Friday, May 13, 2011

From Dr. No to tea party godfather.

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Friday that he will run for the GOP nomination for president in 2012, the third attempt for the man known on Capitol Hill as “Dr. No” for his enthusiasm for bashing runaway spending and government overreach.Link

Don't Do it in the Park.

California to close up to 70 state parks.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California will close up to 70 of its 278 parks to help narrow its budget gap, officials said on Friday just a few days before Governor Jerry Brown unveils a revised plan to close a roughly $15 billion deficit.Link

Texas House bans 'offensive' pat-downs.

AUSTIN, TX -- The Texas House passed a bill that would make it a criminal offense for public servants to inappropriately touch travelers during airport security pat-downs. Approved late Thursday night, the measure makes it illegal for anyone conducting searches to touch "the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person" including through clothing.Link

The Future of American Energy Policy.

Given the red-team/blue-team dynamic of American politics, it was probably inevitable that discussion of energy policy would degenerate into a debate between drillers and renewers—between those who want more domestic oil exploration to the exclusion of other power sources, and those who want the U.S. to kick its petroleum habit entirely. Both sides are being unrealistic.Link