Funny, isn’t it – all the billions of taxpayer dollars being spent on everything from whorehouses to stem cell research, and for some strange reason Congress just can’t step up and vote for a decent education for disadvantaged kids.

Guess this is one way to guarantee that the poor will always be with us.

Truth to tell, I’ve never been a Ron Paul supporter. I read the pamphlets, I listened to as many of his rEVOLUTIONaries as I could stand, and I always came away with the feeling that “something” just didn’t compute. I just felt that his theories and principles and his rhetoric were discordant, but I couldn’t really pinpoint anything specific that summed up my unease. Then I happened upon his interview with Neal Cavuto.

Apparently Mr. “Fiscal-Conservative-to-the-Max” is one of the biggest porkers in the latest Congressional hog fest – to the tune of over $73 million sliced off for his District. That’s some bacon, yessir!

And how does he justify this seeming inconsistency? Partially, with the always popular “Everybody’s doing it, so I have to too” line, but he follows that with the clever, albeit disingenuous, “But I never vote for the appropriation bill.”

Wow. Like that makes a difference.

He gets to make a “principled” vote, knowing full-well that it doesn’t make a dime’s worth of difference in the final analysis.

Smarmy little weasel. That’s exactly the kind of hypocrisy that fries my potatoes. I’ll take a “money-grubbing, take all the earmarks I can get my hands on” kind of guy as long as he’s upfront and honest about it and puts his vote where his mitts are over this kind of double-talking pedagogue.

Check, please.

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, “I don’t understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?”

The professor replied, “I don’t have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I’ll be glad to explain it to you.”

The student agreed and at the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor’s house.

The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, “First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can.”

The student did as he was instructed.

The professor then continued, “Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it.”

The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.

The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.

The confused student asked, “Excuse me, but why are we doing this?

The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.

The student didn’t think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.

However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad.

The student finally replied, “All we’re doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you’ll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!”

The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, “Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill.”

H/T to Ben who posted this on HillBuzz.

I just received an email from the Montana Department of Agriculture. Not that I’m any big special person in the farming and ranching communities in the state, but I am on a list for all the press releases issued by the various state departments. Turns out there’s something special coming up…

“An Agriculture Appreciation Day luncheon for legislators and a Montana products showcase are among the Montana activities scheduled in Helena to celebrate National Ag Week, March 15-21, 2009. ‘National Ag Day, March 20, is a time to recognize the importance of farming and ranching and to celebrate Montana’s No. 1 industry,’ says Ron de Yong, director of the Montana Department of Agriculture.”

Last year Montana’s agriculture industry was so important to the state that Governor Schweitzer was compelled to violate the state’s campaign laws in order to promote not only Ag Day and Ag Week but Montana Ag Month, by doing a radio PSA after filing for office.

Well, here it is a year later, the Gov’s not running for anything so it’s perfectly legal for him to do all the PSA’s he wants to do to promote whatever industry needs a little oomph from Montana’s main spokesman. So where is Big Bri? MIA?

Or maybe our agricultural industry is just so healthy and thriving that it only needs seven days of attention this year.

Yep. I’m sure that’s it.

Awesome!!!!

We all experience God’s miracles in our lives. Sometimes we recognize them, sometimes not so much. Sometimes we see God’s hand in the everyday miracles and remember to thank Him for the blessings He gives us. Sometimes, whether because we are too busy, or too preoccupied, or just too oblivious, we miss the special grace He shares with us.

And then there are those times when He bops us up alongside the head with one of HIs Super-Duper, Biblical, You-Aren’t-Going-To-Believe-This-But-It’s-An-Honest-To-God-Full-Blown-Really-Truly-Did-You-See-That, Hallelujah MIRACLE.

Today, God came through for my “other daughter” Beth in a way that only He could. You can read her story here; she’ll be posting today’s fantastic news tonight or tomorrow.

For my part, I have only one thing to say: “Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Amen.”

Ok – you remember my definition of “mixed emotions” — watching your mother-in-law drive your brand new car over the cliff. I’m thinking President Obama’s budget proposal might just generate a few of those same feelings in some of his most ardent supporters.

Seems his new tax plan reduces the deductions for charitable contributions for those who earn over $250,000/year. This negatively impacts the small/medium size local businesses – Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dick Anderson Construction, Van’s Thriftway, the local banks and credit unions, Power Townsend, etc., etc., etc. – that always seem to come forward to support our community’s various non-profit organizations: The Symphony, Grand Street Theatre, Helena Chamber Singers, the Myrna Loy, the Holter Museum, the Florence Crittendon Home, – the list just goes on and on. Every non-profit group and cause in town counts on the business community to donate to their events, fundraisers, productions, performances, whatever.

What happens next year when businesses profits are down because of the economy and they don’t get the same financial break to support these organizations? Do you suppose those non-profits find their funding goes down too? Yep, you betcha.

And all those arsty-fartsy, bleeding-heart, business-bashing, do-gooders who voted for Obama and support his anti-business tax policies will find their calls for help for this, that, or the other worthy cause might not receive the same positive response.

I hope the local businesses answer those requests for donations with a succinct, “I’d really like to help you out, but I already gave – to President Obama’s economic stimulus, bank bail-out, budget-busting, and universal health care fund. I thought you’d be thrilled.”

Update: Here’s another little gem to add to the mix. You know that “tax break” we’ll be getting in our paychecks in a few weeks courtesy of Barack the Magnificent? The big $13 a week? Turns out that’s a case of giving with one hand and taking away with the other too. Seems the Feds are changing the WITHOLDING SCHEDULES but not the TAX TABLES. So you’ll get a little more now, but in April 2010 you’ll end up owing another $700. Hope! Change! Depression! Pass the Prozac.

Apparently, Congress figures if they didn’t pass it, the law doesn’t exist.

Remember when the Big 3 Auto Execs were summoned to Washington and were roundly excoriated by the media and members of Congress for their wasteful ways? Remember how, next time the CEO’s traveled to Washington they flew commercial, because the hue and cry over extravagant spending on corporate jets was so loud as to drown out any voices of reason? So what do you think the message was for Corporate America? DON’T OWN YOUR OWN CORPORATE JETS!!!!

Message received. Loud and clear. Roger that.

Now we get this tidbit…

“Lawmakers who scolded executives for failing to fly commercial have now passed a tax incentive to help move more corporate aircraft. The accelerated depreciation included in the economic-stimulus bill was also used after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and helped boost sales by 43%. ‘This will sell aircraft that we wouldn’t have sold before,’ said GOP Rep. Todd Tiahrt of Kansas, where general aviation manufacturers have shed nearly 7,000 jobs.”

Huh? First destroy the industry and then throw taxpayer money to try to help build it back up? Guess that’s one way to solve the problem – create it first.

What was in that pill, Alice?

I guess this has been around for a while, but I hadn’t seen it until tonight and just had to share it.

We’ll soon learn just what Washington has dropped on us…

A rose by any other name????

The Stimulus Bill is being called a lot of things these days – mostly x-rated, but Mike Huckabee probably summed it up best in his closing remarks on his show this past weekend:

To quote that scion of intellectual verbosity, Austin Powers, “It’s crap. It’s all crap.”