Monthly Archives: January 2005

Election Reform

In order to have real election reform I suggest we take the following steps:

  • Purge all voter rolls everywhere, requiring everyone who is eligible to re-register.
  • Require immediate verification when a motor/voter registration is received by the county (or whatever governmental entity is responsible for registrations).
  • eliminate same day registrations. Local and Primary Election days are scheduled. Federal elections are always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
  • Require that “snowbirds” be registered at the address the IRS uses for taxes. If they are at their other residence at the time, they can vote absentee.
  • Eliminate “provisional” ballots. Every voter registration card should have the registered voter’s name, polling place with address, and all relevant “districts” printed on it. You then have your card that tells you exactly where you need to go to vote.
  • Require photo ID. It’s not really that difficult. Most DMV’s will issue a “state photo ID”. And don’t you need one to cash a check anywhere anymore?
  • All polling places should be prepared for 100% turnout to minimize the “lengthy line” problem.
  • Mail out a sample ballot ahead of the election. Some newspapers print them, but they can be hard to find or incomplete. Also, an undeliverable sample ballot will indicate a problem.

Any more ideas?

Kerry was Consistent!

He voted against Condi before he voted against her.

Here’s the complete list…

Akaka (HI) · Bayh (IN) · Boxer (CA) · Byrd (WV) · Dayton (MN) · Durbin (IL) · Harkin (IA) · Jeffords (VT) · Kennedy (MA) · Kerry (MA) · Lautenberg (NJ) · Levin (MI) · Reed (RI)

Passion gets 3 Oscar nods

The Passion of the Christ was nominated for three Oscars: Cinematography, Makeup, and Original Score.

Michael Moore’s Farenheit 9/11 was Shut Out!

Some thoughts…

Newdow: One of his reasons for continuing with his suit against prayer at the inauguration is that listening to a prayer will “force him to accept unwanted religious beliefs.” How exactly does hearing a prayer force anyone to accept anything? I have been to a bar mitzvah, spent the entire time in a synagogue, listening to prayers. I wasn’t converted to Judaism, nor forced to accept anything.

Boxer & Botox: They voted against Condi. Botox said he was making a statement, he had to “vote his gut”. It’s amazing how Boxer so conveniently forgot that the resolution contained at least seven reasons to go to Iraq.

BOXER: Well, you should you read what we voted on when we voted to support the war, which I did not, but most of my colleagues did. It was WMD, period. That was the reason and the causation for that particular vote.

Joint Resolution here.

Biden: He insulted Condi by suggesting that she would hold a grudge against him in the future if he didn’t vote for her now.

If they taught math…

Kellipundit reports that 6th grade math scores are steadily declining in Newton, Mass. It seems that the school district is teaching anti-racist multicultural math.

In 2001 Mr. Young, Mrs. Wyatt and an assortment of other well-paid school administrators, defined the new number-one priority for teaching mathematics, as documented in the curriculum benchmarks, “Respect for Human Differences – students will live out the system wide core of ‘Respect for Human Differences’ by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors.” It continues, “Students will: Consistently analyze their experiences and the curriculum for bias and discrimination; Take effective anti-bias action when bias or discrimination is identified; Work with people of different backgrounds and tell how the experience affected them; Demonstrate how their membership in different groups has advantages and disadvantages that affect how they see the world and the way they are perceived by others…” It goes on and on.(/snip)

Gee, and I thought math was 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 x 4 = 8…

Golden Globes – Ann watched so we don't have to

Ann Althouse watched so we don’t have to. Ann Althouse Live-blogged the Golden Globes last night. I’m glad I didn’t watch.

“Life and Death of Peter Sellers” wins. Actually, it did have the best clip. Three boring producer guys make their way to the stage while we hear the record “What’s New Pussycat?” Speech: booooorrrrrinnnnngggggggg.

Condolences

The Anchoress‘ brother, “S”, passed away this morning. She and her family have my condolences and prayers.

Cat Blogging


Dodger’s sleeping but Bitsy looks interested…

(not photoshopped – my Mother bought me the book [review {BlogFlog} to follow])

Suffering through living

Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost is posting on the Dutch Euthanasia decision by the Royal Dutch Medical Association that doctors ought to be able to help those “suffering through living” to have doctor assisted suicide.

There will always be utterly selfish people who think that suicide is the way out of any trouble they’re in. They don’t think through to all the trouble that they leave behind.

This seems to give those who would commit suicide some kind of validation of their selfish determination to end their life. “Oh, you lost your job and can’t pay your bills? I diagnose suffering through living. Here’s a presciption for something that will end your suffering by ending your life.” Depending on your particular views of an afterlife this might end your suffering, or it might be only the beginning…

Drew at Darn Floor wrote on this a while ago and I linked to his post in this post of mine.

One of the commenters (Mark O) on Joe’s post reminds us of Romans 5:3-5

3Not only so, but we[a] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

mm-5