By GottaLaff
By GottaLaff
Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett pushed back against the Republican refrain in a year-end interview with Politics Daily. Jarrett focused specifically on Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) use of the phrase in a recent CNN interview....101, 102, 103, 104...
"It was definitely a cheap shot and completely unwarranted," said Jarrett, who is one of several Chicagoans to join the Obama administration. "I think what people ought to do is to focus on how they can be constructive in their discourse and present fresh ideas for the president's consideration, and not lose focus on why they were all elected. They were elected to serve the people." [...]
"He does not spend time pulling his hair out worrying about the extreme views," she said. "It's not constructive and it's not going to improve the quality of life of everyday people who are out there struggling."
By GottaLaff
"War on Terror" is a phrase that President Barack Obama is removing from his lexicon, after seven years of war-on-terror declarations by George W. Bush. Less than two weeks into his administration, reporters and pundits are starting to notice that Obama employs other phrases, such as "enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism." [...]Just keep flapping those distorting, cock-and-bull, deceptive, Rushpublic dirtbag lips, Representative King.
This doesn't mean Obama is going soft. He frequently refers to terrorists as "extremists," criminals whom the United States will "go after" in order to "win this fight."
Analysts are suggesting various reasons why "war on terror" is on the way out. One is that "terror" is not the name of a country or group. Another is that Obama wants to avoid labeling all Muslims or Arabs as terrorists.
By GottaLaff
So who's going to wave bye-bye? Heather, you, and I are thinking alike: Blue Dog ConservaDems and Joe Lieberman would give us housecleaning of the expected kind. But are we overlooking some less obvious defectors?
By GottaLaff
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The British newspaper Times named an Iranian woman killed in post-election riots in Iran as its "person of the year."It still hurts just as much to see that photo and recall that day. Unbelievably painful.
The Times explained that 26-year-old Neda Agha-Soltan became a "symbol of opposition to tyranny" when a 40-second clip documenting her tragic death at the hand of Iranian authorities was seen by millions around the world. [...]
"Ms. Soltan, 26, joined the protest because she was outraged at the way that the regime stole the presidential election," the newspaper said on its front page.
By GottaLaff
I haven't seen Avatar, and I'm not all that interested in it after what Mr. Laffy told me (he saw the 3-D version). His opinion was that it visually, it was great, but otherwise "big, long, and overdone". But he also said that the buzz by the exiting (very young) crowd was mostly positive, so don't go by us jaded LALA Land show biz types:
Free Love Forum takes you behind the scenes of the revolutionary new bootleg of the revolutionary new movie.
Starring Jeremy Beiler, Paul Dorfman and Anne Johnson
Written & Directed by Gabe Gronli
Special Thanks to Aaron Cohen and Nick Vasile
By GottaLaff
Of course, now the phrase "fired up, ready to go" will be banned from all airports... but it was fun while it lasted, right?
(White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
Here is President Obama recounting the inspiring "fired up" experience. This story never gets old:By GottaLaff
However, one day after the foiled terrorist attack, the man's father has come forth to reveal that he reported his son's fanatical religious views to the US Embassy six months ago.The young man in question - Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab - is the son of Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, a former Nigerian minister and bank chairman. Half a year ago, he became suspicious of his son's religious beliefs and reported his activites to the US Embassy and Nigerian security services.
On Saturday, Mutallab left his home in Katsina, Nigeria to speak with security agencies. He indicated that his son left London, where he was an engineering student, to travel. He said he did not know where he intended to go. He said that he believed he might have gone to Yemen, "but we are investigating to determine that."
The Associated Press is reporting the same thing.
One source, someone who is close to the father, said that Daddy raised his eyebrows a few inches when he found out Umar was allowed to come to the U.S. after his tip-off to the embassy.
After Umar enrolled at University College in London, he left, going to Egypt and then Dubai. After relocating, he told his family he no longer wanted to have contact with them.
I apologize for interrupting CNN's Speculation Marathon. I'm sure this news will fuel at least another 24 hours of Q and A with unbiased authorities Fran Townsend and Pete King.He was added to the MAIN database of 550,000 people in Nov. 2009 (following father's warning).H/t: physiologyprof
Questions we're all asking: just how do names get treated when added to the terrorist database? How quickly are they investigated?
By GottaLaff
At the end of her column, Peggy Noonan tells a story of two former Reagan administration officials who were given a private tour of the White House by Michelle Obama.A touch of class... and wisdom.
"Mrs. Obama led the two through the halls, and then they stopped by the Lincoln bedroom. They stood in the doorway, and then took a step inside, but went no deeper. Everything looked the same, but something was different. 'We don't allow guests to stay in this room anymore,' Mrs. Obama explained. She spoke of it as a place of reverence. They keep it apart, it's not for overnights."
By GottaLaff
A 23-year-old Nigerian man was charged in a federal criminal complaint today with attempting to destroy a Northwest Airlines aircraft on its final approach to Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Christmas Day and with placing a destructive device on the aircraft.Now back to the Tee Vee Machine news dee jays' endless 24/7 speculation already in progress.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, a Nigerian national, boarded Northwest Flight 253 in Amsterdam, Netherlands on December 24, 2009 and had a device attached to his body. As the flight was approaching Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Abdulmutallab set off the device, which resulted in a fire and what appears to have been an explosion. Abdulmutallab was then subdued and restrained by the passengers and flight crew. The airplane landed shortly thereafter, and he was taken into custody by Customs and Border Patrol officers.
A preliminary FBI analysis found that the device contained PETN, also known as pentaerythritol, a high explosive. Further analysis is ongoing. In addition, FBI agents recovered what appear to be the remnants of the syringe from the vicinity of Abdulmutallab’s seat, believed to have been part of the device.
“This alleged attack on a U.S. airplane on Christmas Day shows that we must remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism at all times,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. “Had this alleged plot to destroy an airplane been successful, scores of innocent people would have been killed or injured. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously, and we will use all measures available to our government to ensure that anyone responsible for this attempted attack is brought to justice
Abdulmutallab required medical treatment and was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center after the plane landed. He will make his initial court appearance later today.
Interviews of all of the passengers and crew of Flight 253 revealed that prior to the incident, Abdulmutallab went to the bathroom for approximately 20 minutes, according to the affidavit. Upon returning to his seat, Abdulmutallab stated that his stomach was upset, and he pulled a blanket over himself. Passengers then heard popping noises similar to firecrackers, smelled an odor, and some observed Abdulmutallab’s pants leg and the wall of the airplane on fire. Passengers and crew then subdued Abdulmutallab and used blankets and fire extinguishers to put out the flames. Passengers reported that Abdulmutallab was calm and lucid throughout. One flight attendant asked him what he had had in his pocket, and he replied “explosive device.”
These prosecutions are being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. The public is reminded that criminal complaints contain mere allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
By GottaLaff
When Jasper Schuringa, a Dutch director, saw that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab had set himself on fire aboard Friday's Delta-NWA flight, he jumped the alleged suspect, helping to detain him. CNNI smell a movie offer...
By GottaLaff
"I don't think the Senate has an appetite for another such epic, polarized legislative war this session."Gee, poor wittle Senate can't handle more than one big issue per year? Awww.
-- Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), quoted by the Washington Post, on the climate legislation he's drafting with Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
By GottaLaff
Leave it to Kucinich to cut to the chase:
He also said, "War is a drain on the economy... War is not a way to create jobs. It's a way to kill jobs."Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) this week said that U.S. generals who spoke publicly about the nation's Afghan strategy during the president's deliberations should lose their jobs.
Kucinich, who is known for his anti-war views, told Russia Today in an interview Wednesday that Congress should be making the final decision on whether to go to war, not the president or his generals. [...]
“President Obama, who is a good man, has given his generals a little too much leeway," he said. “Congress has the obligation under our constitution to make the decision whether to go to war.”
By GottaLaff
WASHINGTON (AP) Some airlines tell passengers new rules require them to stay in seats 1 hour before landing.That shouldn't be stressful or inconvenient at all. And is there a restroom exception?
By GottaLaff
(CBS/AP) The suspect in the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 used a highly explosive substance called PETN, a law enforcement official told CBS News Saturday.After Umar's unfortunate little crotch fire, seems like his condom days are over.
The explosives were carried in a soft plastic container - possibly a condom - though much of the packaging was destroyed in the fire, the official said.
The FBI is questioning the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who claimed to be acting on orders from al Qaeda to blow up the airliner, officials said.
By GottaLaff
Alsotoomoreoverandhowyoubetchasayitain'tso:
By GottaLaff
In an apparent split with Roman Catholic bishops over the abortion-financing provisions of the proposed health care overhaul, the nation’s Catholic hospitals have signaled that they back the Senate’s compromise on the issue, raising hopes of breaking an impasse in Congress and stirring controversy within the church.Cr-r-rack!
There is much more "for and against" here.Catholic scholars say their statement reflects a different application of church teachings against “cooperation with evil,” a calculus that the legislation offers a way to extend health insurance to millions of Americans. For the Catholic hospitals, that it is both a moral and financial imperative, since like other hospitals they stand to gain from reducing the number of uninsured patients.
And in practical political terms, some Democrats — including some opponents of abortion rights — say that the Catholic hospitals’ relative openness to a compromise could play a pivotal role by providing political cover for Democrats who oppose abortion to support the health bill. Democrats and liberal groups quickly disseminated the association’s endorsement along with others from the nuns’ group, other Catholics and evangelicals.
An official briefed on the attack on a Detroit airliner says the U.S. has known for at least two years that the suspect in the attack could have terrorist ties.The official tells The Associated Press that the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, has been on a list that includes people with known or suspected contact or ties to a terrorist or terrorist organization.
So the questions they're asking are: If they did know about him, why didn't he show up on the list? If he didn't show up on the list, why not?
Whatever the answers are, we do know this: It's all Obama's fault. No matter what. His fault. Impeach now. (sarcasm)
UPDATE: Per CNN just now, although he was on a list, there was no specific information to red flag him. The information was too general.
Granted, I saw this in the middle of the night, but does it seem to anyone else that Pete King is enjoying this a wee bit too much? He seems a little, um, satisfied and show offy about his contacts. And why are they talking to King? He's the ex chair of the House HSC, the current chair (a D as those things work out) is Rep Bernie Thompson of Mississippi. Or I could just be affected by my utter hatred of Pete King.
Okay, so now we're past the retail driven "Buy, buy, buy" segment of our season and move directly into the navel gazing, "Best and Worst OF TEH ENTIRE DECADE DAMMIT" act. Lord save us.
Unveiled: China's 245mph train service is the world's fastest... and it was completed in just FOUR years
Dental chewing gum may go to war
Concerts Feature Musical Instruments Made Of Ice
Hi-tech toaster that could very well be the best thing since sliced bread
Kansas couple's deaths mark the end of a perfect love story
Technology tackles the problem of talking to your game characters
A wing and a prayer as Audubon members set out on annual survey
The Year in Food
I used to love his game show. Via Newshounds.
By GottaLaff
Breathless CNN video:
Original posts here and here.
Per Ed Henry on CNN:
This administration has expressed skepticism of the color chart alert system. They're concentrating more on improving security checkpoints and other measures at airports, not colors.
Susan Collins on Homeland Security committee says she's expecting a briefing soon, wonders how the passenger got explosives on the plane to begin with, and if he actually does have ties to any terrorist organization.
Passenger Richard Griffith, who was on the plane, just said the explosives must have been in the guys pocket, ended up "in his crotch".
That wouldn't have ended well at all for the suspect's afterlife.
By GottaLaff
"This does not strike us as having the earmarks of any kind of well-planned or well-orchestrated attack," a senior security official told CBS News justice correspondent Bob Orr.President Obama was not clearing brush, nor was he reading My Pet Goat. He did not ignore the situation, and he knows how to use one that thing-- Oh what's it called? Oh yeah-- a brain.
White House spokesman Bill Burton, who is with President Obama on vacation in Hawaii said that Mr. Obama was notified of the incident this morning and convened a secure conference call with John Brennan, his Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser, and Denis McDonough, NSS Chief of Staff.
A senior administration official tells CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer that the incident was "an attempted act of terrorism." The administration is not raising the terror threat level, but President Obama is receiving constant updates on the situation.
The official declined to elaborate on how a man on a U.S. terrorist watch list was able to board the airliner. The official said the U.S. plans "different things at different airports" in response to the incident. He declined to elaborate.
He added that the U.S. is "in close touch with Dutch counterparts" because the suspect boarded the airliner in Amsterdam.
A high-ranking law enforcement official told Orr that the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into powder located near his groin, a technique not seen in previous attempted attacks. It's possible, the source said, that this incident was a test of whether the materials could pass screening and how effective they might be at causing damage.
the dirtbag in chief will never do anything. if he isnt muslim then he’s just a simpleton. he’s not at war with the scum but they are at war with us. he doesn’t get it that its his Job to protect the citizens of this nation. what a treacherous dumb guy we got stuck with, and all the character of a bedbug.UPDATE:
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By GottaLaff
Via an e-mail alert from Yahoo news:WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. intelligence official: Passenger on Detroit flight was attempting to blow up plane.
Original story:A passenger was subdued after igniting fireworks aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to the US city of Detroit, US media reported on Friday.
Waiting for more details to emerge.
More here:
The man told investigators that he wanted to set off a bomb over the United States, and the incident is being handled as a possibile terrorism attack by both law enforcement and intelligence agencies, senior counterterrorism officials said.UPDATE:
The man was subdued by the flight crew of Flight 253 from Amsterdam, one counterterrorism official said. The official said the man left Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday, then boarded the Northwest Flight 253 in Amsterdam on Friday.
Fox News confirms suspect in Detroit plane incident told investigators he is connected to Al Qaeda
A male passenger reportedly linked to terrorist organization al-Qaeda ignited a powdery substance prior to landing on a Delta Airlines flight to Detroit Friday. The suspect is believed to be Nigerian, Fox News reported.
By GottaLaff
So very human, so awfully off key, and somehow endearing:
POLITICO's latest CLICK Flick features five U.S. senators — Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) — doing their best to ring in the holiday season with a rousing version of "Jingle Bells."Jingle ballsy:
By GottaLaff
President Obama's controversial choice to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel is spending the holidays in limbo after Senate Republicans -- in a last jab at Democrats for passing a massive health insurance bill -- blocked her nomination and five others.
If confirmed, Dawn Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University, would be in charge of the office that formulates the attorney general's formal opinions and provides counsel on the diciest legal questions, particularly the handling of Guantanamo Bay detainees and their impending move to the Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson, Ill.
Yes, Gitmo. And other BushCology.
The Rushpubstructionists are so full of... Christmas cheer!
Before leaving for Christmas, Sen. Patrick Leahy, the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pounded Republicans for stalling on Obama's nominees, including Johnsen, Mary Smith for the Justice Department's tax department, and Christopher Schroeder, who would head to the legal policy office, among others.
"We promptly reported the president's nominees to head the Office of Legal Counsel, the Office of Legal Policy, and the Tax Division, and they each received Senate consideration in a matter of days or weeks after they were reported by the committee," Leahy said in a lengthy statement issued Wednesday.
"As with the judicial nominations, the Republicans have employed new standards of demanding a supermajority and floor time and delays to consider even nominations that could be confirmed easily, grinding our progress to a halt," he added.
Merry Blockmas.
By GottaLaff
A U.S.-born radical cleric is alive and well following reports he may have been killed in a Yemeni airstrike against suspected al-Qaida hideouts, friends and relatives said Friday.The government said it targeted a meeting of high-level al-Qaida operatives in Thursday's airstrike in the remote Shabwa region. It claimed at least 30 militants were killed, possibly including Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric who has been linked to the shooter in last month's attack at the Fort Hood military base in the U.S.
Oops. Missed. And by that I mean the early reporting, not the airstrike.
People close to al-Alwaki said it is unlikely the cleric would be sitting through a field meeting convened by fighters, considering he saw his role as a scholar and one that gives religious advises and rulings.
The cleric's brother, who only agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, said he also received assurances that his older sibling is still alive.
A tribal chief in Shabwa, who only used his alias Abu Mohammed, said he was informed that Anwar al-Alwaki was alive and is unharmed.
By GottaLaff
Nice: Houston, which recently became the biggest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor. Annise Parker has two adopted children with her partner of 19 years, Kathy Hubbard, though unlike Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren they aren't legally allowed to marry.More here.
Naugthy: Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), a vacuum for oil industry political contributions whose nonsensical denials of climate-change science in the face of vanishing ice sheets and decaying coral reefs make him Earth's Public Enemy No. 1. [...]
Naughty: The voters of Maine, who overruled the state Legislature and voted to take away the right of gays and lesbians to marry.
Nice: The Washington, D.C., City Council, which voted this month to legalize same-sex marriage over the objections of dozens of religious leaders. [...]
Naughty: The U.S. Catholic Bishops, whose insistence on antiabortion language in the Senate's massive healthcare bill threatened to derail legislation that promises to fulfill a long-standing ambition of, yes, the U.S. Catholic Bishops, who have traditionally been strong supporters of broadened healthcare coverage. Now that makes a whole a lot of sense, doesn't it? [...]
Naughty: The U.S. government, for seeking to sell oil and gas leases that would have permitted drilling on more than 110,000 pristine acres of public land in Utah, including some of America's most beautiful and environmentally sensitive red-rock desert. [...]
Naughty: The Obama Justice Department, for demanding that the case of five men who were allegedly kidnapped by the CIA and subsequently tortured be thrown out of court because pursuing it might require disclosure of supposedly vital American secrets.
Nice: The three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ordered that the case go forward, rightly stating that to thwart a trial would "perversely encourage the president to classify politically embarrassing information simply to place it beyond the reach of the judicial process." [...]
Naughty: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), who breached congressional protocol (a phrase becoming increasingly oxymoronic) by shouting, "You lie!" at President Obama during a presidential address to Congress in September on healthcare reform.
Nice: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), whose dogged efforts to herd the cats in his own party into backing a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority on the health reform bill have been admirable.
By GottaLaff
Re “What’s the deal?,” Editorial, Dec. 22
Your editorial rightly finds fault with the legislative process and implicitly with senators who extracted special deals as the price of their vote for healthcare reform.
But who is really at fault? Republicans, who offer no real alternative but insist on filibustering ad nauseam to make their political points. Without their filibuster, none of the Democratic senators would have had the power to extract those special deals.
With the Republicans' united front of "No," Congress has become as unwieldy as the California Legislature. The filibuster has outlived its purpose. It should be discarded in the simple name of "majority rules."
*****
If Sens. McCain et. al are really upset about the special deals needed to get the 60th vote, and not just trying to score political points, all they have to do is to pledge to end the filibuster and let the majority rule.
Then the special deals will crumble like sand.
Ho ho ho!!!! Nicely snowy and quiet here. We're going to be on holiday posting today, so you guys just go and enjoy all your blessings as much as you can. We wish you all the joy and love your hearts can handle.
Mexico: Safety comes in pink taxis
Illinois police protect atheist sign
Haiti turning its garbage into energy
USA Today: Obamas' affection for Hawaii means better times for state When President Obama and his family arrive at Hickam Air Force Base for a Christmas vacation, it will be the fourth time he has visited the Islands in less than 18 months. The fact the president of the United States was born and largely raised in Hawaii is bearing fruit for the state, says Dan Boylan, political columnist and history professor at the University of Hawaii-West Oçahu.
Last-minute Christmas shopping: is it a guy thing?
Build-a-Bear takes heat for global-warming webisodes
Culture wars over Christmas displays: where the law stands
Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio may lose 2 House seats New York and New Jersey would each lose one U.S. House seat while the Texas congressional delegation would increase by four members for the 2012 elections, according to an independent analysis of new Census Bureau data.
By GottaLaff
I posted about this earlier. Here's the video of the woman, who was arrested, caught on cell phone:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
By GottaLaff
While I'm trying to figure out how to work a new camera...
Watch CBS News Videos Online
By GottaLaff
White House officials confirmed that the Obamas' Portuguese water dog stayed behind when Marine One departed the White House on Christmas Eve. Hawaii has strict quarantine policies, requiring 120 days of pet isolation to contain rabies. And a 10-hour flight could test the discipline of any young dog. So Bo will be boarded until the family returns in early January.So much for no dog left behind.
By GottaLaff
Via Washington Whispers:
By GottaLaff
We've now gotten Zaki's later report in an email sent to TPMMuckraker: "Just spoke to James Hastings, the manager who booted me from the Wasilla Center. The 'banned list' is just four names he wrote in a notebook after getting the names from Todd Palin. Yes Todd Palin. The shadow governor...."That wiley compiley. I bet he knew all along his wifey-poo would get all the credit.
By GottaLaff
Breaking via e-mail from Yahoo:
VATICAN CITY (AP)
Vatican spokesman says woman jumped barriers and knocked down pope at Christmas Eve Mass.Oops. I hope she said, "Excuse me." Hopefully, nobody was injured.
The rest is here.The Rev. Ciro Benedettini said the pope quickly got up and was unhurt. Benedict, 82, calmly resumed his walk to the basilica's main altar and began the Mass late Thursday.
Benedettini said the woman who pushed the pope appeared to be mentally unstable and had been arrested by Vatican police.
By GottaLaff
Ohio could lose two seats in Congress as a result of waning population growth according to Census numbers.End of reporting on the report.
By GottaLaff
This from the Rushpublic who introduced a resolution that “urges protection of the symbols and traditions of Christmas.”
Will these people ever grasp the reality that their idiotic words, both written and spoken, are documented on the Internets, videos, and photos? Case in point:
Hyp. O. Crite:
However, [Rep. Henry Brown 's(R-SC)] 2008 December newsletter wished a “happy holiday” to his constituents for the “holiday season.” Although the newsletter had a link to the White House Christmas tree website, it made no other mention of Christ or Christmas. [...] And as Slate’s Chris Beam has observed, Brown didn’t introduce his resolution last year, even though President Bush’s 2008 holiday card didn’t mention Christmas either.Screen shot of the text of his newsletter here.
By GottaLaff
The Senate on Thursday approved Miriam Sapiro to be deputy U.S. trade representative for Europe and the Americas, filling one of several still vacant slots on President Barack Obama's senior trade team. [...]More here, including more on the continuing blockage and its effect.
Her nomination had been blocked for months by Senator Jim Bunning, a Republican from the tobacco-growing state of Kentucky who hoped to exert pressure on the Obama administration to resolve his concerns over recent tobacco legislation passed by Canada.
By GottaLaff
A new CNN/Opinion Research survey indicates that a majority of Americans believe that the Democratic party's policy proposals are good for the country, 51% to 46%.I have a feeling that if we'd gotten a public option, or better yet, single payer, the numbers would be more lopsided in our favor.
In contrast, a majority of Americans think Republican policies will move the country in the wrong direction, 53% to 42%.
By GottaLaff
Senate Republicans continued to make life difficult for Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Christmas Eve, blocking his efforts to name Senate conferees to negotiate a final version of health care reform legislation with the House.I bet the thousands who continue to die because they are unable to get medical care will be thrilled to hear about this.
By GottaLaff
In the wake of Senate passage of the health care reform bill, President Barack Obama on Thursday called a dozen Senators, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), according to a list provided by the White House.Here's an idea of how to reach out to Traitor Joe: Pull his chair(manships) out from under him.
By GottaLaff
[A]ccording to Sasha Abramsky's latest book, Inside Obama's BrainMuch more here., the president is too complex to be pigeonholed. [...]
Obama is an extremely complex, multilayered personality. [...]
Yes, he's an idealist, but he's also intensely pragmatic. And it's that fusion of pragmatism and idealism that makes him an effective politician. Idealism without pragmatism could degenerate into just a series of high-flown, oratorical feats. But it's Obama's ability to then knuckle down and do the hard work and actually push for specific policy reforms. There was a lot of mettle underneath the idealism. [...]
What I found is that this is a man who knows how and when to compromise. In some ways, he's quite like Muhammad Ali. He lets himself lean backwards. He lets himself look like he's going onto the ropes, and then, very effortlessly, he counterattacks.
By GottaLaff
1. The United States of America remains a proud capitalist country. Forget the "first step" toward "creeping socialism" nonsense. [...]The rest is here.
2. Your stock portfolios are fatter. [...]
3. We are getting a grip on costs. [...]
4. You won a round on abortion. [...]
5. The cocklebur states will make out like bandits. [...]
So cheer up, wingers. In defeat, your base is happily outraged and united. Despite victory, the liberal base is sour and divided. And the public's memory is short. It won't be long before your House and Senate office staffs are winning you thousands of votes helping grateful constituents claim the benefits of this evil law you've fought so bitterly. In a few years you'll be defending it, like Medicare.
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