Looters Loose in Wicomico County …

… County Council Proposes Plunder in the “Name of the People”

If you have ever read Frederic Bastiat’s The Law you are familiar with concept of legalized plunder.  If you have ever read Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged you are familiar with the looting class.  If not, I heartily suggest you read them FAST.  THEFT in the name of “public good” has come to our little corner of the world.

Last Tuesday, the Democrat majority of the Wicomico County Council (sorry John Cannon, you no longer qualify as even a “Republican in Name Only”) voted to move forward with legislation that will strip farmers of their property rights.  The council’s proposal would reduce the number of lots which a parcel may be subdivided into.  It also ends the dreaded “cluster provision” which allowed farmers to sell parcels of land for development at greater density by requiring that more open space would be preserved.  The net effect of this proposal is to drastically reduce the value of a given parcel relative to its value if still developable.

Translation – the farmers pay so that certain developers and special interest groups may prosper and the lefty fringe can feel good about themselves.

Council members Gail Bartkovich, Joe Holloway and Stevie Prettyman stood their ground.  If Ag District landowners are to lose value in their greatest asset, they need to be compensated.  Additionally, the legislation itself appears to be seriously flawed.  This doesn’t seem to bother the socialist majority of the Wicomico County Council.

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Why Are Tattoos So Bad?

Abortion is an issue I rarely bring up online.  Despite my strong pro-life beliefs, it has been my experience that this issue is far too emotional for too many on both sides of this issue.  However, recent action by the Maryland House demands a response.

The other day, the Maryland House approved HB 45.  This bill will require that minors receive parental consent in order to receive a tattoo or body piercing.  There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.  Perhaps that’s why the bill passed unanimously.

The problem is that the House voted down an amendment which would have included surgical procedures such as an abortion.  The logic of the amendment is simple:  “Isn’t abortion a bit more significant than piercing your nose?“

Given that part of the impetus behind HB 45 was that procedures like tattooing and body piercing may require post-procedure follow-up due to the possibility of infection, it’s hard to understand why a surgical procedure wouldn’t require the same follow-up.  Obviously, it does.

Unfortunately, abortion has become a quasi-religious crusade for the left and far right.  The left refuses to accept any regulation of a medical procedure that they would DEMAND regulation of IF it wasn’t the holy grail of abortion.  The far right has become the left’s mirror image by demanding federal solutions to what should be a state issue (one of the many inherent errors of Roe v Wade).

While I am not a huge fan of compromise, neither am I an advocate of removing rationality from the legislative process.  If deliberate thought ever returns to this issue, America will be the better for it.

Senate Moves Towards Giving DC a Vote in Congress

As with most liberal propositions, it feels so good.  Let’s give those poor deprived souls in the Federal District “full voting rights”.  Let’s give them “representation”.  Well, the Senate appears to be on its way.

Well how can you possibly oppose giving the people of DC full representation?  It’s easy.  It’s wrong and it’s probably unconstitutional.

The only reason the District of Columbia has any electoral votes in a presidential election is because of the 23rd Amendment.  That OK, because the people of this country agreed to amend the constitution.  It doesn’t matter whether I agree with it or not.  However, Congress doesn’t have the authority to give seats in Congress to non-states.  The constitution is pretty clear about that one.  Of course, the constitution also says that we’re supposed to COUNT the population every ten years and liberals want to estimate.
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Morning Line – February 23, 2009

Delaware -

Redevelopment in Wilmington.  Perhaps Salisbury, MD can learn a lesson or two.

With a government takeover of the nation’s financial system firmly moving forward, ACORN is now helping the Dems socialize medicine (using your tax dollars of course).

Would abolishing the “prevailing wage” law in Delaware save money?  Tens of millions of dollars.  Just don’t expect any action until the DE GOP manages to elect a few more conservatives.

You may find this funny.  It may just piss you off.  Unfortunately, our friends over at DelawareLiberal actually have more than a grain of truth in this one.

Maryland -

The Baltimore Reporter nails Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on right to carry.  O’Malley’s proud that the “Not So Free State” is now only the 8th most violent state in the nation?

Hospital non-profit status starting to come under microscope.  With many “non-profit” hospitals in the business of everything from real estate development to gyms, it’s about time.

This isn’t political, but since you’re reading this from a computer you should definitely pay attention to what the Delusional Duck has to say about internet based bank fraud.
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Hypocrisy on Parade – The Chuck and Lindsay Show

Is there any wonder that the Republicans are back to being the minority party?  When we have “spokesmen” like Sen. Lindsay Graham (?-SC) it’s little wonder that John McCain didn’t just lose – he went down in flames.

Watch the video embedded in Ben Smith’s Politico column.

Graham thinks we’ll need to nationalize banks.  I’m still trying to figure out why Graham wasn’t one of the nominal Republicans who voted for PORKULUS.

On the flip side of hypocrisy in action – Chuck Schumer (D-NY) argues that we can’t nationalize banks because government can’t tell executives how to run their businesses. ??????? Schumer doesn’t seem to have much problem setting payroll policy for these companies.

What can you expect from a man who describes George W. Bush, the man who brought us larger government and more entitlements, as “a very conservative president”.

The Obama Porkulus – How Much Per Job?

Only the federal government can get away with something like this.  For a moment, forget the fact that we were promised no earmarks.  Forget that we were told that only projects which would quickly create or save jobs would be in the “stimulus” package now known as PORKULUS!  Simply focus on the amount of money being spent to create or “save” a job.

That magic number comes to $263,000 per job.  This is assuming that the Obama administration is correct in its estimates of how many jobs that will be created or “saved” (a number that can never be empirically proven).

Can you imagine what shape our economy would be in if it actually cost the private sector that much money to create one job?

Grab Your Wallets, the Legislature’s In Session

The Maryland General Assembly is in session.  Grab you wallets and get ready for the shirt tearing to begin.

For a great intro, read Mark Newgent’s post in Red Maryland.  I particularly love his quote from Gideon Tucker:

No man’s life, liberty or property, are safe when the legislature is in session.

If there is any question as to the timeless truth of that statement, merely look to Washington.  With a deficit of over $1 trillion, our incoming President wants to spend more.  The only thing stopping those folks in Annapolis is that pesky little requirement that the state’s budget be balanced.
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The Keystone State is Saved

Uber-left wing TV commentator Chris Matthews will NOT be running for the US Senate.  I’m sure that the good people of Pennsylvania, particularly the rednecks and racists in Rep. John Murtha’s (D-PA) district are breathing a sigh of relief.

Holder in the Bulls Eye

The libs are lining up to defend their boy, AG-nominee Eric Holder.  Expect to hear cries of “racism”, “fascism”, and any other lefty favored ism as Holder is called to task for his role in selling a pardon to financier Mark Rich (among other things).

Media Monday 090105 – Inaccuracy and a Strong Move Left

If we’re supposed to believe our local paper they need to work a little harder.  A little fact checking never hurt anyone.

Case in point – Sunday’s Daily Time’s piece about Del. Page Elmore showing “support of state workers” by taking part in the O’Malley administration’s furlough of non-essential state employees.  Reporter Liz Holland makes it sound as if Elmore is a leader in the movement of legislators taking part in the furlough.  He’s not.  I’ve got nothing against Elmore.  I’m not accusing him of anything.  It’s just a plain, easily verifiable fact that members of the legislature have been announcing that they will take part in the furlough for almost a month.

The first I remember reading about it was a piece by the Baltimore Sun’s Andy Green on December 8, 2008.  Green let us know that Del. Nic Kipke (R-31) had announced he was taking part AND that he was preceded by fellow Anne Arundel Del. Steve Schuh (R-31).  Since then, there has been a steady trickle of legislators announcing that they wouldn’t take their salary for five days as other state employees are having to do.

However, the Daily Times’ Holland makes it sound as if Elmore is the first: Read more

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