Seven paragraphs in, we learn that up in the birthplace of resistance to Gun Control in America, they’re considering a fine on driving to fund bloated government money sinks (a.k.a. the Big Dig) after the fact.
The state would work to implement a pay-per-mile system by 2014 to eliminate tolls inside of Route 128. Officials would track auto use through a chip inside the state’s vehicle inspection sticker. Drivers could get a gas tax refund to avoid double billing.
Oh, joy, they’re going to track you via your own license plate and a microchip, then bill you at a rate they decide is appropriate for funding a project they couldn’t afford, that has already killed two people. I wonder how popular devices like this will become if this goes into effect.
Snowflakes in Hell calls it a Bump on the Road: Second Circuit to Second Amendment: Drop Dead. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals (New York, Connecticut, Vermont) has ruled that “only certain provisions of the Bill of Rights apply to the states, and the Second Amendment is one of those that does not…”
I’m curious to know two things. First, what other provisions of the Bill of Rights does the 2nd Circus think don’t apply to the states?
Second, what’s all the fuss about? Let’s examine the text of the amendment:
A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.
It seems to me that the restrictive clause is general in nature, not specific as it is in the First Amendment (Congress shall make no law…). Therefore, since it can’t be determined who is being restricted, it follows that all are restricted – that is, the Second Amendment is self-incorporating.
So why was the case brought in the first place? Oh, that’s right. Unelected judges are the new arbiters of our rights, even though individual oppression may now and then proceed from the courts of justice, the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from that quarter. So we have to run all our rights by them before we can exercise them. Remember that.
Mike Huckabee sent out a letter to his PAC the other day. In part, it read thusly:
The dust is settling on the “bipartisan” stimulus bill and one thing is clear: it is anti-religious.
Yes, both the House and Senate bills have a provision that prohibits federal dollars for higher education construction grants to be used for
“…modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities?–?used for sectarian instruction, religious worship…or a school or department of divinity; or in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission.”
Uh, Mike? Since when is it good for people who want conservatives in office to imply that they aren’t getting a large enough share of the gov’t fleecing operation? This is one reason why Republicans are on the losing end of recent elections.
John Edwards was right, there are Two Americas. One wants the government to provide everything, the other is the Leave Us the Hell Alone Caucus, which wants government to, in the words of John Galt, “Get the hell out of my way.” Anyone in the middle tends to be caught between their own contradictory opinions, at times complaining about the overly large size of the fleecing or alternately, whining about not getting a share.
Lets just be sure to identify Mike H. as being in the middle, where he thinks the consequential voters are.
Tomorrow it will have been a week since an Obama nominee withdrew due to tax issues, and given that four of them have been touched by that plague I suppose the week is worth noting. One wonders just how much animosity there is between the Clinton and Obama wings of the party – does BHO really abhor the Clintons so much that he won’t even learn from their mistakes? Remember, it was Clinton who had to try three times to fill the Attorney General position, after Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood pulled out for not paying taxes for their illegal immigrant nannies.
But to be as fair as possible, I can see why Daschle didn’t report his car as income. After all, it’s a CAR, not a paycheck. The tax code is too complicated if it considers physical objects that aren’t legal tender as income. Seriously, it’s not as if he received the car as payment or recompense for something he did.
Right?
Anyway, he should have pulled out as just about everyone above the pay grade of janitor knows that the employer is responsible for paying the employment retirement fine, aka the Employer Social Security Contribution, in this case for the driver. I suppose it’s a quiet elevator ride if he’s ever in the same car as Tim Geithner, though. But for his sake, he’s better off as a consultant to a lobbying firm anyway. After all, once the Democrats reallocate the House’s apportionment to steal seats from Red states, he can come in and intimidate enough senators to vote for him – maybe he can even get John Thune to vote for him. After a first term, I’m sure President Obama can impress upon the HHS Secretary that it’s Daschle’s turn to screw the American public.
But before he gets to that point, Barack Obama has to get past THE CRISIS, aka the current bankruptcy emergency of the United States. He claims that a failure to act “could turn a crisis into a catastrophe.”
Ahem. You propose to increment almost THIRTEEN of those digits, but failing to do so would be a catastrophe? What do you define as ‘catastrophe’, sir? The failure of banks? Or the failure of politicians to mortgage the future of our country to foreigners stupid enough to buy our debt certificates masquerading as money?
Lessee, lessee, catastrophe. Ah, here it is: A final event; conclusion; generally, an unfortunate conclusion, calamity, or disaster.
What, Mr. President, do you foresee coming to an end? The banking system, where people’s money is lent out without telling them who receives it or receiving their input, and they are paid fractions of a penny for every dollar loaned? Or do you foresee the end of your party’s hold on power, as people incapable of relying on their own talents for employment blame the government for not coming to their rescue, and turn you and yours out of office?
Seems its more the former than the latter (listen around 3 minutes in). Now remember, in order for the government to spend money, they either have to (a) take it from someone else at the point of a lawyer or a gun, or (b) create it out of thin air, robbing a portion of each dollar held in private hands. For Obama to spend all that money, they must steal from you, either today through taxes or tomorrow through inflation. Even if they recognized that your money is not theirs, don’t think they would give it back. Remember, these people think they know how to spend your money better than you do. Don’t expect them to come riding over the hill Cavalry-style to save your sorry behind. Expect them to do whatever they want with it.
So how does all this come together? In a big ugly nasty furball. Remember the history of the American Revolution – economic oppression for paying debts, coupled to nonrepresentation in the halls of government led to very bad things for the British.
Lord Percy and Major Pitcairn would be holding giant STOP signs today, standing athwart the tracks of history.
(posthumous)
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 29 September 1902, Selma, Ala. Appointed from: Louisiana. Other Navy award: Navy Cross with one gold star. Citation: For distinguished gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Growler during her Fourth War Patrol in the Southwest Pacific from 10 January to 7 February 1943. Boldly striking at the enemy in spite of continuous hostile air and antisubmarine patrols, Comdr. Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another by torpedo fire, successfully evading severe depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the Growler. Comdr. Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side at 11 knots and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat’s heavy machineguns, Comdr. Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Struck down by the fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final living moments, Comdr. Gilmore gave his last order to the officer of the deck, “Take her down.” The Growler dived; seriously damaged but under control, she was brought safely to port by her well-trained crew inspired by the courageous fighting spirit of their dead captain.
There’s a good argument about the financial meltdown that needs to be addressed. On the one hand, there are pundits like Glenn Beck who are warning about massive inflation just around the corner. On the other hand, there are pundits who say that we are in a deflationary period and we need to worry about that instead.
One question arises that most who believe the inflation argument can’t seem to answer: if the Fed is pumping all this money into the system, why isn’t it showing up in prices? Well, the short answer is that the banks are hoarding it to keep their balance sheets from impersonating the Titanic. The longer answer, backed up by an economist with an actual Ph.D. can be found here. Gary North does a fine job of explaining the deeper reasons why the banks aren’t lending the money, and why they will in the future, leading to serious (>10%) inflation.
Where do I stand on the issue? I ask the question in a different light: when has printing money not backed by gold and/or silver led to lower prices? Look for serious inflation in the future.
Well, that was embarrassing. Imagine waking up this morning as a member of that team, having given a performance like that. I’m telling you, I’d be shamed to work for Pepsi or GoDaddy today, after yesterday’s performance.
Then there’s the Cardinals. Gah.
The refs showed more yellow last night than a French soldier on the battlefield, and with good reason. I lost count of how many holding calls there were, but at least there were mercifully few false starts. The Steelers started making mistreaks too, but too late in the game and too few to significantly affect the score. Not so with the Cardinals; they gave up nearly a whole field length.
In the end, however, it was a good game that kept your attention. I’m glad the referees took the time to examine the close calls, especially the late touchdowns. Pittsburgh earned it, and they are to be congratulated.
And the Cardinals need to start the next season by firing/trading everyone who got a holding call last night.
The sun’s o’ercast with blood: fair day, adieu!
Which is the side that I must go withal?
I am with both: each army hath a hand;
And in their rage, I having hold of both,
They swirl asunder and dismember me…
Whoever wins, on that side shall I lose
Assured loss before the match be play’d.
lady Blanche in King John, Shakespeare
Margaret Gage was the wife of General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts and a British Commander during the Revolution. During his time as governor, he planned the raid on Concord that turned into a rout. He told two people of his plans, Francis Smith (field commander of the expedition) and his wife, Margaret.
It is suspected that Margaret’s loyalties, divided between the land of her birth and England, drove her to sympathize with the American colonists and become the intelligence source Dr. Prescott relied on when he told Paul Revere of the raid scheduled for the next day.
As Margaret was with her country, so am I with today’s game. Do I root for the team I’ve admired for so long (the Steelers) or do I go with my home team, who hasn’t won anything, ever?
Well, I can look to history as a guide, or I can take a look at who’s rooting for whom. Lessee, it is a well known fact that Rush Limbaugh likes the Steelers, and apparently, so does Barack Obama.
Best go with the team Margaret Gage would have rooted for – the home team Cardinals. Does it bode well that the Colonists won the Battle of Lexington and Concord, or am I stretching things?