Cynical politicians of the week - Arlen Specter AND Dinghy Harry

The once-Distinguished Senator from Pennsylvania did a double this week. He announced he was switching from Republican to Democrat. Why? Because he could get reelected as a Democrat. That's what he said. And: Specter: GOP priorities contributed to Kemp death - Washington Times: Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Democrat, said part of the reason he left the Republican Party last week was disillusionment with its healthcare priorities, and suggested that had the Republicans taken a more moderate track, Jack Kemp may have won his battle with cancer. Addition: Specter met his match. Sen. Harry Reid promised seniority to Specter, then turned on him. CNS News

Gore terminology is from focus groups

The green movement is intentionally using misleading terminology, because describing what they are doing drives people off. The New York Times discloses "the memo." They weren't supposed to let this out. Seeking to Save the Planet, With a Thesaurus - NYTimes.com: The problem with global warming, some environmentalists believe, is “global warming.” The term turns people off, fostering images of shaggy-haired liberals, economic sacrifice and complex scientific disputes, according to extensive polling and focus group sessions conducted by ecoAmerica, a nonprofit environmental marketing and messaging firm in Washington. Instead of grim warnings about global warming, the firm advises, talk about “our deteriorating atmosphere.” Drop discussions of carbon dioxide and bring up “moving away from the dirty fuels of the past.” Don’t confuse people with cap and trade; use terms like “cap and cash back” or “pollution reduction refund.” EcoAmerica has been conducting research for the last several years to find new ways to frame environmental issues and so build public support for climate change legislation and other initiatives. A summary of the group’s latest findings and recommendations was accidentally sent by e-mail to a number of news organizations by someone who sat in this week on a briefing intended for government officials and environmental leaders. Asked about the summary, ecoAmerica’s president and founder, Robert M. Perkowitz, requested that it not be reported until the formal release of the firm’s full paper later this month

Bethany Jane Marshall

Bethany Jane Marshall was born May 2, 2009 around 4 am in Charlottesville, Virginia, at 8 pounds, 12 ounces. After a long labor at home she arrived quickly once at the hospital. Mother and daughter are doing well.

The Iron Lady's legacy will not rust easily

What did Margaret Thatcher change about Britain? Everything, and 30 years on the UK is still the better for it. Charles Powell - Times Online : Thirty years on from Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister, it is being suggested that we have come to the end of the Thatcher era. Don't believe it. Iron does not rust that easily. There have been reversals of the direction that she set, with the partial nationalisation of banks and the increase in the higher rate of tax to 50 per cent. But the former is first aid to a tottering banking system rather than an ideologically motivated return to public ownership. The Government clearly wants out as soon as possible, recognising that it knows even less about banking than bankers, difficult as that is. We will not see Clause 4 exhumed. The bonus classes largely have themselves to thank for the 50 per cent tax rate. Their excess made them an irresistible target. But the higher rate won't raise significant extra revenue. What it will do is deter effort, so Britain will lose out in tax competition with our market rivals, making it harder to restore the City's leading position in financial markets.

Slow Joe Biden - the gift that keeps on giving

I miss Governor Palin. She runs a state and has a track record. Look what we got instead. Slow Joe Biden: The adults had to run out to say he hadn't said what he said.
  Carol E. Lee and Amie Parnes - POLITICO.com:

 In an interview Thursday on NBC’s “Today” show, Biden said, “I would tell members of my family — and I have — I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now,” Biden said on NBC’s “Today” show.. “It’s not that it’s going to Mexico. It’s [that] you’re in a confined aircraft. When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft. That’s me. … “So, from my perspective, what it relates to is mitigation. If you’re out in the middle of a field when someone sneezes, that’s one thing. If you’re in a closed aircraft or closed container or closed car or closed classroom, it’s a different thing.” 

 UPDATE: Friday: One day after saying he wouldn't travel in tight quarters because of the swine flu scare, Vice President Joe Biden rode a train Friday from Washington to Delaware. Known for speaking freely, Biden told NBC's "Today" show on Thursday that he had urged family members to avoid airplanes and subways for fear of contracting the H1N1 flu virus.

Washington Policy Blog: Forcing you to work and live where the government wants

Washington Policy Blog: Forcing you to work and live where the government wants : Ron Utt at Heritage President Barack Obama's early comments on his opposition to suburban sprawl and his intention to alter the way Americans live and travel took a step closer to reality when he created an interdepartmental initiative on housing and transportation costs. A March press release issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a new interagency partnership to create "affordable, sustainable communities." Included among its many goals are projects to: - Develop a new cost index that combines housing and transportation costs into a single measure to better illuminate the true costs by "redefining affordability and making it transparent," - Encourage "transportation choice," and - Require even more planning by the many federally funded regional planning entities that are already attempting to guide Americans toward a suppos edly better life. Rich in the sort of progressive euphemisms used to mask real intentions, the press release heralds a process that could likely lead to an unprecedented federal effort to force Americans into an antiquated lifestyle that was common to the early years of the previous century. More specifically, these initiatives reflect an escalation in what is shaping up as Presi dent Obama's apparent intent to re-energize and lead the Left's longstanding war against America's suburbs.

Israel: 61 years

Congratulations to Israel for 61 years independence living among enemies that shoot rockets at towns, that is, civilians. It has been difficult; keep it up. Obama congratulates Israel on 61 anniversary of independence | Israel | Jerusalem Post :

The US bond with Israel is "as unshakeable as ever" as both nations pursue peace, US President Obama said on Israel's 61st birthday. "On behalf of the people of the United States, President Obama congratulates the people and government of Israel on the 61st anniversary of Israel's independence," said the statement issued Tuesday by the White House. "The United States was the first country to recognize Israel in 1948, minutes after its declaration of independence, and the deep bonds of friendship between the US and Israel remain as strong and unshakable as ever. "The President looks forward to working with Israel to advance our common interests, including the realization of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, ensuring Israel's security, and strengthening the bilateral relationship, over the months and years to come," the statement continued.

More about those neighbors. The Palestinian news agency Ma'an reports that a military court has imposed a sentence of death by hanging on 59 year old Anor Baririt, of a village near Hebron. He was convicted by unanimous vote of the judges for the crime of selling land to Jews. Selling land to Jews is worse than murder; the death penalty for it.

Record-Breaking Amateur Rocket Launch - Heaviest ever

See the photos at the link. Popular Mechanics: Steve Eves broke two world records Saturday, when his 1/10th scale model of the historic rocket—built in his garage near Akron, Ohio—lifted off from a field on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The 36-ft.-tall rocket was the largest amateur rocket ever launched and recovered successfully—and at 1648 pounds, also the heaviest. Eves' single-stage behemoth was powered by nine motors—eight 13,000 Newton-second N-Class motors and a 77,000 Newton-second P-Class motor. (Five Newton-seconds is equivalent to about a pound of thrust.) All told, the array generated enough force to chuck a Volkswagen more than a half-mile—and sent the Saturn V more than 4440 feet straight up. It was arguably the most audacious display of raw power ever generated by an amateur rocket.

Tax Freedom Day by State - Animation

The redder the state the later taxpayers are free. This is how long we work for the the government. After that date we get to keep what we earn. Washington was among the worst in 1977. It gets better, but always remains a late date - red or orange = worse than all of our neighbors except California in the later years; not in the earlier years. But always well above average. The Tax Foundation - 4-D Animation of Tax Freedom Day by State: Our friend Alex Lundry, Research Director at TargetPoint, is at it again. (As he said from a Twitter post yesterday, "Can't help myself.") Alex uses software from UUorld to create a 4-D animation of Tax Freedom Day by state from 1977 to 2009. Check it out!

Panic in NY due to White House 747 flyover

A White House official says he takes full responsibility. Oh, sure. I have seen lots of videos of the airplanes. But this is the only one I found that shows that panic on the ground. It was loading so slow where I found it linked that I am including the source URL: http://www.youtube.com/v/Jn0tMMYEkQU&hl=en&fs=1

Swine Flu

He sure looks like our grandson a year ago! I could have saved some time by adding this photo to the Goreacle story below. But why would I?

Big, huge spenders

Washington Legislature - EFF's Big Spenders List - This is the tax and fee increases they proposed. My "representative" is at the top, way out in front. Does she have a good reason?

Democrats Refuse to Allow Skeptic to Testify Alongside Gore

Evidence is not allowed. The Goreacle speaks and no one can question any word he brings from heaven. Climate Depot: UK's Lord Christopher Monckton, a former science advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, claimed House Democrats have refused to allow him to appear alongside former Vice President Al Gore at a high profile global warming hearing on Friday April 24, 2009 at 10am in Washington. Monckton told Climate Depot that the Democrats rescinded his scheduled joint appearance at the House Energy and Commerce hearing on Friday. Monckton said he was informed that he would not be allowed to testify alongside Gore when his plane landed from England Thursday afternoon. “The House Democrats don't want Gore humiliated, so they slammed the door of the Capitol in my face,” Monckton told Climate Depot in an exclusive interview. “They are cowards.” According to Monckton, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Energy & Commerce Committee, had invited him to go head to head with Gore and testify at the hearing on Capitol Hill Friday. But Monckton now says that when his airplane from London landed in the U.S. on Thursday, he was informed that the former Vice-President had “chickened out” and there would be no joint appearance.

823,076 reasons to be skeptical - Updated

823,076 - That is the estimate of total attendance at tea party events at Pajamas Media TV aka PJTV. The political class are pretending to ignore the large number of people who spent their own time expressing their political opinions. Pretending, but they can't. First, about the huge number - Rosslyn Smith at American Thinker Blog

As we approach the 100th day of the Obama reign the media is full of stories about how popular he is with American voters. Often these stories are supported by polling results commissioned by these media organization especially for the celebration. It is hard for me to reconcile polls showing wide based approval for Obama's actions with the information reported at Pajamas Media, which currently calculates the attendance at the various tea parties at 823,076 . That number is based on the media reports, videos and still photos forwarded to them by citizen correspondents across the country. I urge readers to visit their site and check out their coverage. What particularly interests me is that many of these demonstrations were held in locations your average reporter for a national media outlet probably couldn't place within 200 miles of its actual coordinates without significant help from Google Earth. For example, 500 people showed up at the Tax Day tea party protest in Abingdon, Virginia, population 7800. Then there were the 100 who showed up in Alpine, Texas, population 5,800. The names of Boone, North Carolina and Branson, Missouri conjure up images of vacation condos, not protest marches, but each resort town had a respectable turnout on April 15. It is hard for me to imagine 250 sign carrying protestors in either of the sleepy towns of Dixon, Illinois, the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan, or Fairmont, Minnesota, a southwestern Minnesota town where my father went to hunt pheasant on a friend's farm each fall. It is equally difficult to picture 300 protestors in Florence in northwestern, Alabama or, Oshkosh b'gosh, a whopping 1,000 protestors assembling at Fond Du Lac in central, Wisconsin. Add in 250 in Gillette, Wyoming. 500 assembled in Greeneville, the seat of Greene County Tennessee with another 400 marching in Newport, the seat of adjacent Cocke County, Tennessee. Then there are the 300 demonstrators in Harrison, Arkansas, 2,000 in the heart of Cajun country in Lafayette, Louisiana, 400 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, 1,000 in Loveland, Colorado, 150 in Owensboro, Kentucky, 1,500 In Rapid City, South Dakota, 650 in Traverse City, Michigan. 700 in Tupelo, Mississippi and 521 in Valparasio, Indiana. [...]

Second, Mark Davis in Dallas on the response from media and politicians:

[T]he behavioral portrait that begs to be analyzed is the torrent of unhinged tantrums thrown by those repulsed by the exercise. Disagreeing with tea party politics is fine. I would expect a massive pro-life event to be met with pro-choice responses or a global warming rally to be answered with constructive skepticism. But from White House officials to actors with time on their hands, it was not enough to simply disagree with the tea party cornerstone of lower taxes and spending. The Americans attending these events had to be eviscerated as mobs of evil, violent psychopaths. YouTube the MSNBC diatribe from Janeane Garofalo, who manages to cash a paycheck in the current season of 24, a television series that surely offends her by painting a favorable image of fighting terror. Maybe the pain of enduring such an environment fueled her attack on the generally conservative tea party crowds. "It's about hating a black man in the White House," she spewed, oblivious to the absence of that theme from the vast majority of the nearly 800 events. But why let facts obstruct a good smear? "It is a neurological problem we are dealing with," she continued, falling back on the most dog-eared index card in the radical left's file: demonize your opponents so you don't have to address what they actually say. [...]

Update: Reader Johnny gives the update: "...lawmakers knew constituents had no stomach for higher taxes. Nixing a planned sales-tax hike for a range of health services was the wise course considering the state's sputtering economy." Seattle Times When was the last time democratic lawmakers gave a fig about what people thought of taxes? Maybe - just maybe having thousands of taxpayers show up a few weeks back to protest taxes had something to do with it.

Gore lies to Congress about personal finances

Nothing new today: Albert Gore, Jr., is lying. He never stopped. Now it's about his finances. Canada Free Press: When Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn confronted Al Gore with his profiteering from global warming legislation at today’s House Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing on the Waxman-Markey climate bill, Al Gore said that every penny he ever made from his business activities went into non-profit efforts. [See transcript below.] That is a flat-out lie, according to this March 6, 2008 Bloomberg report that indicates that Al Gore invested $35 million of his own money in various for-profit endeavors.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore left the White House seven years ago with less than $2 million in assets, including a Virginia home and the family farm in Tennessee. Now he’s making enough to put $35 million in hedge funds and other private partnerships. Gore invested the money with Capricorn Investment Group LLC, a Palo Alto, California, firm that selects the private funds for clients and invests in makers of environmentally friendly products, according to a Feb. 1 securities filing. Capricorn was founded by billionaire Jeffrey Skoll, former president of EBay Inc. and an executive producer of Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary film on global warming.

Kudos to Rep. Blackburn for asking one of the ”10 Questions for Al Gore” and exposing Gore as the fundamentally dishonest operator that he is.

Free lunch - Bogus models used to justify CO2 limitation

Few things are more appealing in politics than something for nothing. As Congress begins considering anti-global-warming legislation, environmentalists hold out precisely that tantalizing prospect: We can conquer global warming at virtually no cost. Robert Samuelson at Newsweek Here's a typical claim from the Environmental Defense Fund: "For about a dime a day (per person), we can solve climate change, invest in a clean energy future and save billions in imported oil." This sounds too good to be true, because it is. About four-fifths of the world's and America's energy comes from fossil fuels — oil, coal, natural gas — which are also the largest source of man-made carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. The goal is to eliminate fossil fuels or suppress their CO2. The bill now being considered in the House would mandate a 42% decline in greenhouse emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels and an 83% drop by 2050. Re-engineering the world energy system seems an almost impossible undertaking. Just consider America's energy needs in 2030, as estimated by the Energy Information Administration. Compared with 2007, the U.S. is projected to have almost 25% more people (375 million), an economy about 70% larger ($20 trillion) and 27% more light-duty vehicles (294 million). Energy demand will be strong. But the EIA also assumes greater conservation and use of renewables. From 2007 to 2030, solar power grows 18 times, wind six times. New cars and light trucks get 50% better gas mileage. Light bulbs and washing machines become more efficient. Higher energy prices discourage use; by 2030, oil is $130 a barrel in today's dollars. For all that, U.S. CO2 emissions in 2030 are projected at 6.2 billion metric tons, 4% higher than in 2007. As an example, solar and wind together would still supply only about 5% of electricity, because they expand from a tiny base. To comply with the House bill, CO2 emissions would have to be about 3.5 billion tons. The claims of the EDF and other environmentalists that this reduction can occur cheaply rely on economic simulations by "general equilibrium" models. An Environmental Protection Agency study put the cost as low as $98 per household a year, because high energy prices are partly offset by government rebates. With 2.5 people in the average household, that's roughly 11 cents a day per person. The trouble is that these models embody wildly unrealistic assumptions: there are no business cycles; the economy is always at "full employment"; strong growth is assumed, based on past growth rates; the economy automatically accommodates major changes — if fossil fuel prices rise (as they would under anti-global warming laws), consumers quickly use less and new supplies of "clean energy" magically materialize. There's no problem and costs are low, because the models say so. But the real world, of course, is different.

Liz Cheney! puts Microsoft/NBC talker in the corner

Power Line Bill Kristol observes: "Of course, everyone's first choice for president in 2012 is Dick Cheney. But Liz Cheney's boffo performance yesterday in the lefties' den, MSNBC, defending sensible interrogation policies in the war on terror, surely puts her in contention for the runner-up position." Norah O'Donnell interviews Ms. Cheney on the "torture" controversy in light of the OLC memos and related commentary. O'Donnell is either willfully obtuse or a victim of adult-onset attention deficit disorder. One of the points that Ms. Cheney makes is one that John Hinderaker has frequently made here: that waterboarding is used in training certain of our own military personnel and that we are not torturing them. Ms. Cheney's "boffo performance" is accessilble here and is well worth watching in its entirety. Bravo!

Tax increases and tricks in the LARGER budget

Increasing any tax requires a vote of the taxpayers or 2/3 majority in both houses of the Legislature. How can they pass a tax increase in HB 1614 without the required majority? Not legally. Republican leader Doug Ericksen says they intend to. "No. It's not a tax increase; it's a fee on evil oil refineries." What's the difference between a fee increase and a tax increase? Both come out of your pocket.

HB 1614 ... creates the water pollution account and requires the department of ecology to develop criteria for administering the program and ranking projects for funding.. Imposes a fee on the first possession of petroleum products that contribute to storm water pollution to offset the harm caused by petroleum pollution of storm water.

This budget is $1.5 billion larger than the last. Is that a cut? And they move money from one account to another. Tricked you! But it has to be paid back. And they defer funding commitments, such as pensions. Again... you will pay for this! via Kirby Wilbur on KVI.

Vote on the budget - Read it? Don't have time!

How they minimize objections and reduce the pain of voting for this budget: Leadership in the House won't give the members time to read what they are going to vote on. How can responsible leaders (all members are leaders, right?) allow this? Again and again. Political Buzz - Tacoma News Tribune

The budget document -- which will have some, but nowhere near all the details -- is supposed to come out at 9 a.m. today. [snip] The floor debate probably will start at 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 p.m. And the final vote will be sometime tonight. The Senate will have a little more time. They probably won't vote until Saturday. The Legislature adjourns Sunday. Yep. This is the way it's done. In fact, the script is being followed so closely, I thought I should re-post the prediction of an unnamed lobbyist from two months back. This feels more like the traditional approach of past legislatures in which you keep as much as possible hidden, reveal details toward the end of session, and then compel worn-out members to take hard votes when they desperately want to go home. This strategy has often worked in the past, but I have a hard time understanding how it works in this situation.

Here is the official summary. Don't worry about the details; that's where a few things are hidden. Politics Northwest - Seattle Times Newspaper Blog:

2009-2011 Operating Budget "Cuts with a conscience" Total Budget: $ 31.4 billion Ending fund balance: $830 million K-12: -- Total spending: $13.4 billion -- Net cut after federal stimulus dollars are included: $794 million -- I-732 suspended for two years: $353 million -- I-728 reduced by $600 million -- K-4 class-size reduction fully funded -- Average per school district cut: 2.6% -- One Learning Improvement Day (LID) is eliminated: $35.7 million -- School district levy capacity increased by 4% (capping at 35%) Higher Education: -- Reductions, after tuition increase, are: 7% at UW/WSU; 6.5% at regional universities; and 6% at community colleges --Tuition raised 14%/year at four year schools; 7%/year at community colleges -- Number of enrollments eliminated: 9,028 -- State Need Grant is fully funded -- Total financial aid increase: $52 million Health Care: -- Basic Health Plan - attrition of 40,000 enrollees, saving $255 million -- No reductions to Medicare Part D premium support or to Adult Vision Human Services: -- General Assistance program is preserved - more focus on getting the right services to people -- Long-term care programs - rate reductions approximately 4% -- Adult day health - in-home services is preserved Corrections/Juvenile Rehabilitation/Institutions: -- Public safety concerns were tantamount in making savings - public defenders and law enforcement in support -- No specific institutions are closed Natural Resources: -- No parks closed: all revenues from opt-in fee go solely for maintenance and operation of parks -- No hatcheries closed unless not enough revenue from fees Compensation/Employment: -- Agencies are encouraged to use strategies such as reduced work scheduled, use of voluntary leave without pay, and temporary furloughs that enable employees to maintain permanent employee status, full insurance benefits, full accrual of retirement service credit, and a living wage. -- Administrative cuts totaling roughly $250 million.

I saw a fee/tax increase or two in there. I hear there are more at the local and county level.

Back to work

Blogging here and at Sound Politics must slow now. After 5 weeks off work with disability I started back yesterday. So my energy, which is still short, must give first priority to satisfying my employer. I am still on crutches due to the bone graft that was necessary. I just realized it's misleading to tell people my surgery was hip replacement, because that is very routine. But my surgery was not going to be routine, due to my prior injury. So I had a second pelvis surgery that included the hip replacement.