A Political Glimpse from Ireland

The crap sandwich, part 2

In the “We know who are friends are” category, the so-called stimulus bill currently being rammed through the congress by the Democrats is full of payoffs for those who have supported Reid, Pelosi and the former head of the Office of the President-Elect of the United States. From the Wall Street Journal:

National Journal reported this week that the Senate’s economic stimulus bill includes a provision that would make Hollywood studios eligible for a special 50% write-off of equipment purchases. According to the report, “the provision is backed by firms like the Walt Disney Co., and the industry trade group the Motion Picture Association of America.”

The House version of the stimulus already includes a bonus depreciation that lets businesses immediately write off 50% of their 2009 capital expenditures. But the Senate bill expands the definition of “qualifying property” — specifically to include “certain motion picture film or videotape.” Hollywood moguls like Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and George Lucas were among the biggest backers of President Obama’s candidacy, and it looks as though Democrats have found a way to return the favor.

No debate to speak of; the bill was crafted in secret by the Democratic leadership. Considering that the Party of Corruption managed to run up over 20,000 earmarks in the last two years, we shouldn’t be surprised when they throw cash at their supporters under the guise of “stimulus.”

The crap sandwich

Daphne posts about the worst spending bill in the history of the world:

The steaming crap sandwich of a Stimulus Bill crafted by our rapacious handlers in Congress is a disgustingly blatant waste of our money. They plan on allocating a mere twelve cents out of every dollar spent on actual job stimulus, the rest is pure fat back and chitlins’. That’s a lot of set aside to pay off loyal lobbyists, special interest groups, PACS, pet projects and, in too many instances, to increase federal control over our lives.

She’s being nice about it, really.

Immune to irony, part 2

The Goracle:

The debate’s over. The people who dispute the international consensus on global warming are in the same category now with the people who think the moon landing was staged on a movie lot in Arizona.”

Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, PhD, geologist, former United States Senator:

“As a geologist, I love Earth observations,” Schmitt wrote, “But, it is ridiculous to tie this objective to a ‘consensus’ that humans are causing global warming when human experience, geologic data and history, and current cooling can argue otherwise. ‘Consensus,’ as many have said, merely represents the absence of definitive science. You know as well as I, the ‘global warming scare’ is being used as a political tool to increase government control over American lives, incomes and decision making…”

Schmitt happens to be the last man to have walked on the moon.

Hat tip: Tim Blair.

Carbon for me, but not for thee

One of the more humorous examples of hypocrisy on the part of the former head of the Office of The President-Elect of the United States:

The New York Times reports:

The capital flew into a bit of a tizzy when, on his first full day in the White House, President Obama was photographed in the Oval Office without his suit jacket. There was, however, a logical explanation: Mr. Obama, who hates the cold, had cranked up the thermostat.

He cranked up the thermostat? Isn’t this the man who said,

We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times . . . and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.

Well, you know how it is. If he can’t keep the little promises, it shouldn’t be surprising that he can’t keep the big ones.

Immune to irony

Quincy Jones:

And, on a parallel path, though, I’m going to — as soon as it’s feasible, to talk to him. We’re getting a petition together for a secretary of the arts with a real Cabinet membership and all, because America is the only country — whose music is probably most imitated in any country in the world — the only country without a minister of culture or a secretary of the arts. And I think it’s very important, could change this country…

Via Mickey Kaus.

Competent SecTreas sworn in

Competent in everything but paying his taxes. Of course, he may be competent at getting other people to pay theirs.

The new anti-shyness treatment

Patrick says this showed up in his email:

Is dissent still patriotic?

I’m just asking.

(and yes, I do know Jefferson didn’t say or write “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” He wrote a lot of interesting things during his Jacobin phase, but this quote ain’t his.)

That’s why

There’s a reason why we call them Congress Critters. They paw the ground like bulls, crap all over everything like geese, screw like rabbits, mooch like spoiled house pets, and generally do everything but think or work.

– MaxedOut Mama

Speaking of Doritos…

Yah, I know, it was in the comments at the Bahston Blonde’s place.

But Iowahawk has done it again. Who knew he was an epic poet as well as a hot rod junkie?

Having withstood the scorching blasts of the monster Jeremiad at Chicago,
Harvard Law proved no challenge for our hero; he was named beloved of the faculty,
For at the Isle of Harvard they eat that “community organizer” shit right up.
He returned to the Isle of Chicago with his magic Harvard talisman,
Small of heft but able to open any door.

Here he met Victimia, a long and lanky beauty, whose siren songs of woe bewitched;
They were wed in the screaming gardens of Jeremiad.
“O Victimia,” he sang, “if I could but bottle thy sob stories, the world would be ours.”
“Yes, Obamacles beloved,” replied she, “but first let me help you conquer Chicago.”

The monsters of Chicago were helpless against the duet’s laments and dirges;
Like a moth to a flame they proved irresistible, and the strange mutant beasts
of this Isle of the Damned soon were transfixed by their enchantments:

Ayres, the decrepit conjurer of fireballs;
his wife Doron, worshipper of murderers;
Rezko, Philistine Lord of the Pits of Slumos;
Giannoulis, Bagman of the Mafios;
Blago, Governor of the Underworld of Illinus,
And all of the monsters of the Pulpit from Jeremiad to Pherekon.

See, the former holder of the Office of President-Elect of the United States has elevated the level of discussion!