Taking care of themselves

June 18, 2017

The other day we had a horrible incident where  someone shot several people who were practicing for an upcoming congressional baseball game in Washington, D.C.

The attacker was killed.

That same day there was another attack at a shipping facility in San Francisco where three people were killed and others were wounded.  The attacker evidently killed himself.

Both incidents were horrible.

We subsequently heard comments that indicated solidarity among members of congress.  The speaker of the house of representatives was quoted as saying “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us”.

Maybe we missed it but we have not heard any members of congress offering any kind of support for the families of the victims in San Francisco.

Does that tell us where we stand?

We deserve better

Brutus

2 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

EPISD–free food

June 17, 2017

The image below tells us about another feral initiative:

We’re not qualified to comment on the necessity of the program.

We do wonder how if it has been judged to be important to offer free food it makes sense to stop serving the food when the district is on vacation July 3-7.  Are the kids to go hungry?

We also wonder what the district means when they write “All meals are free of charge and without eligibility or restrictions”.  Do they mean eligibility of the person doing the eating?  And when they say no restrictions do they mean that anything goes?

We do know that we deserve better.

Brutus

18 Comments | El Paso Independent School District, Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

The president and entry of aliens

June 14, 2017

United States Code title 8, section 1182(f):

Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

We deserve better

Brutus

4 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Power not balanced

May 26, 2017

Recently various federal judges have issued orders stopping some presidential orders.

This post is not intended as a discussion over whether we agree or disagree with the orders.

Unfortunately we have reached the point where a single federal judge can stop the president of the United States.

These judges are not elected.  They cannot be fired.  They do not answer to the citizens.

However they have the power to stop action initiated either by congress or the executive.  They have the power to order action that they feel should occur.

I don’t know what the right answer here is.

Maybe for the time being congress should set up a requirement that in cases where local judges issue orders like these the cases are heard for appeal more quickly.

Otherwise presidents and congresses  from all portions of the political spectrum are subject to being paralyzed by a single judge.

We deserve better

Brutus

19 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Agency mission creep?

May 24, 2017

According to a Times article the other day:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently arrested 26 people in El Paso during the agency’s largest ever nationwide gang crackdown.

Count us among those that want thugs taken off the streets.

However, as far as we know it is not illegal to belong to a gang in the United States.  It is illegal to perform or be involved in the performance of certain acts.

Why is it that ICE is performing “gang crackdowns”?

From the ICE web site:

Is this a case of the publicity people misreporting what was done, or is this agency doing the job of other law enforcement groups?

We deserve better

Brutus

15 Comments | Federal Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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