http://alastairstephens.com/?photo=atheists-dont-have-no-songs

Hey, On Faith.

Susan has a new column up.

Get this boring rant off the front page.

When is the birth of Christ? When do sheep have lambs? Why then is XMAS on December 25? Know your history.

Or a pound of pot, a sixpack of beer and thou.
-----------------
Jihadist

My thou, no sixpack (neither of us can drink, although I'd like to be able to), and perhaps, a half ounce, were we sans dottir, who may go a-visiting, and so we'll see. Would like to do our part for legalization (full).

Cold here in New YOrk, yes, but we've grown intolerant of it owing to climate change. Years ago, no one would have noticed. Now it appears pre-apocalyptic.

Won't affect the Christmas spirit, though. We are become a Theoshopacracy.

:-)

The Human Abstract

* Pity would be no more
* If we did not make somebody Poor;
* And Mercy no more could be
* If all were as happy as we.
*
* And mutual fear brings peace,
* Till the selfish loves increase:
* Then Cruelty knits a snare,
* And spreads his baits with care.
*
* He sits down with holy fears,
* And waters the grounds with tears;
* Then Humility takes its root
* Underneath his foot.
*
* Soon spreads the dismal shade
* Of Mystery over his head;
* And the Catterpiller and Fly
* Feed on the Mystery.
*
* And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
* Ruddy and sweet to eat;
* And the Raven his nest has made
* In its thickest shade.
*
* The Gods of the earth and sea
* Sought thro’ Nature to find this Tree;
* But their search was all in vain:
* There grows one in the Human Brain.

-William Blake

Songs Of Experience
London

* I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
* Near where the charter’d Thames does flow,
* And mark in every face I meet
* Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
*
* In every cry of every Man,
* In every Infant’s cry of fear,
* In every voice, in every ban,
* The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.
*
* How the Chimney-sweepers cry
* Every black’ning Church appalls;
* And the hapless Soldier’s sigh
* Runs in blood down Palace walls.
*
* But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
* How the youthful Harlot’s curse
* Blasts the new born Infant’s tear,
* And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.

-William Blake

Globe,

"Thankfully, I don't live in Canada"

I am also thankful for that.

"The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the healthcare system violates Quebec’s charter of rights"

I'd suggest that Quebec's charter of rights could use an adjustment for the times. In today's day and age, in a country as wealthy as Canada, it is unconscionable to let people suffer financially for getting sick or injured. That's how we roll. It's our decision. And we made it together. No dictator forced it upon us. And we made this decision after the Quebec charter of rights was written. Times change. Culture changes.

Having said that, I never claimed that our system is perfect, we're still working out the kinks. But it makes the American system look like Disneyland.

"Canada-wide average wait times for surgery is 17.8 weeks"

In the US, if you're poor, the wait time is forever.

"Patients cannot obtain access to specialist services without having a general practitioner referral"

In the US, millions of patients can not afford to see a specialist ever.

"The doctor shortage is so severe now that doctors have begun resorting to lotteries to kick people off their patient rosters . . ."

I can walk into any medical clinic in my town and see a doctor within an hour. In an emergency I can go to the hospital and receive immediate life saving surgery and receive no bill for it.

"A profusion of research reveals that cardiovascular surgery queues are routinely jumped by the famous and politically-connected"

These would be illegal acts that are actually legal in the US. Rich people get cardiovascular surgery. Poor people die.

"that suburban and rural residents confront barriers to access not encountered by their urban counterparts"

I live in a remote town of 1700 people on the far west coast of Vancouver Island. The nearest city of 10,000 is 2 hours away and the big city is 7 hours away. I have no problem getting medical services.

"and that low-income Canadians have less access to specialists, particularly cardiovascular ones"

First of al, nonsense. Second of all, low income Americans have zero access to cardiovascular specialists.

There are still kinks to work out, but no one in Canada will ever go broke because they got sick or injured. It is a moral decision we made as a nation together. No one is stealing our money and forcing this upon us. We are just collectively taking care of our sick. To not do so would be unconscionable.

Though her nasty behavior throughout the year merits a lump of coal in her sock, I'd like to wish the old atheist a most blessed, holy and prayerful Nativity.

Timmy,

Thankfully, I don't live in Canada. But that fact makes me a bit uneducated in regards to its healthcare system. Perhaps you could provide some insight into these questions/comments:

1) "The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the healthcare system violates Quebec’s charter of rights because it collects taxes, promises healthcare in return, forbids competing suppliers and then often doesn’t deliver the care."

2) "Canada-wide average wait times for surgery is 17.8 weeks, though in Saskatchewan, wait times for hip replacements are as long as a year and a half."

3) "Patients cannot obtain access to specialist services without having a general practitioner referral. The doctor shortage is so severe now that doctors have begun resorting to lotteries to kick people off their patient rosters . . ."

4) "A profusion of research reveals that cardiovascular surgery queues are routinely jumped by the famous and politically-connected, that suburban and rural residents confront barriers to access not encountered by their urban counterparts, and that low-income Canadians have less access to specialists, particularly cardiovascular ones, are less likely to utilize diagnostic imaging, and have lower cardiovascular and cancer survival rates than their higher-income neighbours."

Thanks!

I think seculars should try to make a bigger holiday out of New Years. There's a version of it in every society sophisticated enough to have a calendar, and in non-religious ones like China it IS the most important holiday of the year.

*******************************************

Yes, the A.D. New Year is celebrated almost everywhere not quite just with a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou. Or a pound of pot, a sixpack of beer and thou.

Made me think of going out to enjoy ushering in 2011 with free outdoor concerts and fireworks against and above the city skyline with family and friends.

Or, I could just stay home and listen to ZZ Top's "Eliminator" I borrowed from my uncle since you reminded me of those long-bearded fellows in another post in another thread.

Been happy as a clam rediscovering some of my mother's favourite western pop singers of the sixties. Lulu and the Luvvers, with Lulu in a two-piece green dress singing "Shout" is such a hoot to usher in a happy, happy, happy new year.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

If people cannot be obligated to buy health insurance, then the system of universal health care based on private insurance cannot work.

Ok. Then what?

Government or public health insurance, I guess.

"Actually, it's Unconstitutional. On top of that, President Obama was too much of a coward to admit that it was a "tax" instead of a "penalty"."

Yep, let them useless babies die
Then we won't have to hear 'em cry

Musée des Beaux Arts
W. H. Auden
-----------------------------------------
Looks like Farnaz has been enjoying a loaf of bread and thou, again.

Mark,

I have no problem with a marriage of UHC principles with private sector options for specialized care. But it is immoral for a country as rich as America to not have a health care system that takes care of everybody. A system where getting sick does not affect your financial well being. I find it unconscionable for a country like America to be without such a system and you guys freaked out at Obama's government insurance option like it was a step towards leninist Russia. It's pathetic and the conspiratorial reasons for it are transparent.

Big insurance and drug company lobbyists use scare tactics such as imaginary death panels and threats of being told that you won't be allowed to eat fatty foods anymore. It;'s all bunk. And it's evil bunk at that. The mexican drug cartels have nothing on the US drug cartels. One just deals in "legal" drugs, but the thuggery tactics to own the market are the same.

That you guys killed the government insurance option was a travesty. You were all duped by insurance company lobbyists. It is ugly ugly business. Shame.

GAY-TROOP Secrets:

[Lefty Asks] "Hay Captain; Are You "Queerian?" [Righty reply's] "Yep CPL!" [Left], "Cool, Now We Don't Have To Signal Each other In Airports, Restrooms, Forests or Parks anymore?" [Right]; "Yea Toots." [left] You ever do it in a Fox-Hole?" [Right] "At-Ease Man." [Left] Stand-Down Yo! , O', Hay Capt, do ye Think the Pentagon is gonna give Us Medals for for coming-out-Bravery?
...
..
.
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_____███▒▒▄▒▒...... .▒▒▄▒▒███
______█▒▒▒▒▒▒...... .▒▒▒▒▒▓/\
_______ █▒▒▒♥...... . . ♥▒▒▒█
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____▓▓_▓▓▓▓▓. ...... . . ▓▓▓▓▓-_▓▓
__ _▓▓_▓▓▓▓▓_. ...... . .▓▓▓▓▓-▓▓
__ ▓▓_▓▓▓▓_▓_. ...... ▓_▓▓▓▓_▓▓
_ ▓▓__▓▓▓▓__▓▓. .▓▓__▓▓▓▓_▓▓
.▓▓__█████_▓▓. . ▓▓_ █████--▓▓
_____▒▒▒▒▒..▓▓. .▓▓. . ▒▒▒▒▒
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_____▒▒▒▒▒. . . . . .. . . . ▒▒▒▒▒
_____▒▒_▒▒. . . . . . . . . .▒▒_▒▒
_____▒▒_▒▒. . . . . . . . . .▒▒_▒▒
_____▒▒_▒▒. . . . . . . . . .▒▒_▒▒
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_____▓▓_▓▓. . . . . . . . . .▓▓_▓▓
_____▓▓_▓▓. . . . . . . . . .▓▓_▓▓
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_____██..██. . . . . . . . .██. . . ██
_____██..██. . . . . . . .███. . . ███
_____██.███ . . . . . . . . . Capt.
_____██. Cpl.
____.███; . . . .
========================
PS: Now That DADT is pass, Brace yourself for Lots of Humor. Oye...
.
Credit: "JJ"
http://onwapo.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/w-e-l-c-o-m-e/
_____

WARNING: Remember How The U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE was Created? {On Xrstmas-Eve-1914}. Wait And See How many more Sneaky Laws will be passed {Without Constituenary Concent or Knowledge!!!}.

Pleazza, Lets Not Let them Do what They (Congress & Plutocrats) are not Supposed to Do.
___

VOTE: APOCALYPTIC-GOVERNMENT &
GRIDARIAN-DEMOCRACY!

Something To LiVE For, NOt to Die For!

(Else Russia Will Do it First and We'll be glad to Help. Poshalista!).

Musée des Beaux Arts
W. H. Auden

About suffering they were never wrong,
The Old Masters; how well, they understood
Its human position; how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along;
How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting
For the miraculous birth, there always must be
Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating
On a pond at the edge of the wood:
They never forgot
That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course
Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot
Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer’s horse
Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

In Breughel’s Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away
Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may
Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone
As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green
Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen
Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky,
had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
------------------------
Also, see Psalm 23, Hosea 2:19--חֶסֶד

Tell all your girlfriends all your been around the world friends GM is bankrupt. What is good for God is good for the trust company. Who can you really trust? We won't work you over, we'll just over work you. The option is always to quit and go quietly. Silent night holy night, all is calm all is bright. If the bulbs are dead, unplug. Chances are they are sobourbon bound. Chase with water. This is sobourbon living and the mortgages are not working. Liquidate them.

Timmy has pretty well articulated the UHC argument from both a cost-benefit and governmental scope perspective. Much of the developed world does have a UHC system similar more similar to Canada's than America's, and most people seem to like them for routine things, although specialized care can lead to long wait times. I'm not in a good position to discuss details, not using much health care myself. I suspect Timmy is fairly young and his health care needs are pretty generic, which a socialized system can handle.

On the governmental scope question, is being legally required to pay for health coverage like being required to pay for fire department coverage? There might be some very basic level of health coverage that can be called a "government supplied entitlement" whose coverage is so universal we can treat it as part of the package of living in America. We won't let you bleed to death on the street, so you can be taxed to pay for the possibility of needing treatment in that situation. But at higher levels, there is a great variety of health care needs and wants that should allow more leeway of personal choice.

BTW,

I live in Canada. We have had free health care for some time now. (It's not completely free, I pay $50 a month for the government health insurance plan, as does my wife. Poor people get these fees subsidized or do not have to pay at all) When I get sick or injured, my fellow citizens pick up the bill and I in turn pick up the bill when they get sick. It's an awesome system. Very civilized. We don't want getting sick or injured to affect people's financial well being.

And yet I participate in all kinds of activities and lifestyle choices that are dangerous and could cost the public system money and no one stops me from doing so. I surf and snowboard and rock climb and I smoke marijuana and eat fatty foods and drink alcohol. And yes, I have to wear a helmet when I ride a motorcycle. my god, so leninist! lol.

Your scare tactics of death panels and people telling that you you can't go skiing are just that. Scare tactics. Pathetic scare tactics in an attempt to defend your hoarding greed.

A friend of mine from the US was just up visiting and was telling me a story about how when his little girl fell and cut her head, he was examining the cut closely to decide whether or not to take her to the hospital. It was a borderline call. He had to consider the $500 it would cost him for the visit. What kind of barbaric world do you people live in down there? We don't force parents to make that decision up here. It would be unconscionable.

"It is inevitably freedom's loss when the feds can start mandating purchases"

lmao.

You are mandated to purchase along with everyone else, roads, schools, police services, fire trucks, armies, bombs, licensing offices, national parks, employees to run the government, etc etc etc.

Do you protest these mandated purchases? You'd be a fool to do so. A society needs to have certain things that we all agree to purchase together so that our lives are made better. The debate over which of these things are necessary for all to participate in continues, but the debate over whether or not the feds can force people to purchase things has long been over. It can, it must and it does. Get over it.

You are welcome to debate whether or not health care is one of those things, but to insinuate that freedom is lost as soon as the government starts forcing people to purchase things is asinine. That would mean that no one in any country ever has ever been free.

No society is completely free. Complete freedom is called anarchy.

Mark,

"...how oppressed they are by the hegemony of the opposition."

The political theater of having various victims of disease, real or imagined, occupying legislators or regulators offices is a difficult force to counteract.

"The eventual result is health care as a subsidy to health-risky behavior."

Or worse yet, legislation to outlaw behavior that is deemed risky and expensive. We have already seen it in motorcycle helmet laws.

It is inevitably freedom's loss when the feds can start mandating purchases.

As one of the first responders to 9/11 said on The Daily Show, no NY Firefighter considers it "disrespectful" to man a firehouse on Christmas day. Meanwhile, theocon thugs like DeMint continue to obstruct funding for medical care for these first responders for the same lame excuse.

"No healthcare for babies‘cause Obamacare’s lame"

Actually, it's Unconstitutional.
----------------------------------------

Since this stated topic isn't going to set the commenting on fire, I'll pick up on this one.

Supporters of the Universal Health Care (UHC) plan might wonder if violating the interstate commerce clause is a real objection or just a convenient technicality on which to fight a program to which to opposition is simply political, not constitutional or otherwise a question on the legitimate scope of government.

One concern I have with UHC is illustrated by the events that took place last year while it was being debated. Remember a commission recommended that women not specifically at risk didn't need annual mammograms. So a group of Senators got an amendment passed to the bill requiring that annual mammograms must be covered for any woman who wants one.

That's the future of ALL our federal politics under UHC. Any attempt to reduce benefits will be immediately met with political indignation of affected parties, sometimes legitimate, sometimes demagogic, about how our country doesn't think their group is important and how oppressed they are by the hegemony of the opposition.

One result will be an ever-increasing menu of benefits. Another will be the politicization of premiums, as people complain that certain risk factors might be present in individuals, but are caused by society, so shouldn't be priced into premiums. The eventual result is health care as a subsidy to health-risky behavior.

And this is a legitimate application of the interstate commerce clause. Congress should not have the ability to mandate that you must pay health insurance premiums based on what they say your benefits and risk factors are.

"No healthcare for babies‘cause Obamacare’s lame"
________________________________________

Actually, it's Unconstitutional. On top of that, President Obama was too much of a coward to admit that it was a "tax" instead of a "penalty".

There is no reason for atheists to celebrate, yet. Most of the US citizens are still under the yoke of theocracy.

Borrowing for Billionaires

Trickle down tax cuts, the name of the game
The rich need more money or so they complain

No healthcare for babies‘cause Obamacare’s lame
The sick little children don’t need that, they explain

What the poor really need is a good dose of pain
‘Cause unemployment payments give ‘em way too much gain

Borrowing for billionaires now that’s what we need
It says so right there in those talk radio screeds.

Who says its the hungry ones who really need a break?
Wasn't Rush O so right to say “Let them eat cake!”?

No, Timmy, they celebrate by "getting stoned."

Not the same meaning in this context.

"How do atheists celebrate Tom Paine's birthday?"

Actually that is considered idolatry in atheism and strictly prohibited in the atheist doctrine. It is punishable by death. Preferable by stoning

Science be praised.

It's a wonderful life, no? dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, singing and watching Christmas carol/s and some feeling a wee scrooged after maxing out on credit cards for gifts, travels, parties.
----------------------------------------

Yeah, my favorite secular book about the holiday is The Trouble with Christmas by Tom Flynn (CFI President and On Faith panelist) who makes the good point that only recently have people in cold climates learned to enjoy winter. Until ~100 years ago, people just spent the season locked up in their homes staying warm.

Personally, I don't have much use for winter. I enjoyed skiing a few times, but since it still felt better when I stopped, who needs it? Winter is about things like movies, internet and HDTV.

I think seculars should try to make a bigger holiday out of New Years. There's a version of it in every society sophisticated enough to have a calendar, and in non-religious ones like China it IS the most important holiday of the year.

Insanely boring topic, however. This burdensome insanity, drekky Christmans tv shows, movies, etc., will continue.

******************************************

:)

Farnaz,

It's a wonderful life, no? dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, singing and watching Christmas carol/s and some feeling a wee scrooged after maxing out on credit cards for gifts, travels, parties.

I would say to chill out or to cool it, except for the fact that New York areas is really, really, really cold now. It really nice and warm here. Hot and humid as a matter of fact, like being in a suana everyday with daytime temperatures averaging 30% up to 34% C all year round.

I'm feeling sorry for the people in Europe with freezing temperatures and snows there disrupting their travel plans for the holidays - can't get to and be with families, can't go with families to warmer climes places for holidays planned and look forward to.

Happy holidays.

Must remember to celebrate Tom Paine's birthday on Jan 29.

*******************************************

How do atheists celebrate Tom Paine's birthday?

(a) - sumptious dinners and parties for family, friends and colleagues?

(b) - atheist pride parades in the streets?

(c) - billboard ads promoting the joys of atheism?

(d) - workshops, seminars, conferences on the history and concerns, mission and vision of atheism?

(e) - atheist awareness week and outreach to atheists and non-atheists?

Must remember to celebrate Tom Paine's birthday on Jan 29. We don't get many opportunities to celebrate non-believers, steeped as we are in religious superstition.
Thank you Susan.

Man, this old gal is one nasty piece of work, ain't she?

******************************************

She's my favourite atheist. She thinks and writes like some of my fave contemporary Muslim writer-bloggers here on religion and politics - spicy spicy spicy, tangy tangy tangy, biting biting biting and witty too. Love her free American history lessons much too. Even if one don't agree with everything she writes.

And tis the season to be merry any which way one can. Mr. DeMint goes to Washington. Mr. Demint stays in Washington. Mr. DeMint wants to have a Christmas Congress.

Some Congressman may want to work over the post-Christmas/pre-New Year because this a good excuse to get out of paying for in canceling that Christmas-New Year hols with their family in the Caribbean.

My fatwas (non-binding opinions) for today :

- It is not permissible to pretend to be hardworking and work during the Christmas-New Year hols. One should have finished the work before.

- It is permissible but not encouraged to filibuster as a stalling tactic in Congress. It waste everyone's time and shows one to be an obstructionist.

- It is not permissible if after only one glass of firewater, one gets on the boss' table and do a Lady Gaga song and dance very badly.

Globalone

Yes, but what about all the Nazi Republicans?

The members of Congress get a lot of perks, and a lot of time off.

This is just another mean-spirited Republican, acting like a spoiled brat.

Merry Christmas

And why should so many have died for the sins of Laius? Or, was it Laius?

And no holiday sales....

DeMint is engaging in pure demagoguery. MOST people don't get company-granted holidays between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Some use their own leave for that. If DeMint really thinks that sacrilegious and anti-Christians to make people work between those two days, we should challenge him to make companies grant paid holidays during that week.

This holiday season, let's take time to reflect and appreciate some of the fine words of one of Susan's left-wing, liberal, everyone's a victim, hero - Senora Nancy Pelosi...

"But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it..."

"Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package 500 million Americans lose their jobs."

"Every aspect of our lives must be subjected to an inventory ... of how we are taking responsibility."

Strange - Lenin said this in 1917...

"Account must be taken of every single article, every pound of grain, because what socialism implies above all is keeping account of everything"

Man, this old gal is one nasty piece of work, ain't she?

"Jim DeMint even described it as "sacrilegious" for the Senate to remain in session over Christmas to vote on an arms control treaty."

What is sacrilegious:

The larceny of the churches, whereby they seek to steal for their "Son" what belongs to the Sun.

Christ-mas = the massy, splintering coming of the Great Sell.

When it comes to the winter solstice, the churches are parvenu gatecrashers, superimposing their crossed staves on the manifest source of life, striving to quarter the all-seeing, all-seen, all-vivifying light and make it fall like silver fishes' mail into their open purses.

The Sun proves irrepressible, irreducible.

Vivat Sol Invictus. They tried to rob you, but still you shine...for all.

A Christmas Story for Sen. DeMint

After an intro to lit class finished studying Antigone, their teacher thought to show them a video clip of the confrontation between Creon and Haemon from the Yorgos Javellas production.

When the clip finished and she turned on the lights, she was surprised to find flushed and smiling faces gazing at the air.

"Stichomythia," a student murmured.

Stichomythia is the rapid-fire exchange between two actors of lines and half lines. It figures brilliantly in ancient Greek tragedy, in which it is extremely brief because it is almost unbearably intense. When done well, as it is in the Javellas production, it seems to set off sparks.

But the air was clear, as the teacher pondered her students who continued to sit quietly smiling. No one wished to speak, and so she and they just sat there. The class had run past the hour. But no one wanted to leave.

DeMint is just an opportunist who wants to see work put off until the new Congress is seated. No reason to read too much into it.

OFF-TOPIC: WORD SEARCH

I just learned about this, and since I've just wasted a bunch of time there, I thought some others might.

The Google database of books has an N-gram viewer where you can search for the frequency of words or short phrases in the books published in the years covered. For example "atheist" has been moving up since 2000, from a pretty flat plateau it had held since 1980, less than from 1930-65.

http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/graph?content=atheist&year_start=1920&year_end=2008&corpus=0&smoothing=3

So if you want to see when authors started or stopped writing about same-sex marriage, politically correct, negro or groovy, here's the place.

Here in New York City, it's only the power of the international Zionist conspiracy (after all, the current mayor of New York is a Jew who supports the building of a mosque near ground zero) that keeps the subways running between Christmas and New Year's Day.
____________________________
LOL!!!

But, please, Susan, surrender. This Christmas Carnival is embedded in the AmeriChristian psyche. (Btw., WikiLeaks is now a "Zionist Conspiracy--Morons will be morons, and the MOrons will always be with us.)

Add to my previous list, school closing, drunk driving. Other costs to taxpayers to be posted shortly.

All on Puritans is accurate. Bradford dispensed with the entire nonsense in one sentence.

Creepy stuff all this drinking and carousing and face-stuffing and sexing it up to celebrate the birth of the Christians' Messiah, not to mention the cost to taxpayers in the grotesque streetlights, trees, etc.
--------------------
Insanely boring topic, however. This burdensome insanity, drekky Christmans tv shows, movies, etc., will continue.

Previous column was very interesting. It should have been linked on WaPo. Perhaps Jacoby will write something along those lines again in future.

DeMint's remarks are, on their face, silly.

But complaining about START, the Dream Act, DADT repeal and a must-pass omnibus spending bill, all being shoved into the last days of a lame-duck Congress, isn't.