SCOTUS and the EPA

And here is another one.  CNN SCOTUS Limits EPA

"EPA unreasonably interpreted the Clean Air Act when it decided to set limits on the emissions of toxic pollutants from power plants without first considering the costs of the industry to do so."

Thoughts?

SCOTUS and the Death Penalty Drugs

Those folks have been busy...
CNN SCOTUS Backs Use of Drugs

It is fascinating that they could put my beloved Cassie to sleep peacefully with one shot and yet executing a convicted killer is so hard. Cassie was laying on the rug with her head up, 10 seconds later she lowered her head and 20 seconds later her heart stopped.

SCOTUS Saves Same Sex Marriage

CNN States Must Allow Same Sex Marriages

Thoughts?

SCOTUS Saves ACA

Before the ruling:
MinnPost 1
MinnPost 2

After ruling:
CNN Scalia's Zingers
CNN SCOTUS Saves ACA

Thoughts?

Confederate Flag Controversy

I don't know much about this topic, but all of the stores dropping the flag seems extreme.  Though I agree it should be removed from the SC State Building.  Thoughts?

CNN Flag Still Flies
CNN Businesses Drop the Stars and Bars
CNN Suspects Radicalization
CNN Flag Myths vs Facts

Cassie and Izzy

Sorry for the gap in posting, real life has been a bit chaotic.  About a week ago, we had to put my best friend Cassie to sleep.  She had been living with an ever growing tumor wrapped around her liver for last year or so.  It was huge and we knew she only had a short time left with us. 

We took her with us boating on Sunday at Medicine Lake and she had a great time until she fell against the boat hull and into the water while trying to jump from the dock to the boat.  She must have ruptured or torn something, because she was going downhill quickly on Monday.  Therefore the family made the decision to put her out of her discomfort on Monday evening. She died peacefully and quickly surrounded by some of those who loved her.

Now for part 2 of the story, two of my Daughters decided that our house and I could not be without a dog…  Therefore they drug me down to the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley on Friday.  We found some potential candidates, but no winners.  Then my oldest daughter told me Saturday morning that a 3 year female Golden Lab mix had just shown up on line.  I was in the neighborhood, so I stopped by and found a winner.  (the 30 day return policy also help us take the chance on her…)  So far though she is incredible and I have no idea why someone in Missouri gave her up.  The biggest problem was that the name on the records was Rachelle and she did not respond to it…  Therefore the family went into conference and decided to name her Izzy.

I still miss Cassie something awful, but Izzy is decreasing the sting and keeping me very busy.

Americans Living Large

Star Tribune Big Houses are Back

When I read the comments from Liberals, I would swear that the last 35 years have been the darkest days in America's history.  Then I read articles like this and remember how wrong they are.

Pretty much all of my older relatives lived in little houses with maybe 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and a 1 car garge.  I mean look at the houses in the Twin Cities and first tier suburbs for proof.  Now we have people thinking that an entry level home should be something much more impressive.

As the Global Competition intensifies, it is likely that people in some countries will "gain" and some will "lose" somethings.  Since typical Americans live very well compared to many in the world, I assume some Americans had better start looking forward to more traditional living accomodations.

Thoughts?

MN Legislative Oligarchy

A good discussion topic from Sean.

"The policy outcomes are relatively mild, other than in the ag/environment bill. What it really demonstrates is how the process is broken. We have 201 state legislators, almost all of whom are put on the sidelines while a handful of folks make the deal at the end of the session. In the back room with no transparency, no less. Reforms are needed, and here are a few that would be a good start:

End This Charade" Sean

Though I find it a bit silly.  All of those folks are free to vote their conscience and not be sheep.  I was the only one to comment on this post. "Maybe that is why he keeps winning elections in a fairly Conservative part of the State. He votes to represent his constituents, not his party. Just think if more politicians did this wild and crazy thing... :-)" G2A

MinnPost Collin Peterson

Koch Brothers vs RNC

"I thought of you when I read it, John, and am curious as to your reaction." Laurie

Washington Monthly Kochs vs RNC
Salon First Step Towards GOP Civil War
WP Swallow the GOP

I think I am somewhat indifferent to the family scuffle, and somewhat hopeful. I think the fiscal conservative somewhat libertarian philosophy is best for the country, however the Republican party has been wasting so much energy fighting gay marriage, abortion, foreign wars, etc that many voters are turned off.

The Kochs are pragmatic business people who know how to focus to achieve incredible results.  They won't be able to control the party, but they may be able to focus it and win some more moderate votes.

Preemie vs Fetus Right to Life

The Minnpost moderators are frustrating me again, I will never understand their criteria.
MinnPost Abortion Rights Island  This exchange occurred...

"When do you think the fetus / baby has rights that equal those of the Mother's?

Not what does Roe v Wade say... What do you believe? I am very curious.
Fetal Development" G2A

"It's called birth. Pretty easy answer." Jason

So I posed many times in different polite ways this simple question:  Who has the greater right to life?

1. A 27 week old preemie
2. A 33 week old fetus

 Thoughts?

MN Legislative Session is Over

Well it is finally over.  It must have been successful...  Everyone seems unhappy... Thoughts?

MinnPost The Session Ends
MinnPost What did Dayton get out of it?

Just Close Your Eyes and Deny ISIS

For the folks that think our military should stay home, and we should spend more on the poor in the USA, here is an interesting article.  CNN Women Examined Like Cattle

On the upside people who are unwilling to deny the atrocities being committed are slowly putting their foot in the water. CNN Lilly Pad Strategy  Hopefully not too many of our soldiers die because they are so tentative in their commitment and equipment.

Remember: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.

G2A: Protector of the Small

Abortion Rights and Minimum Wages

Two of our favorite topics are being discussed over here:

MinnPost Blocking Local Minimum Wages
MinnPost MN the Abortion Rights Island

Sorry for nothing original, but is is Summer....  Thoughts?

Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015

Below is a comment / question I left here after reading the fear filled responses from other readers. MinnPost Trade Deal Pitting Obama Against MN's Democrats

Have any of the opponents here listened to their President regarding this topic?

Marketplace: Obama Trade Interview

The reality is that right now the American consumers are already buying foreign products and services as fast as they can. What exactly do you think this will do to cost American jobs?

Since I work for an engineering / manufacturing firm who exports ~65% of our product and services, I know the barriers and high taxes we pay when we compete elsewhere. Now you can let your fear rule or you can do some homework and help us knock down some of those barriers.

Now maybe some of you can help me understand this resistance better.

MJ What Economists are Missing
Union Statement Against

Bernie Sanders for President?

MinnPost Bernie Sanders

The comments in response to that post brought me back to our past discussions regarding perceptions of where we as individuals stand on the political spectrum.  G2A Relativity  Thoughts?

"I Like Bernie, he is honest about who he is and what he wants.
DSA USA We Need Bernie " G2A

"Does it make people anxious here that you are cheering on a Democratic Socialist?

I am curious because whenever I bring up the DSA I am told that they are totally different from the Democrats, yet many comments here seem often to be aligned with the DSA's stated views. My readers often remind me that the Democrats are not as far left as the more Liberal commenters on Minnpost.

In a mixed economy, where do we cross the line from a Capitalistic leaning society into a Democratic Socialistic society? Thoughts?" G2A

"The battle is endless between "Right" and "Left" but you can look forever and not find any attempt in the popular discourse to define the terms coherently, aside from their lying either side of an imaginary "center" that is always being pulled Rightward by the messaging of concentrated wealth and the corporate media (see "Overton Window").

I have a conceptual framework that makes sense to me. One end - the far Right end - is no redistribution of initial endowments, no collective constraint on private transactions and no redistribution of the allocations resulting from those transactions. The other end - the far Left end - is full consensus of all society members on decisions as to the allocation of inputs to economic activity and the allocation of the resulting wealth. These absolute poles are heuristic and not meaningful as choices - the first ends in Totalitarianism, the second ends nowhere because it never gets started. By my framework, I'm squarely in the middle: the mix of balance of private and collective economic prerogatives that maximizes the capacity of people in the society to live decent and self-determined lives (i.e., "freedom").

So I don't know what a "Capitalistic leaning" society is nor do I agree that there's a boundary between "Capitalistic leaning" and "Democratic Socialistic." It's a continuum, and it's about finding the right place on the continuum. Mr. Sanders is certainly a lot closer to that center than any other of the candidates, though he still relies more on redistribution (a Right-oriented ameliorative) than on adjusting the structures so that the wealth allocations resulting from transactions doesn't require so much redistribution in the first place." Charles

""Mr. Sanders is certainly a lot closer to that center than any other of the candidates"

I am sure no one will find it surprising that I disagree. Especially since his view of good is Northern Europe. My readers and I took a shot at trying to put the continuum on a graphic. G2A Political Self Awareness

The measure I use is how much of the Total US GDP is collected and spent / redistributed by all aspects of our government. As you can see this particular measure started to the far right in 1900 and has been continuously moving Left ever since. That is why I find it humorous when Liberals say that it is the GOP trying to change things.

Thoughts?" G2A

Gimme Back My Big Brother

Here is an interesting poll result.

CNN Citizens Favor Renewal of Data Collection

I personally would like them to get going again.  If people around the world are following me through my phone apps, I am ok with the NSA listening in.

On a more disappointing note.  The TSA got my 74 year old mother's cuticle scissors, but are apparently missing explosives.  Oops.

Thoughts?