Four Tidbits too short for their own posting

* Today's Blade has an editorial properly chastising our mayor for leaving his dog in his car and parking in a handicapped spot. They say: "...it is worth remembering that Mr. Finkbeiner has a long and well-documented history of behaving as if society’s rules don’t apply to him. It’s his version of a tragic flaw." But then they go on to excuse this same behavior by saying it's okay for him to take his dog to work with him, when he doesn't allow his employees the same privilege. Wonder how many dogs are allowed in the Blade building???

* What do Britain, France, Germany, Bangladesh and China all have in common? According to the Heritage Foundation, they all have a lower corporate tax rate than the United States. "In fact, the global average corporate tax rate is 27 percent, while America’s remains at 40 percent. This leaves America at a tremendous competitive disadvantage." Of course, the basic theories of economics are lost on those in Congress who think that the solution is always more corporate taxes, not recognizing that the higher rates encourage job providers to go elsewhere while tacking on the additional taxes to the price of goods that we pay.

* In the "things I learned enroute to other destinations" category, it seems that members of Congress have their own gym. According to The Hill, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is chairman of the House gym committee. (Yes, they even have a committee for said gym!) But the real kicker is that Abercrombie is seeking $8 Million - yes, $8 Million - to renovate the gym. It appears that others in his party are afraid of the political ramifications of such an expenditure, but that isn't stopping Abercrombie.

In fact, Abercrombie thinks the Congressional gym should be equal or better than the 'staffer's gym,' where "each elliptical machine and treadmill has its own flat-screen TV hooked up to cable." Yes, a gym for Hill staffers...your tax dollars hard at work.

But, according to one congressional wife (families, evidently have access to the gyms as well), "Taxpayers would be furious if they knew we were spending their money on gym renovations." What arrogance - as a taxpayer, I'm furious that we're paying for a gym in the first place. Don't we pay these people enough that they can afford a gym membership paid for out of their own pockets??? Priorities, priorities...

* And finally, the Club For Growth has released a 2007 rePORK card for members of Congress. "Taxpayers have a right to know which congressmen stand up for them and which stand up for the special interests," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "Unfortunately, the Club for Growth RePORK Card shows that most congressmen care more about lining their buddies' pockets than they care about protecting American taxpayers." The rePORK card scores reflect the percentage of YES votes on 50 anti-pork amendments. Our own Representative Marcy Kaptur (D OH-9) scored 0%.

- UPDATE: Matthew at Right Angle Blog looks at the rePORK card scores of the Ohio Congressional Delegation - you might be surprised by some of the Republican scores.