State's Rights or Bust.

Today's Tids Issue 2,116
Opening Stuff:

And how about The Great Mocker Friday dumping on States rights by calling the Arizona illegal immigrant action “misguided”, primarily because the Feds can’t figure out how to get it together without losing votes. See, that is just one more reason why lots of things should stay at state levels. The state has a problem and it knows its own problem. And lawmakers there are not trying to appease national voting and ideological blocs. They are just trying to get the job done, so they can live in their own community. How refreshing do those words sound – Get the job done.

The Constitution grants to the federal government the exclusive powers of Printing money, Declaring war, Establishing army and navy, entering into treaties with foreign Govs, regulating commerce between states, international trade, establishing post offices and making laws necessary to enforce constitution. All other powers are either the province of states (Provide for public health/safety, ratify amendments, intrastate commerce) or shared (Setting up courts, building roads, chartering banks and corps), See http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/federalism.htm The separation of powers so necessary for the protection of average citizens is not just in the Judicial, Legislative or Executive branches, but between states and feds too. This is another reason why it is dangerous for the SC to “write” “national” laws based on local cases, instead on merely deciding on constitutionality.

One thing that the Founding Fathers didn’t seem to consider was the growth in power of Nationalized groups that represent state’s rights responsibilities like education, public safety or social laws like right to life.

Abby Sunderland has decided to call it quits on her single-handed around the world sailing adventure. The courageous 16 year old had lost some of her key electronics, namely the auto-pilot, and she correctly decided the trip should be abandoned upon her arrival at Cape Town Africa. Her blog is down, so I can’t provide any more insights. I can only say Bravo! Follow those dreams no matter how treacherous the waters. Think Abby the next time procrastination rears its forbidding head..

New Yorkers are clichés.

The Question:
Music is gold. Last year Simon Cowell of Idol fame made $61.5 Million on just the Susan Boyle big hit record adding to his total worth of 165 million pounds ($300 Million). He was eleventh among British “Music Millionaires”. Name the rest of the top twenty.

The Headlines:
--Tornados Ravage Southern Towns.
--US Treasury set to sell 1.5 Billion Shares Of Citi Group.
--Obama Trying To Rally His 2008 Voting Coalition To Forestall Dem Losses In November.
--Groups In Favor Of Illegal Occupants Of US Territory And Unobstructed Access To US Citizens Wallets Oppose Arizona Law.
--Legal Barring Of Some Iraqi Candidates May Change Vote; Action Could Lead To Instability.
--Strong Caterpillar Earnings Will Push Stocks Higher At Opening.
--Hertz To Buy Dollar/Thrifty For $1.3 Billion.
--Toyota Reports Global Sales Increase In March Of 26.3%.

Back to More Stuff:

If you want to get a good idea about how big government would run things, talk to a commercial fisherman about how unnecessary regulations are sinking the industry…fast.

The admin is walking that tightrope where they want to portray Wall Street as both evil and good. They want them hated so they can ram through the new banking regulation bills on emotion. And they want them to look brilliant and necessary so they can make their bailout bucks look like a wise investment decision.

Lost in all of this Financial ogre-izing is the fact that derivatives are a necessary instrument, and have been for centuries, for the practical application of many mundane financing solutions. As in any business or social community, there are thieves among the good. The government is well known for tossing out babies with the bathwater. See commercial fishermen above.

Part of the beauty of what the USA used to be was being able to get things done in your own community.

First we had to scratch our heads wondering what teen boys saw as good about dressing like ex-cons. Now the teen girls are looking to the sleazy Jersey Shore rompers for The Look! Is there any hope for our youth?

Florida politician Charles Crisp looks like a classic weasel to me.

I just don't get this whole mania thing over Pandas. Other than subjects for cute and cuddly Nightly News closings, what good are they.

The RI State legislature, scoundrels all, is poised to pass a comprehensive bill on Climate Change which moved to the top of the list at the urging of Brown U students. I have two questions. Why are they spending RI taxpayer money to appease a bunch of temporary residents who haven't grown up enough to understand the realities of day to living beyond mom and dad’s wallet. And two, if they are so interested in climate change, how about some action on the climate of in their own State House where they are beholden to a couple of union controlled power groups. Nothing any more is about the people.

Has al Sadr all of a sudden become the most powerful man in Iraq?

For many many years I have rued the flight from cities to unnecessary suburban development. Today, rebuilding cities is more critical to better overall future living standards than ever. The big problem is that the economics of city rebuilding favors either for the rich because e they can afford it or the poor because of subsidies. We need a way for developer/builders to feel financially comfortable to build for the vital middle class. Hey, we could bundle mortgages!

Detroit existed and grew because of a lot of advantages it had that were necessary to the past, and by a now troubled industry that was over exploited by unions. This once proud city has lots of land available for reuse. But, they need an economy first.

Through the Same Eyes: Chapter 67. --I lay awake the morning after my breakdown. I’m worrying about how I face the people who love me. They are worrying about the person they love. I heard the door rattle and I immediately shut my eyes, feigning sleep. I heard footsteps. Little, cautious footsteps. “Hi mom.” It was Jax. I slowly opened my eyes and saw two sad eyes looking for hope in mine. I snaked my arm out form beneath the covers. And around his waist. With a lug pulled him over and up so he was now cradled by my neck, one leg on and one off the bed. How secure his presence felt to me.
“Don’t be scared my warrior!” I said and that got him smiling a little. “I needed a little tear draining last night. Think of me like a big pond of emotion and the dam wouldn’t let the water out. And all of that heavy water was starting to eat away at the dam. Well some smart person would come along and cut a slot in the top to let the water rush out and save the dam. So last night when I looked at you and Jill, it was my time to let the extra emotion out of my brain – the business and the worry about bad guys, and my love for you and Jill.”
“And, dad too?” right mom.
I turned and looked him in the eye. “And dad too”. And his arm reached around and hugged me hard. “By the way, where is dad?” I need to talk to him.
“Oh, he had to go out. He said he had some business.”

Is it stupidity or arrogance that continually drives politicians into using campaign credit cards for personal expenses. Don't they understand that foes spend thousands trying to dig up dirt. And a name on a credit card is about as good as any place to start.

And how about Gordon Brown who has hired an Elvis impersonator to juice up his campaign. A fake image of the famed glitzy dressed, overweight, pill poppin USA country boy to juice up a British campaign. Is that what politics has come down to?

The Answer:
From the London Sunday Times we have Edgar Bronfman (1.6 Bill pounds) Clive Calder (1.3), Andrew Lloyd Weber, Cameron Mackintosh, Paul McCartney, Simon Fuller (Cowell’s boss on Idol.), Mick Jagger, Elton John, Sting, Keith Richards, Cowell, Olivia and Dhani Harrison, Jamie Palumbo, The Beckhams, Tim Rice, Ringo Starr, Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, Roger Ames and Roger & Barry Gibb (110 Mil pounds). I thought it was an interesting list. Incase you didn’t know Bronfman (From the Seagram‘s booze family) is Chairman of Warner Music Group and was the leading proponent against music piracy. Clive Calder, the #2 rich music man started the Zomba string of record labels (Battery, Jive, Silvertone et al) which gave the world pop stars N’ Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and R. Kelly among others..

Closing Advice:
If you meet an alien from outer space, don’t try to make conversation...they could be dangerous to your health. The brainy Stephen Hawking says that aliens are probably out there and most likely quite a bit more advanced than we. And if they come here, they aren’t coming for hugs. Rather they will look to colonize Earth, probably violently, to compensate for declines on their planet. So I guess this means there will be no National Take an Alien to Work Day.