(Via Huffington Post)  […]  Matthews was speaking at Thinkfest, a weeklong event sponsored by Philadelphia magazine at the Rittenhouse Hotel, when magazine editor Tom McGrath asked Matthews’ take on Christie’s potential 2016 bid.

“Two days after Election Day, Chris Christie has crushed his opponent. Is he gonna be the Republican …” began McGrath.

“The one I feel for is his wife,” Matthews cut in.

After a brief pause, some chuckled as McGrath asked, “Why’s that?”

“Did you just say, ‘crush?'” Matthews said. “I mean, use your imagination.”

The crowd erupted. (more…)

True fiscal conservatives are smart folk.  They know how to balance budgets and simultaneously show how the absence of fiscal prudence has consequences.  It is a rare skill that can grasp when to hold the line and when to let progressive ideologues taste the outcomes of their fiscal irresponsibility.
Scott Walker is just such a man.   And no state governor has been so bitterly attacked by progressives because they know and rightly feared him.
To set up the current example here you must go back to the Obamacare fight in 2010.  The federal government structured penalties in the Obamacare law to force States to expand their Medicaid roles.    Medicaid is a state run benefit.  This fight eventually was decided by the Supreme Court in favor of the states who opposed the heavy handed mandate with the court ruling the Feds could not *punish* states for not taking federal money.
Scott Walker was saying:  ‘be careful what you wish/vote for, you just might get it’.   But no-one was really paying attention to the intelligence behind the quiet argument.  (more…)

Can they get the website repaired by their promised deadline of November 30th ?  It looks like they’ll be working through the Thanksgiving Holiday trying desperately to deliver….. well, maybe.

(Reuters) – The Obama administration’s HealthCare.gov adviser Jeffrey Zeints said on Friday that the trouble-plagued federal healthcare website is improving, but that higher volumes of visitors are exposing new capacity and software issues.
In a conference call with reporters, Zeints said progress this week has been marred by roadblocks. He described HealthCare.gov as being “a long way from where it needs to be.” (more…)

LetJusticePrevail shares: […]  For anyone interested, this link provides access to the full video of the FL Criminal Justice Subcommittee hearing yesterday that listened to debate on HB 4003 that called for the repeal of the FL Stand Your Ground law.
The hearing (and video) was FIVE HOURS long, and it may not be something you want to watch, so here’s the long and short of it:
The committee rejected the bill by a vote of 11-2, (voting FOR the repeal were Dems Randolph Bracy and Kionne McGhee) and the SYG law WILL remain in place. The other bill (HB 89) that addresses proposed changes to the SYG law (but not repeal)and the 10-20-life sentencing guidelines was approved by a vote of 12-1 and will be sent to the general legislature.(only McGhee opposed HB 89, on the argument that it was an “exception to an exception to an exception to an exception and that there were better ways to address the issue of mandatory sentences in of aggravated assault, rather than including them under the umbrella of immunity as provided under statute 776).
So, the repeal of FL’s SYG law died in subcommittee, and the bill that would EXPAND  immunity to include cases where the mere THREAT of force was used in cases of self defense PASSED to be heard by the legislature. These were BOTH victories for FL citizens, and their rights to defend themselves. (more…)

The irony is thick with this report from Colorado.  The Chairman in charge of getting the Red State Democrats re-elected to the Senate is none other than Colorado’s Mike Bennet. Bennet even brags about his role in Obamacare on his Senate Web-Page. D’oh
DENVER (ABC 7) – More than 250,000 Coloradans are losing their health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.” That’s according to the state Division of Insurance in a count of people on health plans canceled by 23 carriers in the wake of new federal requirements.
In some cases, the insurance plans do not include the benefits that are required by the law as of Jan. 1. In other cases, the companies don’t want to write that particular line of business any longer. (more…)

The “Vulnerables” (pictured below) have been given the green light to yell, scream, ridicule, gnash teeth, disparage and belittle President Obama, HHS, The White House and Obamacare.   Free reign on the optics, BUT ONLY THE OPTICS. 
They are free to do/say anything to save themselves in order to make “appearances” better for them in the face of their constituents.  However, they are not allowed to structurally do anything which might change the law itself.
WASHINGTON DC – Democratic senators facing voters next year are willing to give the White House time to resolve the glaring problems with Obamacare.
Very little time.

At the pleading of senior White House officials, Senate Democrats are holding off on demands to delay major aspects of the health care law until the Obama administration has the opportunity to fix the website problems that are thwarting enrollment in the program.
Democratic senators facing reelection have a green light to bash the White House and call for certain legislative fixes. But they’ve been urged by senior administration officials not to insist on delaying the controversial law’s core: The mandate for individuals to purchase insurance coverage or face penalties. (more…)

Just as predicted – We said this would happen today:
(Via Chuck Todd of NBC News)  President Obama said Thursday that he is “sorry” that some Americans are losing their current health insurance plans as a result of the Affordable Care Act, despite his promise that no one would have to give up a health plan they liked.

“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me,” he told NBC News in an exclusive interview at the White House.
“We’ve got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear them and we are going to do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this.”
Obama’s comments come 10 days after NBC News’ Lisa Myers reported that the administration has known since the summer of 2010 that millions of Americans could lose their insurance under the law. (more…)

Someone tell me what exactly is the U.S. value, or interest, in this Obama-doctrine again?   Concessions for Iran and Disparagement for Israel ?    Seriously.

GENEVA – On the eve of a new round of nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers, a U.S. official said Wednesday that the powers want Iran to halt its nuclear program for six months in exchange for temporary sanctions relief.
The American official added that imposing any new sanctions on Iran at this stage would seriously undermine the negotiations.
During the three weeks since the last round of talks in Geneva, Iranian experts have been meeting in Vienna with counterparts from the six powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – to discuss the technical aspects of this first step, including how Iran’s nuclear program will be suspended and which sanctions would be eased.  (read the update)

Meanwhile: (more…)

(more…)

The media and Republican goal now shifts to the historic national election of first female President Hillary Clinton.

With that in mind the media and the GOP “Decepticons” (the Old Guard) will proclaim New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, as the second coming of political Jesus.   The Republican establishment will swoon over Christie’s large victory and proclaim his resounding win as evidence he is the last and only great hope for 2016.
In complete, albeit temporary synergy, the progressive media will reinforce this GOP message (in the *DROOLING extreme) because they too have a vested interest in seeing Governor Chris Christie rise to be the chosen GOP candidate in the same vein as they selected Governor Mitt Romney.

[*if you want a funny exercise: record all of the dreamy, swoony and complimentary things the media will say about Chris Christie over the next 48 hours.  Save them, and then compare them to what happens mid-summer 2016 – from the exact same people]

The media do not want a bold contrast. Bold contrasts are dangerous to progressive advancement. Bold contrasts are scary.  Bold contrasts represent “risk”.   Remember who they called “maverick” in 2007.   No, the progressive media will position to have a candidate who is ideologically closer to oppose their chosen Hillary.
Chris Christie fits that billing perfectly.   White banker, pro-amnesty, pro-Islam, pro-big government, pro-big business, pro-bailouts, anti-state’s rights, Pro-FEMA, Pro-expanding Medicaid, Pro-Obamacare;… the perfectly squishy middle-man to replace perfectly squishy Mitt Romney, who replaced perfectly squishy John McCain, who replaced.. well, you get the picture.
The GOP even groomed him in the optic of his victory speech: (more…)