Stupidity

There's a debate swirling in the country right now about the War Powers Act in relation to the war/non-war/"squirmish" in Libya.  The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to cut funding for the Libyan war unless President Barack Obama seeks congressional approval 60 days after the start of hostilities, which the War Powers Act requires. About 60 percent of both House Republicans and Democrats supported this action, but the leadership of neither party did.  This move has sparked strong denunciations of the War Powers Act from the hawkish factions of each party, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

In addition to making us miserable, the recent stretch of scorching weather seems to have affected our brains. The record heat — in the high 90s — not only makes it feel like the stultifying days of last summer, it also made some of us display the kind of brain-dead behavior usually reserved for the doldrums of August. How else can you explain these recent events: In the torpor of a 93 degree day, a 25-year-old Baltimore woman decides this would be a good time to teach her 14-year-old niece how drive by letting the teen wheel a van around Lake Montebello.

Lewis Black is a comic hurricane with a brain at the eye of the storm. Even as he enters a spasmodic fury that racks his body, twists his limbs and sets his glasses sliding down his face, the truth of what he says — for example, "The Democrats are the party of no ideas, and the Republicans are the party of bad ideas!" — sets you free to laugh and feel and think. Underneath all the convulsions is a no-nonsense sort of mensch. So it's not surprising that when the angriest comic alive learned that he was the American Visionary Art Museum 's 2011 "Grand Visionary," his reaction was — "What the [expletive]

It is no wonder people have no respect for politicians when politicians habitually show no respect for them. Beyond question, the best form of redistricting, both in terms of administrative efficiency for congressmen or candidates and in terms of actual representation for citizens with common concerns, would make all eight Maryland congressional districts compact and coherent. For example, there would be a single district comprising Baltimore City and inner ring suburbs. Instead, Baltimore is chopped up among three districts, all of which are strung out to a ridiculous length across the state.

It's become a commonplace to equate Americans' sour mood with economic hard times, at least since Bill Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid" in 1992, and before that Jimmy Carter's 1979 "crisis of confidence. " Indeed, the nation's current unhappiness and anger are widely attributed to the worst economy since the Great Depression. After all, weren't happy days here again, at least for many, in Ronald Reagan's mid-1980s and President Clinton's late 1990s? And, who rightfully wouldn't be unhappy if they lost a job, took a pay cut, watched the stock and housing markets collapse, and saw their benefits dwindle?

Great job Maryland, you just elected Anthony Brown as our next governor. As soon as the dust clears, you can bet that Sen. Barbara Mikulski will retire, and Gov. Martin O'Malley will appoint himself as her replacement — and we all know that once a Maryland Democrat is elected to the Senate, it is a lifetime job. Congratulations, Maryland, as usual you lead the nation in stupid political decisions. Mike Ryan, Cockeysville

I agree with Marc Kilmer's comments about the alcohol tax in Maryland ("Alcohol tax: Haven't we been here before?," Commentary, Aug. 13). The real question, however, is when will the politicians make this state more hospitable to the brewing industry? In the last 20 years, there must be close to a dozen microbreweries which have started in Maryland, only to go out of business a few years later. A simple Google search shows that Virginia has far more microbreweries and wineries than Maryland.

W ednesday's deluge might have dumped fresh piles of snow atop the sodden slush and permafrost ice layer remaining from the last storm, but to no avail. We can get many more inches, even feet, of snow, and everyone will still be out of new material. Have you heard every possible snow story yet? People start telling me about the adventure of their commute, or what cute thing their dog did, or some uproarious scene at the grocery store or parking lot, and I can't help it: My eyes glaze over, my ears go deaf and I drift.

Baltimore developer Ronald H. Lipscomb apologized in court Thursday for violating campaign finance rules and accepted a sentence of three years of unsupervised probation, 100 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine imposed by Circuit Judge Dennis M. Sweeney. "I have no one else to blame but myself," Lipscomb said at a sentencing hearing for his role in the City Hall corruption scandal. "If I had not made some stupid and selfish decisions, I would not be here today." Sweeney also barred Lipscomb from donating to any city political candidates or attending campaign events during the probation period.

Beer flowed Thursday at the White House, and if you listen to part-time bartender Zach Yarosz, offering up suds was a brilliant attempt by President Barack Obama to defuse a hostile situation. It's a strategy Yarosz has used himself. After working for years in several Baltimore bars, Yarosz has many times dished out alcohol to hotheads on the verge of trading punches when an argument turns personal. "They calm down if you buy each one of them a drink. It placates the situation," said Yarosz, 27, as he sat in the Mount Royal Tavern in Bolton Hill, downing Budweisers with about 15 others as Obama prepared to host a "beer summit" with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge, Mass.