Tea Partiers = Murderers?

"That's a scandal -- those people are guilty of murder in my opinion. Some of those people they persuade are going to end up dying because they don't have health insurance. For people who do that to other people in the name of some obscure political ideology is one of the grossest violations of our humanity I can think of. This absolutely drives me crazy."

—Senator Angus King (Independent, Maine), on the Republicans who urge uninsured Americans not to sign up for Obamacare.

Thinking about science? You're a better person for it!

Funny. I always thought that science could be perceived as a moral pursuit. Or to put it another way, what's so funny about truth, impartiality and logic? And now here comes a study via Scientific American to bolster that belief:

The researchers found consistent results. Simply being primed with science-related thoughts increased: 

a) adherence to moral norms 

b) real-life future altruistic intentions 

c) altruistic behavior towards an anonymous other. 

The conceptual association between science and morality appears strong.

Alan Olsen is the Big Mind of the Day

Oregon State Senator Alan Olsen is a Republican. Astoundingly, he is also for true transparency in government. Go figure!

According to the Oregonian, Olsen has repeatedly introduced a bill in the legislature that would require lawmakers to put their names on proposed amendments. As he says: “Bottom line: If you're willing to write an amendment, you should be willing to put your name on it.”

It’s sort of incredible that this isn’t already the case. But there are loads of “mystery bills”: proposed legislation with unknown sponsors and anonymous amendments. So who’s to know what special interest has a thumb in the pie?

This is a cowardly, underhanded, duplicitous system, yes? Yet there are plenty of politicians who “say the anonymity afforded by committee-sponsored bills allows lawmakers to focus on policies rather than politics or personalities.”

Right.

Olsen gets the last word: “If you're proud enough to write it, you should be proud enough to put your name on it.”

Squeaky clean Democrats

Franklin D. Roosevelt had the longest term of any US president. He also had one of the cleanest administrations in history. During FDR's 12 years in office, he was watched like a hawk by his critics—business interests, right-wingers, and paranoid-ridden Republicans.

And even so, not ONE administrator of the New Deal or member of Roosevelt's White House staff was indicted, convicted, or had to resign due to scandal. Sort of like Barack Obama's!