Posted on 07/16/2003 8:25:11 AM PDT by Temple Owl
Second Thoughts
By William W. Lawrence
Pennsylvania lawmakers won one and lost one in recent days. They appear to be doing a neat end-run around federal blackmailers who are demanding that Pennsylvania lower its blood alcohol limit from 0.10 to .08 percent.
Pennsylvania legislators must pass a law lowering the limit by Oct. 1, 2003 to avoid losing $11.9 million in federal highway funds withheld in 2004.
So they will. What it apparently calls for is simply a wake-up call with just minor penalties for those nailed driving with a blood alcohol content of between .08 percent and 0.10.
But the repeat boozehounds who are excessively accountable for the injuries and fatalities in alcohol-related crashes are going to get hit hard. Good work!
But while we can praise Delco State Reps Bill Adolph (R-165) and Tom Killion (R-168) for opposing the helmet-repeal law, we are giving a strong thumbs-down to those who voted in favor of it.
Getting the law repealed was a pet project of the late Sen. Clarence Bell. I believe Mr. Bell may have been the best legislator in recent state history. But while I think he was wrong on this one, I will pray that he was right. I have a feeling it is going to cause us many tears, heartbreak and grief.
***
New Jersey could not, under its constitution, fire its tarnished poet laureate, Amiri Baraka.
So, the Legislature eliminated the position.
Baraka, nee Everett LeRoi Jones, has been called one of America's premier haters and anti-Semites.
A beaming Democratic Gov. Jim McGreevey proudly appointed him to the two-year, $10,000 post just last August, at a bill-signing ceremony at the governor's mansion. Mr. Baraka, 68, came under heavy criticism when he wrote a poem suggesting that Israel knew the 9/11 attacks against the World Trade Center would occur. He has said he is not anti-Semitic and has refused to resign.
His defenders said he had the right to freedom of speech. His opponents said such statements should not be made by someone in a state-sanctioned post.
What will New Jersey do without a poet laureate?
***
The Inquirer Magazine -- which many of us jaundiced viewers looked upon as an arm of the Democratic party calling for more taxes, more government and let's lose the war -- is officially dead. The writers of its obituary have promised us more of the same in the new broadsheet section of the paper that will replace it. Look for continuous Bush bashing and perhaps a poem a week from Amiri Baraka.
***
Sen. Rick Santorum, (R-Pa.), was, not long ago, asked on "After Hours with Cal Thomas" on the Fox News Channel: "You wear an angel lapel pin every day on your suit. What is that about?"
"That's when my son died," answered the senator. "One of the things I did was think to myself how I could keep him present ... and I just thought it had to be something simple, just something that most people wouldn't even notice, most people don't notice.
"It's just a little lapel pin, a little angel lapel pin, and it's a constant reminder to me of the gift that God gave me and my son and his life and that I have a little soldier up in heaven who's pulling for his dad." Sen. Santorum's infant son was named Gabriel Michael.
(Excerpt) Read more at zwire.com ...
I've seen this tactic used often on our state legislature. It is very successful. Dismayingly so.
The article states the following:
"Pennsylvania legislators must pass a law lowering the limit by Oct. 1, 2003 to avoid losing $11.9 million in federal highway funds withheld in 2004."
The implication and fact is that our federal government has no legislative jurisdiction with the boundaries of sovereign state, except as Art I, Sec 8, Cl 17 defines, do enact blood alcohol content laws. That is why the states have to be "black mailed" to pass such laws.
With the issue of no federal legislative jurisdiction being the case for blood alcohol content laws, why is the issue of a lack of federal legislative jurisdiction not a question with many other federal laws, such as the use of marijuana? (rhetorical question)
Actually, I'm kind of pleased with the way Pennsylvania lawmakers did it. They apparently are not going to penalize anybody with an alky blood count of under .10 with anything but a wink and a warning. And they get to keep the money.
I wish all states would do more of this kind of thing.
"That's when my son died," answered the senator. "One of the things I did was think to myself how I could keep him present ... and I just thought it had to be something simple, just something that most people wouldn't even notice, most people don't notice.
"It's just a little lapel pin, a little angel lapel pin, and it's a constant reminder to me of the gift that God gave me and my son and his life and that I have a little soldier up in heaven who's pulling for his dad." Sen. Santorum's infant son was named Gabriel Michael.
Santorum is America's best senator.
And if we can get Pat Toomey elected America's two best senators will be from Pennsylvania.
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