Hope and Change?

Apparently, Ms. Pelosi believes it is ok to have a vote on "health care" insurance reform without first making it available to the American people. These people have forgotten who they work for! We should remind them at the first opportunity.

Bloomberg wins again

In reading that Michael Bloomberg was reelected as the mayor of NYC, I had forgotten that he claims to be a Republican. What a joke.

The most transparent administration in history?

That's what King Barry promised, but what has he delivered? (via Instapundit)

You can't create wealth by destroying productive assets

Someone ought to tell the government. Cash for Clunkers was stupid. The WSJ has more on the subject and includes an estimate that $2,000 in wealth was destroyed for every one of these transactions.

The problem is that people in government consider it a great success and therein lies the problem. The PEOPLE aren't completely stupid all of the time. I believe that people who might otherwise be trading cars presently are waiting to see if the government reinstitutes the program. I am suggesting that the business that car dealers might otherwise be getting is not happening because people think another program might be just around the corner. After all, it was a "successful" program, right? If it was so successful and since the economy is still stalling, why not bring it back? Why trade now if the government might play Santa Claus and steal $4500 from someone else to put into my pocket in a few months. I think I'll wait. How's that for stimulus?

Pork for Local Pork

Wampler Sausage in Lenoir City is getting $46,875 from the USDA, $75,000 from the State of Tennessee and $56,250 from the federal government so that it can install a solar power system.

If I paid less in taxes, I might be able to afford solar panels on my own home. Instead, these various governments steal the fruits of my labor and give it to a more favored constituency.

Is this the kind of government we want?

Johnson City Mall makes Drudge Report

The Mall at Johnson City made the Drudge Report a few days ago for allegedly kicking out a vendor for selling anti-Obama merchandise. Needless to say, if this vendor was kicked out on these grounds, it is sickening to know this type of behavior has come to East Tennessee. To my knowledge, no one was ever kicked out for selling their anti-Bush wares.

What did The Mall have to lose from leaving this business in place? It received a few complaints. Big deal. No one could have legitimately believed that the views of a business owner in The Mall represented the views of The Mall. What they allegedly did is simply un-American.

John Quaintance has been all over this story on his radio show. I've heard the owner and the manager on the radio and both of them seem sincere with their story. They have set up a website and are apparently working out of their garage. The website is http://www.graphicedgeonline.com/. They also have a blog which has more information about their plight. The blog can be found at http://graphicedgeonline.wordpress.com/. I would encourage you to check this out and send some business their way. I'm not a bumper sticker person, but I really like a few of their bumper sticker designs. While it is difficult to pick a favorite, I would probably vote for the bumper sticker that says "That Obama sticker on your car might as well say, 'Yes, I'm stupid.'"

UPDATE: If you would like to send a comment to The Mall, their contact page is here.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Looks like The Mall at Johnson City has been certified as inoffensive.

King Barry wants to curtail summer vacation

According to the AP, King Barry thinks kids have too much time in the summer and should have longer school days. Perhaps I would be more enthusiastic about this idea if they spent more time on teaching and less time on indoctrination. Maybe they just haven't had enough time to perfect the song of how Obama's got the whole world in his hand.

UPDATE: These videos just keep popping up.

You wanna to get mama involved in politics?

Start messing with her Charmin. The environmentalist nuts want to make sure you wipe with recycled cardboard instead of toilet paper made of old-growth wood fiber.

My wife is largely apolitical. If the government steps into regulating the softness of toilet paper, it should be ready for something close to a holy war from folks like her who will have decided that the creeping nanny state crept too far when it crept into their behind.

Personally, I don't give it much thought, but I am not a woman. She would fight me over it, so I have to imagine there are others like her. I once made the mistake of buying some "cheap stuff" and learned my lesson from that. Never. Again.

The Case Against Government Schools

I don't recall seeing it made as convincingly as in this video of children apparently being indoctrinated to praise King Barry in their public school. This makes the left's references to Bushitler seem almost comical.

Don't talk to cops

You shouldn't talk to them, especially if you are innocent. Two videos tell you why.

Going John Galt

According to Investor's Business Daily, 45% of doctors would consider quitting under Obamacare. Of course, if that were to happen, our imperial government would pass a new law, something along the lines of what was passed in Atlas Shrugged which prohibited people from quitting their jobs. King Barry's law would likely work about as well as the law worked in the book.

The politics of change

Tearing this country apart? Rob Huddleston does not believe the Union will survive his lifetime. He may be right.

What will King Barry do for the last three years of his term?

Looks like he is going to try to "solve" every problem and try to get it done before the end of this year. First, we had the economy. Second, he have healthcare. Now, he is going to try to run the UN Security Council. Nathan Moore points out why that may be good for us - maybe he could bankrupt the UN like he has bankrupted this country.

But, I thought red light cameras were all about safety....

"The number of traffic accidents doubled at locations where red light cameras were installed in Peoria, Arizona, according to data released last week at a city council study session. City data also indicate that more recent changes in intersection yellow timing have reduced the number of red light violations." Full story here.

Loser Pays

Now there's a good idea for legal reform and healthcare reform.

Electing a Governor by Process of Elimination

Lovers of liberty in Tennessee can go ahead and eliminate Bill Gibbons from the governor's race. Apparently, Mr. Gibbons does not trust all you rednecks with your pistolas. AC Kleinheider asks whether you can win the GOP primary while talking smack against "guns in bars." If Mr. Gibbons doesn't trust me, why should I trust him? I've been allowed to carry a gun into McDonald's for many years, why shouldn't I be able to go into an Applebees? Because the demon alcohol might get "the better of [me]"? Mr. Gibbons, that is foolish talk and is no different from any other argument for gun control. How many times have we heard, as an argument against shall-issue permits, that having a gun "might get the better" of someone and they would therefore lose control and kill someone in a fit of rage? This is more of the same old tired rhetoric, repackaged to add the alcohol argument.

I haven't decided who I will vote for, but these guys are making it easier to decide the ones who do not have a chance.

The Tennessean Implies Arrest Equals Conviction

As part of The Tennessean's continued war on handgun permit holders, it is now implying that if a person is arrested for a crime, he should be treated like he is convicted of a crime for purposes of obtaining a handgun permit. They went to great lengths to find a thug who had pled down his crimes and appeared to be a thug (and maybe he is). They want to act like there are all kinds of loopholes being exploited.

In this country, people are still innocent until proven guilty, at least unless the person is someone that the left wants to villify. If the state's evidence was strong that this guy was a felon, they would have prosecuted him and won. It wasn't, so they didn't. Of course, if the gun permit were out of the equation, The Tennessean would likely be complaining that he was treated too harshly based on the accusations against him, was a victim of racial profiling or was somehow otherwise victimized by an unfair system.

They also bring up an instance where the state was not notified to revoke a permit when its holder was put in jail for years. It apparently never occurred to them that the court may have well decided that it was a pointless exercise, considering the criminal would be unable to carry his weapon while in prison and that his permit would expire long before he was eligible for parole. It doesn't matter, as they would rather throw the baby out with the bathwater because of a few screwups which are largely irrelevant because the person who is bent on using firearms in a criminal fashion will not be deterred by the lack of a handgun permit in any event.

Budget Shortfall? Get Yourself a Speed Camera!

RightCoast: European style speed cameras coming to Delmarva? Yes, they can!! Money quote:

Budget shortfall's in the county seemed to have prompted a enthusiastic "Yes" from Sheriff Mike Lewis last month when Delegate Cain asked if he'd be interested from getting some "help" from the state on getting speed cameras installed in residential and school zones.

CARS Program Allows Government Access to Users' Computers

Glen Beck exposes the government's terms of service which allow the goverment to access ALL of the files on the user's computer. Big brother, anyone?

Alexandar Not a Conservative

AC Kleinheider says Lamar Alexandar is not a conservative and never was. I would say that is about right. He has historically been more of a conservative-leaning moderate. I think the problem that most people are having with Lamar is that he seems to be basing his votes on what will work to get him the most power in the Senate. I don't think his votes have anything to do with conservatism, but have everything to do with what he thinks will ingratiate him with the Senate's leadership and with King Barry's administration. It's much worse than just not being a conservative - it's about not being principled at all.

AARP Boycott

Instapundit reports on an informal AARP boycott where people are apparently spontaneously chucking their AARP memberships due to the AARP's position on Obamacare.

Opposing Obama? You must be in a "hate group".

I think that is the fair implication of this story. Then, there is this gem - a clear, out of context slap at someone who was LAWFULLY carrying a weapon in New Hampshire: "And in New Hampshire, another man stood across the street from a Presidential town hall with his gun on full display." They want the reader to think this guy was doing something illegal and putting King Barry in danger, when the fact is that anyone who wants to carry a gun "on full display" in New Hampshire is free to do so, no permit required. It's fear-mongering and nothing less.

The meme is on, people. If you protest, prepare to be marginalized by these people. I have a sense that this might very well backfire them on ways they never imagined.

MoveOn Working on Letter Campaign re Health Care

MoveOn.org is soliciting its members to write letters to local newspapers. I think this speaks for itself. They have a list of talking points, so don't be surprised when you read this in your local paper. Keep in mind when you read these letters that these are generated by a national campaign that is being orchestrated by a special interest group that is bent on expanding the size of government. The gist of them follows, as re-drafted by me:

• Create a false sense of urgency so that Congress railroads this bill through. They say, every day, X people in X state lose their health care coverage and that, without reform, everyone's premiums will increase. Sure, people lose coverage every day, but they also obtain coverage every day. There is a certain amount of turnover in every market.
• They want writers to encourage Congress to create a public option (so we will be on the irrevocable path to socialized medicine and will be forced to accept rationed care like the Canadians and others with similar systems).
• They want writers to say that we should create a public option to "spur competition." Only the mental defects at MoveOn could think that you spur competition by killing private companies.

Drivers Lash Out at Speed Cameras

Montgomery County (MD) drivers are lashing out at the speed cameras that have become so pervasive there. People grow tired of stuff like this. If speed limits were set at the 85th percentile instead of arbitrarily set at artificially low levels, the negative reaction would likely be limited to folks like me who think these things are just an un-American intrusion into our lives. These cameras open the door to building a system where the government can track every move of its citizens. If you don't find that concerning, I suggest you seek help though reading some of the works that fully explain what types of dangers this could engender.

Speed Cameras Aren't Slowing Drivers

As I suspected, most drivers who regularly drive an area simply slow down in the area where the camera is and then speed back up to normal speed. Info on a new independent study which comes to this conclusion is here.

Guns are Good

Phil Valentine weighs in on the carnage that Tennesseans have suffered at the hands of handgun permit holders after the passage of the restaurant carry bill. Money quote:

We really ought to make some of those [signs] up for the banks. I bet if we put some "No Firearms," or better yet, "No Bank Robbers" signs on the door, those criminals would just go back to their cars and go home.

I would submit to you that restaurants that post these silly signs are in more danger of getting robbed or seeing some kind of violence. Let's use some common sense for just a moment. If you posted a "No Firearms" sign in your front yard, do you think you'd be more likely or less likely to be robbed?

Ramsey Coming Up Short in Local "Poll"

Kleinheider has the results. Well, first, it is an online poll, so it is unscientific. Second, it should come as no surprise that a liberal paper is mostly read by people who do not like Ron Ramsey. I can't say that I am on the Ramsey bandwagon, but so far I see no compelling reason to support one of the other candidates over him.

Park Carry in Tennessee

SayUncle lays it out the status of the law. In short, there is a problem when it it is so easy to break it unintentionally. Most of us did not get a handgun permit just so we could spend a lot of time studying the law to make sure we don't inadvertently break it.

Government Porkulus to Benefit Exide

It looks like Exide Battery has latched on to the government teat. It is getting a share of $2 billion of our money to build batteries that the government wants for its new Government Motors automobiles. That's money for you to buy cupcakes!

Jonesborough Bans Guns in Parks

While today may seem like "Pick on Jonesborough Day" it is not without good reason. Last night, they joined the rest of the scared little bunny rabbits and banned law-abiding citizens with handgun carry permits from carrying their protection into parks. As one commenter says: "CRIMINALS DON’T CARE WHAT LAWS YOU PASS!!!!! . . . .I’m glad it was unanimous, that makes it easier to know who NOT to vote for in the next election."

APA discovers that people enjoy sin

The American Psychological Association has made the groundbreaking discovery that people like to sin and do not like to stop sinning. They also don't like to be told that they are sinning, so I'm sure the loons will attack me for even calling homosexuality a sin or implying the existence of God.

Despite the protestations of some, neither the APA nor anyone else has definitively proven that homosexuality is an immutable characteristic like race or gender. If it were an immutable characteristic, no one could change and the fact is, many have changed. Homosexuality is a lifestyle choice and whether you agree with me regarding its sinful nature, it remains a lifestyle choice.

Note that this is the same organization that, until 1973, included homosexuality in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). What has changed? Perhaps it has something to do with the organized effort on the part of homosexuals that began about that time in an effort to "normalize" and "mainstream" their behavior.

This recent pronouncement is little more than an attempt to try and build support for ENDA and federal hate crimes legislation because it fits their agenda. These bills are government power-grabs that will be used to squelch unpopular positions and unpopular speech. I really don't care what people do in their bedroom, but let's stop with the suggestion that the activity does not constitute a choice on the part of the participants.

UPDATE: This article implies that the committee that made the decision consisted of people who were openly gay or were gay activists. I'm. Just. Shocked.

Worried about the Looney Left?

Blue Collar Republican is. It is good to see that someone is "striking a nerve." Meanwhile, Lamar Alexander is rightfully called out on the same site. First, he slapped us in the face with his vote on guns in national parks. Second, he slapped us in the face with his support of Sotomayor. And now, he continues to vote for unconstitutional spending. We need to get Lamar out of office. He does not represent the values of Tennesseans very well.

Jonesborough's Red Light Scam

Jonesborough, Tennessee continues to rack in the bucks off the backs of unsuspecting drivers, while claiming that the red light cameras "reduce accidents." Really, how is that? How many T-bone accidents that red light cameras are supposed to prevent ever happened at any of those interesections in Jonesborough? Very few is my guess.

CNN Anchor Slap Down

Lang Wiseman posts a great video of a car dealer that is offering AK-47's with the purchase of a pickup truck. The CNN anchor that interviews him does everything she can to try to marginalize him and he takes her to school rather nicely and professionally.

Why doesn't anyone offer a free gun around here?

Cupcakes anyone?

Several days have passed and I still have not heard any MSM coverage of King Barry's cupcake remark. "That's money for you to buy cupcakes." Gee, thanks. Maybe that will become my new slogan.

Slightly Amusing

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair's Wikipedia bio is similar in length to Barack Obama's if you exclude the King Barry's extensive footnotes.

Cash for Clunkers

Well said:

"If they can't administer a program like this, I'd be a little concerned about my health insurance," car salesman Rob Bojaryn said.

I haven't said much about the program, but it reminds me of the gun turn-in programs. People just bring in the junk they want to get rid of - junk that is worth far less than what the government pays out.

AP Vastly Understates Obama Protest Turnout in Bristol, Virginia

Why does this not surprise me? While making fun of the good people of Southwest Virginia, Brantley Hargrove repeats AP's lazy or intentionally inaccurate reporting of the protest at the Bristol, Virginia Kroger. Numerous callers to John Quaintance's radio show this afternoon reported in excess of 1400 protesters while AP reports "more than 200."

One organizer reported that they had over 800 new people sign up, on site, to be a part of the movement that had never signed up before. (It was unclear to me whether this was the Tea Party movement or another movement that was orchestrated to protest Obamacare.) Another caller reported that there were "more than 200" protesters on site by 1:00 EDT, several hours before King Barry began wooing the overpaid union bagboys at Kroger. I understand it is not uncommon for the Associated Press to write the story before the story, but calling this a Laphamization is probably being a bit charitable in light of the media's consistent under-reporting of Obama protesters and Tea Partiers.

Most of the Quaintance show was devoted to the many callers who were present at the protest and were outraged when one or more Secret Service agents allegedly "leveled" their guns, "swept" and pointed them in the direction of the crowd. Apparently, the "hicks" have a real problem when the folks in charge of protecting members of a gun-hating administration (that would prefer it if only the "well-trained" military and police were armed) do not exercise basic gun safety rules. Maybe they were too busy eating cupcakes to pay attention when that subject came up in training class.

UPDATE: Here is video that purports to include the sniper. Considering that the sniper was well behind Obama in the motorcade, judge for yourself whether this was necessary.

More on the Secret Service. Carol also has more on the gun incident, including photos.

UPDATE 2: Michael Pollard has more on the gun pointing and the crowd count:

Oh, and having Secret Service point guns out of vehicles at the crowds as
his motorcade passes by doesn't help his image any. That's right, yesterday at his healthcare promotional stop at the Kroger in Bristol Virginia, reported by thirty-something different people who saw for themselves - rifles pointed out of vehicle windows as they moved down the street. And reported on a local radio call-in show by several of them. On the topic of that meeting, there were some 1500 people that showed up. National news only reported 250 people, because that was all that had tickets for the employees-only meeting inside the store.

Why are Tennessee Senators AWOL?

Last night, there was a cloture vote on the hate crimes bill. This is an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The hate crimes amendment was approved. Neither Lamar Alexandar nor Bob Corker bothered to show up for the vote. Where were they? Apparently, they had something more important to do than represent Tennesseans at that time. The hate crimes bill creates a special class of victim. It gives prosecutors wide discretion. It is unnecessary. Where is our representation on this important issue?

Marketwatch Contributor on Guns

In a typical anti-gun piece, Thomas Kostigen suggests that "It's time we analyzed the costs of gun ownership in this country." Liberals have been analyzing the "costs" for decades, but they continue to fail to recognize the benefits. I am all for analyzing the net costs of gun ownership, because the net cost will likely show a net benefit to society. The problem is that so many of the benefits are intangible. What is the benefit of having a large number of law-abiding citizens who could, in a pinch, provide homeland security? What is the benefit of knowing that if someone comes into your home in the middle of the night, you won't be defenseless? What is the benefit of oftentimes being able to simply show a weapon and end a crime? What is the benefit of having a force that equalizes the power of the thug and the physically weak?

Liberals want to look at costs of gun ownership but do not want to look at the benefits. It is just like any other freedom. What are the costs of having a free press? One is that we are inundated with utter B.S. What are the costs of having the protections of the Fourth and Fifth Amendment? Sometimes, guilty persons go free. When it comes to freedom, we cannot look at costs in a vacuum.

Should Children Be Reading Proficiently When they Enter School?

According to In Session, Zach Wamp seems to think so. He says that "Our children are not entering proficiently when they enter school." Well, duh! Is he blaming this on the parents or is he just pushing another taxpayer-funded babysitting service? In my personal experience, most kids do not read proficiently when they enter school. I don't recall a single kid in my kindergarten class that could read proficiently when they entered school. If we are requiring children to be able to read proficiently by the time they reach school, why do we even need public schools?

I suppose Zach Wamp considers himself a successful individual. I suppose he thinks he "turned out alright." I dare one of you wimpy members of the media to ask him if he could read proficiently when he entered school.

UPDATE: Kay Brooks weighs in.

The Value of Joe Biden

Bob Krumm explains why Joe Biden is valuable after Biden tells us that "we have to go spend money to keep from going bankrupt:

Spending money to ward off bankruptcy is the shill of daytime tv shysters who prey on the fears of those deeply in debt that if they just pay them to clean up their credit, then all will be well. It is so nonsensical that even the most innumerate and economically inept among us can plainly see that the Administration’s economic, health care, and energy plans are disasters.

Thank God for Biden’s propensity to gaffe, because America really needs to hear the truth.

King Barry might be able to convince Hillary to shut up, but he will never be able to contain Biden. Biden simply cannot shut up and for once, that is a good thing.

Sotomayor on Gun Rights

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor apparently cannot answer the question as to whether the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right or an individual right without hearing the facts of the case. This is an easy question, despite AP's slanted headline ("Sotomayor defies Coburn on gun rights argument"). The facts of the case have no bearing on what type of right exists. Her very answer is indicative of her view - the right to keep and bear arms consists of whatever those with black robe fever believe it to be at the time. That may not bother those who piss in their pants at the mention of a gun, but it should. A lot of other rights besides gun rights may be at stake. Would she give the same answer about other rights that are clearly enumerated in the Constitution?

It's a mindset

Stacy Campfield points out why the Tennessee "guns in parks" issue may be a good thing. Because local governments have a say in whether we get to exercise our rights in parks, we will know where these people stand on this important issue. This may be the first time that many of us have become aware of some of their views on this issue, simply because it so rarely comes up in local politics.

A politican's position on guns represents a mindset that has much less to do with guns than some might think. In my view, a position on guns represents a window into the soul. If a politician fears the gunowner, he fears the people. He likely believes that government is the answer to most problems. He likely believes that that you aren't smart enough, restrained enough, responsible enough, etc. to do any variety of things. "Trust us, we're the experts" is their mantra. "Leave it to the professionals", they will say. No thank you. Gunowners need to step up and send these folks out to pasture at the first opportunity. (H/T SayUncle)

Tennessean Commentary Says Most Restaurants Prefer Keeping Guns Out

Well, if that is the case, why have so few of them posted their facilities? One would think that if, as Gail Kerr asserts, "It's clear in Nashville that far more restaurant and bar owners want to keep guns out than let them in" there would be a few more of them posting their facilities. So far, I have yet to see a list of postings in Nashville that reach into the double digits. I know the economy is bad, but does Nashville currently have fewer than 20 restaurants and bars?

Ms. Kerr would have all facilities "opt in" if they wanted to allow people to carry their handguns on their property and allow governments to opt in as to whether they would allow permit holders to carry guns in public parks. I wonder if she would be so quick to suggest that we let local governments "opt in" as to whether to permit free speech in their locality. (h/t Kleinheider).

OK to speed if you are a cop - tough luck for the rest of us peons

At least the judge in this speed camera case understands the issue: "That's what this statute is: This is a revenue raiser, it is a tax machine." Meanwhile, the police department has its own policy on the matter:

Police department policy is clear: If officers don't have a good reason to be speeding they have to pay tickets, same as everyone else," said County Executive Ike Leggett's spokesman, Patrick Lacefield.

So, what is a "good reason for speeding"? Good to whom? Most speeders would claim to have a good reason. "I wanted to get somewhere on time, the speed was not dangerous for the road conditions and I was moving with the flow of traffic" might be a "good reason" for us peons, but somehow I don't think that will cut it. If the police had a "good reason", it seems that they would have their lights on in the photo.

"This is a small group of officers who are refusing to pay when it appears they should have to," said Council President Phil Andrews, D-Gaithersburg/Rockville. "The public is resentful when public employees are treated different than private citizens, unless there is a valid reason for the action."

The public? Resentful? Gee, ya think? Once again, even this guy makes an exception for a "valid reason."

Please Don't Post

The Tennessee Firearms Association has a card available to be left at establishments to let them know that you will not support businesses who oppose your rights. You can find the card here. According to TFA,

The purpose of the card is to provide a polite and non-confrontational means of communicating to businesses, including restaurants, that permit holder are or have been patrons and that we are requesting that they do not elect to post their properties against handgun permit holders. In the context of a merchant, for example, the cards can be left with the payment, left with a tip, handed to a host and/or the manager. It is not necessary to verbally debate the issue.

Where are all of the signs?

Here it is, July 15, and handgun permit holders can legally carry into restaurants that serve alcohol. While I have heard about a few signs in Nashville that prohibits the carrying of a handgun in the establishment, I have yet to see a single sign in this area. Bredesen and the anti-gun litigants would want us to think that there is a great public outrage against the passing of this bill, but so far I only hear crickets.

What is it with liberals and abortions?

King Barry's science czar has apparently written about the constitutionality of forced abortions. Of course, its not surprising that some on the left would prefer it if the state made reproductive decisions, along with every other decision of any importance. The left's love affair with eugenics has largely been buried, but they just can't seem to help themselves when it comes to doing what they believe is best for "society."

All of this brings me to a question. Black women have abortions at a much higher rate than white women. Further, a high percentage of abortions are performed on those with lower incomes. Both of these are target demographics for the Democrats. Why would Democrats want to terminate babies who would most likely end up supporting them politically?

I've never drank a place before

But apparently some of the anti-guns-in-restaurants-nuts have.

Red light cameras installed where there are few accidents

It makes you think these cameras are about revenue instead of safety:

Clashing with the championed motive for red-light cameras - safety - a Daily Herald investigation reveals numerous cameras are going up at intersections in the West, North and Northwest suburbs where few crashes occur due to red-light running.

The revelation is another outgrowth of the newspaper's "Seeing Red" series examining the spread of red-light cameras in the suburbs. The series first pointed out how most $100 tickets are going to right-turn violations, which some experts say are not a serious safety concern.

Meanwhile, 20 out of 106 suburban intersections that have or may get cameras had fewer than four red-light running related crashes a year, on average, an analysis of available crash data show. Of those, three intersections had a yearly average of one or less crash likely related to red-light running.

Some of us have been saying this for quite a while.

Schaumburg, IL - A little more freedom on the way

After studying their red light cameras and the accidents in the village, the cameras are coming down.

The corner with the red-light cameras had 26 crashes last year, but none caused
by signal violations. And of the 12 crashes there this year, only one was caused
by disobeying a red light, Howerton said.

There is no indication whether the one accident caused by disobeying a red light was a result of inattention (which cameras cannot help at all) or by an intentional red light runner. There is a good chance that the single accident caused in this case was by inattention and that cameras made absolutely no difference at all.

Millions of your dollars spent to re-elect politicians

This is an outrage. (h/t Kleinheider). Millions of dollars are being spent on signs in construction zones that tout the stimulus bill. I recently saw one of these signs on a road that did not even need paving. Pure waste. If our government insists on wasting money, why not build some windmills or something that will eventually pay for itself? Why not rebuild a crumbling bridge instead of spending money on signs to re-elect incumbents? Why spend money to pave roads that don't need paving yet?

Similarities between socialist and Lamar Alexander

Terry Frank has all the info.

Bristol City Council Declares Parks as Safe Havens for Criminals

The City Council narrowly approved the measure to keep law-abiding handgun carry permit holders from being able to carry in city parks. Criminals, of course, will not be deterred from carrying their weapons wherever they so desire. The voters should send David Shumaker, Margaret Feierabend and Fred Testa a message at the next election.

How dare they interfere with our revenue!

The D.C. police chief has denounced an iPhone app as a "cowardly device." These devices alert drivers to potential speed cameras and red light cameras. Of course, when people get the alert, they slow down, become extra vigilant, etc. In other words, they do exactly what these revenue cameras are sold as doing. Why would the police chief be so upset that people are adjusting their behavior in the manner that the revenue cameras are supposed to encourage? Could it be that the cameras really aren't about safety but are about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ instead?

"Seasoned Journalist" Thinks Republicans Want Stupid Presidents

Why am I not surprised that a "seasoned journalist" concludes that Bush and Palin are not smart individuals? Sharon Cobb inquires: "Why don't Republicans want a smart President?" While Ms. Cobb was busy being pickled seasoned in the liberal juices of MSNBC and NBC, the rest of us out here in fly-over country have not entirely bought in to the "Bush is stupid" meme that has been pushed by her and her fellow travelers.

Had GWB made a 57 state screw-up like King Barry, he would have been ridiculed by the media for years. One does not have to go very far to find records of Obama screw-ups that would have branded any Republican as a moron by the media (like here, here and here). Of course, there is no Olberman riducule. There is no dismissive eye-rolling from Chris Matthews. There is no snickering from Couric.

In inquiring as to why anyone would support Sarah Palin, Ms. Cobb goes on to say "So she touts smaller government, the American flag and military as ownership of the right, and...and that's about it." While I don't portend to understand Ms. Cobbs phrase "as ownership of the right", but touting smaller government and not being an apologist for the U.S.A. are sufficient reasons for rational and intelligent people to support Sarah Palin. These are two things that King Barry clearly does not understand. Ms. Cobb goes on to say:

I don't get it and I certainly don't get why anyone thinks she's qualified to be
President.

Well, the first part of her statement is obvious. She doesn't get it. As for the latter part, perhaps Ms. Cobb should begin by explaining why King Barry was better qualified. That ought to be a challenging intellectual exercise for a "seasoned journalist."

Reactions to Palin's Resignation

The Democratic National Commitee has created a video montage of the reaction to Sarah Palin's resignation. They largely use members of the media and Republican talking heads in their video. Could this be another "maverick" move? Only time will tell, but I think that people are so sick of politics as usual that someone who pushes against the establishment will be able to garner a significant amount of support in a relatively short period of time. (H/T In Session)