WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- News notes, political rumors and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
Sheer Gene-ious -- Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has introduced legislation in the House that would prohibit any federal funds from being expended on cloning and cloning research. But the Human Cloning Prevention Act of 2001 goes a step further and bans any federal funds from going to institutions involved in human cloning experiments. "Under current law," Paul said, "organizations involved in cloning can still receive tax dollars for other research. Since money is fungible, every federal dollar given to such organizations frees up another dollar for cloning research." The congressman says he hopes to stop research into human cloning from moving forward by making the decision to proceed very expensive.
Stats a good one -- The folks at the Statistical Assessment Service report the following: "When the first Western reporters made it into Kabul after its desertion by the Taliban, BBC senior foreign correspondent John Simpson broke a story that sent shockwaves around the world. In a house formerly used by al Qaida terrorists, Simpson discovered papers that showed how they had downloaded instructions from the Internet on how to make nuclear weapons.
"But it was an Internet news humor site ... that revealed the true provenance of these instructions ... (that) had actually been downloaded from the Web site of the Annals of Improbable Research. In 1979, this publication, then called the Journal of Irreproducible Results, published a series of 'how to' parody instructions. The one al Qaida had found was entitled, 'Let's Build an Atomic Bomb!'"
The instructions are worthless. STATS suggests, as the original Web site did, that Simpson should have read further down the papers and he would have seen these words: "Previous Months' Columns ... 'Let's Make an Anti-Gravity Machine!'"
Kettle mettle -- Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays, a nonprofit group representing family members and friends of homosexuals and lesbians and dedicated to supporting the ex-gay community, is squaring off against the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. PFOX wants PFLAG to stop "discriminating" against the Salvation Army through its campaign to drop phony $5 bills into the Army's ubiquitous Christmas kettles. PFLAG is upset that the Army recently made a policy decision to deny spousal benefits to employees who lived together without being married. "That PFLAG would go to the extent of printing fake money in order to trick poor people and misuse the kettles shows PFLAG's intolerance for anyone who holds a different point of view ... I urge PFLAG to show compassion to everyone, including those who do not agree with (their) doctrine," PFOX National Director Regina Griggs said.
Foley mix -- While Capital Comment's earlier description of GOP Rep. Mark Foley having "rushed" to the floor to vote against TPA may have been a bit hyped -- we are informed he entered the chamber in a slow and deliberate manner -- the suggestion that free-marketeers are unhappy with his vote was spot on the money. Several more folks have let us know of their outrage, especially in light of the fact that Foley wants to be the GOP liaison with Hollywood. Few issues, they say, are more important to silver screen types right now than free trade and intellectual property rights protection for their films, DVDs and videotapes, something that the U.S. can address in WTO talks.
Log jam -- Both sides are digging in over the stimulus package, with several things keeping the two sides from coming to agreement. One item being argued is the top rate reduction -- with Republicans asking for a cut to 25 percent and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., demanding 26 percent. Another sticking point is the issue of extended health insurance benefits for workers who lose their jobs as a result of the downturn or who lose their benefits because their hours are cut back.
Republicans are asking that workers eligible for unemployment insurance after losing their job would receive a health care tax credit to pay for their health care needs, something Senate centrist Democrats have agreed to. Under the Daschle plan, only workers who are eligible for COBRA would get a tax credit, leaving almost half of the workers who have been laid off or lost benefits without an option, unless, as is rumored, a Democrat-led proposal to expand Medicaid to help these workers becomes part of the package.
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