The Politics of "Win Some, Lose Some" DADT traded for Billionaire Tax Breaks

Is is me, or does this seem like one of those schlocky Hollywood movies with super famous stars in it? The Fockkers franchise perhaps...  Where you are saying to yourself, "How the fockk did Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro end up in this steaming pile?"

And then you think, "Ah, they must need the money for a special indy film that wouldn't get made otherwise."
 
Look inside the beltway this week and gaze upon a hauntingly familiar scene. A stunningly stupid piece of economic legislation sails past the critics with a few token protestations and a worthy little bill that had almost no chance of getting passed somehow finds it's day in the sun.

DADT was a backward, unworkable patch for an untenable social injustice that deserved to be squelched. And maybe I want too much. But did we have to trade off all hope for an economic recovery, so even more young people can die in yet another unjust war?

Any economist who doesn't have his head shoved up his ass will tell you: tax breaks for the wealthy put a drag on the economy. Because Paris Hilton can only buy so many cars, even if they are very expensive, planet-killing, dick extensions. Believe it or not, giving her even more money isn't going to spur a spending spree on her part.

On the other hand, giving a bigger tax break to a bunch of middle class families while asking Oui, oui, Paris to pay more in taxes, would generate a lot more traction in the economy.

Although it from the way they are failing to push with their legs, they might be spending some bucks on physical therapy.

So, this didn't even end up being a Lady or the Tiger choice.

Tax Breaks for Billionaires: Pork and Plutocracy kill the economy.
DADT Repeal: Kills even more of our young.

It's much more along the lines of Blue Pill keeps you in a non-life illusion, Red Pill wakens you to a shitty, difficult reality.

Obama, et. al., making the best use of American's chronic Attention Deficit Disorder, and persistent inability to connect the dots, scored big. With the passage of this pair of bills, Obama got some Blue Dog, some monied "base" and some accolades from the independent voter. And he mollified a portion of his impatient progressive detractors along the way.

Best of all, if the Tax Bill helps the economy, he gets cred. If the Tax Bill kills the economy, as is very likely to happen, then the folks who pushed hardest for it will get the blame: the Republicans.

Now that, is how Hollywood and Politics are done.

Yer Average TeaBagger's Understanding of the Physics of Heat and Light.

So, the International Code Council is meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina this week. You can watch the live webcast if you are so inclined. If you are lucky, maybe some bored fool will steal a car from the NASCAR Hall of Fame across the street and fashion it into a Deathmobile. Then maybe they'll can drive it  through the crowd to liven things up a bit.

Why don'tcha ICC my ass!

Here, various architects, engineers, the folks from the International Residential Code's (IRC's) Energy Chapter and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) meet to discuss proposed changes to the code. These proposals are voted on by the council and ratified by other council members, along with state and county officials who are supposed to enforce the decisions made. Also represented are folks from various state Home Builders Associations. Exciting, exciting stuff.

So today, among the various proposals floated was lowering the U-Value of window glass from .40 to .20. Like I said, piss your pants exciting. Basically U-Value measures a window's ability to reduce heat loss from inside your house in the winter. Less heat lost means more money saved by the home owner.

You lower U-values by using 2 panes separated by a spacer. Or filling the space with various gases. It's meant to help keep heat in. That's all.

During the "debate" on how much of the new code proposals should be ratified, a representative of the Texas Home Builders Association makes his deep displeasure evident to the assembled body. He took exception to the recommendations for increased energy efficiency, saying he didn't see the point. He didn't like all these new requirements being shoved down his throat by the Gub'mint. His thinking held that, after next Tuesday, "none of this stuff is going to be enforced anyway".

In his grand vision, the results of next Tuesday's election would have a Republican Tsunami wash over the country; returning us to the BushCo. days of easy oil and lawless abandon.

Never mind that this is the International Code Council. I'm sure his understanding of Foreign Relations and International Policy is on par with Gover Palin's. (half term = half title) And never mind that these codes were in place before the current "Colored" President. And mostly never mind that the Code is enforced by State Law, not by Federal Mandate. Facts? Forget facts, he was on a roll.

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"
"Germans?"
"Forget it, he's rolling."

Further, he complained, this was going to cost builders and cost the people paying the builders. And, he said, if they kept requiring lower and lower U-Values, the glass would finally become so dark, nobody would be able to see out their damned windows!

On my Mother's grave, this is what. he. said.


And I only have one thing to say in response: If any more of these brainless gits makes it into a position of real power, may what gods exist have mercy on us all.

US Would Make Internet Wiretaps Easier. Hey! It's Shrub, in blackface.....

Now if somebody wants to treat American citizens like adults and give us a reason for needing to poke into our personal business, then we will determine whether the risk is worth it.

From ABC News      

The new regulations that would be sent to Congress next year would affect American and foreign companies that provide communications services inside the U.S. It would require service providers to make the plain text of encrypted conversations — over the phone, computer or e-mail — readily available to law enforcement, according to federal officials and analysts.

The mandate would likely require companies to add backdoors or other changes to the systems that would allow a wiretap to capture an unscrambled version of a conversation.

Those affected by the changes would include online services and networking sites such as Facebook and Skype, as well as phone systems that deliver encrypted e-mail such as BlackBerry.