Day: December 21, 2011
McCain: Payroll Tax Fight Harming GOP
It is harming the Republican party. It is harming the view, if it’s possible anymore, of the American people about Congress.
— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), in an interview on CNN, on the payroll tax fight in Congress.
Gingrich Doesn’t Deserve ‘Historian’ Moniker
Gingrich could not get tenure in a minor institution, West Georgia College. “Writing, presenting research work was not Newt’s forte,” said his dean, Richard A. Dangle. When first asked, Gingrich fudged and said he didn’t apply for tenure, then changed his story to having had a conversation with the dean who told him he was not going to get tenure “under any circumstances. You’ve spent four years campaigning, you can’t turn now and say, ‘let me get on the track.’”
— Mayra McPherson, writing for Neiman Foundation’s Neiman Watchdog blog.
WSJ: GOP Losing on Payroll Tax Issue
The GOP leaders have somehow managed the remarkable feat of being blamed for opposing a one-year extension of a tax holiday that they are surely going to pass. This is no easy double play…. At this stage, Republicans would do best to cut their losses and find a way to extend the payroll holiday quickly… The alternative is more chaotic retreat and the return of all-Democratic rule.
— A Wall Street Journal editorial that skewers Republicans for their handling of the payroll tax cut extension.
Republicans Take Direct Hit in War on Xmas
Apparently Florida Senate candidate and former fill-in Sen. George LeMieux didn’t get the memo. He sent supporters and those on his email list a message entitled “Happy holidays” with a link to this “Happy holidays” video, in which he takes 24 seconds to wish everyone, whether they are celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, a happy holiday.
Do we even need to say it? O.K., here goes. Had a Democrat running for office wished people the polite, “Happy holidays” instead of the hot button, “Merry Christmas,” the egregious liberal socialist atheist communist slur would have been noted. I guess the Catholic Mr. LeMieux is held to a different standard. One which, by the way, I applaud.
But still, I would have liked to know what battles were fought behind the scenes for this video to be made. As a Republican friend on Facebook said the other day, “Happy Hanukkah, or as they call it on FOX News, Happy Jew Christmas!”
