Late Night: Stupid Republican Tricks

Posted: April 12, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: just because, right wing hate grouups, Surreality, U.S. Politics | Tags: , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Tea party leader and all around wacko Michelle Bachmann wants Congress to limit the powers of federal judges to rule on equal protection under the Constitution.

Republicans treat the Constitution like a toy that they can manipulate however they choose. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) claims that all federal education programs — including Pell Grants and student loan assistance — are unconstitutional. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says that they are constitutional problems with the federal ban on whites-only lunch counters. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) suggested that child labor laws, FEMA, food stamps, the FDA, Medicaid, income assistance for the poor, and even Medicare and Social Security violate the Constitution. And when the Ninth Circuit held that yes, the Constitution does have a First Amendment, Newt Gingrich’s political advocacy group called for that court to be abolished.

With so many Republicans claiming that the Constitution can mean whatever they want it to mean, it should be no surprise that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) wants a piece of this action. Yesterday, Bachmann told a gathering of social conservatives in Iowa that if the courts insist on applying the Constitution’s requirement that no state may “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” to gay people, then Congress should strip federal judges of their power to hear marriage equality cases.

Transcript:

“Something else that we can do to reinforce our pro-marriage, pro-life, pro-family agenda is to limit the subject-matter jurisdiction of the courts,” Bachmann said during a Monday speech in Pella, Iowa.

“At the federal level with what are called Article III courts, Article III of the United States Constitution, we can limit the subject matter that justices can rule on. We have it within our authority to decide what judges can rule on and what they can’t.”

A Taxing Subject

Posted: April 17, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: The Media SUCKS, U.S. Economy | Tags: , , | 11 Comments

tea-party-with-alice There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and the talking over its head. `Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,’ thought Alice; `only, as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind.’

The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: `No room! No room!’ they cried out when they saw Alice coming. `There’s PLENTY of room!’ said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.

`Have some wine,’ the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.

Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. `I don’t see any wine,’ she remarked.

`There isn’t any,’ said the March Hare.

`Then it wasn’t very civil of you to offer it,’ said Alice angrily.

`It wasn’t very civil of you to sit down without being invited,’ said the March Hare.

`I didn’t know it was YOUR table,’ said Alice; `it’s laid for a great many more than three.’

`Your hair wants cutting,’ said the Hatter. He had been looking at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and this was his first speech.

`You should learn not to make personal remarks,’ Alice said with some severity; `it’s very rude.’

from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: A Mad Tea Party
by Lewis Carroll

I’ve taught Macroeconomics for a very long time.  Tax policy of course is also part of the curriculum so I always get to spend at least a week on U.S. taxes.    One of my favorite lectures is to disabuse people in the U.S. of the notion they are ‘over taxed’.   You probably saw that I didn’t exactly get on the Tea Party band wagon.  I’m not worried about my taxes.  I am worried about the huge amount of deficit spending going on and I’m worried about the quality of government I get in return for my taxes .  I’m more worried about loosing my constitutional right to privacy.  I’m also worried about my tax dollars going to religious organizations and other spurious uses.

Several other economists used their blogs on Tax Day for the purpose of showing folks that the U.S. has extremely low taxes compared to the kinds of things we expect and get from the Government. I’d like to share some of that with you.

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