Dead Zone

I can't remember a time in my collective memory when Washington has been so utterly useless.

• Aseconomy falters, Washington fails to act

It drives one point home: elected officials have no interest in their constituents other than garnering their votes. Once safely in office, they cite the atmosphere in Washington as the reason progress is not being made on a variety of issues. Republicans blame Democrats, and Democrats blame Republicans.

However, one fact cannot be disproven: Washington has never been as ineffectual as they are now, ever since the right-wing took over the house.

God forbid we elect another one of them to take over the biggest job in the land.

Dim Contagion

Does the ignorance of this woman ever improve?

• Outrageas Michele Bachmann says Anthony Weiner's wife Huma Abedin may be aiding the Muslim Brotherhood

More about John McCain: When he and Barack Obama were running their presidential campaigns four years ago, I wrote a blog entry entitled "Spec of Light" on 10/11/08:

I was stunned last night when I witnessed John McCain defend Barack Obama not once but twice, when two nut-jobs attending one of his rally's flew off the handle (re: Obama is involved with terrorists, or is an Arab/Muslim). Both are ridiculous misconceptions, but I suppose uneducated people cannot be expected to know any better.

At any rate, I could not believe my eyes and ears when the videotape showed McCain defending Obama, claiming he was a "decent person and a person who you do not have to be scared as president of the United States" and "not a Muslim."

I used to respect John McCain even though I never agreed with his beliefs or strategy. He was once an honest man with more integrity than the average public servant in the United States Senate. That honest man disappeared when the current presidential campaign became an ugly morass of innuendo and outright lies. I lost complete respect for McCain and viewed him as desperate and pathetic, willing to do anything – even sacrificing his principles – in order to become president.

A bit of that honest and decent man peeked through again last night when he defended Obama in front of his supporters, as if he could no longer stand the lies and subterfuge which are so removed from his normal character. I think it was the first time I witnessed honesty in him in the last several months, and one of the few occasions when I saw him as self-assured and someone I would be willing to listen to.

JohnMcCain is perhaps the only decent member of the GOP left standing. While I may not agree with his political views, I do appreciate his basic humanity and integrity. It is all too rare these days.

*POSCTSCRIPT 07/22/12: Fallout from Bachmann's irresponsible and unfounded claims > Anthony Weiner's wife threatened by New Jersey man after Muslim Brotherhood allegations. Is she happy now?

Books & Taxes

They get you sooner or later…is nothing sacred from the taxman?

• E-BooksRemain Tax Evaders — for Now

According to Smart Moneyz: "Republican governors are gradually easing their longtime opposition to sales taxes on online purchases. This will push up the price for the wide variety of tangible goods sold on sites like Amazon. Most Americans who read books on their Kindles, Nooks and iPads have been exempt from taxes, but getting a piece of such sales may be irresistible to cash-strapped governments, experts say. 'It's become too big a market to ignore,' says Carolynn Iafrate Kranz, chief operating officer at Industry Sales Tax Solutions."

Sales tax on online purchases of e-books is not really a left or right-wing issue collectively, but just another way of dinging the pleasures of reading many of us enjoy.