Why do the Republicans want to shut down NPR?

Why are the Republicans going after NPR? It is because NPR has ran stories that reveal the illegitimate practices some Republicans use to obtain their power. These same Republicans believe it is right to use the powers of their office to punish those that offend them. With each new class of Republican congressman the bar is set lower for civil behavior. The new Republicans don’t even appear to have the capacity to think about what may be best for society. They have already been given their instructions. The new Republicans are just helpless pawns in a much larger power game. Do you doubt this? Have you noticed that every single one of them always votes on the most right-wing proposals? They do this without even discussion of amending the bills in consideration of objections and potential problems they will cause. They have to vote for the measures or they will face recall elections from the zealous Tea Party people. These new Republicans thought they were being elected to help govern, but have no learned they have no input in the process other than to vote for extreme right-wing policies.

Oh, by the way, I don’t have a problem with cutting costs. But Republicans that claim they want to shut down NPR to cut costs are lying and we all know this. If they were interested in reducing the deficit they would cut billions from military waste; eliminate subsidies to big business so that companies like GE, which made 15 billion dollars in profit in 2010 would have to pay at least some taxes (they actually got a $3 billion rebate on their $15 billion profit); or allow the millionaire tax break to expire which would have produced a trillion dollars in deficit reduction over the next 10 years.

In Iowa, in could become illegal to photograph animals!

I didn’t really believe it until I went to the trouble to look up the bill moving through the Iowa Senate, but the Iowa government is close to passing a law making it a crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to video record or photograph an animal.

The bill is SF431 (http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&ga=84&hbill=SF431) and you can read a story about the bill from the Sioux City Journal here: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/article_a8324ac6-6af5-5991-a947-818486440173.html

I am amazed that people in this country, especially elected officials, would make it criminal to expose the brutality of others. Worse, the law will be used by the Animal Farming industry; an very powerful industry that has shown they are willing to spend millions of dollars on any lawsuit. Do you think I am wrong? This is the industry that sued Oprah Winfrey for the simple comment that “she might have to stop eating beef.”. They took her to court ready to out spend her to punish her for making such a comment.

This is scary! If you video tape a farmer torturing a cow or chicken for fun, it is you, the video-taper, who will be sent to prison for making the world aware of the actions of the farmer. I predict this bill will pass by the end of March, 2011 in Iowa.

Is the governor of Wisconsin a dictator?

We usually think of dictators using military might to force their constituents to do what they desire. In a more civilized, less military society, perhaps other powers can be used to force compliance rather than military force. As reported in the Washington post, the governor is using threats to attempt to force compliance; so he is TRYING to behave like a dictator, but he has not succeeded yet. He is threatening to punish innocent bystanders if the Democrats in the Senate don’t come back and do what he tells them to do. He admits that he has no interest in discussion, negotiation, or compromise. In fact, if he could figure out a way to get what he wants without the consent of the people, the will of the governed, or any input from any legislature he would gladly do so.

The real questions in this governmental debacle are:
1) Why do the governor and Republican members of Congress feel the need to take the most draconian right-wing stances?
2) Why are so many Republican politicians unwilling to negotiate or discuss resolutions that could be more acceptable to all? Has someone already given them explicit instructions about what to do?
3) Will the governments of the states and the U.S. be able to function if the party in control is never willing to negotiate?

In answer to my original question: according to dictionary.reference.com, a dictator is “a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession.”. So I don’t think Governor Walker is a dictator, but I do think he believes he could make Wisconsin a better state if he were.