Catfish Hunter

Was the best of many great Oakland Athletics pitchers in the 1970's. Jim Hunter was the best of the bunch. Seeing two votes catfish legislation made me think of him and my mother-in-law's Ford Taurus. I just learned that Mr. Hunter was, like my brother Bruce, a victim of ALS.

Congress.org presents MEGAVOTE for May 31, 2016 and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Congressional Disapproval of Labor Department Rule on the Term "Fiduciary" – Passage
• Senate: Congressional Disapproval of Agriculture Department Rule on Catfish – Passage
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed
• House: Zika Vector Control – Passage
• House: Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for District of Columbia Home Rule – Passage
• House: Energy Policy Overhaul – Passage
• House: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Federal Contractors and Sexual Orientation Discrimination
• House: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage

The Senate and House are not in session this week.
That will give Senator McConnell more time to criticize politicians that have more balls than all of he and forbears have had combined.

Recent Senate Votes:
Congressional Disapproval of Labor Department Rule on the Term "Fiduciary" – Passage
Vote Passed (56-41, 3 Not Voting)
The resolution of disapproval nullifies an Agriculture Department inspection program of domestic and foreign catfish. The joint resolution targets a rule that took effect March 1, 2016, and completed the shifting of responsibility for catfish inspections from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES

Congressional Disapproval of Agriculture Department Rule on Catfish – Passage
Vote Passed (55-43, 2 Not Voting)
The resolution of disapproval nullifies an Agriculture Department inspection program of domestic and foreign catfish. The joint resolution targets a rule that took effect March 1, 2016, and completed the shifting of responsibility for catfish inspections from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted NO
I do not know about you, but this looks like the same bill that was approved by a different vote count above.

Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization – Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Vote Agreed to (98-0, 2 Not Voting)
The bill authorizes $602.2 billion for discretionary defense spending in fiscal 2017, including $59 billion for operations overseas.  It allows the Defense Department to plan and design a stateside facility to one day house the detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. However, it keeps existing prohibitions on Guantanamo’s closure, including blocking any funds authorized in the bill to be used for actually constructing a stateside replacement. The bill requires women to register for the draft, starting Jan. 1, 2018, and creates a commission to examine whether the Selective Service is still needed.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
So happy that both of my Georgia boys are part of the "in-crowd". Is it not interesting that all of the Democrats that voted agreed to block the closure of and replacement of Guantanamo? For all of the liberal's demagoguery, even cynical damned Senators can be pragmatic about defense.

Recent House Votes:
Zika Vector Control – Passage Vote Passed (258-156, 19 Not Voting)
The bill temporarily modifies the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to prohibit the EPA or a state government from requiring a permit for the use of registered pesticides near navigable waters. It also temporarily alters the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the EPA and states from requiring permits for the point source use of a pesticide, or the residue resulting from the use of a pesticide, that is registered under FIFRA.
Rep. David Scott voted YES
Thank you Mr. Scott, being in the glide path for these little mosquitoes may have been your motivation. A statement of the times that the Congress has to pass a bill to tell an agency to be pragmatic.

Clarifying Congressional Intent in Providing for District of Columbia Home Rule – PassageVote Passed (240-179, 14 Not Voting)
The measure repeals the District of Columbia law that modified D.C.'s home rule charter to allow locally generated funds to be spent without congressional approval, and it modifies the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act to further specify that all city funding is subject to Congress' annually appropriations process. It also alters the 1973 law to specify that the District has no authority to change the District's budget process as it relates to congressional review and approval.
Rep. David Scott voted NO
When you get down to it, governing the city of Washington DC is a pain in the ass. All the political juice lives in the suburbs and leaves the city government in position only slightly more autonomous than the city of Detroit. They shouldn't be their own state, I guess they are doomed to a future of sucking the Federal teat. My guy voted no, but that is not unexpected, Democrats run the city government, therefore anything that might restrict the rights of that government must be protected. 

Energy Policy Overhaul – PassageVote Passed (241-178, 14 Not Voting)
The bill includes all or parts of 37 House-passed measures including legislation that promote the accelerated development and construction of natural gas pipelines and hydropower projects by increasing the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, require the agency to set hard deadlines for environmental reviews and permitting, and require the designation of at least 10 corridors across federal lands in the Eastern U.S. where pipelines could be built.
Rep. David Scott voted NO
Democrats resist industrial growth unless it is in China or Mexico. 

Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Federal Contractors and Sexual Orientation Discrimination Vote Agreed to (223-195, 15 Not Voting)
The amendment bars federal contractors from discriminating against employees on the basis of sexual orientation. However, the amendment could not violate certain portions of the Constitution.
Rep. David Scott voted YES
Did you see that, an appropriations bill takes a left into sexual orientation. Shifty little buggers.

Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage Vote Failed (112-305, 16 Not Voting)
The bill provides a total of $37.4 billion in funding subject to discretionary caps for fiscal 2017 for the Energy Department and federal water projects. The bill appropriates $6.1 billion in new funding for civil projects of the Army Corps of Engineers. It provides $12.9 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration and almost $6.2 billion for environmental management activities. It also bars the use of funds in the bill to close the Yucca Mountain license application, or to irrevocably remove Yucca Mountain as an option for repository.
Rep. David Scott voted NO
And I thought they were going to pass everything this week.

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Why Can't We Be More Like Alabama?

Or Mississippi?
You do not hear that very often.

To cope with illegal immigrants, the legal design Georgia has a better system than most of the states in the country. Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Arizona all have the optimal structure. So why is that there are still so many illegal aliens in Georgia? The answer is contractors and business owners pay cash for day workers, and the there is a great deal of identity fraud.
Looking at the map above, found at NumbersUSA, what frightens me is how a state can actually pass legislation that prohibits E-Verify. Reasoned out this belies an intent to break federal law, and followed through makes these states, California and Illinois, guilty of conspiracy and subject to Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, aka RICO.

Did You Know?

The first time for the worse.
The second time for the better.

NUke-U-Ler Votes

NUKe-U-Ler is in honor of W's manner of mangling sill-aa-bles. This week there were a couple of votes relating to water and energy appropriations.
Congress.org presents M E G A V O T E for May 16, 2016, and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.
Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Cloture to the Substitute Amendment
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Cloture to the Substitute Amendment
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage
• House: Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force – Passage
• House: Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction – Passage
• House: Comprehensive  Anti-Opioid Efforts – House Amendment to the Senate-Passed Bill

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Fiscal 2017 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations
• House: Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization
• House: Fiscal 2017 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations

Recent Senate Votes:
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Cloture to the Substitute Amendment Vote Rejected (50-42, 8 Not Voting)
The Senate rejected the McConnell, R-Ky.  motion to invoke cloture on the Alexander, R-Tenn.  substitute amendment that would provide $37.5 billion in fiscal 2017 for various items including $6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $5.4 billion for Department of Energy science research and $12.9 billion for the Department’s nuclear security programs.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
I do not care how Johnny Isakson votes for the rest of his life, this years I will vote for any Democrat, no matter who the candidate is, the result will be worse than Isakson himself, but he has been a party to many deceptive votes.
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Cloture to the Substitute Amendment Vote Agreed to (97-2, 1 Not Voting)
The Senate agreed to the McConnell, R-Ky.  motion to invoke cloture on the Alexander, R-Tenn.  substitute amendment that would provide $37.5 billion in fiscal 2017 for various items including $6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $5.4 billion for Department of Energy science research and $12.9 billion for the Department’s nuclear security programs.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
Let's talk, let's not talk, STFU.
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations – Passage Vote Passed (90-8, 2 Not Voting)
The Senate passed a measure that would provide $37.5 billion in fiscal 2017 for various items including $6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $5.4 billion for Department of Energy science research and $12.9 billion for the Department’s nuclear security programs.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
Spent money you rat bastards, you are dead to me.
Recent House Votes:
Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force – Passage Vote Passed (412-4, 17 Not Voting)
The House passed legislation that establishes a Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force to review, modify and update medical best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication.
Rep. David Scott voted YES
Nearly unanimous, all in.
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction – Passage Vote Passed (413-5, 15 Not Voting)
The chamber passed a measure that creates two new grant programs in the Justice Department to assist in combating opioid abuse: one to state, local and tribal governments that could be used for a variety of opioid abuse reduction programs and activities and one to assist veterans suffering from opioid abuse.
Rep. David Scott voted Not Voting
Interesting not voting position, an explanation would be pointless.
Comprehensive  Anti-Opioid Efforts – House Amendment to the Senate-Passed Bill Vote Passed (400-5, 28 Not Voting)
The House passed legislation, as amended, that includes 18 bills previously passed by the chamber. Among other items, it establishes two grant programs to create state systems under which physicians and others who prescribe opioids to patients would at the same time prescribe opioid overdose reversal drugs to those patients thought to be at an elevated risk of overdose. It also creates a grant program to create state systems under which trained pharmacists may dispense reversal drugs to opioid users or families of those at risk of an overdose and authorizes $5 million through fiscal 2019 for those grants.
Rep. David Scott voted YES
Nearly unanimous, all in.
Upcoming Votes:
Fiscal 2017 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Fiscal 2017 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations - HR2577 The military construction and veterans part of the bill would provide a total $177.4 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding for the Veterans Affairs Department, including increases for health care, benefit claims processing, medical and prosthetic research and homeless veterans assistance.

The transportation and housing portion of the bill would provide $56.5 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2017 for the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments and related agencies.

Fiscal 2017 Defense Authorization - HR4909 The bill would authorize $602.2 billion for discretionary defense spending in fiscal 2017, including $543.4 billion for the Pentagon's base, non-war budget. It also would include $58.8 billion for uncapped Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding for war operations and other anti-terror activities but provides that $23.1 billion of that total be used for non-war, base defense budget needs, including $18 billion for aircraft, ships and other items.

Fiscal 2017 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations - HR4974 The bill would provide a total of $81.6 billion in discretionary spending for fiscal 2017 to fund military construction projects and programs of the Veterans Affairs Department and would provide $102.5 billion in mandatory spending for fiscal 2017 and $172 million in Overseas Contingency Operations funding.

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Thee UNcola Nut

Ripped off graphics are the best.

Undocumented

Unlicensed

Uncola Nut

Enjoy the old 7-Up commercial, with the bald headed dude from Live and Let Die.

The movie.

And the song by Paul McCartney & Wings.

Easter Revisited

Love this cartoon an forgot to post for the holiday.

Stay Classy Pakistan

The religion of peace is alive and strong in Pakistan.
The West Must Say 'Je Suis Asia Bibi'
It does not matter to me what religion Asia Bibi practices, this is no way to treat a human being.
A story like this kind of makes all the injustice claims common in the US new seem insignificant and silly.
Most of you did not need help in knowing that.
Damned barbarians, they are.
I pray for Asia Bibi to have freedom.

L.A. Freeway

This song, better known for the version performed by Jerry Jeff Walker, was penned by Guy Clark.

Guy Clark passed away this week, the writer of some of the most eloquent songs written in the modern era. Because he worked in country music, not many people know of him. This song paired with the poignant "Desperados Waiting for the Train", are a career by themselves.

For Prince, the media would lead you to think, the world of entertainment stopped with his death.

A sense of proportion is missing, the world does not end for any person.

For Guy Clark, his writing was loved by many singers and he will be missed.

The Weight

Love the song, love Emmylou Harris, love Steve Earle.

This lacks only Levon Helm's smiling face

A Visit to the Old and New Hells of Europe Provides a Reminder of Israel's Importance

Basically, I believe there is a special place in hell for lawyers like Alan Dershowitz. The famous lawyer was part of the team that managed to get an acquittal for O. J. Simpson. Earlier, Alan Dershowitz managed to have Claus von Bülow's conviction overturned. Both of the accused were deserving of lifetime prison sentences, each achieved freedom because of legal skills put in force with the accused's cash reserves.
Later in like Mr. Dershowitz has become, or at least publicly become, more focused on his heritage. The result is found in periodic essays which contemplatively assess the situation of his faith and Israel.
A Visit to the Old and New Hells of Europe Provides a Reminder of Israel's Importance
So, while Alan has deeds to atone for, his intellect is now applied on issues often obscured by a liberal press and faith, which in the United States, aligns with a political stance that is often antithetical towards to Judaism.

Take Me In Your Arms

A few weeks ago, I was riding in the car and absentmindedly, recognized lyrics to a song without ever having heard the version.

The Doobie Brothers it turned out were doing a cover of a Motown song written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. I think I like the Doobies version better but the contrast is interesting.

Wikipedia has a quote from Jeff Baxter

"That song was like a dream come true for us. Every musician I've ever known has at some point wanted to achieve Motown's technically slick soul sound - it's so dynamic. We sat down to try to duplicate it, and to see if our version could emerge as a successful single."

When I saw the Doobie Brothers in the 1976 Black Water tour, Baxter never got out of his chair while he played.
Enjoy

Tow Headed

Kenneth Shupe is a tow truck driver who was called by the driver of a disabled car in Asheville, North Carolina. On arrival, he found that the disabled car was decorated with Bernie Sanders presidential campaign stickers. Being a Trump supporter, he elected not to help the female driver and suggested she get the government to come and give her a tow. He then left the scene of the automobile accident.

Trump-loving tow truck driver says God told him to leave disabled Bernie Sanders supporter stranded

Shupe asserts that he has had two recent customers with similar decorations on their car skip on payment. On learning that the woman was disabled he said would have stayed until another wrecker arrived if he had understood her condition. Video of the woman does not reveal a disability.

To me this is a similar issue to the the cases of bakers refusing to service gay marriages. Business owners take on the financial risk of self employment largely in part so that they can choose who they will work with, be their own boss.  For the individual self-employed, each client is buying a service, for which they will obtain skilled labor intent of fulfilling a need. If the self-employed has learned that a certain type of customer fails to complete payment, he has to right to refuse service. This is no different than cab drivers in New York refusing to pick up black and Hispanic fares.

Rode my motorcycle near Asheville this weekend, it is beautiful mountain country in the spring.

A New Waffle House Song

Colbert is a funny man, pretty much a flaming liberal that has crushed what little was left of David Letterman's faithful, but a funny man.

Liberal Blindness

Ripped off from my favorite site.
http://grouchyoldcripple.com
Hypocrisy is most easily seen by those with different perspectives. Lately  it not the message of liberals that bothers me so much, but the enormous quantity of illogical whining.
Raise the minimum wage: while experience tells us that businesses will seek alternatives when faced with increasing  cost.
Black Lives Matter: All lives matter, even those if racist blacks.
Transgender bathroom access:  discarding any premise social standards, for a mentaly disturbed miniscule fraction of the population.
War on Women: Sponsored by the wife of a serial philanderer, and accused rapist.

How Are You Going to Protect the Women Who Don't Go to College in Connecticut?

Tell me that.
University of Connecticut gets sued for not addressing complaints and the legislature responds by passing a law that is a well meaning, worthless pile of poo.
Connecticut's new "No Way Dude" law.
I see this law a feminist tool for bringing charges, after an unsatisfactory event.
And like mentioned in the title, if the pupose is to protect women, why is it restricted to college campus

Who Can Blame Them

The words of a Canadian Arab.
A succinct semi-self appraisal.
Arabs' Real Grievance against the Jews
In the end a summary, the Arabs' complaint with those of the Jewish faith, is that they exist.

Me and Mrs. Jones

It saddened me to learn this evening that Billy Paul, the R&B singer known best for the song "Me and Mrs. Jones" died from cancer on April 24th.
The song "Me and Mrs. Jones" was popular when I was an adolescent. The content of the song was beyond my understanding at that age. Regardless the deep soulfulness of the song made a lasting impression on me.
Enjoy

Rest in peace Billy Paul, and thank you.

Foolish Consistency is the Hobgoblin of Little Minds

Hobgoblin is a word I've seen before and understood in context, the quotation used by Alan Dershowitz, attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson is in the title of this post.

Wikipedia says this about the definition of the word hobgoblin.

Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to describe a mischievous spirit. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream as a hobgoblin.

further along Wikipedia say

Hobgoblins seem to be small, hairy little men who—like their close relative, brownies—are often found within human dwellings, doing odd jobs around the house while the family is lost in sleep. Such chores are typically small deeds, like dusting and ironing. Often, the only compensation necessary in return for these is food.

While brownies are more peaceful creatures, hobgoblins are more fond of practical jokes. They also seem to be able to shape-shift, as seen in one of Puck's monologues in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Robin Goodfellow is perhaps the most mischievous and most infamous of all his kind, but many are less antagonizing. Like all of the fae folk, hobgoblins are easily annoyed. They can be mischievous, frightening, and even dangerous. Attempts to give them clothing will often banish them forever, though whether they take offense to such gifts or are simply too proud to work in new clothes differs from teller to teller.

Now, I seriously doubt that Mr. Dershowitz had the term "brownie" in mind when he was describing the President. Enough about about that.

His point basically is that President Obama is inconsistent; compare the way he criticizes foreign leaders for expressing their opinions on the internal matters of other countries, to the manner in which he preaches to the citizens of other countries to do what he thinks is correct for their rights. All the while, bear in mind probable, yet unsaid, positions of our President:

1. The UK as a former colonial power that should be punished for misdeeds
2. If remaining in the EU leads to a dissolution of the UK into a greater socialist government so be it, let England disappear.
3. He has shown and exhibited a willingness to subordinate American sovereignty to global governance. 

Obama's Double Standard Toward Netanyahu

My own opinion is that the UK should step away from the European Union, and toward sovereignty.  That said whatever they choose, they have the right.
Thank heavens President Obama will not be in office long enough to punish the British for whatever they choose.

House IRS Bills

Congress.org presents MEGAVOTE for April 25, 2016 and Georgia's 13th Congressional District.
Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Passage
• Senate: Energy Policy Passage
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations Eliminate Funding for Various Commissions
• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program
• House: IRS Hiring Passage
• House: IRS Oversight and User Fees - Passage
• House: Bar IRS from Rehiring Certain Employees Passage

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations
• House: Private Market Investors
• House: Washington D.C. School Vouchers
• House: Block Fiduciary Rule

Recent Senate Votes:
Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Passage Vote Passed (95-3, 2 Not Voting)
The Senate passed a measure which authorizes $33.1 billion in funding for FAA programs through fiscal 2017, including those related to unmanned aircraft, equipment certification, and aircraft control system technology.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
You should hear the stories that the kid telling me about the FAA and the way it handles people and money. One thing is for sure, budget or not, the program marches forward. Government closure or not, every person and business gets paid. Reauthorization is a formality that even the Senate cannot control, contracts and unions control the costs of the FAA.

Energy Policy Passage Vote Passed (85-12, 3 Not Voting)
The chamber passed a bill which streamlines the permitting for liquefied natural gas exports, mandates improvements to the electric grid's reliability and security, raises energy efficiency standards for commercial and federal buildings, and permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted NO
For industry I am all for simplification of permit processes. Why the Georgia Senators are split on the subject seems peculiar. Another peculiar wording in this description is the term "permanently reauthorizes", we all know that a government, any government is temporary, this government in particular considers permanence and anathema. One parties policy and cornerstone is the target of the other party's  derision and subject to being torn down.

Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations Eliminate Funding for Various Commissions Vote Rejected (25-71, 4 Not Voting)
The chamber rejected an amendment by Joni Ernst, R-Neb., that would have cut $200 million from a number of joint state-federal commissions that promote economic development, infrastructure improvements and job training across four regions of the country.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted NO
Sen. David Perdue voted NO
Our shit stain Senators fighting for the pork they and their friends have carved out. Protect your colleagues crap and he will protect yours.

Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program Vote Rejected (48-49, 3 Not Voting)
The Senate rejected an amendment by Dan Coats, R-Ind., that would have limited the use of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing loan program. The vote was subject to a 60-vote threshold.
Sen. Johnny Isakson voted YES
Sen. David Perdue voted YES
This smells like more protection of pork, a Senator sees something wrong, tries to make it right and gets bitch slapped in the process.

Recent House Votes:
IRS Hiring Passage Vote Passed (254-170, 9 Not Voting)
The chamber passed a measure which prohibits the IRS from hiring any new employees until the Treasury Department certifies that no IRS worker has serious tax delinquencies. The measure defines such delinquency as an outstanding debt under the Internal Revenue Code for which a notice of lien has been filed in public records.
Rep. David Scott voted NO
David Scott loves the IRS, most of the rest of the country, politicians excluded, want to see it erased from existence. This thing won't get passed.  would not be surprised if the Senate tables it. For sure the President kills it, after all the IRS helped him get re-elected.

IRS Oversight and User Fees - Passage Vote Passed (245-179, 9 Not Voting)
The House passed a bill which makes Internal Revenue Service spending of the user fees it collects subject to the annual appropriations process, thereby blocking the IRS from spending collected user fees unless Congress provides for such spending in appropriations acts. This restriction would apply to all IRS user fees collected after the date of enactment.
Rep. David Scott voted NO
More of the same, my congressman protect the government tax men's right to spend the money they steal from citizens for having the resources to steal from more citizens. 

Bar IRS from Rehiring Certain Employees Passage Vote Passed (260-158, 15 Not Voting)
The House passed a measure which prohibits the IRS from rehiring former employees who were previously removed or terminated for misconduct. It would apply with respect to any IRS employee removed at any time (before, on or after the date of enactment.)
Rep. David Scott voted NO
Tell me why in the hell would a person vote against a bill such as this. When most folks are dismissed, their friends on the company cannot get away with rehiring the person. It is too damned hard to dismiss a Federal employee, maintaining the agency right to turn around and rehire the person is wrong.

Upcoming Votes:
Fiscal 2017 Energy-Water Appropriations - HR2028 
The measure would provide $37.5 billion in fiscal 2017 for various items including $6 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, $5.4 billion for Department of Energy science research and $12.9 billion for the Department’s nuclear security programs.
Do it.

Private Market Investors - HR4498
The bill would expand the circumstances under which events where businesses offer unregistered securities in the private market would not be considered "general solicitations" that otherwise require the issuer to verify that the individuals attending the events are accredited investors.
The government is not able to legislate the manner in which people throw their money away. If folks want to risk money on unsecured investments, they cannot be stopped.

Washington D.C. School Vouchers - HR4901
The bill would reauthorize for five years, through fiscal 2021, the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results program, under which federal funding is provided to eligible students in Washington, D.C., to allow them to attend private schools, and modify the program to provide for greater student participation and to mandate greater accountability by the private schools that participate in the program.
You can bet your ass that the Democrats will be uniformly against this. The NEA  must be protected, no matter how illogical the reasoning. Will pass the House anyway, because, while the Democrats get a chance to bitch about it, they really know that private schools are generally better.

Block Fiduciary Rule - HJRes88
The joint resolution would disapprove the rule issued by the Labor Department on April 8, 2016, commonly known as the fiduciary rule on retirement investment advice, that subjects broker-dealers who oversee such investments to the fiduciary standard and stipulates what types of activities and communications would give rise to fiduciary investment advice responsibilities.
Most Republicans, and the Chamber of Commerce are against the DOL expanding oversight. It will be blocked. This looks like a government intrusion directly into where there have been rumblings it wants to go. This may be and early salvo of a long  battle to bring retirement plan control under the domain of the Federal government.

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Cafe Hayek on the Minimum Wage

I believe that the last sentence of this quotation is accurate. We as an American people have lived for 100 years with a government that wrote for itself, the Sixteenth Amendment,  a means to take whatever share of our income that it chooses. That coupled with SCOTUS that waves the white flag at any legislation that infringes on personal rights; assigning the government rights to such things as the "Commerce Clause". True individual economic freedom only exists outside of the law.

The pet Democrat cause of the minimum wage, is in reality, a manner taxing businesses, with the proceeds benefiting low income people. It is evident that some of the new new minimum wage rates have outstripped the value of unskilled labor in relation to the value of the product. When this proportional inversion occurs, businesses search for cost reduction, alternative means of service delivery, to minimize the number of wage hours required.

One thing that frightens me in this scenario is the government, in seeing the business adjust to the illegitimate labor rate, will seek to regulate business staff sizes.

When that happens we will all work for the government.

Cafe Hayek — where orders emerge: where orders emerge

If we are not physically overrun by barbarians, what will destroy us?  Not learned quibbles on the nuances of what the Founding Fathers really meant.  Rather, we will ruin ourselves with minimum wage and comparable worth laws; with controls on prices of goods, apartments, and loans; with erratic changes in the price level; with government domination through the budget, environmental regulation, and antitrust intrusions; with progressive attenuation of property rights; with subsidization of inefficiency and sloth and divisiveness….

Free men require free markets.  If we lose the battle of economic freedom, we lose the entire war.

 William Allen

Economist

The Midnight Economist