Indiana Gov. Pence is now backpedaling on Indiana's discriminatory religious freedom act. 

Pence is calling for clean up legislation to change the new law to say it "doesn’t discriminate against anyone."  He is blaming the press and everyone else for misrepresenting the law.  He is repeating over and over again that he doesn’t think the law was written to discriminate.  He is also repeating over and over again that the Indiana law is no different than federal law.  On both points he is wrong.

First, if it wasn’t intended to allow businesses to discriminate then there certainly wouldn’t have been a reaction by both businesses who refused to discriminate and those who saw relief in the law.  Businesses were posting signs saying they serve everyone and corporations were threatening to stop doing business in Indiana.

Second, the Indiana law differed from federal law, especially important where Indiana does not have a nondiscrimination against gays law as do other states.  Pence claims that the Indiana law mirrors the federal law. 

The problem with this statement is that, well, it’s false. That becomes clear when you read and compare those tedious state statutes.  If you do that, you will find that the Indiana statute has two features the federal RFRA—and most state RFRAs—do not. First, the Indiana law explicitly allows any for-profit business to assert a right to “the free exercise of religion.” The federal RFRA doesn’t contain such language, and neither does any of the state RFRAs except South Carolina’s; in fact, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, explicitly exclude for-profit businesses from the protection of their RFRAs.

The new Indiana statute also contains this odd language: “A person whose exercise of religion has been substantially burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened, by a violation of this chapter may assert the violation or impending violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the state or any other governmental entity is a party to the proceeding.” Neither the federal RFRA, nor 18 of the 19 state statutes cited by the Post, says anything like this; only the Texas RFRA, passed in 1999, contains similar language.  (Garrett Epps, The Atlantic)

Governor Pence is obviously either not intelligent or perceptive enough to understand what the intent of the law was.  A clear majority of others, including corporations and businesses, knew exactly what the legislature intended when they passed the law.  Other state governors and mayors were boycotting Indiana.

No matter how much blaming and justifying Pence does, it is clear that everyone else knew exactly the intent of the law.  If Governor Pence can't see that, maybe he should find another line of work. There's still room in the GOP clown car.

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U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) lost another battle on student loan refinancing to Senate Republicans on Wednesday, despite increasing calls to overhaul the loan system.

Warren’s amendment, which she attempted to attach to the Republican budget resolution, would let student loan borrowers refinance their expensive payments to today’s record-low interest rates, rather than continuing on with current loan interest rates of six to 10 percent.

The vote was 46-53, with three Republicans – Bob Corker of Tennessee, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – all voting with the Democrats, currently the minority in the chamber.

Current estimates have the total student loan debt at $1.2 trillion, only trailing home mortgages as the most expensive burden weighing on Americans. 

Sen. Warren previously attempted to fix the student loan system last year. The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act would have let those who borrowed loans before 2010 refinance with interest rates of 3.86 percent, or the newest interest rate that Congress set for current loan borrowers. Her proposal failed 56-38, not enough to overcome Republican filibusters, which would have required 60 votes.  (Source:  The Washington Post,  The Boston Globe)

Back in June, 2013, Democrats advocated for the student loan rates to be locked in at 3.4 percent and suggested covering the cost by closing tax loopholes often used by oil and gas companies.  That plan went no where.  

Once again, Republicans in Congress have blocked an attempt to make education more affordable.  Students who are already saddled with student loan debt after graduation don’t need to be gouged by high interest rates.  Kudos to Senator Warren for once again fighting the good fight.  Shame on the Republicans for shafting the students again.

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GOP lead clown Ted Cruz (Joe McCarthy clone) has admitted on CNN that he and his wife are going to get health insurance on the federal exchange under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).  Cruz was covered by his wife’s health insurance through her job at Goldman-Sachs.  She has taken a leave of absence while he runs for president and will no longer have health insurance coverage.

"We'll be getting new health insurance and we'll presumably do it through my job in the Senate, and so we'll be on the federal exchange like millions of others on the federal exchange," Cruz told CNN

Cruz was asked repeatedly by CNN's Dana Bash if he would accept the U.S. government subsidy for health care that Congress receives, but he wouldn't answer directly. His spokesperson said later that he would refuse it.

Cruz continued, “What is problematic about Obamacare is that it is killing millions of jobs in this country and has killed millions of jobs. It has forced millions of people into part time work. It has caused millions of people to lose their insurance, to lose their doctors and to face skyrocketing insurance premiums. That is unacceptable.”

However, Ted is mistaken on two crucial points:  1)  The ACA doesn’t set insurance premium rates.  They are set by the insurance companies and state regulators.  2) Unemployment numbers in 2014 fell in every state, which is the first time this has happened in 31 years.  (Sources:  CNN,  Wall Street Journal)

So, not only is Ted a hypocrite for being the loudest voice against the ACA and now signing up for it, he is a liar for saying that the ACA has cost “millions of jobs.”  Ted tried to later explain it away by saying he was just “following the law” by signing up for Obamacare, but there is no doubt he and his Goldman-Sachs wife could get health insurance on the open market on their income.  

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I’ve posted this before and it is worth mentioning again.

I first learned of this organization from my friend Croft Randle.  It is a non-profit organization that facilitates loans around the globe to individuals who need a helping hand.  

Peterson Industries of Smith Center, Kansas, manufacturer of Excel fifth wheel trailers since 1966, announced today that they are closing their doors.  Peterson Industries is a family owned company and indicated that they were unable to bounce back from the recession of 2008.

I have an interest in this because we have a NuWa Hitchhiker fifth wheel.  When NuWa Manufacturing of Chanute, Kansas stopped production in 2012, after being in business since 1969, they were having Peterson Industries manufacture a limited number of Hitchhiker trailers for them.  Both Excel and Hitchhiker were known as top of the line RV’s, which influenced our decision to purchase a Hitchhiker. 

The recession of 2008 hit RV manufacturers hard and there was a 33% decline in sales from 2007.  The free fall continued and In 2009 sales were down 30% from 2008.  Only in 2010 did sales rebound and were up 46% from 2009.  They seem to have leveled off with a growth of 17% in 2012.  (source:  RVIA)

A number of RV manufacturers are still in business, however with the closing of NuWa, and now Peterson Industries, there will be less choice in quality.

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Today I decided to have another Beck’s, however it still didn’t taste like the Beck’s I was used to.  Not until I took a close look at the can did I realize why.  It is now being brewed in St. Louis.  St. Louis?!!  Not Bremen, Germany??!  I’ve been duped!

Barely legible on the front label, printed in white ink on silver, are the words, “Product of USA•Brauerei Beck&Co•St. Louis, MO.”  The rest of the label appears identical to the original Beck’s label. 

What is even more disconcerting is another label they are using that states, “Brewed under the German Purity Law of 1516.”  The law, called Reinheitsgebot, set German standards and German ingredients for brewing beer.  How can the brewing standards and ingredients be the same in St. Louis?

I’m not the only one who is bothered by the stealth labeling.  There is a pending class action lawsuit claiming InBev deceived customers into thinking that Beck’s is still being brewed in Germany.  The suit claims that for more than 225 years Beck’s was brewed in Bremen using barley from Southern England, water from the Rotenburger Rinne and Hallertau hops from Germany.  Now Beck’s is brewed using domestic ingredients, including Missouri River water.

Some comments of beer drinkers, like myself, echo my thoughts:

“I was a Beck's beer drinker for many years and immediately noticed a difference when production was switched to the United States. I only noticed the packaging after I thought I got a stale beer and looked for a number to call on the box.”

“I have been a solid import beer drinker for many years. Beck's in my top 3 favorites. I noticed that the taste wasn't the same - less carbonation, not as hoppy. As I started to look at the label, noticed it was brewed in US.  Profit trumps quality for Inbev. Friends have noticed the same. Good Bye Beck's.”

So, another quality beer bites the dust and I’m left to agree with other beer drinkers - Goodbye Beck’s.

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A vendor at a gun show this past weekend in Sioux Falls, S.D. displayed blatant racism and stupidity by selling practice targets depicting a running black person with the phrase, “Official Runnin’ N---r Target.”

When asked by a local television station reporter why he would sell such racist targets, the vendor gave the cryptic response, “Are you a Negro?  You know, there are some black people and there are some Negroes.”

In the news video (below) the vendor tells the reporter he sold 500 of the targets so far.  If his claim is to be believed, that means there are a number of more stupid and racist gun nuts out there.

Yesterday was the march in Selma, Alabama commemorating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights march where peaceful demonstrators were harassed and beaten by authorities.

Just prior to the event the “Friends of Forrest, Inc.”, a historical group that claims to promote tourism, put up a billboard within view of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge showing Nathan Bedford Forrest - Ku Klux Klan founder and Confederate officer - sitting on his horse.

The billboard has the motto, “Keep the skeer on ‘em,” meaning, “Keep them afraid”, an obvious reference to African-Americans.  Friends of Forrest, Inc. spokesperson Patricia Goodwin said, “That billboard was put there with positive intent to ask people who come to Selma to explore and enjoy our 19th century history. Does it say anything in the Constitution where a certain faction of people cannot be offended? I’m offended by all these people walking around with their pants hanging around their knees.”  She claims that she only chose the location because of its high visibility to visitors.

The Southern Poverty Law Center pointed out that Goodwin is a known neo-Confederate activist who has called the historic 1965 march “the Mother of All Orgies” and has previously fought efforts to commemorate the civil rights marchers who were beaten with bullwhips and police batons on Bloody Sunday.  She also signs her emails  “The Wizardess,” a reference to Forrest’s title as the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Goodwin must be smoking too much crack if she thinks people cannot see the not so subtle message in her billboard, especially its placement so close the historic site of the 1965 civil rights march.

Racism alive and well 50 years later.

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Since 2011, Minnesota has been doing quite well for itself.  The state has created more than 170,000 jobs. Its unemployment rate stands at 3.6% — the fifth-lowest in the country, and far below the nationwide rate of 5.7% — and the state government boasts a budget surplus of $1 billion. Forbes considers Minnesota one of the top 10 in the country for business.

Over the past four years, the state has undergone a series of policy reforms (implemented by Governor Mark Dayton of the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party [DFL]) that most of the corporate world decries: It has imposed higher taxes on the wealthy and raised the minimum wage.

When each of these progressive policies was initially proposed, Minnesota Republicans made dire predictions about their effects on the economy, and argued that bleeding-heart concerns about economic fairness would stifle growth. Despite all the warnings, Minnesota's economy hasn't tanked. Instead, it's sailing with greater force than it has in years.

As Minnesota has enjoyed economic success, observers have often compared the state's situation to that of its neighbor Wisconsin. Republican Scott Walker also won the governor's mansion in Wisconsin in 2010, but pursued a deeply conservative agenda for managing the economy. He made huge spending cuts to vital services ranging from education to health care. He reduced taxes on the wealthy, and got rid of tax credits for low-wage earners.

Wisconsin's job growth has been among the worst in the region, and income growth is one of the worst in the country. It has a higher unemployment rate than Minnesota. And the budget is in bad shape: 

Our transportation budget has a $750 million hole in it, our health care budget is $760 million in the red, and that's all on top of a $1.8 billion general budget deficit. Add it up and Walker has essentially taken a balanced budget and turned it into a deficit nearly as large as the one created by the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression.  

(Source:  PolicyMic.org)

So Scott, how's that giveaway to corporations and the rich, union-busting, taxing the middle class and poor going for you?  Not so good you say?  These statistics don't lie do they, you weasel.

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One of the biggest criticisms against wind turbines is that they aren’t usually nice to look at, but that may be about to change thanks to the French company NewWind. Their new device, Tree Vent, is an array of vertical wind turbines that look a lot like a tree. 

Though the tree looks like a piece of modern art that would fit in at any urban area, it also provides a very important function. Each tree has a current power output of 3.1 kilowatts, which might not be able to power much on its own. However, using several of the trees together as landscape features in a park or along a roadside would make more of an impact to the homes and buildings nearby.

This orientation cancels out noise, allowing the turbine to spin silently. Wind turbines are typically very tall in order to reach the altitude where the wind is stronger, but these vertical turbines are able to spin with wind blowing as low as 7 km/h (4.4 mph), making this twice as sensitive as traditional turbines. However, they are durable enough to withstand Category 3 winds, which can reach 178 - 208 km/h (111-129 mph).

NewWind will be testing a tree in Paris’s Place de la Concorde between March 12 and May 12 of this year, allowing the public to see how the turbine functions in a normal setting. About 40 more units are due to be installed around the country in September. 

For those wanting a Tree Vent for themselves, you are going to have to wait a bit longer. They aren’t due to go into mass production until the summer of 2016 and will initially only be available in France and other proximal European countries. There is no word on when or if they plan to extend the product into the United States. The approximate price of each tree will be about €29,500 (US$35,000), though that price will hopefully decrease as production becomes less expensive and the technology is further developed.

Warren Buffett is from our home state of Nebraska and is generally one of the good guy billionaires and a philanthropist, however on Monday he diverged from his good guy principles.

In an interview with CNBC Buffett was asked what he thought of Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her views of Wall Street.  Buffett responded, “I think that she would do better if she was less angry and demonized less,” he responded. “I believe in hate the sin, love the sinner, and I also believe in praising by name and criticizing by category.”  He continued that while there are “plenty of other candidates” whose political style he doesn’t agree with, “I do think it’s — I think it’s a mistake to get angry with your, with people that disagree with you,” he said of her. “In the end we do have to work together… And it does not help when you demonize or get too violent with the people you’re talking to.”

Sen. Warren has become the beacon for the middle class and working poor.  She has been a strong advocate of financial reform, including a role in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  She has also gone after Wall Street moguls responsible for the financial crisis of 2008.

On Wall Street, (Senator) Warren was regarded, says one bank vice-chairman, as 'the Devil incarnate,' and, according to another executive, a 'showboater,' who didn’t really know what she was talking about.”  (Vanity Fair - 2011) *

I wonder if Buffett’s comments about Sen. Warren were more of a suggestion, rather than an admonition.  Buffett is certainly no friend of Wall Street since he has taken some liberal positions on corporate reforms, including tax reform which would increase taxes on the rich.

So, I’m going to give Buffett a pass on his comments about Sen. Warren, especially considering that I think she is one of the few in Washington that I agree with.  Buffett is still one of the good guy billionaires.


*  I'm still waiting for any of these dicks to go to jail for their role in the 2008 financial crimes.

P.S.  In the interest of full disclosure:  I do not (unfortunately) have any stock in Berkshire Hathaway.  Whenever my ship comes in, I'm not at the dock.

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