The Packers, The Tea Party Caucus, Earmarks And Diversity In Arizona

*The Packers saved us a bundle. I don’t know which team you were cheering for in the Super Bowl, but a friend of mine said there are 5 million reasons we all should have been cheering the Packers. That’s approximately how much money they saved us poor beleaguered taxpayers by beating the Bears. How’s that, you ask? Well, had the Bears won, President Obama announced that he and his entourage would fly to Dallas on Air Force One to attend the Big Game. How much would that have cost the taxpayers? Many, many millions. So thanks, Cheeseheads.

*Now here’s a caucus I can support. Last Thursday, the Senate Tea Party Caucus held its first-ever meeting. Among those present was Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Where were your Senators? The group pledged support for the very first piece of legislation Ron Paul’s son introduced in the Senate — a bill to cut $500 billion from Federal spending this year. Go for it, guys — we’re behind you all the way.

*Guess who said this? What famous politician lectured taxpayers two years ago about the benefits of earmarks? Why, it was none other than Barack Obama who said, “Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct Federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their districts and that’s why I’ve opposed their outright elimination.” Now, of course, our Teleprompter-in-Chief says he’ll veto any bill that contains even a single earmark. Gotta admire someone whose principles don’t change just to please the crowd, don’t you?

*How’s this for a rainbow coalition? Thanks to the Alert Reader who sent me the following: A white Catholic male Republican judge was murdered when he went to greet his friend, a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year-old gay Mexican-American college student, and eventually by a Korean-American combat surgeon, all of whom were eulogized by our first African-American President. And it all took place in that bastion of conservative politics, Arizona. Is this a great country or what?

–Chip Wood