Michael not Mike

Chris Sanders of TEP alerts us to the re-opening of a front in the culture war.  Sen. Stanley (R – Memphis) has reintroduced his bill outlawing adoption by cohabitating couples living outside of marriage.  Clearly, this is an anti-gay measure he’s trying to dress up in pro-family clothes – that don’t fit.

He starts his bill with the following declaration:

The public policy of this state is to favor marriage, as defined by the constitution and laws of this state, over unmarried sexual cohabitation. It is also the public policy of this state to place children into adoptive families that provide the most stable familial relationships for that child and will foster an appreciation for the policies of this state that favor marriage over unmarried cohabitation. The general assembly specifically finds that it is not in a child’s best interest to be adopted by a person who is cohabitating in a sexual relationship that is not a legally valid and binding marriage under the constitution and laws of this state.

So, let’s review.  The State wants children to be adopted into stable families.  Here are some possible arrangements:

1. straight, married couple
2. straight, unmarried couple
3. straight, unmarried single person
4. gay, unmarried couple
5. gay, unmarried single person

Under Sen. Stanley’s bill, 1, 3 and 5 could still adopt.  I’m not sure if he has noticed, but 3 and 5 aren’t families that involve married couples.  Apparently, Sen. Stanley believes it is better to be adopted by someone who is single than someone who is in a relationship.  And, it’s better for a child to be left in indefinite foster care, often punctuated by frequent moves, than to be placed in a home without a marriage license.

Also, as Aunt B ably points out, this sentence is more than a little creepy:

It is also the public policy of this state to place children into adoptive families that . . . will foster an appreciation for the policies of this state . . ..

Sen. Stanley wants families that are goverrnment approved and families that approve of government.

Note:  The opinions expressed herein are strictly my own and do not in anyway reflect the opinions of my employer.

Word sucks.  WordPerfect is vastly superior.  My office is transitioning to Word, leading all of us to realize that we no longer have control over our own documents.  Microsoft needs to stop trying to think for its customers

. . . agreeing with him is.

President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.

The word for Bush may have been “cowboy.”  The word for Obama is quickly becoming “arrogant.”

Update: Link fixed.

Holly at Feministe has a list of Executive Orders signed by Pres. Obama.  Assuming her list is correct, I agree with pretty much all of them.  Until we see the actual text of the Gitmo order, I’ll have to wonder if it really requires a shut down or just sets a goal.  (I don’t see any reason, other than an image issue, to shut down Gitmo.)  I applaud the new  president for issuing orders that actually limit his own power.  Living with some of these could prove difficult for him.

UPDATE:  The Order is set in terms of a deadline, not a goal.

Sec. 3. Closure of Detention Facilities at Guantánamo. The detention facilities at Guantánamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than 1 year from the date of this order. If any individuals covered by this order remain in detention at Guantánamo at the time of closure of those detention facilities, they shall be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country, or transferred to another United States detention facility in a manner consistent with law and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.

Obama is supposed to be such a great orator.  That wasn’t a great speech.   When will he stop running for office?

It was a bit wonkish . . . and angry.  A sour note to begin on.

. . . where do I get one of those clocks that count down to the next election?

Been watching too much Brink on the Science Channel and they’ve been talking about all the robot that are too be on the market sometime.  Here’s the one I want.  It would be about 3′ tall and would wait in the corner until I call for it.  Inside it would have the necessities for my preferrred drinks – vodka, gin, tequila, triple sec, tonic, cranberry,lime juice and ice.  (Might have to narrow that list.)  When I called for it, the robot would mix and pour my drink.  Then, it would retreat to the corner to recharge.  When it got low on a supply, it would either email me or send a text to my phone.

My demands for a happy life are few.

Obama seems to have shifted in recent days toward the middle on many issues.  But, what we’ve really seen is him loosening on positions he took as a matter of political expediency during the campaign.  Getting out of Iraq was a politically expedient position, as were declaring the capture of Osama bin Laden and the closing of Guantanimo Bay priorities.  Government run health care, wealth redistribution (in the short term look for tax cuts to those who don’t pay taxes) and universal “volunteer” service are core values.  He will trade away his political promises to obtain what he really wants.  Pure lefties will howl when he gives something up without taking the long view and seeing what he’s getting.

This morning on the news, I saw a clip of Obama saying it was his job to make government work for you.   No, its his job to get government out of the way so we can work.  His is the opposite position from Reagan’s “government is not the answer, it’s the problem.

We will never be able to repair the damage Obama will do to this country.  Due to the massive increase in government size, spending and regulation during the Bush years, the transition to the Obama era won’t seem that severe.  Bush was the prelude.  Obama will be the cacaphonious symphony of government in our lives.

Sigh.

Whoever invented those paper towel dispensers with the motion detectors should be taken out back and shot.