January 19, 2006

Kelo -vs- Church in Oklahoma

In the original SimCity game, this type of post-Kelo action would be trouble. Every hardcore SimCity player knew that bulldozing a church to redevelop the land it sat on would result in an earthquake. Now, in Oklahoma, a political earthquake may be coming. The Anchoress tells a story of how churches, homes, and businesses are going to be bulldozed to make room for a new "Super Center" of stores, including a Home Depot.

The Kelo decision of the US Supreme Court wasn't where this started. It was around before. The Supremes just turned the gravel road of tax-based seizures into a superhighway. Let's home someone cleans this mess up in my lifetime.

Posted by Lockjaw at 9:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 22, 2005

Fixing the Filibuster

There has been a lot of talk back and forth about the filibuster rule in the US Senate. Some see the filibuster as a glorious institution which must be protected, while others see it as an annoyance. I fall into the latter category, regardless of the party exercising the power. The word itself has its roots from the spanish word "filibustero," which refers to bands of adventurers that traveled in the New World stirring up revelutions.

Legislatively, filibusters were seen in the 19th century as major annoyances, as a single person would take the floor of the Senata and speak, refusing the yield the floor to anyone else. As long as this person spoke, no other business could take place. It stayed this way until 1917, when the rules were changed to allow 2/3 of the Senate to stop the debate. In 1975, the Senate once again changed the rules to reduce the requirements to stop debate further to 2/5 of the Senate, or 60 members.

These days, the rules don't even require a single member of the Senate to get up and speak in order to prevent business from continuing. The hallowed institution of the filibuster has been changed so completely from its historical form that the minority party now need only declare that they intend to filibuster to start one, and other business of the Senate can then continue in the meantime.

I propose a real fix for the filibuster. It is a very simple fix. All that need occur is for the Senate to change the rules and once again require that a single Senator hold the floor in debate, preventing further Senate business, until a 3/5 vote of the Senate can be passed to force a stop to the debate. It makes much more sense, returns the Senate to proper operation much quicker, and forces one Senator to stand up for his beliefs. In the current situation, it gives both the Republicans and the Democrats what they say they want. Republicans want action on the President's nominees, which they would get in a matter of days. Democrats would keep the institution of the filibuster around in a way that MORE closely mirrors history than it does now.

With that done, the Democrats could be back where they've been before, using the filibuster to try to stop equal rights for black people.

Posted by Lockjaw at 2:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

First Red Light Cameras, and Now This?

Doug Petch points out this news story about a new form of camera enforcement in Arlington, Virginia.

"Arlington, Virginia has taken the next step in automated camera enforcement. Next month, it will expand its use of "BootFinder," a camera device that scans license plates of parked cars and compares it against a database of unpaid fines. If the car's owner is listed as delinquent, the car can be towed -- and if the owner doesn't pay within 10 days the car is auctioned."

So, if you have unpaid car taxes, property taxes, park fees or overdue library books in Arlington, Virginia, you might want to watch out.

Posted by Lockjaw at 1:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

30 Year Old Watergate Mystery To Be Revealed Soon

There has been much speculation on the identity of the pseudonymed source used by Woodward and Bernstein in their Watergate expose that helped to take down President Richard M. Nixon. For approximately 30 years, different names and theories have been put forth by researchers, writers, conspiracy theorists and such. In the last couple days, I've even heard a theory that former President George H. W. Bush was the anonymous leaker.

According to this story from the New York Daily News, the revelation may be forthcoming. Woodward and Bernstein have said that they would reveal the source's identity after his death, and not before. John Dean, a major Watergate scandal figure, says that the "Deep Throat" figure is very ill. According to Dean, this person is on his death bed and his obituary has already been written.

I may have to take part in the "Deep Throat" deathwatch by drinking out of my Watergate Hotel coffee cup. Where did I put that thing...

Posted by Lockjaw at 1:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack