He who has the gold makes the rules, chapter 341

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The above is proof that 1)the world is not full of angels, 2) as a result, government regulation is needed, and 3) because corporate greedheads are everywhere.

You wanna know why North Dakota and the northern half of Minnesota have the highest gas prices in the nation? It’s because two local refineries, and three of the four regional gasoline refineries, did their usual spring shutdown for maintenance and formulation changing for summer driving — at the same time.

The average price of gas in April was $3.46; today it’s $4.16.

Was this a calculated move? Did businesses with dollar signs in their eyes plan this?  Does a bear shit in the Minnesota Boundry Waters regularly?

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Republican public policy in a nutshell

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You can’t buy this level of irony. From Senator Rand Paul (R-KY):

…Sen. Rand Paul claimed Sunday there was a “written policy” floating around the agency that said IRS officials were “targeting people who were opposed to the president.

When CNN pressed Senator Paul on details, his response was:

“Well, we keep hearing the reports and we have several specifically worded items saying who was being targeted. In fact, one of the bullet points says those who are critical of the president. So I don’t know if that comes from a policy, but that’s what’s being reported in the press and reported orally. I haven’t seen a policy statement, but I think we need to see that.”

It is said that the most chilling three-word phrase used at Faux News isn’t “fair and balanced”, it’s “Some people say…“

As in, “Some people say the administration knew about the Benghazi attacks before they happened, and did nothing“. Or “Some people say that Obamacare will wipe out health care for the poor“. Or “Some people say that human-instigated climate change is a complete hoax.“

Never let it be said that individuals can’t make a difference in this world

Goodness and Truth Marriage equality supporters have won another victory over the Forces of Darkness the dinosaurs.

The Minnesota senate has passed its marriage equality bill 37-30. Gay marriage begins in the Great Frozen North on August 1.

That’s two victories for this fine state, and we’re the 12th state to outlaw yet another form of discrimination.

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Repeat anything often enough, and it seems to become truth

monopolyAnyone curious as to the small print on that story about the IRS targeting applications by political organizations transparently disguised as tax-exempt 501(c)4 organizations that mostly turned out to be started by conservative causes?

Remember the recent Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court? the decision that removed any sane financial cap on donations for political campaigns? the decision that has pushed our country far along the spectrum to a plutocratic oligarchy?

Yeah, that decision.

It seems that as a result of Citizens United, there was a doubling of the usual rate of applications to create tax-exempt organizations between 2010 and 2012. Such a change in the number of requests naturally sparked suspicion within the IRS, and some IRS offices began using keywords to single out certain requests.

The IRS has apologized for the issue. No organization was denied a request as a result of this profiling. No damage was done, the hoorah raised by dozens of conservative pundits and self-righteous politicians notwithstanding. However, those nabobs of negativism are demanding rolling heads and a presidential apology from That Skeery Black Man in the White House.