"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Friday, March 24, 2017

A-Hole of the Week

The Hairpiece's budget director, Mick Mulvaney, back for a reprise after his stellar showing as a disgusting person. He's trying to outdo himself:

Co-host Alex Wagner asked Mulvaney about people who do not live in a state that requires maternity coverage.

"Then you can figure out a way to change the state that you live in," Mulvaney replied.

Wagner asked if Mulvaney meant that people should move.

"No, they can try to change their own state legislatures and their state laws," he responded. "Why do we look to the federal government to try and fix our local problems?"

Of course, he's just vomiting up standard-issue right-wing, states' rights bullshit, but that remark is noteworthy in a couple of respects. First off, the federal government has a long history of fixing local problems. (Remember the Civil Rights Act of 1964?) And of course, there is a basic principle of American law and governance: individual rights supersede states' rights.

And, for seconds, we should just take Mulvaney at his word: get busy and weed out all those teabaggers who are infesting state legislatures and governors' mansions.

Sounds like a plan.

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