What To Do In Wisconsin

The short version of the story: Newly-elected GOP legislative majority and GOP governor begin to follow through on campaign promises to cut state spending. Teachers in the public schools are included, and will be expected to receive less generous compensation packages. Unions are outraged; democrats wail and howl.

Then, the 14 remaining democrat members of the Wisconsin Senate flee. Away. To Illinois. Since a quorum of 20 is required, and since there are only 19 Republicans, Senate business has come to a halt.

The fugitive legislators deserve strong criticism for their cowardice and irresponsibility. But they deserve more than that. In the "real world," those of us who don't show up for work—nay, refuse to come to work!—get the axe.

The Wisconsin constitution (I found it here; see p. 63) provides a way for elected officials to be recalled from office. I would encourage everybody who lives in a district represented by one of these fugitive legislators to begin the process by signing petitions to get these folks removed from office. They have abdicated their responsibilities, and therefore, they should be removed from their posts.

Whether or not these 14 like the legislation being debated, and regardless of the number or opinions of those protesters, they were entrusted with a responsibility. If they don't care to fulfill that responsibility, they should no longer hold office.

Hypocrisy at the Highest Levels

From the Washington Examiner via Net Right Nation comes this nugget: Pelosi et al., the ones who are seeking to ram through the abominable healthcare legislation that will socialize a substantial portion of our economy without a real up-or-down vote, once went so far as to join in a lawsuit to stop this same strategy for being used for the purpose for which it was actually intended. Here are parts of the article:

But put aside the present for the moment and step into my time machine. Dial the date selector back to 2005 when the Republican majority in Congress approved a national debt limit increase using a self-executing rule similar to the Slaughter Solution.

Guess who went to federal court to challenge the constitutionality of the move? The Ralph Nader-backed Public Citizen legal activists. Here's the argument they made:

[Click here to read their argument]

And now for the kicker, guess who joined Public Citizen in that suit with amicus briefs:

Nancy Pelosi

Henry Waxman

Louise Slaughter

If the Pelosi/Slaughter/Waxman argument against using a self-executing rule against a debt limit increase measure sounds familiar, it should because it's the same argument now being used by Republicans to oppose the Slaughter Solution for moving Obamacare through the House.

Of course, there is one major difference between 2005 and 2010. Debt limit increases are routine in Congress and have been for decades. But to place the American private health care system under government control -- effectively socializing one-sixth of the U.S. economy -- that has never been done before.

Read all about it here and here.

How is Your Congressman Going to Vote?

The Hill, which is more-or-less the newspaper of record covering things in Congress, has published a list of which Democrats could possibly vote "No" on the abominable healthcare legislation currently before the U.S. House. Please take a look at the list, and if you have a Congressman who might vote "No" on this bill, call and demand that he/she do the right thing!

For those of you in Michigan, Reps. Stupak, Schauer, and Kildee are on the list. Pester them if they belong to you!

Republicans in the Senate: Fight!

I read this absolutely first-rate article over at the RedState blog today and thought that I must share it with everyone who reads my blog. I will copy part of it here; you can read the rest at this link.

It is absolutely vital that the contemptible healthcare legislation sitting in the Senate be killed (and then bludgeoned) by whatever means necessary. The means are there. This is how it should happen:

The Senate, unlike the House of Representatives, has parliamentary rules and procedures that give the minority the ability to stall legislation. In fact, unlike the House, the minority have the ability to virtually paralyze the Senate. Doing so is not something we would want or expect for every bad bill that comes through Congress, but the proposed healthcare legislation is probably the worst piece of legislation ever considered by the United States Congress. It is the most intrusive, most damaging, most costly, most dangerous bill to the economic and personal freedom and liberty of individual Americans that Congress has ever considered. If there is any bill that deserves being stopped by shutting down the Senate, it is this one.

There are a whole series of parliamentary maneuvers that could be used by Republican senators to stop this bill. There is a hard backstop to the current process (Christmas). The Republicans’ goal should be to prevent Reid from passing the bill before that time. If he goes past Christmas and is forced to adjourn or recess, the momentum will shift in favor of those opposing the bill.

How could this be done?

Keep reading here.

Detroit Public Schools: Another Outrage!

September 30, in addition to begin the deadline when the state of Michigan is supposed to get its state budget passed, is what we call "Count Day" here in Michigan. The short version of the story is that (a) it is the day when school districts must get an "official" count of their student populations, and (b) that official count is multiplied by a per pupil allowance to determine how much $$$ the district will get from the state for the year.

You don't have to be a multiplication or public policy expert to see that districts want both numbers (the "count," and the per pupil allowance) to be as large as possible.

The Detroit Public Schools (DPS) school district is among the very worst in the civilized world. Its graduation rate is around 25%, pitiful by any standard whatsoever. Its student population has gone from about 160,000 just nine years ago to a projected 83,777 this year—a decline of more than 47% in under a decade! It is unsafe and has a bureaucracy that socialists envy. Its financial integrity is mocked by Bernie Madoff. Blogprof has a running list of commentary on DPS, if you want to immerse yourself in its failures.

So what do you do on Count Day? Do you attempt to restore financial integrity? Do you announce new academic expectations? No. You bribe students to come to school.

Articles in the WSJ and Detroit News give further details. It is a disgrace of the highest order...and that's saying something, considering how disgraceful DPS already is.

Senate Democrats: Abortion = Healthcare

Adding to the growing corpus of evidence that democrats in D.C. want—nay, demand—abortion funding as part of the abominable healthcare bill is a Senate committee vote that occurred this morning. In a 13-10 vote (with pseudo-republican Snowe joining twelve democrats), an amendment offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to "strengthen anti-abortion provisions" was defeated.

It must be remembered that President Obama and most of the key democrats in Congress have already shown clearly that they want to see abortion funding in any final version of the healthcare bill that might pass Congress.

It must also be remembered that abortion is nothing short of the cold-blooded murder of a human being.

And speaking of things to remember...if someone is so cold-blooded as to accept the murder of an innocent life, what will stop their cold heart when it comes to euthanasia? Or "withdrawal of care"?

Is McCotter Nuts?!?

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, a Republican from Michigan, is apparently seeking support in Congress for a bill that would amend the Internal Revenue Code....tell you what: I'll just quote from a letter he sent to his colleagues:

"Dear Colleague," the letter reads.

"According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63% of United States households own a pet. Indeed, the human-animal bond has been shown to have a positive effect upon people's emotional and physical well being. In families with children, pets help to create a nurturing environment and provide ample educational opportunities. For people in later stages of life, pets offer important companionship. No matter the age of the owner, pets have been shown to reduce stress, safeguard against depression, improve social skills, and even ease loss.

"In light of this, please join me in becoming a cosponsor to H.R. 3501, the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act. If enacted, H.R. 3501 would amend the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to allow an annual tax deduction of up to $3500 for qualified pet care expenses. Specifically, "qualified pet care expenses" would be defined as funds spent in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a legally owned, domesticated animal."

I first heard this on the radio driving home from work today (and in God's providence, I was stopped at a red light at that very moment, preventing me from driving my car off the road).

Sadly, liberals are having a field day with this—just as we Republicans often do with their loony ideas. Except this idea truly is loony! See examples here and here, if you care to do so.

Our tax code has more than its share of problems and certainly more than its share of illogical tax breaks for special-interest-related reasons. I'd rather see McCotter offer some sort of tax relief related to what I spend caring for the health care of the humans in my household. That would truly be a "HAPPY" day.

Tax breaks for pet care. Think about that.

Utility Rates on the Rise—Ouch!

First, I drive home this afternoon, appalled that gas prices along the 15-mile drive from work to home jerked upward by sixteen cents. That's going to hurt my wallet.

But when I get home, I read this story about utility customers in nearby South Haven:

The City Council has been asked to approve a 16 percent overall increase in utilities, including a 29 percent increase in water rates.

Electricity and sewer rates are going up, too. The water rate rise is due primarily to debt service, and the sewer rate rise (a mere 7%) is primarily to fund some studies and upgrade some lift stations.

It's the electricity rate increases (12% for residential customers), however, that caught my eye:

The increases -- expected to generate $800,000 -- are costs being passed on by American Electric Power.

It seems to me that I remember legislation passed several months back (my memory was aided here and here) that would, as predicted ahead of time, raise residential electricity rates.

The people of South Haven will be upset about the rate increases. I don't blame them. But this could be a very instructive lesson for Van Buren County's largest concentration of Democrats—allowing the Dems to pass legislation that reduces competition and mandates economically unrealistic (and not free market-driven) "renewable energy" production will hit them in the pocketbook.

There is a better way. Shrewd companies know that whoever develops, patents, and produces the next generation of affordable energy-saving devices—whether electrical, such as lighting, or gasoline-based, such as cars—stands to make a great deal of money. Many companies even now are working on R&D to do just that in a variety of fields. Let's let them, and let us reward with our pocketbooks those who succeed in producing a better product at a better price.

I don't expect GM or Chrysler to be doing that anytime soon, though. Which brings me back to that first observation....

The "Americans With No Abilities Act"

My brother sent me the following via e-mail; it is both funny and realistic-sounding. My commendations to the anonymous author.

The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)

Washington , DC - (Dateline May 11, 2009)

President Barack Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress are considering sweeping legislation that will provide new benefits for many Americans. The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA) is being hailed as a major legislative goal by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or ambition.

"Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said California Senator Barbara Boxer - Democrat. "We can no longer stand by and allow People of Inability (POI) to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation, employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of workers, simply because they work hard and have some idea of what they are doing."

In a Capitol Hill press conference, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi – Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – Democrat - pointed to the success of the U.S. Postal Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without regard to performance. Approximately 74 percent of postal employees lack any job skills, making this agency the single largest U.S. employer of Persons of Inability. At the state government level, the Department of Motor Vehicles also has an excellent record of hiring Persons of Inability (63%). Labor unions are another great example of getting Persons of Inability into the work force.

Under AWNAA, more than 25 million mid-level positions will be created, with important-sounding titles but little real responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance and improving their self-esteem. Mandatory non-performance-based raises, promotions and awards will be given so as to guarantee upward mobility and recognition for even the most unremarkable employees. The legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations that promote a significant number of Persons of Inability into middle-management positions, and gives a tax credit to small and medium-sized businesses that agree to hire one clueless worker for every two talented hires.

Finally, the AWNAA contains tough new measures to make it more difficult to discriminate against the non-abled, banning, for example, discriminatory interview questions such as, "Do you have any skills or experience that relate to this job?" "As a Non-abled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who have something going for them," said Mary Lou Gertz, who lost her position as a lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint, Michigan, due to her inability to remember rightey-tightey, lefty-loosey. "This new law should be real good for people like me," Gertz added. With the passage of this bill, Gertz and millions of other untalented citizens will finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Said Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat-IL), "As one of many senators with no abilities, I believe the same privileges that many elected officials enjoy ought to be extended to every American with no abilities. It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and every American citizen, regardless of his or her inadequacy, with some sort of space to take up in this great nation and a good salary for doing so."

NEW Blog: Van Buren County Republican

I would like to recommend the blog "Van Buren County Republican" to all of my friends, especially those who live here in Van Buren County, Michigan. The stated purpose of this blog is to communicate with Michiganders about the political, social, and economic state of our county and our state.

Today, you will find an excellent piece from Rep. Tonya Schuitmaker, who represents Van Buren County in the state legislature, explaining her "No" vote on the "Hire Michigan First" legislation. She does an eloquent job explaining the shortcomings of this legislation.

We look forward to hearing from other Republican county and state officials regarding how they contribute to the betterment of Van Buren County and the state of Michigan.