Randomness and Order

by folkbum

My blogging has slowed waaaaay down--I blame, oh, I don't know, el niño. Actually, it's that I've taken on additional responsibilities at the summer job, and it's keeping me busier than I expected.

Bert, capper, Keith, and Realism have been keeping things going, and I appreciate that. If anyone else wants keys to this place, lemme know. I'm handing 'em out like tote bags at a convention. (In particular, I keep trying to email regular commenter Kay to ask her, but her email seems broken. If you're reading, Kay, email me, please!)

In the meantime, here's some of what's interesting to me of late:

• This almost literally made me cry.
  

• Why do I care? What makes me think the sudden appearance of a bad idea in a McIlhearn column was anything more or less than normal? An entry in the WisPolitics Budget Blog detailed some of the policy items that Assembly Republicans had salted into their version of the state budget. Along with making Wisconsin a "Shoot First" state and changing the regulation of elevators was this little gem.

  Eliminate the ban on heated exterior pedestrian walkways not fully enclosed within a building, which has been in existence since 1980.

  It's not exactly the kind of burning issue that has filled the front pages of newspapers in Douglas and Iron Counties, is it? In fact the one newspaper writer-type person interested is our intrepid Paddy Mac.

  
  
• 
  

• It seems the GOP wants to have its cake and eat it, too, on this one. But, as with trying to eat a cake twice, you just can't take credit for cutting costs and improving on the services that those costs would've funded.

  
  
• The GOP Assembly's budget is awful. Among the people who have said that more eloquently than I: Mayor Tom Barrett (.pdf), Seth Zlotocha, and Cory Liebmann. I know most of it won't stick, but it sure says something to me that the Republicans have tried to stick up for the taxpayer, but produced a budget that hurts, in one way or another, every taxpayer in the state.
  
  
• Healthy Wisconsin is getting some decent national press. Unfortunately, it's getting some rotten local press. Anyone opposed to the plan should be required to read this report (.pdf):

  State dollars that Wisconsin invests in expanding coverage through Healthy Wisconsin and BadgerCare Plus will draw new federal money into the state—dollars that otherwise would not flow into Wisconsin’s economy.
  • The federal funds drawn in by Healthy Wisconsin and BadgerCare Plus will generate more than $1 billion in new business activity in Wisconsin.
  • This investment will also create nearly 13,000 new jobs in the state. These new jobs will be created in the health care sector and in other sectors as the new federal dollars circulate through the Wisconsin economy.

  Why don't Republicans believe in job creation? Actually, this might explain why WMC is quieter than expected.
  
  
• Republicans breaking the law: Bush, Fred Thompson, and John McCain. That's just the last week or so.
  
  
• Don't you just hate it when liberals attack people of faith for their religion? I mean, just listen to this:

  Liberal faith, which is to say a faith that discounts the authority of Scripture in favor of a constantly evolving, poll-tested relevancy to modern concerns -- such as the environment, what kind of SUV Jesus would drive, larger government programs and other "do-good" pursuits -- ultimately morphs into societal and self-improvement efforts and jettisons the life-changing message of salvation, forgiveness of sins and a transformed life.

  Oh, wait, that's not a liberal! That's Cal Thomas harshing on a religious liberal! Reminds me of another story from this week (Mike M. beat me to it) of Christian love from the right:

  A Hindu clergyman made history Thursday by offering the U.S. Senate's morning prayer, but only after police officers removed three shouting protesters from the visitors' gallery.
  
  Rajan Zed, director of interfaith relations at a Hindu temple, gave the brief prayer that opens each day's Senate session. As he stood at the chamber's podium in a bright orange and burgundy robe, two women and a man began shouting "this is an abomination" and other complaints from the gallery.
  
  Police officers quickly arrested them and charged them with disrupting Congress, a misdemeanor. The male protester told an Associated Press reporter, "we are Christians and patriots" before police handcuffed them and led them away.

  More here.
  
  
• Speaking of patriots, apparently, if you're liberal, SIRIUS satellite radio doesn't consider you patriotic.
  
  
• Three examples of "your liberal media" in action: 1 2 3

That's enough for now. Enjoy the week.