Keeping up with the election results online

PS A someone without cable TV and questionable broadcast reception, thank you MSNBC for broadcasting live via the Internet. :)

But how much damage has already been done?

Congress Earmarks $3 Million to Reopen EPA Libraries

Of course, it's a little late in the game, with several collections and facilities jettisoned; now they'll have to spend more money than originally budgeted to recover collections, all overseen by the same people who closed the libraries in the first place in the name of saving money.

And selling $40,000 worth of fixtures for less than $350, a figure quoted by PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility)--which has been following the saga, sounds just like our government in action.

Bush doesn't get it

The Battle over SCHIP

Congress' reauthorisation of the State Children's Health Insurance Programme (SCHIP), which has had great success in expanding coverage to children of the working poor, seemed like a no-brainer, until President Bush threatened to veto it. Maybe Bush should try living on a low-income whilst raising children.

We couldn't possibly cover the health care of children whose parents make below a certain income level, right? Because that would put us on the road to socialised medicine? If the SCHIP bills refuse to go into law, reauthorising the monies required to continue the states' health care programmes, many families are going to see their children's health care go down the tubes. And we all know that preventative health care is less costly than when things get acute.

Except President Bush.

Reason #582 for me to dislike George Bush

He's considering vetoing a law that would expand the definition of 'hate crime' to include not only those based on race, religion, colour, national origin, but expand it to include those targeting sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability. A House bill recently passed budgets $10 million over the next two years to supplement local authorities in the prosecution of hate crimes. It will also allow federal officials to participate in investigations (I'm assuming to keep down local cover-ups or disinterest that may hender resolution of a case). The Senate is expected to pass a similar bill shortly.

Not surprisingly, religious right groups are opposing the bill and crying foul, saying that it violates free speech (read, 'hate speech').

House passes expanded hate crime bill