Conservatives in Oklahoma Want to Ensure More People Are Killed in Auto Accidents

Yes, They Just Want to Preserve That Freedom

Conservatives bristle at the notion that they don’t really care for people, that they place ideological purity above all else, even lives.  But of course their actions continue to support that position, as this news item from Oklahoma shows.

A Republican-controlled House committee on Thursday derailed a bill to ban texting while driving, citing concerns that it would be hard to enforce and jeopardize personal freedoms. The bill would make it illegal to “compose, send or read a text-based communication” while driving, with fines of up to $500 for violations. Representative Josh Cockcroft, a member of the Calendar Committee who opposed the bill, said: “I’ll be the first to say it’s dangerous and foolish to text while driving. But where do you stop? Can I not eat a cheeseburger in my car?”

There is support for the ban, but most of the supporters have either died or been severely injured from auto crashes involving texting, and Republican have said that if those deaths or injuries had been prevented by the law, that would have been a terrible infringement on the rights of those people to be killed or severely injured in an auto crash.

“Death and injury from an automobile accident is an American Constitutional right” said a prominent Conservative, “and only socialists, commies and those do-gooders interested in public safety would want to take away that right.”

The Dismal Political Economist is Now Getting 1,000 Viewers a Day!!

But Before We Celebrate . . .

In less than two years this Forum has grown so that it is now attracting over 1,000 unique views per day.  The celebration is, however, somewhat subdued because of this post from eminent Economist Paul Krugman.

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Long-time readers will find this familiar, but as a number of commenters have wisely pointed out, there are a lot of people reading this blog now who weren’t reading it a year or two ago. (We’re adding Twitter followers at around 20,000 a month, which is some indication of the number of newbies).


Okay, back to the drawing board.

Sigh

Conservative Kansans Learn Maybe the Federal Government Does Create Jobs and Provide Benefits After All

Or Maybe They Just Don’t Care About Air Travel Safety

Conservative are fond of trumpeting the idea that government never ever created a single job.  This is patently false of course, in fact many of the people spouting such nonsense are government paid employees, like Conservative legislators.  But it is fun to believe such stuff, because it builds up the fantasy of self-reliance in a complex modern society.

Now people in rural Kansas are finding out that cuts in the Federal budget are cuts in the Federal budget.

The cuts came into clearer focus Thursday. Garden City Regional Airport would lose its air traffic controllers, saving the federal government $318,756 and leaving pilots to handle landings, takeoffs and weather conditions mostly by themselves.

“Oh,” said Dave Unruh, a retired farmer who heard the news as he waited for a flight to Dallas. “Is that part of the deal?”

Well yes Dave, it is.  And despite the fact that the local Congressman led the way to get these cuts, local officials, the ones that unlike the local Congressman actually have to live with the cuts are not happy.

Mayor David Crase and airport director Rachelle Powell spent last week writing letters to Huelskamp and other elected officials urging them to save Garden City’s tower, one of 238 at relatively small airports across the country set to close beginning April 1. Crase said the closure would “undo years of investments” at the local, state and federal level. Powell warned of a decline in flights and associated revenue from fuel or fees or dinners at the popular restaurant Napoli’s at the Flight Deck. Though it was too soon to know, she worried that American Eagle might curtail the only regional jet service in and out of southwestern Kansas — a constellation of gridded towns that dissolve into farm fields and ranches and some of the largest meatpacking plants in the world.

But the rest of the Conservative world sees this as a breakthrough in government spending.  Look for them to use the Garden City Kansas model for the rest of the country, and to eliminate air traffic controllers in major airports like LaGuardia, O’Hare and Hartsfield in Atlanta.  If pilots can do their own landing in Garden City, why not in Chicago, New York and Atlanta?

Oh, but don’t look for any cuts at Washington National Airport.  See that’s where the folks in Congress fly out of, and they don’t want any safety compromises for themselves.  Wouldn’t be fair.  And the local Kansan Congressman who is so vociferous about cutting spending needs to be in Washington to get massive Federal Agriculture subsidies for his district.

Finally, what do we call the people who lose their jobs or whose businesses suffer in extremely conservative Garden City?  Why 'Born Again Democrats', of course.

Jeb Bush Takes a Step Towards Running in 2016 – Changes Stance on Immigration to Boost Credentials

Apparently Learning Nothing from the Romney Campaign

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, brother of one President, son of another is often mentioned as Presidential material because he does not want to throw out every person with an Hispanic name, and at times has actually sounded quite rational (for a Republican) on immigration.

But this attitude will never work with the Republican base that votes in primaries, so any serious candidate has to make certain he or she is on the ‘right’ side on immigration.  So here is the result, from Taegan Goddard’s excellent political site.

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March 04, 2013

Bush Reverses Himself on Immigration Reform

In his new book, Immigration Wars, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) makes a notable reversal on immigration reform, "arguing that creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants would only encourage future unauthorized immigration,"Huffington Post reports.

Writes Bush: "It is absolutely vital to the integrity of our immigration system that actions have consequences -- in this case, that those who violated the law can remain but cannot obtain the cherished fruits of citizenship. To do otherwise would signal once again that people who circumvent the system can still obtain the full benefits of American citizenship."

Yep law breaking children who were brought to this country at a young age, with no say whatsoever in the action are just a bunch of criminals.  And letting them be citizens will just encourage every 2 year old south of Texas to rush to the nation.

Nice move Jeb, now if you will just adjust your position a little more, like shooting suspected illegals on sight then you can wrap up the nomination.

Summing Up the Situation in Syria

For the United States:  Two Choices, One Wrong, the Other One Erroneous

One of the problems that great military powers have is a failure to recognize their limitations.  Because the United States is the global military power it is easy to get the impression the U. S. military can fix any problem in the world.  It cannot.

In Syria the U. S. has the choice of standing by, and indirectly helping a murderous dictator who brutally wages war on his own people and who hates the United States and Israel, and the choice of aiding the rebel forces who brutally wage war on the Syrian people and who despise the United States and Israel. 

Yep, that’s about it.

Revealed: Hand Book for Conservative Journalism Tells How Anyone Can Be a Right Wing Reporter

Exclusive!! – No One Else Has This

Mainly Because We Made It Up

After extensive diligence this Forum is pleased to announced that it has the secret handbook given to reporters, would be journalists and others in the news business which explains in explicit detail how to report like a Conservative.  Here are some of the more salient points.

1. Know Your Job:  Conservative journalism is unlike regular journalism.  Regular journalism has the job of reporting the news.  Conservative journalism has the job of reporting the news in a way that supports the election of Conservative candidates and promotes Conservative views.  This is sometimes called ‘stealth’ journalism and this practice is not to be acknowledged.

2. Personal Attacks are Required:  Attacking the person rather than the positions of President Obama and his wife are a must, particularly since Conservatives journalism does not have the knowledge, tools or experience to understand or attack the policies.

3. Personal Attacks on Conservatives are to be Condemned:  The personal attack road is a one way street.  Any personal attacks on Conservatives are to be repulsed as being unfair, inappropriate and mean.  Remember that Conservatives cannot take personal attacks and do not know how to handle them.  Absent the protection of journalism they go into a crying, sniveling funk.  Conservative journalism must prevent this.

4. Facts are Optional:  Facts are important to a story, but many times facts will get in the way of good, biased reporting.  When this happens it is acceptable to leave out the facts, or at the reporter’s option he or she can simply make up facts.  This can be very effective as most of your audience cannot tell the difference.  See chapter on Limbaugh, Rush or Vol. 2, Fox News Methods.

5. Do Not Interview John McCain While You are Alone.

6. Do Not Turn Your Back on Eric Cantor:  It may look like he is not carrying a knife, but he is, and turning your back on him just invites an appealing target.

7. Support New Wars:  Remember that neither the Conservatives nor their families will be doing the fighting, so appeal to their patriotism and love of country.  If there is any problem finding a country with which to wage war, contact Lindsey Graham or Joe Lieberman.  They will provide the country and the cause.

8. If a crazy Conservative like Todd Akin speaks out and says a woman cannot get pregnant from rape, ignore it even if the other media are covering the story.  If you cannot ignore it      remember to mention that he is not really a Republican or a Conservative and that he does only speaks for a small majority of Conservatives.  When a fringe Democratic person does or says an outrageous thing, be certain to link that person the President and the Democratic party leadership.

9. If you ever need money refer to the list of Ignorant Billionaire in Appendix VI at the back of this manual.  Simply identifying yourself as anti-Obama is good for a small six figure check.  Note:  You do not need to report the use of these funds, they don’t care.

10. Send $50.00 to get a membership in the Hoover Institute.  This will enable you to publish high profile articles in the Wall Street Journal.  Credentials are not required.

11. Government Spending:  A good journalist criticizes all government spending, except make sure to check that massive government spending is not taking place in the geographic region of your intended audience.  For example, support massive spending on NASA when publishing in Texas.

12. See Appendix VII for synonyms for the term “Communist”.  Sprinkle these heavily throughout any reporting that mentions non-Conservatives.  Note that here is an excellent area where you can make unfounded accusations, it is very difficult for those you attack to prove a negative, i.e., that they are not what you say they are.

Finally, don’t feel bad that you will never get a Pulitzer Prize or any other journalist award that comes from objective, independent authorities.  They know what we are doing, they just don’t get it.

Think the Recovery Has Not Been Good for the Wealthy – The New York Times Details Couple’s Struggle to Find Suitable Manhattan Housing

Getting By With Only a $1 Million Budget

Unintentionally commenting on the distribution of wealth and income in today’s America the New York Times provides details on how a Manhattan couple had to search and struggle to find suitable housing.  Their problem, they only had $1 million or so to spend on buying an apartment.  It’s not that Nicole and Brent Ferrin were in horrible housing in their rental unit.

Nicole and Brent Ferrin - Just Your Average Couple Finally Happy in a $1.2 million Condo

For four years, Nicole and Brent Ferrin were happy in their rented apartment in a postwar high-rise building on Murray Street in TriBeCa. They paid around $4,000 a month for a loftlike one-bedroom with around 1,200 square feet. They especially liked their two bathrooms.

But the hardships were very real, the kind that all working class families suffer from.

Despite their rental’s large size, it didn’t have sufficient closet space. Mr. Ferrin’s bag of golf clubs always sat in full view, standing upright behind a couch in a corner of the a living room.

“It drove me bonkers,” Ms. Ferrin said.

So after a long search which must have been terribly hard on the couple they found suitable housing.  One hopefully where his golf clubs (who plays golf in lower Manhattan?) have a home of their own.

At another converted office building, 75 Wall Street, the condominium atop Hyatt’s Andaz Wall Street Hotel, they came upon a one-bedroom with a refreshingly normal layout. The 1,100-plus square feet allowed for a home office, plenty of closet space, two bathrooms and a kitchen open to the large living room.

“Their faces lit up when they saw the island for the kitchen,” Ms. Stein said.

The price was $1.2 million, with monthly charges in the low $1,300s. The couple paid $1.17 million and arrived in mid-September a few weeks before Hurricane Sandy.

So just like every other middle class American family that lives in a $1.2 million condo with a monthly fee of $1,300.00 the Ferrin’s are now a happy couple. 

They appreciate the building’s many amenities, including the rooftop lounge, where they recently held Mr. Ferrin’s 30th birthday party. They sometimes indulge in room service, ordering breakfast from Wall & Water, the restaurant downstairs.

And no, this reporting is not to disparage the Ferrin’s, who would seem to be basically nice and decent people, but it is to disparage a society that denies decent housing and health care to millions while at the same time accommodating people who need to and can spend over $1 million for a 1,100 square foot condo. Because on about the same day that this story appeared the state of North Carolina decided to deny Medicaid expansion to over 500,000 low income residents, claiming the state just could not afford to do so, even though the cost was covered by the Federal government.

Is Network Television As We Know It Over?

NBC’s Performance Would Suggest It Is

Things evolve, contrary to Conservative’s position that evolution is a liberal fantasy story made up in order to deny the true Biblical story of creation.  And one of the areas that evolves is modern culture.  Ozzie and Harriet (who?) just would not get on the fall TV schedule these days.

For about 80 years now networks have dominated the radio/television prime time entertainment arena.  The network programming can be regarded as software, developed and designed to sell hardware, i.e., radio sets and television sets.  But they evolved into their own thing, and their programming has dominated popular culture since the 1920’s.  But that may be ending.

The competition for entertainment is leaving network television with little to do except do what television does best, broadcast in real time.  So news, sports and reality shows are now the dominant forces on TV, with drama and comedy series slowly ebbing away.  The dramatic results of all of this, NBC, the first major network finished the February ratings period in fifth place, behind not only ABC, CBS and Fox, but also behind Univision.

When the official numbers are completed Thursday, NBC will finish this sweeps month not only far behind its regular network competitors, but also well behind the Spanish-language Univision. No broadcast network has ever before finished a television season sweeps month in fifth place.

How bad was it?  Ugly.

Advertising executives note that ratings this month on many shows are so low they may force NBC to offer a spate of what are known as make-goods — free commercials to cover shortfalls from rating guarantees. . . .

The network’s prime-time record this month is a litany of ratings sorrows: Shows that looked like hits last fall, like the new comedy “Go On,” have collapsed. New shows, like the comedy “1600 Penn,” started weak and have fallen fast. NBC even had the lowest-rated new network drama of all time, “Do No Harm,” which was rated 0.9 in the 18-49 category for its premiere this month and fell to 0.7 in its second week.

It was canceled after two episodes. . .

 “Smash” returned three weeks ago to audience indifference. Last week’s episode could not eke out even a 1 rating among viewers aged 18 through 49, the audience NBC sells to advertisers.

Over all, the network’s ratings have fallen so far that no episode of any show on NBC in February came within one million viewers of a show on PBS: “Downton Abbey.” And forget approaching the numbers of a cable hit like AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

NBC is expecting to come back big next year, but that is only because of the Winter Olympics, not because it has big programming prospects.  But the real indication of just how much trouble traditional network programming is encountering is this tidbit.

Mr. Bader noted that some other programming reinforcements are lined up for NBC, including a new edition of “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Yes, when your entertainment success is dependent upon Donald Trump and a bunch of has-been celebrities, your demise is on the horizon.  Thanks for the memories NBC.

Finally, Even Mitt Romney Admits That What He Says is Not What He Believes

Mitt, the Last Person in the Country to Acknowledge This

There is little news to report on the Mitt Romney softball interview.  Mitt is still campaigning, still denigrating the President (say what you want about George W. Bush, at least he has the decency to say nothing) and still believing that he should have been President.

Bye to you to Mitt, write if you get work.

And Mrs. Romney like the Nixons before her blames the media.

Obama, she said, had a “better ground game” than the Republicans, a fact that “blindsided” the Romneys. Portrayals of both Romneys as wealthy and out-of-touch were unfair, she said.

“But it was not just the campaign’s fault. I believe it was the media’s fault as well, is that he was not giving — being given a fair shake, that people weren’t allowed to really see him for who he was,” she said.

But no Mrs. Romney, the problem of course was that the public saw him for exactly for what he was.

But one great thing, finally in his own words we have confirmation that what Mr. Romney says is not what he believes.

“You know, when you speak in private, uh, you don’t spend as much time thinking about how something could be twisted and distorted and — and it could come out wrong and be used,” Romney said. “But, you know, I did. And it was very harmful. What I said is not what I believe.   (emphasis added)

We know Mitt, we know.  Glad you finally figured it out too.  And the great thing about a video recording.  No, no one has to twist or distort it, or can even do so.  The public can look at the raw footage and make up their own mind.  And that's what happened, no matter how much you and your spouse would like to blame it on the media, on the Democrats, on the Martians or anyone other than yourselves.

In Britain, Joining Coalition Government With Conservatives Has Just About Destroyed the Country’s 3rd Party

How Selfish Personal Ambition Has Killed an Entire Political Party

[Editor's note:  In a recently concluded by-election, what we call a special election, the Lib Dem party won the seat.  But the seat was a safe seat and the Lib Dem vote was down sharply since 2010.   The ruling Conservative Party, third behind the fringe group UKIP.]

In 2010 when the Conservative Party in Britain won a large victory but was short a majority of Parliament, they invited the Liberal Democratic Party to join them as a coalition partner.  Now the political philosophy of these two parties was polar opposite, but the promise of minor ministerial places in the government for the party leaders made the Lib Dems agree to be a junior partner.

Voters are not stupid, even in spite of some evidence to the contrary.  (Yes, Minnesota continues to send Michele Bachmann to the Congress, so some voters are stupid).  The fact that the Lib Dems gave up their principles for a small amount of power and a couple of nice jobs for the leaders was not lost on voters.  The devastation is now almost complete.

For the first time in its monthly polls for The Independent, ComRes puts Nick Clegg's party in fourth place behind the UK Independence Party. The Liberal Democrats are on just eight per cent, down two points on last month, while Ukip is on nine per cent (down one point).

Yes, they are behind the Ukip, a party of ultra nationalism, anti-immigration, a party that thinks Britain is a country only for Anglo Saxon descendents and that the rest of humanity if sub-human. 

According to ComRes, Labour has extended its seven-point lead last month to 12 points, its biggest since 2005 in a ComRes poll for this paper. Labour is now on 43 per cent and the Conservatives on 31 per cent (down one point). Other parties are on nine per cent (no change). The Tories' standing may have been damaged by the news on Friday evening that the ratings agency Moody's had downgraded the UK's triple-A credit rating.

If repeated on a uniform swing at a general election, these figures would give Labour an overall majority of 122. The Liberal Democrats would lose 39 seats, leaving them with just 18 MPs.

So yes Lib Dems, if you are behind that party you must be doing something wrong.  You just are not getting the message.  When you do get the message the messenger will know where to find you, at home having been turned out of office.  It is hard for politicians to violate their principles, having very little to violate, but you are managing to do so.  Congrats.

Casino Magnate and Professional Obama Hater Sheldon Adelson Admits to Breaking Laws on Bribes to Foreign Officials

But Don’t Worry – Neither He Nor His Company Will Suffer

In the 2012 election billionaire Sands casino owner Sheldon Adelson gave massive monetary support to Newt Gingrich and later gave a substantial amount of money in support of Mitt Romney to defeat Barack Obama in the general election.  Mr. Adelson developed a visceral hatred of Mr. Obama, and vowed to do everything he could to defeat the President.  Of course the fact that he backed Newt Gingrich did indicate that he really didn’t know what he was doing and was not to be feared, even with all of his money.

Now the Wall Street Journal, the part that still does real news, is reporting that Mr. Adelson’s casino operations have admitted that they violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. 

Las Vegas Sands Corp.  told the Securities and Exchange Commission that an internal review found the casino operator had likely violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a federal law that bans bribing public officials abroad.

The company on Friday said in its annual report that its board's audit committee had advised the company and its accountants that it had reached a preliminary finding that there were "likely violations of the books and records and internal controls provisions" of the antibribery law.

The findings relate to a series of business deals conducted in mainland China and led by executives who are no longer with the company, according to a person familiar with the matter. The findings from the board's audit committee were first reported by The Wall Street Journal last August.

Gosh, here is Mr. Adelson, whose vitriol in part at Mr. Obama was the result that he (Mr. Adelson) felt Mr. Obama was violating the spirit of America.  Of course it turns out that it is Mr. Adelson who is the violator, in this case of the law.

But no one should lose sleep over any liability either Mr. Adelson or his company will have.  The company will pay a small fine, promise not to do this again and go on about their business.  Mr. Adelson will suffer nothing.  As for the shareholders, well the Sands Corporation will surely promise that they will never be caught doing this again, and that will be their goal,  to never get caught.

Religious Wars in America Illustrated by Conflict over Prayers at Rapid City Government Sessions

Freedom of Religion – or – Freedom to Impose Religion?

The war about religion in the United States has heated up in the last several decades.  This is in part due to politicians, primarily those of a Conservative bent, who see political gain in exploiting religious differences.  But it is also in part due to sincere people who believe that their religion is so correct, so right, so perfect that it is their duty to impose their religious practices on others.

One place those advocates of public displays and enacting of religion prevail is at government functions, which often start with prayers.  In Rapid City, South Dakota this practice has drawn the ire of a religious freedom group which is threatening to sue to stop this practice.

At a meeting of the Rapid City Council this month, attendees bow their heads in prayer. (Kristina Barker / Rapid City Journal / February 4, 2013)

The Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation recently sent a letter to Rapid City officials saying that it received a complaint from a South Dakota citizen who objects to the invocations before each public meeting. The group has called for a stop to the practice.

Make no mistake, this is not a non-denominational practice, it is practice of a specific religion.

One South Dakota magazine editorial reads, in part:

“Christian officials give a Christian pastor a public platform to say things like, ‘in Jesus' name,’ 

And that same editorial provides an eloquent defense of opposition to the practice.

“... We're not all Christians, Rapid City, but we are all citizens. No church needs your official public affirmation of its faith. But all citizens deserve your affirmation of their equal status. Leave the prayers ‘in Jesus's name’ to the clergy in their pulpits. At City Hall, focus your words on the mission of justice and mercy that all Americans share

It is also true that the group challenging the practice is heavy handed, writing offensive letters instead of sitting down with people, explaining the issue and the problems and trying to reach a satisfactory compromise, like having a moment of silence for silent prayer, checking the scores or finding how one’s stocks did or whatever one wants to do in a moment of silence.. 

But in the end this is really about imposing religion on others, because if it is necessary to attend a meeting then one is subjected to participation in religion whether one chooses to do so or not.  And that is just not American despite the pious claims of patriotism of those who support the practice.

Conservative Supreme Court Seems Ready to Gut Voting Rights Law

Really, What Did You Expect?

There is only one political party that wants to rig the electoral process.  Republicans know that they cannot win on the merits of their positions, so they are left with continually trying to ‘game the system’ and enact changes that will allow them to win elections they otherwise would not be able to win.

The Voting Rights Act assures that minorities are treated fairly in voting, which is the last thing Republicans want.  And now the Supreme Court seems headed towards removing that protection.  In the case being heard before the Court,

Justice Antonin Scalia called the provision, which requires nine states, mostly in the South, to get federal permission before changing voting procedures, a “perpetuation of racial entitlement.” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. asked a skeptical question about whether people in the South are more racist than those in the North. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy asked how much longer Alabama must live “under the trusteeship of the United States government.”

So in a few months even that protection will be lost.  This will not mean that minorities will be disenfranchised.  Instead minority voters and voters who favor Democrats will be packed into federal and state and local districts where they will be able to win a few seats in the legislative bodies by huge majorities, but they will have no influence or power or control in the legislative bodies.   This will leave the Republican voters to be spread out in the swing districts, turning them into reliable Republican districts. 

All of this will work towards the Republican goal of fixing the Electoral College so that Republicans can take electoral votes in Democratic states, and not give up Democratic electoral votes in Republican states.  Really, Republican are very good at fixing the system in their favor, and soon they will be given even more freedom to do so.

Proof Positive That Working in the Nixon Administration Leaves People Totally Clueless

How Can People This Stupid Even Have $500 million?

Former Nixon Commerce Secretary Pete Peterson is very rich man with an obsession.  The obsession is balancing the Federal budget.  He has apparently spent a lot of money on his obsession.

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Taegan Goddard's Political WireFebruary 28, 2013

Spending to Reduce Spending

Former Nixon Commerce Secretary Pete Peterson tells Businessweek that he's already spent $500 million -- half of his fortune -- on the cause of deficit reduction.

So, how that’s working out, deficit wise?

Think the So-Called Sequester Is Going to Happen - Think Again

Washington Doesn’t Work That Way

The big news in Washington, which has little or no notice in the rest of the nation is that automatic spending cuts known as the ‘Sequester’ will start because Republicans feel it is in their best political interests to allow them to happen.

As the president and Congressional Democrats have tried to force Mr. Boehner back to the table for talks to head off the automatic budget cuts set to take effect on Friday, Mr. Boehner has instead dug in deeper, refusing to even discuss an increase in revenue and insisting in his typical colorful language that it was time for the Senate to produce a measure aimed at the cuts.

 The Democrats and the President, to their credit, have been arguing the case to modify the cuts based on sound economic policy, but for Republicans politics trumps everything, so no deal.

While the frustrations of Congressional Democrats and Mr. Obama with Mr. Boehner are reaching a fever pitch, House Republicans could not be more pleased with their leader.

“We asked him to commit to us that when the cuts actually came on March 1, that he would stand firm and not give in, and he’s holding to that,” said Representative Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana and chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee. “I think Friday will be an important day that shows we’re finally willing to stand and fight for conservative principles and force Washington to start living within its means. And that will be a big victory.”

The cuts will take place gradually, and in a great amount of irony will be felt in places like Virginia and Texas, states whose Conservatives claim that they have had economic success unrelated to Federal spending, and who will now suffer job losses and lower economic activity precisely because of a lack of Federal spending.

But no one should imagine that the cuts will be permanent.  Most if not all will be restored, in a very stealthy process where lobbyists confront the Congress to enact small changes, all of which will add up to a restoration.  In the mean time Republicans can enjoy their so-called victory, and they can remind people who lose their jobs and their health care that they, Republicans, are responsible.  But then they were never going to get the vote of those people who just live off the government anyway, were they?

Detroit To Get Czar Appointed by State to Run City – Will Have Complete Control

An Awful But Apparently Necessary Action

The city of Detroit is a fine place, but it has been the victim of terrible municipal leaders and an economic downturn.  Together these things have joined with an increasing need for the city to spend money supporting its growing population of low income resident to produce a fiscal disaster.

The city tried tochnage by electing former NBA star Dave Bing as a mayor, and this honest and seemingly competent individual made a major effort to fix things.  But the problems were too great, the city too poor, the populace too divided to make headway.  So the result is this.

Last week, a state review team concluded Detroit's financial crisis requires state intervention "because no satisfactory plan exists to resolve a serious financial problem."

The review team found Detroit's cash-flow deficit is nearly $100 million. That's on top of an accumulated deficit of $327 million. The city also has $14.9 billion worth of unfunded pension and employment retirement liabilities, according to the review team report. In five years, it needs $1.9 billion to begin making payments on the debt.

As a result the Republican Governor will recommend a financial overseer with almost total power to operate the city and usurp the role and authority of locally elected officials.  These officials and their allies are justifiably upset.

"When times are tough, it is especially important that decisions are made democratically and locally," the metro Detroit AFL-CIO said in a statement. "Today's announcement by Governor Snyder recommending an emergency manager does a disservice to every Detroit citizen. It will lead to cuts in vital services, which will benefit out of town creditors and make our communities less livable."

Earlier, Detroit City Council members called the decision to appoint an emergency manager premature and said they are doing everything they can to avert the takeover. "It would be irresponsible for us to not provide some response," Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said of a plan council members are compiling to send to Snyder." If they don't accept it, they don't accept it. We have to do everything we can to try to stop (emergency management) from happening."

and the critics are correct, this is a horribly undemocratic act.  But critics are complaining on philosophical grounds and none of them have an answer to the real question, how to get Detroit on some type of fiscal stability. 

No, it is not the fault of the victims here, victims are rarely at fault.  But that does not mean they will not have to suffer, because this appears to be the only alternative. 

Mitt Romney Emerges to Do a Fox News Interview

And Here It Is – So You Don’t Have to Watch It

There has been little news from the Mitt Romney camp these days.  Mr. Romney is destined to joint the ranks of another former Governor of Massachusetts and failed Presidential candidate, Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis as an obscure, small, little noticed public figure.  But before he goes Mr. Romney is going to show the Profiles in Courage he showed during the campaign and undergo what is surely going to be a hard hitting interview with Fox News.

This interview is entirely predictable, in fact, in order to lure viewers Fox News will intersperse the programs with real broadcasts of a softball game, and any viewer who can tell which is which wins a free Sean Hannity doll.  But even with that incentive most if not all Americans will want to turn to something else.  So as a public service here is what the interview is likely to be like.

Fox News:  Thank you for joining us Mr. Romney and taking time from  your busy schedule

Mitt Romney:  Well I have to get back to making money, you know, my real passion. 

Fox News:  So what have you been doing since the election?

Mitt Romney:  I have joined a number of corporate boards, the kind where all I have to do is attend a meeting and get paid several hundred thousand a year.  And earlier this year I took several trips to visit my money in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

Fox News:  What about politics?

Mitt Romney:  What about it?

Fox News:  Don’t you have views on the current state of affairs?

Mitt Romney:  Well I do know that unlike Mr. Obama if I had been elected I would have had my first priority as cutting taxes for people like me instead of trying to get jobs and economic growth.  And instead of working to reduce the amount of assault weapons in this country I would have worked to make sure everyone had an assault weapon.  Finally I would have used executive orders to make sure the maximum number of low income people would have been kept off of Medicaid. Low income people don't belong on Medicaid or deserve it.

Fox News:  Well those are great ideas, although you should know Medicaid was specifically designed for low income people.  But it's too bad you weren’t elected.  Do you feel you were cheated out of the Presidency?

Mitt Romney:  Yes, if those states that voted for Mr. Obama had been forced to split their electoral votes and give me some I could have won.  I think the Founding Fathers wanted Republicans to get some electoral college votes from states where Democrats won, without giving Democrats any electoral college votes where Republicans won.  That’s the American way.

Fox News:  Do you feel the 47% did you in?

Mitt Romney:  Absolutely, people who take from the government, people who get Social Security and Medicare, and who get help with college and free birth control pills and who drive on public highways instead of using corporate jets like the rest of us do, those people were bought by Mr. Obama and the big government folks.

Fox News:  How big a surprise was it that the best candidate did not win?

Mitt Romney:  I was very surprised, every NFL team owner, every NASCAR team owner and everyone at the club said they were going to vote for me.  In fact everyone I pal around with said they and their friends would vote for me.  I don’t understand it, maybe they got confused or maybe the voting authorities let other people besides millionaires vote.  If they did, they should not have, that’s voter fraud.

Fox News:  Why do you think African Americans and Hispanic voters deserted you?

Mitt Romney:  I don’t know, I provided a lot of employment for both groups as servants, gardeners and other menial jobs.  Some people are just not grateful.

Fox News:  Do you have any plans for public life?

Mitt Romney:  Yes, I plan to address every hand picked, totally friendly group that I can, as long as that doesn’t interfere with, you know, making more money.  I like the give and take when I am challenged on issues, like should capital gains taxes just be cut or should they be eliminated.

Fox News:  Well thank you for taking time to be with us.  Any plans to go on a real network news show?

Mitt Romney:  You’re joking, right. No, you’re serious.  Well John McCain and Lindsey Graham won’t let me, they say they own those shows and only one failed Republican candidate can be on, and that’s McCain.  They did say I could do the Mickey Mouse Club, and I thought they were joking but they meant this show.

The Height of Elitism – Supreme Court Justices Think the American Public is Too Stupid to Understand how the Supreme Court Works

Actually, Read Some Opinions and Then Everyone Can See Who is Stupid

Video presentation of oral arguments before the Supreme Court have been proposed, and have been rejected by the Court.  It is easy to see why, the Justices often engage in questions and conversations which would be embarrassing to them.  And then there is Justice Thomas who just sits there.

Now several newer members of the Court, Justices who were previously in favor of televising the oral arguments have changed their minds.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, populist, revealed a paternalistic streak this month, announcing that she had rethought her enthusiasm for video coverage of Supreme Court arguments.

The reason the Justice changed is quite revealing,

“I don’t think most viewers take the time to actually delve into either the briefs or the legal arguments to appreciate what the court is doing,” she said. “They speculate about, oh, the judge favors this point rather than that point. Very few of them understand what the process is, which is to play devil’s advocate.”

And another Justice joins her.

The court’s newest member, Justice Elena Kagan, has also done an about-face. At her confirmation hearings in 2010, she said video coverage “would be a great thing for the institution, and more important, I think it would be a great thing for the American people.” Two years later, she said she now had “a few worries, including that people might play to the camera” and that the footage could be misused.

Now arrogance is an intangible item, but one can almost see and touch and feel the arrogance that is dripping from the mouths of these Justices and the other members of the Court who feel Americans are just to dumb, just too stupid and just to ignorant to understand what the great and mighty Supreme Court does.

Here’s a hint Justices, it’s called Democracy.  Really, think about it.  The American people understand it, why don’t you?

Strange Case of Oyster Farm in California – Are Some Environmentalists Too Aggressive?

What Exactly is the Problem Here?

A large oyster farming operation in California may have to close if the Department of the Interior has its way.  And the conflict exposes a  critical issue for those dedicated to environmentalism. In their admirable zeal to protect, defend and improve natural conditions are they going to far?  Here is the situation.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth District, in San Francisco, ruled that the Drakes Bay Oyster Company, which was scheduled to shut down in mid-March, could remain open until the court decided whether the company’s lawsuit challenging its eviction from the park could move forward. . . .

The farm’s 40-year lease to operate in Point Reyes, which was turned into a park in 1962 and parts of which Congress later mandated be designated as wilderness, expired last year. In November, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar ended the lease as originally planned so the area could be returned to wilderness status, pleasing environmental groups like the Sierra Club.

So the area was to be turned back into a wilderness, which was apparently known, but the oyster farm is not only not environmentally destructive, but actually environmentally helpful in that oyster help strain and purify a water area.  There is also the added benefits of employment and, well oysters.

Heidi Schumann for The New York Times

Workers harvesting oysters for the Drakes Bay Oyster Company at its farm at Point Reyes National Seashore, near San Francisco.

There is a legal issue here, but the real question is why a compromise of some sort cannot be worked out.  After all, the environment is not at risk.  And maybe the environmental movement can win by losing, that is, get even greater support if it is shown to be rational and reasonable rather than unyielding and strident, even if they are in the right.