The cost of date night

We usually go out on Friday nights (our date night), but will pass because we've both been ill. However, keep in mind that Obamacare is adding $44.2 Million Per Year to our (collective) eating at restaurant costs after the initial $315.1 million to comply with the regulations. It's because we don't know that chocolate cake with fudge topping has more calories than steamed cabbage. Retailers can add up the costs, but no one has yet figured out the benefits.

Pizza will be hardest hit.

http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2013/02/21/restaurants-prepare-cost-new-menus-mandated-obamacare

Hope and Change

I have no idea if this is real or photo shopped.  With drones and ambivalence on the part of the WH, I don’t think any business owner would make himself a moving target like this.

Obama signs another feel good act

The Violence Against Women Act bill that Obama signed today extends federal aid to gay, immigrant and tribal victims, while adding services for its original beneficiaries and a large voting bloc: women. But VAWA never denied services to Indian women or to lesbians or transgendered women, so what's the hoopla? Look at California's web site, and you'll see plenty of money going to Indians last year from VAWA. Mainly, it's grant money for "public servants" to earn a very healthy income and although a woman might find support and assistance AFTER the abuse, if she refuses to get out of an abusive situation with her Lesbian lover or a boyfriend, there's not much the agency that gets the money can do.

What happens to Head Start money after it leaves Washington’s bureaucracy?

Here in Franklin County, some if goes for “Sisterhood”  CDCFC is a nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. Office of Head Start. Since 1985, CDCFC has provided comprehensive early education and development services to income-eligible Head Start preschool children, ages 3-5, and their families. An Early Head Start program was added in spring 2007, to serve pregnant women and children ages 0-3.  Its budget went from $200,000 25 years ago to $20 million in 2011 for 3800 children.

“CDCFC (Child Development Council of Franklin County, Inc)  has created the Sisterhood Program, a new initiative for women involved in the lives of Head Start and Early Head Start children. Designed to empower and motivate women to be self-sufficient, and to take control of their lives, the Sisterhood Program utilizes individualized and/or group education, support and advocacy services to aid members in becoming productive, involved members of their communities. One of the program’s primary goals is to provide support for members as they deal with life’s challenges, while also improving their positive self image and their feelings of self worth. The group will do several community outreach projects throughout the year as well, including neighborhood “clean-ups,” aiding the homeless, and motivational speaking, to encourage other women.”

Head Start’s funding in Franklin County, Ohio  per child is $7,816; funding for Early Head Start is $10,984; funding for Early Head Start ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) slots is $15,562. Head Start employs 400 and brings $20 million in federal dollars to Columbus' economy. And that's why it will always get funding; not because it helps children prepare to read and do math in school, but because it "helps" our economy. (figures from 2011 annual report)

Premium rate shock for 2014

Thank you, all Obama supporters for making our health care even more costly than before he took office.

"As conservatives predicted, Obama, Pelosi and Reid all lied about Obamacare as they rammed it through Congress, sight unseen. Rates are going to skyrocket. Employers will drop coverage. Physicians will stop accepting Medicare patients. Insurance carriers will go bankrupt. Care, when you can find it, will be rationed. And the system is going to melt down, with the poor and seniors suffering most.
Obama lied — and people will die. Obamacare is an Angel of Death hovering over the very fabric of this society."

http://www.mrconservative.com/2013/03/5861-ceo-prepare-for-obama-rate-hike/

Jerome McCorry

Interesting.  The same man who led an anti-gun protest at a  gun show and sale in Dayton recently, is a convicted rapist (who has served his time, I hope) on a watch list; he also led a "hoodie" demonstration in Dayton about 6 months ago to protest the killing of Trayvon Martin.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/gun-control-opponents-supporters-express-their-vie/nT7qs/

Our peace prize prez

The Drone Debate

VAWA, Violence Against Women Act, Again

The Violence Against Women Act (1994), which probably did nothing to protect women from domestic violence in its former wording, has been expanded in 2013 to include the GLBT demographic, which according to testimony has a much higher rate of domestic violence than the straight community. Violence in the lesbian and bi-sexual groups was stated as higher than for heterosexual women and men, or gay men.

The CDC report found that 29.4 percent of lesbians and 49.3 percent of bisexual women reported experiencing some form of severe physical violence in their lifetimes, compared with 23.6 percent of heterosexual women.

I glanced through several web sites to see about the funding (aka “follow the money”) and found 18 grants in Wikipedia, and 21 on the DoJ page, connected to the current VAWA.  That’s full employment for a number of activists in a variety of fields—social workers, grant writers, lawyers, workshop planners, college professors, etc.  This list is from Wikipedia, so may not be complete.  I’ll keep looking.  Like Head Start which did nothing in over 40 years for children (who grew up to become adults), it is a jobs program.

• STOP Grants (State Formula Grants)
• Transitional Housing Grants
• Grants to Encourage Arrest and Enforce Protection Orders
• Court Training and Improvement Grants
• Research on Violence Against Indian Women
• National Tribal Sex Offender Registry
• Stalker Reduction Database
• Federal Victim Assistants
• Sexual Assault Services Program
• Services for Rural Victims
• Civil Legal Assistance for Victims
• Elder Abuse Grant Program
• Protections and Services for Disabled Victims
• Combating Abuse in Public Housing
• National Resource Center on Workplace Responses
• Violence on College Campuses Grants
• Safe Havens Project
• Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention

This is the grants/program information from the Department of Justice. http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/ovw-grant-program-factsheet.pdf

The DoJ reports on 21 different grants doled out to the states.  Ohio received over $8 million in 13 grants. Lots of grants for native American groups in the western states. $400,225,051 for over 750 grants to all states. Just can't find any comprehensive report.  We know violence is down in all areas in the last 20 years—usually attributed to better law enforcement and an aging population.  If it were VAWA, wouldn’t they take credit?

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/grant2012.htm#oh

I thought I’d found one “results” report that might show a project had made a difference—the Safe Haven Demonstration project in Chicago (report was 2005 and 2008), but I was wrong.  Mainly, it was urging whites in a supervisory role to be more sensitive to cultural differences (2005) and noting how many families had been served with the additional money from VAWA since the program had been in place before 2002. 

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/fss/supp_info/DV/SafeHavenSiteExperienceFullReport.pdf

Rand Paul objecting to the President going after yet another one of our Rights, #5

“be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”

"I cannot sit at my desk quietly and let the president say that he will kill Americans on American soil who are not actively attacking a country."

Paul has been asking for weeks—and Holder has answered, “Yes, we can.”

He is filibustering the nomination of Brennan

 

.

Obama’s programs haven’t helped minorities and women—even Democrats say that

"Sequestration will impact everyone, but it will have a particularly harmful effect on communities of color who were hit first and worst by the great recession, and have yet to significantly feel the effects of the recovery. Federal budget cuts under sequestration would quickly mean cuts to federal, state and local public-sector jobs, which disproportionately employ women and African-Americans." --Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)

TSA gets $50 million in new uniforms

I hope the rumor that they were in part made in Mexico was an ugly rumor from the GOP.

Why the rush to arm government agencies?

According to one estimate, since last year the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled more than 1.6 billion bullets, mainly .40 caliber and 9mm.

DHS also purchased 2,700 Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles (MRAP).

Heads up, Colorado. You’re about to be had.

Colorado residents--you are about to lose your 2nd amendment rights. Speak up. Keep in mind that serious loss of civil rights by race, ethnicity or gender, historically happens under Democrats.

Gun control opponents say the proposals will not reduce violence. They say lawmakers should focus on strengthening access to mental health services for people who could be dangerous to communities.

http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20130304/NEWS11/303040038/With-heated-advocacy-on-both-sides-gun-control-bills-advance-in-Colorado-Legislature

Sequester Games

Today I heard that an official in APHIS requested permission to decide on how to make cuts in his county’s service, but it was denied because it wouldn’t have met Obama’s goals of the sky is falling and it’s all the GOP’s fault.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/5/email-tells-feds-make-sequester-painful-promised/#ixzz2Mh2XlbwL

I wonder if Mr. Brown will have a job next week.  Not even a union can save him from questioning the White House.

Mr. President, here’s another cut

Inefficiency, inaccuracy and underuse in managing federal property costs taxpayers at least $1.6 billion each year, according to a report the House Subcommittee on Government Operations issued in February. Of course, this can't be put at the feet of the current administration--the federal government has been growing for years regardless of who was President. But this one could stop it.

http://oversight.house.gov/hearing/failures-in-managing-federal-real-property-billions-in-losses/

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-283

It could even be a 2-fer if the Department of Education were dismantled and its property sold. Educational accomplishment in the U.S. has flat lined while federal spending has soared since the ED was established in 1979 under Carter.

Algebra, 1953-54

Also known as atheists

The mission of the Center for Inquiry is to “foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.”  Oh, are they (all 10 of them if that many) upset that there are religions represented in the military. No freedom for the men and women who protect their rights to be atheists.  That's how they are.

2013 fishy version

Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

“Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman. “

Written by George Harrison, Beatles, 1966, when he found out about Britain's progressive tax system (his was 95% so he could support their social welfare system) and wrote a protest song.