Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Another Four Pinocchios for the Republi-CONs

"Congress already has appropriated some spending in future years [for the new health care law], but [Bachmann's] claim that this money was 'hidden' does not have credibility. The money for these programs was clearly described and analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office before the legislation was voted into law." Read the Washington Post, Michele Bachmann's 'bombshell' on a 'hidden' $105 billion.

Cut Federal Government Pay and Benefits

UPDATE III: Reports suggest that "federal employees are paid too generously when compared to private sector workers." Read the Washington Post, Federal pay and benefits back in the spotlight.


UPDATE II: Better less and late than none and never. Read the Washington Post, Obama announces 2-year pay freeze for federal workers.


UPDATE: Another I told ya so, my idea to cut all federal government payments is catching on. Read the Washington Post, Freshman from Utah is making a name for himself.

A bill would furlough federal workers for 2 weeks. That would be a start. I've suggested a 10% pay reduction for all government payees (workers, retirees, veterans, social security recipients, etc.), 50% for any payment over $100k/year.

Don't Read Your Spouse's Email

UPDATE: Also, be careful when you 'wiretap' (record) your spouse in Nebraska, or probably anywhere else in the U.S. Read arstechnica.com, Modern divorce: Wiretapped teddy bears, $120,000 in fines.

And read the federal court order to understand why.

Don't read your spouse's email, especially in Michigan. Read the Washington Post, Michigan man to could go to jail for reading his wife's e-mail.

BE AFRAID!

UPDATE: My, my, it seems that it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black. "Representative Peter T. King, whose committee is holding hearings on the radicalization of American Muslims, once fervently supported a terrorist group, the Irish Republican Army." Read The New York Times, For Lawmaker Examining Terror, a Pro-I.R.A. Past.

Republi-cons have no shame.

"This week’s scheduled hearing into the Muslim community is an affront to America’s most precious ideals." Read The New York Times, Flailing After Muslims and the Washington Post, Rep. Peter King's hearings on Islamic radicalization: Fuel for the bigots.

No More Human Labor

UPDATE: Of course, it is important to understand that the Industrial Revolution and "the overwhelming automation of the business of providing us with calories, warmth, and dryness has not left us short of things to do, and not feeling as though we have suffered status degradation." Read Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality with All Ten Tentacles, Did the Singularity Already Happen?

It sounds Utopian. But what will the middle-class do? Read The New York Times, Degrees and Dollars.