Links (most recent first) that caught my eye, but did not warrant full-blown blog entries ….
- Afflicting the afflicted – “Every time anyone says they want to ‘tighten eligibility’ for any social welfare program, what they mean in practice is that people who really need help will be more stressed, more humiliated, and in more pain than they already are. But I guess the time, effort, suffering and spoons of people who need help don’t count as ‘program costs’, so increasing them counts as a win.” And then many of these people will turn around and claim it’s the “Christian” thing to do.
- The old enhanced pat-down – Institutions dedicated to security, and those who run them, are only ever incented to increase security. There’s only disincentive to decreasing it. Couple that with a political system that is not functionally, but emotionally (through fear of the voters) dedicated to the same thing, and you have the makings for a security state. Unless people refuse to put up with it.
- None dare call it sabotage – “Maybe now would be a good time to pause and ask a straightforward question: are Americans O.K. with this?” Sure! Because they’re protecting us from the Muslims! And the Gays! And that scary ultra-liberal Marxist Islamic radical in the White House! Who can’t fix all our problems, so, see, it must be his fault!
- GOP floats TSA privatization – This article sums up all the concerns (and ridicule) I have for this idea: it’s a scam to line the pockets of politicians, and the resulting rent-a-guards will be not only able (and required) to pull the same bullshit, but will be protected by their sweetheart long-term contracts from suffering any results of their incompetency. If a TSA agent causes problems, I can go to DHS, I can go to my Congressman. Who do I go to when “Blackwater Airport Security Inc.” does something outrageous?
- Bryan Fischer really IS a Dolt… – Look! It’s gone viral! (Heh.)
- I Am The WiMax and I Speak for the Trees – Yeah, silliness is everywhere.
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