Gays and Smoking

Carol Schwartz, the lone Republican on the DC Council now that the GOP has ousted David Catania for daring to critize Bush, has been an ardent opponent of the bar and restaurant smoking ban. Even though this ban has proven popular in many US locations and in Europe, and has had a positive economic impact, Ms. Schwartz insists on being the mouthpiece of big tobacco. Her most outrageous outburst was criticizing gays for backing the ban.

The latest survey in the Advocate shows that gays are tired of smoke ruining their bars, the traditional meeting place in the gay community.

"The survey, called “LGBT Bars and Smoking Study,” shows that 86% of gay bar and restaurant owners say they've received complaints from patrons about too much smokiness. More than half of the business owners say their employees have complained about too much cigarette smoke. About 16% of bar and restaurant owners or managers reported having health conditions that are exacerbated by exposure to tobacco smoke, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, emphysema, and HIV, according to the survey." Smoking Survey

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is tired of stinking clothes, clogged sinuses and aggravated lung problems like asthma because I don't want to sit at home on a weekend night. Gays are not only forced to deal with smoke in their social outlets, but many gays find gay bars as a place of employment when they face discrimination elsewhere. Should lung cancer be a normal accepted risk for having a gay workplace?

To be fair, I have campaigned for Ms. Schwartz in the past and voted for her numerous times. She has contributed a lot to DC and would have made fine mayor. It is a pity that she is alienating her base by entrenching herself the wrong side of the argument on this one.

Congress Saves Christmas

Congressman John Dingell (D-MI)
Read Monday, December 19, 2005 in the US House of Representatives:

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the House,
no bills were passed 'bout which Fox News could grouse.
Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer,
so vacations in St. Barts soon should be near.
Katrina kids were all nestled snug in motel beds,
while visions of school and home danced in their heads.
In Iraq, our soldiers need supplies and a plan,
and nuclear weapons are being built in Iran.
Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell.
Americans feared we were in a fast track to ... well.
Wait, we need a distraction, something divisive and wily,
a fabrication straight from the mouth of O'Reilly.
We will pretend Christmas is under attack,
hold a vote to save it, then pat ourselves on the back.
Silent Night, First Noel, Away in the Manger,
Wake up Congress, they're in no danger.
This time of year, we see Christmas everywhere we go,
From churches to homes to schools and, yes, even Costco.
What we have is an attempt to divide and destroy
when this is the season to unite us with joy.
At Christmastime, we're taught to unite.
We don't need a made-up reason to fight.
So on O'Reilly, on Hannity, on Coulter and those right-wing blogs.
You should sit back and relax, have a few egg nogs.
'Tis the holiday season; enjoy it a pinch.
With all our real problems, do we really need another Grinch?
So to my friends and my colleagues, I say with delight,
a Merry Christmas to all, and to Bill O'Reilly, happy holidays.
Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

Here is a major problem with theocracries. I've heard of people speaking for God before, but this satirical portrait of Cheney takes the cake.

Cheney Plays God

Name the System!

Here is a little scene from one of my favorite movies, that shows why torture is an ineffectual way of extracting intelligence. I'm sure this scene needs no introduction:

Princess Leia: But Alderaan is peaceful! We have no weapons, you can't possibly...
Governor Tarkin: [impatiently] Would you prefer another target, a military target? Then name the system! I grow tired of asking this so it'll be the last time: Where is the rebel base?
Princess Leia: ...Dantooine. They're on Dantooine.
Governor Tarkin: There. See, Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. Continue with the operation; you may fire when ready.
Princess Leia: WHAT?
Governor Tarkin: You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration - but don't worry; we'll deal with your rebel friends soon enough.

Under duress, Leia seemingly caves. Of course, to demonstrate the perfididy of the Empire, Tarkin breaks his promise and destroys her home planet. Tarkin, however, discovers that Leia is not such a fool.

Officer Cass: Our scout ships have reached Dantooine. They found the remains of a Rebel base, but they estimate that it has been deserted for some time. They are now conducting an extensive search of the surrounding systems.
Governor Tarkin: [refering to Leia] She lied. She lied to us.
Darth Vader: I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion.
Governor Tarkin: Terminate her. Immediately.

This fictional account is exactly what got the US involved in Iraq. We torture people, they give us whatever information we ask to make the torture stop. Later on, after we have committed ourselves to a failing war, do we find they their information was either outdated or an outright lie.

If George Lucas can predict how futile (and not to mention immoral) torture is as a device of "informational retrieval" (nods to Terry Gilliam's Brazil), why can't someone who is supposed to be as smart as Condie Rice see it?

Wreckless Endangerment

American taxpayers should sue the GOP for wreckless endangerment and fiscal mismanagement. The type of budget planning that this Harvard MBA has provided for this country would land a corporate CEO in prison. Even given the CBOs unrealistic expectations about future policies, such as the sunsetting tax code, no outlays for Iraq, restricted Defense growth and no more Katrinas, the budget deficits grow fatter faster than McDonald's customers. The interest alone will destroy the economic dynamo of the US economy.

Unless fiscal conservatives, like Bill Clinton, are put back in office, the US is rapidly heading towards the economic status of Argentina.

I'm not a big fan of the Heritage Foundation, but their analysis of this is dead on, and more frightening than having Karl Rove over for dinner.

Budget Deficit Projections