Are we still a constitutional republic?

Obama officials say one of the provisions in Obamacare, insurance coverage for long-term care, is too costly and will have to undergo some changes. Since Congress passed it, you would think it would have to go back through Congress for changes. Not so according to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. She says the law "gives her authority to make changes to the program without congressional action."

That, coupled with Obama's judicial decision last week that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional so his Justice Department just won't enforce it anymore, gives rise to the question: When did we become a dictatorship?

"Long-term care plan is in flux." The Dallas Morning News; February 22, 2011; p. 4A.

Here's a solution for ya'!

Texas State Representative Lois Kolkhorst has introduced legislation that would allow sheriffs to take illegal aliens to the local offices of any U.S. Representative or Senator and deposit them there. Local jurisdictions have found themselves holding these illegals indefinitely and footing the bills for their incarceration while they wait on an inefficient-don't-care federal agency to pick them up.

Kolkhorst said, "I think ICE will come over if one of our local U.S. Representatives or Senators makes a phone call." Which I'm sure they'll do when they have a few illegals sitting around their offices. Does this bill have a chance of passing? I don't know, but Kolkhorst said when she floated the idea, several of her colleagues wanted to co-sponsor it.

Paris News funny for the day: On March 2, Texas Independence Day, the paper ran an editorial about the republic/state's 175th anniversary. The headline read, "Celebrating our great state's sesquicentennial." I guess Texas must be taking lessons from Jack Benny. He celebrated his 39th birthday 41 times.

"Bill would let sheriffs drop off offenders with U.S. lawmakers." The Dallas Morning News; February 22, 2011; p. 3A.

NIMNULS!

Remember Robin Williams's sit-com Mork and Mindy? Mork was an alien from the planet Ork. He brought many of his strange Orkan words to Earth with him. One of those words was "nimnul." It means a blooming idiot.

I hadn't thought of that word in years, but it popped into my mind when I saw Joshua Lott's photograph of the protestors in Wisconsin with tape over their mouths. Doesn't that look like a brilliant bunch? Keep in mind that this group is teaching the children up there. What do you think we can expect to come out of Wisconsin in the next 20 or so years?

Less People

School districts in Texas might have a little more credibility if they employed spokesmen who knew basic grammar. When speaking of the district's $10,000 offer to teachers who volunteer to quit, Dallas ISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said last week, "The goal is to help us lay off less people."

OK, Mr. Dahlander, here's the rule. If you are speaking of individual units, it's fewer. If you are speaking of an aggregate, it's less. There may be fewer grains of sand, but there is less sand on the beach. There may be fewer stars visible, but there is less starlight. There may be fewer people on the payroll, but there is less expense in the payroll line item. I do hope DISD retains the English teachers!

"District may pay teachers to quit." The Dallas Morning News; February 23, 2011; p. 1A.

Hey, Teacher Unions, listen to this!

Patricia Alvarado of Dallas could tell those teacher unions a thing or two. If they took her sound advice, they might not now be in the position of having to beg for respect.

Patricia is a teacher. She said one of her students asked her last week, "Mrs. A., are you worried you might be fired?" Patricia says she is, of course, concerned about her job; however, she goes on to say that worrying about what might happen distracts her from her true responsibility -- to ensure her students' academic success. She suggests that teachers go back to what they've been hired to do, and that is to teach the children. She says, "Our students deserve an environment centered on learning, not worrying; I will provide them with no less."

One of Essie's heroes: Patricia Alvarado for exhibiting the spirit of a true educator! Give that lady a raise!

"Educate today, worry later." The Dallas Morning News; February 27, 2011; p. 6B.

Cause and Effect

James Daniel Taylor of Dallas may need a little lesson in cause and effect. He says to deny gays the right to marry each other is "shameful." He says, "We are creating quite a legacy for our children. Future generations will read about teachers losing their jobs and a country going broke and ask, 'Did someone really think it was that important to keep gays from getting married? How pathetic!'"

Yes, James, it is that important. Do you not see that the reason our country is in a death spiral is precisely because we are being pushed to accept what God has called an abomination? One of my very favorite quotes is from Alexis de Toqueville: "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." And some 160 years after he said it, we are seeing his prophecy sadly fulfilled. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" - Psalm 33:12.

Oh, one more thing. It's Texas Independence Day. Remember the Alamo!

"Gay unions, priorities." The Dallas Morning News; February 26, 2011; p. 22A.

Tax those nasty rich folks!

Willa Kulhavy of Garland thinks the rich don't pay enough taxes. She says the solution to all our economic problems is to "tax instead of subsidize the rich."

Willa might be interested to know that the top 1% of wage earners pay 38.02% of income taxes collected. The top 5% pay 58.72% of income taxes collected. The top 10% pay 69.94% of income taxes collected. The top 25% pay 86.34% of income taxes collected, and the top 50% pay 97.30% of income taxes collected.

That means the bottom 50% pay 2.7% of income taxes collected. So, Willa, who's subsidizing whom?

"Tax the rich." The Dallas Morning News; February 27, 2011; p. 3P.
http://www.ntu.org/tax-basics/who-pays-income-taxes.html