Politics As Usual

[Say_hello_for_me]

Kerry refused to cross an informational picket set up by Boston police officers and Boston firemen. He's quoted as saying he's never crossed a picket line, and never will.

This is so fricking absurd that my eyes are watering out of pity for the idiot. I can't guarantee it, but my guess is that, like most states, sworn Boston police officers are forbidden from from striking or forming unions (under the technical definition, whatever that might be).

In other words, these guys couldn't strike if they wanted to. Nor could they really join or support a strike if they wanted to, as they can't refuse to police strikes, even if it means "crossing a picket line".

I hasten to add that I'm generally on the side of law enforcement and teachers in all things related to pay.

So yeah, this is like a sick joke on John, except it creates a pretty photo op to make sure the union people understand where he stands. OTOH, all the people who hate union people (and people like me who see the absurdity of this) see it as an ugly photo op.

But there's more. These guys threatened to picket the convention itself. Will he refuse to cross that picket line too? Will the entire marxist-anarchist wing of the party refuse to cross too? Maybe Zell Miller could go after all.

Can we get Dean back? I promise I'll send him money.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
Kerry refused to cross an informational picket

What's more fun is all the Dem Mayors are really really mad at JFK for this. Detroit's Mayor was quoted as being "really angry" because he wanted to know just what JFK was going to do for the cities.

Not being able to stand up to an unofficial strike because of fear of Union's reacting negatively- that doesn't bode well for dealing with the challenges of this world- unless he ends up keeping his present job- part time senator.

[Gattigap]

Andrew Sullivan on the GOP headlights:

Isn't it telling that the Bush administration wants McCain, Arnold and Giuliani as prime-timers for the convention? They're the three Republicans least in sync with the Bush administration. McCain is as close to a dissident as you can find. And Arnold keeps Bush at arm's length. A more representative selection would be: Santorum, DeLay, Ashcroft. And then you see why the Bushies won't let them hog the limelight. Too much honesty could wreck the campaign.

Of course, Sullivan's kidding here. They'd never put Ashcroft up on the dais. The man's become so grim and determined for the last three years that he'd scare the shit out of the entire convention, to say nothing of the television audience.

And we know that's not what the GOP convention goers will want. They want to have some Good, Old-fashioned Fun!

Gattigap

[sgtclub]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3846525.stm

[pics of 12 week old baby in utero - new technology]

[Gattigap]

I don't know about you guys, but Not Me's bottom-line argument about the perils of same-sex marriage -- the drain on federal coffers -- was keeping me up nights. Like most Republicans, I'd awaken drenched in a cold sweat with the fear that our God-given federal tax dollars were spiraling down the drain to the, um, people who earned them. Or something like that.

Anyhoo, thank goodness that the CBO has looked into this. Turns out that even with nationwide gay marriage, the impact on federal income would be "by less than $50 million a year in either direction through 2009 and reduce them by about $100 million to $200 million annually from 2010 through 2014."

Hey, that's about the cost of one days of payments to Halliburton! I'm so relieved.

Gattigap

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
What's more fun is all the Dem Mayors are really really mad at JFK for this. Detroit's Mayor was quoted as being "really angry" because he wanted to know just what JFK was going to do for the cities.

Not being able to stand up to an unofficial strike because of fear of Union's reacting negatively- that doesn't bode well for dealing with the challenges of this world- unless he ends up keeping his present job- part time senator.

It could also be read as a rebuke to Boston's Mayor for letting this impasse progress for two years since the last time these folks, who can't strike, had a contract. But I only know what I read in the paper today, so maybe I'm talking out of my ass yet again.

Either way, after all the unfunded mandates that the current admin has laid down on cities and local governments I think the Detroit mayor's comments may be a little bit of prenegotiating with the next admin.

btw, what do you think of Detroit's mayor? I saw him on the Maher show awhile back (I'm guessing you didn't tune in to that particular program) and thought he was pretty well spoken. He wasn't the toe-the-line liberal mayor I thought he'd be, either.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski

Not being able to stand up to an unofficial strike because of fear of Union's reacting negatively

That's the greatest part of the absurdity. AFAIK, 1.) Not a union, 2.) couldn't strike if they wanted to, 3.) couldn't honor someone else's picket line if they wanted to, and 4.) they've already threatened to picket the convention. I can't wait to see this asshole backtrack if someone bothers to ask whether he'll honor picket lines at the convention.

OTOH, I think I'm sitting out this election now.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Gattigap
I don't know about you guys, but Not Me's bottom-line argument about the perils of same-sex marriage -- the drain on federal coffers -- was keeping me up nights. Like most Republicans, I'd awaken drenched in a cold sweat with the fear that our God-given federal tax dollars were spiraling down the drain to the, um, people who earned them. Or something like that.

Anyhoo, thank goodness that the CBO has looked into this. Turns out that even with nationwide gay marriage, the impact on federal income would be "by less than $50 million a year in either direction through 2009 and reduce them by about $100 million to $200 million annually from 2010 through 2014."

Hey, that's about the cost of one days of payments to Halliburton! I'm so relieved.

Gattigap

That they even looked into this is ridiculous. Did the CBO look into the effect recognizing blacks as full citizens would have on the budget? Morons.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by sgtclub
That they even looked into this is ridiculous. Did the CBO look into the effect recognizing blacks as full citizens would have on the budget? Morons.

No argument on the last statement, but remember that the CBO largely goes and does what they're told.

And in this case, as you might've seen in the previous link, this guy told them to.

I'm assuming that he was disappointed in the results.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Turns out that even with nationwide gay marriage, the impact on federal income would be "by less than $50 million a year in either direction through 2009 and reduce them by about $100 million to $200 million annually from 2010 through 2014."

Hey, that's about the cost of one days of payments to Halliburton! I'm so relieved.

Are you kidding? 43 is so gangsta, he'll probably brag at the GOP convention about how he figured out a way to make the gays pay for today's Halliburton bill.

If there were a special tax rate for metrosexuals in committed relationships, Slave would be in Alberta wit' a quickness.

[andViolins]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
That's the greatest part of the absurdity. AFAIK, 1.) Not a union, 2.) couldn't strike if they wanted to, 3.) couldn't honor someone else's picket line if they wanted to, and 4.) they've already threatened to picket the convention. I can't wait to see this asshole backtrack if someone bothers to ask whether he'll honor picket lines at the convention.

OTOH, I think I'm sitting out this election now.

Um, Hello? Mass., like most other states that I know of, DOES allow police officers to form unions. (see, I think, Mass. G.L. c.150E). Public employees in Mass do not have the ability to strike. They do, however, have the ability to go out and have themselves a good old informational picket. That is what they are doing here. A strike is not the same as informational picket, and this picket does not violate Mass law.

Crossing an informational picket line is really not the same as crossing a picket line put up during a strike.

aV

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
If there were a special tax rate for metrosexuals in committed relationships, Slave would be in Alberta wit' a quickness.

True dat, tho' the mink comment was probably sufficient to cause a suspension of metrosexual status (unless, of course, the mink was to be for him.)

Then again, the recent installments of Slave Shoe Diaries are probably triggering a reclassification anyway.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Gattigap
No argument on the last statement, but remember that the CBO largely goes and does what they're told.

And in this case, as you might've seen in the previous link, this guy told them to.

I'm assuming that he was disappointed in the results.

Gatti, this guy is so not looking for any particular answers. He just wants the facts.

Look, here's the first question from his constituent survey:

"How would you vote on legislation that effectively eliminates the
Internal Revenue Code and declares that any new federal tax system must apply a low rate to all Americans, provide tax relief for working Americans, protect the rights of taxpayers and reduce tax collection abuses, eliminate the bias against savings and investment, promote job growth and job creation, and not penalize marriage or families? Yea Nay Undecided"

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Gattigap


And in this case, as you might've seen in the previous link, this guy told them to.

I'm assuming that he was disappointed in the results.

Yes, and what's remarkable is that they reached those results despite the requester. Usually CBO comes out with the desired answer not the "uh, not really" answer.

[SlaveNoMore]

Gattigap
The latter, I think, although I'll grant you that in order to get even that far, I needed two readings, coupled with small words and visual aids.

In that case, can you please add some more charts and graphs? And a map.