Charles Krauthammer discusses recent events in his latest editorial column titled “An Outbreak of Lawlessness“:
(Via WaPo) For all the gnashing of teeth over the lack of comity and civility in Washington, the real problem is not etiquette but the breakdown of political norms, legislative and constitutional.
Such as the one just spectacularly blown up in the Senate. To get three judges onto a coveted circuit court, frustrated Democrats abolished the filibuster for executive appointments and (non-Supreme Court) judicial nominations.
The problem is not the change itself. It’s fine that a president staffing his administration should need 51 votes rather than 60. Doing so for judicial appointments, which are for life, is a bit dicier. Nonetheless, for about 200 years the filibuster was nearly unknown in blocking judicial nominees. So we are really just returning to an earlier norm. (more…)

I swear a liberal could suck the joy out of winning the lotto…

(Via Salon.Barf)  “Are you the guy who hates Thanksgiving?”
The man posing that question on my voicemail continued with a sharply critical comment about one of the essays I have written in recent years about the holocaust-denial that is at the heart of that U.S. holiday.
My first reaction was not to argue but to amend: “I don’t hate Thanksgiving—I just think it’s appropriate to critique a celebration that obscures the reality of the European conquest of the Americas.” (more…)

The event highlighted yesterday at the U.S. Mexican border reminded me of an event from eight years ago.
(Via V-Dare 2007)  Armed Mexican gunmen advanced to “within yards” of a National Guard observation post on the U.S. Mexican border. The Guardsmen ran away.

Guardsmen overrun at the Border Channel 12 News, Arizon Jan. 4, 2007 02:44 PM
A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona’s border with Mexico.
According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state’s West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.
The Border Patrol will not say whether shots were fired. However, no Guardsmen were injured in the incident.
The Border Patrol says the incident occurred somewhere along the 120 mile section of the border between Nogales and Lukeville. The area is known as a drug corridor. Last year, 124-thousand pounds of illegal drugs were confiscated in this area.
The Border patrol says the attackers quickly retreated back into Mexico.

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Ironically the Sheriff of Lee County Florida, Mike Scott, also has a family member victim to the attacks.   His daughter was randomly punched in the face while walking in a now frequently similar circumstance.   The latest two attacks are in very upper middle class neighborhoods, home to mostly retirees.   The attacks took place their yards.
FORT MYERS FL –  Traveshia Blanks, of Fort Myers, is charged with two counts of battery on a person 65 years of age or older.

“I’m not gonna say it’s not right and it’s not fun, because it is fun,” said a teen familiar with the game.
“What’s not fun about it? Just go up to a random person, slap them and run away,” said another teen.

On Tuesday around 3:50 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a group of people who randomly attacked an unsuspecting victim in the area of South Pointe Boulevard. “I was in shock. Who would expect anything from out of the blue to happen like that. There’s no reason had I done something or said something,” said the 72-year-old Fort Myers victim. (more…)

[New York City]   Community leaders in East New York say that jobs are the answer to ending the so-called “knockout” game.

Councilman Charles Barron and other local activists spoke publicly for a second time about a rash of assaults involving young people punching unsuspecting victims. Barron says the root of the problem is that young people need jobs to help keep them out of trouble. (more…)

UPDATE To This Story:  (Via LoHudValley) […]  Morales has been caught in multiple lies, telling co-workers she shaved her head because she had brain cancer and later telling them it was her friend who had brain cancer, her colleagues and friends said.
They said she also  told co-workers at a day care center where she once worked that Superstorm Sandy severely damaged her home in  Stony Point, and sent a boat into her living room. Concerned co-workers dropped by her home and found only minor damage to the carpet by her front door and no sign of a boat, they said.
“Every story she comes up with has a lie,” said Julie Howat, 23, of Pomona. (more…)

How rabid is the Democrat mindset to retain their ideological power at all costs?

(Via TPM)  Colorado state Sen. Evie Hudak (D), who was facing a potential recall election over her vote in favor of stricter gun control laws, will resign Wednesday, Denver television station KDVR reported.

Hudak’s decision assured that Democrats would hold onto their one-vote majority in the state Senate, according to the TV station, with a Democratic committee being allowed to pick her replacement.

“In the interest of preserving the progress made over the last year, I am resigning as State Senator for District 19, effective immediately,” Hudak wrote in a resignation letter.

Hudak reiterated her support for strengthened gun control laws.  (link)

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Via Weazelzippers:

Let’s face it: we all have a crazy Tea Party relative (or two) who just loves bashing President Obama — even on Thanksgiving.

If you’re worried that your Thanksgiving table will start looking like the set of Fox & Friends, we’ve got just the thing for you: the DCCC’s 2013 Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet!

Don’t worry about printing it out — we’ll text it directly to your phone so you’ll always have the facts and stats you need to go up against all the nastiest Republican sound bites.

Enjoy — and have a great Thanksgiving!

Democrats 2014

We’ve all seen these press conferences where a politician, or public official, or ( fill in the blank ) are caught doing something generally regarded as wrong.   Their behavior is not inappropriate, it’s not misguided, it is just plain wrong.  We’ve seen too many of them including from President Clinton and numerous others.
Traditionally if it is a male politician, politico, or other, the wife stands next to the husband and he apologizes – then discussions and/or judgmental frenzies ensue driven mostly by the media analysts. The lesser the perceived sincerity, the more manipulative or controlling the apology, the harsher the judgment hammer falls  upon the flawed.
That said, this has to be one of the most raw, honest and sincere admissions of personal flaws I have ever witnessed.   Congressman Tray Radel stood in front of the media, accepted his total and complete ownership of the issue, and never deflected a scintilla of accountability away from himself.

As disappointing as the admitted cocaine use is – I salute his raw honesty and the manner in which he conducted himself in the public square. I also appreciate the decision of his family for his wife to stay home at 10:00pm with their 3 year old son. The healing amid his family is not a matter of, or for, public consumption.
One of the reasons I highlight this video is because the “establishment class” of republicans are seeking to reinstall Republican family legend Connie Mack Jr. to replace Radel. I’d rather have an honestly flawed man in congress than a dishonest Decepticon any day of the week.

More common core propaganda:

Remind you of anything? (more…)