Through arcane wording — a Washington specialty — the RepubliCONs are conning the country with the promise of increasing the minimum wage. But, they build in this neat little trick that allows business to actually lower the wage by crediting tips against wages. So, that waiter working for wages that won’t even pay for a studio apartment? Cut his wages! That bellman who routinely hefts 50 pound-luggage into the back of a cab? Cut his wages!

But that fat-cat who leaves millions to his worthless children? Cut his taxes! That’s right, screw the folks who work for a living, reward the wealthy for… being wealthy! How the RepubliCONs have conned the American people to think that the less than 1% of all estates that pay the inheritance tax is a bad thing, is just beyond me. Of course, call it a ‘death tax’ and go around saying you’re going to get taxed upon death, and everybody would be against it. Nevermind that the tax code already has provisions for family businesses, farms, and a general exemption for the first half-million or so dollars; just name it something sinister and the public falls for it, time and time again.

Funny how RepubliCONs are all for states’ rights, until the states do something they don’t like… like have a living minimum wage; like providing compasionate care for the homeless; like allowing sick people the medicine they need, and at an affordable cost; the list goes on and on. Now, a do-nothing Congress decides to pander to, and attempt to deceive, minimum wage workers, who see through the bs and stand up to say, “Wait a minute…” On the other hand, I guess we should be thankful that this Congress has met and is scheduled to meet for less than any other Congress in recent memory. Every time they go into session, they come out with another stupid idea that’s bad for the country. Garbage in, garbage out.

If you want to see what a nation looks like after 6 years of hard-right government, look around: war without end; the highest deficits in history; an economy that just can’t seem to recover; an energy industry being given billion-dollar tax breaks and in turn, taking the money and funding our terrorist enemies; the growing gap between the wealthiest and the poorest, which leads to even greater social ills; growing threats and strife on a planetary scale; a foreign policy in shambles; it just goes on and on.

If these are the kinds of bones the republiCONs want to throw, they can keep them.

Just last week, two members of the Bored of Stupervisors introduced legislation that would deny funding to the Sheriff’s Department to carry out court-ordered evictions in Ellis Act cases. (For those of you not in CA, the “Ellis Act” is a state law that allows a landlord to “go out of business”, evict his tenants, and sell the building with empty units. It’s usually the only way landlords in SF can get rid of tenants due to our draconian rent control)The proposed SF law would essentially forbid the county Sheriff from carrying out a Superior Court order. The head of the SF Tenants’ Union actually said that SF would refuse to enforce this state law. If it passes, you can imagine the reaction of a judge to a Sheriff who refused to carry out an order of the Court. Actually it happened once before. The Judge had the Sheriff arrested and jailed for refusing to evict (International Hotel), and then threatened the next-in-charge with jail. He complied with the Court. Any landlord that this happened to could, of course, sue for millions in damages.

SF also refuses to enforce Prop 209. I work for the city government, and all hiring forms still require applicants to “check the box” of race. The school board here insists on using race in school assignment, which is expressly forbidden by Prop 209, a state law upheald by federal courts.

It just goes on and on. We are the only city that still gives vagrants General Assistance forever. Most other counties limit it to 90 days. SF County (city and county is same thing) has over 10,000 people on General Assistance. Orange County, with three times the population, has less than 1000, and only aids 90 days.

This city, as I have said before, is the poster child for bad government. If you want to see what an American city looks like after 10 years of hard-Left government, come here and see.