Clipmarks | Government Clips

Who Cares about Size of Government? How about Competent Government?

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:39:52 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: Don't be so scared of government that you serve it, instead of it serving you. Revolutions of the past did not protest how much governments were doing for their well-being. Fundamentally, if taxes had ever been used to actually deliver services to the people instead of funding monarchs and their wars, there might be less fear of taxes. Overcome your fears. Make your government serve you. Like the French providing household assistance services for free to all new moms a few hours a week until the mother feels ready to handle everything.

Clip Source: etext.virginia.edu

Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government

Good Government

"The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government." --Thomas Jefferson to Maryland Republicans, 1809.

"The only orthodox object of the institution of government is to secure the greatest degree of happiness possible to the general mass of those associated under it." --Thomas Jefferson to M. van der Kemp, 1812.

"The energies of the nation... shall be reserved for improvement of the condition of man, not wasted in his destruction." --Thomas Jefferson: Reply to Address, 1801. ME 10:248

"All religions are equally independent here, our laws knowing no distinction of country, of classes among individuals and with nations, our [creed] is justice and reciprocity." --Thomas Jefferson to the Emperor of Morocco, 1803. ME 19:136

"It will be said that great societies cannot exist without government." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XI, 1782. ME 2:129

Tags: jefferson, government, competence, effectiveness

Personal responsibility AND care for each other

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:28:26 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Obama speech: government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves

Clip Source: sage

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves -- protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.

That's the promise of America -- the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.

That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.

Tags: obama, speech

Gov. Sarah Palin: On The Issues

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:06:27 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: New Alaska Governor Is Strong Conservative
Economy: She supports reducing property taxes and taxes for small businesses to grow the economy.
Climate: However, she has been a vocal critic of scientists who suggest that climate change is leading to the decrease in polar bears in Alaska. She has also threatened to sue to have polar bears not listed as a threatened species.
Immigration: Being that her state only borders Canada and is thousands of miles from the Mexican border, Palin has not often expressed her views publicly on illegal immigration.
Health Care: According to her campaign Web site, Palin supports flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care. She believes it will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies. Palin also feels patients should have access to full medical billing information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzY1FvYpnE YouTube: 10:19

Clip Source: www.kcra.com

With the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, Sen. John McCain has extended an olive branch to the far right wing of his party.

The 44-year-old mother of five, who has only been governor for two years, has a conservative track record on both social and fiscal issues.

Abortion: Palin is outspokenly pro-life.

Marriage: Palin opposes same-sex marriage and stated on her campaign web site that she believes “marriage should only be between a man and a woman.”

Climate: Upon being elected governor of Alaska, she created a sub-cabinet on climate change

Guns: Palin is a lifetime member of the NRA. On her Web site, she wrote that she supports “our Constitutional right to bear arms and am a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaska's youth.”

Iraq: Palin is generally supportive of America’s presence in Iraq, her 18-year-old son Track Palin is in the Army and is slotted to go to Iraq in September. Palin has also visited members of the Alaska National Guard in Kuwait.

Tags: gov. palin, social & fiscal conservative, abortion, marriage, guns iraq, economy, climate, health care, immigration

Efficient Government

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:01:05 GMT

clipped by: mustali

Clip Source: www.google.co.nz

Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
- Harry S Truman

efficient government you have a dictatorship.

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:25:24 GMT

clipped by: Scottworthy

Clip Source: www.google.com

Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
- Harry S Truman

Sarah Palin on the Issues

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:16:31 GMT

clipped by: ChaosSyren
clipper's remarks: I do love when it is laid out easy peasy!

Clip Source: www.wlwt.com

Gov. Sarah Palin: On The Issues

New Alaska Governor Is Strong Conservative

The 44-year-old mother of five, who has only been governor for two years, has a conservative track record on both social and fiscal issues.

Climate:

created a sub-cabinet on climate change. However, she has been a vocal critic of scientists who suggest that climate change is leading to the decrease in polar bears in Alaska. She has also threatened to sue to have polar bears not listed as a threatened species.

Immigration:

not often expressed her views publicly on illegal immigration

Guns:

lifetime member of the NRA.

Economy

reducing property taxes and taxes for small businesses

Iraq

supportive of America’s presence

Health Care

supports flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care

will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies

supports patients in their rightful demands to have access to full medical billing information

Marriage

opposes same-sex

Abortion

pro-life

Political Blogs

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:07:03 GMT

clipped by: adeniumlover835

Clip Source: gretawire.foxnews.com

God forbid that this country have a government run health care system….we can’t run the systems that have been in place forever…..and health care….well look at the countries that have government run care………..people die………….it is much worse than what we have…today everyone can have health care………..get a job…………or the poor well they just go to emergency and get care……..been there lately……..it is a travesty……but better that what our government could provide.

Want an example…look at Social Security, Welfare, Medicare, Medical, etc.

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Thai PM vows to avoid use of force on protesters

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:32:06 GMT

clipped by: tommy2balmy
clipper's remarks: Hopefully he will keep his vow.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

The Thai prime minister has said he will not use violent means to drive out protesters occupying the main government buildings in Bangkok.

Riot police have been pulled back from the compound around Government House, where they have been surrounding the occupying protesters since Tuesday.

The protesters, who appear to have some powerful and wealthy backers, are demanding that the government resign.

They accuse Mr Samak of being a puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006 and is now in exile despite facing trial over corruption charges.

The protests began on Tuesday, when more than 30,000 people took to the streets in a well-coordinated action.

The demonstrations have been organised by a group calling itself the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - formed three years ago as a movement to bring down Mr Thaksin.

In his latest comments, he said he had the weight of the law on his side, but wanted to avoid bloodshed.

Tags: thailand

"Swiss exonerate Europe's last executed witch"

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:20:43 GMT

clipped by: cakebelly
clipper's remarks: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26422359/

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

Swiss exonerate Europe's last executed witch

Government declares trial that led to woman's 1782 death was ‘nonlegal’

Documents, paintings, engravings, illustrations and torture instruments are on display at the Anna Goeldi Musueum in Mollis, Switzerland.

BERN, Switzerland - Anna Goeldi was executed for being a witch more than 220 years ago — the last witch beheaded in Europe. On Wednesday, the Swiss decided the least they could do was clear her name.

The parliament of the Swiss canton (state) of Glarus decided unanimously Wednesday to exonerate Goeldi as a victim of "judicial murder," said Josef Schwitter, a government spokesman.

Goeldi was executed in 1782 for an alleged case of poisoning.

Several thousand people, mainly women, were executed for witchcraft between the 14th and 18th centuries in Switzerland, and elsewhere in Europe. Yet Goeldi's trial and beheading in the village of Mollis took place at a time when witch trials had largely disappeared from the continent.

American People are More and More Afraid of Their Government

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:03:00 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: Too long have Americans been silenced and intimidated. America is one of the very few democracies where the people are afraid of their government and not the way it should be, whereby the Government should be afraid of its people.

Clip Source: www.commondreams.org

The Land of the Silent and the Home of the Fearful

I was a speaker last night at an anti-war event sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County, Progressive Democrats of America and Democrats For America in Lincroft, NJ, near the shore. It was a great group of activist Americans who want to see this country end the Iraq War, turn away from war as a primary instrument of policy, and start dealing with the pressing human needs of the country and the world.

"I want to get involved in writing emails to members of Congress urging them to cut off funding for the war and other things, but if I do that won't I end up getting put on a "watch list'" or something?"

I told her the short answer was yes,

n George Bush's and Dick Cheney's America, no one is safe from such spying, and even from harassment

witness Tom Feeley, the man behind the website Information Clearing House, who had armed men invade his house at night and threaten his wife

US Economy Rebounds

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:09:01 GMT

clipped by: RecordSage
clipper's remarks: According to Democrats - we have a terrible economy. So this surge must be due to... let's see what would work here well... Obama's acceptance speech tonight... and in the immortal words/voice of Jon Lovitz, "yeah, yeah, that's it!"

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

US GDP rebounds with 3.3% growth

The US economy grew at a revised 3.3% annually in the second quarter of 2008, the Commerce Department said, much higher than its first estimate of 1.9%.

The rebound was linked to strong US exports, helped by the weak dollar, while government tax rebates also boosted consumer spending.

GDP grew at a rate of 0.9% in the first quarter, after a 0.2% contraction in the last three months of 2007.

The Federal Reserve has warned the economy will remain weak this year.

"While we're not out of the woods yet, maybe we're beginning to see some sunlight," said John Wilson, equity strategist at Morgan Keegan.

"At some point, the market will begin to look through the trough and gauge the strength of the coming upturn."

'No recession'

The data showed that exports grew at an annualised rate of 13.2%, higher than the government's initial estimate of 9.2%.

Tags: usa, economy, improvement

Monster washes to shore? (Pic)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:55:45 GMT

clipped by: traviscrocker
clipper's remarks: What is this thing? Disgusting. And I thought shark bite sounded bad...

Clip Source: gawker.com

This is an actual monster, some sort of rodent-like creature with a dinosaur beak. A tipster says that there is "a government animal testing facility very close by in Long Island," but unless the government is trying to design horrible Montauk monsters

Our guess is that it's viral marketing for something.

Tags: gross

Workers In Alabama May Have To Pay Fat Tax

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:49:58 GMT

clipped by: dl211

Clip Source: www.dbtechno.com

Workers In Alabama May Have To Pay Tax For Being Fat

Boston (dbTechno) - State government employees in Alabama will reportedly have to begin paying a tax for being overweight or obese.

A deadline has been set for Alabama state government employees to get in shape, or start paying a fat tax, as it is being called.

The fat tax would cost them an extra $25 per month for their health insurance.

Tags: fat, tax

Does the U.S. Need a CTO?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:59:57 GMT

clipped by: akipta
clipper's remarks: Last fall, Kapor was called upon to help Senator Barack Obama define his technology positions. Kapor suggested that Obama, if elected president, should install a federal chief technology officer. Conservatives grumbled at the idea of another layer of bureaucracy, but Kapor and others in Silicon Valley say the government needs cohesive technology practices and policies.

Clip Source: www.technologyreview.com

Mitch Kapor likes beginnings. In 1982, he founded Lotus Development, which made the popular spreadsheet program Lotus 1-2-3. In 1990, he cofounded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a political-advocacy and legal organization that champions free speech and privacy. And in 2003, he became the founding chair of the Mozilla Foundation, which is responsible for the open-source Web browser Firefox.

Last fall, Kapor was called upon to help Senator Barack Obama define his technology positions. Kapor suggested that Obama, if elected president, should install a federal chief technology officer. Conservatives grumbled at the idea of another layer of bureaucracy, but Kapor and others in Silicon Valley say the government needs cohesive technology practices and policies.

Tags: technology management policy practice

“Kay Griggs Interviews” Excerpt by Eric Hufshmid

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:58:15 GMT

clipped by: WIDEEYECINEMA

Clip Source: wideeyecinema.com

“Kay Griggs Interviews” Excerpt by Eric Hufshmid

Kay Griggs, wife of colonel George Griggs, USMC (retired USMC Commandant): 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, found her husband’s diary, which contains details of homosexual blackmail in the top ranks of the US Marine Corps and names leading politicians and military leaders. Kay Griggs’s information about the US government also comes from observations and people she met. She exposes initiation rituals, the raping of young men and blackmail and murders to keep people quiet. Much of this, according to Griggs, is related to secret society activity and she names figures like Henry Kissinger and a string of other top government individuals.

Tags: politics, video