Epoch Of Belief

Starving
What is it? It’s a proposal to raise the auto registration fees on all those vehicles that use little or no gasoline, and therefore pay little or no gasoline tax. That means they make no (or paltry) contributions to the Transportation Fund, which is now so starved for cash that lawmakers are on the verge of raising the gas tax by … well, by almost 7 cents a gallon now but primed to go up automatically as fuel prices rise.

And as the legislators know, the Transportation Fund’s troubles have barely begun. As cars get more fuel efficient and more drivers opt for hybrids like the Toyota Prius or all-electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, gas tax revenues are likely to decline even more. (VtDigger.com, 3/24/2013)

Here's a head-turner for ya! Because cars like the Toyota Prius use less gas, their owners do not pay as much in gas taxes. So Repubs suggest an extra levy. (Because we have to pay for all those crumbling roads and bridges. And whatever else that politicians use gas taxes for.)  It sounds like a guerrilla tactic to us.  

Dems in Vermont probably do not like taxing their green constituents, but say that they will have to look at it because, well it's a tax and Dems love taxes!


Slim Shady
Senate Democrats face a tough battle next year to hold on to their slim majority. Going on record in support of legislation that the gun lobby so vehemently opposes could cost some vulnerable incumbents their seats — and potentially make Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) the majority leader. (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, 3/21/2013)

Actually Robinson is imprecise. He should have written: "Going on record in support of legislation that voters so vehemently oppose could cause some vulnerable incumbents their seats..." 

See the difference?


Live And Let Die
“Keep Santa Cruz Weird” was the longstanding, if unofficial, motto for this small beachfront city proud of its tolerance and its offbeat vibe. People came for Santa Cruz’s 1960s-imbued live-and-let-live attitude, its progressive politics, the great weather, the University of California campus, the hard-partying surfing scene and the freewheeling drug culture.

But “Keep Santa Cruz Safe and Clean” began appearing on bumpers in recent years as the city was rattled by acts of violence, its streets and parks seemingly overwhelmed by homelessness and drugs. To hear the supporters of the new slogan, Santa Cruz’s famous tolerance was guilty of enabling. (NYT, 3/24/2013)

The city of Santa Cruz is doing some soul searching after the death of two police officers. According to the article, the accused killer had similar run-ins with law enforcement in Portland, Oregon and Berkeley, California. 

Let's think for a moment. What is the connective thread in this story?


Imagining
A $585,000.50 bill for one night at a hotel is either the result of an unimaginable amount of room service, or, if you're a member of Vice President Joe Biden's posse, it's just another night in Paris. (Huffington Post, 3/25/2013)

Still no word on when White House tours will resume...


Goal-Oriented
Obama's real goal, of course, is to destroy employment-related insurance and force everyone into the insurance exchanges. This will lay the basis for single-payer, government-funded, socialized medicine in the United States: his stated goal. (DickMorris.com, 3/19/2013)

You already know this, but a good reminder from Morris.