No Runny Eggs

If I had to describe the fishing on Ontario’s Eagle Lake last week in one word, it would be “workman-like”. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative, and neither were the larger fish. Still, the crew limited out on walleye as always, northern for the first time (not that we usually spend any time going after them), and we got a few “bonus” fish (perch and whitefish).

Let’s see; what did I miss the last week?

• JoAnne Kloppenburg actually admitted reality and conceeded on the last day of decision. All but 28 of you were wrong in my little poll on the left side of the page (don’t worry; I was wrong as well – I thought she would go for Grand Theft Courts.
• The ‘Rats were successful in upsetting the one-day Mega Recall, with all 6 elections targeting Senate Republicans happening on 7/12 (or at least primaries on that day), and the 3 potential ones targeting Democrats potentially happening on 7/19, but the Republicans are taking a page out of the DPW playbook and recruiting faux Rats in at least 2 districts where Pubbies are up for recall to extend the clock.

  A fair bit of explanation is required. The faux party candidate gambit was opened by the DPW last year when they tried to squeeze Rep., Bob Ziegelbauer (I-Manitowoc) out of the Legislature after bumrushing him out of their party. The reason why it would extend the clock is, if more than 1 person runs for the Democrat, Republican or Constitution Party nomination (the 3 parties who are eligible to have a state-run primary through 2014), the 7/12 election would be a primary election instead a general election, with the general happening on 8/9.

• The Supreme Court is holding oral arguments on whether to take jurisdiction of the budget-repair/bargaining-limiting bill today. As WTMJ’s Jeff Wagner (a former assistant US attorney) noted, one could go broke very quickly by predicting what will happen, but since I don’t have a lot of money anyway, I’ll go with them taking the case and staying Dane County circuit judge Lawgiver-In-Black Maryann Sumi’s various rulings.
• The ChiComs were serious about dumping their Treasury securities, or at least their short-term securities. After bankrolling TARP and Porkulus via short-term T-bill purchases, they pulled that part of their holdings to 2004 levels as of March.

  I will note that, also as of March 2011, their total Treasury security holdings was still over $1.14 trillion, a significant increase over $895 billion in March 2010. However, that is down from the October high of $1.18 trillion.

• When C^BS notes that people are staying unemployed longer than they did during the Great Depression, the economy can’t exactly be termed in recovery. I will, however, look the other way if you say it’s in wreckcovery, though Shoebox would say that it’s still being held hostage.
• If only the Brewers could beat the Reds, they probably woudl be in first. Still, comfortably above .500, leading the wild-card portion of the race, and nipping on the heels of the Cards for the division is pretty cool.
• Speaking of bailouts, according to the CBO, Fannie and Freddie’s bailout is costing twice as much as the White House says, or $317 billion.
• Neptunus Lex takes a look at one v one maneuvering versus multi-ship proficiency. Do follow the further link to look at the restrictions being put on the F-16 Block 52 aircraft the Pakistan Air Force is getting.

As Barack Obama prepared to take his oath of office in early 2009, there was a fairly active debate amongst the political elite and bobbleheaded idiot box pundits.  The debate was over what type of President Barack Obama would be.  Would Obama be a lean left President who would continue the country along its leftward walk or, would he feel the gravity of his office and become a centrist once in office.  Ironically, no where in the discussion was the option of “leaping off the most leftward edge” opined on.

Since his arrival in office, it has been clear that Obama is not content in continuing the steady leftward walk or in becoming a centrist.  Every time Obama has had a opportunity to put his stamp on the Presidency and this country, he has chosen an option that is as far left as he could jam or manipulate through.  With the auto industry, banking, energy or foreign relations Obama has implemented policy and programs that are nothing but a run to the left, dare I say, Socialist ideal. 

Socialist?  Yes, I said Socialist!  Can you find any policy or program that Obama has offered or implemented that didn’t have the government taking a bigger role and control of the matter discussed?  Can you find a policy or program that Obama has offered or implemented that wasn’t about giving “workers” or “the poor” an elevated status in society simply because they were a “worker” or part of “the poor?”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against helping the poor.  I am against policies and programs that enshrine “the poor” as perpetually “the poor.”  Obama, on the other hand, not only assumes that “the poor” will always be “the poor,” he holds them out as that which should be aspired to.   

Yesterday, during arguments over the constitutionality of Placebocare, Obama’s solicitor general defended the government’s position with a new and unique argument: If you don’t like the individual mandate, then become poor!

So it’s a penalty on earning a certain amount of income and self insuring. It’s not just on self insuring on its own. So I guess one could say, just as the restaurant owner could depart the market in Heart of Atlanta Motel, someone doesn’t need to earn that much income.

Now, the solicitor general qucikly attempted to cover his tracks by suggesting that this was “a fanciful” option….Yeah, right.

If Obama had his way, Cap and Trade would be the law and we would be seeing dramatic rises in electric costs. Obama has had his way in the oil industry and we can see the impact of that on gas prices. Obama has had his way with the federal budget and monetary policy and we can see the impact of that on our economy, the value of the dollar, overall inflation.

Example after example of Obama’s policy result in higher costs or lower buying power for all Americans. Obama’s solicitor general may think making people poor or poorer is a fanciful option but I’ll bet most Americans don’t see it as fanciful. As a result of just 2 1/2 years of Obama, being poorer is a reality for most American families.

Sorry about taking the unplanned break this week – i had to prep for the first fishing trip of the year. There’s a “few” items that need commenting upon:

• David Prosser won the recount by 7,004 votes, a drop of 312 votes from the pre-recount 7,316-vote margin. JoAnne Kloppenburg is now on the clock for what is widely expected to turn into Grand Theft Courts, and we’ll know one way or the other on Tuesday.
• Fiat needed some serious federal refinancing in order to get to a near-majority position in UAW Motors. They tried and failed to get $3.5 billion on the private market, so they reduced their planned Energy Department loan to $3.5 billion and used that to pay off the higher-interest-rate loan from the Treasury Department. I will note that they did put in $2.4 billion of their own money to finish paying off the Treasury part of the loan, and that it apears the entire $1.7 billion owed to the Canadians was out of Fiat’s pockets entirely.
• The day after the Department of Justice suggested Maryann Sumi recuse herself from the collective bargaining case because she filed a prejudicial brief on the DOJ/Department of Administration petition to the Supreme Court, she decided to prove that suggestion justified. It’s not surprising she did that, because compliance with the state Constitution is voluntary in the Kingdom of Dane, but the most nitpicky of nitpicks apply with devastatingly-harsh force to the enemies of the Kingdom.
• It looks like the Rats will have their Rolling Recalls after all. They managed to throw up enough smoke to delay consideration of the three targeting their kind, and something tells me even if the GAB asks for a further extension of the deadline to call for elections, the Dane County judge that gave them the first extension and opened the possibility of the first 8 happening on the same day won’t do that again.
• DOOM! Part 1 – Initial unemployment claims went up unexpectedly again. Just as “unexpected”, the prior week’s numbers were revised upwards the 11th week in a row.
• DOOM! Part 2 – The Senate Rats once again believe no budget is necessary. After all, the continuing resolutions are continuing the $1.5 trillion deficits, and DOOM!sday is expected to be August 2 (coincidentally, I’ll be out of town that day as well).
• At least the Legislature is moving right along. The FY2012-2013 budget is taking shape, voter ID is about to become law (on June 9 unless another Lawgiver-In-Black decides to have a hissy fit), and multiple versions of concealed carry are percolating up and out of committee. Life is good in Wisconsin.
• On the Presidential horserace front, Tim Pawlenty (I wish it were T’Pau) is in, Mitch Daniels is out, and Rick Perry is waffling on whether to get in or not. Meanwhile, the conservative glitterati are acting like children on a road trip continuing to ask Paul Ryan if he’s in yet.
• The Brewers went from pretender to contender with the just-busted 6-game winning streak. Now watch them go back to pretender before I get back.

Have a good weekend everybody. Do take some time on Monday to remember those who gave all so we can live in the greatest country in the history of mankind.

Luke 24:1-12 (NIV):

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Have a blessed Easter

(H/T – Little Miss Atilla)

Yes, I’m a little late to this party, but somebody put up a page touting the 2011 Chevy Cruzeless. My favorite part is the “More Performance” section –

Steering is for sissies. You want performance and Cruzeless delivers. With the fuel economy of a compact car and the amenities of a mid-size, the Cruzeless is the ideal driving machine for really, really wide open spaces like the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Not so well.

Investigative journalist Richard Moore offers keen analysis.

WOW!

Of all places, the Capital Times reports:

State on pace to hit Walker jobs target

Earth to the Pulitzer Prize winning MJS: The above is NEWS!

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Drop protest and pass the ketchup

“Of all the things to protest — Brat Fest!?

Can we not even enjoy a brat for charity in Wisconsin without partisan politics rudely intruding?

So what if a handful of Johnsonville Sausage executives, family members and employees donated $44,250 to Republican Gov. Scott Walker over the last five years.”

School lunch madness

“The principal, Elsa Carmona, is quoted as saying that her students can either eat the school cafeteria food or ‘go hungry.’ Wow! Tough dietary deal. Carmona went on to say that some parents are morons who allow their children to eat garbage and that is not going to happen on her watch.”

On this aborted fetus, the Democrats plant their flag

“(Senator Jon) Kyl said: ‘You don’t have to go to Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood. That’s well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.’

The entire mainstream media immediately rose in angry denunciation of Kyl — based on Planned Parenthood’s claim that abortion constitutes less than 3 percent of the services it provides.

Apparently, that depends on the meaning of ‘services it provides.’ If taking 30 seconds to write a prescription for birth control pills is considered the equivalent of a two-hour, multiple-visit $450 abortion, then perhaps abortion does constitute only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s work.”

Taxes are not too low: It’s the spending, stupid!

” If Congress, rather than borrowing or cutting spending, raised income taxes by the $1.3 trillion necessary to pay for 2010 deficit spending, it would need to more than double income tax collections. In fact, income tax revenue would need to increase by 144% to cover the overspending.”

Who pays for government?

“It’s Tax Day, a time when Americans briefly think about how much their government costs, instead of daydreaming about all the wonderful things it promises to do for them.  

Who pays for government?  The Evil Rich provide the lion’s share of the income taxes.”

The Trump rebellion

“I saw The Donald open up a can of verbal whup ass on Obama on Hannity last Thursday and Friday night. It was extremely convincing in that he had refreshingly solid, no-BS answers for the multifaceted debacles ‘the worst president ever’ has entrenched us in and explained how he sees himself as the crap-cutting dealmaker to pull us out.”

Oil without apologies

“We’re going to need oil and gas and coal for a long time if America wants to keep the lights on.”

A missing detail

“Wouldn’t you think if you were going to do a front page story about a teacher retiring early because of the hardship posed by Scott Walker’s bargaining changes you might want to give the story some context by saying how much the person experiencing this agony actually makes?

Well since the Journal Sentinel won’t do it for us, I will.”

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Landslide!

“It looks like Waterloo in Wisconsin for government unions.”

President Obama blames you for high gas prices“For the president to suggest that a taxpayer’s inability to buy a new $40,000+ hybrid vehicle (that still requires gas) is the root problem, rather than his price-increasing oil policies is shameful.”

The GOP Path to Prosperity

“America is facing a defining moment. The threat posed by our monumental debt will damage our country in profound ways, unless we act. No one person or party is responsible for the looming crisis. Yet the facts are clear: Since President Obama took office, our problems have gotten worse.”

Got a Better Plan?

“If Democrats think the Ryan budget is too radical, let them offer a credible alternative.”

Two Americas: Public vs. Private Employees

“If you want to understand better why so many states—from New York to Wisconsin to California—are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, consider this depressing statistic: Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million).”

The swift death of the new tone“During the most heated month of the health care uprising, when more than 500 town halls took place over one month across the country, there were exactly 10 instances of documented violence. Most of them were confined to the ripping of signs and minor tussles (though there were a handful of punches thrown), and seven of 10 incidents were perpetrated by ObamaCare supporters on protesters, according to photos, police reports and witnesses.”

“Study hard, but party harder”

“Rutgers University last week contributed to the growing debate on whether higher education is worth its surging costs, when it paid the fabulous Nicole Polizzi (a.k.a., ‘Snooki’) of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’ television show $32,000 to speak to its students.”

Misogynist Video Games“Karen’s nine-year-old son came home from a birthday party at a locally owned ‘family fun’ center with plenty to tell. The party was great, especially the laser tag and the pizza. But he didn’t like the arcade games, one in particular.”

Coerced abortions affect men, too

“For every woman who has had an abortion a man has been involved. For me it was two abortions.

My story begins at 16 when I heard that first ‘I’m pregnant’ from my girlfriend. I can remember being scared and a little confused about how it all happened. I asked all of the questions like, ‘I thought you were protected,’ and anything else I could think of to say rather than taking responsibility for my actions.

I can remember when the phone call came to my parents. My feelings of being scared and confused changed to terrified and ashamed. I don’t know how much time passed from the phone call until my parents came to talk with me, but it felt like an eternity. I remember putting on my headphones with the music cranked up, not wanting to face the consequences of my actions as my parents were trying to talk to me. I wanted it all to go away.”

Tax Time Coming“Will any of these jokes cheer you up?”

Sorry, once again, for not keeping this place too updated. It’s been a very rough few days on the health front. I have barely had enough energy to tweet the last several days, so I hope you’ve been following along on Twitter.

Or at least half of that is true. Lance Burri has joined the Million Hit Club, mostly because he is a shameless self-promoter who throws just anything up (and by anything, I mean many, many pictures of Danica Patrick).

But seriously, if you’re not reading the Troglopundit, you’re missing a lot. Lance really is THAT GOOD.

It hasn’t been easy for me to type the last week as the ulnar nerve in my left arm has been acting up. For those of you without medical degrees, that nerve controls the feeling in the pinky finger, which as I try to type is numb. Since I’m a “classical” typist, that means hitting the left shift key, “a”, “z”, “q”, and “1” are problematic for me.

Oh well; I’ll live with it and eventually get used to it.

I’m already several days late to this, but time’s wasting. Michelle Malkin’s cousin, Marizela Perez, went missing in Seattle Saturday afternoon, and she still hasn’t been found. I’m praying the tatoo Marizella has on her arm, “ay magiging maayos” (Tagalog, meaning “all will be well”), will come true quickly, and she turns up in good health.

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

State Budget Battles Herald the Return of the Grown-ups

“Even now that sober-minded voters have put a set of brakes on Obama’s little socialist dune buggy, our adolescent in chief has quickly abandoned his Clinton mask for the more tantalizing delights of spending other people’s money.

Enter Governor Scott Walker and his fellow adults.

No, 2012 will look nothing like 2008.

At this point, I could not care less which Republican runs against our adolescent president.  As long as that person is a grown-up with a grown-up’s perspective on the presidency and has demonstrable experience to that effect, he or she will get my vote.

So, here’s my help-wanted ad for the next president of the United States of America.”

Pleading for Violence

“Twitter, the social network that allows people to express themselves with 140 characters or less, is a wonderful invention.  It’s a gigantic virtual bulletin board covered with Post-Its, a food fight conducted entirely with fortune cookies.

What Twitter does not provide is ‘context.’  If you can’t pack all of the context surrounding an idea into 140 characters or less, it’s probably best to leave that idea simmering in the back of your head.”

Time for wandering senators to return to Mad City

“The Wandering Democratic state senators from Wisconsin should go home. Not that I don’t appreciate them spending their ‘cheesy’ money in Rockford and other cities in northern Illinois. But their road show is losing box office appeal.”

Should Unions Have the Power to Tax?

“Only about 7% of the private workforce is unionized today, but their ability to ‘tax’ union members through union dues and make political contributions gives them top priority in the White House today. Public sector unions represent about a third of public sector workers.

Here, we are held hostage by threats to not pick up our garbage or teach our children. Politicians, not facing a bottom line performance measure like GM or the steel companies but worried about re-election, give in to demands to keep voters from being unhappy. But, over time, this has produced a generally over-paid and over-benefited public sector workforce (compared to market wages).”

What we need is a Packer game to unite us again

“Might I suggest the rest of the state take a page out of my playbook when things get tense and veins start to bulge as the inevitable comes up for discussion. When it looks as though f-bombs are about to be dropped and fists may be set to fly, bring up the Green and Gold as a deflection”

Public broadcasting should go private

“If these outfits can afford to pay lavish salaries to their heads, they don’t need taxpayer help.”

Have to respect BYU’s decision

“Most people can’t relate to the school’s lengthy honor code — which doesn’t allow for the consumption of coffee or alcohol, forbids swearing and also prohibits premarital sex. But n an era in which big-time college athletics has run amok, BYU has maintained its core values and refused to sell out.”

Cigars don’t kill people…

“I ordered drinks for my lovely Italian wife and myself and fired up my first cigar for that evening, a Rocky Patel Edge. While I was enjoying the Edge and its full-bodied, spicy aroma and super long finish afforded by its five-year-old blend in a Corojo wrapper, a lesbian sitting at the table next to us started fake coughing at my smoke and flailing her arms like Nell did when she tried to explain the trees.

How did I know it was a lesbian protesting my cigar, you ask? Well, the Justin Bieber haircut and the softball jersey was a hand tip. Plus, she was making out with another chick. Nothing gets past me.”

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Oh, to be a teacher in Wisconsin

“The showdown in Wisconsin over fringe benefits for public employees boils down to one number: 74.2. That’s how many cents the public pays Milwaukee public-school teachers and other employees for retirement and health benefits for every dollar they receive in salary. The corresponding rate for employees of private firms is 24.3 cents.”

The chart that tells you everything you need to know about whether public workers are over-compensated

“Every labor economist, right or left, will agree that higher “quit rates” are much more likely in sectors that are underpaid and lower levels are much more likely in sectors where compensation is generous. Not surprisingly, this data shows state and local bureaucrats are living on Easy Street.”

Meet the GOP’s Newst Rising Star
* NOTE THE LIBERAL SOURCE OF THIS PIECE *

“Barely a month after his inauguration, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker already has prospective presidential candidates stampeding to help him. In today’s turbocharged political climate, fueled by constant chatter on cable television and the Internet, can talk of a vice presidential bid be far behind for the man who two months ago was a little-known county executive?”

A Governor for President in 2012

“Governors make better Presidents.  They have actually run big unwieldy bureaucracies and suffered the political impacts of tough decisions.  OK—except Jimmy Carter.”

Union fails pension math

“My mother worked as a public employee when she was a teacher’s aide in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  She was employed by the state for five years, from 1981-1986.  However, she worked only part-time, so was never credited for a full year of employment by the state for each year she worked.  Instead, she received only partial credit each year.  Fortunately for her, Wisconsin and two other states (Minnesota and South Dakota) allow for full vesting for public teachers after only three years of employment.  Using a deduction for her part-time status, Wisconsin determined her creditable service amounted to 3.07 years.  Had she worked three weeks less during her last year, she would be entitled to nothing.  As luck would have it, she fully vested, and is entitled to receive a monthly check from the state of Wisconsin for the rest of her life.”

The media on Wisconsin? A bad joke

“The battle in Madison, Wisconsin between new Gov. Scott Walker and the public-sector union hacks offers an amazing study in journalistic double standards. The same national media that have spent the last two years drawing devil’s horns and Klan hoods on the Tea Party protesters have switched sides with lightning speed. In the Wisconsin protesters, they find sweetness and light, ‘hope and change’.”

Wisconsin unions vs. the Tea Party

“A story-by-story analysis by the Media Research Center shows the Wisconsin protests are a perfect case study in the media’s longstanding double standard favoring left-wing causes while demonstrating much more hostility to the Tea Party and conservative protests.”

Results of idiotic choice of words by a Republican and Democrat

(This past week) “We had dueling idiocy from both Parties…”

President’s Day: Losing our heroes one day at a time

“Washington and Lincoln? That “and” takes on a life of its own. Remember that old Saturday Night Live routine advertising a product that was both “a floor wax and a dessert topping”? Part of what made that ad funny was its rich critique of the American tendency to combine things that shouldn’t be combined to achieve a short-sighted notion of convenience.”

Does winning an Oscar extend your life?

“It’s got to be one of the most cocktail-party-worthy scientific studies ever: a 2001 article in the Annals of Internal Medicine that showed actors and actresses who won Academy Awards lived four years longer than mere nominees…

But it may not be true.”

For two reasons:

1) As chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections, Senator Mary Lazich has successfully worked to get Senate Bill 6, the PHOTO ID bill on Thursday’s state Senate calendar.

2) Today, the state Senate approved Senate Bill 15 that repeals the mandatory requirement placed in the 2009-11 state budget that law enforcement collect racial data at each traffic stop. The bill’s author is Senator Lazich.

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Athens in Mad Town

“Protesters, including many from the 98,000-member teachers union, have gone Greek. Madison’s school district had to close Thursday when 40% of its teachers called in sick. So much for the claim that this is ‘all about the children.’ By the way, these are some of the same teachers who sued the Milwaukee school board last August to get Viagra coverage restored to their health-care plan.

The protests have an orchestrated quality, and sure enough, the Politico website reported that the Democratic Party’s Organizing for America arm is helping to gin them up. The outfit is a remnant of President Obama’s 2008 election campaign, so it’s also no surprise that Mr. Obama said that while he knows nothing about the bill, he supports protesters occupying the Capitol building.”

Lost: The common good

“Walker is trying to give Wisconsin a reality check. In response, public workers have interrupted the Legislature. Madison and many neighboring public schools have closed because so many teachers called in sick and left to join the protest. Democratic lawmakers disappeared on Thursday to stall a vote on the budget measures. Apparently some of them fled to … Illinois.

Public sentiment is changing. There is a growing sense that public-sector unions are not battling for better, safer workplaces. They’re not battling unscrupulous employers. They’re battling … the common good.”

Palin – Union Brothers and Sisters: Seize Opportunity to Show True Solidarity

“Hard working, patriotic, and selfless union brothers and sisters: please don’t be taken in by the union bosses. At the end of the day, they’re not fighting for your pension or health care plan or even for the sustainability of Wisconsin’s education budget. They’re fighting to protect their own powerful privileges and their own political clout.”

The audacity of mobs

“Let’s understand this clearly. A governor of a state, who was elected on a promise of trying to bring fiscal discipline to a state budget process, asks for small sacrifices while still guaranteeing full employment and between 88%-95% of the original benefits promised, is being protested–by largely protestors who were bussed in by the president and all parties who are loyal to him. Hey – it’s Chicago brute politics at its best!”

What’s at stake in Wisconsin’s budget battle

“The labor laws that Wisconsin unions are so bitterly defending were popular during an era of industrialization and centralization. But the labor organizations they protect have become much less popular, as the declining membership of many private-sector unions attests. Moreover, it’s become abundantly clear that too many government workers enjoy wages, benefits and pensions that are out of line with the rest of the economy.”

Retire the racial bean-counters

“Instead of shutting down the racial bean-counters, the government is giving them new powers.”

What happens to all those Super Bowl T-shirts?

“What happens to all those preprinted ‘Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 Super Bowl Champion’ t-shirts?  Apparently, each year the NFL gives them to the international relief and development organization World Vision, who then ships them to Africa.

Is this good or bad? And why should anyone care?”

Did Live Action Lie?

“Of course, Lila Rose is not the first pro-lifer to pretend to be someone seeking an abortion in order to obtain information from abortion clinics. The fact is, pro-lifers have been doing this for years in an effort to stop the killing of the unborn. The writer of this article is no stranger to these methods. However, because this latest Live Action video has attracted much attention, many are asking whether pro-lifers lied in the undercover tactic they employed—namely: is the behavior of pro-lifers as seen in the Live Action video contrary to the precepts of the 8th Commandment—thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor?”

Sorry for the short notice, but Rick Moran of Right Wing Nut House invited me to be part of his BlogTalkRadio show tonight. Rick, Doug Mataconis, Aaron Gee, and I will be discussing the federal budget, the recently-concluded CPAC, and events in the Middle East between 7 pm and 8 pm.

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Walker plan fair; offers solid footing for the state

“Let me be blunt: Wisconsin is out of money. Our state faces a $137 million shortfall in the current fiscal year and a projected $3.6 billion hole in the next biennium.

The recession has left Wisconsin families hurting. We simply cannot expect the taxpayers to shoulder an even greater tax burden to close the budget gap. Inaction is also not an option. Without immediate action, our most vulnerable members of society will be put at risk as the state’s coffers run dry and programs run out of money.

Labor costs account for 60% of the state general fund operational budget, and any serious budget solution must address the cost of labor.

Gov. Scott Walker is asking state employees to lend a hand in balancing the budget.

Under this plan, no public workers will lose their jobs or be forced to take furlough days.”

Admit it, you wished you lived in Wisconsin

“It’s not just that Wisconsin stands atop the football world, or that Wisconsin is quickly ascending to the top of the political world. It’s that Wisconsin’s CEO has what’s commonly known as ‘a pair’.”

What taxpayer-funded union bosses think of us

“This public employee union boss, who is paid with your tax dollars, actually called folks like you and me ‘mentally retarded’ for working to cut spending.

Voter ID? How about candidate ID?

“I think common sense suggests that the vast majority of people without IDs are too disengaged from society to ever vote anyway. Telling a man without an ID that he can’t vote would be like telling an Eskimo in Nome he’s not allowed on the beach in Cabo San Lucas.

Not really a problem.”

More f-bombs for your iPad

“When you can’t even count on the Muppets to behave in front of children, the world has become sick enough to make your head spin.”

De-fund the predators of Planned Parenthood

“Planned Parenthood is a $1-plus billion business that rakes in one-third of its budget from government grants and contracts at both the state and federal levels. Congress has interrogated banking, energy, health insurance, tobacco and oil execs — treating them like serial killers before the cameras. When will they finally de-fund a corrupt industry that has real blood on its hands?”

New Climate Alarmist Movies About To Hit As Animals Freeze To Death And Barry Eats Well

“Remember around 15 years ago, when the alarmists were still somewhat rational, and they came up with the brilliant plan to ‘spread awareness’, rather than actually taking action in their own lives? And, if Something Wasn’t Done, winters would be a thing of the past and we would all burn? Flash forward to today, and, nothing has changed.”

Liberal bouquets for dead conservatives

“If liberals are going to celebrate Reagan, they might try to account for the fact that they fought his every move, alternating between derision and slander in the process.”

And you wonder why health insurance is so expensive

“The opening line in a New York Times piece caught my attention.   It is typical of how government, once it gets control of something, then begins to expand it (and make it more costly for everyone) as it sees fit.  Note the key falsehood in the sentence…”

In February, 2009, in an attempt to be the blue collar POTUS, Barack Obama said:

You can’t get corporate jets. You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime

At the time, Obama was in the middle of justifying bailouts for Wall Street and Detroit. Numerous “tin ear” incidents by CEOs such as the infamous private jet transportation of Detroit CEOs to a DC hearing where they were asking for bailouts, had created a level of outrage amongst US taxpayers.

The result of Obama’s comments were to make an already challenging situation for the Las Vegas economy and make it impossible. As companies cancelled existing reservations and avoided new Vegas reservations, unemployment in Vegas grew to a point where it is amongst the worst hit of American cities.

That was so “yesterday!”

CBS Chicago is reporting that at least 14 Chicago public school employees went on an all expenses paid trip to a Las Vegas resort and spa. This while the school district is facing a $700M budget shortfall. Admittedly, the $15,000 spent on the trip won’t be a rounding error in the shortfall. However, the school at which the 14 employees are employed, is the same school that had sex acts being performed in class rooms!

“For the children” is the retort we hear from any teacher’s union when budget reductions are contemplated. I’m hard pressed to figure out how massages whether at a spa in Vegas or in the school classroom, benefit any children!