Posts by Hines Brian

I'm sorry that Keith Olbermann isn't on MSNBC any longer, because Art Robinson's newest display of deceptive craziness would make him a great candidate for a "Worst Person in the World!" dishonor. Robinson, who lost to Peter DeFazio in last year's 4th Congressional District race, is claiming that Oregon State University is retaliating against his three children because of "political payback." This struck me as ludicrous when I learned about Robinson's attack on OSU's Nuclear Engineering department via a chain email that was forwarded to me. Why would professors risk their careers by unethically (and probably illegally) targeting Robinson's children…

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's efforts to destroy public employee unions under the ruse of cost-cutting is great political theatre. Wow, in recent weeks we've seen... Massive rallies of 70,000 people or more calling for compromise, rather than Koch-brother commanded Republican intransigence. Fourteen Democratic state senators fleeing to Illinois to deny a quorum and, hence, a vote on the union-busting bill. And today, Walker refusing to negotiate with the Dem senators. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday dismissed as "ridiculous" a letter from a Democratic state Senate leader who suggested a meeting "near the Wisconsin-Illinois border" to discuss the state's budget…

Today I gave our 2010 tax info to our CPA. In a few weeks we'll learn how much we owe the federal and Oregon governments. My wife and I won't be thrilled with writing out the checks, but deep down we're pleased to do our part to "promote the general welfare" -- one of the six goals our founding fathers set out in the preamble to the United States Constitution. See, Tea Party types, your interpretation of what it means to be a proud American is historically twisted. Cutting taxes isn't mentioned in the preamble. But promoting the general welfare…

Recent actions by Republicans are giving me a serious case of outrage. When the House voted to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood, that was just plain idiotic. As Ruth Marcus says: House Republicans voted to increase the number of abortions, raise federal health-care costs and swell the welfare rolls.That wasn't their intent, of course, and certainly not their stated policy. But it is the predictable and inevitable impact of their twin moves to eliminate funding for the federal family planning program and strip Planned Parenthood of all federal money.If anything, this assessment is understated. The sharper, and still accurate…

Oh, way cool! This is so Egypt'y. Thousands of protesters camping out at the seat of power to thwart an evil leader's nefarious rule. And now... Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate have reportedly left the state to prevent a quorum, and hence a vote, on the Republican Governor's horrendous union-busting legislation. Meaning, the state police can't come after them. If any of the senators need a hideout, give me a call. (Oops, guess I should have kept this a secret.)

I'm not sure what the origin of the term is, but calling Congressional Republicans bat-shit crazy sounds so right to me. They're acting insane on many issues, but global warming is where their disconnect from reality reaches its zenith. I've never seen a political party in this country go so far astray from facts. We're not talking here about a difference of opinion, a philosophical dispute, or a questioning of which data are more accurate. No, the freshly empowered Republicans who have taken control of the House of Representatives are purely and simply lying. So I'll amend my description of…