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congress

James Madison on Wealth in Government

James Madison was perhaps the most influential figure when it came to the writing of both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. When he states his view/warning on the wealthy’s influence on the government he’s designing, we should probably take heed.

The Healthcare Thing

Now that the Supreme Court has declared that it’s constitutional for Congress to have passed a law requiring people to purchase health insurance or otherwise pay a fine (tax), I figured I might as well share a few thoughts on it.

Hollywood Loves a Sequel — But Really, SOPA 2? | Electronic Frontier Foundation

Can we just ban the MPAA already? It’s not really doing much of anything that’s particularly useful. Hollywood Loves a Sequel — …

Congressman Tells NASA Rocket Science Is Simple

Some people in congress don’t seem to understand that rocket science is…well…rocket science. It’s not easy. It can be made to look that way, but it really, really isn’t.

Grasping For Sanity in a Nation Gone Mad

I’ve written a number of articles that haven’t been put out for public consumption. You see, when the world goes mad, it can be like a minefield when you try to shine a light on it. You are never completely sure when you might take a wrong step and have everything blow up in your face. And yet, silence isn’t a viable option.

Why don’t Americans elect scientists to office? – io9

You know…just about anything other than lawyers, fer cryin’ out loud. Since 1981, lawyers have accounted for 46-to-48 percent of the members …

Government, Spaceflight, Spinoffs, and People

To the outside observer, it seems like the U.S. Government treats the funding of NASA with the same care and understanding as they do the United States Postal Service. The outside observer would be wrong; it’s not handled nearly as well. And the USPS is going bankrupt…so that sort of gives you an idea of how bad the problem is.

Pick up the pitchforks: David Pogue underestimates Hollywood (Clay Shirky)

Hollywood wants to take the law into their own hands — they had our representatives add a vigilante clause, for God’s sake, …

It’s Been an Interesting Day For Freedom of Speech

The United States government has a long history of considering, if not passing and creatively interpreting, some really poopy-headed laws. From the Alien and Sedition Acts, to the Dred Scott Decision, to SOPA and PIPA; the Congress and Supreme Court of the United States are sometimes the most dangerous groups of people in the country when it comes to how we communicate ideas.

What Could Have Been Entering the Public Domain on January 1, 2012?

“That means that all these examples from 1955 are only the tip of the iceberg. If the pre-1978 law were still in …

What Is Space Exploration Worth? (The Planetary Society Blog)

“Our space program is one of the things that makes us great, that sets us far apart from other productive countries, that …

The nightmarish SOPA hearings (The Washington Post)

“There ought to be a law, I think, that in order to regulate something you have to have some understanding of it.” …

I’m So Tired of Congress

It’s hard to believe, but earlier in my lifetime the folks in Congress actually tried to govern. Really. As time has gone on, it stopped working. Compromise ceased to be. Over the past few decades, the power brokers have managed to cripple a critical piece of American government. I’m sad to see it happen.

Don’t Just Talk About Net Neutrality, Do Something

The big talking point around the interwebs lately has surrounded the Google/Verizon (GooVer) net neutrality proposal–or, at least their version of net neutrality. While it’s good to talk and to vent, that doesn’t actually accomplish much unless you are talking and venting to the right people.

Healthcare, 3-d, and Still Writing

So much happens in the world. Everyday. There’s a person ready to either stand up for a cause or stamp it out for just about every event that happens. Some big, some small. Some should be no-brainers, some should be ignored at all costs. This post is about none of that. Just a couple of things on my mind at the moment.

New Partisan Vitriol in Senate Health Vote – The New York Times

Yet another symptom of the decline of an ideal (sad to say). NYT: New partisan vitriol in Senate health vote – The New …

Quick Thoughts on the US Spaceflight Report

The Review of Human Spaceflight Plans Committee’s 154-page report was delivered on October 22. While it was an honest assessment of NASA’s woes, it’s recommendations were almost laughable.

Health Don’t Care Anymore

I have five drafts of healthcare blogs written over the past several months. I decided instead of making researched arguments which were all but impossible to make accessible, I’d just do a quick blog on my thoughts and conclusions.