Obama's new start

Charles Krauthammer  ""Harry Reid has eaten our lunch," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, lamenting his side's "capitulation" in the lame-duck session. Yes, but it was less Harry than Barry. Obama came back with a vengeance. His string of lame-duck successes is a singular political achievement. Because of it, the epic battles of the 112th Congress begin on what would have seemed impossible just one month ago - a level playing field."

START the Damage Control  "Last week’s rushed vote on New START in the lame-duck session of the Senate represented that body’s abandonment of its constitutional obligations to provide to “advise and consent” on treaties, despite the best efforts Sen. Jon Kyl and some of his colleagues to prevent the Senate from being reduced to such a “rubber stamp”. The vote cannot be undone, but the damage can be mitigated if our leadership exercises the political will to do so."

So You Lost Your Election

Iowahawk  "A[n] outplacement transition guide to life beyond Washington for former members and associates of Congress"  H/T to American Thinker.

Jennifer Rubin: Interview with Israeli ambassador Michael Oren

Part One:  "...the ultimate test is whether Iran will cease enrichment on its soil." What about the use of force? He said, "The position of both the U.S. and Israel is that all options remain on the table. But it is important for Iran to take that seriously, to lend that credibility." He declined to offer a specific way of enhancing the credibility of a military option, saying only, "There are ways to communicate that [a military option is real] to the Iranians." "

Part Two:  "...Oren discussed the onslaught Israel now faces -- not on the battlefield, but in the court of public opinion and in international bodies. In recent years, efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state, that is, to challenge its legitimacy as a state and ability to act in its own interests, as does every other country, have increased dramatically."

The 22nd Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting

Media Research Center  "Welcome to the Media Research Center’s annual awards issue, a compilation of the most outrageous and/or humorous news media quotes from 2009 (December 2008 through November 2009).
"To determine this year’s winners, a panel of 48 radio talk show hosts, magazine editors, columnists, editorial writers, and media observers each selected their choices for the first, second and third best quote from a slate of five to eight quotes in each category."  More from MRC:

Rick Moran at American Thinker has this comment: "The rest of the list will no doubt bring back fond memories of liberal cluelessness and lefty doltishness."

Rich Terrell: The Obama Infrastructure Plan

http://terrellaftermath.com/

Happy Hol...er, Merry Christmas!

http://www.worldmag.com/editorialcartoons/

Glossy al-Qaida magazine focuses on how-to tips, politics

 Raymond Ibrahim.com  "An English-language jihadist publication released online this month is another sign that al-Qaida or copycat groups are becoming increasingly adept at packaging their message for a young western audience, experts say.

In case you access it for the pictures and
not the articles, here's Mr. January

"The magazine, called Inspire, includes content that advises young people of what to expect when joining a jihad, or holy war, instructions on how to make bombs with household ingredients, messages from Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and even delves into the debates on the Muhammad-cartoon controversy and the banning of the niqab face veil in France."

 

A Contest: Which Local Government Deserves a Lump of Coal?

Big Government  "This post could be entitled, “So many dumb bureaucrats, so little time,” but let’s have some fun and turn it into a contest. Which bone-headed decision by a local government best exemplifies mindless bureaucracy, politically correct nonsense, and government waste?"

2011 Politically-Incorrect Resolutions

Victor Davis Hanson  "We need to create a shame culture in which the worst sort of social transgression (far worse than smoking) is to burden the public schools with children that were neither raised nor tamed.
"As a small start, might we end anonymity and return to the old shame culture of identifying youths by name, at any age, once they come into contact with the criminal justice system? As in: “David Smith, age 15, of 302 Broad Street, Selma, was arraigned today on charges of aggravated assault.” "

A Cause Hollywood Ignores: ‘Harry Potter’ Actress In Hiding From Violent Islamists

Big Hollywood  "Afshan Azad, 22, who plays Padma Patil in the “Harry Potter” film series remains in hiding. She refused to appear in a London court and press charges, no doubt because she knows there’s no way the British police can protect her. It is open Islamic season on Ms. Azad.

"What has she done to bring down the wrath of Allah? Ms. Azad’s boyfriend is Hindi, a non-Muslim."

CHANGE! Obama Adminstration Approved Business With Blacklisted Nations

Gateway Pundit  "We’re starting to see a pattern here…

"When the Iraqi people were being slaughtered in the street Obama said genocide was preferable to continued US presence in the region.

"When the Iranian freedom protesters were being shot at from rooftops, he turned his back on them.

"When the Honduran people rose against their socialist tyrant, he supported the tyrant."

A Christmas Carol from Paul (The apostle)

American Thinker "A case can be made that the greatest Christmas song ever written is one with no familiar music. The tune is no longer available to us. But the lyrics -- ah, those lyrics -- well, they're actually inspired. As the Apostle Paul was writing to young Pastor Timothy about everything from order in the church to the dangers of greed, he gave us an easily overlooked but enduring Christmas nugget.



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