Like to laugh? Like to be informed? Then sign up for TheDC Morning email here.
1.) Could this be the dumbest government expenditure ever? — For some incomprehensible reason, the IRS spent $60,000 to make two parody videos, including a Star Trek parody. Seriously. TheDC’s Jim Treacher has seen the Star Trek spoof:
“Thanks to the sequester that Obama has been fighting even though it was his idea, we might not get a sequel to the following masterpiece. …It’s got the same production values and acting talent as a porn movie, except the only one getting screwed is you.”
Watch the video for yourself. Actually, on second thought, don’t watch the video.
2.) Today in weed news — Rand Paul wants to modify America’s drug laws, man. TheDC’s Jeff Poor reports:
“On this weekend’s broadcast of ‘Fox News Sunday,’ Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul said punishments for marijuana-related crimes should be reduced, citing President Barack Obama’s reported drug use as a reason to look past certain minor indiscretions. ‘The main thing I’ve said is not to legalize them, but not to incarcerate people for extended periods of times,’ Paul said. ‘I’m working with Sen. [Patrick] Leahy — we have a bill on mandatory minimums. There are people in jail for 37, 50, 45 years for nonviolent crimes. That is a huge mistake. Our prisons are full of nonviolent criminals.’… ‘The last two presidents could conceivably have been put in jail for their drug use, and I really think — look what would have happened,’ he continued. ‘It would have ruined their lives.”
The question is, what exactly does he want to do? It sounds like he not only doesn’t want to legalize drugs, but he doesn’t even want to decriminalize them. His words suggest he merely wants to reduce the sentencing for drug possession. That’s better than what most people in the Senate are open to — kudos, senator — but, frankly, it’s not good enough.
3.) Bad news for Cruz — Here’s a shocker: Ted Cruz’s repeal Obamacare amendment didn’t succeed. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports:
“Democrats celebrated the third anniversary of the passage of President Obama’s signature health-care legislation on Friday by voting down a Republican amendment to repeal the entire law. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s amendment repealing Obamacare failed to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate on Friday, receiving 45 ayes and 54 nays. The amendment was attached to the Senate Democratic budget resolution for 2014.”
Who could have imagined that the Democrat-controlled Senate would not vote to repeal the Democratic president’s signature domestic achievement? It’s enough to make you think that a Senate resolution branding President Obama a war criminal wouldn’t pass either.
4.) A senator’s terrorist friend — The freshman New Mexico senator has some interesting friends. TheDC’s Patrick Howley reports:
“Democratic New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich founded an environmentalist group with a convicted eco-terrorist in the 1990s. Heinrich, who will meet with President Obama in the Oval Office Monday to establish the Rio Grande del Norte as a national monument, was elected to the Senate in 2012 with the financial backing of numerous environmentalist groups. Prior to his political career, Heinrich c0-founded and chaired the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. David Foreman, a convicted criminal and founder of the radical environmental ‘warrior society’ Earth First!, was among the other co-founders of the group. He also sat on the board during Heinrich’s tenure as chairman.”
Read the article to discover some of Foreman’s lovely writings.
5.) Tweet of Yesterday — Jose Canseco: Doing painting of Donald trump this week. This one will be good.
6.) Today in North Korean News — BREAKING: “Many Children Become Talents in DPRK”
SLIDESHOW: Hollywood just loves to blow up Washington, D.C. in movies