Scrambling

Climbing on the ol' soapbox this evening...
Is it just me, or do things seem to be unraveling a little (lot) in our nation's Capital? The evening news just finished its segment on the IRS scandal, and I cannot believe the man in charge still has his job?! But, Congress has finally found a topic they can agree on - that targeting any politically minded group because of their viewpoints is wrong. Everyone is scrambling - either to cover up whatever the rest is, or to dig it up. The only good thing I can see is that the diggers are bringing more and more information to light, and people are responding.
That was followed by "highlights" of Michelle Obama's graduation speech at one of the oldest African American colleges in the country, where she literally said only one in five African American students had gotten a college degree. Had gotten?! Seriously, I know I'm a grammar hound, but the lady was addressing college graduates.
And, as if that wasn't enough, it just disgusts me that anything a white, straight, job holding person says that could be misconstrued in any way as racism/intolerance is considered such, and yet our  first lady can give a commencement address entirely focused on a single race and she is not considered racist. She can negate rappers and the way children are being raised, but is not considered intolerant. Give me a break.
The remaining portion of the news was primarily focused on the devastating weather that's already gone through much of the country, and that is expected the remainder of the week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected and impacted by them.
It's always so refreshing to watch the evening news...

The Unauthorized Endangered Species Act

That's right folks, at my Wyoming Farm Bureau Legislative Meeting earlier this week, Wyoming Representative Cynthia Lummis told us some very interesting news - The Endangered Species Act (ESA) expired, as in lapsed, 17 years ago!
To say she had a captive audience at that point in her talk was an understatement.
So, why are we still dealing with it? Because, the Appropriations Committee and leadership in general in Washington D.C. continue to fund it. As long as a program is funded, it continues to operate just as written, despite being expired.
I am not kidding.
So, for 17 years, the ESA has continued, based solely the fact that it had the money to do so. As Rep. Lummis noted, continuing funding for programs that are expired provides no stakeholder incentive to come forward and help reform the program. As a result, we cannot get the ESA eliminated, or at the very least changed to meet its original focus in modern times, as long as it continues to be mindlessly funded without intent of reform.
What can we do? Spread the word, and talk to our senators and representatives! Call, email, attend a local hearing or meeting and let them know how wrong that is.
If I remember correctly, Rep. Lummis stated that $9 billion annually is funded to programs whose authorizations have expired, under the Appropriations committee alone!