Scott Adcox

Doing More With Less Since 1972

Tag: congress

I’m reading– January 12th through January 17th

January 17, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Portraits of Financial Normalcy – Some financial personality categories from @daveramsey.

Eight Crazy Constitutional Scenarios – HT @kleinheider. This reminds me of those crazy scenarios that can turn up in baseball. In baseball, they seem to actually turn up eventually too.

BMI(wife) < BMI(husband) Means a Happier Marriage – Good news for me. Barring an amputation, no danger of this changing any time soon.

Elected Official Constitutional Knowledge: Disgraceful – HT @russm. Maybe they should not only read the Constitution at the beginning of each legislative session, but also explain it as well.

Record Foreclosures in 2011? – The bright side–these properties (at least the ones I've seen) all need a lot of work. When (if) they make their way back to the market, lots of money is going to be spent to get them habitable again. Even stuff like neglected landscaping that needs to be re-done means jobs for somebody.

Hope Is Not A Strategy (Training) – I like Amanda's approach personally. Stick to the schedule, and don't be a slave to the schedule.

The 5 states where housing will recover first – At least we can be warm in Florida while we wait.

Should I work for free? – Heh

Mexican Standoff In Congress?

November 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

There’s a possibility we could be looking at two years scripted by Quentin Tarantino. Maybe the standard finger pointing that we’re used to seeing is about to be replaced by something far more complicated.

Democrats have lost a lot of their Blue Dog numbers. I’ve actually read some people spinning this as the people in their districts were frustrated that they weren’t taking a “progressive enough” stance. If you really believe that, go pop some popcorn and enjoy what’s about to happen amongst Democrats as their leadership tries to pull them even further to the left. That would be disastrous for the Left and good for the country, so I’m not going to discourage it at all.

And, unless they get co-opted by the “Trent-Lott-Carl-Rove” Republicans, we’re probably going to see some infighting on that side of the aisle too. Again, probably bad for Republicans, but good for the country. Marco Rubio’s speech was dead on–last night wasn’t an embrace of the Republican Party, just a second chance.

If things don’t change, we could *gulp* be looking at a serious third party next time around. And if the establishment Democrats and Republicans aren’t careful, they may actually be that third party–on the outside looking in.

I’m generally happiest with a federal government that’s not doing much of anything. The less they try to create jobs (that’s a function of government?), bail people out, spend our money on our behalf, impose morality (love the irony), prop up favored industries, etc. the better off we all are. This usually happens when we are lucky enough to have opposing parties in the executive and legislative branches. Maybe now we’ll have so much debate of ideas going on that only the really good ones that have been properly vetted can float to the top.

“Yolanda, it’s cool baby. It’s cool! We’re still just talkin’. Come on point the gun at me. Point the gun at me.”

Stuff You Should See– August 26th through September 3rd

September 3, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Higher Ed Bubble Dwarfs Housing Bubble – There's an even bigger bubble in the amount actually learned. Not casting stones or anything, just sayin'.

Provide 30,000 rugby balls to youth&high school players – A Ball for All!

Does Stretching Before Running Prevent Injuries? – Short answer–no. The only thing I stretch is my running clothes.

Inspiration and Chai – "Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

How the Commerce Clause Made Congress All-Powerful – Must watch

The U.S. Postal Service Is Dying. Why Not Radically Rebrand It? – Actually makes more sense than doing stuff like sponsoring a cycling team in a largely international event.

Agile Software and Agile Legislation

March 4, 2010 / / 2 Comments

Neville’s latest, What if Congress Adopted the Agile Manifesto, is truly great.

You can read the whole post at the jump, but here’s my favorite part:

10) Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.
…I think Congress skipped this step. Oh well, it was the only “essential” step.

I’ve long been an advocate of Congress getting as little “work done” as possible. Congress working means us either paying higher taxes or losing liberties–often times both. If you ever hear your Congressman bragging about how many pieces of legislation he’s had passed, vote that guy out as quickly as possible.

Oh, and if you aren’t familiar with the Agile Manifesto principles for software development, well…why are you still reading this? Click the link.

Delicious Link Dump– November 5th through November 9th

November 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

We Need Your Help Finding The Savings – I think I caught the gist of the bill in the first few words where it says, "and for other purposes".

That’s a cannon of a pistol | No Silence Here | knoxnews.com – The ever-accurate media.

android-scripting – I can't wait until I have some time. And my device gets upgraded to Android 2.0

The woman who stopped a mass murderer – Here here.

WordCamp Orlando 12.05.09 – I plan to attend this…unless there's a rugby coaching clinic that weekend. Please tell me there isn't a rugby coaching clinic that weekend. Please, just tell me SOMETHING about the coaching clinic schedule. Please.

Galco’s Soda Pop Stop – So cool. I saw a video on the owner linked from Seth Godin. I love to see people doing stuff like this. There's a guy right down the street with a little business called Mailman Joey's who sells specialty sodas as well. How's this for a rule for your kids–you can only have soda that comes in a glass bottle and is made with real cane sugar. That's my new rule for me anyway.

Sen. Burris Cites Unwritten Constitutional ‘Health’ Provision to Justify Forcing Americans to Buy Health Insurance – Come on. You didn't really expect him to know what the Constitution says did you?

Tale of Two Omars – Omar Comin'!!!!

Congress Sucks, Except For My Representative

July 9, 2009 / / 0 Comments

That’s usually why the same clowns keep getting sent back to Congress.

But in this case it’s true–it really isn’t my representative who is the problem. Congratulations to Jimmy Duncan for getting a perfect score on Freedom Index.

The average House score for this index is a dismal 38 percent and the average Senate score is an even worse 35 percent. Three representatives earned perfect scores: John Duncan (R-Tenn.), Jeff Flake (R.-Ariz.), and Ron Paul (R.-Texas).

My Senators need some work though.

Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent-Vt.), an avowed socialist, is the same score garnered by two GOP senators — Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and George Voinovich (Ohio)

Hat Tip: Terry Frank

Health Care Reform’s Effects on Lobbying Activity

July 6, 2009 / / 0 Comments

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em and Then Say You Beat ‘Em

Any move toward greater government involvement in health-care is going to lead toward increased health-care lobbying of government.

Interesting.

If I didn’t know for a fact that every single member of Congress is there for no other reason than to do what is best for the long term strength of the country, I’d say the whole discussion of health care reform was nothing more than an attempt to shake down the health care industry.

But I know better than that.

© 2024 Scott Adcox

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑