Common Sense with Paul Jacob

Voters with Zombie Power

Americans overwhelmingly support term limits for Congress. Nonetheless, last week, three-fourths of the U.S. Senate said, “Hell no, [they] won’t go.”

By a 75 to 24 vote, Senators defeated an amendment introduced by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to express support for a constitutional amendment limiting congressional tenure as a “sense of the Senate.”

Term limits killed again — but with zombies currently all the rage, could the issue reach back from the grave for revenge . . . hungry for incumbent flesh?

Yes.

Senate races in Indiana, Missouri and Montana feature incumbents in very tight re-election contests who voted against the term limits the citizens of their states enthusiastically endorse.

Sen. Claire McCaskill’s campaign is reeling from scandal — her office billed taxpayers $76,000 for 89 chartered flights on a plane she co-owned. If profiting from expensive jet-setting on the taxpayers’ tab isn’t enough to defeat her, the Senator’s vote against term limits just might do the trick.

In Montana, Sen. Jon Tester claims to be a populist, but voted to allow incumbents to stay in office just as long as they live. What will Montana voters think about that . . . if they were to find out?

In a competitive GOP primary in Indiana between 36-year incumbent Sen. Dick Lugar, the third longest-serving senator, and State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, Lugar’s vote against term limits may be Exhibit A to show that he is an out-of-touch career politician — a part of the problem, not the solution.

Given a choice, voters favor candidates who favor term limits, who understand that power must come with limits.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Tags Claire McCaskill, Dick Lugar, Jim DeMint, Jon Tester

Thought

Roger Williams

“Enforced uniformity confounds civil and religious liberty and denies the principles of Christianity and civility. No man shall be required to worship or maintain a worship against his will.”

Today

Roger Williams arrives, SC adopts Articles, MacArthur returns, Bomb lost

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 5, 2012
No Comments on Roger Williams arrives, SC adopts Articles, MacArthur returns, Bomb lost

On Feb. 5, 1631, Roger Williams immigrated to America, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts. Williams went on to establish the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities, start the first Baptist church in America, and advocate for fair dealings with Native Americans.

On Feb. 5, 1778, South Carolina became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

On Feb. 5, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur returned to Manila. He had said he would.

On Feb. 5, 1958, a hydrogen bomb known as the Tybee Bomb was lost by the US Air Force off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, never to be recovered.

too much government video

Video: Why Obama Ditched Deficit Reduction

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 4, 2012
No Comments on Video: Why Obama Ditched Deficit Reduction

The biggest issue of our time, swept under the rug:

Tags barack obama, Erskine Bowles

Today

Washington elected, France abolishes slavery, Rosa Parks born

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 4, 2012
No Comments on Washington elected, France abolishes slavery, Rosa Parks born

On Feb. 4, 1789, George Washington, the commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, was unanimously elected the first president of the United States by all 69 presidential electors who cast their votes. John Adams of Massachusetts, who received 34 votes, was elected vice president. The electors, who represented 10 of the 11 states that had ratified the U.S. Constitution, were chosen by popular vote, legislative appointment, or a combination of both, four weeks before the election. On Feb. 4, 1792, Washington was unanimously elected to a second term, becoming the only president unanimously chosen by the Electoral College.

On Feb. 4, 1794, the French legislature abolished slavery throughout all territories of the French Republic.

On Feb. 4, 1913, Rosa Parks was born in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1955, Parks would spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. She was named “the first lady of civil rights,” by the U.S. Congress.

Thought

George Washington, Farewell Address 1796

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 4, 2012
No Comments on George Washington, Farewell Address 1796

“. . . cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible…avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt….it is essential that you…bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not…inconvenient and unpleasant…”

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world . . .”

“. . . avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which, under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty.”

crime and punishment

They Shoot Deer, Don’t They?

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 3, 2012
4 Comments on They Shoot Deer, Don’t They?

Eight dead sea lions — a water mammal belonging to the taxonomical grouping called pinnipeds, but known to most as “big seals” — were found washed ashore with bullet holes in their carcasses.

Sad. Sea lions are interesting if not exactly beautiful mammals.

The sentimentalist in me shudders at any such death. But, as I sit back eating a hamburger, I can’t say I am against killing non-human animals. Perhaps we should save our shudders for the wasteful nature of the slaughter: No meat, blubber, or hide was used. Seal of Approval

The news report I read warily mentions how fishermen view sea lions — as competition. The report doesn’t mention the sea lions’ protected status: You can get into big trouble shooting a sea lion in most places.

And yet, from reports I’ve heard (and occasionally read: this is an unpopular topic for journalists to cover), these carnivorous mammals are indeed quite a problem for west coast fisheries. Oft told are tales of removing sea lions from Columbia River dams’ fish ladders, where they gorge themselves, and shipping them off to the ocean — only to have them reappear at the dams lickety-split.

An alternative to such heroic and expensive protection and removal schemes would be to manage sea lion populations with planned hunting seasons. River fish are increasingly scarce, so leaving pinniped populations unmanaged will further upset ecosystem balance.

Besides, with sea lion hunts, we would see less poaching.

After all, hunters shoot deer, don’t they? And deer are a lot prettier than sea lions.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Tags fisheries, hunting, poaching, sea lions, wildlife

Thought

Thomas Jefferson

“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg.”

Today

Edict of Milan, US captures Marshall Islands

Post author By Redactor
Post date February 3, 2012
No Comments on Edict of Milan, US captures Marshall Islands

On Feb. 3, 313, Constantine the Great and co-emperor Valerius Licinius met in Milan and signed a letter proclaiming a policy of religious freedom, known as the Edict of Milan, officially ending the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Constantine ruled the western parts of the empire and actively promoted Christianity. Licinius ruled the eastern parts of the empire and, though a pagan, was accepting a policy of toleration toward Christianity.

On Feb. 3, 1944, U.S. troops captured the Marshall Islands, occupied by the Japanese since 1914 and used as a base for military operations. The loss of live was relatively small, with 400 Americans killed in the assault by 53,000 soldiers.

Thought