Barack Obama: Patron Saint of the Press | RealClearPolitics

Barack Obama: Patron Saint of the Press | RealClearPolitics: "The revolving door between the media, their spouses and the Obama Administration is not a new phenomenon. But it is much more common. Barack Obama is both a patron and saint for much of the Washington press. He employs the spouses of the press corps who in turn feign objective coverage.

Where once we had grizzled journalists who had been on a battlefield or in a coal mine and had stories to tell, we now have well-moisturized childless hipsters from the Ivy League convinced they can relate to the heartland of America and who are convinced their values are the values of the country."



'via Blog this'

Lex Luthor in the new Superman/Batman movie: Jesse Eisenberg, of course « Hot Air

Lex Luthor in the new Superman/Batman movie: Jesse Eisenberg, of course « Hot Air: "The most famous geek in movies (fine, next to Michael Cera) as a supervillain battling Superman and Batman? It’s a no-brainer. They might as well go full camp and cast Adam West to play his dad. In fact, it almost seems like a goof on Eisenberg’s most famous role. Give Zuckerberg another 10 years and he’ll probably be bald, insane, and plotting world conquest too."



'via Blog this'

Best of the Web Today: The Choom Corp. - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: The Choom Corp. - WSJ.com: "Small businesses, unlike big corporations, don't have massive legal departments and other internal bureaucracies to help them comply with regulations. Thus a legal marijuana industry, would be more poorly regulated if big corporate players shunned it for fear of liability. Obama's knee-jerk hostility to corporations puts him in a position of unwittingly opposing effective regulation of industry."



'via Blog this'

The Cowardice of Wendy Davis | National Review Online

The Cowardice of Wendy Davis | National Review Online: "So the one thing she claimed to know wasn’t true. Also, what curious incuriosity. If you were suddenly a national leader on an issue you felt passionately about, wouldn’t you want to know what happened in a case that cuts to the heart of your cause?

Not Davis. Her time is better spent denouncing the ignorance of women who disagree with her. When McCormack asked what to make of the fact that a majority of American women support a ban on late-term abortions, Davis responded, “I again think that a lot of people don’t really understand the landscape of what’s happening in that arena today.”

Think about that. In the course of a short conversation, she revealed that she didn’t know what she was talking about while casually dismissing the majority of American women who disagreed with her as not knowing what they’re talking about."



'via Blog this'

Conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 states

Conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 states: "Nationally, conservatives had a 14.6 percentage point lead on liberals, though that was more than a full point smaller than last year’s lead. The gap in 2013 was largest in Wyoming, where 40.5 percentage points separated those who identified as conservatives from those who identified as liberals. Only Hawaii, Massachusetts, Vermont and D.C. had more liberals than conservatives. The top 10 liberal states voted for Obama during the last two elections, while the top 10 conservative states chose the Republican nominee."



'via Blog this'

Space Monkeys | National Review Online

Space Monkeys | National Review Online: "On Tuesday, the president of these United States called for an end to the “rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government,” so that he might move forward with his economic agenda uninhibited by “stale political arguments.” It was an interesting moment. The president’s childlike faith in his own ability to direct resources according to his own vision is almost touching in its way, though when the actual costs are accounted for it is terrifying. The president’s understanding of how the economy works is about as sophisticated as was my understanding of anatomy and nutrition at the age of four: Lean this way and we’ll strengthen the middle class, lean that way and we’ll nourish the working poor. He doesn’t even understand the debate that he wants to preempt: It is not only a question of the size of government but a question of what government does."



'via Blog this'

Slut-Shaming Is Bad—But The Overreaction Against It Also Hurts Women

Slut-Shaming Is Bad—But The Overreaction Against It Also Hurts Women: "Slut shaming is telling your daughter that twerking is bad because that will make people think she’s a dirty girl and ruin her chances of catching a good husband. Parenting is telling your daughter that twerking is bad because it conveys an absence  of self-respect and dignity. …We can’t be so afraid of slut shaming that we won’t tell our daughters when their shorts are too short, their moves are too raw, or their make-up is in excess."



'via Blog this'

Video: People discover just how “affordable” the Affordable Care Act is « Hot Air

Video: People discover just how “affordable” the Affordable Care Act is « Hot Air: "What happens when employees at a small business find out the costs of their new insurance options under ObamaCare? WTAE in Pittsburgh dropped in on Simonetta’s Collision and Car Care in McKeesport, where the new pricing and deductibles are being rolled out as their cameras record the reaction. Without exception, everyone ends up enduring the bitter irony in the name of the Affordable Care Act."



'via Blog this'

RNC’s Boycott Comical, But MSNBC President Must Publicly Apologize | Mediaite

RNC’s Boycott Comical, But MSNBC President Must Publicly Apologize | Mediaite: "The script goes something like this: MSNBC host makes a provocative remark that goes viral. In Bashir’s case, it’s going on the air and calling for someone to defecate in a former VP candidate’s mouth, and a female one at that. In Baldwin’s case, which was done spontaneously in a fit of rage on a Manhattan street—it’s shouting a gay slur at a photographer. And most recently, in Harris-Perry’s case, it’s mocking the Romney family for adopting a black child.

In each of these instances, there were varying degrees of apology from each of the aforementioned, but very little in the form of punishment from management."



'via Blog this'

Rothman: The RNC’s Boycott of MSNBC is Brilliant | Mediaite

Rothman: The RNC’s Boycott of MSNBC is Brilliant | Mediaite: "To paraphrase the great Commissioner James Gordon, MSNBC is not the villain the Republican National Committee deserves, but it’s the one they need right now.

Yes, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus‘s strongly-worded memo to Republican elected officials and committee staffers banning them from appearing on a cable news network — which has made a virtue of antagonizing not merely GOP policymakers but the party’s rank and file voters — is a publicity stunt. It is also rather brilliant politics."



'via Blog this'

NSFW: Philly Man Crashes Car, Takes Clothes Off, Pleasures Himself | Mediaite

NSFW: Philly Man Crashes Car, Takes Clothes Off, Pleasures Himself | Mediaite: "This might be one of the stranger stories you’ll hear this week (not to mention seriously NSFW). A New Jersey man crashed his car into a Crown Fried Chicken in Philadelphia this week. That sounds relatively normal, except for the fact that after the car crash, he got out of his car, took his clothes off, and proceeded to pleasure himself. So..."



'via Blog this'

In Rare Recognition, AP's Peoples Chronicles Dissatisfaction With Obama on the 'Far-Left' | NewsBusters

In Rare Recognition, AP's Peoples Chronicles Dissatisfaction With Obama on the 'Far-Left' | NewsBusters: "At the Associated Press, labeling conservative politicians as "far-right" comes pretty easily. "Far-left"? Not so much.

That there was even one item in the "far-left" search just noted is unusual. It's even more remarkable that the underlying report was written by Steve Peoples, a far-lefty disguised as a reporter if there ever was one. Excerpts from his Wednesday dispatch follow the jump."



'via Blog this'

MSNBC Unapologetically Alters Report on Biracial Cheerios Ad, Removing 'Conservative' From 'Conservative Backlash' | NewsBusters

MSNBC Unapologetically Alters Report on Biracial Cheerios Ad, Removing 'Conservative' From 'Conservative Backlash' | NewsBusters: "MSNBC isn't anywhere near done apologizing for reflexively race-baiting conservatives.

The Cheerios biracial ad controversy ginned up by the far-left network did not begin with an isolated tweet. It began with the underlying report itself by Gabriela Resto-Montero. As originally seen by a poster at Free Republic, Ms. Resto-Montero described the reaction to the original appearance of the ad last June as a "conservative backlash." The the original June article at MSNBC does not characterize the "backlash" as anything but, well, a "backlash.""



'via Blog this'

McConnell Speaks Out Against New IRS Regulations, Big Three Nets Ignore | NewsBusters

McConnell Speaks Out Against New IRS Regulations, Big Three Nets Ignore | NewsBusters: "The Minority Leader of the United States Senate appeared on The Kelly File, Wednesday night, to announce a push back against the IRS’s latest attempt, via new rules, to silence conservative groups. Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC) network reaction? Silence. Not a single network morning show, on Thursday, reported on the latest charges from Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell."



'via Blog this'

ABC’s Warming Alarmism Grows Cold | NewsBusters

ABC’s Warming Alarmism Grows Cold | NewsBusters: "In a surprising turn, ABC’s “Nightline” consulted a scientist who thinks the world is in a period of global cooling.

“Nightline” strayed from the networks’ fixation on global warming on Jan. 29, instead running a story with one scientist’s warning of a new ice age. It was the first network program to mention “global cooling” in at least four years.

ABC interviewed Piers Corbyn, an astrophysicist and man-made climate change skeptic,  who predicted a new ice age. Corbyn said “We are now at the early stages of a mini ice age.”"



'via Blog this'

After the State of the Union Address, ABC Lauds Obama as a 'Go-It-Alone Terminator' | NewsBusters

After the State of the Union Address, ABC Lauds Obama as a 'Go-It-Alone Terminator' | NewsBusters: "The journalists at ABC News have refrained from questioning Barack Obama's unilateral tone at the State of the Union address. Reporter Jim Avila on Tuesday's Nightline went so far as to compare the President to an iconic movie character. Regarding Obama's threats to use executive actions to accomplish his goals, Avila enthused, "This was President Obama, the go-it-alone Terminator, mindful he has only three years left.""



'via Blog this'

Slate's Yglesias Demands Redistribution: 'Idea of Equal Opportunities Is Toxic' | NewsBusters

Slate's Yglesias Demands Redistribution: 'Idea of Equal Opportunities Is Toxic' | NewsBusters: "And yet, Yglesias admitted that the people at the bottom in America have come a long way over time: “Today, even poor people are able to take advantage of things like electricity and antibiotics that were rare or nonexistent 100 years ago. That’s the kind of opportunity that matters—the opportunity for everyone to enjoy a better life.”

Then what is Yglesias complaining about? Our poor in the U.S. are better off than the poor -- and indeed, the middle and upper classes -- in many other parts of the world. If they are enjoying a better life along with everyone else, then perhaps Yglesias’ arguments comes entirely down to his desire to see everyone achieve equal outcomes regardless of whether they have earned it or not."



'via Blog this'

Now for the weather on Luhman: Cloudy with a chance of molten iron rain | Reuters

Now for the weather on Luhman: Cloudy with a chance of molten iron rain | Reuters: "You think the weather is bad on Earth lately. On Luhman 16B, a hybrid planet-star located 6.7 light years away, scientists say it's raining molten iron, research released on Wednesday shows."



'via Blog this'

The obligatory “Scarlett Johansson parts ways with Oxfam over her support for Israeli company” post « Hot Air

The obligatory “Scarlett Johansson parts ways with Oxfam over her support for Israeli company” post « Hot Air: "What’s the killer news angle here that’s made this a global story? Is it the novelty of a celebrity refusing to budge under pressure in opposing a bit of left-wing orthodoxy? Is it the drama of Israeli/Palestinian politics intersecting with A-list Hollywood? Or is it the simple impulse among “world” section news editors to brighten up the dreary usual fare with pics of Scarlett?

I don’t know much but I do know that when a major movie sex symbol stands up for Israel, it’s capital-b Blogworthy. Coming soon, hopefully: Angeliina Jolie stands up for the Second Amendment."



'via Blog this'

Ukraine president “calls in sick” as opposition remains defiant « Hot Air

Ukraine president “calls in sick” as opposition remains defiant « Hot Air: "Essentially, the offer from the parliament — still controlled by Yanukovich’s party — was “trust us.” The time for those kinds of back-down-now-and-we’ll-think-about-changes offers appears past. Having gained the leverage of holding ground, especially after their previous experience with Ukrainian security forces, there won’t be any way to coax them into ceding that ground without rock-solid assurances that they have changed the political situation for good. The only way to ensure that now is to see Yanukovich resign."



'via Blog this'

What the GOP Can Learn from the NFL’s Outreach to Women - The Daily Beast

What the GOP Can Learn from the NFL’s Outreach to Women - The Daily Beast: "This Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup between the Broncos and the Seahawks will pit two extremely impressive football teams against one another on the field. Bruno Mars will perform. And many, many people will tune in to watch the ads.

Super Bowl ads are infamous, in large part because they are what Nielsen calls “the most expensive 30 seconds on TV.” With millions of bucks on the line, advertisers aim to one-up each other with the funniest, most memorable spots. And let’s be honest—most of the ads are for the guys.  It’s not just during the Super Bowl, though; tune in any given football Sunday to be treated to an assortment of ads for dudes, selling dude stuff, and doing dude things. (Also possibly featuring a woman in a bikini or a woman being a buzzkill.)"



'via Blog this'

MSNBC, NBC News fall to bottom of PPP trust poll « The Greenroom

MSNBC, NBC News fall to bottom of PPP trust poll « The Greenroom: "35% of Americans say they trust Fox News more than any other TV news outlet, followed by 14% for PBS, 11% for ABC, 10% for CNN, 9% for CBS, 6% each for Comedy Central and MSNBC, and 3% for NBC. It leads the way because of its continuing near total support among Republicans as the place to go for news- 69% of Republicans say it’s their most trusted source with nothing else polling above 7%. Meanwhile Democrats are split between a lot of different outlets when it comes to who they have the most faith in- PBS at 21%, CNN and ABC at 18%, and CBS and MSNBC at 12% all poll in double digits."



'via Blog this'

Have scientists found a way to cure peanut allergies in children? | Mail Online

Have scientists found a way to cure peanut allergies in children? | Mail Online: "British scientists have made a major breakthrough in the battle to cure children who suffer from peanut allergies.

A form of immunotherapy treatment has overcome the allergy in more than four out of five children in a trial, many of whom were at risk of life-threatening reactions.

The treatment works by gradually exposing the children to tiny amounts of the nut in the form of a powder mixed with another food."



'via Blog this'

Brush your teeth with...candy?! Crest introduces chocolate toothpaste - TODAY.com

Brush your teeth with...candy?! Crest introduces chocolate toothpaste - TODAY.com: "This is either the best or worst idea ever: Crest has announced that its newest toothpaste flavor is — wait for it— chocolate.

Yup, you read that right. The new Mint Chocolate Trek flavor is part of the new line called Crest Be, toothpastes meant to excite and inspire while still providing all the standard oral-hygiene benefits. The other two flavors in the line so far? Lime Spearmint Zest and Vanilla Mint Spark."



'via Blog this'

Best of the Web Today: The Accidental Navigator - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: The Accidental Navigator - WSJ.com: "The Washington Post entertainingly debunks an ObamaCare "success story" proffered by Rep. Donna Edwards of Maryland. "Thanks to the ACA, Ms. [Lorita] Waltz was able to sign up for a quality plan that meets her health care needs and fits into her family's budget," Edwards announced in a press release. Edwards invited Waltz as her guest to the State of the Union address because, the lawmaker told the Post, "I'm just really excited about our health-care system."

But this turns out to be more of a rescue than a success story. Way back in October, Waltz's husband had tried and failed to log in to the Maryland exchange. "He would periodically try to log in without success, but given that the family has coverage until the end of January, Waltz said they were not worried," the Post reports. This being the last week in January, they finally got worried."



'via Blog this'

Inequality fight: Let’s start with Obama’s policies « Hot Air

Inequality fight: Let’s start with Obama’s policies « Hot Air: "Obama and his team still have no Plan B after Obamanomics. And the retreat from “income inequality” and the retreaded, “small bore” policy proposals belie the befuddled state of this administration."



'via Blog this'

The Least Free Place in America - YouTube

The Least Free Place in America - YouTube:



'via Blog this'

RNC: That’s it, we’re boycotting MSNBC until its president apologizes « Hot Air

RNC: That’s it, we’re boycotting MSNBC until its president apologizes « Hot Air: "Distilled, repellent race-baiting.  The tweet was quickly taken down with an apology issued, but the Republican National Committee isn’t in a forgiving mood.  Reince Priebus blasted out the following memo to all RNC staff, surrogates and strategists, urging Republicans of all stripes to refuse to appear on the network until its president personally apologizes for this most recent episode in an interminable string of nasty racial attacks against conservatives."



'via Blog this'

The State of the Union Exaggerated Obamacare's Enrollment Numbers

The State of the Union Exaggerated Obamacare's Enrollment Numbers: "Perhaps the most remarkable thing about President Obama’s State of the Union speech last night is how little he said about the Affordable Care Act, his signature legislative achievement that continues to dominate national politics and public opinion about Washington, D.C.

The text of the President’s speech was twelve pages long. Less than a page was devoted to health care (about 460 words out of nearly 6,800), after which he quickly moved on to talk about gun control and immigration.  He made no mention of the problems that have plagued the law’s rollout, offered no ideas about how to fix it, and did not acknowledge the estimated 5.4 million people who have had their insurance plans cancelled as a direct result of ACA regulations."



'via Blog this'

Perkinsnacht - WSJ.com

Perkinsnacht - WSJ.com: "Maybe the critics are afraid that Mr. Perkins is onto something about the left's political method. Consider the recent record of liberals in power. They're the ones obsessed with the Koch brothers and other billionaires contributing to conservative causes, siccing journalists to trash them and federal agencies to shut them down.

President Obama's IRS targeted conservative political groups for scrutiny in an election year and has now formalized that scrutiny in new regulatory "guidance" for this election year. Democratic prosecutors in Wisconsin unleashed a special prosecutor to target conservative groups allied with Governor Scott Walker. A judge threw out the subpoenas as baseless but only after months of legal harassment and dawn police raids."



'via Blog this'

The Myth of Americans' Poor Life Expectancy - Forbes

The Myth of Americans' Poor Life Expectancy - Forbes: "It’s one of the most oft-repeated justifications for socialized medicine: Americans spend more money than other developed countries on health care, but don’t live as long. If we would just hop on the European health-care bandwagon, we’d live longer and healthier lives. The only problem is it’s not true."



'via Blog this'

Congress to kill public funding of conventions? « The Greenroom

Congress to kill public funding of conventions? « The Greenroom: "I’m not sure why this funding should continue, especially since Barack Obama all but killed the presidential election fund in 2008 and 2012 despite his initial promise to work within it. Let the parties fund their own conventions, and let the taxpayers decide as individuals which one they’d prefer to support … or decline to support either of them."



'via Blog this'

Abandon ship: Henry Waxman to retire « Hot Air

Abandon ship: Henry Waxman to retire « Hot Air: "Exit question: When does Nancy announce that she’s riding off into the sunset too? Having her retire in despair of recapturing the House before the midterms would be a crushing blow to Democratic morale. I’m thinking she’ll lie low, win reelection, and then step down during the lame-duck session. Tick tock."



'via Blog this'

'Arrow' Producer Denies Connection to DC Movie Universe

'Arrow' Producer Denies Connection to DC Movie Universe: "Careful, thoughtful development of this kind of project generally leads to better quality, which in the long run will please the large fan base associated with the comic book movie genre, but DC fans are getting mighty impatient. DC and Warner Bros. aren’t in any immediate danger of losing their audience, but we won’t see Batman Vs. Superman for nearly two years. Establishing common ground between the television universe and that of their next big event film would be the kind of bold move needed to stake their own claim on comic book property crossovers while appeasing longtime fans."



'via Blog this'

MSNBC Slimes 'Right Wing' as Racist Over Cheerios Ad Featuring Biracial Kid; Forced to Apologize | NewsBusters

MSNBC Slimes 'Right Wing' as Racist Over Cheerios Ad Featuring Biracial Kid; Forced to Apologize | NewsBusters: "This latest MSNBC controversy struck a particular chord with me, as I am biracial myself. It was my immigrant father, who came to the United States from the Philippines five years before I was born, who helped form my sense of patriotism and my conservatism. My Caucusian mother of Polish/German/mixed British heritage deserves much of the credit for my Catholic faith and for my pro-life activism. The left's overuse of the race card regularly infuriates me, as too many of them cannot fathom that any "diverse" person could be a conservative. I hope that MSNBC's apology was sincere, but I can't say I will be surprised if they get caught up in another racial gaffe in the future."



'via Blog this'

Rothman: NBC News State of the Union Coverage Identical to MSNBC | Mediaite

Rothman: NBC News State of the Union Coverage Identical to MSNBC | Mediaite: "Judging from this two-minute segment, the distinction between MSNBC and NBC News that was once self-evident has seemingly vanished. It makes you wonder how long it will take for NBC executives to recognize the redundancy and simply consolidate the two entities."



'via Blog this'

Tinseltown’s Propaganda Problem | National Review Online

Tinseltown’s Propaganda Problem | National Review Online: "When Hollywood’s self-declared auteurs and artistes denounce propaganda as the enemy of art, almost invariably what they really mean is “propaganda we don’t like.”

Consider the film Lone Survivor, which tells the true story of heroic Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. The film has been denounced by some critics; a “jingoistic, pornographic work of war propaganda,” in the words of one reviewer. Richard Corliss of Time chimed in: “That these events actually happened doesn’t necessarily make it plausible or powerful in a movie, or keep it from seeming like convenient propaganda.” Similar complaints (from non-conservatives, at least) about antiwar films made during the George W. Bush years are much harder to find."



'via Blog this'

Tinseltown’s Propaganda Problem | National Review Online

Tinseltown’s Propaganda Problem | National Review Online: "When Hollywood’s self-declared auteurs and artistes denounce propaganda as the enemy of art, almost invariably what they really mean is “propaganda we don’t like.”

Consider the film Lone Survivor, which tells the true story of heroic Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. The film has been denounced by some critics; a “jingoistic, pornographic work of war propaganda,” in the words of one reviewer. Richard Corliss of Time chimed in: “That these events actually happened doesn’t necessarily make it plausible or powerful in a movie, or keep it from seeming like convenient propaganda.” Similar complaints (from non-conservatives, at least) about antiwar films made during the George W. Bush years are much harder to find."



'via Blog this'

Edward Snowden NSA Snow Job - POLITICO Magazine

Edward Snowden NSA Snow Job - POLITICO Magazine: "The theft and publication of secret documents, as my new book, The Snowden Operation, argues, is not a heroic campaign but reckless self-indulgence, with disastrous consequences. Snowden and his accomplices deserve censure, not applause.

Snowden claims the moral high ground. In a recent softball interview with German television, he claimed that the National Security Agency was involved in scandalous industrial espionage. In a live Q&A on his supporters’ website, he decried “unaccountable senior officials authorizing these unconstitutional programs.” His revelations continue, most recently via NBC and the Guardian, claiming among other things that the NSA uses the “Angry Birds” video game to track its targets (though closer scrutiny of the material suggested a different story)."



'via Blog this'

Wendy Davis's Pay Grade | RealClearPolitics

Wendy Davis's Pay Grade | RealClearPolitics: "Like most pro-choice Democrats, Barack Obama didn’t want to answer this question directly, because he couldn’t. The logic of supporting abortion doesn’t allow for answers to such nettlesome questions, which is why abortion-rights proponents are always quick to shift the discussion, as Davis did, to broader issues like women’s health, or to employ focus-group-tested euphemisms such as “reproductive rights.”

Obama was roundly ridiculed at the time for his “pay grade” dodge, but in his defense it can be said that abortion wasn’t a signature issue of his campaign and he was doing his best to minimize the issue in a high profile setting and move on."



'via Blog this'

The Death of 'Stalin's Songbird' - The Daily Beast

The Death of 'Stalin's Songbird' - The Daily Beast: "This is ugly stuff that the countless Seeger books, documentaries, and remembrances seem to always strenuously whitewash or subtly downplay. Writing in the Boston Review, William Hoagland criticized a PBS hagiography of Seeger for eliding his troubling politics: "Cleansing the story of anything possibly upsetting or even nuanced, the filmmakers must be hoping to certify Seeger, despite former Soviet attachments, as an unimpeachably great American cultural figure of the kind often celebrated on PBS American Masters. Gained at the cost of falsehood, certification not only does no good, it weakens our grasp on the truth.”"



'via Blog this'

Rubio: Obama’s lawlessness is the biggest impediment to passing immigration reform « Hot Air

Rubio: Obama’s lawlessness is the biggest impediment to passing immigration reform « Hot Air: "Rubio said that the “fundamental” problem to passing immigration reform right now is skepticism on the right that the administration would enforce beefed up border security measures.

He said that Obama administration handling of the Internal Revenue Service scandal involving scrutiny of Tea Party groups and revelations about widespread National Security Administration spying have drummed up this skepticism.

“I don’t know if it can happen under this administration given its lack of willingness to enforce the law. It’s a real impediment,” he said. “I think that is the fundamental challenge right now … how do we gain people’s confidence that the enforcement will happen.”"



'via Blog this'

The State of the Union: Six down… and two to go. « Hot Air

The State of the Union: Six down… and two to go. « Hot Air: "As was widely predicted, that was pretty much a nothingburger of a State of the Union, full of phantom executive actions, rehashed policy proposals that have yet to find any footing, pleading with Congress to “do something,” and the flailings of a president fighting against the imminent onslaught of lame-duckery — and kinda’ middling on some of the hardcore red meat for which some factions of the progressive base were hoping (although I have no idea where the whole “close Guantanamo” revival came from. Wut.).

There will be plenty of in-depth parsing of the speech circulating tomorrow, but in the meantime, I will say that I was wondering how the president would handle his crowning legislative achievement and its subtextual lack of popularity among both the American public and a very specific handful of Senate Democrats. Nutshell version: No, I do not apologize for ObamaCare’s shortcomings; I’m basically just going to repeat all of the usual Democratic talking points about the law’s awesomeness; and you should really go sign up."



'via Blog this'

The Unbelievable Idiocy of the War on Women | National Review Online

The Unbelievable Idiocy of the War on Women | National Review Online: "If you condemn Democrats for insulting women, you are insulting women. If you profess your admiration for all that women have accomplished in recent decades, as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky did on Meet the Press over the weekend, you are guilty of minimizing and therefore aiding and abetting the War on Women. There is no way out because the War on Women is a contentless political gotcha game."



'via Blog this'

Charles Lane: Public-sector unions interfere with the public interest - The Washington Post

Charles Lane: Public-sector unions interfere with the public interest - The Washington Post: "It may be only a matter of time before these disparate debates converge and squarely pose the question that lies at the root of them all: Is public-sector collective bargaining in the public interest?

The answer is no. All members of the public use schools, roads, parks and other government services — and pay taxes to support them. Their interest lies in receiving the highest-quality services at the lowest feasible cost. Period.

Public-sector unions interfere. They demand more pay and benefits, and more control over the workplace, than the people’s elected representatives might choose if they were answerable only to voters."



'via Blog this'

Giving up: Nearly 60% now uncertain or pessimistic about the rest of Obama’s term « Hot Air

Giving up: Nearly 60% now uncertain or pessimistic about the rest of Obama’s term « Hot Air: "Ed flagged the new WSJ/NBC poll earlier but I want to make sure you’ve seen the most arresting numbers as a prelude to tonight’s re-re-re-re-reboot of his presidency. The public’s belief in Hopenchange has waxed and waned over the past two and a half years, but never in that period has it waned quite this much.

We’re all eeyores now."



'via Blog this'

GOP SOTU guest list focused on ObamaCare « Hot Air

GOP SOTU guest list focused on ObamaCare « Hot Air: "The State of the Union, like big sporting events, tends to produce its own sub-themes based on the peripherals of the event. One such sideshow is the guest lists from the White House and its opposition for the gallery, which tip the hands of both sides in their framing of national issues.  The Obama guest list provides a number of proxies for the variety of issues that the President seeks to highlight in his annual address to the joint session of Congress."



'via Blog this'

Report: House GOP’s immigration principles will include special path to citizenship for DREAMers « Hot Air

Report: House GOP’s immigration principles will include special path to citizenship for DREAMers « Hot Air: "No surprise. In fact, for all the heavy breathing lately about legalization without citizenship for adult illegals, I think some variation of DREAM is all Boehner and the leadership really hope to get out of this next push. It’s too hard to convince the base that the House should compromise with Democrats to settle the issue now, once and for all, when most people expect the GOP to control the Senate next year. All they need to do right now to defang Democrats’ “you hate Latinos!” demagoguery before the midterms is pass some small-scale amnesty measure aimed at an especially sympathetic class of illegals, which means DREAM. Do that plus a serious border security bill and there’ll be no grassroots revolt."



'via Blog this'

Video: Claire McCaskill, who doesn’t want Bill Clinton near her daughter, angry at Rand Paul for insulting Bill Clinton « Hot Air

Video: Claire McCaskill, who doesn’t want Bill Clinton near her daughter, angry at Rand Paul for insulting Bill Clinton « Hot Air: "Actually, she claims she’s angry at him for insulting Hillary by supposedly implying that Hillary’s somehow responsible for Bill’s lechery in the Oval Office. But that’s not what Paul’s saying. Hillary’s blameless for that, he reiterated today. The reason he brought up l’affaire Lewinsky this weekend is because, like every other Republican in America, he’s sick of being lectured on gender sensitivity by cretins who’ve spent decades apologizing for the Clenis and Ted Kennedy. His attack was an attack on the Democratic Party, not on Hillary specifically. The war on women garbage isn’t going to end, so he feels he has no choice but to use a blunt rhetorical object to back Democrats off. Here’s a nice swing: “I think that one of the things that have moved forward, one of the things that was rotten about the old patriarchal system we did have, was that bosses took advantage of young women in the workplace.”"



'via Blog this'

German finance minister: OK, yeah, we probably overdid it on the renewable-energy transition « Hot Air

German finance minister: OK, yeah, we probably overdid it on the renewable-energy transition « Hot Air: "Environmentalists have been trying to get really super stern with President Obama and his “all of the above” energy plan recently, hoping to pressure him into make a more outright declaration of love and support for further climate-change commitments (not to mention an anti-Keystone XL pipeline one) in his State of the Union address, so I’d expect a healthy-sized shoutout somewhere in the rhetorical mix on the many ostensible merits of the heavy taxpayer subsidization of renewables, a.k.a. wind and solar.

Which, if you happen to be into things like prosperity, job creation, and price efficiency, doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense at the moment. Just ask the guys over in Germany currently reaping the consequences of some of the very same sorts of plans President Obama is likely to tout."



'via Blog this'

Nancy Pelosi: We Democrats certainly never treated President Bush this way « Hot Air

Nancy Pelosi: We Democrats certainly never treated President Bush this way « Hot Air: "Democrats are looking to President Obama to really help kick the populist agenda they have been re-devising for the 2014 campaign season into high gear with his address this evening, and in previewing the SOTU on MSNBC this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was really in her element, hitting all of the latest “obstructionist,” “opportunity gap,”  “executive action” talking points like so many carefully concocted whack-a-moles. That it always and necessarily takes two parties to tango is a piece of logic that never seems to enter into that kind of woe-is-us, nobody-else-has-ever-had-to-deal-with-a-divided-government brand of thinking:"



'via Blog this'

Best of the Web Today: Enemies of Friends of Abe - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: Enemies of Friends of Abe - WSJ.com: "These days "IRS Targets Conservative Group" is a dog-bites-man story. But this one was man-bites-dog by virtue of its placement: on the front page of the New York Times, a newspaper that is usually supportive of this administration's efforts to suppress domestic dissent. Put it down to a sudden outbreak of news judgment.

The news value to the Times may lie more in the nature of the organization than its trouble with the IRS. "In a famously left-leaning Hollywood, where Democratic fund-raisers fill the social calendar, Friends of Abe stands out as a conservative group that bucks the prevailing political winds," reads the lead paragraph."



'via Blog this'

Andrea Mitchell: Remember how Iran was sort of an ally after 9/11 until Bush’s “axis of evil” speech? « Hot Air

Andrea Mitchell: Remember how Iran was sort of an ally after 9/11 until Bush’s “axis of evil” speech? « Hot Air: "The point she’s trying to make here, in her own doofy way, is that the U.S. and Iran had a few shared interests after 9/11. America was about to invade Afghanistan and smash a bunch of Sunni fundamentalists; the great Shiite power next door obviously had reason to keep an eye on the border as it happened, whether to stop fleeing refugees/jihadis or simply avoid pissing off a very angry, wounded superpower. Besides, we were already thinking of hopping across their other border and smashing their archenemy Saddam. Better to lie low and play nice for awhile to keep that plan on track, they must have thought. In reality, though, Iran was already sheltering top members of Al Qaeda by the time Bush delivered his “axis of evil” line."



'via Blog this'

Tom Coburn: My new ObamaCare coverage won’t cover treatment from my cancer specialist « Hot Air

Tom Coburn: My new ObamaCare coverage won’t cover treatment from my cancer specialist « Hot Air: "Via the Free Beacon, a vivid illustration of how the Affordable Care Act keeps coverage “affordable.” All you need to do is exclude the pricier doctors and hospitals, like Cedars-Sinai in L.A. and Sloan Kettering in New York, from a plan’s provider network, and voila — savings."



'via Blog this'

After $200 Million, Afghan Soldiers Still Can’t Read - The Daily Beast

After $200 Million, Afghan Soldiers Still Can’t Read - The Daily Beast: "The U.S. spent 5 years and $200 million on a program to teach Afghan soldiers to read, but a new report reveals that effort was a failure."



'via Blog this'

Video: That whole “keeping your doctor” thing not quite working out for Tennesseans so far « Hot Air

Video: That whole “keeping your doctor” thing not quite working out for Tennesseans so far « Hot Air: "That the Obama administration and their fellow Democrats thought that they were doing themselves a political service with their glib and incessant iterations of “if you like you doctor, you can keep your doctor” really is quite the quandary; I suppose it was worth repeating whatever attractive falsehoods they had to in order to pass their crowning legislative achievement, but oh, how heavily that crown lies now that the always very obvious eventuality of insurance companies behaving as rational actors in a wildly manipulated healthcare market is coming due.

The market’s mandated changes mean that insurers are trying to hold down costs by creating smaller, more streamlined networks than those typically available in commercial insurance, and those restrictions are going to translate into fewer options for patients — which is going to come as something of a surprise to the Americans that were assiduously assured that they would be able to keep their doctors."



'via Blog this'

Ukraine government resigns, protest bans repealed « Hot Air

Ukraine government resigns, protest bans repealed « Hot Air: "The government of Ukraine took a big step backward today — and then fled the field — in the face of growing unrest in Kiev and across the country. The parliament controlled by President Viktor Yanukovich repealed the law that banned political demonstrations on public land, which Yanukovich had hoped to use to bully his opposition into silence. His Prime Minister and entire Cabinet then tendered their resignations."



'via Blog this'

Get ready for an immigration fight the public doesn't want | WashingtonExaminer.com

Get ready for an immigration fight the public doesn't want | WashingtonExaminer.com: "Just a few weeks ago, a State of the Union call for immigration reform would have seemed an exercise in futility. But now, President Obama, who Tuesday night will urge the House to pass new legislation, might have at least an outside chance of getting what he wants.

Immigration reform is back. Left for dead countless times in recent months, the effort to overhaul the nation's immigration system -- and deal with the estimated 12 million immigrants now in the country illegally -- is again on the priority list for Speaker John Boehner and House GOP lawmakers."



'via Blog this'

White House Deletes Blog Post Warning Against Marijuana Legalization | The Weekly Standard

White House Deletes Blog Post Warning Against Marijuana Legalization | The Weekly Standard: "The main thrust of the deleted entry is that the NASN agrees with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that "the overwhelming evidence" is that "any change in the legal status of marijuana, even if limited to adults, could affect the prevalence of use among adolescents.""



'via Blog this'

Robert Redford To CNN: GOP's Lust to 'Destroy the Motives' of Obama Shows We Have a 'Diseased System' | NewsBusters

Robert Redford To CNN: GOP's Lust to 'Destroy the Motives' of Obama Shows We Have a 'Diseased System' | NewsBusters: "Leftist actor-director Robert Redford laid into Republicans in a Sunday interview on CNN’s “Reliable Sources.” Try not to notice this journalism show began with a Justin Bieber segment and included a Redford interview. Host Brian Stelter first asked how Redford felt about Obama. "I think he's a good human being. That's, I think, clear," Redford replied. "He's a humanitarian at heart, and that's good. He's trying to manage an extremely difficult situation. I mean, it's -- it's almost too much for one person."

He wouldn't say the same for the GOP: “When you have one half whose only motive is to destroy the motives of the president of the United States, then you have a diseased system. And I don't think that's his fault. I think it just makes his job tougher.” Redford lamely claimed there was bipartisanship in getting to “truth” in Watergate."



'via Blog this'

Bloomberg's Stilwell Really Wants to Blame the Disastrous Dec. Durable Goods Report on the Weather | NewsBusters

Bloomberg's Stilwell Really Wants to Blame the Disastrous Dec. Durable Goods Report on the Weather | NewsBusters: "The Commerce Department's advance report on December durable goods orders and shipments showed a seasonally adjusted 4.3 percent decrease in orders from November, while November was revised down from a positive 3.4 percent to 2.6 percent. Economists' median prediction for December was for a 1.8 percent increase. Bloomberg's Victoria Stilwell had an excuse at the ready, and as will be seen, chose to use it even though she knew it was a stretch."



'via Blog this'

NBC and CBS Press White House Chief of Staff on Obama Not Shoving Through Left-Wing Agenda | NewsBusters

NBC and CBS Press White House Chief of Staff on Obama Not Shoving Through Left-Wing Agenda | NewsBusters: "In neither exchange did the respective hosts suggest that Obama change his policy goals or become more bipartisan to get things done."



'via Blog this'

Cosmo Special: ‘How Abortion Changed Our Relationship’ | NewsBusters

Cosmo Special: ‘How Abortion Changed Our Relationship’ | NewsBusters: "Perhaps this is Cosmos’ sordid way of taking responsibility for its content the rest of the year. When your fare is dedicated to telling women how much and how good their sex should be – with a  “Holiday Sextacular” piece, hyping strip clubs to women, and labeling waiting until a second date for sex as “100% outdated” – you should prepare them for possible consequences, and the feminist-left's approved solutions to them."



'via Blog this'

The Inequality Bogeyman - Thomas Sowell - Page full

The Inequality Bogeyman - Thomas Sowell - Page full: "Too many discussions of large fortunes attribute them to "greed" -- as if wanting a lot of money is enough to cause other people to hand it over to you. It is a childish idea, when you stop and think about it -- but who stops and thinks these days?

The transfer of money was a zero-sum process. What increased the wealth of society was Rockefeller's cheap kerosene that added hundreds of hours of light to people's lives annually.

Edison, Ford, the Wright brothers, and innumerable others also created unprecedented expansions of the lives of ordinary people. The individual fortunes represented a fraction of the wealth created."



'via Blog this'

Of course: Government overpays by millions for diapers « Hot Air

Of course: Government overpays by millions for diapers « Hot Air: "A lack of competitive bidding processes among state Medicaid agencies caused the program to overpay for diapers by about $62 million in 2012, according to a report released by federal auditors on Monday."



'via Blog this'

MSNBC’s Witt Distorts Huckabee’s Comments, Then Essentially Blames the Victim | NewsBusters

MSNBC’s Witt Distorts Huckabee’s Comments, Then Essentially Blames the Victim | NewsBusters: "Notice that Witt didn’t refute the notion that the media have distorted Huckabee’s comments. She also didn’t mention, of course, that she herself had just distorted the comments by playing a truncated clip of the governor which gave viewers -- particularly those completely unaware of the context -- a rather distorted view. If Witt can tacitly acknowledge the media’s tendency to distort those comments, shouldn’t she be able to avoid distorting them herself? Instead of doing the responsible thing and playing the comments' full context, she blamed the former Republican presidential candidate for opening the door to the possibility that media members like her might distort his comments."



'via Blog this'

Scarborough: The worst thing the GOP could do before the midterms is pass immigration reform « Hot Air

Scarborough: The worst thing the GOP could do before the midterms is pass immigration reform « Hot Air: "Here’s the new editorial from NRO echoing Scarborough’s (and Bill Kristol’s) call for the House GOP to do nothing on immigration. I don’t think that’ll happen. They’ll pass a border security bill, I assume, and some sort of smaller concession to Latino voters like the Kids’ Act just to make sure it’s not too easy for Democrats to demagogue them before November. Remember, though: All of these calculations will change instantly when the new Congress is seated in January. There’s no way that the party will risk the next presidential election without some sort of wider amnesty. The only mystery is whether there’ll be a single candidate in the Republican field in 2016 who opposes the idea. Cruz might, to woo tea partiers. But he’ll be the only one."



'via Blog this'

Ed Henry to Carney: If the president wants to use his pen so badly, why not approve Keystone XL? « Hot Air

Ed Henry to Carney: If the president wants to use his pen so badly, why not approve Keystone XL? « Hot Air: "I merely post this as a reminder of at least three of the blatant hypocrisies I’m sure we’re all looking forward to hearing from President Obama during State of the Union address tomorrow night, especially in light of the executive-action-heavy, “I’ve got a pen and a phone“-and-I’m-not-afraid-to-run-around-Congress attitude he’ll apparently be touting throughout: 1. That President Obama is quite partial to touting government-sponsored infrastructure projects as a perfectly wonderful method for creating lots and lots o’ jobs, but for some murky reason, private-sector ones like the Keystone XL pipeline are somehow not significant or worthwhile job creators; 2. That President Obama is fully supportive of the oil-and-gas industry and recognizes its lasting importance for our national security and economic prosperity, but is choosing to delay on a project that would help us take better advantage of our own shale revolution as well as greasing the wheels for Canada; and 3. That President Obama is super-duper eager to bridge the partisan gridlock, if only those mercilessly spiteful Republicans would let him — but when it comes to a project that already has on-the-record and overwhelming bipartisan support, he’s so oddly reluctant and obfuscatory."



'via Blog this'

Attorney: Zimmer testified she doesn’t keep a journal…in July « The Greenroom

Attorney: Zimmer testified she doesn’t keep a journal…in July « The Greenroom: "Zayas’ claim is “baseless,” say Zimmer’s people.  And why is that?  No comment.  Remember, the only hard “evidence” backing Zimmer’s account is a diary entry she says she authored last May.  But according to this attorney, she asserted in a sworn deposition in July that she doesn’t keep a journal."



'via Blog this'

George Will On The Clintons: "All They've Done Their Entire Life Is Borrow Money From Rich People To Seek Office" | Video | RealClearPolitics

George Will On The Clintons: "All They've Done Their Entire Life Is Borrow Money From Rich People To Seek Office" | Video | RealClearPolitics: "GEORGE WILL: Is she going to run? Fish have got to swim. Birds have got to fly, and Clintons have to run for office. It's what they do. It's a metabolic urge. That's all they've done their entire life is borrow money from rich people to seek public office. And I think that will continue and "The New York Times" article is a guide to this. The problem is, a problem, nothing is more annoying to voters and infuriating to activists than a candidate that comes cloaked in an aura of inevitability. Because it says, in effect, here they are and you don't matter, and this is a foregone conclusion, and their inclination is to say well, we'll just see about that."



'via Blog this'

WashPost Utterly Skips Guns As a Self-Defense Option During a 'Shooting Event' | NewsBusters

WashPost Utterly Skips Guns As a Self-Defense Option During a 'Shooting Event' | NewsBusters: "After a recent high-school graduate killed two people and then killed himself at Columbia Mall in suburban Maryland on Saturday, The Washington Post added to its mall-shooting package at its PostTV site with the focus on advice: “Protecting yourself in a shooting event.”

Utterly left out was the idea of protecting yourself with a gun. Instead, the Post suggested all the  sensible get-away scenarios – move to safety, take cover, look for an exit. In a video repurposed from 2013, Post reporter Nia-Malika Henderson interviewed former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam for a minute and disputed the notion that anyone should fight a shooter with a gun or anything else."



'via Blog this'

CBS's Mellody Hobson, Whose Husband George Lucas Is Worth $7 Billion, Slams Rich CEOs | NewsBusters

CBS's Mellody Hobson, Whose Husband George Lucas Is Worth $7 Billion, Slams Rich CEOs | NewsBusters: "CBS analyst Mellody Hobson, whose husband George Lucas is worth $7.3 billion, appeared on This Morning to slam excessive salaries for corporate bosses. Discussing income inequality and Barack Obama's planned discussion at the State of the Union, Hobson lashed out, "If you look today, the typical CEO makes 354 times more than the typical worker in his or her company, mostly his because there are so few women running companies.""



'via Blog this'

Pleasant Surprise: NPR’s Cokie Roberts Challenges Obama Claim About Historic Levels of Partisanship in Washington | NewsBusters

Pleasant Surprise: NPR’s Cokie Roberts Challenges Obama Claim About Historic Levels of Partisanship in Washington | NewsBusters: "Roberts, who in the past has made incendiary comments about conservatives, agreed with Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that President Obama cannot continue to blame the GOP for his recent problems. The NPR reporter argued that, “He's now been going back and reading his history and understanding that that's the case. And so that he has to learn to deal with it.”"



'via Blog this'

Politico Pressures Sean Hannity to Alter Comments About Michael Savage | NewsBusters

Politico Pressures Sean Hannity to Alter Comments About Michael Savage | NewsBusters: "As NewsBusters reported in August, it certainly was Hannity that fired Cumulus, a fact that many in the Hannity-hating media such as the perilously liberal Huffington Post were forced to admit after claiming the separation was all Cumulus's decision."



'via Blog this'

MSNBC Guest Madison Falsely Claims Limbaugh Admitted to 'Lying' About Obama, Used 'Thug' for N-Word | NewsBusters

MSNBC Guest Madison Falsely Claims Limbaugh Admitted to 'Lying' About Obama, Used 'Thug' for N-Word | NewsBusters: "Liberal talk radio host Bill Press, not recalling that he was appearing on the network that gave America numerous Keith Olbermann rants against President George W. Bush, then whined that Obama has been the "subject of more ugly personal attacks" than "any President since Abaraham Lincoln.""



'via Blog this'

Piers Morgan Blasts 'Absurdity of the 2nd Amendment'; 'Make It Illegal For Anyone Under 25 to Buy A Gun' | NewsBusters

Piers Morgan Blasts 'Absurdity of the 2nd Amendment'; 'Make It Illegal For Anyone Under 25 to Buy A Gun' | NewsBusters: "Someone should let Mr. Morgan know that the suspect could have also enlisted in the military when he was 18 (could be drafted in the event of a major war), and be trained to use much more destructive weapons than a shotgun or the much-hyped "assault weapon," and still be forbidden to buy alcoholic beverages for another three years."



'via Blog this'

CNN’s Sally Kohn Finds the Racism Angle in Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comment | Mediaite

CNN’s Sally Kohn Finds the Racism Angle in Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comment | Mediaite: "While virtually every columnist and commentator on the left has already parsed Fox News host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s comments from last week in each possible way – divining any and every manner in which one can discover that they were offended – there was one element of Huckabee’s statement that most overlooked: the blatant racism. While some might assume that the racism in Huckabee’s statement was overlooked because it does not exist, a competent columnist only needs to perform elementary logical acrobatics in order to demonstrate that this assumption is unfounded."



'via Blog this'

WaPo’s Ruth Marcus: ‘Thong Flashing’ Monica Lewinsky Was Asking for It | Mediaite

WaPo’s Ruth Marcus: ‘Thong Flashing’ Monica Lewinsky Was Asking for It | Mediaite: "On Monday, Ruth Marcus, left-leaning political columnist for the Washington Post, stepped on a rhetorical landmine. Or, that is, she would have if she was Ruth Marcus, right-leaning columnist for the Washington Post. Maybe former White House intern Monica Lewinsky was just asking for it? That is the impression that this headline and the selected pull quote will project."



'via Blog this'

Best of the Web Today: Tu Quoque ad Hitlerum - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: Tu Quoque ad Hitlerum - WSJ.com: "No, we're not worried that Robert Reich is actually going to lead a violent revolution. That, too, he has in common with Avlon's militia leader. But note that Reich is, at least by the left's standards, a respectable, mainstream figure--formerly a cabinet secretary, now a professor at prestigious UC Berkeley and sometimes a contributor to the New York Times.

The left's revolutionary fantasists, to a far greater extent than the right's, occupy positions of real influence, and perhaps also power. That would seem to justify at least a modicum of worry."



'via Blog this'

Hillary: I haven’t driven a car in 18 years « Hot Air

Hillary: I haven’t driven a car in 18 years « Hot Air: "It’s odd that a would-be president would mention her nearly 20-year run of being chauffeured around wherever she goes, especially in scripted remarks, but maybe this is what happens when a national candidate starts to think of him- or herself as a sure thing. Why not hand the GOP an easy “supermarket scanner” moment to show she’s out of touch? What are they going to do with it? The scanner thing stuck against Bush 41 (unfairly, as it was based on bad reporting) because it fit the media narrative of an older country-club patrician president not understanding America’s problems the way a younger man from Arkansas who didn’t come from money could. Hillary’s narrative, though, will be First! Woman! President! The car thing will be a curio, easily spun, as Drew says, “as a story about how she has forgone the simple pleasures of life in service to her people.”"



'via Blog this'

AP: The Vatican has a “glass ceiling” for women in the priesthood, or something « Hot Air

AP: The Vatican has a “glass ceiling” for women in the priesthood, or something « Hot Air: "First, the “glass ceiling” metaphor refers to blocking access to promotions for women in business. There is no “glass ceiling” in the priesthood for women because Catholic doctrine limits the priesthood to men. That’s a barrier to entry, not a “glass ceiling.” This is bad writing, not to mention silly nonsense."



'via Blog this'

What Do You Suppose John McCain and George Soros Talked About Between Handshakes and Smiles? | TheBlaze.com

What Do You Suppose John McCain and George Soros Talked About Between Handshakes and Smiles? | TheBlaze.com: "According to The Huffington Post, in an article published during McCain’s 2008 presidential run, Soros funded the McCain’s Reform Institute, a nonpartisan 501c3 organization focused on promoting accountability and transparency in government, while the senator was still with the organization."



'via Blog this'

Spy Agencies Probe Angry Birds and Other Apps for Personal Data - ProPublica

Spy Agencies Probe Angry Birds and Other Apps for Personal Data - ProPublica: "When a smartphone user opens Angry Birds, the popular game application, and starts slinging birds at chortling green pigs, spy agencies have plotted how to lurk in the background to snatch data revealing the player’s location, age, sex and other personal information, according to secret British intelligence documents."



'via Blog this'

NBC, CNN Reporters Pounce on Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comments; Forced to Issue Corrections | Mediaite

NBC, CNN Reporters Pounce on Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comments; Forced to Issue Corrections | Mediaite: "Rest assured, the first impression will be the one that sticks. Huckabee’s biting comments, delivered before a partisan audience, will be endlessly parsed and framed as just another campaign in the greater “War on Women.” Particularly by those who would frame even a march in support of right-to-life issues as a battle in this fictional war dreamed up by Democratic operatives in 2012."



'via Blog this'

Feminist Art Group Gives Abortion Patients A Plant: 'Bring One Life Home' | NewsBusters

Feminist Art Group Gives Abortion Patients A Plant: 'Bring One Life Home' | NewsBusters: "The group claims to be neither pro-life or pro-abortion but their Facebook page easily gives away their tilt, marveling about how "We had the distinct pleasure of presenting on a panel about art, abortion, and activism at the National Women's Studies Association conference in Cincinnati alongside 4000 Years for Choice and GGBB Guerrilla Girls Broadband!""



'via Blog this'

Smith & Wesson pulls out of California over microstamping « Hot Air

Smith & Wesson pulls out of California over microstamping « Hot Air: "Microstamping is notoriously unreliable as a means of tracing weapons used in crimes, adds a huge cost burden to the manufacturer and the consumer, and can be easily thwarted by most criminals with even a rudimentary knowledge of mechanics and the ability to use a common file.



Over at Townhall,you can view a video report, including an interview with one gun shop owner who explains why this is a covert attack on Second Amendment rights hiding under the guise of enhanced law enforcement capacity. (Warning: The video is autoplay, so keep that in mind before clicking.)"



'via Blog this'

Exclusive: Hollywood Brainstorms 'Portraying ObamaCare in TV & Film'

Exclusive: Hollywood Brainstorms 'Portraying ObamaCare in TV & Film': "Two powerful left-wing Hollywood organizations combining with the federal government's powerful CMS is not something to be taken lightly. The intent here is obvious and deadly serious, and the American people should brace themselves for a propaganda push in their film and television entertainment that is meant only to aid and abet Obama's federal government.



This invitation should serve as a reminder that, with rare exceptions (who only prove the rule), Hollywood is not filled with brave rebels, iconoclasts, and individual thinkers; but rather servants eager to do their government's bidding and who understand that success in the entertainment business means never coloring outside the lines of left-wing conformity. "



'via Blog this'

Paul Ryan: A New Direction in the War on Poverty - WSJ.com

Paul Ryan: A New Direction in the War on Poverty - WSJ.com: ""Lulu" is Mrs. Louisa, one of five youth advisers in Pulaski High's Violence-Free Zone program. Along with program head Andre Robinson and site supervisor Naomi Perez, they work as a band of roving mentors. On a typical day, you'll find them walking the halls in black polo shirts. They chat with students, break up fights and help with homework. Most of them are recent alumni who grew up in the inner city, and they have the scars to prove it. They've been part of gangs. They've seen violence firsthand.



But they don't have education degrees or state certification. They have something more important: credibility. The youth advisers understand what the students are going through because they've had the same struggles. That credibility creates trust, and so the students listen to them. In the two years since the program started, suspensions at Pulaski High are down by 60%, and daily attendance is up by nearly 10%. Fourteen gangs used to roam the school grounds; today, they've all but disappeared. The school tried all sorts of things to keep students safe—more police presence, more cameras. But only this program worked."



'via Blog this'

Amazing Populist Campaign Blasts Big Gov’t and Big Business via ’80s-Style Action Figures | Mediaite

Amazing Populist Campaign Blasts Big Gov’t and Big Business via ’80s-Style Action Figures | Mediaite: "The Kronies take on their “small business rivals, the entrepreneurs” who want nothing more than to steal the Kronies’ customer base. To thwart them, the team uses their influence to erect trade barriers, impose mandates, and rely on favoritism."



'via Blog this'

Tapper: "I Make It My Job To Not Automatically Believe What The U.S. Government Says" | Video | RealClearPolitics

Tapper: "I Make It My Job To Not Automatically Believe What The U.S. Government Says" | Video | RealClearPolitics: "JAKE TAPPER: I know that is what the U.S. government says. I choose to make it my job to not automatically believe what the U.S. government says."



'via Blog this'

George F. Will: The political exhibitionism of the State of the Union - The Washington Post

George F. Will: The political exhibitionism of the State of the Union - The Washington Post: "The Constitution’s mild requirement has become a tiresome exercise in political exhibitionism, the most execrable ceremony in the nation’s civic liturgy, regardless of which party’s president is abusing it. You worship bipartisanship? There is not a dime’s worth of difference between the ways the parties try to milk partisan advantage from this made-for-television political pep rally.



Tuesday evening, Barack Obama probably will concentrate on inequality as a way of changing the subject from his inconvenient triumph, the Affordable Care Act. So he probably will again propose partial public financing of Democratic candidates’ campaigns, by again calling for “high-quality” universal preschool. This adjectival phrase is code for: Now we will do better because we will employ more certified — and unionized — teachers."



'via Blog this'

Mitt Romney Slow Jams The News On "Late Night" With Jimmy Fallon | Video | RealClearPolitics

Mitt Romney Slow Jams The News On "Late Night" With Jimmy Fallon | Video | RealClearPolitics: "Mitt Romney, 2012 Republican nominee for president, slow jams the news with Jimmy Fallon on NBC's "Late Night."



The two also talk about the new documentary that followed's Mitt's campaign. Romney also gives his opinion of President Obama's second term, and the two discuss the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia."



'via Blog this'

‘Gimme Shelter’: Film a Game Changer in Abortion Debate? | NewsBusters

‘Gimme Shelter’: Film a Game Changer in Abortion Debate? | NewsBusters: "The big name stars appeared just as connected to their roles. As for the lead, Hudgens emphasized, “It was an opportunity to completely transform myself.” She continued, “The story, which is based on the lives of several young women who stayed at the shelter, is completely terrifying, which was all the more reason why I wanted to do it.”



Fraser donated his entire salary to the shelter while Dawson admitted, “You don’t have to be a teenage mom to connect to this. It’s about finding a space where you can have trust and faith and belief in yourself. It’s really a journey of discovery.”"



'via Blog this'

Piers Morgan’s Speech Rules | National Review Online

Piers Morgan’s Speech Rules | National Review Online: "It is disquieting how many arguments in favor of censorship rely on the fatuous principle that “It’s. The. Law” — as if this, and not the merit of its being so, were the question at hand, and as if fundamental human rights simply disappear if the government of the day chooses to ignore them. Explaining his behavior on BBC Radio 4, Collymore proclaimed that he was surprised by “how many people, and I think particularly people that watch too many American soap operas, claim it’s a freedom-of-speech issue.” “Yes,” he conceded, “in theory you should be able to say exactly what you like but if you came up and said exactly the same things to me in the street or at a football match or at a theatre, you would be arrested.”"



'via Blog this'

Alex Wagner: ‘Casualties’ Resulted from NJ Bridge Closure | Mediaite

Alex Wagner: ‘Casualties’ Resulted from NJ Bridge Closure | Mediaite: "MSNBC host Alex Wagner became frustrated on Wednesday when Business Insider’s Josh Barro insisted that some of the actions of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie which have been construed as “intimidation” are closer to standard transactional politics. Wagner insisted that the closure of two local outbound lanes of the George Washington Bridge in 2013 was anything but standard politics because it resulted in “casualties.”"



'via Blog this'

John Avlon Hurls Fiery Invective at Glenn Beck While Decrying Partisanship | Mediaite

John Avlon Hurls Fiery Invective at Glenn Beck While Decrying Partisanship | Mediaite: "Perhaps the camera position at The Daily Beast’s headquarters lacks a monitor which would allow their pundits to see themselves as the audience does.



That, it would seem, is the only way to explain how their executive editor, John Avlon, surrendered the moral high ground on Thursday and rained base insults down on TheBlaze founder Glenn Beck while discussing the conservative broadcaster’s recent contrition and appeals for comity. "



'via Blog this'

Jonah Hill’s Salary Sacrifice for Scorsese Mirrors Life of Those Trying to Make It in TV News | Mediaite

Jonah Hill’s Salary Sacrifice for Scorsese Mirrors Life of Those Trying to Make It in TV News | Mediaite: "Which is why it was shocking to learn on Howard Stern’s radio show this week that Hill accepted a mere $60,000 for his Oscar-nominated role in The Wolf of Wall Street (the film took seven months to shoot). To put that number into context, the $60K represents 0.6 percent of what Leonardo DiCaprio was paid for the same movie ($10 million).



So given Hill’s massive following, his rising-star status, his likable, clean image in Hollywood, why take so little? Answer: To work with the great Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed)."



'via Blog this'

NBC, CNN Reporters Pounce on Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comments; Forced to Issue Corrections | Mediaite

NBC, CNN Reporters Pounce on Huckabee’s ‘Libido’ Comments; Forced to Issue Corrections | Mediaite: "Rest assured, the first impression will be the one that sticks. Huckabee’s biting comments, delivered before a partisan audience, will be endlessly parsed and framed as just another campaign in the greater “War on Women.” Particularly by those who would frame even a march in support of right-to-life issues as a battle in this fictional war dreamed up by Democratic operatives in 2012."

'via Blog this'

Wendy Davis Fan Andrea Mitchell Downplays Dishonest Bio: 'She Slightly Altered Her Resume' | NewsBusters

Wendy Davis Fan Andrea Mitchell Downplays Dishonest Bio: 'She Slightly Altered Her Resume' | NewsBusters: "On her Tuesday MSNBC show, host Andrea Mitchell tried to downplay the controversy swirling over the misleading biography put forward by Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis: "[She's] being forced to answer media reports down there that she had slightly altered her resume or focused on the single mom aspects of it and didn't really give the timeline correctly.""



'via Blog this'

CNN's Toobin Slams Pro-Life Movement: 'They Want Women to Have No Control Over Their Own Bodies' | NewsBusters

CNN's Toobin Slams Pro-Life Movement: 'They Want Women to Have No Control Over Their Own Bodies' | NewsBusters: "On the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, CNN's senior legal analyst smeared the entire pro-life movement in saying on Wednesday's AC360 Later, "They want women to have no control over their own bodies."



Jeff Toobin was referring to the Texas case where a hospital, claiming that it is following state law, has kept a brain-dead woman on life support against the family's wishes in order to bring her unborn child to term. Toobin went on a rant against the law."



'via Blog this'

MSNBC's Finney Tries to Link Pro-Life to Not 'Trusting' Women to Have Professional Positions | NewsBusters

MSNBC's Finney Tries to Link Pro-Life to Not 'Trusting' Women to Have Professional Positions | NewsBusters: "Appearing as a guest on Wednesday's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC's Karen Finney grasped at straws to try to link opposition to abortion to the possibility of not trusting women to hold various professional roles in business or politics."



'via Blog this'

Piers Morgan Whines to Ann Coulter: 'Pro-Gun Side' Won't 'Relent' Even After 35 School Shootings | NewsBusters

Piers Morgan Whines to Ann Coulter: 'Pro-Gun Side' Won't 'Relent' Even After 35 School Shootings | NewsBusters: "Piers Morgan sparred with Ann Coulter on his Wednesday CNN show over Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's vow to target the NRA in an upcoming movie and over the lack of new gun control regulations in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012. Morgan did his best to defend Weinstein, after Coulter blasted him for his "utter hypocrisy" in only recently condemning the impact of violent movies after making a fortune from them."



'via Blog this'

The Media’s Wendy Davis Bias | National Review Online

The Media’s Wendy Davis Bias | National Review Online: "Wendy Davis had a feisty response to a Dallas Morning News article this week that exposed factual inaccuracies in the up-by-her-bootstraps narrative she’d told about being a single mother.



Anyone who questions her life story, Davis said in a statement, clearly “hasn’t walked a day in my shoes” and, she later tweeted, is “completely out of touch  with the struggles” Texans face.



Abbott, her likely opponent in this year’s gubernatorial election is a paraplegic who has been confined to a wheelchair for nearly three decades after a falling oak tree crushed his spine while he was out for a jog."



'via Blog this'

Best of the Web Today: Smearing Tim Scott - WSJ.com

Best of the Web Today: Smearing Tim Scott - WSJ.com: "But Barber drew national attention for his comments about South Carolina's junior senator, Tim Scott, who is Congress's lone black Republican and one of only two black senators. Elected to the House in 2010, Scott was tapped by Gov. Nikki Haley to replace Sen. Jim DeMint, who resigned at the start of last year to become president of the Heritage Foundation. As a conservative politician in a conservative state, Scott is expected to prevail easily in this November's special election to serve out the two years that will remain in the term.



The NAACP is a liberal group, so you wouldn't expect its leaders to see eye to eye on politics with Tim Scott. But the manner in which Barber expressed his disagreement was remarkably disagreeable. "A ventriloquist can always find a good dummy," Barber said. "The extreme right wing down here finds a black guy to be senator and claims he's the first black senator since Reconstruction and then he goes to Washington, D.C., and articulates the agenda of the Tea Party.""



'via Blog this'

Report: Tim Geithner threatened S&P after it downgraded America’s credit rating in 2011 « Hot Air

Report: Tim Geithner threatened S&P after it downgraded America’s credit rating in 2011 « Hot Air: "My favorite part of this is a DOJ official wondering why no one had made this allegation publicly until now, more than two and a half years after it supposedly happened. Any theories on why a business that had already been threatened by a cabinet member but couldn’t prove it might want to keep mum lest it piss him off further? How many minor or major threats are government officials involved in daily, do you suppose, and how many get reported? (Timothy Carney cites a few examples from Hopenchange’s first term in his post about this.) Sometimes they don’t even bother to hide it: Remember, one of the reasons HHS was able to “convince” insurance companies to start moving ObamaCare deadlines around is because Sebelius threatened to boot companies from the exchanges next year if they didn’t comply. When you can strong-arm private industry in public, without fear of reprisal, that’s when you know you’re on the road to a de facto, if not de jure, government takeover."



'via Blog this'

USDA: Record 20 percent of American households used food stamps in 2013 « Hot Air

USDA: Record 20 percent of American households used food stamps in 2013 « Hot Air: "Why, exactly, is it a victory of our economic “recovery” to vastly grow a program designed to temporarily help Americans in need of economic assistance, and why exactly is the program failing to add all the “economic stimulus” the administration promised it would? The version of the farm bill on which lawmakers are currently conferring has sought out a compromise-cut to the almost $80 billion annual program in the form of $9 billion over ten years, but no doubt Democrats will object to even that relatively small budgetary reduction by clobbering Republicans over the head with “draconian”-style demagoguery — rather than asking themselves why it is the continual expansion of the program seems to be so necessary in the midst of the Obama “recovery.”"



'via Blog this'

Is This the ‘Greatest’ Red Eye Ending ‘Ever’? | Mediaite

Is This the ‘Greatest’ Red Eye Ending ‘Ever’? | Mediaite: "Among the many reasons Fox’s Red Eye has developed such a cult following are its irreverent late-night humor and its occasional surrealism. The conclusion to a segment discussing Justin Bieber‘s possible sizzurp habits combined both of those elements in a way you don’t ever see on cable news."



'via Blog this'

Is This the ‘Greatest’ Red Eye Ending ‘Ever’? | Mediaite

Is This the ‘Greatest’ Red Eye Ending ‘Ever’? | Mediaite: "Among the many reasons Fox’s Red Eye has developed such a cult following are its irreverent late-night humor and its occasional surrealism. The conclusion to a segment discussing Justin Bieber‘s possible sizzurp habits combined both of those elements in a way you don’t ever see on cable news."



'via Blog this'

New executive overreach: Obama may relax U.S. sanctions on Iran — without action from Congress « Hot Air

New executive overreach: Obama may relax U.S. sanctions on Iran — without action from Congress « Hot Air: "It used to be that O reserved his executive power grabs for matters on which Congress was deadlocked, or simply wasn’t moving fast enough for his liking. Not always, of course: Congress duly enacted the ObamaCare employer mandate that he suspended, but that likely would have produced deadlock if he had asked Congress to suspend it instead, which, I guess, in Obama’s mind is close enough. This time is different. If anything, there’s too much bipartisan support for Iran sanctions; the whole reason Harry Reid hasn’t let a vote come to the floor in the Senate is because he’s afraid pro-Israel Democrats will cross the aisle and join the GOP on a new slate of measures designed to turn the pressure up on Tehran."



'via Blog this'

Chris Christie’s gubernatorial inauguration speech: It’s time to end the failed war on drugs « Hot Air

Chris Christie’s gubernatorial inauguration speech: It’s time to end the failed war on drugs « Hot Air: "I … did not see this coming, although as it turns out, it’s nothing new for him. As far back as 2011, he said, “I don’t believe the only weapon we use against the drug problem is incarceration. I just don’t think it’s worked. And I think we see it over and over again that there’s evidence that it hasn’t.” Two years ago, he went further and called the war on drugs a well-intentioned failure. Despite his reputation as an establishment attack dog, on this subject he’s downright Paul-esque."



'via Blog this'