I wouldn’t comment on this, as it’s another country’s politics. But it’s just too good to pass by, and also has scientific relevance.
The US Congress has just passed legislation with the aim of defunding ACORN. This is an organisation that helps US voters register. As these voters tend to be supporters of the Democrats, the Republicans would like to stop them.
But the bill was written rather broadly, so that it would defund
Any organization that has been indicted for a violation under any Federal or State law governing the financing of a campaign for election for public office or any law governing the administration of an election for public office, including a law relating to voter registration.
These organisations would not be able to receive any federal funding at all, or even any promotion by the federal government.
Well, someone looked into this, to see who would be affected. They have created a top 100 list of organisations which would be banned from any federal funds under the act. This includes several arms companies (oops, there goes the industrial-military complex), and computer firms.
But the following are also on the list:
- Johns Hopkins University Oh dear, no NIH money for you, now
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Or NSF funding
- University of Chicago it’s OK. Obama didn’t study there
- Government of Canada (CCC) snicker
- University of California all of it?
But, best of all, sitting at no. 18 in the list:
- Government of the United States
Ooops.
(ht: afarensis)
Actually, the list is of the top 100 who might be affected, but they aren’t an organization that had fraud convictions. What is more interesting to me from that list is that 10% of government contracts by dollar amount are fraudulent.
For some reason, NN lost my name and details. But that was a comment from John Wilkins.
I rather like the idea of you as an unknown unknown, John.
According to the bill, the organisations don’t have to be convicted, only indicted. So much for presumption of innocence.
Yeah, the 10% thing is a bit shocking.
Ah, the irony.
hahaha. priceless: repubs are SUCH flaming morons.
I think this is intentional. Didn’t you know that science is bad and Canada is full of commies and death panels?
I know science is bad, that’s why I joined.
You don’t think the death panels could have been responsible for the spate of right feet that were being washed up, do you?
No, that was Stephen Harper trying to make the country lean to the right so he can finally get a majority government.