Tag: politics
Alfred E. Obama: What, Me Worry?
Obama administration appeals oil drilling ruling
The Obama administration has appealed a judge’s ruling that the law requires them to issue oil drilling permits.
The Obama administration has appealed a judge’s ruling that the law requires them to issue oil drilling permits.
Drillers will stop injections for fear of earthquakes in Arkansas
Two drill companies will temporarily cease work in Arkansas to see if this action will cause the recent swarms of earthquakes there to ease.
Two drill companies will temporarily cease work in Arkansas to see if this action will cause the recent swarms of earthquakes there to ease.
Los Angeles suburb fires almost half its government workforce
A Los Angeles suburb has laid off almost half its government workforce in an effort to stave off bankruptcy.
A Los Angeles suburb has laid off almost half its government workforce in an effort to stave off bankruptcy.
Texas Legislation Proposes Felony Charges for TSA Agents
Go Texas! Legislators there have proposed making it a felony for TSA agents to perform full-body patdowns without cause. They have also introduced legislation that would make the body scan equipment illegal.
Go Texas! Legislators there have proposed making it a felony for TSA agents to perform full-body patdowns without cause. They have also introduced legislation that would make the body scan equipment illegal.
Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move
Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move. This article is a nice summary of the present situation in Wisconsin.
Walker notifies unions of layoffs, but gives Democrats 15 days to reverse move. This article is a nice summary of the present situation in Wisconsin.
The future of NASA’s planetary program does not look good
Due to the budget situation, it appears that planetary scientists have scaled back their plans for future NASA missions to other planets.
We will know more on Monday, when the planetary community releases its much awaited decadal survey, outlining their recommendations for the next decade.
Due to the budget situation, it appears that planetary scientists have scaled back their plans for future NASA missions to other planets.
We will know more on Monday, when the planetary community releases its much awaited decadal survey, outlining their recommendations for the next decade.
Democrat state lawmakers want to ban photography at accident sites
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
Senate Republicans introduce bill to defund public radio and television
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
TSA wants to expand its jurisdiction to searching people on sidewalks
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
Sheriff deputies find live ammunition outside Wisconsin capitol building
The new civility: Sheriff deputies find rounds of live ammunition outside the Wisconsin capitol building.
This is a typical union warning to those whom they dislike. When I was producing non-union movies in New York City back in the 1980s it was not unusual for me to find live rounds appearing in unexpected places on the set.
The new civility: Sheriff deputies find rounds of live ammunition outside the Wisconsin capitol building.
This is a typical union warning to those whom they dislike. When I was producing non-union movies in New York City back in the 1980s it was not unusual for me to find live rounds appearing in unexpected places on the set.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Cutting the federal budget two weeks at a time
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Traffic and more roads
Puncturing the myth that more roads mean more congestion Key quote:
Read enough of these studies and you get a sense that much of the induced-demand hubbub is really a sub rosa extension of the war on the suburbs: Stop highway expansion and you can make life miserable enough for the minivan-driving masses that they’ll move out of their gauche “urban-fringe developments” and back to high-density metropolitan cores, where they belong.
In reading the full essay, I was struck by how much the scientific campaign against road construction reminded me of climategate.
Puncturing the myth that more roads mean more congestion Key quote:
Read enough of these studies and you get a sense that much of the induced-demand hubbub is really a sub rosa extension of the war on the suburbs: Stop highway expansion and you can make life miserable enough for the minivan-driving masses that they’ll move out of their gauche “urban-fringe developments” and back to high-density metropolitan cores, where they belong.
In reading the full essay, I was struck by how much the scientific campaign against road construction reminded me of climategate.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
For 50 Straight Weeks, the Majority Has Supported Repeal
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
Democratic lawmaker threatens female Republican lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”
The civility of a mainstream Democrat lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”
The civility of a mainstream Democrat lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”
India’s space agency gets a 35% hike for 2011
Not all space agencies (think NASA) have budget problems: India has given its space agency ISRO a 35% hike for 2011.
Not all space agencies (think NASA) have budget problems: India has given its space agency ISRO a 35% hike for 2011.
A round-up of state efforts to balance their overdrawn budgets
I have mostly focused on the federal budget battles. However, Wisconsin highlights how the same battle is going on at the state level. Here is a round-up of the state budget efforts under several Republican administrations, put forth by a California newspaper (located in a Democrat-run state with its own budget problems).
I have mostly focused on the federal budget battles. However, Wisconsin highlights how the same battle is going on at the state level. Here is a round-up of the state budget efforts under several Republican administrations, put forth by a California newspaper (located in a Democrat-run state with its own budget problems).
Senate Democrats express support for the most recent House Republican proposal
Have the Democrats blinked? Senate Democrats have expressed support for the most recent House Republican proposal, a short-term continuing resolution that cuts $4 billion for its two week span and terminates 8 programs outright. A lot more details here, including a program-by-program breakdown of the cuts. Key quote:
Republicans have made abundantly clear that they wish to avoid a government shutdown, as have Democrats to a degree, though for the most part they [the Democrats] have spent the last few weeks preemptively blaming Republicans for a shutdown, while at the same time failing to produce a single piece of legislation that would prevent one.
Have the Democrats blinked? Senate Democrats have expressed support for the most recent House Republican proposal, a short-term continuing resolution that cuts $4 billion for its two week span and terminates 8 programs outright. A lot more details here, including a program-by-program breakdown of the cuts. Key quote:
Republicans have made abundantly clear that they wish to avoid a government shutdown, as have Democrats to a degree, though for the most part they [the Democrats] have spent the last few weeks preemptively blaming Republicans for a shutdown, while at the same time failing to produce a single piece of legislation that would prevent one.
Another climategate whitewash
The inspector general of the Department of Commerce has just issued a review of NOAA’s response to the climategate emails and has essentially given the agency a clean bill of health. You can download the full report here [pdf].
It’s. just. another. whitewash. Let me quote just one part of the report’s summary, referring to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to NOAA in June 2007 in which the agency responded by saying they had no such documents:
» Read more
The squealing of a former Bush science administrator
The cries and squeals are now coming from all sides: A former undersecretary for Science in the Energy Department during the Bush administration, Raymond L. Orbach, has joined the chorus of scientists whining about the House’s proposed cuts. [His full editorial, available here as a pdf, can only be downloaded if you subscribe to Science.]
Like all the other squealers, he admits that “the budget deficit is serious.” Nonetheless, the idea of cutting his pet science programs remains unacceptable.
It is when I read stuff like this that feel the situation is most hopeless. Is there no one willing to accept the reality that if we don’t start gaining some control over the federal budget the country will go bankrupt and we will not be able to afford anything?
Instead, all I hear are cries of “Cut! Cut! But don’t cut my program!”
U.S. Conference of Mayors attack House spending cuts
The squealing of mayors: the U.S. Conference of Mayors attack the proposed House spending cuts.
The squealing of mayors: the U.S. Conference of Mayors attack the proposed House spending cuts.
Obamacare “has already yielded profound, destructive changes that will not be undone by repeal or defunding alone.”
E.P.A. Scales Back Emission Rules
O joy. The EPA today issued revised, scaled back regulations for commercial-grade boilers and incinerators.
O joy. The EPA today issued revised, scaled back regulations for commercial-grade boilers and incinerators.
“Hell yeah, shut down the government if you have to.”
Indiana attorney general fires deputy over ‘live ammunition’ tweets aimed at Wisconsin protestors
The right response to violent rhetoric: The Indiana attorney general has fired his deputy for suggesting that the police use “live ammunition” on the Wisconsin union protesters.
The right response to violent rhetoric: The Indiana attorney general has fired his deputy for suggesting that the police use “live ammunition” on the Wisconsin union protesters.
Gingrich questioned about his extramartial affairs
Gingrich was pressed yesterday about his extramartial affairs by a forum audience member.
Gingrich was pressed yesterday about his extramartial affairs by a forum audience member.
Why the Democrats might be making the wrong assumptions about a government shutdown
Why the Democrats might be making the wrong assumptions about a government shutdown. Key quote:
In many ways, 1995 was the last year of the old media world. It was the year before the launch of FOX News and the year before the Internet exploded into American life. The three broadcast television networks and the major newspapers still had a stranglehold on political news in 1995. Shaping the public narrative would be much harder for Democrats in today’s more diffuse and more balanced media world.
Why the Democrats might be making the wrong assumptions about a government shutdown. Key quote:
In many ways, 1995 was the last year of the old media world. It was the year before the launch of FOX News and the year before the Internet exploded into American life. The three broadcast television networks and the major newspapers still had a stranglehold on political news in 1995. Shaping the public narrative would be much harder for Democrats in today’s more diffuse and more balanced media world.