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Posted by Amy Miller on November 19, 2014 31 Comments
The Republican Wave of newly-elected GOP freshmen have been put through their paces at new member orientation, and are preparing to get to work after January's swearing in. Newly elected from Utah's 4th Congressional District, Mia Love has wasted no time letting Democrats know that she doesn't intend on being polite about Obama's plan to fundamentally change immigration law in America via executive order. The Daily Caller has the video:
“This is not about the president. It’s about the American people, and what the American people want the President to do,” Love said Wednesday. “The American people want Congress to work with the President, want the president to work with Congress so that we can be compassionate, so that we can create a uniform rule of naturalization. “It is Congress’ job under Article 1, Section 8, to create a uniform rule of naturalization, a way in,” she continued. “It should be done line by line, section by section with the input of the public instead of being done by one person. It looks more like a dictatorship when a president is unilaterally making decisions for the American people.”
GOP freshmen aren't limiting their criticism to the President's plans. Texas freshman Will Hurd (TX-23) is one of several freshmen being courted by the oft-controversial Congressional Black Caucus, and he hasn't been shy about holding off on his decision to join (or not to join.)

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Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 19, 2014 17 Comments
International Men's Day is today. For all the rabid man-hating men are forced to endure, and largely without recourse, today seems as good a day as ever to celebrate the awesomeness of men. According to the official IMD website, the purpose of International Men's Day is quite lovely. Well, mostly:

Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on men's and boy's health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the discrimination against them.

The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood, as is honour. Manhood rites of passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of Manhood.

Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. International Men's Day is an opportunity for people everywhere of goodwill to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all.

Forgetting the whole "contributions and sacrifice" element, those not denouncing the day altogether have honed in on "improving gender relations and promoting gender equality bit." 

The Guardian's take is that, "it's clear why women have their day but men don't really need the same. Perhaps fathers and sons should bond over domestic skills instead." Right. I can just see my Dad bonding with my brother-in-law over a spirited discussion on the best eco-friendly cleaning product for cleaning the bathroom sink... 

The Washington Post praises IMD as another feminist day and a real opportunity for men to work on gender inequality because, "many of these men are surely blind to their own privilege and status in the world and within their own cultures." Ah yes, check your privilege, men. You have no idea just how good you have it. Just ask the comet scientist guy.

And the list goes on. 

But as a devout patriarchal loyalist, I've compiled a non-exhaustive list of just a few reasons men are wonderful human beings. 

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Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 19, 2014 62 Comments
Hey, remember the Reader Poll we did about whether it was okay to follow and try to interview Lois Lerner in her neighborhood? Do you approve of media confronting Lois Lerner in her neighborhood? (Reader Poll):
Jason Mattera of the Daily Surge recently filmed an unannounced confrontation with former IRS employee Lois Lerner in her own neighborhood. Lerner fled his camera and tried (unsuccessfully) to seek refuge in a neighbor’s home: ... This may seem invasive and inappropriate, but as Jason Mattera asks her in so many words, is it any more inappropriate than the way Lerner used her position at the IRS to target average Americans? So what do you think. After viewing the video, and considering how it must feel for any controversial public figure (do unto others?) to be confronted where s/he lives, was the questioning of Lerner a good thing?
The result of the Reader Poll was overwhelming:

Posted by Amy Miller on November 18, 2014 28 Comments
UPDATED 7:34 pm EST This really says it all. UPDATED 7:15 pm EST That wasn't a long-shot vote. That was an exercise in punishment. The Senate has voted, and a productive and bipartisan measure has failed. Reid gave Landrieu a chance to vote "yea" on an energy bill, and Durbin made moves to insulate Democrats should anyone try to hold a member of his caucus accountable for an "anti-environment" vote. Reid's "strategy" on Keystone XL was designed to fail, and everyone---including Mary Landrieu---knew it. This may be the end of Landrieu's tenure in the Senate, but it's not the end of the road for Keystone. “Tonight, Senate Democrats once again stood in the way of a shovel-ready jobs project that would help thousands of Americans find work — a remarkable stance after an election in which the American people sent a clear message to Congress to approve serious policies like the Keystone XL Pipeline and get the Senate working again," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a statement following the vote. "Unfortunately, many Senate Democrats failed to hear that message. But once the 114th Congress convenes, the Senate will act again on this important legislation, and I look forward to the new Republican majority taking up and passing the Keystone jobs bill early in the New Year.” Anyone who watched the C-SPAN feed during the vote noticed something interesting---the rest of her caucus avoided Landrieu like she was surrounded by a forcefield. Many pundits have enjoyed the "Reid is giving her a chance to redeem her candidacy" narrative, but let's not pretend this was anything more than Democrats going through the motions and then pulling the rug out from under yet another lost cause.

Posted by Bryan Jacoutot on November 18, 2014 22 Comments
News recently broke that George Washington University constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley has been tapped as lead counsel by the U.S. House of Representatives in their lawsuit against President Obama. Turley has been on the national legal scene for a number of years, but has been gaining increasing notoriety of late as a result of his Congressional testimonies and media appearances regarding the consolidation of constitutional authority in the Executive Branch. Conservatives have been quick to praise Turley, as his criticisms of the Executive have been directed toward President Obama for the last six years. Turley, however, makes no representation that he is any way politically conservative. Indeed, in his blog post yesterday, he declared quite the opposite.
As many on this blog know, I support national health care and voted for President Obama in his first presidential campaign. However, as I have often stressed before Congress, in the Madisonian system it is as important how you do something as what you do. And, the Executive is barred from usurping the Legislative Branch’s Article I powers, no matter how politically attractive or expedient it is to do so. Unilateral, unchecked Executive action is precisely the danger that the Framers sought to avoid in our constitutional system.
For Turley, this is not an issue of one party against the other. Rather, this is matter of constitutional process. Despite the fact that the decision to sue the President passed along party lines, there are genuine non-partisan concerns about the dangerous evolution of the Legislative-Executive dynamic over the last few decades. Turley went on to add,
This case represents a long-overdue effort by Congress to resolve fundamental Separation of Powers issues. In that sense, it has more to do with constitutional law than health care law. Without judicial review of unconstitutional actions by the Executive, the trend toward a dominant presidential model of government will continue in this country in direct conflict with the original design and guarantees of our Constitution. Our constitutional system as a whole (as well as our political system) would benefit greatly by courts reinforcing the lines of separation between the respective branches.
Turley is, in my opinion, a great choice by House Republicans.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 18, 2014 42 Comments
Jonathan Gruber, Obamacare architect, has become a national news celebrity, but probably not for the reasons he hoped. No less than ten videos have surfaced wherein Gruber explains the only reason Obamacare passed was because Americans are "stupid" and also because the administration's, "lack of transparency was a huge political advantage." And there seems to be no end in sight. Noah Rothman at Hotair broke down the sixth unearthed video (if we're counting correctly). Gruber explained how Democrats intentionally mislead to sell Obamacare and disclosed that despite all the Democratic denials at the time, they were well aware of how economically devastating the ACA would be. Despite Democratic attempts to distance themselves from these damning revelations, Pelosi, Obama, and Reid have all been exposed for having working knowledge of who Gruber is. Not to mention Gruber's regular White House visits. For someone who's been so outspoken about the awfulness of Obamacare, Gruber had "no comment" when confronted by Sean Hannity's camera crew. Perhaps he received a cease and desist order from the imperial counsel.

Posted by Mike LaChance on November 18, 2014 14 Comments
Obama's recent claim that Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber was "some adviser who never worked on our staff" will now be subject to new scrutiny given a video that surfaced yesterday. Brendan Bordelon of National Review has the scoop:
Obama in 2006: ‘I Have Stolen Ideas Liberally’ From Jonathan Gruber This weekend, President Obama dismissed MIT professor Jonathan Gruber as “some adviser who never worked on our staff.” But back in 2006, the president struck a much more laudatory tone while addressing the future architect of Obamacare. At a Brookings Institution meeting in 2006, Obama praised the policy accomplishments of the man who would later imperil the Affordable Care Act through repeated comments belittling the intelligence of American voters. In the video provided by conservative group American Commitment, the president calls Gruber one of “the brightest minds from academia and policy circles,” claiming he’s one of a small group of experts from whom he’s “stolen ideas liberally.”
Watch it all here: Deroy Murdock of National Review notes that Obamacare made Gruber a very wealthy man:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on November 18, 2014 79 Comments
Two East Jerusalem Arabs attacked a synagogue in Jerusalem during morning prayers, using meat clevers, knives and a pistol to kill the Rabbi and three worshipers. The NY Times reports that all four were Rabbis. (added) The Washington Post reports:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Palestinian leaders of inciting violence and promised to “respond harshly.” In the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, calls over loudspeakers praised the attackers. In East Jerusalem, crowds hurled stones at Israeli police fanning out around the neighborhood where the attackers lived. The Associated Press, citing Israeli police, said those killed included one Briton and three Americans — among them Rabbi Moshe Twersky, who taught at an English-speaking religious school in Jerusalem and was a member of one of the most respected families in Orthodox scholarship.... Twersky’s grandfather, Joseph Soloveitchik, was a renowned Boston rabbi, and his father, Rabbi Yitzhak (Isadore) Twersky, was longtime director of The Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard. Twersky’s brother, Mayer Twersky, one of the heads of Yeshiva University in New York, the flagship American school for Jewish Orthodox studies.
Here is raw video of the police shooting the perpetrators, and of the victims of the attack:

Posted by Amy Miller on November 18, 2014 15 Comments
Democrat incumbent Senator Mark Begich has finally conceded the Alaska Senate race to Republican challenger Dan Sullivan nearly a week after the Associated Press called the race for Sullivan. Begich had initially refused to concede the race, citing concerns over uncounted ballots. The race dragged on until last Wednesday, when the AP finally declared Sullivan the winner. In his concession, Begich jabbed at Sullivan about the need for bipartisanship, and hinted at a return to politics. Via Politico:
“When I spoke with Dan Sullivan today, I encouraged him to adopt a bipartisan resolve in the Senate,” Begich said in a statement. “Alaska is ill-served by the partisan fights that don’t reflect our state’s unique needs and priorities.” The 52-year-old hinted in his concession that he might not be finished with politics. His 500-word statement listed a series of accomplishments, from expanding energy production to protecting military bases, during his six years. “As a born and raised Alaskan, I will always be involved in my community, and the results of an election have never diminished my desire or passion to achieve these goals,” he said.
Sullivan seems ready to go to work, citing a desire to serve on committees that address issues related to commerce, public works, and the environment.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on November 18, 2014 15 Comments
As Ebola continues to rage in Africa, one key person seems to be missing in action: Ron Klain, Ebola Czar.
Ebola was on the top of everyone’s minds five weeks ago, but now that it’s largely disappeared from the mainstream media, it continues to fade into the background in this country. But the fact remains: Ebola continues to kill hundreds of people in Africa. Ebola continues to destroy families and leave many children without parents. It was sad for me to hear about the passing of a surgeon – who was a citizen of Sierra Leone and a permanent resident of the U.S. – on Monday. From what I know, he was a dedicated health care professional who did his best to keep his patients safe and alive. But what is sadder to me is that our Ebola czar, Ron Klain, did not have the courage to publicly come out and offer a statement in regards to the death of this physician, and also has failed in keeping the American public informed about the progress in this Ebola war.
I would have expected a political operative such as Klain to at least try to "message" us. Hopefully, we won't discover videos of him calling Americans stupid for being concerned about a potential pandemic..after being paid millions in taxpayer dollars for questionably professional services. However, at least Ebola did attract some mainstream media coverage. That differs from Enterovirus-D68, which has swept through the country and has sent hundreds of American children into emergency rooms with respiratory distress. There has been very limited, local coverage. One of the few who took up the story is Sharryl Attkisson, who now reports that 12 deaths have now been linked to this pathogen.

Posted by Amy Miller on November 17, 2014 11 Comments
It would be sad if it weren't so beautiful. With just a few weeks to go until the Louisiana Senate runoff, Bill Cassidy is taking advantage of incumbent Mary Landrieu's spiraling chances at re-election by pointing out Landrieu's unfortunate tendency to vote for Obama's pet policies a whopping 97% of the time. Cassidy's new ad, called "Represent You," hits Landrieu on the issue of immigration, which is reemerging in talking points in conjunction with Obama's impending executive action on amnesty. From the Washington Post:
An open-ended Gallup poll in October, less than a month before the midterm election, found only 7 percent of voters said immigration was the most important problem facing the country. The issue wasn't at the forefront of campaigns during the midterm, but occasionally popped up, as it did when Scott Brown (R) ran an ad on border security in New Hampshire over the summer, and when Arkansas' Tom Cotton (R) said terrorists were collaborating with Mexican drug cartels during a tele-town hall meeting in October. Republicans have positioned Obama's executive order, which would keep millions of immigrants from being deported, as an overstep of his authority, and Sen. John Boehner (R) has threatened to sue Obama.
Watch:

Posted by New Neo on November 17, 2014 13 Comments
When I heard that Dr. Martin Salia, a Sierra Leone native who is married to a US citizen and who contacted ebola while treating patients in his native country, had been flown here for treatment and was in "very critical" condition, I thought "if we can cure him, then American medicine is really onto something in the treatment of ebola." Sadly, it was not to be: Dr. Salia has died of the disease. He was very very far gone when he arrived:
"He was placed on dialysis, a ventilator and multiple medications to support his organ systems in an effort to help his body fight the disease. He also received a dose of convalescent plasma and ZMapp therapy was initiated on Saturday," the hospital said in a statement. "We used every possible treatment available to give Dr. Salia every possible opportunity for survival," Smith said. "As we have learned, early treatment with these patients is essential. In Dr. Salia's case, his disease was already extremely advanced by the time he came here for treatment."
There are two very salient facts about the case of Dr. Salia. The first is that he never knew how he got the disease; he was a general surgeon in Sierra Leone and was not specifically treating ebola patients. This reflects the fact that ebola is not always easy to spot, even for medical personnel who are well-versed in its diagnosis and are treating patients in areas where it is endemic, and therefore would be on high alert for it. That is one of the many many dangers of the disease, and you may recall that the same thing happened with Dr. Rick Sacra, who was treated here much earlier in the disease's course than Salia and has survived. The second thing I'd like to highlight is that it took four (or five; I've read differing accounts) full days after Dr. Salia first showed ebola symptoms for his blood test to become positive for the disease. By that time he was extremely sick indeed. The loss of those days of possible treatment here may have made a big difference. Here is the story:
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