Moogie Cranks Up the BS-O-Meter: WoW!

So there's a "War on Women," is there?

Perhaps we should refer to the Meme of the Day as the "Reprise of the 'War on Women.' "  After all, the issue seemed to go dormant after the 2012 elections.  It seemed to have gone dormant, that is, at least until the 2014 mid-terms cranked up in earnest and the Left needed a hook to distract voters from serious issues. Railing on about a vicious War on Women sounds much sexier than defending Obamacare, or the IRS, or Benghazi. Or armed-to-the-teeth Federales waging a hot war on a cattle rancher in Nevada. Or the US role as a Global Super Power sinking slowly into the sunset with the Young President at the helm. Shall I go on?

The Wiki defines War on Women as "an expression in United States politics used to describe certain Republican Party policies as a wide-scale effort to restrict women's rights."

Oh. Republican policies.

*sigh*

Having lived and worked as a professional during a time when women's rights were genuinely restricted, or marginalized at best, and recognizing gender discrimination when I see it, I'm calling BS on this one.

Is there an imbalance between the wages paid to men and and those paid to women? I have no doubt. Is it caused by one's reproductive parts? Unlikely. It's more plausibly the result of differing skills, experience, and any number of other variables. Does it always smell "unfair?" Probably.

Would a shiny new (in addition to the laws and regs already on the books) Federal law prohibiting employers from paying men and women differently for similar work see an end to such practices forever and ever? If you believe that could happen, I'd like to offer you a ride on my prize-winning, thoroughbred race-Unicorn at a discounted rate. Just drop me a check in the mail.

It's difficult to believe that people are so shallow, uninformed, and gullible that they would jump onto this bandwagon. It's almost as difficult to believe as watching War on Women "opponents" prattle on about their cause with a straight face. They can't really believe what they're saying, can they? They have to know that it's all just a Game of Politics? District of Columbia Sleight of Hand. Hot-Button Pole Dancing. The Capitol Hill Razzle Dazzle.

Come on, people! You're being played for patsies. Grow up!! There are legitimate issues out there.

Louisiana Politics Rears its Interesting Head

You may recall that, back on February 12, I reported on the guilty verdicts rendered in the corruption prosecution of former New Orleans mayor, C. Ray Nagin. Within that post was a little tidbit about Nagin's fellow corruption ex-con, the frequent former Governor of Louisiana and recent occupant of a federal prison "camp," 86-year old EdwinWashington Edwards.

Edwards is what some might describe as a "colorful" figure.  Others might describe him as an eccentric fellow.  Or a corrupt scoundrel.  The term, "demagogue," also has a certain accurate ring to it.  He is definitely a raconteur.

Regardless of any epithet used to characterize The Governor, one thing is certain: the man is a championship quality politician.

In addition to occupying the Governor's Mansion for an aggregate of sixteen years, Edwards also served in the Louisiana state Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. During those early years, he grew to be a master of creating political alliances and deals, so much so that in 1983 he was famously known to have bragged that he couldn't lose an election in Louisiana unless he was "caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."  One Louisiana cartoonist came up with the following, but it was never published, making what would today be known as "viral" rounds in the state via FAX machine instead:

Weakened by a corruption scandal in 1985 (for which he was eventually acquitted, after at least one mistrial), Edwards eventually went down to defeat in 1987, withdrawing from the race when Buddy Roemer placed first in the Open Primary, and handing over the keys to the Governor's Mansion well before Roemer was to be sworn in.  But was he through?  Noooooo. Not our Edwin. He quietly girded his loins and prepared for a re-match in 1991. That race proved to be one of those you-can't-make-this-stuff-up kind of scenarios.

Governor Roemer had been wiped out politically by the mess that Edwards left him, so after the smoke cleared, the 1991 Open Primary saw first place occupied by good ol' Edwin, and second place, putting him into the run-off instead of third-place Roemer, was won by David Duke.  You know -- the David Duke who was at the time a KKK elite and radical neo-Nazi.  That was an "interesting" election, with at least one bumper sticker admonishing voters to "Vote for the Crook. It's Important,"  and the good people of Louisiana did just that -- they voted the Crook back in instead of the ultra-right-wing kook.

Edwards is also a bit of a ladies man.  He is currently in his second May/December marriage, having twice divorced -- his first marriage (to Elaine) ended after 40 years (and after having appointed her to fill an unfinished term in the U.S. Senate some 17 years earlier);  his first May/December union (to Candy) ended while he was imprisoned, because "she had suffered enough."

Edward and Candy Edwards

The current Mrs. Edwards is 35-year old Trina, also the mother of his fifth child, born in August of 2013.

The happy blended Edwards family

They met after she began corresponding with and visiting him in prison, and married after his parole in 2011. In addition to their joint venture of creating a new human being (which is just kinda creepy to think about), the Edwardses also recently partnered on an A&E television reality show, "The Governor's Wife."  The program also starred two of Edwards's 60-something daughters and Trina's sons, pictured above.  To say the show was woefully atrocious is wholly inadequate to describe just how very bad it was. Mercifully, it didn't last long.

So, why am I all about The Governor today?

You won't believe this.

Well, maybe you will.  It's happening in Louisiana, after all.

Earlier this week, on Monday, the unsinkable Edwin Edwards announced his 2014 run for the 6th Congressional District seat.  The Advocate, one of Louisiana's statewide newspapers, laid out in print what many people felt:

Many agree that former Gov. Edwin Edwards will turn a sleepy race for Louisiana’s congressional 6th District seat into something more interesting, but it’s not very likely he’ll win.

I mean, really.  A  felonious, washed-up politician, reality-show reject running for national office?  Right.

Wait. What?

Today, a local polling organization announced that Edwards is not only leading the field, he is leading by 23% over his nearest rival for the Primary.  The Daily Kos leapt into the "LA-6 just went from safe -Republican to HUGE PROBLEM for GOP" spin machine, because Edwards is, after all, a Democrat.

This race should get fully cranked up about the time pre-season  football hits.  I'm not sure which will be the more entertaining spectator sport.

Scandal and Secession

A few hours ago, a Petition Permitting Louisiana to Secede from the United States of America amassed more than the number of signatures required for the White House to issue a response.  BayouBuzz reports:

Louisiana secession petition signatures reached the threshold for a response from the White House on Tuesday morning. The White House We The People programs offers all citizens the power to initiate a petition drive. Once a petition reaches more than 25,000 signatures in a 30-day period, the issue is routed to the appropriate office for review and a response issued.  

As of Tuesday morning, Louisiana’s petition to secede had 27,028 signatures, according to the Atlanta Black Star . Louisiana celebrated its statehood bicentennial earlier this year. A man identified as “Michael E” of Slidell created the secession petition on November 7, according to The Advertiser .  

University of Louisiana at Lafayette political science professor Ryan Teten had this to say about the We the People petition drive:

“It doesn’t represent the state and its population. It’s another form of protest. Given Louisiana’s position and its struggles."
 

 As of this afternoon, the HuffPo is reporting that some 30 similar petitions have been filed on the White House website's "We the People" feature. 

[Of course, there's also a petition seeking to name Duncan Trussell as Emperor of Planet Earth. (Don't ask me -- I have not made the acquaintance of Mr. Trussell.)  Mr. Trussell has already accumulated 221 signatures.  Personally, I don't see the Young President granting the status of Emperor to anyone but himself, so Mr. Trussell probably should put off ordering the leopard skin cape with ermine trim for awhile.  (You don't want to know what he wants his throne made of.  Seriously.) But, it's nice to have aspirations, I suppose.]

Interestingly enough, one must create an "account" and "log in" before one may add a signature. Yeah.  I want to create an "account" on the White House website.  When pigs fly.  I'm sure someone already monitors every time I brush my teeth or eat an extra potato chip or two, so I'm pretty sure I don't want to give the squiggly-wire-earpiece guys tacit approval to monitor me .

I'm seriously unsure of what to make of the secession movement.  There are already more than 78,000 signatures on a Texas petition.  More than 27,000 on Louisiana's. Kick in Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri, and another 74,000+ add to the total.  Heck, even someone in Wisconsin and Kalifornia has filed petitions -- and people are signing them!  Of course, these are statistically insignificant numbers, but they are relevant numbers. 

There is a cauldron of smelly stuff, and fear, coming to a boil out there while the media go on and on about the indiscretions of senior military leadership rather than voting discrepancies or murdered ambassadors. Something is getting ready to hit the fan, and I doubt whether those who plan to pitch it are willing to wait four more years.

Get ready to duck.

Party Politics, and Happenings at Moogie's Mansion

I'm really, really glad the political party conventions are over.  We were able to see Ann Romney before the power went out, but missed Paul Ryan and Mitt.  And Eastwood!  We missed Clint Eastwood!  The battery operated radio was all-Isaac, all the time.

Ann Romney was some kind of impressive -- sincere, intelligent, and she didn't insult the intelligence of those listening to her, unlike a certain First Lady who shall remain nameless, and who flexed her muscles behind the podium a lot.

I did watch most of the network coverage of the Democrats.  I know -- why?  That was Pepper's take on the whole thing, but I wanted to see what was being said for myself instead of relying on the media to convey content.

Wanting to hear for myself turned out to be a big mistake when Clinton did his marathon pat-himself-on-the-back speech.  Did the Democrats learn nothing from his performance when nominating Dukakis?  Now maybe you understand why we Arkies used the phrase, "Clinton Time," when he was governor.  He was always late, and always ran over.

It was probably a mistake to watch the Young President, too.  That is the tallest drink of aloof, narcissistic sparkling water I've ever encountered.  Pepper had to leave the room on several occasions to do a little guitar therapy in order to ward off a stroke.  And what a finale!  Splat.  Serves them right for unnecessarily moving the location because of the non-existent "bad weather."

Anyway, now we're in the home stretch and I expect the robo-calls to begin at any minute.  With dread.  Serious dread.

So, what's been happening at Moogie's Mansion since the storm?  We're still waiting on the roofer -- blue tarp is in place, though, as is the downed chimney cap.  Man, that thing made quite a racket when it hit the deck!  Pepper went into manic Captain Ahab mode with painting and door-repairing and more painting.  And yard cleaning.

The city has been pretty overwhelmed in getting the debris picked up.  Isaac was such a slow mover that there was almost as much tree debris as after Katrina -- 54 consecutive hours of sustained winds in excess of at least 40 mph, with gusts at over 90.  But, yesterday (I know!  On a Sunday!) I heard the sound of heavy equipment and this is what I saw:



Yes. I realize that Moogie is very easily entertained on occasion.  (And a guy that doesn't look very much like Andy gave me a hint on Facebook about turning the phone sideways when taking future videos. Thanks, Andy -- and friend!)

Of course, they only picked up the debris that was piled up (by the homeowners, thank you very much), not the stuff that has been bagged.  So, we still have quite an impressive pile of bags littering the curbs.  *sigh*

And, today Moogie did a little money laundering:

Shhh!  Don't tell the authorities!

From Pepper's Inbox

Pepper got this email today and forwarded it to me:

Pepper, Would you like to help send Mitt Romney to the White House without ever leaving your home and earn free Mitt gear, too?  Our "Volunteer for Mitt" program is up and running for supporters who can spare a few minutes to make personal calls to other voters across the country. To thank you for your hard work and support for Mitt, the campaign will be giving away thank you gifts based on the number of calls made between Monday, June 4th and Saturday, June 9th. Incentives are the following: 100 total calls made - bumper sticker 250 total calls made - lapel pin 500 total calls made - signed photo 1,000 total calls made - Romney t-shirt 1,500 total calls made - Romney half-zip sweatshirt To get started making calls, go to http://mi.tt/Volunteer-for-Mitt to log in or register. With your help, we can build the strong grassroots organization we need to be successful in November. Please consider donating a few minutes of your time from the comfort of your own home to this critical effort. Thank you for your help! Rich Rich Beeson Political Director

While I have decided to support Mitt (mainly because his name is not Barack Hussein Obama), I think I shall have to decline this particular offer of a quid pro quo.  As I replied to Pepper, I despise getting those political calls so much myself that I would be loathe to inflict them on anyone else.

On the other hand, if that "Romney half-zip sweatshirt" is also a hoodie . . . the delicious irony of it all might just cause me to reconsider.

Pretty Shallow Roots

In this afternoon's in-box, a little love message from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee:

Dear Moogie,

We’re putting together the official DSCC 2012 Election Poetry Magnet, and it just won't be as good if our grassroots supporters don't help us out.

So that’s why we’re asking you: What words are necessary for you to have the most satisfying poetic experience? What words would you include on our new poetry magnet?

Click here to suggest words we should include, and to order your magnet.

We’re still fighting the TEA PARTY, so maybe we’d better include it. Then there’s Dennis Rehberg, who suggested that PELL GRANTS are just welfare. Oh, and Jon Bruning in Nebraska compared people needing a helping hand to scavenging RACCOONS. And who could forget the GOP presidential candidates? Michele Bachmann said we'd get rid of unemployment entirely if we'd just dump that pesky MINIMUM WAGE. Rick Perry thinks MEDICARE and SOCIAL SECURITY are unconstitutional. And then there’s Mitt Romney, who famously said CORPORATIONS are PEOPLE. Say what? Those are some BIZARRE ideas.

Get the idea? What words would you include?
Our poetry magnet should include GRASSROOTS, because you’re such an important part of what we do. Thanks for working so hard to elect DEMOCRATS!

Sincerely,

Jason Rosenbaum
Director of Online Communications

They're "fighting" the Tea Party, whose existence they pooh-poohed a little over 2 years ago.  Heh.

I'm such a very important part of what those ever-lovin' liberals do!  I'm such a grasssroots supporter!  They'll be more than happy to accept my word suggestions (and a little donation or two).

I don't think they really want to hear my word suggestions (like Jackasses, Communists, heretics).

You'll notice that there are no children's drawings or family photos displayed on that Democratic refrigerator.  I, myself, think that very void speaks volumes about Democratic family values.  Or, maybe they're just demonstrating solidarity with those less fortunate who have no refrigerator upon which to display one's family or its artwork.

Nah -- they're just stick-up-the-rear-end, boring, vanilla people.

Do you have any suggestions for word recommendations?

Gilbert & Sullivan Meet the Young President

Got this from Patriotic Resistance/Resistnet.  It's pretty clever, but pretty dang soft on him in the long run.


(P.S. -- we are not up to discussing the Arkansas-Auburn game, unless it's in the vein of fining some officials.  Or some defensive coordinators.)

Quick! Someone Drop a House on Her!

No caption necessary!

Trackin' the Impending Fruit Basket Turnover

A cool Google gadget stolen from Mean Ol' Meany.  You can move the map around by "grabbing" it --

Political Politicians and Thirst

I was bored this morning and playing a game with myself that involved Google and Lying Politicians.  Sometimes the results of that game turn up a gem, and today was one of those days -- especially in light of all the mewling and naysaying going on in Delaware.  Behold:

Usually no?

Louisiana's Casket Cartel

As Alice observed after she plummeted down the rabbit hole, it just gets curiouser and curiouser.  Living in Louisiana, that is.

A huge new controversy has burst onto the scene here, just across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.  Bigger than huge.  Enormous!  Earthshaking!  With wide-ranging implications!

The Benedictine monks have sued the state. 

It seems that Louisiana has a state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors that regulates the funeral industry.  The Board is made up of embalmers and funeral directors and one "citizen" who must be over the age of 60.  (Yes, that's sixty.  I have no idea why someone eligible to join AARP is more qualified to sit on a state Board than someone who is simply eligible to vote, so don't even ask.  Closer to the subject matter, I suppose.  Sorry.)  This Board makes and enforces regulations governing how businesses deal with the recently deceased and their families, including a provision that requires a mere vendor of caskets to have a license.  A funeral director's license. 

So.  As reported in The Advocate, if you want to sell caskets you must take 30 semester hours of college, serve a one-year apprenticeship, and preside over a minimum of 23 funerals to get a license.  And that's just to get the funeral director's license.  To acquire a funeral home license, you must provide the services of a licensed embalmer.  (I don't even want to know the prerequisites to obtaining an embalmer's license, but I am grateful that there are people willing to go through it.)

After Katrina, the 121 year-old St. Joseph Abbey found itself in financial straits because their time-honored source of income -- farming and harvesting wood -- was severely damaged by the storm's wrath.  In order to subsist, for the past few years they have been building and selling modest wooden caskets lined with simple white cloth at affordable prices.  To do so, they converted part of the Abbey into a woodworking shop.

And they apparently trod all over the toes of the funeral director's lobby in the process.

The monks were ordered to cease and desist the unlicensed selling of caskets or face stiff fines and/or imprisonment.  They were denied exemptions from the heavy-handed law, and told that if they wished to continue their entrepreneurial endeavors, they must obtain not only a funeral director's license, but also a funeral home license because they store empty caskets in the workshop.  Seriously.

They don't plan to embalm anyone, so they took the logical step and sued the Board to have this ridiculous profit-protection scheme dissolved.

Now, I'll admit that Louisiana has some pretty out-there licensing requirements, such as in the florist industry and the interior design industry.  Like columnist Jarvis DeBerry, I'm not at all certain what horrors could be inflicted by incompetent floral or interior designers, but that's a battle for those industries to wage. 

This casket-selling thing, on the other hand -- what am, I missing?  Even if the monks mess up and sell a sub-standard casket, who's gonna be injured?  Who's gonna complain?  A dead guy?  He doesn't care if the casket gets a little prematurely leaky!

While I'm not usually a fan of litigation (kind of a weird characteristic for a lawyer!), I gotta say that I'm fully in the monks' corner.  I can't wait for this one to play out in the press.  Where's the popcorn?

You Don't Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone . . . .

YES! Please come back, T.J.!

A Magical Day in New Orleans

Today is the second day of Carnival parades on the Uptown route, the day after my Big Girl's birthday (the last of her 20s, I might add -- she's "aged" well!), the day before the Black and Gold Super "Beauxl," and election day in New Orleans.

This is the day we get to prepare to bid adieu to our "colorful" Mayor, C. Ray Nagin.

Soon he will be C. Ray Nay-gone!

See ya, C. Ray!

And there's more to come . . . stay tuned.

A rather magical day, n'cest pas?

Moogie's Post-Mortem of the State of the Unionized Extravaganza

Just a couple of observations about the State of the Unionized speech last night --

(1) Apparently no one told Michelle that the SOTU speech is a business-attire event, not a cocktail-attire event. Purple satin? Really?

(2) One positive: unlike during last year's address to Congress, this year Pelosi appeared to be faking all her jump-up-and-down O-rgasms. Do you suppose he's man enough to deal with that?

(3) I have to agree with Andy: seeing one's Secretary of Homeland Defense -- the guardian of our security -- take a little nap during her boss's big appearance is more than a little disquieting.

(4) The Young President v. The Supreme Court. STOP! in the name of love! Think it oh-oh-ver!

(5) Using the phrases, "jobs," "clean energy," and "working families" for trigger-words in the State of the Unionized Speech Drinking Game makes for a tipsy citizen-viewer.

(6) One hour, 25 minutes, 31 seconds? See: U.S. Constitution, Amendment 8. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

(7) Conspicuously absent: Foreign policy? What Foreign Policy?

Emily Post or Twenty Lashes?

The House of Representatives' Committee on Rules publishes guidelines and rules for appropriate behavior and decorum when engaged in the business of government; the current Chair is Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY). In light of the last week's unpleasantness on the floor of the House, the specific Rules for "referring" to the President during debate have been bouncing around the blogosphere and testy emails. Under section 370 of the House Rules and Manual it has been held that a Member may not:

-call the President a “liar.”
-call the President a “hypocrite.”
-describe the President’s veto of a bill as “cowardly.”
-charge that the President has been “intellectually dishonest.”
-refer to the President as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.”
-refer to alleged “sexual misconduct on the President’s part.”

(Even so, a Member may refer to a Presidential message as a “disgrace to the country,” or
refer to unnamed officials as “our half-baked nitwits handling foreign affairs.” That makes it infinitely more convenient to debate.)

A perfunctory reading suggests that these rules refer to floor or committee debate, not to what transpired last week on national television's "Prez-a-thon, Part who-can-remember-what-number."

I think Emily Post probably trumps the Rules when the Prez is an invited guest to one's chamber (we'd have to ask Monica to be certain. Oops! I've just violated one of the "thou shalt nots!"), so Rep Wilson was out of line and rude during Obama's sermon to the choir last week; but, the Young President has also rudely refused to meet with Members who have asked for his time, contrary to his public pronouncement in the chamber last week and elsewhere, beginning in July. On Wilson's part, apologies have been offered and accepted, if we're to believe Rahm Emanuel. For this outrage du jour to come to an end, does Wilson really have to be tied to the whipping post? (Oops -- there I go again, this time with a racist remark.)

I vividly remember Hillary and her pals chuckling and rolling their eyes during any number of Bush 43's addresses, without consequence.

Today, I am SO fed up with every single living, breathing body that occupies, or has occupied, an elected office in D.C., and many who have already been buried. Double-triple-quadruple standards accompany double-triple-quadruple entendres, subterfuge, and usurpation of states' and citizens' rights, responsibilities, and duties -- and they just cozy up and multiply in our governments, federal, state, and local alike. They ALL need to be unceremoniously chucked out on their high-pensioned, overly-bussed derrieres.

BOTH major parties and their adherents need to make nice.

Our friend from Virginia suggests that the Republican party is behaving like "screaming assholes" since the new Administration moved into the White House. That could be. My thought, however, is that there is no party presently in existence that doesn't have its "screaming assholes," as our friend so gallantly phrases it. None. But, I do know one thing: there needs to be some sort of release brought to bear soon -- not only for the anger that is fermenting across the country, but also for the fear. Overly-taxed pressure cookers make for a pretty big mess. How's that for a double-entendre?

A good start would be to take the race card out of the deck and hide it somewhere so it can't be dealt.

You can call someone pretty much anything in Great Britain's Parliament if you have a good enough vocabulary. I'm working on it. Let's send a Thesaurus to our Congressmen.

9/12 MARCH UPDATE: Redistributing Knowledge posts a panoramic photo of the 9/12 crowd in D.C. reportedly taken from atop the Capitol Building via congressional escort. Pretty dang impressive!!

A Presidential Primer: How A REAL President SHould Behave

I received this email today. It made me so very wistful -- we'll never see another politician with this kind of integrity again. *Sigh*

Harry Truman

Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri . His wife had inherited The house from her mother and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There were no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale. (hello, Illinois )

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!"

I say dig him up and clone him!!

I would have to agree! You're still givin' 'em hell, Harry.

John Boehner: My New Hero

John Boehner is my new hero! We need about 434 more folks with his common sense in the House of Representatives.

I couldn't find the embed code, so here's the link to his remarks about the 300+ page amendment to the ACES Act (Cap and Trade) filed by Henry Waxman at 3:09 A.M. Friday morning before a vote scheduled at 5:00 p.m. that same day. He made Waxman look like the pontifical ass he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc6zy41_PJo

I'm sorry, but I am all fired-up about this hurricane-force speed that Congress has adopted in the process of enacting legislation that is WAY too complex and WAY too overreaching. California has been oh-so-successful in its own governance! I say that we send ALL the California delegation back home to clean up their own house before they go messing with anyone else's!

Senator Turns Atlanta Tea Partier In to the FBI

Smshirk of Atlata posted a Discussion topic on the Tea Party Patriots main page. You may read it here.

It seems that Rhode Island Senator, Sheldon Whitehouse, with whom he had engaged in a spirited correspondence, turned him in to the FBI as a suspected extremist. An agent actually showed up at his door! Fortunately, the agent was reasonable and polite.

Nonetheless, this point is -- smshirk thought twice before feeling comfortable about writing to his Senator again.

We must not allow ourselves to be silenced. Let me say that again, a little louder: WE MUST NOT BE SILENCED.

Smshirk didn't allow himself to be silenced. I think I'll go write a little love note to some folks in D.C.

Tiptoe: The Young President's First Whack at the Supreme Court

This one may just drive us all over the edge. The Young President has already been given the opportunity to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. Speculation is all over the place.

Some pundits think that, knowing he'll probably have more than one appointment over the next 3 1/2 years, he may back off and nominate a fairly moderate centrist. Others think he'll dive directly into the left end of the pool. Of course, race/ethnicity and gender will be criteria. Immutable characteristics such as skin color and reproductive organs are certainly reliable predictors of judicial acumen. Yawn.

The Young President has been quoted as saying he believes the time for radical judicial activism has passed, but another quote has him desiring a nominee "who understands that justice isn’t about some abstract legal theory or footnote in a case book." Huh? Being able to empathize with a litigant's "pain" does not help one to construe a statute or to discern legislative intent.

The Supreme Court rarely seeks the abstract concept of "justice" as its goal; the Supreme Court is tasked by the Constitution and the Common Law system with interpreting the law as it applies to a specific set of facts. Our law school profs taught us that first you argue the Law, and if the law's not on your side, then you argue the Facts; only as a last resort do you argue Public Policy (read: justice). It's that whole hobgoblin-of-small-minds concept.

I just can't see him abandoning juicy judicial activism. He's already thrown most of the Constitution out the window -- why not toss common law precedent out there, too?

Crossposted here.

Going to Gitmo: Part Deux

Dropped in snail mail today:

President Barack H. Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama:

I am writing to you once again as an Independent voter from Louisiana. As you might surmise from the watermark on this page, I was an active participant in the New Orleans Tax Day Tea Party -- one of those "folks waving tea bags around."

On April 15th, your economic advisor, Jared Bernstein, announced that you were unaware of the many Tea Parties taking place in small towns and large cities all across the nation; but, in your First-100-Days Town Hall Meeting in Missouri, you not only acknowledged the Tea Parties, you actually proceeded to mock both the participants in and the significance of Tea Parties. Unfortunately, in your belated effort to smile, nod, and belittle the grassroots Tea Party movement, you chose to miss the point intended by most Tea Partiers -- or, worse, you chose to mischaracterize it.

As a consequence of your words at the Town Hall Meeting, I am indeed gratified to learn that you are "happy to have a serious conversation" about the issues facing the nation which you believe to be the most urgent -- your holy trinity of healthcare, energy and education, joined by Social Security during your performance in Missouri. I am most certainly pleased that you and "Claire" are working diligently to audit all federal spending, even though you didn't suggest what might be the outcome of that audit. I am thrilled beyond belief that you sent the world notice from Missouri that you intend to have a "serious discussion" about how to reduce health care spending -- open, thorough, and genuine debate are the hallmarks of democratic deliberation -- instead of rolling out another juggernaut like you did with the Recovery Act. That is what you meant by that comment about "serious discussion," isn't it, Mr. President?

But, then you suggested that the Tea Parties were all about -- and only about -- the Recovery Act. Wrong.

The ill-thought-out, helter-skelter overspending embodied in the Recovery Act is certainly an element of "the point" of the Tea Parties. What you must come to understand, however, is that "the point" is most assuredly not only about the Recovery Act. The passage and signing of the Recovery Act were simply the tipping point.

In April, the implementation of the Recovery Act was coupled with teasers of what other spending plans you and Congress had yet to announce. Add that fact to the rapid growth of the federal government in the mere first weeks of your administration, together with overt steps in Congress that threaten individual freedoms contained in the Bill of Rights. When all these straws came together, the Recovery Act broke the camel's back.

We camels -- we defenders of the Constitution -- coalesced, we spoke, and our numbers grow daily. That is another point. Our numbers grow daily.

Your administration's condescension to the patriotic men and women who serve in our military is deplorable; its social agenda to "spread the wealth" is a turn to the "failed policies" of former first-world nations. You and the Congress have corrupted the spirit of volunteerism with the passage of the Kennedy Act. The road upon which you and the Congress have placed the country is heading straight toward the destruction of the Republic by centralizing too much power in Washington in defiance of the Constitution.

You were elected to be our president -- a leader -- not our nanny or our omniscient exalted ruler. Please start listening to all American citizens and assume the appropriate presidential role as conceived by the Framers.

Sincerely,

Send cookies to my cell at Gitmo, and tell my family I love them.

Crossposted here.