Fiscal sanity. How refreshing.

Gov. Chris Christie is taking $65 million, the entire allocation, from the state's global warming fund, and $5.9 million, from the toxic waste site cleanup program, to help close the over $10 billion deficit in his $29.3 billion 2010-11 state budget, the state environmental protection commissioner said Monday.

Hah! We all know his thought process.

“This is total bullshit anyway, so let’s just completely defund it and move that money over here…”

Think of all the people that $65 million represents. People who were supposed to basically hassle businesses and individuals to be in compliance with regs that address a nonexistent environmental disaster.

They are going to have to find something productive to do now, those people.

"Governor Christie has announced that he will cut money (the $65 million) for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and $68 million in programs funded by RGGI will be eliminated,'' Tittel said.

RGGI, a compact with multiple states in the Northeast, was established to create programs that reduce the greenhouse gas footprint. Programs help pay for clean energy programs that reduce carbon and create jobs.

Programs create jobs? The Hell you say!

Let us take an informal poll in the comments:

If you had $250 burning a hole in your pocket, and you could either use it to buy a haircut, some groceries, movie rental, and pay a kid to mow the lawn

*OR*

Pay a bunch of blowjobs to sit around a conference table in the shape of a big leaf, talking about how they're going to force XJC Corp. to pay $X gajillion for the pleasure of disposing of paper they used to just cart away in a dumpster like everybody else,

Which would you rather buy?

Yeah.

Tittel charged that by cutting the fund, the governor is hurting the environment and keeping green jobs out of the state.

You dodged a bullet, New Jersey. Check out Michigan to see what a 'green job' economy looks like. These green jobs, they may be chic, but they have an alarming propensity for destroying all the other, conventional non-green (ie., efficient and productive) jobs.

Thanks to Jazz.

Posted by: LauraW at 07:22 AM | Comments (168)
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On August 10, 2009, Majority Leader Hoyer, along with Speaker Pelosi, called opponents of Obama's healthcare takeover "unAmerican."

Yesterday, Hoyer-- Well, there's a word I'm looking for...oh yes, douchebag:

"Do I think that the negative atmosphere that’s been created by the tea party and by others certainly goes into the thinking of members – I think it does and I think you have to obviously point out that it does," said Hoyer. "I don't think that was the determining factor with respect to Mr. Stupak."

"I want to talk about the need for all public officials, all members of Congress of either party, to try to urge the American people and conduct ourselves in a way that provides an environment for the civility of debate," Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's already animated (and) there are obviously, clearly differences of opinion in the country and among the members of Congress and between the parties," Hoyer said. "But that debate ought to be civil. It ought to be constructive. And it ought to be designed to educate the public, not to incite the public, as to the positions of each party."

Additional labels used by Democratic leaders for opponents of ObamaCare: "the mob", "terrorists", "racists", "like the KKK", "evil-mongers", "they want to kill the president", "traitors", "Neanderthals", and "tea baggers."

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 07:18 AM | Comments (61)
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Yesterday, the Arizona House of Representatives passed a tough law cracking down on illegal aliens and their employers. A similar bill had already passed the Senate, so it's on its way to Governor Brewer's desk after a few corrections.

The bill has plenty to commend it. It prohibits localities from enacting rules to prevent the enforcement of immigration laws, like Los Angeles' infamous Special Order 40. It also prohibits them from withholding from other agencies or the federal government information relating to the immigration status of individuals.

It makes an alien's failure to carry an immigration document on their person a state crime (in addition to the federal crime) and imposes additional penalties for repeat offenders and offenders with a range of aggravating factors like gun or drug possession or prior removal orders.

The law makes it a crime to solicit work as a day laborer or to hire day laborers.

The provision that split the police union from the police chief's association has less to recommend it:

Requires officials and agencies to reasonably attempt to determine the immigration status of a person involved in a lawful contact where reasonable suspicion exists regarding the immigration status of the person, except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation.

Criminals already prey on illegal aliens, particularly because illegals often live in high-crime areas and belong to high-crime income groups (they're poor). Do you know the quickest way to make an already crime-prone group have more crime? Make them afraid to have contact with the police.

Sure, the law says "except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation." I doubt that's going to reassure anyone and it makes all non-investigatory contacts with the police suspect. What about an alien battered spouse who wants to call the cops on her husband? What about United States citizens who are afraid to report crimes because of their illegal alien parents?

I have no problem with the police checking on the immigration status of arrestees and maybe even criminal suspects. But sending them after folks who have lawful contact with the police will lead to more crime and more victims. And it won't solve the illegal alien problem.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 06:52 AM | Comments (185)
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Toomey beating Specter may turn out to be the sweetest thing that happens on election night this year.

Republican hopeful Pat Toomey for the first time registers 50% support in his race against incumbent Democrat Arlen Specter in PennsylvaniaÂ’s contest for the U.S. Senate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state shows Specter earning 40% of the vote, a level heÂ’s held steady at since the first of the year. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and six percent (6%) are undecided.

Toomey this month also makes his strongest showing to date against SpecterÂ’s Democratic Primary challenger, Congressman Joe Sestak. Toomey picks up 47% support to SestakÂ’s 36%. Given this match-up, five percent (5%) like another candidate, and 12% are undecided.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Pennsylvania voters say the recently passed health care plan is bad for the country and just 36% think its impact will be good. In June of last year, before the health care debate began in earnest, Specter had an eleven-point advantage over Toomey. But support for the senator plummeted to 36% in August after his town hall meetings with Pennsylvania voters angry over the specifics of the health care plan. Since then, support for Specter has never risen above 42%.

Specter meanwhile is running around saying he's got a deal with Harry Reid to become the next chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Only a few hurdles remain, there's no reason to think Pat Leahy is going anywhere, there are several more senior Democrats who aren't thrilled about a turncoat jumping ahead of them, the Democrats may not keep control of the Senate and oh yeah, Arlen maybe eating porridge at the home for defeated dirtbag Senators. Other than that...it's a heck of plan Arlen.

Related: Hey, who is up for Republicans winning up to 100 House seats?

Posted by: DrewM at 06:37 AM | Comments (35)
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After the carefully crafted optics of Obama bowing to certain foreign leaders, I can't believe that this was an accident:

The Anchoress notes:

I get the impression that Obama and his crew think these sorts of pictures make him look good. HeÂ’s sticking it to the man, or something.

The look on HarperÂ’s face, I canÂ’t read. HeÂ’s either cowed or repressing his own anger. He appears to be looking directly at ObamaÂ’s finger. He is making a fist. Anyone want to supply a caption?

I miss the swaggering cowboy. He may have been tongue-tied; he may have screwed up with an errant backrub, but he didn’t bow to royalty, he didn’t give embarrassing gifts to allies, he didn’t show the Dalai Lama the back door. He never said to a visiting ally (paraphrased) “I’m gonna go have dinner with Laura, and if you decide to obey me, I’ll be around.”

He didnÂ’t shove his finger in the face of another countryÂ’s prime minister.

Yup.

I don't think President Obama set out to be rude to Prime Minister Harper. It's just that he couldn't be bothered to be polite and it didn't occur to him that Harper, the leader of a close U.S. ally, is someone he should be polite to.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:57 AM | Comments (175)
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Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:13 AM | Comments (118)
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~18,500/35,700 which is approx the same percentages in the 2008 election (actually, Lynch improved a few points this time)

With a bit of GOTV by the GOP, this one was winnable because Lynch drew ~83,000 votes in 2008. Snagging even half that, would have made him a solid winner.

The district had ~300,000 voting in the FL 19th 2008 election.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 08:37 PM | Comments (150)
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in the Age of Obama.

Truly we live in an age of miracles and wonders, friends. Why, each and everyone of you will soon be able to live out your innermost Superman fantasies.

Except for Drew M. He usually fantasizes about being Aquaman's "living Octopus chair". That's one of the reasons i choose to "Make Mine Marvel" instead of D.C.

The humble T-shirt may soon be strong enough to stop a speeding bullet.

Scientists in the US have developed a flexible shirt made of the same material used in tank armour, by combining carbon in the shirt with the third-hardest material on Earth, boron.

As a smart military and fashion forward blogger, I felt obliged to bring this story to your attention. Why?

Because this new t-shirt has an additional property that will likely come in handy now that our benevolent President has generously given the world a "your first punch is free" card.

Prof Li said the T-shirts could also block "almost all" ultraviolet rays, and possibly life-threatening neutrons emitted from decaying radioactive material.

It is my understanding that President Obama has ordered all further development of this t-shirt stopped, lest it be interpreted as a "hostile, cotton-poly blend, provocation" by the Iranians.

So get them while you can, is what I'm suggesting.

Posted by: Jack M. at 05:44 PM | Comments (86)
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Welcome to the boringest quarter-assed ONT ever.

The Dumbest Woman in the US?

Okay this might have appeared on the ONT before but what the hell, it's worth watching again. This lady was testifying before the Santa Cruz city council about east coast slavery, the need for a perfect pesticide, and why food should be free.

Just remember - her vote counts just as much as yours.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:40 PM | Comments (958)
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Ouch:

Canceling Constellation could lead to thousands of layoffs at some of America's biggest aerospace contractors, including Lockheed Martin, the Boeing Co. and ATK. Such job losses are among the factors behind congressional opposition to the cancellation. Armstrong and his fellow astronauts emphasize the bigger implications, however, and say in their letter that the decision would put the nation on a "long downhill slide to mediocrity."

The letter notes that the U.S. space effort will be dependent for years to come on the Russians for transport to the International Space Station, at a cost of more than $50 million per seat.

"For the United States, the leading spacefaring nation for nearly half a century, to be without carriage to low Earth orbit and with no human exploration capability to go beyond Earth orbit for an indeterminate time into the future, destines our nation to become one of second- or even third-rate stature," they said in the letter.

The letter is cosigned by Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, and Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who is marking the 40th anniversary of his lunar non-landing this week.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 05:33 PM | Comments (177)
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