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Talk is cheap. At least for the moment.

If only life were like Hollywood movies so many of our problems would be quick to solve or would be even non-existent.

Rep. Jeff Miller, the Florida Republican who chairs the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, points to the new Tom Hanks movie “Larry Crowne” as an example of an unemployed 50-something Navy veteran who goes to college in order to catch up with those in industry with a higher education. Of course, I haven’t seen the new movie and Miller doesn’t suggest what happens to Crowne so Hanks’ character stands as a victim with no real solution to his problems.

Miller writes in the National Review Online that veterans have plenty to offer upon their returning from a tour of duty. To his credit, Miller voices his opinion for ensuring employers keep open the jobs which were left when overburdened National Guard and Reservists were called to duty during this country’s extraordinary “Ops Tempo,” or operational tempo, milspeak for military folks working their butts off during the last decade or so as civilian soliders. The House Vets chairman also opines that jobs should be there for military personnel who were medics who can transition to EMTs or how those who drove up-armored trucks could go to work for the nation’s trucking industry.

But what about artillery soldiers who spent their time riding sentry with a machine gun on a HUMVEE in Iraq or a Navy petty officer who specialized in keeping Tomahawk missiles in ship shape and ready at a moment’s notice? For at least the last 30 or so years I have been gone from the Navy, I have seen an ever-increasing desire to put more military veterans to work by either cross-training, retraining or translating jobs of former military men and women into careers that are realistic for them and their military training.

Too often though the types of programs put together for veterans — sometimes these are through government programs — are more a pipe dream.

One also must worry for the fate of new veterans with the current animosity the Republican Congress has for the federal government. Many veterans often find a better chance of matching their former military skills with jobs through the federal civil service. Yet, some congressional members would like to see thousands of federal jobs cut and those remaining jobs with small salary and little chance for advancement.

Well then, the Republicans always have their fallback to suggest, the private sector. Perhaps so, but if we are cutting jobs, why can’t we also cut jobs those which the GOP would say could be replaced by private sector employees? Why do we need a government anyway? Perhaps one reason would be to protect the security and safety of all those rich folks who should pay no taxes, if you hear the GOP talk about it.

The Republican Congress is talking out both sides of their cheeks. If House members like Rep. Miller want to help veterans, then they should get on the ball and start doing things to create jobs rather than blame the President for all our economic woes. If the Republicans want to displace our federal workforce — something I happen to be really, really against — they should start thinking beyond mere displacement.

Many veterans would probably be glad to tell Congressman Miller that talk is cheap. But things like food, gasoline, electric bills, medicine and transporation costs, that is a whole different ball of expenses.

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No haboobs here

Nature provided a pretty good show just a few minutes ago. It was thundering and lightning, and even for a short while, raining, all to beat the band.

Well, if the band was out marching in the thunderstorm on an open field it might have been beaten, or struck down perhaps, would be the better term. I’ve know a couple of folks who were struck by lightning. One guy I interviewed for a news story was zapped by lightning, in all places, outside a church after a Sunday service while he was holding an umbrella and helping little old ladies to their cars during quite a drenching. You see what being good will do for you?

I think even the most fervent rain hater might have liked the rain we got just now as we head toward a 30-inch rain deficit from this Texas-sized drought. And did you see videos of that “haboob,” the huge dust storm out in Arizona? It evokes the days of “this dusty old dust storm” that Woodie Guthrie sang about in “So Long It’s Been Good To Know Yuh.”

Some folks say the current drought in Texas is worse than the drought during the Dust Bowl. Bust this isn’t the Dust Bowl and the Republicans like those in the Great Depression and the Great Recession have yet to put us into a dusty Great Depression II. I stress yet.

Just enjoy those thundery rain-filled afternoons and hope more of those are a-coming.

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A victory for sanity in the Texas Lege: The special session ends

Hide your grandma and your children, at least when going to the airport in Texas. That’s right. It’s going to be “Grope City.”

That is what Republican Texas lawmakers might have you believe as a so-called “pat-down bill” failed to pass in the state House after a called session of the Legislature ended today. Possible GOP presidential candidate Texas Gov. Rick “Good Hair” Perry had considered the bill to criminalize what Tea Party types see as intrusive “groping” of passengers subject to search in the state’s airports as a priority. However, that anti-federal government proposal and a bill to prevent “Sanctuary Cities” for illegal immigrants – both Perry priorities — died in the Texas House.

“Although I am disappointed lawmakers did not finalize legislation that would have banned sanctuary cities, I commend the Legislature’s work to pass measures that further strengthen our legal system through loser pays lawsuit reform, uphold the integrity of the ballot box by requiring voters to present photo ID at polling places, protect unborn life by requiring an ultrasound before an abortion, strengthen private property rights, and increase penalties for individuals who participate in human trafficking,” Goodhair said in a news release. “And although the airport pat-down bill did not pass, it did initiate a public discussion and some changes in airport security procedures.”

The long-winded Perry statement highlighted what he considered accomplishments during this year’s biennial session and subsequent special session. Not touted by Perry is the damage done by his insistence the state’s nearly $6 billion reserve, or “Rainy Day Fund,” remains in tact while Texas teachers see massive job cuts. In fact, Perry bragged on the healthy fund in New York City while sticking his foot in the water for a presidential run.

“New York City??? Get a rope.” (Quoting an old Pace Picante Sauce commercial here. No need report me to the Secret Service or the Perry Texas DPS Guard Detail.)

Despite the efforts of Perry and the goofballs in the Texas Legislature, at least a bill that might have disrupted air travel and could have put in jeopardy the federal government as well as its efforts to keep the flying public safe went down in flames. Too bad. So sad. Childish yes. Do I give a rat’s rectum? No. I am on vacation.

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Radical Texas Republicans in bed with al-Quida?

Are Texas Republican bigwigs holding secret meetings in the Chihuahuan Desert with the likes of Ayman al-Zawahri? Perhaps sneaky little Al-Quida runners are stealthily hauling bags of cash to the likes of Republican Texas State Sen. Dan Patrick or Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. There must be a logical explanation why Republican lawmakers from the Lone Star State and their Gov. Rick “Good Hair Wants the White House” Perry would want to pass legislation that could trigger more 9/11s. When it comes to Republicans in Texas, hell anywhere for that matter, the motive must be money.

I jest, a little bit at least. But Perry has resurrected a previously dead bill he wants passed in the Special Session of the Texas Legislature which would make it a crime for airport security personnel in the state’s airports to “grope” passengers.

The bill failed in the Regular Session. But that was before Perry started believing that he could get elected president. Patrick, who is a Houston right-wing talk show host, is staring at the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. So this anti-federal government legislation would certainly provide “red meat” — a term that is so hackneyed that I can’t believe I am using it — for the nutwing base.

Justice Department officials rained on the radical GOP’s crazy parade during the regular legislative session when they told state officials that Texas airports could be shut down if such a law was passed. Apparently Patrick and Perry — meet the Killer Ps — think the feds are bluffing. We’ll see when the closest airport to Houston to fly out of is in Lake Charles, La.

Whether it is a bluff is debatable. But the radicals see such a law as a stepping stone to a big Constitutional battle. But even as backward and anti-American as the Roberts Supreme Court is at the moment, I can’t see the high court passing a bill that would almost guarantee incidents of terrorism.

We don’t have to worry about just shoe bombs and groin bombs and box cutters either. No, al-Quida has apparently decided they like them some National Rifle Association rhetoric, if not the ability to buy guns through the gun shows the mega-lobby supports.

Adam Gadahn, an American spokesman for Al-Quida, said in a video that the U.S. is “awash with easily obtainable firearms.” Gadahn, whose grandfather was a prominent Jewish doctor but Gadahn himself grew up Protestant Christian, said those who are seeking jihad can go to a gun show and purchase fully automatic weapons without a background check and probably minus even an ID card. In other words, Gadahn, who is also on the FBI terrorism list, is giving people ideas.

Gadahn: If this guy asks you to go with to the local gun show, just say "no."

Now the NRA backers say that kind of talk is all wrong, that you can’t just go buy a fully-auto machine gun at your local convention center. You can purchase a semi-auto assault rifle though. You might even buy the works to turn those guns into fully automatic.

Hey, I’m not anti-gun. But I am anti-terrorists-with-guns. Likewise, I am anti-terrorists with bombs, knives, box cutters or whatever in wherever on their body and most certainly on an airplane.

These Republicans who think every Fed is out to get them are doing so with legislation such as the “anti-groping” bill that might potentially, once again, turn big jet airplanes full of passengers into bombs that kill thousands. I have seen and heard of some silly stuff brought up by Republicans over the years. But those folks who came up with and are pushing the anti-groping legislation — yes, that slick Aggie cheerleader with the perfect hair included — are among the silliest sons of bitches in the anals (no, it’s not a misspelling) of Texas history.

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You won’t have Weiner to kick around

The nation’s great weenie crisis is over.

New York Democratic U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner announced he was resigning his congressional seat and all its fixtures after a truly 21st century scandal. Weiner, whose name evokes either a hot dog or a man’s weenis, had resisted calls for quitting after he reportedly sent video text of his nether region to different women. But when the going gets rough, the rough get their buns and wieners out of Dodge before they are too old to spread the mustard.

Seriously, this is one of those incidents where stupidity begets more stupidity. And it doesn’t help when you are a loud mouth New Yorker who isn’t afraid to speak ill of his own.

Democratic colleagues were not particularly enamored with Weiner in the beginning. You likewise can’t really blame Republicans for getting a freebie by saying that Weiner should beat it, no pun intended.

However, Weiner could probably have won another election due to steadfast support in his congressional district. One thinks the lawmaker might have done a good job not only speaking his mind, which was unfortunately more liberal-minded than many of his fellow Democrats, but in the area of constituent services. I have no proof as to the latter, but usually when congressional members have broad support despite a long and shining legacy of producing little legislation, it is usually because the lawmaker helps people who have problems with the federal government. My best example of this phenomenon is the late Rep. “Good Time” Charlie Wilson.

The liberal East Texas Democrat — my state lawmaker and congressman for a number of years — would after his retirement be known for his secret war on the Soviets in Afghanistan as portrayed in the book and movie “Charlie Wilson’s War.” Wilson came by his nickname “Good Time Charlie” honestly, well, honestly as one can as a politician.

Wilson endured scandals that included allegations of drunk driving, Hoovering cocaine, kiting checks and squiring around world-class beauty queens on U.S. government planes to destinations near and far. But the little old blue-haired ladies in his district flocked to the Senior Centers too see him and give him a hug whenever Charlie visited his district in a monstrous recreational vehicle. Many of the fellows, today probably Tea Partiers, lived vicariously through Charlie. The reason for such popularity and why he kept getting elected for decades was his slogan: “Taking care of the home folks.” And taking care he did.

Yes, I’ve written about Charlie before and I probably will again. But the “services” in the phrase “constituent services” is what makes the difference between a Tom DeLay and a Charlie Wilson. Plus, Charlie was never sentenced to prison.

I think the case of Anthony Weiner was as much about his own party’s indignancies because they didn’t particularly like him than any great offense to the public at large or the Grand Old Party at small. I think it is too bad Weiner resigned over something as piddling as this.