Monday, December 31, 2012
Starve the beast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Starve the beast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Starving the beast" is a political strategy employed by American conservatives in order to limit government spending[1][2][3] by cutting taxes in order to deprive the government of revenue in a deliberate effort to force the federal government to reduce spending. The short and medium term effect of the strategy has increased United States public debt rather than reduce spending.
The term "the beast" in this context refers to the American government and the programs it funds, particularly social programs[4] such as welfare, Social Security, and Medicare[3]; and does not usually refer to spending on military, law enforcement or prisons.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
What He Gets For Serving You
Legislators' salary
Missouri state legislators make $35,915 per year.[6] Legislators also receive a per diem of $104.20 per day plus mileage tied to federal rate.[7]
Read more: http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Missouri_state_government_salary#ixzz2G0Mvd8ok
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Life on the Other Side of the Wall: An Open Letter to the Media
Life on the Other Side of the Wall: An Open Letter to the Media
What is being left out of the conversation is that those were Asperger’s, and other autism spectrum disorders, are far more likely to be a victim of a crime than the one committing it. And often times the person on the spectrum will not speak up about it because of communication issues.
What is also being left out of the conversation is perhaps the most important line about the autism spectrum and that is, “If you’ve met one person with autism you’ve only met one person with autism.” It is dangerous and irresponsible to generalize autism like I have heard in the past few days. Each person on the autism spectrum can be radically unique to the next. Myself, I’m a public speaker and yet the next person you meet with Asperger’s may have a difficult time engaging in a one-on-one conversation. I heard one speaker on the news say that ALL people with Asperger’s are great in math. This too is untrue, some can be, and may be amazingly good at it, but others may be more of an abstract thinker and be good in the areas of music and art.
An Open Letter to the Media
“Asperger Syndrome”— That’s what I saw on the news headline in bright, bold red letters on Friday. If I didn’t already know what it was because I have it I probably would have been afraid of it. In the article that followed the autism spectrum wasn’t properly explained and to the uninformed, the only thing to gather was that all things autism were dangerous.
What is being left out of the conversation is that those were Asperger’s, and other autism spectrum disorders, are far more likely to be a victim of a crime than the one committing it. And often times the person on the spectrum will not speak up about it because of communication issues.
What is also being left out of the conversation is perhaps the most important line about the autism spectrum and that is, “If you’ve met one person with autism you’ve only met one person with autism.” It is dangerous and irresponsible to generalize autism like I have heard in the past few days. Each person on the autism spectrum can be radically unique to the next. Myself, I’m a public speaker and yet the next person you meet with Asperger’s may have a difficult time engaging in a one-on-one conversation. I heard one speaker on the news say that ALL people with Asperger’s are great in math. This too is untrue, some can be, and may be amazingly good at it, but others may be more of an abstract thinker and be good in the areas of music and art.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Mo. House passes minimum wage restriction
Mo. House passes minimum wage restriction
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/mo-house-passes-minimum-wage-restriction
House Democrats argued that a higher minimum wage would stimulate spending and improve the economy. But State Representative Jeff Grisamore (R, Lee’s Summit) says capping the state minimum wage will help small businesses survive.
“The small business owner in Missouri that accounts for about 95 percent of the business activity in our state simply cannot sustain these unlimited increases and keep their doors open," Grisamore said.
Missouri legislators respect the voters. Unless they don't. Read more here: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/missouri-legislators-respect-voters-unless-they-dont/#storylink=cpy
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/missouri-legislators-respect-voters-unless-they-dont/
Missouri legislators respect the voters. Unless they don't.
Barb Shelly
In the eyes of Missouri Republicans, the voters are always right.
Except when they’re wrong.
Republicans have been leaning on Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster to get Missouri involved in the lawsuit contesting the mandatory insurance provision of the Affordable Care Act. The voters demand it, they say. And, indeed, Missouri voters affirmed a resolution last summer saying they didn’t want to participate in that aspect of health care reform.
But the voters also said in November that they approved of humane regulations to be followed by dog breeders. Things like not forcing dogs to breed too frequently, requiring adequate food and exercise and clean water, and preventing breeders from stacking cages to the wastes of one dog don’t filter down to the one below.
According to Republican lawmakers, voters were duped by the Humane Society of the United States and other far-out animal rights groups and they, the all-knowing legislators, must undo the damage. Bills to drastically amend Proposition B have passed out of House and Senate committees.
Hypocracy? Not at all, the legislators will say. After all, 71 percent of the voters approved the “Heathcare Freedom Act” last summer, while the puppy mill protections garnered only 52 percent of the vote.
But wait! Republicans also want to drastically altar a 2006 initiative that raised Missouri’s minimum wage and ordered annual adjustments based on the cost of living. That became law after passage by — wait for this — 76 percent of the voters. More than the health care resolution.
And lest we forget (though it’s not likely) lawmakers of both parties ended up making Missouri a concealed carry state, even though the majority of voters had rejected a ballot initiative to legalize concealed handguns.
The best way to sum this up is that voters are right as long as the majority of lawmakers agree with them. If they disagree, that means voters were misinformed, or something. Which kind of makes me wonder if the legislators aren’t somewhat misinformed about their role in the whole scheme of things.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Which Congressman Is Blocking Bill That Would Protect Kids with Autism? - ABC News
Which Congressman Is Blocking Bill That Would Protect Kids with Autism? - ABC News
"Chairman Kline believes state officials and school leaders are best equipped to determine appropriate policies that should be in place to protect students and to hold those who violate those policies accountable," said Alexandra Haynes Sollberger, the communications director for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. "For this reason, the committee has not scheduled any action on seclusion and restraint legislation at this time."
"Chairman Kline believes state officials and school leaders are best equipped to determine appropriate policies that should be in place to protect students and to hold those who violate those policies accountable," said Alexandra Haynes Sollberger, the communications director for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. "For this reason, the committee has not scheduled any action on seclusion and restraint legislation at this time."
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Asperger’s gone, dyslexia stays in first change to psychiatric manual in almost 20 years - The Washington Post
Asperger’s gone, dyslexia stays in first change to psychiatric manual in almost 20 years - The Washington Post
One reason for the change is that some states and school systems don’t provide services for children and adults with Asperger’s, or provide fewer services than those given an autism diagnosis, she said.
One reason for the change is that some states and school systems don’t provide services for children and adults with Asperger’s, or provide fewer services than those given an autism diagnosis, she said.
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