Obama to take weeks to study Afghanistan strategy

Reuters "...the president has made it clear that he will rigorously assess our progress," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. "That is why he held this meeting today and will take the next several weeks to review our strategy.""

Beware the Partisan Organization which claims to speak for veterans

Burnpit h/t to Blackfive "Although Votevets claims to be the “leading progressive, pro-military organization of veterans” they are not actually a veterans organization as defined by Congress and set forth by the IRS."

Some Signs of the Times

by Victor Davis Hanson "How to distill the news? After watching it far too much the past nine months, I offer five random conclusions from what I think is going on in the age of Obama..."

Obama, Dictators and democrats

By DANIEL HENNINGER "Our dictator chat partners are getting brazen about staging and then rigging elections. Iran's mullahs proved there will be no sustained push-back from the U.S. or Western Europe to a fraudulent election. Instead the great powers' energies go into pounding tiny Honduras, which tried to save itself from the Chávez- and Castro-admiring Manuel Zelaya."

Cutting the Federal Budget

CATO Institute "A department-by-department guide to cutting the federal government's budget."

Patriot Act helped foil New York terror plot

Washington Examiner "President Obama called New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to thank him for his efforts in thwarting a planned terrorist attack ...But Obama should have also thanked his predecessor in the White House." h/t to Neal Boortz . More: The Patriot Act - in action Ethel C. Fenig, American Thinker.

How the U.S. Government Rations Health Care

WSJ "The agency that would likely run the 'public option' was slow to pay for implantable cardiac defibrillators." H/T Neal Boortz

CALIFORNIA WANTS A NEW TAX PLAN

By Neal Boortz "So when a state wants to get back on its feet, what does it recommend? -Repealing the sales and corporate taxes and replace them with a new business levy that taxes net receipts. -Flattening the income tax rate to reduce the burden on the wealthy. As we said yesterday in the Nuze ... that reducing the tax burden on the wealthy is going to doom this stuff. Those evil people have to pay their fair share you know."

Why Did Bank of America Pay ACORN?

Pajamas Media "In this sordid tale, the unsympathetic banks are more victims than villains. The Community Reinvestment Act gives groups like ACORN considerable power over the institutions. It can accuse them of economic discrimination against minorities, forcing them to defend their business practices and reputations against de facto charges of racism. The penalties can be hefty fines and even blocked mergers."

Federal Government Bans Religious Ornaments for 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree

Hat tip to Weasel Zippers "Guidelines for the ornaments include specifications for their size, weight, composition, and the directive that "Ornaments cannot reflect a religious or political theme… Instead share your interpretation of our theme 'Arizona's Gift, from the Grand Canyon State.'""

Hollywood Self-Implodes over Polanski

By Roger L Simon "While waiting I have been reading over the growing list of entertainment industry personalities who have risen to the defense of the director. The list is stomach-turning."

You're Shouting So Loud I Can't Hear You

By Chuck Colson- Ouch; the truth hurts.