I forgot where I read this but someone pointed out that it’s a bit scary that the US government will own OnStar. By owning 70% of GM, they would control OnStar as well.

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research has issued its pork report, detailing wasteful spending to the tune of $500M.

Barack Obama:

Well, we are out of money now.

The feds want to regulate blogs. Because some folks give bloggers free stuff and then bloggers may say nice things about their products. Sounds kinda silly. I guess some folks could say that they’ll give you free stuff on the condition that you say nice things. But I’ve never experienced that. I’ve written reviews on various products and books and things. And never felt swayed to lie or anything like that.

Disclosure: Obviously, I’ve gotten stuff for free due to this blog (training with Todd Jarrett, some Blackhawk stuff, books, etc.). But not a single company who’s given me stuff has said that it’s free as long as I write nice things about it. It’s always been understood that I would probably write about it but never once demanded. And I’ve always written about the stuff truthfully. It’s not hard to understand that if a gun nut gets gun things he’s probably going to like the gun things.

Deadly paper!

Breda: I had been humiliated for nothing. Nothing

And punishing good behavior. That seems to be the result of this credit card bill that congress is rushing into law. From AP:

Every American with a credit card will see sweeping changes in the market, with limits on sudden hikes in interest rates that drive consumers deeper into debt. Even cardholders who pay off their balance each month may face new annual fees or lose out on lucrative rewards programs.

Yup. People like my who maintain a credit card balance of $0 will have to pony up for the guy who bought three plasma TeeVees, a Wii, a PS3 and all that other stuff on credit that he can’t pay for. And this is awesome:

This cements a victory for every American consumer who has ever suffered at the hands of the credit card industry

That’d be senator Chris Dodd. It’s funny for a few reasons. One, if you suffer at the hands of a credit card company, it’s probably your fault. You signed a contract. You should honor. Next, it is funny because Dodd wants to give folks cushy credit arrangements, which is something is familiar with.

Seems more like a fiat to me (pun intended).

In PA:

Two judges pleaded guilty on Thursday to accepting more than $2.6 million from a private youth detention center in Pennsylvania in return for giving hundreds of youths and teenagers long sentences.

Tree. Rope. Some assembly required.

Big Government or Big Government with a side order of Jesus?

Billy reports the EU extorting money from Intel. I think companies like Intel and in the past Microsoft should just pull out of the EU. The EU needs you more than you need them.

No one’s looking out for your money: Are you telling me that nobody at the Federal Reserve is keeping track on a regular basis of the losses that it incurs on what is now a $2 trillion portfolio?

The dead are rising. And getting checks. Well, they vote so why not.

Because it reduces cholesterol, it’s a drug. Via Robert, who says:

First of all, is General Mills a REAL General…or what? IF General Mills is a General, then he ought to order the FDA lined up and shot.

No warrant needed for GPS tracking of automobile.

Government spending is now 40% of GDP.

And the government is borrowing almost 50 cents for every dollar it spends this year.

If big oil price gouged like the post office.

BC:

This Bill authorizes fingerprints to be taken even if it is just a traffic citation. It has passed the House and is on the CONSENT calendar for the Senate??? meaning they don’t consider this bill to be more important that establishing State Leaf Day!!!

ACK links up how people think these are predecessors to secession and blah blah. They’re not. They’re mostly symbolic. But that symbolism is overshadowed by the fact that the number one source of states’ revenue these days is the federal government. So, the states want to say they’re sovereign in legislation while getting their free federal money. They want to suck at the teat then yell at the sow.

The number one source of revenue for the states is the federal government. More than a little frightening.

Advocating getting the federal government involved in sports. Like John McCain and baseball?

Stuck in the middle:

Laws apply to us in the middle. Those at the top are too big, powerful or important to have to live by them, and those at the ‘bottom’ don’t either. And darned if I’m not getting more than a little dissatisfied by the deal.

China cancels our credit card?

Reason is reporting that the FDA has plans to ban electronic cigarettes. They deliver nicotine without smoke, combustion products, or the other stuff that causes cancer. Because:

Our concern is that this might introduce nonusers to nicotine use

Nicotine is, generally, not a major health concern. That’s why it’s mostly OK to use nicotine gum and patches and such. It’s usually the processing or, you know, the smoke that causes the health issues. These devices deliver nicotine and a smoking type experience but with far, far less risk. I don’t smoke cigarettes anymore but if I did, I’d imagine this might have satisfied my cravings without killing me. I have not ever actually tried an electronic cigarette. Though I still enjoy the occasional cigar.

Stupid.

In DC, they’re giving people tickets for parking in their own driveways.

Citi is asking permission from the Treasury to pay bonuses.

No, it’s not. But kinda funny how there’s always just a smidgen of truth in the crazy.

State of California provides state subsidized training to a pornographers.

Step one was force folks to take TARP money. Step two is dictate what those who receive it have to do. Then, more control. And to keep it up, refuse repayment of TARP loans.

Hope and change.

DHS takes an interest in a man for buying 1,000 rounds of ammo:

West said a customer of his recently stocked up on .223-caliber rounds, a caliber often used in assault-style weapons. The customer bought 1,000 rounds a few months ago through a mail order company.

Shortly after the purchase, he received a visit from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose interest was apparently piqued by a large-scale purchase of that caliber.

Large scale? Hardly. Sounds more like a fun weekend to me. Well, I usually buy it 500 at a time. Probably explains why I haven’t had a visit.

Via David.

Insty reports that Napolitano is apologizing for that whole veterans are right wing extremist terrorists thing.

Meanwhile:

“It’s ironic,” Gottlieb concluded, “that President Obama’s friend, William Ayers, is a leftwing terrorist bomber, but nothing in this report suggests monitoring his activities.”

FoxNews:

The National Security Agency intercepted Americans’ e-mails and phone calls in recent months on a scale that went beyond limits set by Congress last year, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

DHS issues reports on the dangers of right wing extremism. And veterans, of course, are right wing extremists.

Ok, raise your hand if you saw this coming:

Tennessee needs a “Repeat DUI Offender” registry similar to the state sex offender registry people can check out on the Internet, state Sen. Mike Faulk says.

Soon, we’ll have registries for every crime. Of course, if we had a registry of tax cheats, it’d make Obama’s life easier.

Download illegal music and that makes you a terrorism suspect.

A bill in TN:

This bill adds to present law by authorizing issuance of search warrants based on reasonable suspicion that an act of terrorism is being committed. “Reasonable suspicion” is generally described as an amount of knowledge sufficient to cause an ordinary person to believe that criminal activity is at hand. Reasonable suspicion is a lesser standard than probable cause.

It also kills the brain cells of our politicians:

the Senate of the United States voted 58 to 39 to reject an amendment to the budget bill designed to keep kids on bikes designed for them and thus off adult vehicles. The reason the amendment was offered by South Carolina’s Jim DeMint is because the 2008 “Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act” mandates that products containing even trace amounts of lead –trace amounts highly unlikely to ever come in contact with a child’s digestion system– were banned from sale to children 12 and under.

As RF says: Do these people really think kids are putting motorcycle parts in their mouths? No, they just don’t think.

Hope and change.

Seen at PGP’s:

As the issue of Mexican violence continues to boil over, it has become clear that for many anti-gun politicians, the war on drugs and the war on gun owners’ rights are the same thing.

Corker is not too happy:

This is a marked departure from the past, truly breathtaking, and should send a chill through all Americans who believe in free enterprise. I worry that in one fell swoop we’ve lost our moral high ground throughout the global community as it relates to chastising other countries that use strong-arm tactics to invade on private property rights.

Meanwhile, staghounds notes the method to the madness:

The only thing that makes GM valuable at this price is that it is a ready made conduit, all set up. What for?

Delivering loyalty payments from “the government” to reliable voters. Buying new loyalty from stockholders. Buying gratitude from the workers kept on who aren’t paying their way. Patronage, from contracts and positions.

That, and an unrealistic pension/medical benefits scheme which, when it fails, can be “rescued”. Think of how thankful all those sick old people will be!

So, the Obama administration asked GM’s CEO to resign. And he did. Probably means we’re picking up the tab on the severance. Anyway, this is how business will be done in the era of ridiculous subsidies and bail outs. They let the .gov in and now they have their piece.

President and congress to look at the BCS system.

And in Tennessee, important business:

Addressing the scourge of saggy pants.

Every few years, we have a dog and pony show about whether or not the legislature should apologize for slavery. We’re having that now.

Censoring the web bill fails.

Ouch.

A bill to outlaw gardening?

Update: False alarm. Well, maybe. It is factcheck.

Because there ain’t that much gold?

Bob:

Drug tests for welfare recipients. What a great idea. And I know that being a fair and non-vindictive sort, West Virginia lawmaker Craig Blair will also start demanding drug testing for everyone who receives government handouts — from tax breaks to bailouts to states that take more from the federal tax system than they contribute to it.

I would actually support Bob’s idea because the side effect would be less government spending.

Me neither. But they talked the talk when they were out of power. Any way, remember Bush’s record deficits? Ain’t seen nothing yet.

Did you know that you can now be convicted of drunk driving without actually driving.

There is actually tax law for parents of kidnapped children.

Chris will not obey:

As I have said here before, I am a senior technical executive at a large bank.

As it happens, a bank that was forced at gunpoint, by the secretary of the treasury and chairman of the federal reserve, to accept TARP funds (as all the top surviving banks in the U.S were).

Let me be clear. We did not want TARP funds, or need them; but were told in no uncertain terms that we WOULD take them.

As obscene as that is, it is irrelevant to what follows; excepting that we did take TARP funds.

The United States House of Representatives recently passed a blatantly unconstitutional bill, placing confiscatory tax burdens on anyone making more than $250,000 and working for an institution that received more than 5 billion of TARP funds.

Also, since they forced them to take money, they can regulate corporate travel.

Update: Equally scary:

The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.

We don’t need no stinking constitution:

The House has voted overwhelmingly to enact an ex post facto fine masquerading as a tax, a bill of attainder, and a taking without just (or even unjust) compensation rolled into one.

This is dangerous, folks.

Alan:

Yes, the UN. The country club for corrupt dictators and kleptocrats. Sponsors of refuge camp rape, genocide and institutionalized racism. (And I’m being nice here) They want the ability to independently tax.

Legendary moonshiner takes his own life. He took his life because he couldn’t stand the thought of going to prison. One of my neighbors has about three jars of Popcorn’s goodness.

Sad day.

Gene Patterson notes that while TN’s congressmonkies talk down the stimulus and earmarks, they’re also the ones bringing home the pork:

No one is questioning the need for these particular projects (at least not that I’ve heard), but isn’t it an odd stretch to vote against a spending measure because of the pork and still manage to make sure your district gets its share of it?

Actually, I’m questioning them because they’re an unnecessary waste of my money. But good point.

An interesting list of items regulated by International Traffic In Arms Regulations. It includes optics and sights.

Growth sector:

One in every 31 U.S. adults is in the corrections system, which includes jail, prison, probation and supervision, more than double the rate of a quarter century ago, according to a report released on Monday by the Pew Center on the States.

A bill that would relinquish the State of Tennessee from federal obligations under the REAL ID Act of 2005. . Good. Lately, snubbing the feds seems to be a theme in many state legislatures.

Or 2,377.

Idaho now looking at snubbing federal gun laws:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixtieth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that members of the United States Congress cease and desist attempting to enact federal legislation impinging on the individual right of every American to keep and bear arms in any manner.

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like nails.

Yes, in light of the dramatic increase in face-eating monkey attacks from zero to one (a near infinite increase), congress must do something. I guess a ban on feeding chimps Xanax and giving them booze is too much. It beats gibbon up.

An unconstitutional bill.

First, they came for the sex offenders.

Or not so much:

The Majority of Tennessee State Lawmakers Refuse to Release Public Records

Seventy-Two of the 132 members of the General Assembly fail to comply with open records requests

NASHVILLE – More than half of the members of the Tennessee General Assembly failed to comply with a recent open records request, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.

A look at firearm importation rules and sporting purposes.

Like Cali before it, Kansas is not remitting tax returns.

looks like the stimulus bill will create some.

Both TN senators declined to answer the following questions:

Do you prepare your own taxes?
If not, who does?
Have you or the IRS ever discovered an error on a tax return you’ve filed?
Have you ever paid back taxes?
If the answer to either 3 or 4 is yes, please explain.

I’m not one to generally say There ought to be a law. But there ought to be a law. I think Congressmonkies should be required, by law, to do their own tax returns. And the process should be videotaped. I imagine the tax code would get much simpler.

The Newsweek cover.

So, the stimulus bill is loaded down with all kinds of crap. And includes tax increases on tobacco. Radley runs down the pork.

Also, we should be afraid: But [Barack Obama's stimulus] bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective.

What the PATRIOT Act was to the Bush administration, this stimulus bill will be to the Obama administration.

PGP: Let me see…the police *think* you might be armed (gun registration what could possibly go wrong?), so they kick in your door, detain everyone forcibly, and shoot your dog because they’re looking for someone who doesn’t even live there.

Another case against registration.

Another confidential informant? They invaded his son’s home too. No arrests.

So, are our large Federal bureaucracies incompetent or does Barack Obama hate white people?

More states follow NH lead and declare sovereignty.

Update: Some say TN should follow suit. Via AC.

Tam notes that just about every .gov employee from dog catchers up and even non-employee contractors are toting guns and badges.

A look at ‘some success‘.

Gotta justify those dollars though.

Local Police Want Right to Jam Wireless Signals.

Or Meet the new boss.

The first federal evaluation of mass-transit security shows that more than 75% of the nation’s major rail and bus systems aren’t meeting Homeland Security guidelines.

By contrast, 96% of airlines are complying with security requirements, according to a new report by the department. The report doesn’t identify which rail and bus systems fell short.

The assessment comes as new Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she plans to focus more on mass transit, possibly through “redeployment” of resources from other areas.

That mean taking the Security Theater from the airport and putting it in the bus & rail stations where it will do just as little?

Looks to have passed the house. Probably a done deal. But only 12% is actually, you know, stimulus. The rest is vote-buying.

We’re screwed.

A few frightening bits from Ben Cunningham. First, a taxpayer funded group lists a job position that is responsible for:

developing a national strategy for combating anti-government/anti-tax efforts

And most TN counties are members of the group.

A bill in congress to, and I am not making this up, require a cellphone equipped with a camera to sound a tone whenever a photograph is taken with the camera’s phone. It would also prohibit such a phone from being equipped with a means of disabling or silencing the tone.

And the KCSO is figuring that out: Knox County sheriff’s pension fund in trouble already.

A Boss Who Tells it Like it Is …

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
Read the rest of this entry »

Via Insty, comes the revelation that We now have more poeple employed in government than manufacturing.

No, not the auto industry. The state of California:

If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger were to fire every employee in state government tomorrow, it would easily patch California’s enormous deficit, right? Not even close.

But surely shutting down all state prisons would do the trick? That, too, would only get him about a quarter of the way there.

Now what if he were to close every prison and cut off funding for health care and other services for the poor? Now we’re in the ballpark.

When you try to be all things to everyone, you eventually wind up being nothing to nobody.

Just in time for the inauguration. I’m guessing it will be as effective as a No Gun sign.

First, they came for the sex offenders . . .

State’s broke. People can’t afford it. Taxes too high. Folks are leaving Cali. Again.

Little Scary:

Bloggers: If you suddenly find Air Force officers leaving barbed comments after one of your posts, don’t be surprised. They’re just following the service’s new “counter-blogging” flow chart. In a twelve-point plan, put together by the emerging technology division of the Air Force’s public affairs arm, airmen are given guidance on how to handle “trolls,” “ragers” — and even well-informed online writers, too. It’s all part of an Air Force push to “counter the people out there in the blogosphere who have negative opinions about the U.S. government and the Air Force,” Captain David Faggard says.

New congress has 400 bills on day one. We need 401.

They’re probably all as dumb as this one.

Obama created a new position, that will likely result in the creation of an office, need to be staffed, etc. But I note the irony:

Obama made the pledge but provided few details as he named Nancy Killefer as his administration’s chief performance officer, creating a new White House position aimed at eliminating government waste and improving efficiency.

I know where you can start.

Laws are for little people:

Smith — as a commissioner — had successfully pushed for a citywide bike registration program to help police track stolen bikes. But when he contacted police to report his own stolen bike, he had to admit it was not registered.

Remember when Republicans were the party of smaller, more limited government? Me neither.

The WaPo:

The Maryland State Police surveillance of advocacy groups was far more extensive than previously acknowledged, with records showing that troopers monitored — and labeled as terrorists — activists devoted to such wide-ranging causes as promoting human rights and establishing bike lanes.

Also, reminds me of this.

The treasury has exceeded the bail out amount authorized by congress. And can’t (or won’t) tell us where the money went.

30 lobbyists for every member of congress.

A man notices that he wasn’t charged sales tax. He does the right thing and remits his tax ($1.50) to the Department of Revenue. The DOR then said he was a business and had to pay a 650 dollar fine—or face collections —AND criminal charges. It took an inquiry from the local news media to get it straightened out.

Incompetent big government, money grubbing pricks: making the world more libertarian one government form filled out in triplicate, shuffled, and stuffed in a bin no one ever reviews at a time.

The US Marine Corp to aid in DUI roadblocks? That’s frightening.

Politico:

Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that President-elect Barack Obama will “appreciate” the expansions of executive power achieved during the Bush administration and is unlikely to cede authority back to Congress.

“Once they get here and they’re faced with the same problems we deal with every day, then they will appreciate some of the things we’ve put in place,” Cheney said during an interview on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show.

No kidding. And I wonder if all the Bush league champions will still be cool with all these powers once their guy isn’t driving the boat?

Dumping money into the economy yields inflation fears. This made me laugh in that sucks-but-funny kinda way:

Budget: A mythical beanbag. Congress votes mythical beans into it, and then tries to reach in and pull beans out.

Also related is a story I saw somewhere and I can’t find it now. But, basically, it was economic genius Paul Krugman, who has been predicting recession every month since about January 2000 and no doubt ecstatic he finally got it right, noting something to the effect of There are no libertarians during a financial crisis. That’s pretty stupid. I mean, if you’re appealing to the left, it may sound clever. But it’s not. After all, if libertarians prepare for the things they’re known to prepare by stocking up on food, ammo, sources of engergy, etc. Don’t you think they’d also maybe prepare for tough economic times?

In FL, it’s the law. I wonder if it’s applicable to mice you buy to feed pet snakes? I’d like to see the check box for that.

How to carry a gun onto a plane:

Wanna carry a gun onto an airplane? It’s easy — just get any government ID (the cards issued to part-time assistant harbor masters on Cape Cod will do) and then tell the TSA that you need a “flying while armed” form. Not only will they let you bring your gun onto the plane, they’ll helpfully bring you into the cockpit (with your gun) and tell who who the undercover Sky Marshals are.

Guy is being charged for impersonating a federal officer and for embarrassing the TSA. Ok, I made the latter charge up. But that’s probably more what it’s about.

Are like you and me, only better.

The WaPo:

The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials.

The long-planned shift in the Defense Department’s role in homeland security was recently backed with funding and troop commitments after years of prodding by Congress and outside experts, defense analysts said.

There are critics of the change, in the military and among civil liberties groups and libertarians who express concern that the new homeland emphasis threatens to strain the military and possibly undermine the Posse Comitatus Act, a 130-year-old federal law restricting the military’s role in domestic law enforcement.

But the Bush administration and some in Congress have pushed for a heightened homeland military role since the middle of this decade, saying the greatest domestic threat is terrorists exploiting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

I wonder if the Bush loyalists are still going to be OK with that come January?