Praise: XKCD on Biblical Origins

Today's XKCD comic by Randall Munroe.

The roll-over text is:  Abel and Steve would've been fine!  I like Steve!

Brilliant!

Repudiation: Republicans Made the IRS Worse

The Internal Revenue Service has long been the butt of jokes and source of complaints.  I remember a friend being upset enough to change the t to an f, which resulted in his check being returned and having to pay a late filing fee; infernal, indeed.  Still, the IRS serves an important function and is composed of people who mostly endeavor to be fair to their fellow citizens.

Last year the budget slicing Republicans did not spare the IRS from their cuts.  The Obama administration had been increasing the budget for the IRS because every dollar spent on tax enforcement results in three to four dollars of revenue.  In other words, spending more on the IRS means saving money.

Of the $13.3 billion requested for the IRS in the president's FY 2012 budget, roughly $6 billion would go toward enforcement activities, an increase of $463 million over FY 2010 levels. Of note, $936 million of the $6 billion enforcement request would come from moving IRS funds around internally, which could help to make the budget increase more palatable to a Congress that appears intent on cutting spending. As the budget request notes, the move could also decrease future deficits.

Hoping to better deter taxpayers inclined to evade their responsibilities while also vigorously pursuing those who do, the IRS's enforcement activities have received steady budget increases under the Obama administration. Economists and federal tax analysts generally agree that for every dollar invested in enforcement actions, the federal government nets three to four dollars in additional revenue.

Speaker Boehner objected.  This is despite the fact that the additional funding to the IRS would have saved taxpayers money (except for cheaters who would be caught) and would have involved creating jobs, one of the Republican mantras that never seemed to be part of their legislation.

But when the White House released its budget in February, some Republicans expressed skepticism about giving the agency a roughly 9 percent funding increase over 2010 levels, which reportedly would add another 5,000 IRS employees. 

“'I’m from the IRS. I’m here to help you,'” Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) said at a House Budget Committee hearing shortly after President Obama’s budget was released. “That’s hard to sell in the state of Missouri.”

Despite the bad reputation of the IRS, it does endeavor to help people in Missouri and in the rest of the country.  Part of doing so is the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) of the IRS.  Save the link, it appears to be really useful.  TAS made its annual report to Congress yesterday.  Funding is the number one concern, the most serious problem at the IRS.

The most serious problem facing U.S. taxpayers is the combination of the IRS’s expanding workload and the limited resources available to the IRS to handle it.

Among the consequences:

1. The IRS is unable to adequately meet the service needs of the taxpaying public.
2. The IRS is unable to adequately detect and address noncompliance, requiring honest taxpayers to shoulder a disproportionately large share of the tax burden.
3. The IRS is unable to maximize revenue collection, contributing to the federal budget deficit.

The report highlights the complexity of the tax code, currently at around 3.8 million words.  More than five hundred changes are made by Congress each year.  Republicans are right that the code needs to be streamlined and simplified.  They are wrong to stifle the IRS in the interim.  From the conclusion of the most serious problem section:

The IRS does not have enough resources to handle its current workload. The lack of adequate funding for the IRS causes multiple problems. Taxpayers calling the IRS with tax-law questions often cannot get through, creating considerable frustration and potentially reducing compliance. Compliant taxpayers whose refunds are held up or who are audited do not receive timely responses to their phone calls and correspondence. The IRS lacks the resources to maximize revenue collection, thereby exacerbating the federal budget deficit. And compliant taxpayers who see that the IRS is not able to pursue noncompliant taxpayers adequately begin to feel like “tax chumps,” potentially making them less likely to comply in the future, particularly in the case of small business taxpayers for whom paying taxes may place them at a competitive disadvantage.

Instead of across the board cuts and endeavors to dismantle government, Republicans need to look at what is really happening and the effect on real taxpayers.  In this election season we are already hearing Republican contenders talking about broad fixes to government, mostly on a slash and burn basis.  We are getting hurt already by results of Republican broad cuts from last year.

Praise: Craig Stowell and Calvin Stowell

Brothers stand up for one another.  Republican Craig Stowell shows what it means to really be there for his brother.  Watch.

This is what equality is about.  It is about love and family and commitment.  It should not be about political party or even about religion.

Thanks to the Human Rights Campaign for placing this on YouTube.  Thanks to Joe My God for the heads up.

12 January 2012, Update:  Will notes in the comments that maintaining marriage equality in New Hampshire is supported by 62% - 63% of the populace.  While human rights and civil rights should never be subject to a popular vote, neither should they be legislated away.  We can hope that the New Hampshire legislators listen to their constituents.  I will also note that Will is among those who have been fighting the repeal of marriage equality in New Hampshire.

FollowUp 1: Eugene Delgaudio Lies About Legislation Again

Today's e-mail from Mr. Delgaudio, who is making a lot of money spreading his hatred, is an expansion on his earlier lies.

Dear Some,

The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was only the beginning.

Next they called for military homosexual “marriages.”

No.  There are two issues that Mr. Delgaudio is incorrectly conflating.  First, the LGBTQ Community does call for marriage equality.  Marriage does not require quotation marks and homosexual who wed are in a marriage.  No adjective is required for marriage.  Second, the Pentagon released a memo in September of 2011 that gives military chaplains permission to perform private marriages that are legal in the locality where they are performing such ceremonies.  There is not requirement that any chaplain perform a private ceremony.  I addressed this at the time.

And now?  The Radical Homosexual Lobby has legalized sodomy and bestiality in the military .

It made me sick to hear it, but it’s true.

You see, our military has always been governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  This code requires the men and women serving in the military to maintain proper conduct.

But now, thanks to the radicals in Congress, a key regulation has been removed: Sodomy and Bestiality.

No.  About a month ago the Stars and Stripes covered this question.  I wrote about it at the time.  In short, there was a proposal to remove Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), which covers homosexuality and bestiality.  Despite allegations made by those opposed to equality for the LGBTQ Community, bestiality is still covered by Article 134 of the UCMJ.  However, Article 125 was not removed.  It still stands.  Mr. Delgaudio is a liar.

Unbelievably, the radical homosexuals made it a priority to legalize these acts for homosexuals serving in the military.

They actually consider the “right to violate animals sexually” a basic human necessity, even while serving alongside our nation’s greatest heroes .

I am just terrified of what else they have planned for our service men and women.

Nothing true here.  The call for equality is for sexual freedom and equality of marriage for consenting adults.  Since animals cannot give consent, this is an absurd suggestion.  No one in the LGBTQ Community has made the claim that Mr. Delgaudio has underlined.  It is entirely his.

You see, their plans are accelerating.

They know that Obama is in their hip-pocket.  And they still have a majority in the Senate who are willing to go along with whatever twisted scheme the radical homosexuals set before them.

No.  If Mr. Obama was in the hip pocket of the LGBTQ Community, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) would already be eliminated and marriage equality would already be our national policy.  President Obama has said that he is evolving on these issues.  I hope that he is.  As a gay man, the alternatives among the Republican contenders are simply so much worse than the reluctant Mr. Obama that he easily gains my support.

But their days are numbered.

Americans have seen how much damage they are capable of when left in power, and elections are less than a year away.

The Radical Homosexual Lobby is very afraid that this year will be their last in power.

Really?  Right now the polls are leaning slightly toward Mr. Obama winning in November.  Predictions this far in advance of an election are always guesswork, but it is far from certain that Mr. Obama will be a one term president.

The Radical Homosexual Lobby is neither radical, unless one calls the fight for equality radical, nor very afraid.  In New Hampshire, the latest gauge, those who were most adamantly anti-equality placed below Mr. Romney (who continues to flip-flop on his position on equality), Dr. Paul (who is for equality in the bedroom, but not in the courts), and Mr. Huntsman (who seems to be somewhere between Mr. Romney and Dr. Paul on equality).  Very afraid?  No.  Concerned that liars like Mr. Delgaudio are trying to drag the Republican Party into more bigoted positions?  Yes.

Their last chance to pass their perverted agenda .

And that makes them very dangerous.  Nothing fights with more viciousness than a cornered animal.

And when you couple this fear with literally limitless funds the Homosexual Lobby has access to -- there is nothing they will not try to do to kill the Family.

Limitless funds??!?  Really?  Mr. Delgaudio seems to be taking in plenty of money.  Personally, I have made zero money in my activism.  I've spent a while looking for financial records on the Internet and those that I have found are usually incomplete.  The big players on both sides of the fight for equality seem to take in lots of money.  Limitless funds is hyperbole, typical of Mr. Delgaudio.

The LGBTQ Community treasures family.  That is why we want our families recognized.  If my partner and I wed, no heterosexual couple's marriage is harmed.  Mr. Delgaudio's purpose is to keep our family from being legally recognized.  What wants to kill the family?

Some, just think about it.  They actually repealed the military regulation forbidding soldiers from engaging in sodomy and bestiality.

If that’s their idea of “good”. . . well I simply can’t imagine what they won’t do .

My friend, as much as it pains me to say, the legalization of bestiality is not even close to being the gravest threat to our nation.

There is a virtual avalanche of destructive homosexual legislation coming down on the American Family...

... and Public Advocate is the only force in our nation that is fighting back !

Nothing true here.  No regulations were repealed.  There was no avalanche, virtual or otherwise.  And the big players against equality, American Family Assocation, Family Research Council, National Organization for Marriage, and others, would be surprised to learn that they are not fighting against equality as Mr. Delgaudio is.  What a pack of lies!

19 December 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.

14 January 2012, FollowUp 2.
16 February 2012, FollowUp 3.
15 March 2012, FollowUp 4.
13 June 2012, FollowUp 5.
12 July 2012, FollowUp 6.

Praise: Christopher Ryan Offers Lesson for Rick Santorum

On 6 January 2012, Dr. Ryan's article in Psychology Today is a clear refutation of many of the points that Mr. Santorum continually makes on the campaign trail.  The brief opening line is an apt summary.

Rick Santorum doesn’t know what sex is for.

Here are a few teasers about why you should click on the first link above and read the full article.  First is part of the response to Mr. Santorum's argument that contraception is morally wrong.

For Homo sapiens, sex is primarily about establishing and maintaining relationships—relationships often characterized by love, or at least affection. Reproduction is a by-product of human sexual behavior, not its primary purpose.

Mr. Santorum argues for monogamy.

Of the hundreds of species of primates, there are precisely no monogamous species living in multi-male groups—except humans, if you buy scientific or religious arguments for the naturalness of human monogamy.

But isn't it really all about having children, without which there is not future for society?

Santorum is inadvertently correct that sex “keeps civilization going.” But he’s wrong to credit only heterosexual reproductive sex. Sex of all kinds comes naturally to our species, and most of it has little to do with reproduction, and a great deal to do with loving one another. Sex and love hold communities—not just families—together.

Dr. Ryan is offering the orthodox opinion of the medical and the scientific community.  It is time for the outdated notions of Mr. Santorum and his ilk to be relegated to history books along with other forms of senseless bigotry.  Go on ... read the full article.

Praise: NJ Democrats Call for Marriage Equality

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, both Democrats, promised today to make marriage equality their first priority this year.  It will be interesting to learn if Governor Chris Christie will reference this priority when he visits New Jersey from the campaign trail where he has been speaking for Mitt Romney.  The Governor will be visiting New Jersey to deliver his annual State of the State address.

Mr. Christie has so far been adamantly opposed to marriage equality.  The arguments in the above video are concise.  Mr. Sweeney and Ms. Oliver are worth hearing.

Marriage equality is not about religion, because there are exemptions for that.  It's about civil rights.  It's about everyone having the same rights to marry and to be happy and to make choices just like I made.  -- Stephen Sweeney.

This is a civil rights issue.  It is a snapshot in time in the history of our country issue.  And I think for those of us that believe in equality, equality, equality, marriage equality represents the third leg on the stool of civil rights and equality in this country.  -- Sheila Oliver.

Mr. Sweeney and Ms. Oliver are on the right side of history.  Mr. Christie is not.

Thanks to Joe My God for the heads up.

Tuesday 10 January 2012, Update:  Mr. Christie's State of the State Address has been postponed due to the death of a legislator at the statehouse last night.

Sunday 15 January 2012, Update 2:  The New Jersey State of the State Address will be delivered by Governor Christie on Tuesday 17 January.

Later Note:  The Governor did not mention marriage or LGBTQ issues during his State of the State Address.

25 January 2012, FollowUp 1.

26 January 2012, FollowUp 2.

28 January 2012, FollowUp 3.

30 January 2012, FollowUp 4.

31 January 2012, FollowUp 5.

3 February 2012, FollowUp 6.

10 February 2012, FollowUp 7.

13 February 2012, FollowUp 8.

18 February 2012, FollowUp 9.

21 February 2012, FollowUp 10.

Repudiation: Delgaudio Rakes It In

Eugene Delgaudio from "Public Advocate" gallery

Eugene Delgaudio is the self-proclaimed Public Advocate of the United States.  I have previously written about his lies about California legislation and national legislation, both on protecting students in the classroom.  He sends out many, many, many fund-raising letters.  Don't fill out any forms on this site or you will be on his mailing list forever.  The latest I received, from 6 January 2012, was this:

Dear Some,

President Obama has once again proven himself to be the most radical supporter of Homosexual Agenda ever to hold the Oval Office.

Just recently, his White House announced that homosexual "rights" will be a crucial element in America’s foreign policy.

That’s right, I said foreign .

The United States will now punish any country around the world that refuses to give homosexuals special “rights.”

Obama even said that he will use American tax dollars to buy international compliance.

I couldn’t believe it when I first read it.

The Radical Homosexual Lobby has seen their agenda stopped time and again at home by the pro-Family movement .

Their champion, Barack Obama, has realized that you and I can make it very difficult for him to pass the radical Homosexual Agenda here at home, so now he is using this vile alternative.

With Hillary Clinton and the State Department leading the charge, this administration will force their radical agenda on the rest of the world.

They will use American clout.

They will use American resources and personnel.

And they will use money taken right out of the pockets of family-loving, hard-working Americans to bribe foreign governments into giving in to the Homosexual Agenda .

You see, all over the world people recognize the importance of family, real marriage and community standards of morality.
And the radical homosexuals can’t stand it.
So they have decided that if they can’t win here, they will attack everywhere else.

And the worst part is that since this is a State Department operation, Congress and the American people will never get the chance to say no to the president.

So you and I will just have to be even more pro-active in fighting back.

Hillary Clinton recently told the world that the United States supports the perverted lifestyles of homosexuals and apologized for our traditional values.

And now she wants to use her department to "re-train" foreign governments.

It’s a sad fact, but Public Advocate is the only group that is willing to speak out nation-wide against these disgusting developments.

But I pledge to you right now that I will not rest until the Obama Administration agrees to stop this horrific international agenda.

And I know I can always count on you to stand by my side in this fight.  Thank you in advance for your support .

For the Family,


Eugene Delgaudio
President, Public Advocate of the United States

P.S. Please prayerfully consider chipping in with a donation of $10 or more to help Public Advocate fight for traditional values.

This rant from Mr. Delgaudio was about Ms. Clinton's excellent speech before the United Nations.  There is nothing about special rights, it is about equal rights ... human rights.  There was no apology by Secretary Clinton for traditional values.  There is no re-training of foreign governments in the works.  These are all lies, typical of the nonsense that Mr. Delgaudio spews on a regular basis.

Also typical is the claim that so-called Public Advocate is the only group speaking out against calls for equality.  Look at the hate groups that I have links to (follow the link at the top) and you will find many groups that belie Mr. Delgaudio's claim.

What I didn't know about Mr. Delgaudio until an eye-opening post on Waking Up Now, posted the same days at the above letter, is that he is collecting well over a million dollars a year in donations and pocketing over $170,000.00.  Please read the excellent research at Waking Up Now.