THE GUN CONTROL CONVERSATION IN THIS COUNTRY couldn't be more disingenuous. The president has been using the families of Newtown to lobby congress, and for what? Universal background checks? What does that have to do with the tragedy these families experienced back in December?
The same question holds for the latest package of nine bills submitted this week on Smith Hill. You have to really work hard to draw a line between what has been proposed and what relates to Newtown.
They all want to say the laws are Newtown inspired. Well, if that were true, they would be at least be putting up a proposal to provide armed security in all of our schools. Lets debate that. Because it’s the closest thing to a real response to a school shooting.
PRESIDENT OBAMA PUSHES FOR THE INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE in his budget address this week. He is leading this mythical argument about working families who deserve something close to the American dream simply for punching a clock, any clock, for 40 hours. The agenda is simply more dependence on government…and it is working. Too many Americans now just want the idea of help from political leadership even if you lie to them.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO WANTS TO INCREASE THE CIGARETTE TAX BY ALMOST DOUBLE. He says it will pay for preschool for poor and middle income families. First, there is no such dedicated revenue stream. But what's incredible is the complete and now random assault on smokers. Take the proposed near 2 bucks from the Feds and the $3.46 from the state and a pack of cigarettes a day makes a monthly car payment. And there is no fight left in the smoker constituency. Have you ever seen a beat down like it?
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN ONE FIRE DISTRICT should be watched by the entire state. If more citizens did what they did in Central Coventry’s fire district, the entire archaic system of runaway local fiefdoms could come tumbling down. Don't be fooled by a temporary measure form the Coventry town council to lend up to $300 grand to bridge a gap. If the people say no to a fire budget, the district is doomed. So, if everyone did, the system is doomed too.
SEQUESTER KILLS THE AIR SHOW. A June weekend so enjoyed by so many falls victim to the budget axe. This is just the beginning of many cuts coming to the public light. In months, the pressure will be huge in Washington for a better solution.
THE DOW KEEPS CLIMBING…and your 401k is fully recovered from 2008 and then some. Good thing. Take a look at the interest you make on cash in the bank. Your pillow is now competitive on interest rates.
SO PC is now paying its basketball coach close to a couple million a year. I think the consensus is that Ed Cooley is a cool higher. But cripes, it used to be that past performance dictated big raises. Not to many fields in the real world where that kind of raise is on the come.
PAWSOX OPEN UP and the bonus is Big Papi in the lineup. Worth braving the April chill to see that.
I didn't have Lousiville. But I was out of the bracket long before that.
Have a great weekend.
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