Hitler discovers that Attack Watch has become the joke of the Internet in less than twenty-four hours.
[Update a while later]
OK, all you who laughed at this, go report yourself.
Norm Augustine
…weighs in on the monster rocket:
“I would emphasize that I don’t know the background of what has happened. With that caveat, I would observe that even as powerful as the United States Congress is, it can’t legislate engineering. Engineering deals with Mother Nature. And Mother Nature is a very fair, but unforgiving judge. You just cannot legislate engineering.”
Congress doesn’t care. It can legislate jobs, and the engineering is a distant second. I wish that he had been willing to tell it more like it is in the report, but I guess he could not do that, and still get a consensus.
ACORN Pigs At The Trough
Will the “jobs” bill supply funding to “community organizers”?
Just one more reason not to pass it.
[Update a couple minutes later]
The bill is a blue-state bailout. Just like the first one was.
In Which Henry Waxman
…insults Jewish voters. They’re apparently too stupid and greedy to appreciate The One.
That will be a winning strategy next year.
Solyndra
Some interesting notes from yesterday’s hearings:
Rep. Brian Bilbray (R., Calif.) had perhaps the most compelling questions for the witnesses (even though they ducked and dodged them all). For instance, why on earth did the administration approve a $535 million loan guarantee for to fund the construction of a new manufacturing facility in California — a state with significant financial problems, 12 percent unemployment, an abundant supply of empty warehouses (a result of businesses “fleeing” the state, Bilbray said), and some of the strictest regulations and permitting requirements in the country?
This was just “absurd,” he said, and raises questions about the competence of the agencies who ultimately approved the loan. Bilbray outlined the litany of permits and regulations a new facility in California would have to comply with, especially since the building site was located on “virgin farm land” and fell within a “non-attainment” zone as classified by the EPA. Because the resulting costs would be quite high, why build a whole new facility, as opposed to renting or retrofitting an existing facility? Or open a new plant in another state? Bilbray asked. Fair questions, but neither witness claimed to know anything about that aspect of the loan decision.
The country’s in the very best of hands.
“Fast and Furious” is this administration’s Watergate, except it’s much worse. Solyndra is this administration’s Enron, except it’s much worse. But they won’t be treated that way by most of the press.
[Update a few minutes later]
Actually, I should give props to ABC, who has been covering Solyndra pretty aggressively. They are reporting that Treasury is opening up an investigation. I wonder how sincere it will be? I would think that Geithner would like to avoid being the fall guy here.
[Update early afternoon]
Maybe Chu will be the fall guy. I wouldn’t miss him. Of course, there’s almost no one in this administration that I would miss, unless I thought they’d be replaced by someone worse. But I think it’s going to be a lot harder for the president to get his leftist nominees through now than it was in early 2009.
[Late afternoon update]
“Questions will be asked.”
What fools these people are.
To Rein In Spending
…they will have to rein in ObamaCare.
[Update a few minutes later]
You don’t say: “Report: Administration ignored high costs in healthcare bill.”
I Wonder If This Will Apply To Deep Space Missions?
Why the return trip seems shorter.
[Update a few minutes later]
Speaking of deep-space missions (not that it’s likely to ever fly any, or fly at all), Chris Bergin has a pretty extensive write-up on the Senate Launch System.
The Monster Rocket
…will eat NASA’s space program. The Space Frontier Foundation speaks out.
Kick The Wheat Habit
This looks like an interesting book
A Lack Of Transparency From The Administration
Why should science be different from any of the other things there’s a lack of transparency on? Just because he made campaign promises? Please.
[Update a few minutes later]
This seems related: some thoughts on the rule of law. It’s a shame that Ryan isn’t in the race.