The FTC says we have a credibility problem, and clearly they must do something. Apparently other bloggers are being given free stuff to review. I think the bigger problem is I’m not getting nearly enough free stuff to review.
Category: Politics
Least Friendly States for Motorists
New Jersey tops the list. I have a new saying for talking about New Jersey, thanks to Kevin: If New Jersey fell off into the ocean, I wouldn’t fish there.
Primary Election Results Good for NRA
We had one endorsed candidate in the Pennsylvania primary yesterday, who did very well. Congratulations to NRA-PVF endorsed candidate Judge Joan Orie Melvin. NRA doesn’t typically endorse in primaries, but in this case, it seems to have paid off:
ORIE MELVIN, JOAN (REP) 264,535 55.7%
PANEPINTO, PAUL P. (REP) 82,279 17.3%
ALLEN, CHERYL LYNN (REP) 127,819 26.9%
Winning a comfortable majority in a three way race is pretty impressive. I understand why NRA is leery of endorsing in primary races, but pretty clearly in primaries their endorsement carries some weight.
Travesty
Remember, the Democrats said we needed to nationalize airport security in order to be safe, and then they treat Breda treated like this. Not the first horror story I’ve heard either. Now they tell us we need to nationalize other things. Just remember how much we all love the TSA when they tell us that.
I don’t really fly anymore, because it’s such a pain in the ass and intrusive. I’m quite happy for the next two Annual Meetings I’ll be able to drive.
Rendell Bucks 13th Amendment
The Governor’s predations against the Second Amendment have been well documented here, but we never really expected the Governor to come out against the thirteenth amendment:
Gov. Rendell is notifying nearly 80,000 state workers today by email that they will stop being paid in the event of a budget impasse – but should continue showing up to work.
Perhaps I should start getting the guest room straightened out, and affixing locks to the liquor cabinet in anticipation of what is no doubt coming next.
Hat Tip to Capitol Ideas
Cheerios an Untested New Drug
From the Food and Drug Administration:
Based on claims made on your product’s label, we have determined that your Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease. Specifically, your Cheerios® product bears the following claims ort its label: “you can Lower Your Cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks” […]
Working in the industry, I know a fair amount about these regulations, and the FDA is technically correct in its ruling. But if this isn’t an example of the government being out of control, I don’t know what is.
Senate Passes National Park Carry Amendment
Senator Tom Coburn proposed an amendment to the credit card bill to restore concealed carry rights in national parks. The amendment needed 60 votes, according to C-SPAN and passed with 67 votes. Interesting observations:
- Claire McCaskill, AHSA’s pet Senator, changed her vote after initially supporting gun rights to oppose the right to carry in federal parks.
- Arlen Specter stuck with us on gun rights and voted yes.
- Michael Bennett from Colorado, in what may be his first vote on the issue, voted with us. I’ll see if it was in fact his first later.
- Kirsten Gillibrand voted no, but that wasn’t enough to stop the senior Senator from New York ranting like a madman on the Senate floor to other Senators.
- Mark Warner of Virginia voted for it, maintaining his reasonable record on the issue.
- Patrick Leahy, in a bit of a surprise, voted for our rights as well. He must be trying to improve his grade, not a bad move to help start that process.
UPDATE: What the hell is Lamar Alexander doing voting against this? He was A-rated and endorsed last election in 2008?  Did he gets his “yes” confused with “no?” Did Tom Coburn piss in his cornflakes? We’ll see if we can find out.
Above His Pay Grade
Brady Joins Pittsburgh Lawsuit
The Brady Campaign is joining the NRA lawsuit against Lost and Stolen in Pittsburgh on the side of the City of Pittsburgh.
“When the NRA sued Pittsburgh, it made the national press,” Mr. Shields said. “I was contacted by a representative of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which offered pro bono services to the city.
“I spoke with the city solicitor, and he was more than pleased that help was on the way. He and two other attorneys were working on it, and our Law Department is stretched already.”
I don’t know Mr. Shields, the Brady Campaign’s track record in court lately hasn’t exactly been stellar, and the law in this case is not exactly on the city’s side.
“The only people that would have a problem with this reasonable ordinance are people who are trafficking or otherwise supplying the criminal gun market and then want to get away with it by later claiming that their gun was lost or stolen,” he said.
Or people who recognize that supplying guns to criminals is already unlawful, and is a felony. And they might even recognize that the state should be forced to meet its burden in proving the crime. It should not get to bring a charge under an easier crime to prosecute because it can’t meet its burden, and believes the party to be guilty as charged. That’s not what a just society does. Innocident people will end up criminals because of these laws.
PA Democrats Block Transparency Effort
It appears that Democrats in the House are blocking a bill to bring a little transparency to political photo ops.
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks, would replace Rendell’s name with “Pennsylvania Taxpayers” on the checks — all the better to make it clear where the luchre is actually coming from, the newspaper reported.
The House State Government Committee was to have acted on the proposal Monday, but held off on action at the request of the chamber’s majority-Democrat leadership.
What I like about this bill is that it doesn’t cost us a thing. With a $3 billion deficit, it’s good to see a new law that doesn’t cost us a penny.
It’s also a win-win situation for Republicans. If Democrats on the committee approve it, then all of those photo ops with “free” money handed out to pet causes are suddenly no longer credited to the generosity of Ed Rendell and the Democratic Party. It reminds people exactly who is paying for these politically favored causes. And if the Democrats block it, well, why are they against a bit of transparency on behalf of taxpayers?