Thought of the Day:
Microsoft's co-founder recently unveiled his plans to participate in private spaceflight. Hopefully their planes won't crash as much as Windows.
News of Note:
- 'The Protester' named Time's Person of the Year
- Half of schools failed federal standards
- Oh, the horrors! Government shutdown looms
- Michigan legislature approves expansion of charters schools
- Unemployment benefit applications drop to lowest point in three years
- Gun laws disregarded in online sales
- Boxer: GOP bill will lead to 8,000 deaths
- Walker recall supported by Mickey Mouse and Adolf Hitler
Tonight's Crazy Story:
Yuletide Cheer Takes Over the Senate As Lawmakers Demonstrate the Joy of Giving ... and Receiving
The US Senate held a "Secret Santa" gift exchange this week. FOX News awards 'Best in Show' to Sen. Joe Manchin, who gave Sen. Chuck Schumer ... coal!
The Final Five: Number 5
Obama's Job Description
Cindy Simpson argues at American Thinker that Obama suffers from the problem of not understanding the role of the President. "Garfield would be shocked to see the level of derangement produced by our government today. And he likely would never have dreamed that the burden of taxes are borne by only around half of the country, with a large proportion going to programs that redistribute to the other half or to pork-barrel spending. And if Garfield was concerned about the engagement of the constituency in his day, imagine his horror at the realization that today's electorate would likely never vote against the hand that feeds it, a hand that under the guise of governmental authority takes wealth out of the pockets of others. Rather than considering "cutting taxes" or "gutting regulations" to boost our lagging economy, Obama instead has dug in his heels and demanded that wealthy Americans "do their fair share" plus "a little bit more." And if he lacks support, he asserted: "We're just gonna keep on looking for specific things that we can do without congressional cooperation.""
There's Always Time for a Laugh:
"Some people say that Mitt Romney isn't the most consistent candidate, because he's changed his mind about big, important issues over the years. You know, that's one of the things that I like about him, because he's been consistent since he changed his mind."
-Jimmy Kimmel, 12/14/11
The Final Five: Number 4
The “Do-Nothing” Senate?
Commentary Magazine's Alana Goodman argues that President Obama's "do-nothing Congress" claim is backfiring because the "do-nothing" group is the Senate. "All of President Obama’s denunciations of the “do-nothing Congress” and fiery appeals for lawmakers to “pass this jobs bill now” may be blowing up in his face. Yesterday, the House approved one of the key pieces of Obama’s jobs bill, but also inserted a provision that would greenlight the Keystone XL pipeline construction. Now it’s the Democrat-controlled Senate and President Obama (who vowed to veto the legislation if its passed) standing in the way of the jobs bill."
Debt Watch:
On Wednesday, our leaders brought in more than they paid out, reducing the debt by $8,987,885,149.09. This brings the current debt to:
$15,051,286,197,149.79
The Final Five: Number 3
5 Reasons Why Obama Wants to Double U.S. Tax Rates
James Pethokoukis at The Enterprise Blog gives five reasons why Obama would want tax rates to hit 70 percent. "To fund a federal government where Obamacare is fully operation, Social Security is fully solvent and domestic “investments” are fully financed, the Obamacrats need dramatically higher tax revenue. And they think sharply higher income tax rates on the “rich” — and eventually hitting everybody else through a value-added tax — is how to get their hands on the dough. So there’s no way Obama could have supported the Bowles Simpson plan and the lower tax rates it recommended. Think this high-tax scenario could never happen? Liberals sure believe this is America’s fiscal endgame and time is on their side. If the U.S. should face its own sovereign debt crisis, you’ll surely hear Democrats say “all options should be on the table.” And you’ll know exactly what they mean."
Tweets of the Day:
Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer):
Today's a fitting day 2put 2rest myth that Bush lied. He faithfully said what CIA told him. So 2 did both Clintons, Gore, & Kerry. France, Egypt, and Israel also thought Saddam had WMDs. France opposed going to war, so why would they "lie"?
(Actually two tweets, but intended as one message!)
The Final Five: Number 2
Obama: Please Give My Drone Back
Commentary Magazine's Max Boot agrees with my "Thought of the Day" that appeared here earlier in the week: Obama's request for the captured drone was pointless. "I am pretty sure, however, that the president’s request the Iranians return the drone was dopey and humiliating. Especially because there was no “or else” appended to the demand. Predictably, the Iranians are making propaganda fodder out of the president’s request. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman is demanding the U.S. apologize for violating Iranian airspace while the semi-official Fars News Agency has a headline crowing: “Obama Begs Iran to Give Him Back His Toy Plane.”"
Food for Thought - A Quote from our Founders
"I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?"
-Alexander Hamilton
The Final Five: Number 1
Regulation for Dummies
An editorial in The Wall Street Journal argues that regulation is stifling our economy today. "The evidence is overwhelming that the Obama regulatory surge is one reason the current economic recovery has been so lackluster by historical standards. Rather than nurture an economy trying to rebuild confidence after a financial heart attack, the Administration pushed through its now-famous blitz of liberal policies on health care, financial services, energy, housing, education and student loans, telecom, labor relations, transportation and probably some other industries we've forgotten. Anyone who thinks this has only minimal impact on business has never been in business. Mr. Obama can claim he is the progressive second coming of Teddy Roosevelt as he did in Kansas last week, or he can claim to be a regulatory minimalist, but not both. The facts show he's the former."
Tomorrow in History
December 16, 1773
- Members of the Sons of Liberty protested the Tea Act by disguising themselves and Mohawks and dumping crates of tea into Boston Harbor, an event which was later called the "Boston Tea Party."
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