FBI arrests Illinois Governor and aide

Dirty. Chicago. Politics.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat (but you wouldn't read it elsewhere on mainstream media), and his chief of staff have been arrested by the FBI on federal corruption charges. Evidently the governor and his aid were soliciting bids to fill Barack Obama's senate seat. However, investigators revealed that allegations may go well beyond just that...

Remember, corruption always loses in politics.

People already tired of seeing Obama on screen

When President-elect Obama first announced his weekly YouTube "fireside chats," it was hailed as genius in this Internet Age. However, viewership has dropped dramatically since it started three weeks ago.

What does this really mean?

First, Generation X and Generation Y have short attention spans. What Obama needs are cool soundtracks and product placements.

Next, add some cats.

WaPo defends unions and criminal trespass

When an article titled "Unions Aren't the Problem" shows up, you know it's going to be entertaining and amusing to read. Marie Cocco of the Washington Post graciously provides us the intellectual stimulation we need this morning...

I do agree with her on the original intention of unions:

Creating a viable middle class has been the goal of organized labor since labor first became organized. And it is this goal that was abandoned outright by American political and business leaders as they did all they could over the past three decades to encourage a relentless race to the bottom in wages and benefits.

So what happened? Like many organizations, unions became powerful and its leaders turned into mob bosses with influence over politicians and businessmen. And when one is sitting at the top with so much power, more than likely the person wouldn't want to leave and would do anything to remain at the top, including abusing its members.

Also, Cocco doesn't think personal financial responsibility applies to the middle class:

Strip away the financial mumbo jumbo and the credit crisis comes down to this: For decades, as wages and benefits for working and middle-class people stagnated or fell, the only way for them to purchase the goods that make the economy hum was through credit. This was true whether the item purchased was a home, a car -- or all the unnecessary gizmos that retailers have been more than happy to tell consumers were the must-haves of the day. Until we understand that we are in the midst of two crises -- one the short-term credit crisis and one the longer-term crisis in the failure to pay workers what they need to sustain themselves -- we are doomed to repeat this horror.

Why are people buying everything through credit? Cars, furniture, electronics -- everything is financed! My parents raised me to only buy what you have the cash for and try your best to avoid debt. That BMW is a sweet ride, but if I only have the money to buy a used Ford Escort then that's what I'll be driving for a few years. Our economy shouldn't hum on credit. It should hum on cash purchases!

And is she condoning trespass?

This is why we can only hope that events such as the unfolding peaceful occupation of a Chicago window factory by its newly laid-off workers is the start of something much, much bigger.

Laid-off workers returning to work, except it's not work because they are actually disrupting the actual paid workers the company kept. What nonsense is this?! Why aren't they scouring newspapers and researching online to find work instead of wasting time harassing their former employer? Move. On. Please.

Newsweek's cover story on gay marriage

Overall, I applaud Lisa Miller in her effort to rationalize gay marriage with a catchy heading in Newsweek. Gay marriage has always been an explosive and controversial topic, and I seriously think Newsweek featured this story just to stir the pot a bit. This is one of those subjects that nobody from either side of the argument will budge. It's been like that for decades.

But what's now bugging the pro and con crowds of gay marriage is the result of California's vote on Proposition 8. The vote to change the state's constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman removed the right for same-sex couples to marry. As we all know, California is a liberal state and such a ban on gay marriage came as a shock to many. Immediately supporters organized mass protests and other campaigns in hopes to reverse the results.

First, onto Miller's article. She opens with examples from the Bible, the source of reference for many religious conservatives in their anti-gay marriage stance:

Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple—who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love—turn to the Bible as a how-to script?

Yet she fails to mention God's first creation in His own image: Adam. Knowing Adam's longing for companionship, did He create another man? No, Eve was made to be with Adam. Then God instructed them to be fruitful and multiply. So since Creation, God intended a male and female to form a family, the basic element of human society. (And even if you don't believe Creationism in the Bible and insist that there exists many interpretations, how can you not interpret Genesis as the basis for man-woman marriage?)

Miller reasonably points out Biblical examples of Abraham, Jacob, etc. from the Old Testament. In the case of Abraham (Abram), it wasn't the Lord that encouraged him to sleep with his wife Sarai (Sarah)'s maidservant, Hagar. The Scripture clearly says that it was Sarai's idea. What the author fails to realize is that the Bible records many things and events, many of which are sins and tragedies, but that does not mean they're condoned by God. That's why there's Jesus and the New Testament. He came to wipe the slate clean and allow a fresh start. And in the New Testament Jesus and the Apostles preach several times on marriage and family.

By merely pulling verses from the Scriptures out of context without fully understanding them, Miller presents a weak argument against the anti-gay marriage, religious conservatives. Furthermore, it does nothing to advance the support of gay marriage.

Liberals unhappy about Obama

The more President-elect Obama talks about current issues and announces new cabinet appointments, the edgier liberals become. Ever since the general election, Obama has yet to offer anything concrete to the left-wing Democrats and MoveOn.org liberals. Instead, his decisions have been praised even by some conservatives! Some have labeled him a closet centrist -- imagine the horror!

Steve Hildebrand of the Huffington Post pleads for calm among his leftist friends:

...The point I'm making here is that our new president, the Congress and all Americans must come together to solve these problems. This is not a time for the left wing of our Party to draw conclusions about the Cabinet and White House appointments that President-Elect Obama is making. Some believe the appointments generally aren't progressive enough. Having worked with former Senator Obama for the last two years, I can tell you, that isn't the way he thinks and it's not likely the way he will lead. The problems I mentioned above and the many I didn't, suggest that our president surround himself with the most qualified people to address these challenges. After all, he was elected to be the president of all the people - not just those on the left.

The Democrat Party should take note. All these years of appeasing and redistributing wealth have made your party owned by the liberal netroot crazies, union bosses, and mainstream media. They have supported Democratic politicians, and what they giveth they can taketh. If these leftists don't get something in return by 2010, the Democrats are in for a lesson that the Republicans already learned the hard way...

First Vietnamese-American elected to Congress

Incumbent Democrat William Jefferson was defeated by Republican immigration lawyer Anh "Joseph" Cao. The Louisiana election was postponed for a month because of Hurricane Gustav. And with the star power of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, this state is starting to get redder and redder!

Gail Collins takes cheap shots at Chambliss and his win

Oh, it's really not surprising at all, coming from the op-ed of NYT. I can understand why columnist Gail Collins is taking these cheap shots since Democrat Jim Martin lost to Saxby Chambliss in Georgia. If the outcome had been the reverse, I'm sure Collins would've penned something less of an eyesore.

Cheap shot #1, attacking Chambliss' work ethics:

Anyhow, the Georgia runoff was more important than you might imagine. Certainly more significant than anything Chambliss has done since he skipped a closed-door Senate session on Iraq intelligence data to go golfing with Tiger Woods...

Cheap shot #2, making fun of other Republicans and those who went to Georgia to support Chambliss:

...Mitt! Mike! McCain! Together again, just like in the primaries, with a stuffed manatee playing the part of Fred Thompson. “If we give them a blank check, they will sign that check and be taking money out of our pockets,” warned Rudy Giuliani, whose total failure as a presidential candidate clearly has not affected his ability to turn a phrase.

Cheap shot #3, somehow linking Sen. Chambliss' golfing skills with her BDS:

Now Chambliss has been a senator for six years, and his greatest achievement was getting ranked the 33rd best golfer in Washington by Golf Digest. It is highly unlikely that he could stop the president from doing anything beyond making a putt.

Cheap shot #4, dragging Sen. Joe Lieberman into the picture:

Besides, if the Democrats did get the 60 seats, one of them would belong to Joe Lieberman. You may recall that although Lieberman spent the last year campaigning for John McCain (and, as it turns out, donating money to Republican candidates for the senate), the Democrats were so desperate to keep him in their caucus that they caved in to his demands to keep his committee chairmanship. If Lieberman had turned out to be Mr. 60, he would not only have wanted the committee, he would have insisted on being carried to all its meetings on a litter, borne by the fellow senators who failed to appreciate him, with Lindsey Graham running ahead, clashing cymbals.

Cheap shot #5, trying to justify her cheap shots with RINO Olympia Snowe (Maine):

Olympia Snowe, the senior senator, is widely regarded as one of Congress’s quality acts. In fact, some people might have wondered why John McCain, if he was so desperate for a woman on his ticket, ignored a well-traveled, independent-minded experienced legislator who does her homework in favor of an out-to-lunch moose-murderer who cannot seem to put together a coherent sentence.

All right, so #5 can also be #6, which is ridiculing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a well-liked politician and rising star among conservatives, but a woman that, for odd reasons, doesn't quite appeal to the feminists and liberal op-ed columnists.

New York may get a Sen. Kennedy

With Sen. Hillary Clinton leaving the Senate to become the new Secretary of State, rumor has it that New York Gov. David Paterson may appoint Caroline Kennedy to fill in the seat. And she's said to be considering it.

Transition of power in the Internet Age

President-elect Obama's staff has some talented, young, and energized people, and they grew up in the Internet Age where instant messages are preferred and Facebook usage is a must. But that also presents a challenge for the transition team.

The latest embarrassment comes from his Director of Speechwriting, Jon Favreau, a talented 27-year-old, a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross in 2003. Apparently some compromising party photos surfaced on Facebook with him and a cardboard cutout of Hillary Clinton.

And no need to find those photos. Obviously they have been removed to prevent further negative publicity to the Obama transition team.

The legacy of President Bush...

This is how I'd remember President Bush. Thanks to Peggy Noonan for sharing it.

It's not just about those 60 seats...

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) defeated Jim Martin (D) with a clear mandate -- by nearly 15 points! --from Georgia voters: we want to stay a red Peach State. This win for the Republicans assures that no super-majority can be achieved by Senate Democrats. Whew!

But it's really about more than that...

Clearly, the Democratic vote driving machine did not work this time in the runoff election. Black voters didn't turn out to vote for Martin as they had in the general election for Obama. If this is any indication of voter turnout in 2010, the GOP certainly will attempt to exploit this kink in the armor.

And why didn't President-elect Obama go down to Georgia to support Martin knowing how important of a race it was? Was he never a believer in Martin? I'm sure Jim Martin is left with a bitter taste in his mouth after this campaign, and not because he'd lost, but because "The One" didn't consider traveling to the Peach State to rally for him.

Chambliss had better luck with his support cast. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin went to Georgia to campaign for Chambliss, and according to the senator, "When she walks in a room, folks just explode." No matter what your opinion of her is, she's going to stay on the media radar and remain a star in the Republican Party.

And what about the messy senate race in Minnesota? Some Democrats are scared of Al Franken actually becoming a U.S. senator. Is it really that easy for any Hollywood hack to become a Washington politician?! Will a Franken win encourage more of these west coast loudmouths to run for office? A Hollywood invasion of Washington. That won't be a pretty sight.

Another example of why the U.N. is a joke

Thanks to Claudia Rosett writing on Forbes.com about the United Nations' Durban Review Conference (or "Durban II" as she calls it) to expose the organization's hypocrisy in ending global racism. Durban II is chaired by a Libyan ambassador who has gone on the record slamming Israel many, many times. Other nations involved in the preparatory committee include Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and Cameroon. Yes, believe it or not, these are the countries tasked to organize a conference on ending racism worldwide!

My advice is for anyone participating in any U.N. conference or meeting to wear high boots. There's so much dog-squeeze at these places that you'll need adequate protection...

Jeb Bush considering senate run

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is contemplating becoming a senator after Sen. Mel Martinez (R) announced that he won't seek re-election. The GOP is giddy about this prospect as Bush enjoys high approval ratings in the state and having him on the ballot in 2010 would be great defense against the Democrats who consider Florida a high profile battleground. Even his president brother's historically low approval rating doesn't bother Jeb supporters. They are confident that Jeb's popularity will counter any negativity associated with President Bush especially when he's already  left the White House for two years in 2010.

The left, understandably, doesn't like the idea of Jeb Bush entering the Senate. Just having another Bush in Washington rubs them the wrong way! There's already some BDS II surfacing: Matt Stoller of OpenLeft.com is spreading BDS II already:

...Bush's background as a semi-corrupt businessman who participated in a scheme to, get this, sell water pumps in Nigeria, will emerge.

Remember, the Bush family is immensely corrupt, but that doesn't emerge unless there's actual scrutiny. Jeb has never been subjected to any such scrutiny, but it's hard to imagine that this situation can continue if he gets a serious contender. The Bush family is in disgrace, and I don't see how that changes in just two years, especially with the rumors flying around about Jeb's personal behavior and business shenanigans.

It was a former business partner of Jeb Bush that was under investigation for the Nigerian water pump deal gone awry. Jeb was never found of any wrongdoing. And simply accusing the Bush family of being corrupt, without scrutiny? Please don't tell me that the media scrutinized President-elect Obama.

Chambliss wins in Georgia

The Democrats won't be able to attain their 60-seat majority in the Senate as Georgia incumbent Sen. Saxby Chambliss wins with nearly 60%. My guess is that a lot of Republicans and conservatives came out to vote for fear of the Democratic super-majority threat. It's good to know that Georgia remains red. The win by Chambliss will look good on all those who'd gone to Georgia to campaign for him: Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, and especially Sarah Palin.

Get paid $1, get a few billion dollars in return

Detroit's Big Auto is back to Washington to present plans in order to convince Congress they are worthy of a $25 billion loan. Ford CEO Alan Mulally is even willing to work for $1 per year if the company gets the government money.

My question is, Why isn't he paid $1 already when the company has been in trouble for years?! I have nothing against lucrative executive compensation, but when the company is on the brink of bankruptcy and ready to layoff thousands of workers, the least that executives could do is take a pay cut.

Palin's reputation rides on Georgia election

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin went to Georgia to stump for incumbent Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss in the runoff election on December 2. This senate race has national attention because it could mean a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority for the Democrats if challenger Jim Martin wins (and in Minnesota, Al Franken).

Palin also took a bold step in traveling to Georgia after the fallout of the presidential campaign. Georgia is fairly receptive to Palin's conservative messages, but in other red states and among other Republicans, Palin has plenty of vocal critics. She's obviously interested in staying on the political radar for the coming years, and a win for Chambliss would allow her to bank some political credits. However, if for whatever reason Martin unseats the incumbent, then there will be many, many fingers pointed at Palin.

Franken losing in recount, may seek help from Senate

The latest recount in Minnesota has Norm Coleman (R) ahead with about 340 votes and challenger Al Franken (D) is looking to take his case to the Democrat-controlled Senate. Talk about the loser trying to change the rules. Instead of honoring the voting results of Minnesotans, Franken is willing to overturn that by seeking help from his party friends in Congress.

No recession in Obama house

To show his appreciation for his wife's support, President-elect Obama is buying a $30,000 diamond and rhodium ring for the soon-to-be first lady. That's a nice gesture, and now we know there's no economic downturn in Obama's house.

Calls for Bill to replace Hillary in Senate

Some people would like to see a Clinton replaced by another Clinton. Now that Hillary will be Obama's Secretary of State, it's up to New York Governor David Paterson, a Democrat, to appoint a replacement to serve out Hillary's term. Other high-profile contenders include Caroline Kennedy and her cousin, Robert Kennedy, Jr. I doubt the Democratic leaders would like Bill to enter the Senate. That would turn the Senate into a drawn-out soap opera...

Centrist Obama

Is President-elect really a centrist? So far his appointments have not shown a leftward slant and that's making the progressive Netroots anxious. His choice for Treasury Secretary, State Secterary, and Defense Secretary have been praised by Republicans and Democrats alike. Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard starts to wonder: Is Obama a secret centrist?

Maybe we are starting to really see how effective a politician Obama is. I'm starting to wonder if during the campaign, Obama and his team played the left in order to get the support to secure the Democrat Party's nomination. Since he was going up against Hillary, a liberal politician who's shown to be open to a centrist platform, Obama veered to the left in order to distinguish himself from her. And by doing such he gathered the steam and momentum from the far left crowd who have been waiting for years to see a candidate they like. Now that he's president-elect, his cabinet choices have been disappointing the progressive left who have supported him the most.

However, it's entirely possible that he's just setting everything up for the long four years in the White House. Maybe he thinks being a centrist would get things done quicker in the early years, to settle things down. And when the dust settles, he can start going left, very left. After all, his campaign promises of bloated government programs and faux tax cuts would guarantee applause from the Netroots.