You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2009.
What in the world is going on in Great Britain? SIN BINS FOR WORST FAMILIES
THOUSANDS of the worst families in England are to be put in “sin bins” in a bid to change their bad behaviour, Ed Balls announced yesterday.
The Children’s Secretary set out £400million plans to put 20,000 problem families under 24-hour CCTV super-vision in their own homes.
They will be monitored to ensure that children attend school, go to bed on time and eat proper meals.
Private security guards will also be sent round to carry out home checks, while parents will be given help to combat drug and alcohol addiction.
Around 2,000 families have gone through these Family Intervention Projects so far.
More at the link.
From Politico, Town halls gone wild
Screaming constituents, protesters dragged out by the cops, congressmen fearful for their safety — welcome to the new town-hall-style meeting, the once-staid forum that is rapidly turning into a house of horrors for members of Congress.
On the eve of the August recess, members are reporting meetings that have gone terribly awry, marked by angry, sign-carrying mobs and disruptive behavior. In at least one case, a congressman has stopped holding town hall events because the situation has spiraled so far out of control.
“I had felt they would be pointless,” Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) told POLITICO, referring to his recent decision to temporarily suspend the events in his Long Island district. “There is no point in meeting with my constituents and [to] listen to them and have them listen to you if what is basically an unruly mob prevents you from having an intelligent conversation.”
More at the link.
A few videos from Operation Embarrass Your Congressman
CROWD EXPLODES when Arlen Specter says “do it fast.”
Lloyd Doggett’s meeting on Obamacare in south Austin, TX, 1 Aug 2009
President Obama’s “Read my lips” moment? From the New York Daily News, Econ chief Timothy Geithner won’t rule out middle class tax increases
WASHINGTON – White House officials on Sunday refused to rule out hiking taxes as one of the “hard choices” needed to fix the economy over the long haul.
President Obama pledged often on the campaign trail that taxes would stay the same or go down for 95% of Americans.
Asked on Sunday if even the middle class could face hikes, neither Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner nor Lawrence Summers, head of the President’s National Economic Council, would say for sure they’d stick to the pledge.
“There’s a lot that could happen over time,” Summers said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“It’s never a good idea to absolutely rule things, rule things out no matter what.”
More at the link.
May be a hard choice for the Administration, but it will be a no-brainer for voters come the next Presidential election.
Justbkuz 