Big Government Implodes

Daniel Henninger gets it just right when he details just how f'ed we are.

To call the U.S. federal government a black hole is a disservice to black holes, which have a neutral majesty. Excepting the military's fighting units, the federal government has become a giant slug, like Jabba the Hutt, inert but dangerous. Like Jabba, the government increasingly survives by issuing authoritarian decrees from this or that agency.

Obamacare is only one aspect where we're too big...well for outer space. Whether it is the NSA and Snowden, the IRS singling out tea party groups, the weather services, the State Department, etc. we're teetering past the edge over largesse. And he doesn't even get into the massive new regulatory, unaccountable bureaucracies created by Dodd Frank to play Big Brother over the finance industry. Or the diminished federalism exerted by the Court in the DOMA decision. Like Henninger said, multiple parts of the federal government are breaking down simultaneously. And there's no way to stop it. 

Nothing Right About This II

In a Post Style Section article about daddy-daughter dances at a Richmond jail, there are some disturbing comments about such an old fashioned party. No, it's no disturbing that the fathers are in prison. It's that "daddy" dances exist at all.

The event in Richmond is just one example of the alternative father-daughter dances springing up around the country amid growing concerns that traditional father-daughter dances are exclusionary. Their detractors say they are outdated, discriminatory and sexist and that they no longer reflect what American families look like. For starters, according to 2011 census data, more than half of all children in this country are raised by unmarried mothers.

“The whole idea feels very 1950s,” said Peggy Drexel, author of “Our Fathers, Ourselves: Daughters, Fathers and the Changing American Family.” “I mean, do you invite your sperm-donor dad? Today’s America has the daughters of donors, lesbians, two gay dads. . . .”

In October, school officials in Cranston, R.I., banned the dances — along with mother-son baseball games — after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint citing discrimination against single mothers, as well as gender stereotyping. “It’s ‘Ozzie and Harriet’ stuff — it shouldn’t be happening in this century,” said Steven Brown of the Rhode Island ACLU. “Not every girl wants to grow up to be Cinderella; some might actually more enjoy playing baseball. But these types of stereotyped events promote an opposite impression.”

One indication that times are changing: The Girl Scouts of America have given some of the events new names, such as “SAM” — significant adult male — dances or “Someone Special and Me” dances. There are also new events replacing the dances, such as the “Daddy-Daughter Boot Camp” for Girl Scouts on Fort Belvoir.

Yeah, some kids don't have a dad. Sometimes their fathers died in Iraq or passed away elsewhere. But sheesh, because this is so out fashioned--the concept of two married, heterosexual parents--we should ban this? Is everything about not offending some PC-version of America? I applaud the opportunity for young girls to spend times with their fathers in this piece, and I'm sorry it had to occur like this. But the entire convoluted piece should not be some commentary about the role of fatherhood. Ultimately, it should press that what children need are two parents, a mom and a dad, in one home.

Scott Walker Wins

Stephen Hayes nails it in his column; Scott Walker won his recall race last night because he did what he promised to do.

Walker turned a $3.6 billion deficit into a $154 million surplus. Unemployment is down. So are property taxes. Businesses, even with uncertainty about the U.S. economy, are optimistic about the direction of the state. Even with the political divisions, it’s hard to imagine a more successful 16 months as governor.

Now on to governing, right, Wisconsin? And all of this empty rhetoric about unity is worthless if the left does not realize that an election of their choosing went disastrously for them. Elections have consequences.

Bullying Bogus

The Post has written a horrid story painting Romney as anti-homosexual bully.  Because actions fifty years ago are THAT relevant in the campaign!

I've written of my experience being bullied, and no, I don't think all of this is so easily forgiven and forgotten.  But this is all very one-sided, based on ancient history, and involves teenage boys, who probably are not terribly mature. 

And more signficantly: what is the greater character flaw? Cutting some kid's hair, or doing cocaine? I'm waiting for the interview of Obama's high school friends? Or were they all too drugged up to remember their high school years?  Relevant, much?