Aug
27
2009

URLs du Jour

2009-08-27

  • Shawn Millerick at Now Hampshire! notes my Congresswoman, Carol Shea-Porter, discoursing on her theory of Constitutional Law.

    In what may prove to be her most controversial remarks to date, Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) on Tuesday defended Washington's efforts to reform the American health care system by telling a talk radio caller, "The Constitution did not cover everything."

    Shawn's story was also picked up by the Club For Growth and Granite Grok.

    Congresswoman Shea-Porter, like her colleagues, took an oath to "support and defend" the Constitution, to bear it "true faith and allegiance". Her attitude, however, seems to be that it's a bunch of suggestions, not actually containing anything that would stop her and like-minded legislators from doing whatever the Hell they want.

    Unfortunately, I would wager that somewhere north of 400 Congresscritters feel exactly the same way. And a similar fraction in the rest of the Federal Government.

  • For example, there's the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Mark Calabria of Cato@Liberty comments on their recent effort to bully Anheuser-Busch into ceasing sales of Bud Light in cans "decorated with the college-team colors."

    What's not responsible is the FTC wasting taxpayer resources wondering what color beer cans we are drinking out of.

    And I'd like to see where in the Constitution it says they can do that. But I'm sure, like Carol Shea-Porter, they dismiss such concerns by thinking (if not actually saying out loud): "the Constitution doesn't cover everything."

    And if the FTC must investigate Anheuser-Busch about Bud Light, they should really be asking: how can you get away with calling it "beer"?

  • Also up near the top of the "Where does it say you can do that in the Constitution?" list should be the National Endowment for the Arts. It's depressing, albeit not surprising, to learn that the Obama Administration is using it as a political tool, as reported by Patrick Courrielche at Big Hollywood:

    On Thursday August 6th, I was invited by the National Endowment for the Arts to attend a conference call scheduled for Monday August 10th hosted by the NEA, the White House Office of Public Engagement, and United We Serve. The call would include "a group of artists, producers, promoters, organizers, influencers, marketers, taste-makers, leaders or just plain cool people to join together and work together to promote a more civically engaged America and celebrate how the arts can be used for a positive change!"

    When it comes to propagandizing the citizenry, President Obama promises to leave no taxpayer-funded avenue unexplored.

  • But seriously, folks: if you've got some time, you might want to read this Atlantic article from David Goldhill on health care. Goldhill is a (self-admitted) Democrat, but the article is pretty non-ideological, spurred by the death of his 83-year-old father from an infection resulting from his hospital stay. You may not agree with everything he says, but you'll probably learn something.

    But you might not want to read it if you or a loved one have a hospital stay coming up.

  • And today's winner for Best Blog Post Title goes to John Tierney:

    Why Poach Another's Mate? Ask An Expert

  • Bob Dylan is releasing Christmas In the Heart, an album of Christmas songs. I like Bob Dylan, and his royalties on it are going to a charitable group, which is admirable.

    But I'm also pretty sure that this is a sign of the Apocalypse.


Last Modified 2022-10-04 4:46 PM EDT