Hang Time

Cured
Former Burlington Chief Administrative Officer Jonathan Leopold explained under oath last month the city’s rationale for not revealing to the state the improper use of $17 million in general city funds to keep Burlington Telecom afloat in 2008 and 2009.  He said the plan was to get new commercial financing for Burlington Telecom — money which would allow repayment of the city money — and then announce the violation of the municipally owned utility’s state license to the Department of Public Service
.
“We would address the issue of non-compliance,” Leopold said, “when we felt we had a cure.” Since the beginning of summer, both state and federal prosecutors have declared they will not prosecute city officials or Burlington Telecom managers for financial mismanagement of the city-owned telecommunications provider.  (Burlington Free Press, 8/10/2011)


This is Progressive Justice: steal $17 million and avoid prosecution.  So - to put this in terms everyone can understand - if you steal a car (non-compliance) you will not be prosecuted if you return the car (cure).  Welcome to Vermont.


Fascinator
Bill McKibben: Europe is fascinating — it shows how modern societies can prosper with much higher fuel prices. Everyone over here has been paying $8 a gallon for gas since WWII, and hence, as if by magic, nice cities and fast trains. We can't get there overnight, but a reminder not to be scared of a lower-carbon future.  (Burlington Free Press, 8/10/2011)

To all you wealthy suburban parents looking for a good college to send junior to, consider that Middlebury College actually employs enviro-Luddite McKibben.  McKibben marvels at European prosperity.  By which he is referring to what....France? Ireland? Portugal? Greece?  Which of the bankrupt European countries with $8 per gallon gasoline does McKibben think the U.S. should emulate?


Go Big Or Go Home
Mr. President, it's time to go big on the economic solutions.  It's time to propose a massive second stimulus, offset by some serious tax hikes and budget cuts once the economy regains a semblance of good health.  (Harold Myerson, Washington Post, 8/10/2011)


Apparently Myerson has been in a coma for some time, or perhaps he has been away, visiting Mars.  Note to Myerson: Google "the Tea Party."  You will learn that a patriotic uprising of common Americans has handed out-of-control spending Democrats defeat after defeat.  A second 'massive stimulus' is a non-starter.  Sorry to tell you...


The Way
The Tea Party purists - those that see no shades of gray, no need for a balanced mix of revenue increases through closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and spending cuts - should take credit for the S&P downgrade.  They got their way. (Lanny Davis, Foxnews.com, 8/10/2011)


Clinton-apologist-turned-Obama-apologist Davis apparently did not read the S&P report.  They said $4 trillion, not $2.4 trillion.  You can't blame the Tea Party if you haven't read the report, Mr. Davis.