Getting Louder with Steven Crowder: Steven's Epic Journey

Getting Louder with Steven Crowder: R.I.P. Perez Hilton

It's Easy to Score 100% When Teacher Gives the Answers

Remember the flames of outrage that scorched the federal vomitoriums in 2006 over preparedness grants released to localities by the Department of Homeland Security? High target cities like New York and Washington received much less money in the 2006 grant round compared to 2005. Whoever produced New York City's threat and vulnerability matrix apparently identified no "national monuments or landmarks" in the Big Apple. I'm sure The Daily Show had fun with that.

Jon Stewart [smirking]: My expression indicates how ridiculous I believe this notion to be.

[audience laughs hysterically despite lack of punchline.]

Those dark days are over, thanks to our overlords in Congress who never met an expectation for the public sector they couldn't lower. The target funding levels for the FY 2009 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) was released late last year. Scroll down to Page 13. The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) is a subset of the HSGP and the "core" preparedness grant program. To wit:

States should apply for 110 percent of the targeted allocation. FEMA may increase or decrease final SHSP allocations by up to 10 percent based on the effectiveness analysis.

Since each state's target allocation is listed on the page, and they'll only lose 10 percent of the targeted allocation when applying, Congress has effectively eliminated any incentive for the states to craft useful plans for the money. If Missouri knows Congress wants to give it $11.3 million, all the Show-Me State needs to do is file an application that's 10 percent above $11.3 million. At worst, MO gets 100 percent of 11. 3 million.

And wasn't this the same program that Democrats (and Long Island Rep. Peter King) complained about when the GOP controlled Congress? That small and empty states got money that should go to states with obvious urban targets? Applications were due last month. If history serves as a guide, award announcements will go out in May or June.

Michael Lucinski

MLK Money

I'm a greedy capitalist who is not quick to part with my money... but even I would not steep this low! When the statue of me is constructed I would not want my heirs to profit from the occasion. I am pretty sure Martin Luther King would be on the same page. For those who may have forgotten, the man wanted equality not reparations. The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. has charged the foundation building a monument to the U.S. civil rights leader on the National Mall about $800,000 for the use of his words and image — an arrangement one leading scholar says King would have found offensive. I find this pretty offensive too! In fact... this act alone makes me not want to support this monument. I sure am glad I did not donate to the project just so the foundation could make a quick buck... foreshame! Great man... greedy kids... typical American family!

On the other side of the coin is Jim Dancy of Richland. He won $10,000 in the lotto and decided others needed it more than he did. He gave his winnings to the United Way. Why can't we have more people like him in the world?!? At a time when unemployment is at 8.5%, the highest its been since I've been alive, and even the postal service is going broke, one would think the King family would have better sense. News like this is just going to lead to less people wanting to support a monument that should be built. We won't go into all the other issues this memorial has had.

Getting Louder with Steven Crowder: Obama the Pee Wee

Invasion Through Population

Israel has worried in the past that the country would gradually be taken over by non-Jews simply do the immigration of Palestinians. Other nations have had similar concerns, especially those with low birth rates that neighbor those with high ones. But it seems that the United States is facing a new concern... invasion through birth! Its one thing to think about illegal immigration and related concerns... but the big concern is their legally born children. It was reported that in 2003, 2.7 million children of illegal immigrants were born in this country. Just to put this in perspective... that is more invading babies than the number of U.S. troops serving in the armed forces! Rumor has it that these babies are born armed... with 2 of them no less.

China and Iran have concerns about young people with no jobs who may attempt to over throw the government... in fact, Russia and Germany had such an uprising. But these kids are all-American, with nothing to worry about being that they live in a rich country with plenty of opportunity. Heck, they can even work here legally! But the report states that "Illegal immigrants' children born in the United States are American citizens, yet they struggle in poverty and uncertainty along with parents who fear deportation, toil largely in low-wage jobs and face layoffs in an ailing economy." Hmmm... sounds like they are ripe for revolution!

But not to worry, cause there are plenty of U.S. Citizens who would prevent such an uprising... right? Well, assuming they are not being held as illegal immigrants. Thankfully most of those wrongly held are also wrongly deported so they won't join the rebellion against the government!

Personally I'm not concerned about either of these two issues. We've got an asteroid coming to wipe out human civilization, yet we worry about lines on a map... I'm glad our priorities are in order!

The Empire Needs You!

Getting Louder with Steven Crowder: Silly Canadians!

All Are Free; Some Are More Than Others

Two political science professors of a libertarian bent -- one of whom teaches at my alma mater -- ranked the 50 states on their economic and personal freedom. Economic freedom encompassed a number of issues including health insurance mandates, eminent domain laws, labor laws, regulatory policy, etc. Personal freedom was ranked by gambling regulations, alcohol and drug laws, gun control, home-schooling regulations, etc.

Here are the top ten and bottom ten:

1. New Hampshire
2. Colorado
3. South Dakota
4. Idaho
5. Texas
6. Missouri
7. Tennessee
8. Arizona
9. Virginia
10. North Dakota

40. Vermont
41. Connecticut
42. Illinois
43. Massachusetts
44. Washington
45. Hawaii
46. Maryland
47. California
48. Rhode Island
49. New Jersey
50. New York

Excelsior! As a 20+ year (former) resident of New York and current resident of Maryland, I am not shocked by their inclusion at the bottom of the list. One would be hard pressed to identify the most liberal states and not include the ones found in the bottom ten. I'm surprised Virginia is in the Top 10. The personal property tax alone should drop them down into the 20s.

To residents of New York, I offer the sage advice Denethor, steward of Gondor, gave to his troops after seeing Sauron's armies massed outside the White City: "FLEE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES!" It's an interesting study and worth a read.

Michael Lucinski

Getting Louder with Steven Crowder: Joe Freaking Biden