Five Hundred Posts

Five Hundred Posts

What a long strange trip it's been. Seven years, five hundred posts, and just getting started. There is plenty to talk about, considering the fact that we have a narcissist in the White house, clearly trying to take this great nation down a path that the rest of the civilized world is retreating from, having tasted these fruits, and found them bitter.

Even so, after 500 posts I feel that I have the right, and the need, for a little break. I will be back early in November. It's all good!

Treasury Admits Cost of Cap & Tax will cost 1% of GDP

Treasury Admits Cost of Cap & Tax will cost 1% of GDP

The Treasury Department has been forced to admit that the cost of Cap & Tax will cost 1% of GDP. In respomse to a FOIA request, Treasury submitted a redacted report on the costs. While the dollar amount was redacted, on page three of the .pdf file there is the admission "Exonomic costs will likely be on the order of 1% of GDP, making them equal in scale to all environmental regulations."

Health Care Plan Status

Health Care Plan Status

Obama Abandons Missile Shield, Picks Best Date

Obama Abandons Missile Shield, Picks Best Date

President announced today that it will not continue to build the missile defense system that president Bush promised would protect Europe from missile attack and Russia did not want built. Amazingly, Obama, showing the political deaf ear he has displayed since the moment his brilliant political campaign ended, picked possibly the worst possible day to announce this, the anniversary of the Soviet Invasion of Poland.

While the official story of building the missile shield was that it would protect against Iranian missiles, it could be no secret that building defensive missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic would be even more protective of those nations. Thus, Russia was not pleased. Today, the Vodka is flowing in Moscow, as their dreams of reestablishing their hegemony over Eastern Europe got a big boost from their good friend Obama. Now, if Obama had a clue about how to get some mileage with Russia from this it might not be an entirely bad move, but the supine foreign policy of the current administration does not inspire confidence that they have just acquired a shot of competence.

Fifteen in Congress Who Betray the Public's Trust

Fifteen in Congress Who Betray the Public's Trust

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is out today with its fifth annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress. Seven Republicans and eight Democrats comprise the list. They are:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.)

Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.)

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.)

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.)

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.)

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.)

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.)

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W. Va.)

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.)

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.)

Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.)

Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.)

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)

CREW's critieria? The congressmen and women "who have most egregiously betrayed the public’s trust."

Republicans for Sunstein

Republicans for Sunstein

Cass Sunstein was confirmed by the senate yesterday, He was targeted by certain conservatives, notably Glenn Beck and right leaning bloggers, for statements made in his 2004 book and elsewhere, which reveal a man who believes we need a new Bill of Rights, that animals need access to the courts, and a strong stance in favor of gun control. On the other hand, he was in favor of the appointment of now Chief Justice John Roberts, and he is generally of a free market disposition.

His new position as the guy in the White House who reviews federal regulations seems to keep him away from gun control, and his advocacy of new rights, including rights to a job and higher prices for farmers also seem to be beyond his new brief. In any event the key vote in the senate was the cloture vote, where the democrat side needed 60 votes. For your reference, here is a list of the republicans who foted in favor of Cass Sunstein.

Republicans voting for cloture:
Bennett (R-UT)
Collins (R-ME)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Lugar (R-IN)
Snowe (R-ME)
Voinovich (R-OH)