How Obamacare dies: NOT buying health insurance is NOT Interstate Commerce

by: Bill Dupray   posted: 2010-03-20 16:17:00
Viewed 306 times. 2 Comments.

We are big fans of the new Virginia Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli. He was on C-SPAN and talked about the two unconstitutional provisions associated with Obamacare: Deem and Pass and the individual mandate. Deem and Pass was dropped by the Democrats this afternoon, so that issue is now moot (though Cuccinelli's explanation is well worth the listen). As for the individual mandate, this the clearest explanation of why it is unconstitutional and will likely be struck down by the courts. He explains that the Commerce Clause, allowing Congress to regulate interstate commerce is a limited power, and has been held as such by recent Supreme Court cases. The video is not embeddable - link is here. The money quote is at 4:15.

Not buying health insurance is ...

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Dems confirm how much they suck at leading

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-20 16:04:00
Viewed 137 times. 2 Comments.

Controlled chaos is still chaos, and there is little if any control. Madam Pelosi has lost any semblance of leadership in the these final days of the health-care debacle. She has changed tracks, backtracked, and wandered off the track on every major aspect of bringing this legislation to a vote. It's embarrassing to watch, which is further underscored by the hired choir singing the constant refrain, "We have the votes! We have the votes!" Cut to the chase scene: If she had the votes, there would be a straight line from her mouth to the House floor. The Rules Committee would be have Republicans screaming rather than Democrats. President Obama wouldn't be leaking that he'll issue an Executive Order that contradicts the abortion-heavy legislation that he hopes to be signing. Gee, can he override selected pieces of legislation with EOs ...

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Waxman: No 'Deem and Pass' - We pass the Senate bill or we don't
posted: 2010-03-20 15:05:00    2 Comments.

Hmmm. If Demon Pass is dead (and it is dead according to multiple sources), then they either have the votes and we are just waiting for it, or they would rather lose on an up or down vote so as to avoid the appearance of being Enemies of the State. Since the meeting broke down into chaos, one wonders if they actually have the votes.

The problem is the sequence. Can the House vote to amend something that isn't the law, as the Senate bill will not be law before the president's signature? The Rules Committee meeting turned into mass confusion when Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman said, "We're not going to 'deem' the bill passed. We're going to pass the Senate bill…I would be against the idea of 'deeming' something -- we either pass it or we don't."

Patriot Room Radio #61: Sheriff Coburn

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-20 09:02:00
Viewed 97 times. 7 Comments.

"Dead or Alive, we'll git you." Health care is in the dry-heave stage, with Constitutional violations and back-room deals flying. We also discuss the impact on Senate elections and the Texas curriculum story as chronicled by a lib. Every episode of our podcasts is here and on iTunes. You can subscribe on either site. You can also hear us on the Liberty Pundits Network (on demand) and on Radio for Conservatives (Weekday edition broadcast 8:00PM ET Tuesdays and 10:00AM Wednesdays; Weekend edition at 9:30AM-11:00AM ET Saturdays and Sundays). If you're looking to jump right in, pop over to Liberty Pundits here. Send questions for our next podcast to Bill or Clyde at ...

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Research request: Jan 13, 1967, Battle at Binh Duong, Vietnam

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 23:29:00
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A friend forwarded this and asked for posting:

Looking for survivors of a battle that took place on 1/13/67 in Binh Duong Vietnam. If you have any info it would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Terry Downs

terryd@rochesterfamilyeyeclinic.com

Honk to stop Obamacare protest: 32 seconds of noise

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 19:36:00
Viewed 291 times. 5 Comments.

Thanks to PR friend Steve for getting this to us. Wow. Just, fricking wow:

Cantor does the math: Nancy is 7 short

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 17:16:00
Viewed 295 times. 0 Comments.

TO: Interested Parties FR: House Republican Whip Eric Cantor DT: March 19, 2010 RE: Full article...

Source doc - CBO Estimates again: Deficit INCREASE

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 16:50:00
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Rep. Ryan asked CBO to give estimates for the changes being considered by the House reconciliation bill, and also for the changes most likely to occur afterward (rescinding the Cadillac tax and implementing the "doc fix," for example). The news is not good for Madam Pelosi. So much for "deficit neutral," Barry. Important chunks: You asked about the total budgetary impact of enacting the reconciliation proposal (the amendment to H.R. 4872), the Senate-passed health bill (H.R. 3590), and the Medicare Physicians Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 3961). CBO estimates that enacting all three pieces of legislation would add $59 billion to budget deficits over the 2010–2019 period. More ... CBO has therefore developed a rough outlook for the decade following the 10-year budget window. Under the analytic approach described in the agency’s previous ...

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Rep. Altmire confirms: NO
posted: 2010-03-19 16:31:00    0 Comments.

Nancy has about run out of "yes" votes: Congressman Jason Altmire will vote against the latest version of health care reform when the U.S. House of Representatives votes on the bill this weekend.

Altmire confirmed that he has decided to vote no in a telephone conversation with KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano.

The McCandless Democrat is expected to post a statement on his website later today.

Lying dems: Plan to do "doc fix" later; now would kill deficit picture

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 14:07:00
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We've identified this in our podcasts, and now the dems are telling their people to shut up about it. How pathetic: Democrats removed the so-called doc fix from the reform legislation last year because its $371-billion price tag would have made it impossible for Democrats to claim that their bill reduces the deficit. Republicans have argued for months that by stripping the doc fix from the bill, Democrats were playing a shell game. “Most health staff are already aware that our health proposal does not contain a 'doc fix.' … The inclusion of a full SGR repeal would undermine reform’s budget neutrality. So again, do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative. Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and number of Americans covered,” the memo, sent Thursday to Democratic ...

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Purple Reign Ending: The Coming Resignation of Madam Pelosi

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-19 12:46:00
Viewed 2110 times. 9 Comments.

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JIP: Obama Approval Under Disapproval on RCP
posted: 2010-03-19 09:38:00    0 Comments.

Tough to be Barry: Real Clear Politics, or RCP for short, is a news site that averages approval/disapproval polls together, forming a very non-partisan system. For the last year and change, I have closely watched the approval of the President. Slowly but surely, it kept going lower and lower and lower.

The President was at his peak on January 29, 2009 with an approval of 63.5 and a disapproval of only 19.3, a 44.2% difference. From the beginning of March to the end of June, Obama's approval/disapproval held moderately steady. But then it happened. The President began calling for radical reforms to the American Health Care System. While reform is needed, this "change" that the President was peddling did not sit well with the American people.

BIG SHOT: Reps Gifford, Mitchell, Perriello vote to condemn Slaughter Rule

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-18 18:19:00
Viewed 453 times. 8 Comments.

These reps are thought by The Hill to be a "yes" and two "undecided." Sounds like three more "no" votes to me. Remember, we are within two votes of slamming it home (one, actually, but I like safety!). Details: The House just voted on the Cantor Resolution “That the House disapproves of the malfeasant manner in which the Democratic Leadership has thereby discharged the duties of their offices.” Those who voted against the resolution denounced Democrat leadership for their use of the “Slaughter Solution” to deceive the American people. Final Vote: 232-181 R: 0-171 D: 232-10 To put it more clearly, the following 10 Democrats just denounced Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer, Whip Clyburn, Conference Chairman Larson, and DCCC Chairman Van Hollen and the rest ...

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Will House recon bill surive intact in Senate? "No," Sen. Conrad (D)
posted: 2010-03-18 14:15:00    1 Comments.

Very clear. Toast: FTA: Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Thursday that it is unlikely the Senate will be able to pass a health care reconciliation bill unchanged from what the House passes. Conrad said the Senate Parliamentarian has declined to make rulings on several issues in the bill that Republicans are likely to challenge under the “Byrd rule.” That rule states that, among other things, every provision of a budget reconciliation bill must have a budget impact and cannot be “extraneous.”

“Although we’ve spent many, many hours with the Parliamentarian, some things he has not yet rendered a conclusion” on, Conrad said. “He wants to hear from both sides before he does.” Conrad continued: “Do I expect there will be some additional Byrd rule challenges that will be upheld? Yeah. I do.”

WOW! Sen. Coburn lays it out: Sell your vote and we will publish it

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-18 13:57:00
Viewed 2186 times. 13 Comments.

SEN. TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: I want to send a couple of messages to my colleagues in the House. If you voted no and you vote yes, and you lose your election, and you think any nomination to a federal position isn't going to be held in the Senate, I've got news for you. It's going to be held. Number two is, if you get a deal, a parochial deal for you or your district, I've already instructed my staff and the staff of seven other senators that we will look at every appropriations bill, at every level, at every instance, and we will outline it by district, and we will associate that with the buying of your vote. So, if you think you can cut a deal now, and it not come out until after the election, I want to tell ...

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Another flip from Yes to No: Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY)
posted: 2010-03-18 12:45:00    0 Comments.

Rep. Mike Arcuri (D., N.Y.), a sophomore who had a tough go of it in 2008, will vote nay on Obamacare, both on the House floor and in the Rules Committee. The Rules vote is symbolic, since Democrats outnumber Republicans there two-to-one. But the floor vote could go either way. It is obviously a blow to Pelosi's chances of hitting 216.

CBO: Actually, those defict reduction figures are pretty much guesses

by: Bill Dupray   posted: 2010-03-18 12:07:00
Viewed 146 times. 0 Comments.

Dems are touting how this huge new government entitlement is actually and magically going to reduce the deficit over the next two decades. As for the first decade, remember the Democrats gamed the bill so that all of the taxes and fees kick in immediately, but the benefits don't come for four years. So of course, when you collect revenue for ten years and only have to pay benefits for six of them, it would be hard not to make that look "deficit neutral." As for the claim that the deficit would go down in the second decade, a cursory glance at the preliminary CBO scoring letter from Elmendorf letter brings to mind two words: Pure speculation.

The imprecision of that calculation reflects the even greater degree of uncertainty that attends to it, ...

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Update on CBO: Corrupt Dem leaders touting unofficial numbers
posted: 2010-03-18 11:27:00    1 Comments.

Thanks to Avery for the heads-up on today's atrocity rolling off Capitol Hill.

Ranking Republican Paul Ryan responds to an NRO query about the news this morning: “The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that there is currently no official cost estimate. Yet House Democrats are touting to the press — and spinning for partisan gain — numbers that have not been released and are impossible to confirm.

Boy, a final official number that came in over a trillion bucks would really bite them in the a**.

Katie Packer, Exec Dir, Workplace Fairness Institute: “High Road”

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-18 11:14:00
Viewed 78 times. 3 Comments.

I spoke with Katie about the yet-to-be-unveiled Obama policy called the “High Road Contracting Policy.” This proposed policy will “score” all federal contractors before the contents of a bid are viewed using criteria designed to maximize the likelihood of an eventual union award: hourly workers with a “living wage”, health insurance, an employer-funded retirement plan and paid sick days.

The net effect will be to compel workers to join unions in order to get work.

Yet another payback in the works by the Obama Administration.

Pop over to Liberty Pundits dot com to hear the audio - runs a little less than 15 minutes.

Homeowner introduces two robbers to 2nd Amendment: One dead, one fled

by: Bill Dupray   posted: 2010-03-18 10:37:00
Viewed 298 times. 0 Comments.

Okay, this will be the best story you read all day. Via Instapundit.

Police said the homeowner, Dave Henry, had just returned home from work and was pulling into his garage when he saw a suspicious car near his home. That's when they said two suspects got out of the car and tried to rob the homeowner. However, Henry pulled out his own gun and a shootout started. One of the suspects, identified as David Lee Butler, 37, was shot and killed by Henry. The other suspect got away. Police said Henry had a concealed weapons permit and is not facing any charges.

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McCain's lead over Hayworth shrinks to 7
posted: 2010-03-18 10:17:00    0 Comments.

Johnny Mac is also under the all-important 50% support level.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely Arizona GOP Primary voters shows McCain ahead 48% to 41%. Three percent (3%) favor another candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.

Following the announcement that Sarah Palin would campaign for his reelection, McCain opened up a 53% to 31% lead over Hayworth in January. The two men were in a near tie in November.

By my math, McCain's lead shrunk from 21 to 7 in two months. Hmmm.

CBO: Obamacare costs $940 billion
posted: 2010-03-18 10:01:00    0 Comments.

And in the world of Washington speak, somehow spending that much cash actually lowers the deficit by $130 billion. I have a better idea. How about we just not spend $940 billion in the first place? After all, if you are trying to trim your budget, you don't go buying a Lamborghini on a credit card.

One more thing. Isn't it funny how CBO can score a bill without an actual bill. Hmmm . . .

USA Today editors: The Slaughter Rule is a 'gimmicky, cynical trick'
posted: 2010-03-18 09:47:00    2 Comments.

Keep in mind USA Today wholeheartedly supports this health care takeover, but even they are disturbed by "deeming" a bill passed without a vote in the House.

[House] leaders are mulling a rule that would allow the chamber to "deem" the Senate's version of health legislation as passed, without actually having to vote on it. Imagine how useful this trick would be in daily life. You could make unpopular decisions without actually appearing to make them. That excruciating Thanksgiving dinner at your brother-in-law's? You "deemed" that you attended. . . .

It's understandable that some House Democrats wouldn't want to cast a direct vote on the Senate bill . . . before moving to change it. But a procedure this transparently gimmicky just adds to the cynicism surrounding the bill and opens it up to unnecessary court challenges.

Biden bombs at Correspondents' Dinner
posted: 2010-03-18 09:29:00    1 Comments.

Biden is funnier when he isn't trying to be funny. This stuff is so lame, he should have gotten the hook. More, if you can stand them, at the link.

- "I just got back from five days in the Middle East. It's great to be back to a place where a boom in housing construction is a good thing."

- "Liz Cheney is here tonight. Liz has been on a tear. Now she's questioning if Tom Brady is a Patriot." Meh, said the crowd. "What the hell, it was worth a try."

- On moving to Washington: "I voted for public housing all my career -- never realized how good it actually is!"

Shocker: Boxer now trails Campbell in CA Senate race
posted: 2010-03-18 09:04:00    0 Comments.

Sure, it's within the margin of error, but Campbell is leading. The pollster moves the race to "toss-up."

In hypothetical match ups with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) in the general election, Campbell leads Boxer, 44% to 43%, while Boxer leads Fiorina, 45% to 44%, and tops DeVore, 45% to 41%. Both findings are within the survey's margin of error.

GOP gears up for health bill lawsuits
posted: 2010-03-18 09:01:00    0 Comments.

Mark Levin is one, but other right-wing legal eagles (they have two right wings) are gunning for this abomination as well. It's the Slaughter Rule and the individual mandate in the crosshairs.

The looming Congressional showdown over health care reform has set Washington’s legal war rooms whirring in preparation for court battles over any health legislation that moves towards President Barack Obama’s desk.

Republican lawyers say they’re conducting research and drafting arguments for lawsuits that could be filed within days or weeks, particularly if House leaders decide to go forward with a “deem & pass” rule that would not permit a freestanding vote on the Senate-passed health care reform bill.

GOP: We can kill 40% of the bill in Senate reconciliation
posted: 2010-03-18 08:49:00    0 Comments.

A nice, slow strangle in the Senate, if (a big if) it makes it out of the House.

Democrats might like to think that health care reform is all but a done deal if it clears the House, but the Senate is where Republicans have been plotting for months to sentence it to a painful procedural death.

Republican aides have been mining the Senate’s arcane parliamentary rules for an attack that aims at striking elements both broad and narrow from the bill, weakening the measure and ultimately defeating it. Their goal is to force changes that leave Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) without 51 votes to pass it, or at the very least, that drive it back to the House for a second vote that drags out the process and saps Democratic resolve.

Major defection: Floor Whip Lynch "no" based on Slaughter Rule
posted: 2010-03-18 08:48:00    0 Comments.

Lynch is not on The Hill's list - meaning he was considered a "yes" vote. Ah, toast in the morning ... smells like victory.

FTA: Lynch, who serves as one of Pelosi’s key vote counters, said he also can’t support a proposed “deem and pass” procedure that would allow Democrats to vote to strip out controversial portions of the Senate bill and then “deem” that the entire package has passed without a second, direct vote.

“It’s disingenuous,” said Lynch, who considers unfair a Senate provision to tack a surcharge on higher-end health plans. “It would really call into question the credibility of the House.”

Idaho first: Law forces AG to sue federal govt if HC mandate comes
posted: 2010-03-17 22:23:00    4 Comments.

Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance. Similar legislation is pending in 37 other states. Constitutional law experts say the movement is mostly symbolic because federal laws supersede those of the states.

Um, no, it is not mostly symbolic. It's a 10th Amendment argument, you morons. The federal government has not right to operate in this area. It is reserved to the states.

Survey of latest HC whip counts

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-17 21:49:00
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We'll start with a lib source - Fire Dog Lake: Original post yesterday. Update is not dated. No - 206 Leaning No - 3 Undecided - 17 Leaning Yes - 15 Yes - 191 Democrats need 26 of a combination of the 13 potential No-Yes flip votes and the 22 potential Yes-No flip votes. So they need 26 out of the remaining uncommitted 35. If you’re counting leaners, Democrats need 11 of the last 17 uncommitted. Next - Washington Examiner: Dated today (3/17/10) at 4:31PM 209 no, 204 yes, 18 undecided There are 431 members of the House, 253 Democrats and 178 Republicans. All the Republicans oppose the bill. At the moment, GOP sources believe that more ...

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Walgreens: No new Medicaid in Washington - reimbursement below cost
posted: 2010-03-17 19:21:00    4 Comments.

OK, now what, Barry? Add more patients? Pathetic ...

FTA: Walgreens will no longer accept new Medicaid patients in Washington state as of April 16.

The pharmacy company, which operates 121 stores in the state, will continue filling Medicaid prescriptions for current patients.

In a news release, the company said its decision to not take new Medicaid patients stemmed from a "continued reduction in reimbursement under the state's program."

The company says that under the current payment structure, the state Medicaid program is reimbursing Walgreens below its cost to break even on nearly 95 percent of brand-name medications dispensed to Medicaid patents.

Mark Levin: I will immediately sue the president if they use the Slaughter Rule

by: Bill Dupray   posted: 2010-03-17 17:52:00
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Don't think he won't. These liberals are battling the modern day version of the Founding Fathers, who, of course, stomped tyranny into the Atlantic Ocean.

Landmark will immediately sue the President, Attorney General Eric Holder and other relevant cabinet members to prevent them from instituting this unconstitutional contrivance. “Landmark has already prepared a lawsuit that will be filed in federal court the moment the House acts. Such a brazen violation of the core functions of Congress simply cannot be ignored. Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution is clear respecting the manner in which a bill becomes law. Members are required to vote on this bill, not claim they did when they didn’t. The Speaker of the House and her lieutenants are temporary custodians of congressional authority. They are not empowered to do permanent violence to our Constitution.”

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CBO's latest: TARP to cost us $109 Billion

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-17 17:08:00
Viewed 116 times. 1 Comments.

Barry then: "In the first round of repayments" from financial institutions that received TARP money, "the government has actually turned a profit." Barack Obama on Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 in a statement at the White House.

Reality now: $109 Billion loss.

5 minutes with your mom and her doc: HC reform is gonna hurt

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-17 16:39:00
Viewed 131 times. 1 Comments.

This video is particularly interesting to me. The patient is very typical of an elderly person, and the doc is just explaining the facts of HC. Add this to the mix: New England Journal of Medicine reports that 46.3% of primary care physicians feel that the passing of health reform will either force them out of medicine or make them want to leave medicine.

Pro-life Undecided Rep. Kaptur leaning "no"
posted: 2010-03-17 15:26:00    0 Comments.

The 50+ undecideds only need to break six or so to the "no" side to defeat this bill. Here's one leaning our way.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) is an adamantly pro-life Democrat, who says the Senate health care bill's abortion language is unacceptable to her. Though she voted "yes" on the House package in November, she's now suggesting she might vote "no" on the final legislation.

Kaptur said she's spoken to Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), another pro-life Dem who's signed off on the Senate's abortion language, but didn't find his reasons persuasive.

Good morning, Health Care!

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-17 11:25:00
Viewed 175 times. 1 Comments.

Tough day at the presses for HC:

Newspapers Report Bad News For Dem Efforts On The Health Care Process, The Premiums, The Deficit Reduction, The Popularity, The Pressure Tactics, The Timing, And The Votes

The Process: Dems “Struggled Tuesday To Defend Procedural Shortcuts”

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “Democrats Struggled Tuesday To Defend Procedural Shortcuts They Might Use To Win Approval For Their Proposals In The Next Few Days.” (“Democrats Consider New Moves For Health Bill,” The New York Times, 3/17/10)

ROLL CALL: “House Republicans Had Democratic Leaders Tied In Knots Tuesday Trying To Defend A Special Rule To Enact The Senate’s Health Care Bill Without A Separate Vote, even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) insisted she had not yet decided whether to use it.” (“Plans In Flux On Health Vote,” Roll Call, 3/17/10)

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “House Democrats Are So Skittish About The Piece Of Legislation That Is Now The Vehicle For Overhauling The Health Care System — The Bill Passed By The Senate In December — that they are considering a maneuver that would allow them to pass it without explicitly voting for it.” (“Democrats Consider New Moves For Health Bill,” The New York Times, 3/17/10)

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New GOP governor in place, Virginia goes all-in on offshore drilling
posted: 2010-03-17 09:01:00    1 Comments.

Elections have consequences, and now even the Democrats in Virginia want to be with the cool kids on drilling.

Never has the political climate in Virginia so favored offshore drilling. Most Virginia leaders -- regardless of their political party -- have expressed interest in joining Alaska, Texas, Louisiana and other states in setting up offshore platforms to drill for oil and natural gas.

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and fellow elected Republicans strongly back the proposal, as do most members of the state's congressional delegation, including both U.S. senators, who are Democrats.

The General Assembly passed a pair of bills during its annual session that show the divided legislature's support for drilling -- one that backs exploration, development and production 50 miles off the coast, and another that directs 70 percent of any future drilling royalties to state road improvements

Cowboy AG Holder: We's gonna keel dat bin Laden

by: Clyde Middleton   posted: 2010-03-17 08:57:00
Viewed 89 times. 0 Comments.

Image President Bush saying these words: "We will be reading Miranda rights to the corpse of Osama bin Laden. He will never appear in an American courtroom." And for a bit of backtracking, but still on message: "He will be killed by us or he will be killed by his own people so he won't be captured by us." Yes, those sounds echoing through the cavernous newsroom of the NYT are the cackles of liberal journos guffawing about another story that wrote itself:

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WaPo: Hey, the Slaughter Rule could be sorta . . . unconstitutional
posted: 2010-03-17 08:55:00    0 Comments.

Second front-page story in as many days from WaPo highlighting this crooked procedure.

An obscure parliamentary maneuver favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suddenly ignited Tuesday as the latest tinder in the year-long partisan strife over reshaping the nation's health-care system, triggering debate over the strategy's legitimacy and political wisdom. . . .

Legal scholars disagreed about whether it would be a constitutional way to pass the legislation. Yet even critics said they doubt that the procedure would put the measure at risk of being struck down by the courts.

"I feel pretty confident it is unconstitutional," said Michael W. McConnell, director of Stanford Law School's Constitutional Law Center . . .. "What a court would do about it is a murkier problem."

Barone: Dems are at least 10 votes short on health care
posted: 2010-03-17 08:46:00    0 Comments.

My sense is that the current Democratic leadership is at least 10 votes short of the 216-vote majority. So far none of the 37 November no votes has publicly committed to voting yes, not even Dennis Kucinich, who objects to the legislation because it doesn't go far enough. And some of the yeses, like Bart Stupak, sponsor of the abortion funding ban in the House bill, are committed noes.

All of which explains why House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn told McClatchy Newspapers that the bill may be delayed till Easter or even after. He's telling the Democrats who are trying to make the bill just go away by refusing to commit to vote yes that party leaders will insist on a vote. But he's also confessing that they still don't have enough votes to go to the floor.