As Tory MPP Rod Jackson, the party’s Pam Am critic, told the Sun: “If they didn’t know this stuff was going on in 2012, they should have and if they did, they failed to act on it.”
The larger concern, as Jackson noted, is that if the government wasn’t paying attention to expense claim problems at the Pan Am committee, then what about its oversight of the “big stuff” — its overall management of the $1.4 billion publicly-funded games?
Media Bias.
In an interview with Politico, Senator Harry Reid argued that the media is being unfair to Democrats in its coverage of the shutdown. Reid said he believes that there is no way someone viewing the situation objectively could conclude that Democrats are at fault for the shutdown.
I’m guessing Reid has seen some internals that the rest of us haven’t. Naturally though, he’s wrong, as the article makes clear.
Woot! Thanks Ed.
Cracks?
Via Hot Air:
Did the White House just blink on the debt-ceiling fight? After weeks of insisting it won’t negotiate on either the budget or the debt ceiling, a top White House adviser said this morning that Barack Obama would sign a short-term lift in the latter to gain more time for a longer-term agreement.
Needless to say, I’ll believe it when I see it.
It should be noted that the Democrats had two other options instead going head to head against the House of Representatives and playing their part in the shutdown.
- They could have passed a budget
- They could have paid their bills.
The first would have necessitated negotiations with Congress and highlighted the shortcomings of the Democratic spending machine. The latter would have taken away obama-phones.
Can’t have that, can we?
40 Years ago
But Mom, John signed it.
CBC reprints a Canadian Press story about how Canada isn’t signing on to the The Arms Trade Treaty even after the US Secretary of State signed it.
As if Kerry’s signature is anything but a PR stunt. The US Senate has the say on those and it’s already stated, “Umm, no.” The CBC story doesn’t tell us that though.
Reader Tips
There’s nothing better than a good book to get away with.
From Librivox.org, the H.G. Wells classic, The Invisible Man audio book.
It’s all fun…till the bill arrives
“I was laughing at Boehner — until the mail came today,” Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
“I really don’t like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family’s pocket each year, that’s otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy.”
What, you thought health-care was ‘free’?
In the comments, ‘Tom’, the guy in the article (maybe…)
People have asked if I would vote for Obama again. Its a good question.
No. It was a good question.
Related in N.C.
The Fantasy Delusions of the Irresponsible Left
The NY Times’ Maureen Dowd has quite a vivid imagination about reducing the out-of-control growth of big government. Here’s a sampling:
AN ape sits where Abe sat.
The year is 2084, in the capital of the land formerly called North America.
The peeling columns of the Lincoln Memorial, and Abe’s majestic head, elegant hands and big feet are partially submerged in sludge. Animals that escaped from the National Zoo after zookeepers were furloughed seven decades ago migrated to the memorials, hunting for food left by tourists.
The white marble monuments are now covered in ash, Greek tragedy ruins overrun with weeds. Tea Party zombies, thrilled with the dark destruction they have wreaked on the planet, continue to maraud around the Hill, eager to chomp on humanity some more.
Fundamental misunderstanding.
So great was his defeat that the leaders who followed quickly closed the door he had opened — and what might have been a prelude to a new conversation has become a cautionary tale.
What the Himelfarbs, in their commentary, fail to understand is that their base presumptions are off. I don’t know many people who don’t understand the need for taxation. I know a great many people who question the need for gov’t to fund everything it does.
The question shouldn’t be, as the Himelfarbs propose, “What will we lose?” but, “What will you cut to fund your new public pet project?”
Related from Anthony Furey.
But what’s more dystopian? An unfortunate government shutdown by people who have decided to put their foot down against perpetual growth? Or a government and complicit media — whether it be in America or Canada — that does all it can to deflect attention from the ballooning state?
What are we going to do tonight, Brain?
The same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world!
Featured Comment
Trouble, trouble, boil and bubble
In a direct challenge to the Prime Minister’s authority, Conservative MP Adam Afriyie said people did not trust David Cameron’s pledge to hold a vote on Europe in 2017.
Backed by Tory and Labour Eurosceptics, he is set to force a Commons vote on the issue in five weeks’ time.
“clearly a big mistake”
Blog Notes
We’re nearing the end of our annual road trip to Montgomery County (Philadelphia) weekend – the Superbowl of Terriers.
Taken from ringside today with “Doc” – AmGCh.CanCh.Minuteman Toxicology, on our way to Best of Breed at Devon. Otherwise known as A Big Deal. We have one more day in the ring, then the 40 hour drive home. Blogging should resume to semi normal by mid-week. Thanks once again to our guest bloggers for keeping things rolling along.
Reader Tips
Says the taxpayer to the gov’t, Anna Kendrick – Cups (Pitch Perfect’s “When I’m Gone”). Probably without the fun, though.
About those two in Egypt
“Is it likely that these two extremists were going to Gaza to fly medicine by drone? Or is it more likely that they were planning to put the GoPro cameras on the drones and use them for surveillance?”
Furlough over for for most of Pentagon
Is it just me, or is it somewhat ominous that the people reponsible for organizing war are going back to work?
I amuse myself
I guess I should have added @BarakObama to this tweet from last month. (h/t: jcl)
Due to my Danish heritage, I find the 'Vikings' name offensive. It's needless violent associations stigmatize me. #NFL
— Lance Levsen (@LLevsen) September 15, 2013
Myths DEBUNKED
Right Wing Obamacare Myths DEBUNKED.
Hilarious. Thanks, Johann.
Everything you needed to know about Bitcoin
Silkroad founder had a stash of $80M worth of Bitcoin.
Lived with a room-mate.