Happy Tax Day!

From the Cato Institute.

A Solution in Search of a Problem

GMail "Motion." Yup. Because it's just too darned hard to click to open an email, or click to reply, or click to send. MUCH easier to stand in front of your computer's webcam and wave your arms, lick your hand, and otherwise gesture wildly. "Our bodies did not evolve to sit at a desk . . . all day . . . ." Speak for yourself. Some of us are plainly more highly evolved than others. Note well, it's just barely possible that they're kidding, but we don't think so.

Stress in Unlikely Places

Paul Maybury is a graphic artist. Once upon a time, he drew promotional posters for Whole Foods. He explains:

This is the sign that more or less got me pushed out of Wholefoods. I apparently offended a lot of people with it. One older white lady didn’t like the angry black man yelling at her. And a Vegan didn’t like that Mr. T. pitied her because she wouldn’t eat meat.

That’s a true story.

We're not sure why a Vegan would be shopping at Whole Foods. Isn't the place ritually unclean?

The Government They Deserve

Alexis de Toqueville almost certainly never wrote, "In a democracy, people get the government they deserve." Joseph-Marie, Comte de Maistre, probably did. It's a rather gloomy and cynical notion, and de Toqueville was neither. But gloomy though it may be, it seems inescapably true. Voters who cast their ballots for silly, ignorant candidates will get . . . silly Government.

So we ought not be surprised when a silly Member of Congress -- elected by silly, thoughtless voters -- opines on the Constitutionality of Obamacare and says silly things. Whether the Federal Government has the power to require every citizen to purchase health insurance is an interesting question. Around here, we tend to think it has no such power; to justify it as an exercise of the taxing power is cynical; to justify it as a regulation of interstate commerce is tricky; to justify it at all requires arguments that seem to us to have no natural or rational limit: if Congress can compel you to enter into this particular activity, then it's not at all clear that there exists any aspect of life that remains outside the power of Congress to regulate or compel.

But one might think that a Member of Congress, called upon to explain his thinking on this topic, could be expected to do better than this:

It is, of course, not the Constitution, but the Declaration of Independence that uses the phrase "pursuit of happiness." And it might be noted that it does so in the context of individuals being permitted to pursue happiness free of Government interference, rather than Government doing what it pleases in order to make folks happy. As for the Fourteenth Amendment, it seems odd to invoke "equal protection" to mean that the Government has the power to do anything it pleases so long as it tends to make everyone equal, and to make that "equality" a right.

Are we to understand that bald men have a right to Government issued toupees? Or, instead, that all men may be required to shave their heads in order to bring about equality? If you think that's silly (and it is) we can't wait to see your reaction to the Regulations promulgated pursuant to the Federal Anti-Obesity Act of 2015.

In a democracy, people get the government they deserve.

Oh, Stop

Is this sort of thing really necessary? "Harry Smith Colonoscopy to Air on `Early Show.'"

I have a digital video camera, digital editing equipment, a blog, and a very large boil that needs to be lanced. Watch this space.

You've Just Crossed Over Into . . . . .

$9,800,000,000,000

Beyond Parody

Democrats, leftists in general, and our academic elites are now officially declared beyond parody.

Valentine's Day Suggestions

Because nothing says "I love you" like sex in a public restroom.

We're Not Really a Law Blog, but . . . . . .

More at The Smoking Gun.

We Have a Quiz!

Officials of the Menifee Union School District (south of Riverside in SoCal) have banned a book from its elementary schools because it includes a reference to oral sex.

Before going to the article, try to guess the title.

The Country's in the Very Best of Hands

There's dumb, there's dumber, and then there's Harry Reid.

Sure, We're Broke, But at Least We Stimulated the Economy

Stimulate this.

"How dumb do you have to be to believe our shit? I TOLD YOU those morons would buy anything!"

Can Your Kid's Teacher Speak English?

What kind of question is THAT you racist bastard. Just kill me now.

Some Ideas are Bad Ideas

Bad Idea #1: A doctor having sex with his patient;

Bad Idea #2: An employer having sex with his employee;

Bad Idea #3: A stepfather having sex with his stepdaughter.

TRIFECTA!

Who Are Those Four Guys on Horses?

Just kill me now. Wallypop Family Wipes.

Getaway Day

Today is the busiest travel day of the year. Good luck.

Time to Retire

Thanks to the ever-cynical Old Timer.

All Your Banks Are Belong to US!

I don't have anything to say. I just wanted to use that title.

Columbus Day

Berkeley Style!

Luther Burgers

"Luther Burgers?" What on God's green earth could "Luther Burgers" possibly be?

Please send the children out of the room. We'll wait.

Now please distract uncle Fred, and anyone else with coronary artery disease. OK? Just us?

A "Luther Burger" is a bacon cheeseburger around which is wrapped a Krispy Kreme donut instead of a bun. No really! I saw it on the internet, HERE and HERE.