The War on the Courts

I believe that in a case such as this, the legislative branch, the executive branch, ought to err on the side of life, which we have and now we'll watch the courts make their decisions.



For the love of Grace, how much is enough? Bush and the GOP have decided that the courts are in their way. They have been dreaming of a battle like Schiavo. Terry is a pawn in their game of undermining the independent authority of the courts. A gift from God, says Tom Delay.

The development of our Nation has taken about 400 years. The GOP cites the fact that we live in a post 9-11 world. That was four years ago. Haven't we learned more powerful lessons than that in 400 years? Did the Founders get it wrong when they decided that three branches of government could function to keep the rule of law stable over time? Did they think wrong when they made a slow and inefficient government, when faced with the alternative of an efficient government in the hands of a tyrant?

The Insane Ruler has been consistently rebuked by the courts for making decisions he should well know are not allowed. The history of our system of case law has built a foundation which is both reasonable and in keeping with Founding Intent. For the love of Grace, does anyone truly want to destroy our Nation?

At this point, I have no other choice but to decide that that is the goal of the Insane Ruler. For the love of Grace, wake up people!

AARP Saves Social Security by 201%

Common purpose, poles apart

In the print version, Julie details eight proposals which would total 201% savings of social security. So, theoretically, once those savings are realized, we could double payout? Well perhaps not, but there is a sample of ideas which would fix the issue without burdening us with any more debt.

1) Wage cap increase: $140,000 as the wage cap would save us 43%. As incomes rise, the cap should, too. In the end, they could benefit from a little extra dough after they retire.

2) Bumping the retirement age to 70 by 2083. I'll be 112. I don't think I'll care if those young whippersnappers can't fully retire until they're 70. Especially if life expectancy rises as fast this century as it has during the last one. That's now a total of 81% of the shortfall.

3) Upping the work requirement from 35 to 38 years would bring the total saved to 97% of Bush's 'crisis.'

Personally, I think that 97% is pretty good, but we could go one step further. To diversify the portfolio by adding a broad index fund could give us better returns in a relatively safe fund estimated to be able to cover 15% of the shortfall.

Then, anyone dumb enough to take a reduced payout fifty years from now should be free to do it on their own, and then not expect us to feel bad for them.

From Whence the Fear of being Civilized?

This recent case has all sorts of feathers ruffled in the right to kill community. Have a read, it's really quite readable and thoughtful. It's nice we get a clear decision from this branch of the government:

FindLaw for Legal Professionals - Case Law, Federal and State Resources, Forms, and Code

Today's print Oregonian had a guest column which really took the Court to task for this decision.

I don't know much about Debra J Saunders of the San Franciso Chronicle, but from the column "Court's nod to European thinking disturbing," she obviously does not understand the Court or it's purpose.

She thinks that we should emulate China, Iran and Pakistan. This woman sounds dangerous to me. Take away her bullhorn.

The case, ROPER, SUPERINTENDENT, POTOSI CORRECTIONAL CENTER v. SIMMONS, was decided by "the Court's own determination in the exercise of its independent judgment." That's good enough for me. Especially when they use their offices to draw positive distinctions between our great Nation and other nations who do not like human rights so much. It also sounds to me that this is something the world pretty much agrees about, not just Europe.

Either way, the independent judgment of the Court is about the only check or balance left in our government.

Where do these people come from and why do they always gotta talk out their bee-hinds?

COLLEGE TUITION: Breaking the bank?

Swinehard:"Why should we expect less fortunate Oregonians to pony up more taxes for our kids to attend the University of Oregon or Oregon State University?"

Answer: Blowhard assumes only his kids have the right to the opportunity to get a reasonably priced education from a public university. The public university system is there because it benefits us all. That is one of the foundational values of our modern democratic republic. Our two highest values for government's role in society are public safety and education, in terms of dollars. This comes from the understanding that education butresses the safety goal.

Informed people make informed decisions. When we can be reasonably sure most of the reasonable people can be expected to make reasonably informed decisions, the People can be counted on to actively support the safety of our republic.

Therefore, a sliding scale might serve everybody's interest. The public can be reasonably expected, especially given the influx of educated professionals, to allow the distribution of payments come largely from the population using the public university system. Then poor Joe Poorman will not be saddled with the costs of educating Dave's kids.


And then there's this:

Home on the public range?

Dave says:"They're not looking for a handout; ranching is not a subsidized industry."

According to the Southwest Center for Biological Diversity, "Livestock ranching on federal public lands is subsidized to the tune of $100 million annually in direct payments; indirect subsidies may be three times that."

See here: Livestock Grazing on Public Dime?

The habitat damage is inestimable in terms of dollars. We've been donating our public property to these guys for long enough. Who knows what we could have after eliminating the several thousand invasive species of grasses and plants and bacteria and fungus and God only knows what else? In terms of public wealth, why are we giving the beef industry our money? That cost should be reflected in the purchase price. So when you buy beef, the price will reflect the cost of production.

Dave seems to encourage carrying one's own weight when it comes to education, but expects us all to pay for beef. Beef is not a public good. It should pay me to use my resources. I might even be inclined to let beef payments be used for his kids' educations, as long as he reciprocates when my kids go to college.

Google Search: "the rat sass"

Google Search: "the rat sass"

WOO-HOO! And there's also this:

Google Search: "Paul Reuben" not reubens

I'm #12 when I look for me, not pee-wee herman. First time i've found me on the web. Twice.

WOO-HOO!

At Least One Branch Works

Juvenile death penalty abolished | csmonitor.com

Finally! A rational and compationate voice of authority speaks.

I cannot wait to hear what they have to say about Death with Dignity. Our courts have been tremendously steady under the pressure exerted on them by the Insane Ruler. Time after time, the compassionate conservatism jibes not with our compassionate and conservative courts. Have no fear of losing your right to die with dignity and a morphine overdose.

There's no time like the present to go for the abolishment of the death penalty altogether. Compassion and rational conservatism dictate a fresh reading of the Constitution. Especially now, when our Executive Branch lusts after executive power with Nixonian passion.

We need to reign in the authority of the state to take life in our name. Justice cannot be served by a system that puts children and disabled citizens to death. The Court has ruled. Our Nation has matured a little for the better.

At Least One Branch Works

Juvenile death penalty abolished | csmonitor.com

Finally! A rational and compationate voice of authority speaks.

I cannot wait to hear what they have to say about Death with Dignity. Our courts have been tremendously steady under the pressure exerted on them by the Insane Ruler. Time after time, the compassionate conservatism jibes not with our compassionate and conservative courts. Have no fear of losing your right to die with dignity and a morphine overdose.

There's no time like the present to go for the abolishment of the death penalty altogether. Compassion and rational conservatism dictate a fresh reading of the Constitution. Especially now, when our Executive Branch lusts after executive power with Nixonian passion.

We need to reign in the authority of the state to take life in our name. Justice cannot be served by a system that puts children and disabled citizens to death. The Court has ruled. Our Nation has matured a little for the better.