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Constitutional Fix to Overspending | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Tea Party members are going to be very unhappy. Many of the new members of the House and Senate that the Tea Party helped elect are already becoming part of the political class, as evidenced by their votes for continued farm subsidies, refusals to put reasonable limits on the growth of the food-stamp program, support for unaccountable international organizations, and on and on. Members of Congress vote for unjustified spending because they think the recipients will reward them with campaign contributions and praise while the majority of the electorate will never notice."
"The answer is to make it more difficult for the political class to spend and tax as much as it does but not make it so restrictive that government cannot spend sufficient funds on what is generally believed to be a constitutional and appropriate function of government. This can be accomplished best by having a constitutional amendment that requires both houses of Congress to pass all tax and spending bills with a supermajority — two-thirds of each chamber might be appropriate.
There already are many supermajority requirements, such as overrides of vetoes, so no new ground is being broken. In practice, what this would mean is that the special interests who want more spending or taxing will have a more difficult time rounding up the required numbers of votes, which means they will fail more often — all to the good. The supermajority requirement is not a panacea but will make it easier to reduce excessive spending and destructive deficits."
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Hoarding cited in Pa. seizure of 185 Chihuahuas | Fox News
Hoarding cited in Pa. seizure of 185 Chihuahuas | Fox News: "Veterinarians who checked the Chihuahuas — plus two other dogs that were also removed from the residence — found no serious health issues, only minor eye, teeth and skin problems.
The dogs wagged their tails when visitors approached their crates and apparently came from a loving home, officials said.
"The owners were telling us their names as we were tagging them," said Nicole Bucher, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture.
The dogs in the freezer, which included adults and puppies, apparently died of natural causes and the owners said they planned to cremate them, Bucher said.
"They weren't killed," she said."
So the dogs were taken care of -- there were just too many?
The dogs wagged their tails when visitors approached their crates and apparently came from a loving home, officials said.
"The owners were telling us their names as we were tagging them," said Nicole Bucher, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture.
The dogs in the freezer, which included adults and puppies, apparently died of natural causes and the owners said they planned to cremate them, Bucher said.
"They weren't killed," she said."
So the dogs were taken care of -- there were just too many?
Gov't acknowledges one-time surveillance problem | Fox News
Gov't acknowledges one-time surveillance problem | Fox News: "the Obama administration acknowledged Friday that the government's surveillance efforts have exceeded legal limits on at least one occasion."
"Will the response be just? Will it be the same as if a private person made the same admission?"
"Will the response be just? Will it be the same as if a private person made the same admission?"
Obama, Romney views have evolved toward gun rights | Fox News
Obama, Romney views have evolved toward gun rights | Fox News: "As they expressed shock and sorrow over the bloodshed at a Colorado movie theater, neither [President Barack Obama nor Republican challenger Mitt Romney] suggested that tougher gun control could make a difference, a notion that has faded from political debate."
Free Speech Codes on Campus: Political correctness run amok? | Fox News
Free Speech Codes on Campus: Political correctness run amok? | Fox News: " One stipulation in the code requires that students may only "express opinions" within a free speech zone"
"if you want to tell your friend that you think it's hot outside, you have to go to the zone to do it"
"IUS's code also requires university approval for acts of 'expressed opinions' by submitting an application at least five days in advance.
But the school defended the speech code, expressing concern the exercise of First Amendment rights outside designated zones could disrupt others' pursuit of an education."
"if you want to tell your friend that you think it's hot outside, you have to go to the zone to do it"
"IUS's code also requires university approval for acts of 'expressed opinions' by submitting an application at least five days in advance.
But the school defended the speech code, expressing concern the exercise of First Amendment rights outside designated zones could disrupt others' pursuit of an education."
Friday, July 20, 2012
Boston mayor vows to keep Chick-fil-A out of city | Fox News
Boston mayor vows to keep Chick-fil-A out of city | Fox News: "Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald on Thursday that he doesn't want a business in the city "that discriminates against a population."
Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press this week that his privately owned company is "guilty as charged" in support of what he called the biblical definition of the family.
The fast-food chicken sandwich chain later said that it strives to "treat every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.""
So the Mayor will discriminate against at company that he thinks discriminates but actually just disagrees!
Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press this week that his privately owned company is "guilty as charged" in support of what he called the biblical definition of the family.
The fast-food chicken sandwich chain later said that it strives to "treat every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.""
So the Mayor will discriminate against at company that he thinks discriminates but actually just disagrees!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Calif bullet train faces funding, legal challenges | Fox News
Calif bullet train faces funding, legal challenges | Fox News: "$2.6 billion in bonds for construction of the initial 130-mile segment of the bullet train in the Central Valley. The move allows the state to tap $3.2 billion in federal funds for the project."
$44 million dollars/mile!
$44 million dollars/mile!
Texas honor student jailed for truancy likely spent night with 'hard-core' criminals | Fox News
Texas honor student jailed for truancy likely spent night with 'hard-core' criminals | Fox News: "Diane Tran, an 11th-grade honor student at Willis High School near Houston, was sent to jail for 24 hours last Wednesday by Judge Lanny Moriarty and ordered to pay a $100 fine for excessive truancy."
"Tran, who works full-time at a dry-cleaning business and part-time for a wedding planner, has been supporting her brother and sister since her parents separated and her mother moved away."
"the girl likely spent her 24-hour jail sentence at Montgomery County Jail surrounded by suspected murderers, drug addicts and prostitutes.
"It's hard-core," he said of the jail, noting that past clients whom he has defended described it as "the worst experience of their life." "
""If you let one run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them? Let them go, too?" [Judge] Moriarty told the station."
Perish the thought that people will work hard to support their family! We can't have that!
"I think the public policy of making kids attend school is necessary and 24 hours in jail would be pretty minimal and should get the point across," "
The policy is to ensure that children get a good education so it doesn't make sense to punish someone who is doing well in school!
"Tran, who works full-time at a dry-cleaning business and part-time for a wedding planner, has been supporting her brother and sister since her parents separated and her mother moved away."
"the girl likely spent her 24-hour jail sentence at Montgomery County Jail surrounded by suspected murderers, drug addicts and prostitutes.
"It's hard-core," he said of the jail, noting that past clients whom he has defended described it as "the worst experience of their life." "
""If you let one run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them? Let them go, too?" [Judge] Moriarty told the station."
Perish the thought that people will work hard to support their family! We can't have that!
"I think the public policy of making kids attend school is necessary and 24 hours in jail would be pretty minimal and should get the point across," "
The policy is to ensure that children get a good education so it doesn't make sense to punish someone who is doing well in school!
RI MD admits guilt in NY rare-coin case with twist | Fox News
RI MD admits guilt in NY rare-coin case with twist | Fox News: "Still, Weiss was criminally implicated because he believed what he had were illegally obtained coins."
If ignorance of the law isn't a valid reason for breaking the law, why is someone guilty if they incorrectly thought they were breaking the law?
If ignorance of the law isn't a valid reason for breaking the law, why is someone guilty if they incorrectly thought they were breaking the law?
Energy Companies Are Not Sitting on "Inactive" Oil Leases, President Obama | Robert L. Bradley Jr. | Cato Institute: Commentary
Energy Companies Are Not Sitting on "Inactive" Oil Leases, President Obama | Robert L. Bradley Jr. | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Obtaining a lease is just the first step in producing energy, after which companies must obtain exploration and drilling permits. Leases may appear idle — but only because planned exploration and development are being held up by other federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Ocean, Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.
Throughout the pre-leasing, leasing, exploration, drilling, and production processes, companies have to apply for more than 15 permits and comply with more than 90 sets of federal regulations. A permit just approved in Utah, for example, was four and half years in the making. In an earlier report on lease activity, this land would have been considered inactive.
The more the government stalls, the more oil and gas companies pay. Annual rental fees for leased land can now exceed $100,000 annually — and can increase as the lease goes on. This hardly suggests that companies are somehow incited to postpone drilling and production.
Not to worry, leases also include a "use it or lose it" provision to ensure that oil companies promptly return acreage unworthy of development to the government."
Throughout the pre-leasing, leasing, exploration, drilling, and production processes, companies have to apply for more than 15 permits and comply with more than 90 sets of federal regulations. A permit just approved in Utah, for example, was four and half years in the making. In an earlier report on lease activity, this land would have been considered inactive.
The more the government stalls, the more oil and gas companies pay. Annual rental fees for leased land can now exceed $100,000 annually — and can increase as the lease goes on. This hardly suggests that companies are somehow incited to postpone drilling and production.
Not to worry, leases also include a "use it or lose it" provision to ensure that oil companies promptly return acreage unworthy of development to the government."
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