The War On Christmas Has Begun

Every good American knows that this is a Christian country that liberals are tearing down, one tradition at a time. But no way are the liberals going to get away with taking away Christmas.  Not this year. That is the message in a new DVD by Daniel Baldwin, called “Christmas with a Capital C.”

The straight-to-DVD movie centers around two high school rivals – Baldwin and [Ted] McGinley – at odds over a Nativity scene in a city building. Baldwin plays the antagonist, or the Grinch, who experiences an eventual change of heart. “This is a feel-good movie, with a …

Steve King Demands “Blood Oath” From GOP Leadership – For Government Shutdown

by Sandi Behrns

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) can always be counted upon to go over the top with his rhetoric. He’s done it again, this time demanding that Minority Leader John Boehner and the GOP House leadership swear a “blood oath” promising to force a government shutdown over repeal of the Affordable Care Act. (“Obamacare,” as they prefer to call it.) A shutdown didn’t work out so well the last time the GOP tried it under the Clinton administration, but King has the problem figured out:

King said the problem in 1995 wasn’t the government shutdown under President

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Senator Bob Corker And Other Republicans Applaud Themselves For Bailout They Opposed

Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander and Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn had the nerve to show up in Spring Hill, TN to congratulate themselves for saving the jobs of 483 GM workers, who are only able to work there again because of the bailout package they opposed (h/t Think Progress).

The irony of the Republican lawmakers’ presence wasn’t lost on the workers who attended the ceremony; they booed Tennessee Republican Bob Corker, and one UAW official made clear from the stage that the union still remembered which politicians had voted to rescue Wall Street but opposed an auto industry …

Don’t Expect Christopher Hitchens To Find Religion

Frail from chemotherapy and suffering from the same malady that killed his father, esophageal cancer, renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens is not participating in a prayer day in his honor.

The way the English-born Hitchens sees it, the people praying for him break down into three basic groups: those who seem genuinely glad he’s suffering and dying from cancer; those who want him to become a believer in their religious faith; and those who are asking God to heal him.

Hitchens has no use for that first group. “‘To hell with you’ is the response to the ones who pray for …

NBER: Recession Ended In June 2009

The National Bureau of Economic Research, which is considered the arbiter of recessions, says ours ended in June 2009. It began in December 2007, making it the longest downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930′s.  Another downturn would be considered a new recession, not a double-dip one. Gross domestic product, employment and personal income are the date used to make this determination.  The NBER says, “The basis for this decision was the length and strength of the recovery to date.”  So who will be the next conservative to tell us how poorly the economy is doing?…

What Happens To The Centrists?

by Stuart Shapiro

A plausible scenario for the Senate in 2011: Lisa Murkowski and Charlie Crist join Joe Lieberman as Senators without political affiliation (Bernie Sanders is an independent as well, but a reliable Democratic vote).  Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Ben Nelson, and maybe Scott Brown become sufficiently disaffected with their party leadership that we have 6-7 Senators holding the balance of power in their centrist hands.  Meanwhile Michael Bloomberg is pouring his fortune into support for moderate candidates:

New York’s billionaire mayor, whose flurry of activity is stirring a new round of speculation about his presidential ambitions, is …

Right-Wing Co-Opts The Word “Values.” But What Values?

Conservatives appropriate certain words and then toss them around like some kind of alphabet soup.  How many times do we hear Sarah Palin say “freedom” “liberty” “Constitution” and “troops” with very few other words in a fragmented sentence?  As I’m observing the “Values Voter Summit” in D.C., I’m watching another attempt of the right to own a word that is not their province.

Karoli at Crooks and Liars drove this home for me as I watched the video of Indiana Congressman Mike Pence, who revved up the crowd by vowing to “overturn Obamacare lock, stock and barrel.”  The crowd went wild. …

Alaska U.S. Senate Candidate Joe Miller Believes Unemployment Benefits Are Unconstitutional

Alaska tea party candidate for U.S. Senate Joe Miller believes that providing unemployment benefits is unconstitutional, but could not tell Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday” what he’d do to help the 44 million Americans needing those benefits.

“Why are unemployment benefits unconstitutional?” asked Fox News’ Chris Wallace.

“The Constitution provides enumerated powers,” answered Miller.

“I guess my challenge is to anybody that asks, show me the enumerated power. And then look at the 10th amendment that says if it’s not done in the Constitution, it’s a power that belongs to the state and the people. And I think we …

Colin Powell: Illegal Immigrants Fix My House

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says its time we get real about illegal immigrants because they’re “what’s keeping this country’s lifeblood moving forward.”

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” he said a path to legal status should be offered to illegal immigrants because they “are doing things we need done in this country.”

He added: “They’re all over my house, doing things whenever I call for repairs, and I’m sure you’ve seen them at your house. We’ve got to find a way to bring these people out of the darkness and give them some kind of status.”…

Gingrich Says Sebelius Guilty Of “Soviet Tyranny”; Powell Says Gingrich Just “Stir(s) Up Dust”

For the unforgivable sin of informing insurance companies that the government will protect consumers from unjustifiable rate hikes, HHS Secretary Katherine Sebelius is being accused by Newt Gingrich of “Soviet tyranny.” At the Values Voter Summit, Gingrich said:

GINGRICH: When Secretary Sebelius said the other day she would punish insurance companies that told the truth about the cost of Obamacare, she was behaving exactly in the spirit of the Soviet tyranny. And if she’s going to represent left-wing thought police about Obamacare, she should be forced to resign by the new Congress.

On “Meet the Press”, Colin Powell said it …

Thanks For Ramping Up Fear, Pastor Jones; That’ll Be $180,000

Pastor Terry Jones, the Gainesville, FL loon who threatened to burn the Quran, is being billed $180,000 by the city for incurred security costs.

Police agencies spent more than a month working on security plans to ensure the community surrounding Jones’ Dove World Outreach Center — the planned site of the burning — was safe, according to Gainesville police spokeswoman Cpl. Tscharna Senn.

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The Gainesville Police Department said it spent more than $100,000 while the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spent an estimated $80,000 during the weekend of the planned demonstration.

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Jones said Friday that the church was “not …