Running and yelling don't make sense.
Filed under Cartoon, child, eight year old philosopher, humor, politicians, politics
Every now and then, it is good to revisit a classic, or even a curiosity from the past. The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce was originally published in newspaper installments from 1881 until 1906. You might be surprised how current many of the entries are.
For example, here is a definition for the words politics and politician. The Old definitions are Bierce’s. The New definition is mine. From time to time, just as it was originally published, we will come back to The Devil’s Dictionary, for a look at it then and how it applies today. Click on Devil’s Dictionary in the tags below to bring up the other entries.
Old definition
Politics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.
Politician, n. An eel in the fundamental mud upon which the superstructure of organized society is reared. When he wriggles, he mistakes the agitation of his tail for the trembling of the edifice. As compared with the statesman, he suffers the disadvantage of being alive.
New definition
There is no need to update these old definitions. But to them, one could add (since they did not exist in Bierce’s time) these two words:
PAC, n. a gathering of money and people, like wolves, in pursuit of political prey to tear apart in the conduct of public affairs for private advantage. Unlike wolves, they don’t have to carry any sort of coloration to identify themselves. They have no natural enemies to keep them in check.
Super-PAC, n. an even larger gathering of a PAC. Bent on complete destruction in the name of conducting public affairs for private advantage. They have no natural enemies to keep them in check. One can only hope for a sufficiently large enough political meteor to crash into politics and kill them.
First, the news:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/27/gov-bill-haslam-beth-harwell-hesitant-drug-testing/
Tennessee legislature Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he expects lawmakers will pass a bill requiring drug tests for Tennesseans who get government assistance or workers’ compensation.
Other high-ranking Republicans aren’t so confident.
Ramsey recently told the Nashville Chamber of Commerce that a similar proposal last legislative session carried a $12 million price tag but didn’t take into account the savings from cutting off benefits to drug users.
House Speaker Beth Harwell says that while she agrees with the aim of the drug-testing proposal, the state’s top priority is balancing its budget.
Gov. Bill Haslam has raised questions about whether the federal government’s rules for the benefits programs give the state enough flexibility to start drug-testing recipients.
Now, a bit of older news:
Would you trust this man?
Would you trust this man with a handgun?
Would you trust him if you knew he was an ex-Memphis police officer?
Would you trust him if you knew he was an ex-police officer with a .38-caliber handgun tucked between the driver’s seat and console of his SUV?
Would you trust him if you knew he refused to take a Breathalyzer test, after being stopped by Nashville police officers for driving 60 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone and weaving across the double yellow lines on a street near Vanderbilt University?
Would you trust him if you knew he was Tennessee state Representative, Republican from Collierville?
Would you trust him if you knew he was the House sponsor of the bill (later mad law) allowing handguns in bars?
If so, Curry Todd, the man in photo, is the person you would trust.
Your tax dollars at work.
It will be interesting see how the state Republicans protect one of their own who to the serve part of the motto “to Protect and Serve” to mean how many drinks he could serve himself and still drive.
Sources:
www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/12/lawmaker-arrested-on-drunken-driving-gun-charges/
www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/12/sponsor-of-tennessee-guns-in-bars-bill-charged/
Given the existence of a possible drug problem within the Tennessee State legislature and since public officials are receiving public assistance, too, I propose that if they pass this law that the legislature have the moral rectitude to include themselves in the testing as well. And that any representative, senator, or governor that turns up with a positive drug test, including excessive use of alcohol, be automatically kicked out of office and that all pay and benefits end immediately. Furthermore, any state politician who has retired from office and is receiving any money or benefits from the state of Tennessee should also be subjected to this testing, with the same consequences. Furthermore, any positive results should be turned over to the proper authorities for potential criminal prosecution.
What do you think the chances of that are?
Filed under GOP, government, political humor, politicians, politics, Republicans, satire, state government
NASHVILLE, TN — In March 2011, the Tennessee state legislature passed the “Health Care Freedom Act,” in essence saying Tennesseans didn’t have to follow the federal health care bill passed the previous year. In short, they were saying our state can be different than other states.
In May 2011, this same legislature passed HB600, the state Senate, by a vote of 18-8 in favor of the bill and the the House by a vote of 73-24 the previous week. It now goes to the governor, Bill Haslam, last who has said he supports the measure.
What is HB600? A state bill overturn a legally passed Nashville/Davidson County Metro Government ordinance that said companies contracting with the metro government cannot practice discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation.
Those in state government who voted for the bill overturning the ordinance said things like: “When it comes to anti-discrimination practices, we need to have consistent rules across the state,” said Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin.
But the state shouldn’t have to practice consistent rules with the federal government?
And I thought Republicans were supposed to be the party of less government intrusion. I guess when you’re in power, it’s okay to pick your intrusions.
I believe it was Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, who said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
With strong Republican majorities in both chambers of the legislature and with a Republican governor, I guess we’re seeing the true character of the state Republicans, and it looks remarkably hypocritical.
Links:
News Sentinel
Filed under absurdity, government, hypocracy, Nashville, politicians, politics, Republicans, state
NASHVILLE, TN. In an effort to curtail drug crime in Tennessee, on April 18, 2011, the Tennessee state Senate unanimously approved a bill prohibiting the possession or sale of methcathinone, presently sold legally as “balt salts” or sometimes “Molly Plant Food.”
Law enforcement says abuse of this psychoactive stimulant, which is considered addictive, is on the rise.
Hey lady, don't run away. I got just the bath salts you need.
But the new law, which awaits the governor’s signature, only makes it a misdemeanor to posses or sell this addictive stimulant.
Why wasn’t it made a felony? Reason: the projected costs of incarcerating those convicted caused the switch from originally being a felony to being only a misdemeanor with no mandated jail time.
One can only hope the state legislature will be so considerate of the incarceration costs should they wind up with the power to regulate a woman’s right to choose. See “Oh, how they torture the language so,” previously in this blog.
Filed under absurdity, GOP, humor, legislature, political humor, politicians, politics, satire, Tennessee, word play, words, writing
From the desk of tortured logic and tortured words, we humbly submit this political flimflam and falderal:
NASHVILLE, TN: The Tennessee state Senate recently voted 24-8 to amend the state constitution giving future state legislatures the right to enact laws putting new restrictions on abortions in Tennessee.
Why?
Because in 2000 the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution gave Tennesseans, and particularly Tennessee women, greater rights in this area than the U.S. Constitution.
Now, the Tennessee bicameral legislature is majority Republican in both the Senate and House of Representatives, and the House is expected to also vote for this resolution.
I thought Republicans were for giving individuals the rights to determine their lives and here is a case where the state constitution gives individuals more rights, more individual power than the federal constitution. After all, one must remember that this is the same legislature that recently voted to allow Tennesseans to refuse to follow the new federal health care laws.
This amendment would read:
“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”
There was an unsuccessful attempt by Senator Roy Herron, Democrat from Dresden, TN, to amend the amendment to protect the right to an abortion in the case when the mother’s life is in danger. According to Herron, the amendment, as drafted, says “the Legislature can protect you if they will or harm you if they want.”
In response to this, Senator Mae Beavers, a Republican from Mount Juliet, TN, said adopting the amendment would “convert the Supreme Court into a roving constitutional convention.” She went on to say that the amendment “is about returning to the people, through their legislators, the right to enact reasonable regulations to protect the health of women and the unborn.”
But the Tennessee Supreme Court has already ruled that the Tennessee Constitution, as presently written, gives the people, including women, more rights than the federal one to regulate her health and even that of her unborn child. It doesn’t say a woman has or should or is required to have an abortion. It says it’s not the government’s business.
Shouldn’t this be something Republicans should cheer, hold dear, almost sacrosanct?
But the Republican-controlled state Senate and House, the party of small government and fewer regulations, the party that believes that people can better regulate themselves than government, has decided here, the individual can’t be trusted to regulate herself, and wants to give that power to the state legislature, because in this case they know better. They want to be the roving constitutional convention, roving over individual rights as they see fit.
Filed under absurdity, GOP, politicians, politics, Tenessee legislature, Tennessee Constitution, U.S. Constitution, words
Pew News IQ quiz here.
Eleven questions. No tricks.
Interesting and simple test. It’s astonishing that so many people got less than half right.
These results say that 80% of the (voting age) public doesn’t have a clue – and that’s pretty scary.
Test your knowledge with 11 questions, then be ready to shudder when you see how others did.
There are age and demographic breakdowns at the end.
No wonder politicians and fear mongers take such advantage, or maybe they are as ill-informed as those they attempt to “inform.” An even more frightening thought.
Filed under current events, news, politicians, politics, pundits, survey
Death panels do exist, and the Republican-controlled legislature and governor’s office in Arizona has the votes to prove. With a 21–9 majority in the state senate and a 40–20 majority in the state house, they could even override Republican governor Jan Brewer, should she stray and veto a piece of not only Republican, but Tea-Party-Republican legislation.
These two legislative bodies and the governor have decided to hold 96 critically ill people (human bodies) hostage to a battle with Washington. They have voted to cut $1.4 million from this fiscal year’s transplant budget in an attempt to cut $561 million in Medicaid payments from its $1.2 billion budget deficit. This $561 million is part of a state-federal program that helps provide coverage for about 280,000 of the state’s poor. At least two of the transplant candidates have already died.
When asked about, Republican State Senator Frank Antenori was quoted as saying, “Government makes decisions that affect people’s lives all the time.” Including some that apparently will kill you.
Seems Sarah Palin was right: the government has created death panels. In this case it is a solidly Tea-Party-Republican-control state government of Arizona that has done so – at the expense of the poor, of course.
When Arizona considered passing a law requiring people to carry papers proving they were U.S. citizens should they be stopped by the police, the conservative mouth piece Glenn Beck was heard responding to critics by sarcastically saying, “Arizona sure has put the A-Z back in Nazi.”
Maybe he was more right than he realized.
Filed under absurdity, Death panels, insanity, politics, Sarah Palin, Tea Party, true story
The Tea Party folk won’t wake up to the real issue. The don’t want to, and there are political elements, mostly tied to the Republican Party, but not exclusively, that don’t want the people, Tea Party or otherwise, to look behind the curtain, because these wizards (of Wall Street) won’t take you home; but they’ll take your home, and your car, and your bank account, and your credit rating. Nope, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. Unfortunately, the people of Kansas — and elsewhere — don’t seem to care. This curtain is not of cloth nor iron, but gold, and the shininess of greed is too hard to breach.
Post Script:
http://baselinescenario.com/2010/04/17/pecora-moment/
Further information as to who caused the problem.
Booker's Blog 