S.C. Cigarette Tax Is Dead

The Governor killed it and the house could not override his veto. This should not be a surprise to anyone. Stanford is not one to have his own ideas ignored.

What is depressing is the dishonest excuse Sanford used to justify his veto.

Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed the plan. Sanford said the cigarette tax — an estimated $160 million — could not match the rising cost of medical care.

“It jeopardizes taxpayers and the people who depend on Medicaid,” Sanford said.

This is an argument that I can support and at times can be a good reason to veto any bill using funding of this type. The plan would establish a annual expenses for the government, while not assuring a continued corresponding revenue stream. We all have to keep in mind that one of the major benefits of raising the cost of cigarettes is it tends to reduce consumption and discourage new smokers. The end result could be established programs facing a shortage in funds due to a decline in smoking.

This could mean that in a few years the program benefits may have to be reduced, or alternate funds would have to be found to continue them.

But, in Sanfords case this excuse is just a lie.

He threw this veto, not because he opposed a hike in the Cigarette tax, he supports this, but because this version helps the wrong people. Stanfords plan, as I remember it, involved using the income from the Cigarette tax to fund a tax cut for the richest people in South Carolina. The fact that he supports this use of the potential tax revenue, and opposes the House plan, makes it clear that his excuse is a load of bull. In either case (Medicaid or Tax Cuts for the rich), the state will have to address a shortfall in income if and when cigarette consumption falls.

The difference is; the House plan taxes the poor to provide medical care for the poor, while Sanfords plan would tax the poor to aid the rich. You see, one of the harsh truths about the use of tobacco products, the poorer you are the more likely you are to smoke. The end result: We have the lowest tax on cigarettes in the nations, That we are in the top 10 state in tobacco product use in past month among persons aged 12or older, We still have grossly underfunded Medicaid system and we will have to readdress this issue in 2009.

I see this as another failing of the state government. I fear that of all the issues involved in this the only failure that Governor Sanford sees is the failure of the richest South Carolinians to get another tax break.



Tags
Cigarettes, Sanford, South Carolina, Tax

McCain; Needs The Cash, Not The Taint

John McCain has been trying to distance himself from George Bush. He seldom appears in the same place as the President, and tries to play up the minor differences he hold with the president's policy and actions. But, John's presidential champign is, as far as presidential canidates are concerned, dirt poor. He is so poor that he has to turn to the least popular modern president to help with his rather pathetic cash situation. As a result he will be holding fundraising events with George, including one in his home town, away from the public eye. Initially this event was to be a bit more public and have a higher profile than a traditional McCain fundraising event, but so few people were willing to pay to attend that they had to move the event to a smaller venue, and this is in McCain's home state.

George Bush is toxic. Even some republicans have grown to despise him. Yet McCain can not afford to stay away from the poison that our President has become. One of the major factors in the coming election will be the efforts of McCain to claim that his election will not mean four more years of George Bush, and the efforts of the Democrats to make it clear the McCain is just George Bush, with a nasty temper.

Seeing how this plays out will be interesting.



Tags
Bush, Election 2008, McCain

She's Back

Lauren is back in the bloging world.

Tags
Blogs

For Memorial Day

A story from NPR.

Eight years ago, a French couple founded an organization that adopts graves of American servicemen who died during the Normandy invasion of World War II. The volunteer group encourages French families to lay flowers on the graves when the Americans' own families can't do it.

Tags
History

Science Sunday

On Jupiter, a new red spot has been spotted.

Fresh imagery shows that a storm system has changed color in the planet Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere, creating a third "Red Spot" to join the centuries-old Great Red Spot and the 2-year-old Red Spot Jr.

The Platypus genetic code has been unraveled

and in Denmark, a 54-million-year-old Parrot has been found.

The fossil—a large wing bone called the humerus—represents the oldest and most northerly remains of a parrot ever discovered, the study authors say. Parrot fossils are scarce, because their small, light bones tend to be destroyed before they can become fossilized. The discovery suggests that parrots evolved in the Northern Hemisphere before branching into wildly diverse species in the southern tropics.

Tags
Science

Some Links

For your enjoyment.


At Science Shrimp and Grits, a look at the Clinton voters who will never support Obama, and why that most likely, in the long run, doesn't matter.


Do you what to know the current state of affairs in Lebanon? Badtux the Snarky Penguin has a quick round-up.


Over at Crooks and Liars, a look at, in issues of judgment who should crow and who should shut up. Guess what, John McCain doesn't fair real well.


Private Greed, Public Good, and who is really killing our jobs, Seeing The Forest presents their view.




Tags
Blogs

S.C. Ignorance On Parade, Irmo High School

The formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club at Irmo High School has encouraged the principal to show the world just how uninformed, under-educated and ill suited for educational leadership he really is.

On May 14, 2008, I was instructed by email to allow the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance Club at Irmo High School. On May 15, 2008 I told Ms. Ann Pilat to allow the formation of this club for the 2008-2009 school year.

Allowing the formation of this club on our campus conflicts with my professional beliefs and religious convictions.

......

The formation of this club conflicts with my professional beliefs in that we do not have other clubs at Irmo High school based on sexual orientation, sexual preference, or sexual activity. In fact our sex education curriculum is abstinence based. I feel the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance Club at Irmo High school implies that students joining the club will have chosen to or will choose to engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, opposite sex, or members of both sexes.

And here we have it, another homophobic christian who doesn't understand human sexuality, Christianity or the very mission of the group he opposes. Their mission is:

Mission Statement

Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a youth leadership organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources. Through peer support, leadership development, and training, GSA Network supports young people in starting, strengthening, and sustaining GSAs and builds the capacity of GSAs to:

1. create safe environments in schools for students to support each other and learn about homophobia and other oppressions,

2. educate the school community about homophobia, gender identity, and sexual orientation issues, and

3. fight discrimination, harassment, and violence in schools.

All noble goals and all very reasonable and yet he opposes them.

His position is clearly not based on what this clubs goals are, not on what other GSA clubs have done or this one is planning on doing, but on his own rather silly and self developed idea that this group is based on promoting orgies (or some other such foolishness). Or maybe he fears what would happen if we lived in a society where gay students were not abused, ridiculed and picked on.

IN any case at least he has the decency to get out of a professional endeavor that he is clearly ill suited for. We need more education and rational thought in our schools, and far less right wing religious silliness. His departure has to be seen as a positive step.


Ed Brayton at Dispatches from the Culture Wars chimes in on Irmo's principal: No, sorry. I do not respect your choice to be a bigot and an ignoramus.




Tags
Education, Irmo

Kentucky and Oregon

We have two primary elections today. Hillary will win big in Kentucky, another of the Appalachian belt states that will not support a black candidate, and Obama will win in Oregon. There is no suspense today, the polls are not close. The only real drama is will the outcome of the final vote be enough to give Obama a majority of the pledged delegates for the national convention.

No matter what happens I suspect that the election will march on, and we will have 2 more weeks of primaries until Hillary gives up.


Tags
Primary

The Drive Is Done

We crossed the country, from LA to Columbia, in 4 days. We didn't get to see much, be we did finish the drive.


Tags
Travel

Sacrifice

Since this nation started on its Middle Eastern miss adventure some of the people of our nation have been making great sacrifices. Those behind this war wanted to make it as painless as possible for as many of the people of the country as they could. We have not faced shortages, or even had to pay for this war (We are simply putting it on the credit card). Mostly it has been the military and their families who have paid a price. They have been separated from fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives. They have faced financial difficulty, infidelity, failed marriage and countless other personal struggles.

There have been highly motivated people who have decided to give to our nation and serve. The have left well paying high profile jobs to fight for their country, extended their service to make sure the needed skill would be in place for their units, or come straight out of school to join up. As a result they have missed birthdays, anniversaries, funerals and countless other special events. Some have sacrificed arms and or legs, parts of their brain, their eyesight or hearing or have had to face some other life altering injury.

And some 4500 have died.

And the man responsible for this; The man who broke international law by engaging in a war of aggression (a crime that, in the past, the US has executed people for), violated both the Geneva conventions and the UN human right conventions by endorsing and encouraging the use of torture on captives, the man who has illegally spied on US citizens and has run up a two to three trillion dollar debt in the process;

Well, he to has sacrificed, he has given up golf as a sign of solidarity with the people of the US who are fighting this war.

Some have given their Last Full Measure, and he has given up a once or twice a month 3 hour ride in an toy electric car.


What an a$$h*le.


Tags
Bush, Iraq, Republicans

A Week For Travel, Not News

Or, how I get to spend my summer vacation.

I have to fly to the west coast, and bring a car back to the east coast. I will be listening to my I-Pod and (hopefully) taking pictures. I will be ignoring most of the news, so starting later this week, if there are any post, they will most likely be a travel log.




Tags
Travel

Some Links For Your Fridays Enjoyment

From Crooks and Liars, a review of some of McCain's out of touch moments



A very well timed reminder about the Republican party and George Bush is presented at Agitprop (Excellent point, but some strong language, you are warned)



At Pam's House Blend, a look at how yet another Republican protects the sanctity of marriage





Tags
Bush, Corruption, Family Values, McCain

What Is Wrong With Our Govenrment

Special interest have far to much access. A perfect example has been presented to us, the US Telecommunications companies have presented Congress with a plan to grant them immunity for their past illegal actions.

Telecom companies have presented congressional Democrats with a set of proposals on how to provide immunity to the businesses that participated in a controversial government electronic surveillance program, a House Democratic aide said Wednesday.

Talk about access to power. They break the law, and then get to craft the changes to the law that will allow them to avoid responsibility for their past law breaking.

I wonder if congress will give equal access to those who have have had their communication intercepted and give equal consideration to what they think the proper course of action should be?





Tags
Buisness, Congress, Corruption

A Perfect Summery Of Our Current Administration

The Office of Special Counsel has a very important job to do. They are responsible for protecting the rights of federal workers when they report violations of law by the government. One of the major areas that this body would normally be responsible for helping with the investigation when a federal employees reports violation of the hatch act.

This law prohibits governmental agencies from using their power or personnel to aid a political candidate or party. One of the groups the Office of Special Counsel is involved in investigating is the justice department.

Well, it appears that we have crossing investigations. The Justice Department is now looking at this office and it's Bush appointed leaders for violations of the Hatch act, among other crimes.

Nothing sums up the corruption of this group than these two highly ironic investigations.



UPDATE

For those asking about the Hatch Act

In addition to concerns about obstruction of justice, investigators are also looking into whether Bloch violated the Hatch Act, a congressional mandate that prohibits employees from using their offices for partisan political purposes.

Tags
Bush, Culture of Corruption, Republicans

Oil

Crossing $120.00 a barrel

Oil futures surged to a new trading record above $120 a barrel Monday, raising concerns about higher prices for gasoline and goods and services throughout the economy.

But look at the bright side, walking is good for you.



Tags
Economics

Just Another Day In Bush's Americia

To make air travel safer in a post 9-11 enviroment the US government took a noumber of steps. Two of these steps were to increase the number of Air Marshels flying undercover and to expand the terrorsit watch list and to deny boarding to anyone who is on the list.

It seems that we have now merged the program, and are putting air marshaels on the no fly list.

"Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) familiar with the situation say the mix-ups, in which marshals are mistaken for terrorism suspects who share the same names, have gone on for years — just as they have for thousands of members of the traveling public," the Times reports, based on anonymous sources.

The paper says some planes have taken off without the undercover federal agents, who are supposed to protect the cockpit from hijackers and the like.

Just another day in paradise.


Tags
Airlines, Stupidity, Terrorism

Science Saturday

In Asia, a Missing Rat has been found.

The greater dwarf cloud rat was thought to live in the canopies of tall trees in the Philippines, but the last sighting of one was 112 years ago. Now it has been found again.

and the detailed study of the Colossal Squid has started at last.

A colossal squid being defrosted this week in New Zealand is yielding "astonishing" new discoveries. For starters, the giant species has the world's biggest eyes, as well as light-emitting organs that may serve as cloaking devices, scientists say.

Tags
Science

Friday's Links, Check Them Out

Seeing the Forest argues that the current middle class economic squeeze is a result of tax cuts.


A very Christian response to the national day of silence can be found at Straight not Narrow.


From Balloon Juice, CNN coverage of the important issues



Tags
Economics, Faith, Media

Some South Carolina Senators Making Sense

The Senate is trying to address illegal immigration. Most of the efforts have been basically useless and focused on punishing the poor sap looking for a better life. This approach is penny wise and pound foolish, and does nothing to reduce the problem.

The latest Senate proposal on the other hand is a step in the right direction.

passed a plan that would impose fines up to $10,000 for knowingly hiring a worker in this county illegally.

This is a small step down the path that may, with time, make some difference. Its greatest weakness is this proposal is way to easy on the employer, and the 'knowingly' phrase is a huge loophole.

If the US wants to stop immigration, the only path that will work is to eliminate employment opportunity. The immigrants are only doing what free market capitalist and the Horatio Alger fables have told us we are all suppose to do, work hard and take risks to get a better life. No matter what punitive actions we take against this population, as long as there is a demand for their services they will come.

The only way to eliminate employment opportunities is to make the risk of hiring undocumented aliens so high that no one will risk it, and the terms of the current proposal is to weak. We need to look at fines for the companies that run into the hundreds of thousands, if not higher. We need fines for the officers and the managers of these firms that are at least five times higher that the ones currently proposed, and jail time should also be considered. Companies that hire subcontracontractors that hire these workers must also held accountable, again into the hundreds of thousands of dollars with fines and jail for officers and managers who are involved in the process.

If this step is taken, we will see a reduction in immigration, because the only reason that the vast majority of immigrants are coming here is to get some work. Every other step we take is a waste of time and money. We, as a state and nation, are best served by abandoning them, they don't work.




Tags
Immigration, South Carolina

The Pendulum Swings Back

and it is getting ugly in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - The killings of three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the American death toll for April up to 47, making it the deadliest month since September.

Does this mean the surge is no longer working, or was never working or is still working?

No, it just means more people are dying.

The number of dead is not now, nor has it ever been, an effective way of evaluating the surge. The dynamics are to complex for such a simple indicator to apply. That truth has not stopped the Republican leaders from making such false claims, and it has not stopped the traditional media from echoing them. It does lead me to wonder; Since so many on the right (Including John McCain) claim that the falling death relates meant the escalation of force was working, will this change in reality led them to now claim it is failing?



Tags
Iraq

A Pair Of War Crimes Questions

has been asked at Crooked Timber.

I have two main questions:

1. Where, if at all, might charges be brought against Bush and others?
2. How would the hearing of these charges be prevented?

I suspect that the comments will be worth following.

Tags
Bush Administration, Iraq, War Crimes

Forcing God On South Carolina

Our Senators, always looking for ways to waste time and money, have produce two more silly and potentially costly pieces on legislation in their continued efforts to use to power of the state to jam Christianity down the throats of the citizens.

The SC Senate is now acting in an effort to allow the use two traditional dishonest christian ploys, and both are mistakes.

PUBLIC PRAYER: The state Senate has approved a bill that would allow prayers before public meetings. The legislation says public bodies can adopt policies to let members take turns giving an invocation, elect a chaplain or create a pool of speakers from faith groups to offer the prayer. The bill also calls for the state attorney general to defend public bodies if they face constitutional challenges.

---

RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS: The Ten Commandments could be displayed in South Carolina schools and courthouses as long as they are posted with other historical documents like the Bill of Rights, under a proposal a Senate panel took up Thursday. No vote was taken. The legislation, approved by the House last year, would allow the Judeo-Christian cornerstone to be displayed as long as it is posted with a dozen documents that influenced U.S. law and government, including the Constitution and Pledge of Allegiance.

The proposal about public prayer is just foolish. The Federal courts have been consistent on this issue, it is not allowed. No law, passed by any state, has the power to override Federal standards. All this proposal will do is expose the state to the cost of defending foolish local governments, like Great falls, when they decide to be stupid.

The second one is most likely legal but still foolish. The argument goes that the 10 commandments are part of the bedrock standards that our nation was founded on. If you actually look at the 10 commandments, it is clear this is utter foolishness. Of the commandments, only 4 seem to have any historic legal standing in the US. These are Murder, Thief, Adultery and Lying. The trouble with trying to tie this into the history of law in the US is, these are basically universal concepts that are found in all societies no matter their faith construct. Two (or three) more of the commandments deal with personal behavior and thoughts, and have no relevance to our judicial history and no mention in our founding documents. These are honoring your parents and coveting your neighbors possessions (and spouse). The other ideals in the commandments are not found in our founding documents and in many respects run counter to these.

Lets start with the first (or first and second, depending on the version of the commandments you care to use); I am the Lord your God, You shall have no other gods before me, You shall not make for yourself an idol. In many respects the constitution was implicitly putting a man made document ahead of God. Our founding fathers were creating a nation of law and those laws were the laws of man, not God. The other two are; You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God, Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. I don't think that either of these commandments can be found to be reflected in any of the documents that our nation was founded on.

So we have 4 commandments that apply, but these ideals are expressed in almost every society, and are commonly found in non christian societies. The argument that they had anything to with the establishment of law in the US is weak is best. 2 of the commandments deal with internal thoughts and behavior to relatives. It is difficult if not impossible to see any tie between them and the laws of our land. The last 4 deal with our relationship with God, and it can be argued that the founding of the US as a nation where law is supreme is in violation of the ten commandments.

To try to sneak the 10 commandments into governmental buildings on this basis is dishonest, silly, time wasting and indicates a lack of understanding of the history of our country. So, it is the perfect way for our elected officials to spend their time.

Maybe, one day, we will focus on education, or health, or infrastructure, or employment, but for now, we will keep trying to find way to force God down the throats of the people of the South Carolina.





Tags
Faith, South Carolina

Science Saturday

A couple of interesting and easy to understand science blog posts.

1st, lizard evolution.


And How can chromosome numbers change?



Tags
Evolution, Genetics

Friday; Some Links For Your Enjoyment

The SC Prog Blog points out how our Traditional Media and the Pentagon tagteam to lie us into and about that Iraqi war


Of course the media dishonesty has nothing on the dishonesty of some SC Christians, just ask Snead: Live and Uncut.


On health care for all, Science Shrimp and Grits points out that one of the best reasons for universal care is; its the right thing to do


McCain's kindness to lobbiest goes well beyond the Keating Five and continues today, check out Crooks And Liars.



Tags
Dishonesty, Iraq, Health Care, Media, Propaganda

Give Me Some Of That

Old Time Religion.

Alonzo Burke, 44, is accused of fighting his two daughters in a parking lot in the family car. And it's how the fight started which makes it even more bizarre.

A police report states Burke says he started pushing and hitting his 18-year-old daughter to get her to pray. She responded by punching him in the face.

I have no idea what religion demands physical punishment for failing to pray properly, but it is one I will try to avoid.



Tags
Faith

CNN Says It All

Clinton wins, Obama still leads.

Pennsylvania played out as most expected, a Clinton win, but not near enough to change the dynamic of the race.


Tags
Primary

An Acquaintance Recommends Expelled

Last night I had an acquaintance come up and tell me that there was a movie that I should go see. He said it was a powerful examination of science.

Within seconds of his recommendation it was clear that he was talking about Expelled. What he did not know is that I was far more aware of what was in, and , not in Expelled. This guy is not religious, but is a huge anti climate change nut and this attack on science fed right into that foolishness. He loved much of the film, until I took it apart, bit by bit.

By the time we had quit talking, he was, at least as expressed to me, no longer a big fan on the attack on evolution in the movie but still wanted to see an expelled type of film done about climate change.

This one conversation does confirm one of my concerns about this tripe. The film not only rings true to the under educated religious right, but also to the general anti science crowd. We will now see the climate change, vaccination and many other anti-science groups use aspects of this piece of trash to buttress their flawed thinking.

Just another step toward drooling stupidity.




Tags
Evolution, Science

It's Monday, and I Got Nothing

Maybe its just a little spring fever or the resurgence of an chronic case of cynicism, but nothing in today's news surprises me.

We have a kid trying to blow up his school, we have nasty politics, we have recession, we have corruption, fraud, and mayhem.

So in many respects it is just another Monday morning.

Friday's Links

Check them out.

Dispatches from the culture wars gives us a much needed history lesson on how some of the leading founding fathers viewed the Divinity of Jesus Christ



Some more information about the strength and scale of Al Qaeda in Iraq, from the Agonist



From the Big Brass Blog, a look at ABCs performance in the Democratic Debate.



And AmericaBlog checks out the state of the Iraqi Army.



Tags
History, Iraq, media

They Lie, They Cheat, They Steal

and no, this time I am not talking about the Bush administration.

This time it is the folks form the movie expelled, who have been accused of stealing some of the animation used in their film.

But then, what do you expect from a group that thinks it is ok to lie for Jesus. Go check out the the documentation of the lies in the movie expelled, it is a very nice example of this dishonest behavior.


UPDATE

It appears that these less than honorable self professed christians have also stolen the music used in the film.


Tags
Evolution, Science