (Jared Loughner) to “right-wing” politics, but everybody misses the point: A federal judge, a congressional aide and a young girl were among the six people killed, while Giffords and 13 others were injured in the bursts of gunfire outside | Read More »
Here it is. Consider the words of Gov. Bobby Jindal writing on political leadership: “All people — regardless of their job or role in society — have the responsibility to notice when they are viewed as a role model and live up to that responsibility. No excuses. That admiring kid of today could be a political leader, athlete, parent or teacher of tomorrow.” Many thanks | Read More »
… is a line from a much-cited song. I know that this is a diversion from the sport of elections, but it may be important to remember that the “elected” have some responsibilities. USS Constitution (sitting in Boston Harbor, and still commissioned) once fought the Barbary Pirates, along with ships named Enterprise and Constellation. Pirates remain active today: Piracy is thriving off the coast of | Read More »
“Wake up,” as it were. While Texas will be gaining four Congressional seats, and remains pretty much Red, it would be wise to note that most of our population increase came from Hispanics … and many can and will vote. Hispanics composed about 70 percent of the 3.9 million people added to the Texas population in the past decade … About 25 percent of eligible | Read More »
Putting aside the Federal crisis for the moment, 15 States face budget shortfalls, this year. UNLIKE Congress, MOST States have to balance their budgets each year, and many are complaining or asking for bailouts. They, and we, have an opportunity: Census figures will be out soon, and both the States and Congress can measure how well they have done for The People, the past ten | Read More »
Like Jonathan Swift’s essay of the same name, I don’t think this proposal will fly, but I hope it is worthy of consideration. Afghanistan costs billion$$$ in dollars and hundreds in American lives (AND Canadians, AND Brits, AND Aussies, AND others). Our young kids are dying out there to protect a corrupt regime. Karzai says all the right things, we support his well-coiffed Pashtun robes | Read More »
It sounds like there’s going to be some bi-partisan compromise. But in exchange for keeping lower taxes on “the rich,” Congress will extend unemployment benefits (again), use the Tax Code as Welfare, and throw in a few other sweeteners. I’m sure today’s Congress wants to extend tax breaks for “the rich.” Aside from many small family businesses that get taxed as if they were individuals, | Read More »
I recently pointed out to someone that there is no such word as “analyzation*,” but if there were, it would apply to Monday’s US Senate as they ran around with their heads firmly placed out of the sunshine. Not one but TWO Amendments were defeated that would repeal 1099s for purchases. In case you didn’t know, Section 9002 of the health care act (see page | Read More »
After I gained my first few hundred thousand “frequent flyer” miles, I started worrying about those “deaths per million passenger miles” statistics. But I never thought (decades ago) that I’d have to be concerned with “gropes per trip.” Now I can understand why I was pulled aside in the early ’70s for a “strip search,” because I probably fit the profile of “long-haired hippy,” much | Read More »
It has been remarked elsewhere on Redstate that earmarks spend money, or earmarks are already paid for, or earmarks are a bad thing (the last of with which, I agree). I don’t recall Congress actually VOTING on a budget, this past year, but one was proposed. What amazes ME is that most folks think the budget process STARTS sometime in February, and that earmarks are | Read More »
It may be too much for Congress (still Democrat) to pass a budget, or the dozen Appropriations bills that they failed to complete by the Due Date of October 1. No wonder many have been fired. Unable to perform their jobs, Congress will undoubtedly attempt to pass yet another Omnibus Resolution to keep the Government going. So far, a Continuing Resolution keeps us going, as | Read More »
Germany has a conflict about immigration. Like us, they need skilled workers and can’t seem to find them other than from Turkey or other States outside of Germany. The Germans don’t like Turks, because the Turks eat funny foods and worship in a non-Lutheran fashion. But then, they are the largest voting minority in Germany, and some elections hang upon the minority. In Germany, the | Read More »
It’s arcane: just because I have a daughter in Europe, I have to follow the Euro … and few appear to have noticed that the European currency has risen from about $US 1.30 a month ago to a $US 1.41 today. When I first sent her over to Europe (September 1), Euros were a buck twenty-eight ($US 1.28)! DURING AN ELECTION YEAR, Congress, the Treasury, | Read More »
Going into Sunday’s legislative elections, President Hugo Chavez pitched his candidates like a salesman, promising Venezuelans he will give them low-interest credit cards and discounted appliances from washing machines to TV sets. … If Chavez’s allies manage to retain a two-thirds majority, it would give them the power to keep rewriting laws unopposed and to appoint officials including Supreme Court justices and members of the | Read More »
Under Brazilian law, voting is mandatory for citizens between the ages of 18 and 70. Not voting could result in a small fine and make it impossible to obtain a passport or a government job, among other penalties.__ AP, October 4, 2010 Ah, but that WE could have such a law. Perhaps extend it to receiving State or Federal benefits: no vote, no cash … | Read More »
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