43% now strongly disapprove of Obama, same as Bush when he left office

The Volokh Conspiracy "Imagine how unpopular Obama would be if the press and the late night comedians (who are at least as important as the press) treated Obama as they treated Bush."

The Arlen Specter of the South Strikes Again

Powerline "A South Carolina Senate seat is a terrible thing to waste on a squishy figure like Graham, who mindlessly subscribes to portions of the liberal narrative and relishes opportunities to stick it to conservative Republicans."

'FIXING' OBAMACARE

Neal Boortz "So .. the deal is that the House passes the Senate bill this weekend, Obama signs it, and then the House and Senate get together and create another bill that fixes the one they just passed. Got that? Well, this whole idea of "fixing" Obamacare is nonsense. As this article in National Review points out: "...

It’s Been Quite a Week for American Jewry

Jennifer Rubin "That’s the question before American Jewry. As many prominent leaders and activists gather, we’ll begin to find out their answer. But there is no denying it now — this was not the president many of them thought he was. If they wish to support him, despite his Israel policy (because the liberal agenda is so near and dear to them), they can do so. But there’s no kidding themselves any longer that, in the process, they will be supporting the most anti-Israel president since — well, ever."

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.