Bruce A. Brennan DeKalb,IL and the World: The chickens in Springfield!

January 11, 2011: January 11 is … National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day.

It is too cold for that where I live.

BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND

The news as I see it and the views as I want them.

Oregon gave Auburn all they wanted but Auburn won the National Championship in big boy College Football last night. It had to be the shoes. I have never seen uglier shoes in my life than those won by the Oregon Ducks. I don’t understand why they had to dress like ducks when Auburn did not have to dress like tigers. I could hear Steeley Dan all night, who once said, “Where did you get those shoes?”

It was still a pretty good game even if the fashion statement was for the birds. Congratulations Auburn.

The Illinois State legislature went home over the week end and heard from the electorates. A 75% tax increase plus other huge raises in corporation taxes and sin taxes was too much. The legislators heard this all week end long. When they got back to Springfield, it was obvious a new plan was needed. Do you think this was the legislators listening to us or were they scared by the shooting in Arizona and did not want to pass this enormously unpopular law with the shooting so fresh in our consciousness? The Illinois Legislature chickened out. They cannot even screw up properly. The old adage that voters have short memories also means voters have good short memories which currently include the Arizona carnage. Taxes are nearly always raised shortly after an election. This provides the legislators with the longest time period available before the next election. This cowardly approach goes on in all States and at the Federal level.

Another worry for parents who live in West Virginia, the Parkersville News and Sentinel reports State Sen. Erik Wells has introduced a bill to yank your driver’s license if your kid misses 10 or more days of school. You'd get a warning after the fifth unexcused absence. No word on how the new law would address sick or injured children, children who leave the State or area because of an emergency, children who are suspended from school or those missing days for religious reasons. The West Virginia legislature considers 2,000 bills a year, about 200 become law.

West Virginia is a small state. You have to wonder if 200 new laws every year are really needed. This does not include county and city ordinances or government regulations from all sources. And, of course, the Federal government enacts hundreds of laws every year along with the regulations that go with the new laws. Sounds like we got away from the concept put forth by Thomas Jefferson, "The government is best which governs least." This quote is also attributed to Thomas Paine, the writer of “Common Sense” Henry David Thoreau wrote a similar quote but not until the 1840s. Whoever wrote it was right but our government officials have decided not to follow the advice. That is too bad. Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Tom DeLay, the former Congressman from Texas, and U.S. House Majority Leader, was sentenced to three years in prison Monday for money laundering. The only witness testifying on behalf of DeLay at his sentencing hearing was former Illinois Congressman and Speaker of the Houser, Dennis Hastert.

Music at the top of the charts on this date;

1947 For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole
Ole Buttermilk Sky - The Kay Kyser Orchestra (vocal: Mike Douglas & The
Campus Kids)
The Old Lamplighter - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Billy Williams)
Divorce Me C.O.D. - Merle Travis

1955 Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes
The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane - The Ames Brothers
Hearts of Stone - The Fontane Sisters
Loose Talk - Carl Smith

1963 Telstar - The Tornadoes
Go Away Little Girl - Steve Lawrence
Hotel Happiness - Brook Benton
Ruby Ann - Marty Robbins

1971 My Sweet Lord/Isn’t It a Pity - George Harrison
Knock Three Times - Dawn
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson

1979 Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees
My Life - Billy Joel
Sharing the Night Together - Dr. Hook
Tulsa Time - Don Williams