Giving each other the finger

The Capital is aflutter with the pointing of fingers as our august group of legislators down in Washington do one of the few things they are actually good at--CYA. The latest "crisis" has them blaming each other for the fundamental defects of deal making because Senator Snowe from Maine lobbied to remove Flu preparedness money from the Porkulus bill.

Her argument is that that particular 878 million didn't belong in the bill. You have to wonder why that was all she found wrong with it. But then, you don’t. As it was, she was just looking for a way to vote yes in the face of unified opposition from the GOP. Notice I didn't say "her own party."

But the (R) is apparently more important than the voting record, so there are liberal bloggers who are blaming her and the entire GOP for the exclusion of the Flu funding. No word on whether they also blame the democrat she co-authored the deal with, or the entire democrat Senate that couldn’t wait to vote for it after the funding was removed. (Or the president for signing it.)

Also no details on whether then Republican Arlen Specter, whose defection also made the deal law, who now realizes he's a Democrat, should also be blamed and if so because he was a Republican voting with Democrats or because he's a democrat who voted like a republican voting with the democrats. Let’s face it. If they actually voted no, there would be NO stimulus. That makes Specter and Snowe part of the party of yes. Yes, lets waste billions no matter what’s in it or not in it, and blame someone else if we forgot something in our mad rush to pass the damn bill.

Clearly 17 hours wasn't long enough to get it right. Whatever the case the donkeys are “bleating” from their eyes...

"It is a shame that in the face of a potential global flu epidemic, Republican members of Congress dubbed this funding as 'reckless spending,'" Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said in a statement.

"Not only is pandemic preparation essential to any responsible plan for renewing the U.S. economy, but to the world's overall public health."

The advocacy group Americans United for Change, in a statement, also questioned whether congressional Republicans are having any regrets about stripping the money.

"Will the Party of No stop insisting on the failed economic policies of the past and at least try not to make things worse?" Tom McMahon, acting director of the group, wrote.

Then there’s Democrat Chuck Schumer, pretending to be fiscally prudent.

"All those little porky things that the House put in, the money for the (National) Mall or the sexually transmitted diseases or the flu pandemic, they're all out," Schumer said in February.

No word yet on his complicity.  Has he also joined the party of No, or was he just advocating for wasting tax dollars at a less rapid pace for political reasons once he realized it was the only way he'd see the Bill on Obama's desk?  Does he get a free pass?

Not enough people probably care to ask. No one in the media will make much of it, that’s certain.

All that's important is that the very liberal senator from Maine has a (R) next to her name. 

So now the prevailing winds will have additional flu preparedness funds popping up in every piece of legislation imaginable, like weeds in your springtime lawn. One can only guess how many billions will be required, and what strings will be attached. But whatever the case, Washington will do its best to give us the fiscal finger, praying on the crisis theory of government to finance who knows what next, while ignoring the greater problem.  That their desire to do something, to appear to be doing anything, creates more problems than it solves.  But as long as they can blame a Republican, even a RINO like Snowe, there is no incentive for them change.

Has the media lost it's mind?

The WHO update this morning puts the number of actual cases of Swine Flu globally, (H1N1, the ungulate encouraged ailment incursion or pig borne disaster, another "opportunity to be taken advantage of,"and so on) at 331, (109 in the US) with two possible cases in New Hampshire as of last night.  On the whole of Mother Earth there are11 confirmed deaths, (only 1 death in the US).

But the number of people who have gone off the deep end is in the millions. So is it justified?

Let’s put it in perspective. 117 people die in America every day in car accidents and no one really notices—except the victims, their families, and friends. That’s about 43,000 people a year on average for at least the past 20 years in America alone. It is the number one killer of Americans aged 3-30 annually since at least 2003. A clear case of "its about the children" completely ignored if ever I heard one.  Does it get much press?  Comparatively no.  Why?  It's too day to day.  It's tragic and pervasive, but apparently not epidemic.

Approximately 36,000 people die from the flu annually. That’s the regular flu. Same scenario.  Women and minorities are not hardest hit.  It's tragic, but its vanilla.

Then we get Swine Flu.  Yes, Janet Napolitano, you can kiss my backside.  Its Swine Frikkin Flu.  media frenzy.  Even Paris Hilton is pissed that she's loosing face time, and it's because when it comes to reality television, this is the big enchilada, or is it?

While it’s important to be sensitive to the risks, if we didn't have 50,000 news and quasi-news portals and no one knew, would the risk be greater?  You'd think so.  But no one I know is really acting all that concerned, despite the news blitz.  Maybe it's because we have no confirmed cases?

Without belabouring the point, where do you land on the crisis overkill-meter when it comes to this--outbreak?  Is this just too much news?  Is it being overplayed (in the US at least) as cover for something else? Is it evidence that the crisis culture has consumed the media and America, any combination of all these factors, or is there a very real risk and this is a suitable response by all the players?

Steven J. Connolly-I did not delete your comment

Just wanted to make it official.

You had a fantastic reply to my "Place your Bets" post, and while I disagree with you on the issue, it was still well thought out and well written.

The next day, 4-26-09, I responded.

Yesterday I received a message indicating that that comment had been deleted.  (It went to an email account I don't check often--the message was sent to me on Sunday and I read it Wednesday night.)

Your remarks concerned me so I checked it out. (You'll understand why in a moment)

Both comments were still there.  

Understand that I will never delete or alter a comments intent.  But I do reserve the right to change bad language at my discretion.  If the language or content is so offensive as to be unsalvageable, I will replace all the bad words with XXXX's and let you guys try to figure out the point of it all. 

That has always been my policy and it always will be.  And I have that policy because I have been graced with a soap box from which to make my thoughts known; I believe that you have as much right to comment on those thoughts as I do to post them. 

I'm not looking to sing to the choir.

So please, if for any reason you, or anyone else, finds their comment has been deleted or altered, (forgiving the above exception for language) please contact the Webmaster or myself right away. 

Thank you.

Bathroom bill Flushed

The New Hampshire Senate voted 24-0 today to kill a bill that would have modified the existing anti-discrimination language to account for gender expression.

HB415, the notorious 'bathroom bill,' made big waves across tiny minds in the liberal toilet bowl, and harsh (and justified) criticism from opponents, myself included.

Of course Barrington Democrat Jackie Cilley had some words for the Republican efforts against it.

"To those among you who repeatedly used the label the bathroom bill…and failed to tell the whole story and failed to tell the whole truth, I say you are not journalists, you are merely stenographers for your ignorance, hatred and discrimination," Cilley declared.

Nice outrage.  Too bad its ignorant and arrogant.  Here' a woman who has no idea what the real purpose of government is.

So what's next? 

Rep Vanilla Ice is proposing a bill that would permit special considerations based on race and color expression.  The legislation would permit men of no color who felt that they were actually born more in touch with the plight of black urban youth, to apply for benefits under federal affirmative action legislation; for college admissions, federal grants, and special loans from the government or stressed banks pressured to lend to people who have outstanding issues with "income expression."

NH State Senator Cilley pointed out that if they were permitted to roll in gender expression, an issue near and dear to her heart, confused white men would have complete access to every available grant, including those for black women, and particularly those intersted in starting a business. 

Deliberation is pending.

Garcia stomps DiFruscia....I mean Murray.

Tony DiFruscia (Undecided-Salem) may have lost some sleep last night.  DiFruscia is a pro-tax, big spending former Republican who is still a Republican--even though he used to be a democrat--but now wants to be an independent.  Tony's bi-polar (tri-polar?) disorder fits nicely with his political infidelity issues.  He likes to cheat on his own party by supporting opposing candidates.  I'm not sure whose back you can stab as an independent but I'm sure he's worked that out. 

Whatever the case, his support for Democrat Murray did no good at all as former House rep Merilinda Garcia dispatched Murray with a 2050 to 1250 victory in the Rockingham 4 special election to win back a seat in the legislature.

Garcia won on her merits and amessage of low taxes, responsible budgets, and less intrusive government, at a time in our states history when these things are hard to find in a House full of budget busting donkeys.   And the 60-40 win, a perfect follow-up to Jeb Bradleys thrashing of Bud Martin 7 days earlier, ought to send a message to the twitter-heads at the NHDP.

What is it?  It's those damn tea parties isn't it?

For Garcia, the victory is well earned.  She worked hard and ran a great campaign, one that is likely to be repeated right up to 2010.  That's when we unhinge the democrat majority from our state budget and restore order to the House.