Telling you how it is.

So Newt Gingrich made some comments that poor kids should work as janitors after school because they don't have working role models. If you listen to what he said, it's not crazy. Look, it's probably not a good idea because there's too many problems with it and it's impracticable as a large scale program. But it's not totally crazy, like, for instance, accusing Bernanke of treason for pursuing a policy of quantitative easing.

So the NPR rebuttal was some poverty expert complaining that Gingrich is wrong and mean-spirited. It's not true that poor kids' parents don't work. Lots of their parents work multiple jobs. (Obviously it's important how you define "poor kids.") Here's where it gets good. Even in public housing projects, we're told, 50% of the non-elderly and non-disabled work. So it's simply not fair to say poor kids don't have working role models.

Hang on...the "non-disabled," huh? So cashing disability checks and watching TV all day shouldn't be considered setting a non-working example for the kiddos? Or am I to believe those people really are disabled, and are physically unable to work? Which one, NPR?

Memo to Gingrich: Obama not giving up on gay & lesbian votes easily.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is announcing a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality.

In a memorandum issued Tuesday, President Barack Obama directed U.S. agencies working abroad, including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to use foreign aid to assist gays and lesbians who are facing human rights violations. And he ordered U.S. agencies to protect vulnerable gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers.

Open Letter to the Patriots.

Dear Patriots railing aginst job-killing regulations and red tape from the bureaucrats in Washington,

Please identify some of these regulations you'd abolish. I think we'd agree some regulations are good. For instance, there are regulations against child labor and dumping radioactive sludge into rivers. These regulations probably kill some jobs, but maybe they're a net positive. On the other hand, there may well be regulations that are bad. What are the bad regulations you'd like to see eliminated? We're certainly open to the idea we might benefit by trashing costly, net-negative regulations. Just give us a few examples so we'll know where you're coming from. Thanks.

Regards,
luridtransom