As Previously Noted

My brother's experience as a cyclist goes way back to the 70's. He even owned his own shop at one time. After watching a little of the broadcast of this year's Tour de France (on our new cable setup, which might be another story) I sent him an e-mail asking, as a tiny joke, how you could tell who the cheaters are. His reply was frank, if a bit cynical. "Easy. They're the ones who are pedaling." Ouch.

Our oldest grandchild had some work done that's mentioned in a little verse we sent:

The day came that
I came to dread.
With baby teeth
Yanked from my head.

I'm now in pain
My mouth's so tender
Before each meal
I use the blender.

I think it was five or six teeth, so it's not the kind of thing that calls for a party. I trust she's doing better.

When the Obama administration began, right wing radio bully Rush Limbaugh drew some attention by saying he hoped that Obama would fail, implying in those words that winning the next election was more important than getting out of the messes, foreign and domestic, left over from the Bush administration.
To many Americans at the time, now two and a half years back, those words seemed awfully partisan. Wouldn't we all want the new administration to succeed even if we hadn't voted for it? It turns out that Limbaugh's words were prophetic in that the today's crowd of firebreathing GOP Congress members will openly say that winning back the White House and Senate are their only priorities. They are not only not willing to compromise on the level of the nation's debt ceiling (which was raised 19 times without objection during Reagan's eight years and 7 more times during GWB), they would literally oppose it even if it included the abolishment of the IRS, the issuance of free guns to anyone with a "USA" tattoo, and a cure for cancer. Rush leads the way. Politics first, middle and last. What about default on our financial obligations and what that would mean? They could not care less.
But they absolutely, as I say, care about the next election. Here's one thing they want to do, though it's not a new idea, as today's title suggests. In this and every other society, there are more little people than big ones. Since it's the latter's "mission statement" that the GOP have chosen to serve, it follows that a large voter turnout is bad news, especially in places with large minority, immigrant or young voter populations.
So here's what they want. Legislatures in 40 states have proposed laws which could take registered voters off the list. It's done in the name of preventing "voter fraud", a crime they say needs to be stopped at the polls. They want voters to show an I.D. in order to be able to vote. The proposals vary from state to state, but are aimed at people seeking to register and vote at the same time, and people who, for whatever reason, don't normally feel the need to carry proof of who they are.
How prevalent is voter fraud as a crime? If ever there was a crime without a payoff, this is it. Kansas looked and found 6 instances of people (statewide) doubling up their vote at different polls - during a period of 13 years! Wouldn't you need thousands of would-be criminals to make such a scheme work? And who would do it for free? It's already a crime. And how would having an I.D. prevent the crime? Where's the payoff?
No, the only payoff is in convincing lots of people that trying to vote just isn't worth it, and that they're better off staying home. Who wants to stand in a long line (in some neighborhoods), when they close at a certain time, line or no line? That's what they evidently want in Kansas, because it's now the law. No I.D.? Hit the road, go home and watch us roll over you on TV. You'll thank us - later.