RIP

The first casualty of the Obama healthcare initiative is the single-payer system. The second may be Dr. Obama himmself, since the patients apparently don't like what he is prescribing.

SNL

Bad comedians often resort to potty mouths, because they don't know how to be funny otherwise. I'm surprised SNL didn't drop the F-bomb years ago.

Going for the Gold

First Barack Obama said he was too busy with healthcare reform to go to Copenhagen to assist with hometown Chicago's 2016 Olympics bid. Now, after one security crisis after another (Iran, Afghanistan, five terror plots on U.S. soil), and still no healthcare, he now says he will go. If he was too busy to go before, why has he changed his mind? Our president deserves a gold medal for chutzpah.

Speaking Softly

In the wake of the latest revelation of Iran's expanding nuclear program, President Obama is warning the mullahs that they face the prospect of "serious, meaningful dialogue." Now I know they'll stop all their deceptions. Why didn't Bush think of this?

Kid Wisdom

"The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, but the Lord always giveth a little bit more."

Charlie

Charlie Gibson admitted on Chicago radio last week that he hadn't heard of the ACORN sting story. That means he is either incompetent or lying. I believe him. No wonder the mainstream media are doing so poorly and the alternative media are eating them up.

Tough

Who says President Obama isn't tough? Sure, he capitulated to the Russians on missile defense and now is making noises about pulling out of Afghanistan (the "good war"). But he's leaning on New York's lame duck Democratic governor, David Paterson, to pull out of the 2010 race, and he's apparently preparing to go after the CIA interrogators. I know dictators worldwide are shaking in their boots.

Sick

A sick day is not a vacation day.

With Friends Like These

President Obama has done the statesmanlike (and prudent) thing: He has stated clearly that the vociferous protests against his health care reform efforts are not racially motivated. Good for him, and for the country. Now will he call off the nincompoops in his party who have been spreading this pernicious falsehood?

Power Vacuum

President Obama's decision to unilaterally remove the American missile shield from the soil of our Eastern European allies can only be seen as penny-wise and pound-foolish. He might have a few more billion dollars now to throw at cars-for-clunkers, bank bailouts, the takeover of the U.S. healthcare system, and other pet projects, but a president's first priority has to be national defense. Especially with Iran and North Korea hell-bent on acquiring nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.

With spiraling debt and a lessening of our commitmment to our own security, I fear we are seeing the end of the U.S. as a superpower, right before our very eyes--and the beginning of a far more dangerous world. Just who does Obama think will fill the power vacuum he has created? Perhaps we should call him President Hoover.

Insert Foot

The Bible says even a fool is thought wise if he keeps his mouth shut. Jimmy Carter opened his and promptly removed all doubt.

This Just In

From an e-mail sent by Dennis Kucinich: "CORRECTION: Roy Rogers' Horse Saves Health Care." I'm shocked that such an e-mail would even require a correction! It seemed so sane and sensible!

Joe Wilson

Given the fact that his frustrated interjection was inappropriate to the occasion, rude, and disrespectful to the president, does Joe Wilson get any points for telling the truth? No one else in the political or media elites was willing to speak up when the president dissembled.

A Tale of Two Quarterbacks

Every time Rex Grossman, the former Bears Super Bowl quarterback, threw an incompletion, the media would post his poor quarterback rating. Last night, Jay Cutler, the young messiah, threw four picks, but I never saw his quarterback rating. The biased media coverage almost makes me think that Grossman is a Republican and Cutler is a Democrat.

Clean

The object isn't cleaning. It's clean.

Over

Do it over.

The Key to Contentment

Less of me, more of you.

Pixie Dust

Last night the president reminded me of JFK-and Bob Dole. In urging America to take on a new challenge, health care, he sounded like the optimistic leader of Camelot. But when he responded to critics, he sounded like Bob Dole, who snapped darkly at Bill Clinton during his failed campaign for the Oval Office, "Stop lying about my record!"

Which one the voters pin on him is anyone's guess. But pixie dust, once used, cannot be swept up and used again. Obama has left the realm of mythic American messiah and stands exposed as just another politician.

Two Health Care Myths

As our president attempts to regain control of the health care debate, keep in mind two myths: (1) that it is those mean ol' Republicans that are blocking reform, and (2) that those who are opposed to Obamacare are opposed to all reform. Mr. Obama has all the votes he needs in his own party to pass whatever he wants, and there are health care alternatives that many Republicans (such as me) support that would put more power into the hands of the people rather than government bureaucrats. But we cannot gain a hearing for them. Perhaps if our president would stop all his speechifying and actually listen ...?

Jones

So, let me see if I have this right. Van Jones is a communist conspiracy theorist with a foul mouth. Apparently a perfect fit with Team Obama. At least until he got caught.

How to Spend Labor Day

The administration on Labor Day is touting the 450,000 to 500,000 jobs "created or saved" by its "stimulus" plan (meanwhile not mentioning the fact that the "stimulus" was supposed to keep unemployment far below the current 9.7 percent). Economists, at least those not in the employ of Team Obama, say it isn't so, especially since only 10 percent of the $787 billion of "stimulus" spending has actually been spent so far.

If we want to "create or save" even more jobs, here's an idea: Let's not spend any more of the "stimulus" and instead use it to pay down some of the debt the administration is beqeathing to our children and grandchildren. Or, better, yet, give it back to the taxpayers.

Lost or Found

You're either lost or you're found. There ain't no in between.

Reality Check

I don't know whether what the president was planning to say to America's schoolchildren would have crossed the line or not. But I do know the whole flap reveals the man's hubris and conceit. He has spent his whole political life surrounded by people who tell him how great he is, and he has soaked it all up. It didn't even occur to Mr. Obama how bad it looks to have our kids (not his) writing letters saying how they can help him. The man needs a reality check.

Health Care and Charisma

Barack Obama, realizing he has lost control of the health care issue (how this is possible considering Democrats control Congress and the media I have no idea), is planning a prime time address to Congress to regroup. The Republiccans had better also prepare, because no matter what Obama says, his liberal allies will spin it as a revelation and put Republicans on the defensive. If only the party had a charismatic spokesman(woman?)! Oh, well, health care has been one of those rare issues for which charisma has mattered little.

Baited

When disciplining your children, don't take the bait.

Vietnamistan

With losses mounting in Afghanistan and a sense of lawlessness increasing, there is talk of bringing U.S. troops in from the hinterlands to protect population centers and rely on Afghan government forces to win the war. Sounds a lot like a replay of ... Vietnam.