Another Republican, this one from Missouri, no less, making us so proud

The stupid.

It burns.

Missouri legislator files suit to be exempted from contraception mandate in state health plan

Said another, better way, at the same paper:

Male Legislator Seeks Personal Exemption from Contraceptive 

Check out this little beauty:

ST. LOUIS • A Missouri legislator asked the federal court on Wednesday to exempt his family from contraception coverage through the state insurance plan, saying it violates his religious beliefs as a Catholic.

Rep. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, and his wife, Teresa, filed suit in U.S. District Court downtown against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and two other federal agencies. It asks the court to declare that the mandate for contraception coverage in the federal health-insurance law, known as Obamacare, violates their First Amendment freedom of religion.

Fortunately, this blogger pointed out the ignorance and even stupidity of his move:

You Know Your Religion Isn't the Only Religion, Right?

So just because this law goes against HIS religion, the legislator's, he thinks it should also not be allowed for any other person or religion in the entire state of Missouri.

And again, keep in mind, this is the political party of "small", unobtrusive government.

Yeah.

Right.

Got it.

HUGE news out of Kansas today!

In a precedent setting decision issued today, the Kansas Supreme Court has recognized the rights of a same-sex couple as parents with full and equal legal rights to custody, parenting time and child support.

The Court ruled that a parenting agreement between same-sex partners can be enforced in Kansas courts. The court also held that children of a same-sex couple have the same constitutional rights to have two parents as children of any other relationship.

Finally the Court reaffirmed the rights of District Courts to divide a same-sex couple’s jointly acquired property when the property was accumulated during their relationship.

Read the decision here: http://www.kscourts.org/Cases-and-Opinions/opinions/SupCt/2013/20130222/103487.pdf

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what equality looks like.

What The Star--and Kansas City--did for gasoline consumers nationwide

The Star ran an article Saturday, telling still more of the outcome of their original story a few years ago about companies that sold gasoline without taking into consideration the "hot fuel problem."

If you remember--and you should because it's money out of your pocket, potentially--because gasoline expands and contracts, you and I get "shortchanged because gasoline and diesel fuel lose energy value as their temperature goes up."

Well, as it turns out, lawsuits were filed in our name in US District Court right here in Kansas City, Kansas and they drug companies like Costco and Wal-mart and others into court so the problem would hopefully get fixed.

The latest revelation, from that Saturday article, is that Costco has stepped up to the plate, so to speak, and they've proposed a settlement that looks as though it's going to go through.

The point in my writing today is to say first, kudos to The Star for the original article, foremost. Then, second, thanks and kudos to them for following up on the issues. It's all in our name and we, hopefully, all benefit.

Third, I have to say again, this is a great example of why we need viable, profit-making newspapers and their reporters. If we don't, we don't know what corporations, the wealthy and governments are doing either to us or in our name.

Finally, it's to say, sorry, bloggers (yes, me included), you are no replacement, to date, for good "gumshoe" reporters, their work--their dogged work--and the newspapers they work for.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/27/3580933/deal-calls-for-pumps-that-fix.html

If this guy were a Catholic Priest, he'd be "free and clear"

Let that be a lesson to him. From the Star today, it seems, well, let them tell it: Dane pleads guilty in child porn case linked to Missouri girl, 11 KANSAS CITY--A Danish man who induced an 11-year-old Missouri girl to send him nude pictures pleaded guilty to child pornography charges this morning in federal court. Kai Lundstroem Pedersen, 61, also pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Kansas City to a charge of extortion for threatening to disseminate the images if the girl did not continue to communicate with him over the Internet. Pedersen is expected to face a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison as part of the plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Heck, if he were a Catholic Priest, he'd merely be "reassigned." Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/06/3123958/dane-pleads-guilty-in-child-porn.html

Is no one going to challenge the judge's partiality on his ruling??

This US District Judge Henry Hudson, who ruled that the Health Care Reform Act is unconstitutional this past week is a) a Republican (though I'll discount that) and b) the part-owner of a company that paid solid money for and fought health care reform this last Summer.

Can you say "highly biased"?

So I ask you, is no one, ahead of time, going to challenge this very partial clown on the fact that he should have recused himself from this case, since he was and is so clearly against health care reform and because he has "money in the game", so to speak, against there being any health care reform in this city? 

Is this ruling going to go on of it's own weight, without being questioned?

Does fairness play any role in this man's court?

Our courts?  Our judicial system?

Link:  http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2010/12/13/judge-health-care-reforms-coverage.html?ed=2010-12-13&s=article_du&ana=e_du_pub

The latest on the California death penalty and Catholic silence

Court ruling may stall California execution (CNN) -- A federal appeals court has ordered a judge to rethink a ruling that would have led to the execution of a California inmate. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, released late Monday night, says a U.S. District Court must now set a hearing to determine the fate of death row inmate Albert Greenwood Brown. Back to me: Silence, still, from Catholics in the area and the Catholic Church, more generally. Link to original post: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/28/california.execution/index.html?hpt=Sbin