Post Scripts

by Jack Lee

To whom much is given much is expected. This goes double for our elected officials because they have pledged to represent us and that implies a lot more than just a vote here and there. They have made promises, they have taken an oath and as an Assemblyman, Congressman or a Senator they hold themselves up as our very best, as a good example for society.

As a candidate they ran on their honesty, integrity and good judgement which is why their public and private failures reflect back upon society. We believed in them, we trusted them and we elected them. When those representatives in high office fail, it is a public scandal and a tragedy, because so many others are involved in their failure and the bar is lowered once again. Promises made – promises not kept. What could be worse? When will they get it?

My thanks to Quentin Colgan for the story directly below. We “the people” are the only ones who can ever truly hold our representatives accountable.

Accountability is not a partisan issue, it’s an obligation.

Posted by Jack

(Is this the new high standard by which the GOP in California is going to retake control?)

Sacramento, Calif. (CBS/CBS13) BAD: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk.

WORSE: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk AFTER LEAVING A GAY BAR.

WORSER: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving a gay bar WITH ANOTHER MAN IN THE CAR.

WORST: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a MARRIED state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving a gay bar with another man in the car.

WORSTER: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a married, REPUBLICAN state senator from Southern California was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving a gay bar with another man in the car.

WORSTEST: CBS affiliate CBS13 reports that Roy Ashburn, a married, Republican state senator from Southern California WITH A HISTORY OF OPPOSING GAY RIGHTS was arrested for allegedly driving drunk after leaving a gay bar with another man in the car.

Posted by Tina

A report on the economic viability of wind energy in Spain has been under attack in recent days. The report seems to refute claims made by President Obama regarding jobs that wind energy would generate as well as the economic viability of the wind energy alternative to coal and oil based products.

The following is an excerpt from the report’s summary:

Europe’s current policy and strategy for supporting the so-called “green jobs” or renewable energy dates back to 1997, and has become one of the principal justifications for U.S. “green jobs” proposals. Yet an examination of Europe’s experience reveals these policies to be terribly economically counterproductive. This study is important for several reasons. First is that the Spanish experience is
considered a leading example to be followed by many policy advocates and politicians. This study marks the very first time a critical analysis of the actual performance and impact has been made. Most important, it demonstrates that the Spanish/EU-style “green jobs” agenda now being promoted in the U.S. in fact destroys jobs, detailing this in terms of jobs destroyed per job created and the net destruction per installed MW.

The report is damaging enough but evidence, discovered through the Freedom of Information Act, suggests that the Obama administration, through the Department of Energy, enlisted George Soros and green activist organizations to attack and/or cover up the results of the study and push Obama’s green policies. As reported by Pajamas Media today:

“BREAKING: ‘Anti-Lobbyist’ Obama Administration Recruited Left-Wing Lobbyists to Sell Bogus ‘Green Jobs’ – A FOIA reveals the Department of Energy turned to George Soros and to wind industry lobbyists to help cover up two economic studies pointing to the failure of European wind energy programs,” by Christopher Horner – pajamasmedia.com

After two studies refuted President Barack Obama’s assertions regarding the success of Spain’s and Denmark’s wind energy programs, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request reveals the Department of Energy turned to George Soros and to wind industry lobbyists to attack the studies. ** Via the FOIA request, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has learned that the Department of Energy — specifically the office headed by Al Gore’s company’s former CEO, Cathy Zoi — turned to George Soros’ Center for American Progress and other wind industry lobbyists to help push Obama’s wind energy proposals. ** The FOIA request was not entirely complied with, and CEI just filed an appeal over documents still being withheld. In addition to withholding many internal communications, the administration is withholding communications with these lobbyists and other related communications, claiming they constitute “inter-agency memoranda.” This implies that, according to the DoE, wind industry lobbyists and Soros’s Center for American Progress are — for legal purposes — extensions of the government.

This is the kind of thing that makes most Americans really angry. We want our legislators to be honest and forthright. We want to be able to trust the word of scienists and economic advisors. The only way to keep them honest is to keep our eyes on them and expose their shenanigans and failures. Stay tuned for further developments; for now, I advise reading the report for yourself rather than relying on me or anyone else to tell you what it says. Here’s the link again, in case you missed it:

report

Posted by Tina

A whistleblower working in the U.S. Forrest Service has come forward with accusations against environmental activist lawyers to the tune of $37 million, a figure that may represent only a fraction of what has actually been unethically or fraudulently billed.

Pajamas Media breaks the story today with the following two articles:

“BREAKING: Activist ‘Green’ Lawyers Billing U.S. Millions in Fraudulent Attorney Fees – Radical environmental groups have ripped off taxpayers to the tune of $37 million,” by Richard Pollock – pajamasmedia.com

Nine national environmental activist groups alone have filed more than 3,300 suits, every single one seeking attorney fees. The groups have also charged as much as $650 per hour (a federal statutory cap usually limits attorney fees to $125 per hour). ** In well over half of the cases, there was no court judgment in the environmental groups’ favor. In all cases, whether there was any possible environmental benefit from the litigation is highly questionable. Most cases were simply based upon an alleged failure to comply with a deadline or to follow a procedure. ** This week a bipartisan group of congressional members introduced legislation to end the secrecy of the payments and force the government to open up the records to show exactly how much has been paid to the groups and the questionable attorney fees. The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), and Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah).

First-term Rep. Eric Massa announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection amid allegations that the New York Democrat, who is married with two children, made unwanted advances toward a junior male staffer.

A more senior staffer — Ronald Hikel, Massa’s former deputy chief of staff and legislative director — took the complaints to the ethics committee and was interviewed about them twice. Hikel declined to comment about the situation, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) confirmed that the Democratic leadership had been informed of the allegations before the news broke.

Free speech editorial written and sumitted for your consideration by Mark:

“Critics of the teaching of evolution in the nation’s classrooms are gaining ground in some states by linking the issue to global warming, arguing that dissenting views on both scientific subjects should be taught in public schools.” Leslie Kaufman (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/science/earth/04climate.html

The article set off a debate on another discussion list stocked mainly with history buffs. A year ago we had discussed the Darwin Debates, so someone forwarded this article to the list. Many on this blog attack lefty professors as ideological dupes. With permission, I forward a post from that discussion.

“I was going to post this article earlier because it reminded me of the discussion we had over a year ago about the certainties (and uncertainties) surrounding the issue of climate change and climate change science.

Continue reading “Darwin Foes Add Global Warming to Targets” »

by Jack Lee

As you peruse through our articles submitted for your education and entertainment, please pay particular attention to the series of articles below on California’s financial crisis.

I’m serious as a heart attack when I say, this state is in deep financial trouble and if you’re a taxpayer here you have a direct interest in knowing how bad this situation is because you will be asked to pay for it.

by Jack Lee

In yet another staggering blow to Californian’s, the states two largest retirement funds, CalPERS and the State Teachers’ Retirement System reports its combined portfolio has shrunk by nearly $100 billion dollars!

CalPERS lost 23.7% last year while the Teachers Retirement says its holdings are down 25%. Of course any shortfalls in the retirement funds must be made up immediately by the taxpayers, this is the law.

California is not alone when it comes to finding the money to pay for future obligations. Other states face a collective $1 trillion dollar shortfall. Future obligations are expected to burden state and local governments and school districts with huge retirement costs that could translate into higher taxes and fewer basic services for the next generation of taxpayers.

A large portion of the losses in Ca retirement funds were attributted to the higher than normal payouts due to a lifetime of fixed benefits for state retirees. Republican law makers said the state must trim the lavish retirements and end the practice of double dipping. DD’s are allowed to retire and then be immediately rehired at top step in another position often exceeding the salary and benefits they held prior to retiring in their first job. Democrats, that are heavily financed by state employee unions, have not responded to this urgency.

Continue reading “Ca Retirement Funds Lose Record $100 Billion in 09!” »

Posted by Tina

Supreme Court Justices are working on a case that could turn back years of gun control legislation and restore the right of the people to keep and bear arms:

“Justices signal they’re ready to make gun ownership a national right” – LA Times

Reporting from Washington – The Supreme Court justices, hearing a 2nd Amendment challenge to Chicago’s ban on handguns, signaled Tuesday that they were ready to extend gun rights nationwide, clearing the way for legal attacks on state and local gun restrictions. ** The court’s majority appears almost certain to strike down a Chicago ordinance and rule that residents have a right to a handgun at home. Of U.S. cities, only Chicago and its Oak Park suburb have total bans on handguns. But many cities and states have laws regulating who can have a gun and where they can take it. ** At one point in Tuesday’s argument, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. noted the city’s lawyers doubted that people had a right to carry concealed weapons in public. “Well, maybe that’s right,” Roberts said. But he quickly added that the question could be left for a future case, indicating that the court was not likely to sweep away additional gun regulations in this ruling. ** But the clear message from the argument is that a five-member majority on the court thinks the right “to bear arms” is a fundamental right, like the freedom of speech, that cannot be unduly restricted by federal regulations, state laws or city ordinances.

Tuesday – On the floor of the Senate, Republican Jim Bunning of Kentucky just defended the position he’s taken that has delayed an extension of jobless benefits for the nation’s unemployed and has forced the furlough of about 2,000 federal workers.

Continue reading “Lone Senator Stalls Spending – Warns of Danger Ahead” »