President Barack Obama gave a speech to the DNC the other night that was, according to the official White House transcript, interrupted 12 times by applause or laughter. I got to thinking how different it would have been if he gave the same speech to the RNC.
Words in quotes “” are the president’s actual comments. Words in parenthesis () are the White House’s official interpretation of the crowd’s reaction. Words in brackets [] are what I think would happen if he gave the same speech to the RNC. Words in fancy brackets {} are my
Student Faces Extradition for Copyright Violation
by Jason Lightner June 24th, 2011 
Independent Ideas, Political Facts, Political Opinions, World Politics
In the news this week is 23-year-old British student, Richard O’Dwyer, who studies computer science at Sheffield Hallam University. He is under fire from the United States Department of Justice and is accused of criminal copyright infringement. The United States is seeking O’Dwyer’s extradition so that he can be tried for the offense in a U.S. court. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
The act in question that has this youth in hot water with Uncle Sam is the linking of copyrighted material on a website he ran up until last November called TVShack, which
The act in question that has this youth in hot water with Uncle Sam is the linking of copyrighted material on a website he ran up until last November called TVShack, which
Political Winners and Losers of the Week
by Ronald A. Rowe June 21st, 2011 General Politics, Political Humor, Political Opinions, Winners & Losers
A peek at the winners and losers in the world of politics this week:
WINNERS
Jerry Brown
Bravo to California Governor Jerry Brown for standing up to his own party. The Democratic controlled State Legislature sent him a bill that, according to Brown, "contains legally questionable maneuvers, costly borrowing and unrealistic savings." The bill contained exactly the sort of financial chicanery that Brown had vowed to keep out of the budget, and Brown had little choice but to veto if he wanted to retain any credibility.
Chris Harris
Texas State Senator Chris Harris has become both hero and villain this week for his widely-publicized
WINNERS
Jerry Brown
Bravo to California Governor Jerry Brown for standing up to his own party. The Democratic controlled State Legislature sent him a bill that, according to Brown, "contains legally questionable maneuvers, costly borrowing and unrealistic savings." The bill contained exactly the sort of financial chicanery that Brown had vowed to keep out of the budget, and Brown had little choice but to veto if he wanted to retain any credibility.
Chris Harris
Texas State Senator Chris Harris has become both hero and villain this week for his widely-publicized
In the Rat Race, the Rats Aren’t the Ones Racing
by Jason Lightner June 17th, 2011 Independent Ideas, Political Opinions
The recent passing of a Florida law has brought mandatory drug testing for welfare applicants and has rubbed many the wrong way, myself included. While some will simply argue the unconstitutionality of such a measure, I'd like to attack this from a different angle. The problem, you see, is treating every applicant as a bad egg.
But what do we mean "bad egg"? Well, supporters of this bill would have you believe that a person who is a drug addict and is on welfare is having their drug addiction subsidized. What they fail to understand is drug addiction itself. They
But what do we mean "bad egg"? Well, supporters of this bill would have you believe that a person who is a drug addict and is on welfare is having their drug addiction subsidized. What they fail to understand is drug addiction itself. They
Smelling Like a Rose or Something Else
by Ronald A. Rowe June 14th, 2011 Congress, Political Humor, Political Opinions
There was a lot going on in the political world this week. Some politicians came out smelling like roses, others smelled more like the fertilizer.
Fertilizer:
Anthony Weiner
What a disgrace New York Representative Anthony Weiner turned out to be. Even by the higher standard of obnoxiousness used by New Yorkers (and don’t think we don’t love you for it), Representative Weiner is over the top. His stubborn refusal to resign in the face of a scandal that will certainly render him distracted and ineffective for the remainder of his brief political career is just disgusting. I
Fertilizer:
Anthony Weiner
What a disgrace New York Representative Anthony Weiner turned out to be. Even by the higher standard of obnoxiousness used by New Yorkers (and don’t think we don’t love you for it), Representative Weiner is over the top. His stubborn refusal to resign in the face of a scandal that will certainly render him distracted and ineffective for the remainder of his brief political career is just disgusting. I