Club Baby Seal

When asks what regulations they'd like to see removed, the National Association of Manufacturers responded with "regulations aimed at enhancing worker health, improving toxin standards, mitigating climate pollution and preventing another crisis on Wall Street." Why not ask for the removal of anti-puppy blood drinking regulations while you're at it? It couldn't make you look any worse. Meanwhile the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers also want regulations removed requiring them to raise fuel efficiency standards to 60 mpg by 2025, something VW and other car companies have already accomplished. Have fun trying to sell your 20 mpg SUV ten years from now when every foreign car gets 3 times that minimum. It seems that many American companies would rather pull in a few more bucks in the immediate term than make themselves more competitive in the long term by investing not only in new, more efficient and safer technologies, but in their workforce as well. The shortsightedness is amazing.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/major-trade-assn-asks-issa-to-curb-toxin-safety-financial-reform-regulations.php?ref=fpb

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704803604576078020305484178.html

Boot Strappy-ness

Nathan Deal has said that the state of Georgia needs to turn towards "self-reliance," in order to get out of this recession. Forgive me if I don't take a man who talks about "self-reliance" seriously who was on the verge of being indicted on corruption charges stemming from him using his office to toss money towards a family business. and then ducked those charges by resigning and becoming governor here.

http://www.wsbtv.com/politics/26423800/detail.html

Stewart Says it All

Once again, it seems that the best person to eloquently and rationally sum up what we are facing as a country after the tragedy of this weekend is a comedian on a cable news network. If more people in charge of running our government had the insight and the rationality that Stewart has, we would be a far better place for it.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-10-2011/arizona-shootings-reaction

Hate the mandate?

You can't opt out of health care. We all consume, all generate costs, and all want to pay as little as possible. But those with no insurance at all are merely shifting the costs to the rest of us. By having them pay their fair share we are accomplishing what Republicans have always said they want to do—make free-riding impossible. So why are Republicans so against the idea?

http://www.slate.com/id/2280686/