DBJ... New health reform changes for Jan. 1

From Dayton Business Journal…

New health reform changes go into effect Jan. 1

Monday, December 27, 2010

Beginning Jan. 1, several new health care reform changes will go into effect.

“These benefits are important new building blocks of the new health law that will ultimately help ensure that more Americans have greater access to affordable, high-quality care,” said DeAnn Friedholm, director of Consumers Union’s health reform campaign in a news release. 

Truthout... News Briefs 12/28/10

From truthout.org…

News Briefs

WikiLeaks Shows DEA Has Global Reach

New WikiLeaks cables show that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has become a global intelligence organization with power over much more than narcotics, The New York Times reports. The DEA's wiretapping operation is allegedly so expansive that governments around the world have asked for the agency's help in spying on their political enemies.

The Liberal Perspective... How conservatives will kill recovery

From Truthout…

Top Ten Ways the Right Will Wreck the Recovery

Monday 27 December 2010

by: Isaiah J. Poole

Conservatives have a legislative agenda for 2011 that will hurt your ability to get or keep a job, your neighborhood's ability to recover from the recession and this country's ability to regain its footing in the global economy.

To keep conservatives from enacting policies that will kill a nascent economic recovery, progressives will have to organize against these top 10 economy killers.

Human Events... Allocation or Rationing

From Human Events…

Allocation and Rationing… The difference is freedom.

by John Hayward

12/27/2010

In the renewed discussion of “death panels” for government-controlled health care, some ask how the government distribution of scarce medical resources is really any different from the private sector doing so.  Either way, you’ve got a small group of people – politicians or insurance company executives – deciding who receives treatment. 

Morris... States taxing themselves to death

States Taxing Themselves to Death

By Dick Morris & Eileen McGann

Monday, 27 Dec 2010

High taxes kill states. There can be no better evidence than the 2010 Census. The states that lost House seats because they're shrinking, relative to the nation, had taxes 27 percent higher than the ones that gained seats.



Townhall... Obama looks OK in 2012

From Townhall.com…

Even After Shellacking, Obama Looks OK in 2012

By Michael Barone

On the day after Boxing Day, it's worth noting that Barack Obama is down but not out.

You could tell as much from the contrast between his petulant post-election press conference and his peppy pre-Christmas press conference. In the former, he was crabby about accepting Republicans' demands that income tax rates on all taxpayers not be raised. In the latter, he was celebrating the lame-duck Congress's acceptance of his stands on the New START treaty, repeal of don't ask, don't tell, and even the previously reviled tax deal.

Townhall... Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal a mistake

From Townhall.com…

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal a Mistake

By Star Parker

Our 111th congress, in its lame duck session, has given America a Christmas present in the way of repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” law.

Signing the repeal into law, President Obama said he’s “never been prouder.”

From my point of view, I’m feeling increasingly like a minority in our country. Not because I’m black, but because I am a Christian.

Newsmax... Death Panel back on table

From Newsmax.com…

Obama Embraces 'Death Panel' Concept in Medicare Rule

Sunday, 26 Dec 2010

During the stormy debate over his healthcare plan, President Barack Obama promised his program would not "pull the plug on grandma" and Congress dropped plans for death panels and "end of life" counseling that would encourage aged patients from partaking in costly medical procedures.



Opponents of Obama's plan, including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, dubbed such efforts as "death panels" that would encourage euthanasia.



Rasmussen... Current Congress Session Died as it Lived

From Rasmussen Reports…

Congressional Performance

Current Session of Congress Died As It Lived

Sunday, December 26, 2010

The current session of Congress finally closed its doors this past week with voters remaining largely as critical of it as they have been for months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 13% of Likely U.S. Voters rate Congress’ performance as good or excellent, consistent with surveys for much of the last two years. Fifty-three percent (53%) say it’s been doing a poor job. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Newsmax... News Briefs: Bolton, NPR & more

From Newsmax.com…

New Briefs

1. John Bolton Eyes White House Run in 2012

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, who never has held elective office, says he is seriously considering running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

“As I survey the situation, I think the Republican field is wide open,” Bolton told Politico.

Truthout... News Briefs 12/26/10

From Truthout.org…

News Briefs

Sunday 26 December 2010 



Beyond WikiLeaks: The Privatization of War


Jose L. Gomez de Prado, UN Working Group on Mercenaries: "Human rights violations perpetrated by private military and security companies are indications of the threat posed to the foundations of democracy when inherently public functions - such as the monopoly on the legitimate use of force - become privatized." 
Read the Article 



Townhall... What if energy isn't green?

From Townhall.com…

What If the Energy Isn't "Green"?

By Austin Hill

It’s an extraordinary thing when an American President says he wants to “bankrupt” an American industry. And while it’s difficult to know the implications of such a thing – we may be in the process of finding out.