Most Americans Consider Easter a Religious Holiday, But Fewer Correctly Identify its Meaning

Barna "Even within the religious definitions offered by Americans there is a certain degree of confusion: 2% of Americans said that Easter is about the “birth of Christ”; another 2% indicated it was about the “rebirth of Jesus”; and 1% said it is a celebration of “the second coming of Jesus.”Not included in the theistic category was another 3% who described Easter as a celebration of spring or a pagan holiday. " That would include many cults, we are familiar with. Hat tip to Julie Hayden

In Health Vote, Democrats Weigh Success vs. Survival

NY Times "But as the week inches along, with momentum steadily building to a Sunday vote, the party leaders are also beginning to decide which politically endangered lawmakers will be given absolution to vote no."

Obamacare Will Break the Bank, Not Cut the Deficit

NRO "In other words, the president’s plan would stand up another health entitlement program that will grow much faster than the nation’s economy or revenue base. The changes the Democrats would make to the Senate-passed bill would make the entitlement program even more expensive. Over a full ten years of implementation, the cost of the new entitlement spending would reach $2.5 trillion, at least, not the $1 trillion advertised by the White House." And this: CBO’s ObamaCare analyses carry big uncertainties ; "...the bill attempts so many changes that a comprehensive analysis becomes almost impossible to make. "

Clinton greeted in Moscow with news of Iran reactor

Washington Times "Russia said Thursday that it will start up a nuclear reactor it is building at Iran's Bushehr plant in the summer, drawing immediate criticism from visiting Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who officials said still hopes that Moscow will support new U.N. sanctions on Tehran. " Via Heritage.

Remedial Diplomacy

Weekly Standard "Seeking to become the global arbitrator makes even less sense if U.S. power declines, since the critical element in international mediation is the ability to enforce one’s will." Seth Cropsey

Reflections on the Revolution in America

Victor Davis Hanson "...the present attempt to remake America is the effort of the liberal well-to-do — highly educated at mostly private universities, nursed on three decades of postmodern education, either with inherited wealth or earning top salaries, lifestyles of privilege indistinguishable from those they decry as selfish, and immune from the dictates they impose on others."...."I’m sorry — I don’t take seriously much of anything from this wannabe revolutionary bunch."

Disgrace: House approves Slaughter strategy, 222-203

Hot Air "But look. If you think this thing is headed for passage, which seems increasingly likely, your last best hope to kill it is through a court challenge. The filthier the process, the better the odds that SCOTUS will torpedo it down the line." Background here. The vote approved the "deem & pass" process, not the healthcare bill itself. That comes later.

The Biden Incident

Charles Krauthammer "Under Obama, Netanyahu agreed to commit his center-right coalition to acceptance of a Palestinian state; took down dozens of anti-terror roadblocks and checkpoints to ease life for the Palestinians; ...and agreed to the West Bank construction moratorium, a concession that Secretary Clinton herself called “unprecedented.” What reciprocal gesture, let alone concession, has Abbas made during the Obama presidency? Not one." Emphasis added.

Romancing the CBO/ How to get a better score for your bill.

Slate "Here are some of the most common tricks to make your bill look good and how the health care bill does or doesn't use them: "...

“If you don’t tie our hands, we will keep stealing”

Hot Air "What this guy’s actually copping to is nothing less than the collapse of representative government. They could take up entitlement reform, but preserving the long-term economic viability of the United States simply isn’t enough incentive. Nothing short of a public initiative demanding that they behave in a responsible manner will get them to act responsibly." I think this story could be big.

What the Senate Bill Would Do To America

Heritage "The reconciliation bill being drafted is nothing more than thin political cover for House Democrats who believe the Senate bill is terrible public policy but want to please their leadership and the President by voting for it anyway. As we detailed yesterday, there is no bill but the Senate bill. Once the House passes the Senate bill, the President will sign it. Game over. It has been almost three months since the Senate passed their bill in the dead of night on Christmas Eve. A review of just how terrible it really is, is in order:"

America in Retreat

Commentary "Obama intended to address “our standing in the world”. Little did we imagine where this was heading — a more innocuous and less reliable America, which is fast becoming an easier mark for despotic regimes."