I’m Surrounded By Idiots

Cleaning up Caroline County one ten POSs at a time.

Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Authorities in Caroline County arrested a ninth suspect yesterday on a charge of murder by mob.

He is the fifth male juvenile to be charged in the Nov. 10 shooting of Raquel Hunter, 16. Four adults were charged, too.

Until this week, only Lashawn Montque Monroe, 23, of Ruther Glen had been arrested in Hunter’s death. He was charged soon after the killing with murder and use of a firearm in a felony.

This week, authorities charged Monroe, along with three other adults and five minors, with murder by mob, or lynching.

A law addressing lynching has been on the books in Virginia since 1928. Under Virginia law, lynching means any act of violence by a mob on another person that results in the death of that person.

Virginia law defines a mob as a group of people “assembled for the purpose and with the intention of committing an assault or a battery upon any person or an act of violence . . . without authority of law.”

Caroline Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony G. “Tony” Spencer said yesterday that he plans to drop the first two charges against Monroe and focus prosecution on the mob charge.

Hunter was shot in the head as a birthday party was ending for another 16-year-old. His body was found on the ground outside the Madison Ruritan Club in Ladysmith.

Spencer said yesterday that a person does not have to physically harm someone to be guilty of murder by mob.

[…]

Along with Monroe, the following three adults were charged with murder by mob: Antoine Johnson, 18; Dwight Leo Smith II, 19; and Deon Alexander Terrell, 19.

All nine defendants are from Caroline.

And from the AP:

Virginia State Police say they have arrested a man accused of murdering his wife in 1995.

Police say 44-year-old Lawrence Peter Gaudenzi of Timberville was arrested without incident during a traffic stop Friday afternoon in Shenandoah County.

Sergeant Thomas A. Cunningham Junior said Gaudenzi initially reported his 31-year-old wife, Lisa Kathy Gaudenzi, missing to authorities in Caroline County, where the couple lived. State police became involved in the case in 1997 and recently discovered crucial information that was presented to a grand jury in Caroline, which returned a murder indictment.

The Huckster opens his mouth, removes any doubt of his stupidity.

AP:

Republican Mike Huckabee responded to an offstage noise during his speech to the National Rifle Association by suggesting it was Barack Obama diving to the floor because someone had aimed a gun at him.

Hearing a loud noise and interrupting his speech, Huckabee said: “That was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair. He’s getting ready to speak and somebody aimed a gun at him and he—he dove for the floor.”

There were only a few murmurs in the crowd after the remark.

Or as another blog puts it: “It’s not as bad as that suggests but it’s bad enough to probably keep him off the ticket. Fortunately.”

How considerate: Moron politicians cause eight mile backups on the Inner Loop.

Everyone needs a good photo op: WTOP:

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge — the expansion of which has been touted as a major improvement along Interstate 95 — was to blame for huge delays on the day the bridge’s second span was dedicated.

Preparation for the event began early Thursday, and caused drivers to slow down to see what was happening. The ceremony started at 11 a.m. and ended around noon.

[…]

At one point, the Inner Loop backups on the Maryland side of the bridge extended for more than 8 miles.

“There is definitely some rubber-necking going on, and some additional traffic. The message we would like to get out to motorists is, ‘Please keep driving,'” Wilson Bridge Project spokesperson Michelle Holland said of the backups.

For 5 1/2 hours, the backups were consistently 7 to 8 miles long.

WTOP Traffic Reporter Lisa Baden said it took drivers as much as 1 hour, 30 minutes to go those 7 or 8 miles.

“The port-a-potties are starting to look very tempting to the people sitting the backups for an hour and a half,” Baden said.

[…]

Local leaders including Govs. Tim Kaine and Martin O’Malley, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters were on hand for the dedication.

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) tightened the last bolt on the bridge into place.

Republicans support $290,000,000,000 corporate welfare bill.

The WaPo:

The House yesterday passed a final version of a new five-year farm bill by a vote of 318 to 106, a margin large enough to override President Bush’s promised veto of the nearly $300 billion measure.

[…]

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer released a statement saying the vote “sends the wrong message to the rest of the country who are not experiencing the boom of the agriculture sector,” and, “This bill is loaded with taxpayer funded pet projects at a time when Americans are struggling to buy groceries and afford gas to get to work.”

Bush has charged that the bill allows payments to wealthy individuals. He has also criticized restrictions on the use of food aid dollars in the midst of food shortages abroad, and he said that protectionist provisions, including “an egregious new sugar subsidy program,” could worsen trade relations.

The United Nations and the World Trade Organization have increasingly gotten annoyed at the massive subsidies provided by the United States Government (The WaPo, different link).

Vote round-up provided by James Atticus Bowden at his blog:

Democrats — Boucher, Y; Moran, Y; Scott, Y.

Republicans — Drake, Y; Forbes, Y; Goodlatte, Y; Wittman, Y;

Fiscal Conservative Republicans – Goode, N;Cantor, N; Davis, Tom, N; Wolf, N.

Wolf, Goode and Cantor have farmers in their districts, yet they voted “No”. Good job, guys.

And the corporate welfare aspect:

Continues to subsidize millionaires. Currently, all full-time farmers may be eligible for farm subsidies regardless of income (part-time farmers must earn less than $2.5 million annually). President Bush reasonably proposed limiting farm subsidies to those who earn less than $200,000 a year.

Rather than follow that commonsense approach, the conference agreement reportedly rejects all farmer income tests for the countercyclical and marketing loan subsidy programs and includes only a weak net farm income cap for direct payments ($750,000 for single farmers and $1.5 million for married farmers after all business deductions). Direct payments would also be restricted to singles with non-farm incomes under $500,000 ($1 million for married couples).

That is not reform. Farmers with incomes in the millions of dollars would still be eligible for permanent subsidies. Farm subsidies would remain America’s largest corporate welfare program: Most subsidies would continue to go to large agribusinesses. President Bush is right to insist that farmers earning more than $200,000 per year no longer be eligible for subsidies.

Somewhat funny: Peumansend Creek Regional Jail highway sign defaced with “0420”

In no way am I promoting vandalism and/or graffiti.

Poor quality cell phone picture with a 3x computer enlargement:

Full picture can be seen here.

420 means (Phish.net):

420 is a favorite number for a variety of reasons, but colloquially the number says pot — “let’s smoke pot”, or “someone’s smoking pot“, or “gee, i really like pot“, or “time to smoke pot”. It is celebrated and noted by time (4:20 a.m. or p.m.), date (April 20th), or in any other instance (e.g. State Route 420). April 20th at 4:20 is marked by annual events in Mount Tamalpais, CA (an informal gathering); Marin Conty, CA (the 420 Hemp Fest); Ann Arbor, MI (the Hash Bash); and Washington, D.C. (buildup towards the July 4th Smoke-In).

I’m sure there’s a cell available at Peumansend for whoever did this, by the way. :)

Profiles in Hypocrisy: John Sidney McCain

From one his oh-so-torturing email alerts:

One of these challenges is global climate change. Whether we call it “climate change” or “global warming,” in the end we’re all left with the same set of facts. Good stewardship, prudence and simple common sense demand that we act to meet the challenge and act quickly. And if we are wrong and climate change is not a threat, all we are doing is leaving a better planet for our children and lowering our dependence on foreign oil.

We would have more domestic oil if McCain would vote to allow domestic oil production (Roll Call vote #1, #2 [there’s more, I’m just too lazy to find them]).

ANWAR is estimated to have up to 11,800,000,000 barrels of oil that are recoverable (USGS). That’s $1,461,430,000,000 worth of oil (a barrel of oil is at $123.85 on the New York Mercantile Exchange right now).

That is why I have proposed a cap-and-trade system that would set limits on greenhouse gas emissions while encouraging the development of low-cost compliance options. This is a market-based system to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mobilize innovative technologies and strengthen the economy.

If that’s the case, why was he complaining about Mitt Romney’s tax cut on the sale of hybrid vehicles? (The Washington Post):

A spokesman for Romney called McCain’s SUV claim “absolute nonsense” and said Romney had only called for a tax cut on hybrid vehicles as a way to encourage sales.

[…]

While campaigning for governor, Romney proposed decreasing the excise tax on fuel-efficient cars.

Anyone wonder what type of vehicle John McCain drives or rides in? (USA Today):

Though he had traveled to some campaign events on chartered planes, he flew to New Hampshire on a commercial flight and drove around the state in a rented SUV.

Los Angeles Times:

Sen. John McCain left a downtown building to enter a waiting SUV for the trip to a fund-raiser in San Francisco.

And there’s his too-many-to-count flip-flops on ethanol:

“When McCain ran for president in 1999 and 2000, he barely campaigned in Iowa, knowing that his anti-ethanol stance wouldn’t cut it in corn country.” (CNN.com)
“‘Ethanol is a product that would not exist if Congress didn’t create an artificial market for it. No one would be willing to buy it,’ McCain said in November 2003.” (Ibid)
October 31, 2006: “In a flip-flop so absurd it’ll be a wonder if it doesn’t get lampooned by late-night comedians – not to mention opponents’ negative ads – McCain is now proclaiming himself a “strong” ethanol supporter.” (Ibid)
May 2, 2008: “Every time hardworking American families buy groceries, they feel the financial sting of misguided federal policies mandating that taxpayers support ethanol,” said Sen. McCain. “It isn’t a surprise that food prices are rising when more than 25 percent of the corn grown today is taken out of the food supply and instead used for subsidized ethanol production. This subsidized program – paid for with taxpayer dollars – has contributed to pain at the cash register, at the dining room table, and a devastating food crisis throughout the world. We need to put an end to flawed government policies that distort the markets, raise food prices artificially, and pit producers against consumers. We must call on the EPA to exercise its authority to not exacerbate this already bad situation.” (National Corn Growers Association)

All around, a complete moron.

And they say that kids don’t know the value of a dollar.

The Washington Post:

Montgomery County police said today they expect to make more arrests in a bust involving three pounds of marijuana and students at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Winston Churchill High School in Potomac and Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest Washington.

Investigators believe that several students pooled money to buy an unspecified amount of marijuana to sell to other teenagers, police said. Detectives found $6,600 and scales at one of the student’s homes, they said.

Thus far, detectives have arrested two adults and two students — a 17-year-old male from Walt Whitman and a 17-year-old female from Winston Churchill. Among the suspects not charged is at least one student from Woodrow Wilson, police said.

Don’t forget the tax raising hypocrites on transportation!

The Shad Plank reports:

For all the talk Monday over Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s transportation plan version 3.1, the most telling exchange may have occured between Del. Morgan Griffith and Del. Kirk Cox, two of the most influential voices in the House Republican Caucus.

After the pair criticized Kaine’s plan to levy sales taxes in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia (hits working people too hard) and increase the grantor’s tax (hits the struggling home industry) they were asked by a reporter:

Uh…both Griffith and Cox voted three times for HB3202, which was later ruled unconstitutional since it gave taxing power to unelected bodies. They want to “fix” HB3202 by making the bodies elected, but want to continue to impose (yes, that’s the right word) the following taxes:

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority

The proposed legislation proposes a number of fees and taxes that may be adopted by local governments in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (the Authority) and paid to the Authority for specified uses. The proposed legislation, if all revenues were enacted on January 1, 2008, would generate $196.5 million in FY 2008 and $409.9 million in FY 2009.

The taxes and fees that localities are authorized to impose are:

Commercial Real Estate tax – 25 percent fair market value
Grantor’s Tax – 40 cents per $100
Motor Vehicle Rental Tax – 2 percent
Original Driver’s License Fee– $100
Transient Occupancy Tax – 2 percent

[…]

Hampton Roads Transportation Authority

The proposed legislation creates the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority, which is to be comprised of local and state elected officials as well as other state representatives. The Authority would be given authority to issue debt, impose and collect tolls, administer contracts, and hire staff. The Authority must be in place by December 31, 2007, and the legislation requires affirmative action by seven localities representing half the population to create. The localities must take action by December 31, 2007, to impose the taxes and fees. The legislation also includes provisions to incorporate the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission into the Authority in the future, once current debt obligations on the tunnel have been fully satisfied. The proposed legislation, if all revenues were enacted on January 1, 2008, would generate $84.6 million in FY 2008 and $188.8 million in FY 2009. The taxes and fees that localities are authorized to impose are:

Annual license fee – $10
Initial license fee – 1 percent retail value of vehicle
Vehicle inspection fee – $10
Sales and use tax on motor vehicle repairs – 5 percent
Grantor’s tax – $0.40 per $100 value
Rental car fee – 2 percent rental charge
Commercial real property tax – 0.10 percent fair market value of property
Sales tax on motor vehicle fuel – 2 percent

Notice anything that they’re now railing against? Like a grantor’s tax and sales tax increases in there?

Even funnier is Griffith is so much in love with HB3202 that he voted against repealing the “abusive driver fees” (part of HB3202) two times this last session.

Everyone (e.g., Tim Kaine, Bill Bolling, Bill Howell, et al.) wants to raise your taxes.

First, Tim Kaine’s master plan (via WTOP):

Kaine proposed increasing the titling tax from 3 percent to 4 percent and boosting the registration fee by $10. The governor released details of his plan at a state Capitol news conference Monday.

The governor also proposed increasing the state sales tax by a penny in traffic-clogged northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, with the revenue to be spent only in those regions. He also wants to increase the grantors tax, which is paid by people selling their homes.

Oh, great, the housing market sucks, so let’s increase the tax for selling a house. In one word: brilliant!

Bill Bolling’s and Bill Howell’s (just as scary) master plan (via Virginia Virtucon):

“If we are serious about finding a solution to Virginia’s transportation needs, rather than simply in engaging in another round of political grandstanding, we must keep our focus firmly fixed on solving the main challenge before us – developing a realistic and constitutional framework for providing additional transportation funding in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. To try and expand these discussions to a so called statewide solution is unwise and will jeopardize our ability to find workable regional solutions for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

“I look forward to working with the members of the General Assembly to find workable regional transportation solutions for Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. However, I will not support any effort to increase taxes on a statewide basis and I am confident this is a sentiment shared by a majority of Virginia taxpayers.”

I wonder if people in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia have a similar sentiment that they shouldn’t be taxed (exclusively) as well?

Because, you know, those are the only areas that need transportation funding.

What Bill Bolling is calling for, by the way, is the revival of HB3202 (minus abusive driver fees). From the bill’s fiscal impact statement:

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority

The proposed legislation proposes a number of fees and taxes that may be adopted by local governments in the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (the Authority) and paid to the Authority for specified uses. The proposed legislation, if all revenues were enacted on January 1, 2008, would generate $196.5 million in FY 2008 and $409.9 million in FY 2009.

The taxes and fees that localities are authorized to impose are:

Commercial Real Estate tax – 25 percent fair market value
Grantor’s Tax – 40 cents per $100
Motor Vehicle Rental Tax – 2 percent
Original Driver’s License Fee– $100
Transient Occupancy Tax – 2 percent

Hey, great, he wants to increase the tax on selling homes too. Also, isn’t the transient occupancy tax supposed to go to tourism related stuff (§ 58.1-3819)?

Hampton Roads Transportation Authority

The proposed legislation creates the Hampton Roads Transportation Authority, which is to be comprised of local and state elected officials as well as other state representatives. The Authority would be given authority to issue debt, impose and collect tolls, administer contracts, and hire staff. The Authority must be in place by December 31, 2007, and the legislation requires affirmative action by seven localities representing half the population to create. The localities must take action by December 31, 2007, to impose the taxes and fees. The legislation also includes provisions to incorporate the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission into the Authority in the future, once current debt obligations on the tunnel have been fully satisfied. The proposed legislation, if all revenues were enacted on January 1, 2008, would generate $84.6 million in FY 2008 and $188.8 million in FY 2009. The taxes and fees that localities are authorized to impose are:

Annual license fee – $10
Initial license fee – 1 percent retail value of vehicle
Vehicle inspection fee – $10
Sales and use tax on motor vehicle repairs – 5 percent
Grantor’s tax – $0.40 per $100 value
Rental car fee – 2 percent rental charge
Commercial real property tax – 0.10 percent fair market value of property
Sales tax on motor vehicle fuel – 2 percent

Hey, a two percent gas tax increase, not a two cent increase: $0.06 more per gallon of gas, with the tax increasing every time the base price of gas increase.

It won’t just be Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, just in this last session of the General Assembly, someone wanted to create another “regional government” that would get to tax the counties in the Richmond area.

It can always get worse: Mike Huckabee at top of McCain’s short list for a running mate.

U.S. News & World Report:

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain’s short list for a running mate. At least that’s the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain’s inner circle.

[…]

Let me add that a top Republican political strategist told me about a month ago that he also believed Huckabee to be the leading veep contender.