Republican John Gard’s Laughable Campaign For Dummies

For years Wisconsin has had to endure the bumbling special interest game played by our Republican legislators, whose problem solving legacy for taxpayers is non-existent. Now the former leader of the Republican wrecking crew, John Gard, is trying once again to take a seat in Congress, after losing miserably during his first try in a conservative district fed up with his political misdirection plays.

According to John Gard’s election website, he admits he has been a major contributor to the states long term debt and failed social service programs designed to do just that, fail. “Gard is best known for authoring nationally-recognized welfare reform legislation and shepherding the largest tax cut in Wisconsin history into law ... his work to expand the ground-breaking school choice education program.”

These were all failed experiments based solely on ideology. With his failure to run government well and his penchant for catering to business concerns over voter concerns, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that “Gard currently runs the Gard Business Group, a consulting firm that works with businesses to grow their company and create jobs.” Like all the jobs he created in Wisconsin?

His simplistic positions should scare off everyone, even those on the conservative side of the aisle. For instance: “John Gard signed a pledge never to vote for an income tax increase.”

Even though he was elected by the voters of Wisconsin, Gard took a pledge with an out of state conservative think tank and a right wing web site to never raise taxes while in public office. How do you manage the expenses of a state and pay all your bills by not increasing it’s tax base at a time of high inflation? Tax cuts?

And when it comes to the environment, “John Gard will vote to allow drilling in Alaska to help increase oil supply and reduce prices at the pump.” That assumes the oil in Alaska isn’t shipped overseas first, and is magically made available at your gas pump tomorrow, where it will supposedly lower the price per gallon. The predicted 15 to 20 year possible two cent savings is often never brought up by Republicans or the fact that the price at the pump continues to decline due to the commodities market.

John Gard supported the construction of the border fence that now strips property rights from border farm families and will do little to stop the flow of illegal immigrants.

Check this video ad out and see how many errors you can spot.

There are a few problems with Gard's talking point world tour ad:

Gard compares state-owned, nationalized petroleum company prices in Saudi Arabia and Venezuela with our own private for profit monopolies that pretty much set their own prices.

Gard says, "Some in Congress, like Steve Kagan, voted to make it illegal in the U.S. to expand drilling." And some in Congress haven't been there long enough, like Rep. Steve Kagan, to have voted for a ban on off shore drilling, since that was enacted by George H.W. Bush in 1990.

Cuba has sold the rights to drill "on land" to other countries, with no intention of drilling themselves.

When John Gard says it's makes no sense to him, he inadvertently ends his campaign ad with its only certifiable fact.

Obama's Second Negative Ad Counts McCain's Houses For Him

Finally, a second Barack Obama ad hitting back at the idiots at the McCain Campaign. We need this kind of aggression to win. It's negative, but factual. Just how can somebody not know how many houses they own. Why was it John Kerry was out of touch and an elitist for marrying up, but McCain gets a pass? According to one TV news pundit, it'll be hard making the elitist tag stick against a former prisoner of war. I'm not kidding. That is typical authoritarian hero worship, where the chosen leader can do now wrong. That's all we need is another one...

Limbaugh Doesn’t Hide His Racism Anymore, or His Misogyny

I couldn’t resist posting these clips by Rush Limbaugh, as another example of the big tent party’s racist, bigoted and misogynistic agenda. From the few Republicans I’ve talked to and know, they hold strong feelings related to at least one of these three hate filled issues. I guess for them, it’s a shame you can’t hit women or you’re forced by your party to support affirmative action. Here’s Media Matters analysis:

On the August 19 broadcast Rush Limbaugh said that "it is striking how unqualified [Sen. Barack] Obama is and, and how this whole thing came about with, within the Democrat Party. I think it really goes back to the fact that nobody had the guts to stand up and say no to a black guy." Limbaugh went on to say: "I think this is a classic illustration here where affirmative action has reared its ugly head against them.

On the August 20 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh asserted of attacks by Sen. John McCain against Sen. Barack Obama: "It's -- you know, it's just -- it's just we can't hit the girl. I don't care how far feminism's saying, you can't hit the girl, and you can't -- you can't criticize the little black man-child. You just can't do it, 'cause it's just not right, It's not fair. He's such a victim."

Limbaugh previously claimed that "nobody criticizes [Sen.] Hillary [Clinton]. ... Well, you might say, 'No, Michelle Obama and Mrs. [Elizabeth] Edwards are out there criticizing her,' but, see, I finally figured this one out, too. You can't hit the girl. You just -- you can't hit the girl."

Oh, but I'm sure he would like to. It's also quite ironic he criticizes Obama for being "such a victim," when in fact Rush is playing one himself all the time as the picked on conservative.

Harvey Cushner Obsessed with Phony Nazi Comparisons

It's funny, liberals are criticized for comparing the current Republican Party and Bush administration to the Nazi political party. I'm not going to get into the dozens of comparisons here, just read Naomi Wolf's "The End of America" if you want to know more," but as I have pointed out before Republicans can make Democratic comparisons anytime they want.

Keith Olberman calls one such nutjob out. It really is jaw dropping.

Bill Maher's "Religulous" Scars Me

I have always believed that religion is a personal issue that should not be forced on the public via our elected representatives. They can vote for or against a bill based on their religious beliefs, but don't create legislation based on their personal interpretation of the bible. It's that simple.

Still, I get a little uncomfortable watching a politician share his religion publically in a way that reflects a certain ignorance of reality. Check this clip out from Larry King Live, when Bill Maher discussed his film "Religulous." The stare and pause in the first film clip is scary.

Confirmed: Republicans Favor Business Over Peoples Lives

If you are a Wisconsin Republican, this has got to give you a serious moment of reflection.

The AP reports:

Republican lawmakers took a symbolic stand against a plan to reduce utilities' mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015, voting to demand revisions amid businesses' concerns the rules will drive up electric bills. The Republican Assembly Natural Resources Committee (wants) a study of the rules' economic impact.

I hope they mean the economic impact on treating people for cancer and all the other diseases caused by pollution. Here’s part of an earlier blog I wrote dealing with the health effects and costs of pollution in Canada, our northern neighbors:

A new report in Canada, titled “No Breathing Room: National Illness Costs of Air Pollution,” shows another side to the climate change debate. If your not convince that there is such a thing as global warming, then what about dying from the same problematic pollution? CBC provides these details:

An estimated 700,000 Canadians will die prematurely over the next two decades because of illnesses caused by poor air quality, the Canadian Medical Association said in a report Wednesday. This year, an estimated 21,000 Canadians will die from heart and lung illnesses brought on by breathing polluted air. Most of the deaths will be among people over 65, who are most vulnerable to heart disease.

In the long term, air pollution leads to higher rates of cardiovascular disease. In the short term, air pollution affects how blood clots leading to more heart attacks during bad air days. The costs of dirty air will add up to $10 billion this year. The costs will rise to $250 billion by the year 2031 if no improvements are made.

For Republicans, saving corporate spending now is worth the pain, suffering and deaths of tens of thousands of people, not to mentions the tens of billions of dollars in health care costs.

Wow, they are fiscally responsible.

The vote likely won't stop the rules from becoming reality as they're currently written, though.

The test for Republicans is simple: Public health and safety are measured against the cost of doing business. If businesses have to spend money, so they don’t prematurely kill the public, the Republicans want to make sure this extra burden is worth the expense. And there is never a time it is. Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, co-chairman of the rules committee, said "Let's get done with this and move on with protecting public health and public waters." Well, that was simple.

Because tourism depends on our state lakes, it would seem to make sense to protect our natural resources, right? What could possibly go wrong keeping the status quo on manufactured pollution? Oh sure, “Mercury, a byproduct of burning coal at power plants, can cause nerve damage and increase the risk of heart disease. It accumulates in fish, and the DNR has warned people for years to limit consumption of fish from any state lake, river or stream because of contamination.”

The DNR estimates (the changes) would amount to another $5 to $12 annually for the average household. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce said it would cost utilities hundreds of millions of dollars per power plant to reach the goals. The DNR plan also will reduce respiratory diseases and cancer risks, saving money. The rules would protect Wisconsin's $2.3 billion fishing industry.

For Republicans, I guess their thinking that if your going to die anyway, you might as well save a little money at the expense of losing a few years or decades of life.

McCain Mansions video Message? “Personal Responsibility” Really Means, SCREW YOU!

Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films have been putting together “new internet video campaigns, a “quick-strike capability that challenges corporate media with the truth and empowers political action nationwide.” Their new one is included here.

You know the old saying, “I know you are but what am I.?” In advertising, this technique is known as “branding,” which is defining your opponent first with your own greatest weakness. Is Barack Obama an elitist? Now he is, because he has been labeled one by the McCain Campaign, and the message has been repeated so many times in the conservative media (radio mostly, and cable news) that it’s now thought to be true.

Let’s see how John “average” McCain deals with the unsuspecting public’s financial woes. Remember, personal responsibility means SCREW YOU.

NRA Spy Problem at the Brady Campaign, Now Tied to McCain Campaign

It would seem hard to believe that small government Republicans would decide that it’s ok to surveil groups they consider enemies to their ideological agenda. It would be much fairer fighting in the open marketplace of ideas. But to gain advantage by throwing out moral and ethical standards, and quit possibly participate in illegal activities, it runs counter the “family values” portrait they have painted for public consumption.

What I’ve noticed about my often hypocritical conservative counterparts, even though they may be very bad at running loathsome government, they do know how to sell snake oil. As a Party they have every dirty sales tactic in their arsenal. In fact, I would go as far as to say they are a “pure sales party.” Sadly, liberals make lousy sales people. I tried it myself in real estate, and not only did I advocate for the home buyer when representing the seller, but I never tried to “sell” them on a purchase. I even gave them a deal on the commission percentage. I lasted seven years.

Getting back to surveilling your enemy; The NRA decided to get a leg up on gun control advocates by knowing in advance, what their opponents were planning, and thus having a counter plan in place immediately. If that wasn’t bad enough, now we’re finding out that presidential contender John McCain has now been tied to the Brady Campaign spying allegations. And you thought Bush was bad. Here’s the story:

A Republican political operative considered part of the McCain campaign's "kitchen cabinet" oversaw a National Rifle Association lobbying campaign that allegedly hired a spy, Mary Lou Sapone, to infiltrate gun control groups, according to Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. James Jay Baker served as executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) in the late 1990s when it allegedly hired Mary Lou Sapone to pose as a gun control activist and funnel information back to the NRA. A McCain campaign spokesperson said Baker was only a "high level volunteer" for the campaign. Helmke said “Sapone was at every meeting possible and made you think she cared so much about the issues." Mother Jones reported that the NRA paid the now-defunct security firm that hired Sapone to snoop, Beckett Brown International (BBI), $80,000 in a 12-month period spanning 1999 and 2000.

What a pleasant rogue political party we have in the U.S. If you were freaking out over how much Bush did to shred the Constitution (what he called once "a God damn peice of paper), imagine McCain planting spies in opposition groups as the presumptive candidate for the president. Can you say “authoritarian rule?”

According to Jonathan Turley, nationally recognized legal scholar, there are a variety of possible civil charges that can be brought from trespass to privacy violations to contractual violations. Trespass can also be charged as a crime in some cases.

Harrold School District Arming Teachers with Guns Started in Wisconsin

If you've seen my take on the Harrold School decision to pack heat (guns), then you might enjoy this. The GunGuys.com sent me this reminder of our own Wisconsin State Rep. Frank Lasee (la-say), and his crazy idea to arm teachers here. I'll let the GunGuys.com tell the rest of the story.

After it was reported last week that the Harrold school district in Texas would allow teachers and staff to carry hidden and loaded guns inside its schools, Texas Governor Rick Perry has recklessly come out to say that he supports the idea.

This is hardly the first, nor the last time, these ludicrous ideas will surface.

GunGuys.com mocked Wisconsin State Rep. Frank Lasee when in Oct. 2006 he suggested on ABC News that we should be arming teachers in our schools.

GunGuys said of Mr. Lasee:
In fact, Frank Lasee's idea was so insane, that even his own cousin Alan Lasee-- the Senate president at the time -- called Frank's proposal insane but also dead on arrival. Last fall, Lasee was quoted on ABC News about his crazy proposal: "I want to end the turkey shoots that go on in our schools.....it's part of the puzzle of making our schools a safer place for our children."

In McCain's audio book Worth The Fighting For, He Admits Pure Ambition to be President. That's All

Countdown With Keith Olberman found this track from the audio version of McCain's memoir, "Worth the Fighting For." It seems McCain's blind ambition to be president can now be documented, in his own words.

Business Trickle Down Short Term Profits End, No One Left to Spend Money

Oh my God, trickle down economics isn’t working. There go the profit margins. Corporate interests have squeezed consumers so dry; the needed product price increases are essentially pricing people out of the market.

Here’s the sad reality check for Grover Norquist and other the troglodytes who are pushing the myth of a free market system (check the book No Free Lunch by David Cay Johnston), as reported by the NY Times:

"American businesses faced the biggest annual jump in wholesale prices in 27 years last month, just as the stumbling economy caused consumer spending to drop."

The challenges are expected to make it more difficult for businesses to raise prices and maintain profit margins. Businesses can raise retail prices and risk losing customers who are already squeezed by the downturn. Or they can eat the cost of more expensive goods and lose profits.

Gee, conservative economics appears to be preventing businesses from make more money. Can you say “unintended consequences?” Is it just a momentary upturn in prices?

“The report presented the specter that consumer prices could rise higher in the fall and winter. Inflation reached a 17-year high last month, according to the Consumer Price Index.”

Looks like our race to the “wage bottom” happened a little faster than investors were counting on. Will the next step be abandoning the American consumer market for growing foreign countries?

Consumers were led to believe that lower priced products would be here forever. Just like many of us thought gas wouldn’t go above 35 cents a gallon in the 60’s.

99 Bottles Showcases Wisconsin’s Craft Brewing Renaissance

I’ve lived in Wisconsin all my life, and as beer lover, I’ve graduated from Pabst, Huber Bock, Schlitz and Miller, to Capital, Lakefront, Lake Louis, Adler, New Glarus  and other craft beers. You know, beers that taste good. It’ll be fun to watch the film version of this march to great beer in Wisconsin again.

Welcome to the 99 Bottles Documentary project.

Mission Statement: Promote exposure and public awareness of the rich and vibrant craft brewing industry. Journey with us into the unique and exploding industry of the microbrewery industrial movement. Focusing on the region of southeastern Wisconsin, we will explore how this industry began to grow from a lose knit circle of home brewer basement boilers to an industry gaining an increasing foothold in a once oligarchic marketplace. Come with us as we search for the taste, people, culture and history of Wisconsin's craft brewing industry.


According to producer David Oplinger, "People are interested in this." Oplinger produced the film with fellow Milwaukeean Glen Popple. Jason Williams of New Berlin is the director.


The film, which runs about 80 minutes, has scenes filmed at several Wisconsin craft breweries, including Lakefront Brewery Inc. in Milwaukee, Sprecher Brewing Co. in Glendale, New Glarus Brewing Co. in New Glarus and Tyranena Brewing Co. in Lake Mills. 


"It sounds like fun," said Russell Klisch, Lakefront president, who was interviewed for the film but hasn't seen it yet. "It's about Wisconsin breweries, so you can't go wrong with that."

College Drinking Problem Not Just On Campus’

Incredibly, university officials who are trying to cope with problem drinking on their campuses, think spreading the problem state wide to 18 year old drivers is the solution to a problem they can’t control.

According to the Baltimore Sun, “100 college and university presidents nationwide say the current drinking age of 21 ‘is not working’ and has led to dangerous binges in which students have harmed themselves and others.”

In their signed statement, they are calling for a debate and a rethinking of campus drunkenness. "How many times must we relearn the lessons of prohibition?" the statement says. "Adults under 21 are deemed capable of voting, signing contracts, serving on juries and enlisting in the military, but are told they are not mature enough to have a beer."

Hmm, where have I heard that statement before? I remember, it was culled from the files of Republican clichés long forgotten. Here’s another one: "Kids are going to drink whether it's legal or illegal,’ said Johns Hopkins President William Brody, who supports lowering the drinking age to 18.”

I’ve got an idea that can solve this problem in just a few years. Let’s first try lowering the age in Texas and Florida. These are two very conservative states that advocate personal irresponsibility as a God given right.

Exempt them from the “National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which says that states with a drinking age lower than 21 will lose 10 percent of their federal highway money.”

Have these academics lost their collective minds? Yes, as demonstrated by William Kirwan, chancellor of the Maryland state university system. "We have a crisis on our hands. We need some new ideas and new thinking …new ideas can't be tested because of the federal law.”

New ideas can’t be tested unless the drinking age is lowered to 18? Give me a break. The idea is to warn students about the dangers of driving drunk in school sponsored Driver Ed classes. I thought most schools cut those classes because of tight district budgets, but I could be wrong. Of course nothing is stopping such classes from experimenting with different alcohol abuse programs anyway.

The simple fact remains: We’re talking state wide not just on campuses, and lowering the age will result in more drunk driving deaths. According to MADD, (who I think sometimes goes a little overboard); “They say lowering the age will pass the drinking problem down the line to high school students and that national surveys have found the public supports keeping the age at 21.”

Believe it or not, I’m going to let Katie Buckheit, a 19 junior say my piece for me.

She said if people were exposed to drinking at a younger age, they would be more mature about it. "Maybe I'm being idealistic, but in Europe you can drink once you can see the bar," she said. "I think we should maybe take a lesson from what other countries are doing."

That’s what I’ve done with my 6 and 9 year olds. We are always reinforcing the idea that drinking is social, and only a few drinks will do. Of course, in eight or so years we’ll see if our little experiment worked. Or maybe Laura Kranish, an 18-year-old sophomore from Silver Spring, is right when she said “students would drink as much they do no matter what the drinking age is.”

In which case, we're all doomed.

Condi’s Ironic Disconnect Frightens Me in our Ego Driven Nation

Condi Rice vacationed during the Russian incursion into Georgia, and received absolutely no criticism from the press or the flaccid Democratic Party of dodos.

Despite the administrations continued saber rattling and insistence on keeping the nuke option on the table for any country in their crosshairs, they've miss the connection when similar behavior from Russia reflects back at them, like their image in a mirror. It’s what I call the “ironic disconnect.”

Take a look at this excerpt of the McClatchy Newspapers story, “Rice warns Moscow about its bomber runs off Alaska.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ruled out accelerating Georgia's admission to NATO in response to the Russian invasion. But she warned Moscow that it is playing "a very dangerous game.” "Russia is a state that is unfortunately using the one tool that it has always used whenever it wishes to deliver a message and that's its military power," Rice told reporters. "That's not the way to deal in the 21st century." Rice said Russia has raised questions about its place in the international community through the invasion and other actions.

Irony Missed: A state, like the U.S., that uses one tool, military power, to deliver their message.

Irony Missed: Even though that’s not the way to deal in the 21st century, going to war in Iraq was so….20th century?

Irony Missed: The world questioning the U.S.’s place in the international community, after an invasion of Iraq. Or other actions, like not negotiating with N. Korea, Iran, France…? It's so 20th century.

It’s true Bush has made similar comments, but I know that no one will want to hear my argument because I hate Bush, really really hate him, like anyone would hate the school yard bully).

Why can’t they see the irony? Ego.

What we have here, is an ego driven nation.

Republican Operative Under Investigation, Once Part of Wis. Supreme Court Justice Wilcox Electioneering

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinels Daniel Bice uncovered what looks like a possible repeat offender. The previous offense had to do with the illegal electioneering of a former Republican Representative, and now conservative Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox, back in 1997. Well before the power of the internets and bloggers had a chance to spread the word. Here's just another story of Republicans getting by with what might be perfectly legal, while ignoring the important moral and ethical issues. Bice writes:

Mark Block, the conservative operative who was once banned from Wisconsin politics for three years from 2001-2004, is under the microscope again. And just like 11 years ago, the investigation is focusing on a last-minute mailing in a highly competitive Supreme Court race. Sources say staffers with the new Government Accountability Board have subpoenaed records from Americans for Prosperity — a fiscally conservative, pro-business outfit run by Block — as part of their probe into a March 25 mass mailing. The two-page letter from Block encouraged people to vote for conservative challenger Michael Gableman instead of Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler. “If (Butler) is defeated, a traditionalist majority is likely to re-emerge on the Supreme Court,” states the letter, which Block provided. In determining the legality of the March mailing, the state appears to be focusing on whether the group sent the letters to its members only — or to a wider audience.Back in 1997, Block was the campaign manager for then-Supreme Court Justice Jon Wilcox.

The state Elections Board sued the campaign, saying they broke the law by working with an outside interest group to run an off-the-books voter turnout effort in Wilcox’s campaign against Walt Kelly. The $200,000 turnout effort, funded by school-choice supporters, included sending out thousands of postcards tying Kelly to the American Civil Liberties Union. Block settled his portion of the suit by agreeing to pay $15,000 and to stay out of politics from 2001 to 2004.

The Government Accountability Board launched its recent probe after a top election lawyer turned over a letter he received March 29 from Block’s group. Mike Wittenwyler, a partner at Godfrey & Kahn, said the note was addressed to a previous resident who died in 1998. Block said the previous owner of Wittenwyler’s house was a member of a previous incarnation of Americans for Prosperity, a group called the Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation.

Block said he understands why the state is putting so much effort into pursuing him and his group. “We’re a target,” he said, citing Americans for Prosperity’s anti-tax positions.

Republicans, the victims of pro-tax justice. How bizarre is that concept?

Republican Cowles Invested In XXX Sex Industry. Anything for a Profit?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Daniel Bice exposes another “family values” Republican and calls into question anything that he, or his party, supposedly stands for. I usually cut moderate Republicans a little slack, but after some of his comments, not this time. Bice writes:

Though a political moderate, state Sen. Robert Cowles doesn’t mind touting his conservative views on social issues. “I’d like to think,” the Green Bay Republican said last week, “that I have family values.” But you wouldn’t know it from looking at his investment portfolio.

According to his latest ethics statement, Cowles had more than $50,000 invested in two companies — Rick’s Cabaret International and VCG Holding — that operate numerous upscale strip clubs throughout the United States ... also runs an extensive number of erotic Web sites, holds an annual Gentleman’s Club Owners Expo and publishes several magazines, including TEEZE and Exotic Dancer. The firm’s Web sites include names such as “coupletouch,” a site for swingers to meet one another; “naughtybids,” an online auction site for all things porn, such as one-on-one stripping shows and props used by porn stars in their films; and “xxxpassword,” which gives subscribers entry to unlimited porn sites for $39.95 a month.

Cowles, a state lawmaker for 25 years, made it clear that he knew that he had some money invested in strip clubs.

Here’s where it gets weirder. Cowles is ok with strip clubs, but concerned about everything else-“related.”

He had no idea about the companies’ other enterprises. “God, I didn’t know
that,” he said while hearing about the Web sites. “Oh, my God, I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that.”

Cowles is not only the victim of “not knowing” that, he also didn’t know, “The company took a hit in 2006 when federal prosecutors in New York alleged that members of two mob families artificially manipulated the prices of a dozen stocks, including Rick’s Cabaret’s.”

He said he probably would ask financial adviser, Gary Tremble Tremble, his
longtime adviser, to sell off the stocks as soon as possible.

That’s ok then, that makes everything better? Typical Republican ploy, say or do what ever you want, then “take it back” later after the damage is done. Expunged from the records.

Tremble (said) he understood it was risky business for a politician to invest in risqué businesses. “It’s questionable,” Tremble said of the stocks. “But it is listed on the exchanges.” Cowles he acknowledged “This investment stuff is sticky. And you’ve pointed out something that doesn’t look good.”

Cowles is a master of understatement. Not only does it not look good, but flies in the face of the Parties platform and attempts to make money on a not so family friendly sex industry.

But “it is listed on the exchanges,” so it’s legal. And that’s all that matters. Skip the moral and ethical issues part, right?

Canada Town Gives Up the Bottle, Water that Is

I’ve always hated the idea of bottled water. Hate, hate, hate it. It would seem a small Canadian town has also had enough of this dump idea. The CBC reports:

London, Ont., may become one of the first cities in Canada to stop selling bottled water in municipal buildings. City councillors will vote Monday night on whether or not to ban the sale of bottled water in all city-run buildings, arenas and community centres amid a growing backlash against the product.

Municipal officials have maintained that tap water costs about an eighth of a cent per litre while bottled water can range anywhere from 30 cents to $4 a bottle. Environmentalists have said they are concerned by the amount of energy it takes to transport the bottles, as well as the waste produced by them, particularly when most areas of Canada have safe water supplies.

So how does corporate water bottlers feel about the crackdown? Let’ ask one of them.

Nestlé Waters Canada, the company behind such bottled water brand names as Perrier, Vittel and Montclair, said in an Aug. 11 news release that it was opposed to the ban because it wouldn't do enough to curb waste or reduce the public's preference for bottled water over tap water. “An independent survey conducted in May 2008 by Probe Research Inc., said Gail Cosman, president of Nestlé Waters Canada, indicated that about 60 per cent of bottled water drinkers said they will revert to less healthy alternatives found in plastic beverage containers if bottled water isn't available."

That might be true. But the absurd idea of bottle water is still something that cries out for change. As a product that can be carried in cars for long trips, or slipped into a cooler for a picnic, it's as practical as an ice pack. But in an office, in a bustling city or a refrigerator next to your faucet at home, what the hell are you thinking?

William Rees, sustainability planning professor at the University of British Columbia, reminded us of this one nagging fact, “major bottled water producers actually use municipal water.”

Thank you.

Republican Agenda: Guns In Harrold School District, GO Texas. Florida, where are You?

As some readers might know, I have asked God to make Florida and Texas the Republican test tubes of culture in the U.S., and God is answering my prayers with action. Guns in school. According to the Houston Chronicle:

There's one item Houston-area school officials say teachers can leave at home when classes resume later this month: Their handguns. Houston school districts said there's no way they'll follow the lead of a tiny North Texas school system that may be the first in the nation to let employees pack heat at their lone 110-student K-12 campus.

Harrold Superintendent David Thweatt said his school board unanimously passed the policy last October to protect employees and students in the case of an armed intruder or hostage situation."We think we have acted cautiously and wisely," said Thweatt. "Others should be free to govern their school districts as they see fit."

Thweatt said the small community is a 30-minute drive from the sheriff's office, leaving students and teachers without protection. He said the district's lone campus is situated just 500 feet from heavily trafficked U.S. 287, which could make it a target.

Sarah Winkler, vice president for the Texas Association of School Boards said, "This is just appalling. One accident, and I don't know how the school board would live with themselves." She wasn't the only Houston
educator stunned by the policy. "It's a disaster waiting to happen," said Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers. "It's right up there with worst ideas in the history of modern education."

"Absurd would be the word I would use," said Don Ryan, president of the Cy-Fair school board. "It's almost like something out of a movie."It's the type of decision, Fallon added, that makes Texas a laughingstock nationally.

That's an understatment. But that's what I love about Texas and Florida. The Republicans need to demonstrate and implement, a fully realized conservative agenda, for the whole world to watch in stunned amazement.

Talking Point List Of John McCain's Media Ignored Problems

Here are a few simple issues to point at next time your confronted by a McCain supporter. Each point footnoted at Moveon.org:

9 things you should know about John McCain:

1. John McCain voted against establishing a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now he says his position has "evolved," yet he's continued to oppose key civil rights laws.1
2. According to Bloomberg News, McCain is more hawkish than Bush on Iraq, Russia and China. Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan says McCain "will make Cheney look like Gandhi."2
3. His reputation is built on his opposition to torture, but McCain voted against a bill to ban waterboarding, and then applauded President Bush for vetoing that ban.3
4. McCain opposes a woman's right to choose. He said, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."4
5. The Children's Defense Fund rated McCain as the worst senator in Congress for children. He voted against the children's health care bill last year, then defended Bush's veto of the bill.5
6. He's one of the richest people in a Senate filled with millionaires. The Associated Press reports he and his wife own at least eight homes! Yet McCain says the solution to the housing crisis is for people facing foreclosure to get a "second job" and skip their vacations.6
7. Many of McCain's fellow Republican senators say he's too reckless to be commander in chief. One Republican senator said: "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He's erratic. He's hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."7
8. McCain talks a lot about taking on special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are actually lobbyists. The government watchdog group Public Citizen says McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, more than any of the other presidential candidates.8
9. He positions himself as pro-environment, but he scored a 0—yes, zero—from the League of Conservation Voters last year.10

The Real Jerome Corsi and His Abomination "Obama Nation"

Countdown with "Rachel Maddow" turn up an interesting profile of Jerome Corsi, author of Obama Nation. The cute title will catch on quickly in the alternative universe we know as conservative talk radio. If the infamous Swift Boat debacle wasn't enough, and the fact that it is now a negative phrase referenced in dictionaries, Rachel fills in the other blanks.