Bob Marshall does some dumpster diving

MoonHowler

Mississippians soundly rejected an anti-abortion bill that would have given a zygote the same rights as a grown woman.  The bill was voted down in a referendum and sent to the dumpster where it belonged.  It now seems that Delegate Bob Marshall has done some dumpster-diving of his own and retrieved the darn thing.  He has introduced it as Bill # 1 in the House of Delegates. 

From NARAL Pro-Choice America:

Anti-choice zealot Del. Bob Marshall has already filed the very first piece of legislation for the 2012 General Assembly session that begins in January. His bill would give legal rights to a fertilized egg, which would jeopardize the right to abortion and could potentially ban other reproductive health-care services like birth control. That’s right: House Bill 1 will be a “personhood” measure!

From CBN:

 

Beware of unintended consequences.  As long as Roe v Wade stands, this bill would be meaningless even if it passes.  However, if Roe vs Wade or even part of it were overturned, technically, regardless of what the video says, abortion could be illegal, again after nearly 40 years, and contraception could also be illegal in Virginia. 

Should this bill pass, probably the most sensible thing to do would be to file a retroactive tax form claiming your children for the year before their birth, if they were born any time before August.  It probably wouldn’t work with the feds but I don’t see why it wouldn’t for Virginia income tax. 

  The second thing might be to go stock up on contraception.  All it takes is one lunatic to take something to court to make contraception inaccessible.  That is the main reason I want churches out of politics.   I am sorry that I laughed at Mississippi.  It appears that the ignorant are just as prolific here in the Old Dominion.  The sad thing is, Delegate Bob isn’t ignorant, he just has extremely repressive religious beliefs that he insists on sharing with others. 

I take things like this very seriously.  I have a daughter and granddaughters and a daughter in law.  I don’t want them not to have easily accessible birth control and I certainly don’t want them to have  to endure a back alley abortion if they should chose to terminate a pregnancy.   So as long as religious zealots want to inflict their religion on others, I will vote for a president who will give me a Supreme Court Justice who I am reasonably sure will uphold Roe vs. Wade and Griswald vs. Connecticut. 

There are so many important attributes for a president to have.  What a shame that some of us feel we must select one based on a Supreme Court nomination.   Meanwhile, Delegate Bob and his followers need to mind their own business.

 

The Leesburg Courthouse, December 2011–The fight continues

MoonHowler

Every year someone has to push the envelope in Leesburg.  Loudoun County has gone back and forth about displays on the courthouse lawn.  Presently, residents can apply to set up a display on the courthouse lawn, in the interest ofthe  first amendment.  This is what you get:

 

I am very much a ‘separation of church and state person,’ and every year someone reaffirms my belief at Leesburg Courthouse.  If people kept their display at their church or on their own lawns, things like this would not happen in the public venue.  I am also a first amendment person. 

I find the crucified Santa to be offensive.  However, that’s what you get when you open up the public square for expressions during this time of year.  Most people stick to tasteful displays.  Then there is always the guy who doesn’t and  who ruins it for everyone.  And that guy has as much right  to his point of view as I do. 

There are plenty of folks who would also have a hissy fit over a winter solstice display or a Chanukah display.  They want to keep it Christian to the exclusion of other faiths who also have religious celebrations this time of year.

I wish Loudoun County would stick to putting up  some municipal  wreaths and red bows  or have a seasonal tree with lights and be done with it.  But I live in Prince William and I doubt if Loudoun really gives a rat’s ass about my opinion.  Sigh. 

 

Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman question Trump’s diety status with the GOP

MoonHowler

 

Ron Paul is spot on.  Who is Donald Trump and why does he have such holding p0wer over the GOP?  To most of us, Donald Trump is a rich blow hard with extremely bad hair.  Yet many of  the presidential wannabes seem to be flocking to pay him homage. 

According to Politico:

Fresh off snubbing Donald Trump by refusing to participate in a debate he’s moderating, Ron Paul blasts his fellow GOP presidential candidates for paying the billionaire businessman so much credence.

“I don’t quite understand the marching to his office,” Paul said on CNN’s State of the Union this morning, referring to the parade of presidential candidates who’ve met with Trump in recent months. “I didn’t know he had the ability to lay on hands and anoint people.”

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So you wanna be a Super Hero

MoonHowler

Much time and angst was spent during the past week or so over Supervisor Wally Covington’s decision to give Rainbow Riding $100,000 from his discretionary fund and then his decision to cancel his request.  Many Prince William County citizens have sprung into action on blogs, facebook, in email and over the back fence.  Neighbors, friends, colleagues from work  and acquaintances are now talking about county funds and how they should be handled.  Some egotists out there are bragging that they uncovered the problem but that’s just all bragging and self aggrandizing.  The people of Prince William County are the real heroes here. 

Kipp Handly with the News & Messsenger  continues his discussion of how the county spends its cash, especially on non-budgetary items:

In the aftermath of that decision, InsideNoVa.com and the News & Messenger examined the long-standing tradition of county supervisors contributing their magisterial districts funds to area non-profits and athletic and academic teams and found some interesting results.

Through Nov. 22, supervisors have contributed $86,912.90 to area organizations or relief funds from their own district funds in 2011. Potomac Supervisor Maureen S. Caddigan has given the most with $20,170 while Woodbridge Supervisor Frank J. Principi and Supervisor John D. Jenkins have contributed $18,375 and $18,325, respectively.

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McPherson Square: Occupy DC show down

MoonHowler

 

Occupy DC ended tonight in a showdown over a temporary hut in McPherson Square.

According to the Washington Post:

The Occupy D.C. campaign, largely peaceful since its launch two months ago, turned confrontational Sunday when police detained 31 protesters during a tense day-long standoff in McPherson Square. It was the first case of mass arrests at the group’s base camp in Washington, and the clash resembled those between police and Occupy protesters in other cities across the country.

Some of the late arrivals had come in from New York.  Back in the day, we here in Virginia would have called them ‘outside agitators.’ 

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Herman Cain press conference at 11 am Saturday

MoonHowler

Presidential Candidate Herman Cain has a press conference scheduled at 11 am this morning.  It is expected that he will drop out of the race.  Cain has soared with eagles and is soon to gobble with turkeys…turkeys with too much baggage. 

I am curious about all of this.  Ginger White is now the latest woman to come forward, charging that she had a 13 year affair with Mr. Cain.  White elaborated and said it was not a love affair but a sexual affair.  She produced documentation of phone records.  She appears to be very open. 

What prompts someone to come forward like that?  She has stated that she has received no money for her story. What is her motivation?  Why would she do something she knows will probably crater his chances for the White House?  Is it all about female power?

I am also curious about him.  I won’t question all his peccadilloes or charges of sexual harassment.  That pretty much speaks for itself and we have all knows people like that.  However, when you know you have baggage and you want to become president, why would you continue, knowing its all going to come out?  I don’t understand politicians who think that they are special and won’t get caught.  The higher the aspirations, the greater the likelihood of exposure. 

 The media will now crawl all over Ginger White, giving her more attention than she could have possibly ever wanted.  Sadly, they will crawl all over the Cain family, who have done nothing.  Mrs. Cain will stand by her man in public and skewer him behind closed doors.  She might take him to the cleaners or she might not.  Could be, she has known of his proclivities all along.  Some wives prefer to blind eye things like this.  No spouse wants public humiliation, however.  BLIND EYE is no longer possible. 

I don’t care if you are a local politician or aspiring to the highest office in the land, if someone knows something, it is almost human nature to want to share that knowledge with others.  That should be a warning to politicians.  If you have baggage, you might want to stay on the porch rather than running with the big dogs,l unless you have a mighty understanding spouse.

 

Secure our Border!

MoonHowler

Secure the border!  Where is our fence?

All these are questions we hear daily from folks who feel strongly about immigration.

However…and this is a big however…this is a picture of Israel.  The Israelis are increasingly uneasy about the political volatility in Egypt.

The Washington Post:

The new border fence, about 15 feet high, is the most tangible sign of Israel’s growing unease about the upheaval in Egypt, which has aggravated shaky security conditions in the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel. Israeli concerns were heightened in August when gunmen who crossed from Sinai struck on the border road north of Eilat, leaving eight Israelis dead.

That attack led to the acceleration of work on the border fence, which, when complete, will run about 140 miles from Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip south to the Eilat area. Originally intended as an obstacle to the thousands of African migrants and asylum seekers who sneak across the frontier annually, the barrier is increasingly seen as a bulwark against security threats emanating from Sinai.

But the rising fence is also a metaphor for how Israel sees itself in a changing Middle East: Beset on all sides by profound shifts in its Arab neighbors that could alter the strategic balance in the region, it is bolstering its defenses and preparing for the worst.

Perhaps the United States is in far better shape than it thought.  Our situation is rather simple compared to the complexities of the middle east.  We simply want to keep people out who do not have permission to be in our country…or is that really the reason?

Back to Israel.  The picture below shows the proposed Israeli border fence:

These folks aren’t just woofing!

 

USAAmmo: The lowest hanging fruit of all

MoonHowler

CBS Washington:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBS Washington) — A gun company advertisement that warns of impending gun control compares President Obama to Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.

The USAAmmo ad shows side-by-side pictures of Obama with Hitler, Stalin and other dictators who committed atrocities across the world. The ad, which is also accompanied by a video, warns that gun control is imminent and foreshadows that the U.S. could face millions in casualties if they are not allowed to defend themselves.

USAAmmo states that “tyranny is knocking down the doors of American cities daily” and that Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and other gun control advocates “are secretly conspiring American Citizens of the right to bear arms.”

Trace Williams, director of operations for USAAmmo, defended the ad that was emailed Monday. He told CBS Washington that “Obama and his various czars are infringing on the rights of Americans to own guns.”

As a gun (or 2) owner, I simply find this ad over the top and unacceptable.  Furthermore, it is a lie.  I don’t recall seeing, hearing or thinking that the president is going to round up everyone’s guns.

The fact that ammo and guns sales have soared since the ad went out on Monday doesn’t really flatter its customers.  the video linked in the blockquote is extreme bad taste.  Why must people push others off a cliff to get them to buy ammo.  How about competitive prices, low shipping costs and reliable fast service as the hook rather than exploiting others and using fear of genocide as an advertising tool? 

Ads like this hurt the 2nd amendment cause.  USA Ammo should try to educate folks rather than stir up hotheads.

The President of the United States should not be with posted with that rogues gallery.  It is insulting to America and sends a bad message to the rest of the world.

This cannot be serious!

MoonHowler

From the New York Times:

Senate Republican leaders introduced a bill that would keep the payroll tax rate at its current level for another year. The cost is roughly $120 billion. Senate Republicans would offset most of the cost by freezing the pay of federal employees through 2015 and gradually reducing the federal work force by 10 percent.

In addition, Senate Republican leaders would go after “millionaires and billionaires,” not by raising their taxes but by making them ineligible for unemployment compensation and food stamps and increasing their Medicare premiums. Democrats said that this part of the Republican proposal was not serious, pointing out that high earners were already ineligible to receive food stamps.

Can someone please tell me why millionaires and billionaires would apply for unemployment and get food stamps.  If this gesture is serious, it is so bogus.

If this was a serious Republican proposal to reduce spending, then I simply give up. 

It also seems like federal employees are the perennial whipping boy for both Democrats and Republicans when they have to look like they are doing something about the deficit.  That is getting old real fast, especially to people in this area.

The Congressional Budget Office said the Republican bill would reduce federal deficits by $111 billion, mainly because of the pay freeze and the reduction in the federal work force. Senate Democratic leaders want a deeper temporary reduction in Social Security payroll taxes. They would provide payroll tax relief to employers as well as employees. And they would offset the cost with a 3.25 percent surtax on modified adjusted gross income in excess of $1 million.

I guess its all a matter of who someone wants to stick it to.

 

 

 

Joe Scarborough: the RINO test–the insult du jour

MoonHowler
 
By JOE SCARBOROUGH | 11/28/11 2:52 PM EST

The insult du jour for Republican candidates this election cycle is being labeled a RINO, a Republican in Name Only. Unfortunately, the insult has been so overused lately it’s been rendered meaningless. The insult is even emptier because it is so detached from actual statements, campaign promises and voting records.

A candidate like Newt Gingrich can get away with supporting the biggest socialist scheme in American government over the past 30 years because he says nasty things about the press and calls Barack Obama a Marxist. Jon Huntsman, on the other hand, can have a stellar conservative record as Utah’s governor, be anti-abortion and adored by the NRA. But if he refuses to spit out angry screeds against Obama, he’s dismissed as a RINO, the facts be damned.

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