This thread has no quips left in it after being subjected to the GOP assault on sanity that it will now present.
- Here's an unforeseen potential consequence of the H.R.3, the so-called "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion" act. Keep in mind that Speaker Boehner has declared this a "top priority" for a Congress supposedly elected out of frustration with the lack of economic recovery:
Under a GOP-backed bill expected to sail through the House of Representatives, the Internal Revenue Service would be forced to police how Americans have paid for their abortions. To ensure that taxpayers complied with the law, IRS agents would have to investigate whether certain terminated pregnancies were the result of rape or incest. And one tax expert says that the measure could even lead to questions on tax forms: Have you had an abortion? Did you keep your receipt?
In testimony to a House taxation subcommittee on Wednesday, Thomas Barthold, the chief of staff of the nonpartisan Joint Tax Committee, confirmed that one consequence of the Republicans' "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" would be to turn IRS agents into abortion cops—that is, during an audit, they'd have to detemine, from evidence provided by the taxpayer, whether any tax benefit had been inappropriately used to pay for an abortion.
Makes sense, right? If you get audited and you used an insurance plan that gave you a tax credit to pay for an abortion, you'd better make sure you can document you were raped! Otherwise you're violating tax law, and the IRS agents do have to enforce the law. Republican rape panels, hard at work.
- A Republican Assemblymember in Nevada has sponsored a bill to eliminate the state's extremely popular early voting procedures--which in previous election cycles have accounted for half the vote totals in the entire state. Why? Because an anonymous group asked him to:
CARSON CITY -- One day before early voting starts in most municipal elections in Southern Nevada, a Mesquite assemblyman has introduced a bill to halt the popular practice.
Assemblyman Cresent Hardy said he was asked by a Las Vegas group, which he declined to name, to introduce Assembly Bill 311. Members of the group will testify on why the change is needed when a hearing is conducted on the bill, he said.
Why did "they"? The usual fraud canard:
While the group behind the bill believes voting violations have occurred because of early voting, Hardy said he did not personally know of such violations. He mentioned that U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., bused voters to the polls last year, but acknowledged that is not against the law.
Have there been any violations? No:
Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said early voting is "incredibly popular" and he knows of no voting violations caused by early voting.
If there is an organized group in Las Vegas opposed to early voting, then Lomax said its members never have spoken with him.
"I don't know where they come up with these accusations," Lomax said. "If they approve this, it will irritate half of the people who vote."
Is Hardy worried about people being disenfranchised? No:
"It is popular with some people. But the concern is it leads to a lot of voting violations. Some will say (his bill) will make it harder to get people to vote, but if you are dedicated you still will vote."
Will it cost a lot of money? Yes:
Lomax estimated the county would have to spend $5 million to purchase 1,000 additional voting machines to reduce the long lines that would result if AB311 becomes law.
And this is the GOP's logic in a nutshell regarding their nationwide attempt to restrict access to the voting booth: Restrict access, cry fraud where there is none, and make it harder on people despite the additional and unnecessary cost, all because you'll still vote "if you're dedicated." Hell, why not just end the charade and reinstate a poll tax? That'll prove your dedication.
- As Susie Madrak at Crooks and Liars says: This isn't crazy, it's just evil.
St. Paul, MN – Minnesota Republicans are pushing legislation that would make it a crime for people on public assistance to have more $20 in cash in their pockets any given month. This represents a change from their initial proposal, which banned them from having any money at all.
On March 15, Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee testified in front of the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee on House File 171. Buechner told committee members, “We would like to address the provision that makes it illegal for MFIP [one of Minnesota’s welfare programs] families to withdraw cash from the cash portion of the MFIP grant - and in fact, appears to make it illegal for MFIP families to have any type of money at all in their pockets. How do you expect people to take care of business like paying bills such as lights, gas, water, trash and phone?”
Honestly, you have to read the whole thing. Instead of allowing the unemployed or underemployed on public assistance to be proactive while looking for work, Minnesota Republicans want to make it illegal for them to even carry cash, and want to force them to only be able to purchase goods from businesses specifically set up to handle the particular type of debit cards they want to create. Reminds me of the good old days in the coal mine when the miners were paid in scrip that was only redeemable at the company store.
What do you get when you combine crazy, malicious, and lacking any grasp of effective public policy? Today's Republican Party.
- Hard to know where to file this one:
A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder after telling police that he stoned a 70-year-old man to death for making homosexual advances toward him, authorities say.
John Joe Thomas, 28, of Sunshine Road in Upper Darby, spent almost every day with 70-year-old Murray Seidman at Seidman’s Lansdowne home, police say. Days before Seidman’s body was found on Jan. 12, Thomas allegedly beat Seidman to death with a sock full of rocks.
Thomas reportedly told authorities that he read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned to death. When Seidman allegedly made homosexual advances toward him over a period of time, Thomas said he received a message in his prayers that he must end Seidman’s life, according to court documents.
But that's not the whole story:
Though the relationship is still unknown, Thomas was the sole executor of Seidman's will and knew how much money was in Seidman's bank accounts, police say.
It's like they say: you can't serve both God and Mammon.
- An excellent article in the Wisconsin State-Journal about well-known marijuana legalization advocate and longtime Kossack Ben Masel, who is currently fighting lung cancer. Prayers, best wishes, and good karma to a tireless fighter.
- Former Secretary of State Warren Christopher has died at age 85.—Susan