ITEM — U.S. senators failed, 51-49, to end GOP blockage of a non-binding bill urging that increased tax revenues from millionaires be part of any bill to raise the national debt ceiling and curb the growth of federal debt. A yes was to end a Republican filibuster against SB 1323.

COMMENT — As I understand it, millionaires and the like already pay a healthy share of their income in taxes and provide a heckuva lot more jobs than poor people do. What I would like to see is requiring the 51 percent of the country’s taxpayers who don’t pay any income tax at all and receive subsidy checks to boot pay some portion of income tax geared to their income. Didn’t the president just say “We have to ask everyone to play their part because we are all part of the same country. We are all in this together.” I don’t call it together when half pay income tax and half don’t.

ITEM — The Seattle City Council and City Attorney Pete Holmes are joining Mayor Mike McGinn in a first step toward extended bar hours in the city. The mayor announced they are starting a process to get the state to allow bars to serve liquor after 2 a.m., the current statewide cutoff. The aim is to avoid dangers from the drunks dumped out of the bars at 2 and hitting the streets for home. Assistant Seattle Police Chief Mike Sanford backed the request, telling a news conference the streets would be safer.

COMMENT — Now how in the world could it be safer with a bunch of drunks hitting the streets at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. instead of 2, unless the intent is to disperse them in batches instead of wholesale. Wouldn’t the hard drinkers who don’t leave until the bar closes at 2 simply stay on until the new closing time, unless there would be no closing time and the bars would be open all night? This ain’t Las Vegas, Mayor.

ITEM — By a vote of 233-193, the U.S. House failed to reach a two-thirds majority needed to repeal the law phasing in new light bulbs that, while considerably more expensive, last longer and use less energy than the incandescents we’ve used for so many years. It’s estimated the new ones will cut nationwide energy costs by $12 billion annually. The new standards take effect starting Jan. 1.

COMMENT — I don’t believe it, the projected savings, that is. And two of the new light bulbs that I bought because they were on sale have already burned out. My incandescents last a lot longer than that. I think this is just more overkill by the nuts who blame people for global warming and are willing to send our industries into a tailspin trying to prove it.

ITEM — If the murder of Caylee Anthony had taken place in the 12th Century, says USA Today, the most accepted system of justice was trials by ordeal. Medieval courts relied entirely on God to pronounce the guilt of an accused. Defendants were drowned, burned, given poisoned bread and subjected to other abuse to see a sign of divine judgment. People accepted the results because one could not question the judgment of God.

COMMENT — We don’t have to go back that far. My father was born and reared in the backwoods of Tennessee and when he was a boy, one of his uncles was found dead lying by a railroad track. There was a question as to whether he bad been beaten to death or was hit by a train. The matter was resolved in the usual way back there and then by wrapping the body in new quilt, then washing the quilt. If the blood stains came out in the washing, his death would be deemed accidental. If not, that was considered a sign from God that he had been murdered. The stains came out.