Stop playing games, MSM. John Patrick Bedell was a registered Democrat, Michelle [1]
More Massa, When Eric Massa (NY-29) announced he would not seek re-election on Wednesday, cited health problems. There were also reports of ethics investigation. Yesterday, I asked a friend of mine, if she believe in the door number one explanation, health, or door number two, ethics. She cited door number one.
Well it appears to be door number two Today, Massa announced that he as resigning from Congress, effective Monday, and thus make the ethics investigation pointless, WXXI [2]:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WXXI) – Congressman Eric Massa announced his resignation late Friday afternoon. It will be effective Monday at 5:00pm.
Massa shocked the political establishment Wednesday by announcing he would retire and not seek re-election in the fall. The announcement came amid an investigation of harrassment allegations by the House Ethics Committee.
It will be up to Governor David Paterson to declare the seat in New York’s 29th Congressional District vacant and then set a special election for no later than 40 days after doing so. No word on whether Paterson plans to do so.
At least Massa is consistent, in entered and is leaving Congress in the same manner, as a bad joke. I hereby revise my previous position and suggest that former Congressman Randy Kuhl run to finish out the term.
Massa in his own words, Chris Cillizza, Washington Post [3]:
“A member of my staff believed I had made statements that made him feel ‘uncomfortable,’ ” Massa said in the statement, posted on his House web site. He added, “There is no doubt in my mind I did use language … that … might make a Chief Petty Officer feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s not that I can fight or beat these allegations, I’m guilty.”
It’s time to cut federal funding for the arts, Shikha Dalmia, Reason [4]. Time to end Artfare as we know it. Artfare is welfare payments to artists disguised as patronage for the arts. Any artist who is not talented enough to find voluntary patrons to purchase his art, needs to get off the public dole and get a job.|
Hoplophia by the Bay: Michael B. Farrell, Christian Science Monitor [5]
San Francisco
Starbucks has become something of an unwilling pawn in a growing dispute over gun rights.
Advocates of so-called “open carry” laws, which give citizens the right to wear unconcealed weapons without a permit, are hailing it for not kicking gun-toting customers out of their stores. Gun foes, meanwhile, say the coffee chain should keep its stores firearm-free (while not refusing any espresso-sipping police officers, of course
Free citizens are free to carry openly carry arms where ever they travel. Serf are not. Are we to be a nation of citizens or serfs? What say you”
How’s that energy policy working for ya? Rebecca Smith and Stephen Power, Wall Street Journa [6]l:
President Barack Obama’s energy strategy came under attack on at least three fronts Thursday, highlighting the conflict that has hobbled one of the administration’s top domestic priorities.
On Thursday, big utility operators and some state officials blasted the administration’s formal announcement that it would drop plans for a federal nuclear-waste vault beneath Yucca Mountain, Nev., and instead consider what it believes are better options. On Capitol Hill, a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to block the administration from using the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon-dioxide emissions. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers urged the administration not to use federal stimulus dollars to help finance a wind-energy project that involves a Chinese maker of wind turbines.
All culture are equal, Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times [7]:
It’s hard to imagine that there have been many younger divorcées — or braver ones — than a pint-size third grader named Nujood Ali.
Nujood is a Yemeni girl, and it’s no coincidence that Yemen abounds both in child brides and in terrorists (and now, thanks to Nujood, children who have been divorced). Societies that repress women tend to be prone to violence.
Not hard to imagine at all. Chil marriage has been a common enough cultural practice [8]. Welcome to the real world Nick.