Politics and other nightmares

A choice I could live without:

Pat-down or body scan? Travelers, it's now your call.

Not a good milestone to reach:

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For the first time since before the Civil War and perhaps ever, more people in Indiana work in government than in all the factories in the state.

Rocked by layoffs, imports and automation, workers in Indiana plants numbered 430,800 in January, while government at all levels, including schools and publicly owned hospitals, employed 442,800 workers.

We might or might not have God on our side, but it's OK (so far) to have him in the Pledge of Allegiance and on our money.

The federal court that touched off a furor in 2002 by declaring the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion took another look at the issue Thursday and said the phrase invokes patriotism, not religious faith.

[. . .]

I wonder if Elmhurst parents and students would feel better or worse if theirs weren't the only high school being considered for closing. We can all be happy, though, that we're better off here than in Kansas City:

Superintendent John Covington called for the closing or consolidation of almost half of the schools in the Kansas City, Missouri, school district, and a school board voted Wednesday to approve the downsizing.

[. . .]

You can call anything a "green" job, and the more federal dollars that are available the more likely almost everything will be called green:

So, to recap. Some people get upset when customers spit on the floor of their business. Some people are freaked out by the possibility of having to work with men wearing dresses. That means Fort Wayne is an intolerant city. Or something.

In its budget-cutting efforts, Indiana is considering both shutting down the Indiana Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Board (ITPC), which could save $1.5 million in overhead and administrative costs; and laying off some of the state's 52 meat inspectors, the savings from which would depend on how many were let go.

Nancy Pelosi has her "Hey, hold my beer and watch this!" moment:

“You've heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other.

 [. . .]

“But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.

This Reagan/Obama "debate" video is making the rounds on the righty blogs today. It won't change any minds; those of us predisposed one way or the other will hear what we want to hear. But it is fascinating.

You can't say Fred Phelps and his merry band of 70-some pranksters at the Westboro Baptist Church are an inconsequential group. After his church picketed some soldiers' funerals in Indiana (to make the point that our soldiers are getting killed as divine retribution because "God hates fags"), the state legislature approved a law making disorderly conduct within 500 feet of a funeral a felony. Now the group has the attention of the U.S.