Have a Blessed Christmas

Drill Baby Drill

Free Nobel Peace Prize With Oil Change

Gasoline Prices in Minnesota Up 49 Percent from One Year Ago

Drill baby drill.

Will North Dakota Turn This Time?

Well, Gov. Hoeven may not be running, but this is quite an indicator of the sentiment in a Red State that is represented in Congress by Democrats across the board. RCP Blog: ND Sen Poll: Hoeven Trounces Dorgan

Haven't you heard?

It's clear the Tribune's Kathleen Hennessey is writing from D.C. Her snide piece on Michele Bachmann exudes the conventional wisdom, and it's obvious Bachmann is a stand-in for Palin, who has inspired similar attacks, though more venomous and hysterical.

I'd say the beltway GOP was responsible for the NY loss, and it appears they may have learned their lesson. Even moderate New Trier back here in the Midwest is not willing to endorse a Dede Dem-light mush.

As for Hennessey's attempt to define what's mainstream by mockery of those who are concerned (Robert Rubin a rightie?!!) about our massive IOU's to China, or disagree with the gullible global warming crowd, look around. Those lightbulbs are hazardous, especially for children, and awfully dim, especially for older readers. It's not just the "right brigade" that is concerned, people are worried--why can't they have a choice--why must it be a government mandate? I'd say she should look for her news outside the MSM to realize what's really going on in the world.

As far as our President Barack Obama being anti-American, well, reasonable people have their doubts. About that and other things.

The tea party is mainstream. As is Bachmann. George Will:

Some of her supposed excesses are, however, not merely defensible, they are admirable. For example, her June 9 statement on the House floor in which she spoke of "gangster government" has been viewed on the Internet about 2 million times. She noted that, during the federal takeover of General Motors, a Democratic senator and one of her Democratic House colleagues each successfully intervened with GM to save a constituent's dealership from forced closure. One of her constituents, whose dealership had been in the family for 90 years, told her that the $15 million dealership had been rendered worthless overnight, and, Bachmann said, "GM is demanding that she hand over her customer list," probably to give it to surviving GM dealerships that once were competitors.

In her statement, Bachmann repeatedly called such politicization of the allocation of economic rewards "gangster government." And she repeatedly noted that the phrase was used by a respected political analyst, Michael Barone, principal co-author of the Almanac of American Politics, who coined it in connection with the mugging of GM bondholders in the politicized bankruptcy. Bachmann, like Barone, was accurate.

George Will is hardly a member of the "right brigade".

But even if he were, haven't you heard?

--crossposted at BackyardConservative

Nelson's Fecklessness and Treachery

Nebraskans must be proud this morning. Legal Insurrection.

Shorter Ben Nelson: Killing Indian Babies is Fine, Just Don’t Kill White Babies. RedState.

For The First Time In US History A Sweeping, Unpopular Bill Passed On A Purely Partisan Vote. Say Anything.

CBO Sees Diminished Quality of Care and Reduced Access. Ruby Slippers

Despite the sneering left giving her an award for her death panel characterization, I'd say Sarah Palin was Right.

And we see the big lie of ObamaCare and the Dems, just the latest lie.

The Church at Advent

For a smaller government

Rasmussen: 66% Of Americans Prefer Smaller Government That Does Less

America is majority conservative.

TEA party leadership seminar plans in Dallas in January. Riehl World View.

Nebraska Gov. To Sen. Nelson: Kill the Bill

HotAir. Great comment:

I seriously can’t believe that both Mark Warner and Jim Webb will vote for this thing either, after the landslide victory by Bob McDonnell in Virginia. I would love to see McDonnell write both of them a similar letter. This bill will blow a huge hole in Virginia’s state budget too.

Tim Pawlenty ought to do this too. Make Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken own up to the costs they are going to impose on the citizens of Minnesota.

In fact, it would be a good tactic for Haley Barbour to have all Republican governors write to their senators urging them to oppose this bill.

rockmom on December 17, 2009 at 10:52 AM

That means North Dakota most especially. Put Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan on the spot, Gov. Hoeven. Then there's South Dakota, with Sandlin already vulnerable.

P.S. The other Senator from South Dakota, Republican John Thune, The Democrats' Health Care Plan Doesn't Deliver

More. Al Franken needs to be brushed back.

T-Paw in New Hampshire

Carl Cameron on Special Report tonight described him as very conservative. I wouldn't say that. I would say conservative. And successful in a blue state, a remarkable achievement.

I wouldn't rule Pawlenty out, even though Mitt Romney lives in New Hampshire.

That said, this reimportation of drugs from Canada idea is really annoying. Where do the drugs come from anyway? Are they made in Canada? Under its socialized medicine? Nah. They come from elsewhere. And they're cheaper because Canada fixes the price, among other things.

So don't give us this cheap populist talk. Please governor. You know better.

P.S. Talk about the Mayo Model again.

More. Pioneer Press, with this snippet at the end:

Peter Spaulding, formerly John McCain's state chairman, said he is more familiar with Pawlenty due to the governor's visits to the state on behalf of McCain. He also praised the speech.

"I think he did very well. He talked about the fact that the Republican Party needs to be inclusive, to expand our base. He also mentioned several times that the party has to be a party of ideas, new ideas. Overall, I thought it was very well done," Spaulding said.

"I thought he had a good personality, a good delivery. He had a little bit of humor. Those are all things that go over well in New Hampshire."

He's good at retail politics. Union Leader. OK, this is good:

Today, Pawlenty blasted the Obama administration and the Democrats for promoting a what he described as a far too costly health care plan.

"President Obama was here in New Hampshire on New Hampshire primary night and said he was going to fix health care by bringing Republicans and Democrats together," he said. "Well, here we are in New Hampshire and now what we see is a monstrosity being jammed down our throats on almost a purely partisan basis and maybe entirely partisan basis." He called the Democratic-led process on Capitol Hill that has led to the likely passage of a health care reform package "one of the largest political bait and switch tactics in the modern history of the country." He said the Minnesota health care system, while imperfect, gives participants broad market choices. He said the state employee plan has kept cost increases at or near zero percent for the past five years.

Read on. Like the affinity with the tea party.

Heartland Dems on the Spot

Five Democrats Acknowledge Massive Middle Class Tax Hikes

Dems Vote In Opposition To The Core Of The Democrats’ Health Bill; Just One Of Five Will Be Needed To Stop Tax Hike On 42.1 Million Americans

Senators Bayh, Cantwell, Klobuchar, Lincoln, & Nelson [NE] Vote For Sen. Crapo’s Motion To Recommit

(S.Amdt.2961 To H.R.3590, Roll Call Vote #376, Motion To Recommit Failed 45-54: R: 40-0; D 5-52; I 0-2, Sens. Bayh, Cantwell, Klobuchar, Lincoln & Nelson [NE] Voted Aye, 12/15/09)

“Crapo’s Motion Proposes That Families Earning Up To $250,000 A Year — Or Individuals Earning Up To $200,000 — Do Not Have Their Taxes Raised To Pay For Health Care Reform.” (“GOP Woos Health Bill Moderates,” Roll Call, 12/15/09)

Under The Reid Bill: “In 2019, 42.1 Million Individuals And Families Or 25% Of All Tax Returns Under $200,000 Will, On Average, See Their Taxes Go Up.”

“Reid’s Proposal Would Be Financed Through Billions Of Dollars In … New Taxes.” “Like the House bill, Reid's proposal would be financed through billions of dollars in Medicare cuts, as well as new taxes.” (“Senate Health-Care Bill Diverges From House On Key Provisions,” The Washington Post, 11/19/09)

SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MINORITY STAFF ANALYSIS OF JOINT COMMITTEE ON TAXATION FINDINGS: “In 2019, 42.1 million individuals and families or 25% of all tax returns under $200,000 will, on average, see their taxes go up. This is even after taking into account the premium tax credit.” (“Non-Partisan Congressional Analysis Indicates that the Reid Bill Increases Taxes By a 3 to 1 Ratio on People Making Less than $200,000 a Year,” Senate Finance Committee Minority Staff, 12/08/09)

Herseth Sandlin Vulnerable

New PPP poll.

Will she be another Dem dropout? RCP here.

More at via South Dakota War College blog. Dems' making anti-Semitic remarks?

Stop Stephanie.com.

Pawlenty Loves Minnesota

So much he touts a Spam sandwich. Well I had some too when I was a kid but I preferred peanut butter for my regular lunch. The Minnesota governor and presumed Republican presidential candidate was in Chicago the other day and sat down with our favorite and reliably irreverent local conservative columnist, the Chicago Tribune's John Kass. Here you go.

Cold Water

Renaissance Woman:)

Sarah Palin continues to astonish. Some. Others know bone-deep she is a rare thing. Like me:)

Sarah the Lionheart.

Even gadfly Alaskan Dem Mike Gravel is impressed: Sarah America:)

She is who she is. (Even AP starting to get conflicted. Times of London.) The truth gets through.

Previous posts: Sarah Competitive with The One, Palin 2012?

--crossposted at BackyardConservative

Gray Lady Worried

The NY Times front page today features the rural elderly as the latest victims for them to exploit in aid of their big government ObamaCare agenda--which would actually harm most rural states and the elderly who inhabit them. Yet even in the Times own story is the real story. 80 year old Norma Clark slipped and broke her hip. She tied her legs together with rope and dragged herself back:

A dutiful farm wife, Ms. Clark somehow even got to her feet to latch the gate. And her first call when she got to the house was not to 911, but to a daughter 30 miles away.

A "dutiful farm wife"? How patronizing, how typical Times. How about an individual honed by a lifetime of responsibility and self-sufficiency? (This reminds me of a Times' reporter describing my dad as having a "bucolic twang" years ago. His dad was from New York and my dad spoke like Walter Cronkite.) People in rural areas primarily rely on family, friends and neighbors. Granted, Norma Clark now gets the help of a nursing assistant, but if ObamaCare passes she would probably be warehoused somewhere, on the road to the death panel. She would probably choose to move in with her daughter.

From the Washington Post comes the meme that the Tea Party movement is divisive and will rip the GOP apart. Dream on. Tea Party concerns permeate the party outside of the beltway--even in bastions of moderation, like Illinois' north-suburban 10th congressional district. And those who espouse common sense tea party reform are gathering broad support.

No wonder the Gray Lady is worried to distraction.

Pawlenty vs. Romney

On the Massachusetts health care plan, not a miracle upon closer scrutiny.

This is a key hurdle for Romney to overcome for 2012. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin is making (good) headlines.

Geese in the Park

Hmm, home again. How about Egg Nog of the old Cajuns. It's getting cold around here. This is a warm recipe. And Red Stick Rant is skiing the decline:)

A Long Recession?

James Pethokoukis on the Goldman Sachs forecast.

Maybe I'll learn eBay.

Since I may not be able to sell my empty-nester house, auction it off little by little.

And plant a better garden next spring.

I'll keep my little dog, though. She's sweet but she has sharp teeth. Don't knock on my door, Barack.