I thought President Obama’s new year resolution was to cut down on spending?  Didn’t he make a speech declaring he was going all deficit hawkish a week or so ago?  That didn’t last long.

The government on Wednesday provided a fresh $3.8 billion cash infusion to stabilize GMAC Financial Services as the financing company struggles with hefty losses in its home mortgage unit.

The Treasury Department said the new aid, which comes from a taxpayer-financed bailout fund, is less than the roughly $6 billion the government had earlier thought GMAC would need to stabilize the company.

The fresh infusion is on top of $12.5 billion in taxpayer money Detroit-based GMAC has already received from the government. The new agreement will boost the federal government’s ownership in GMAC to 56%, from 35%.

Maybe he got his birds mixed up.  Maybe he’s going to go all deficit sparrow.

Ms. Napolitano needs a reality check.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Sunday that the thwarting of the attempt to blow up an Amsterdam-Detroit airline flight Christmas Day demonstrated that “the system worked.”Asked by CNN’s Candy Crowley on “State of the Union” how that could be possible when the young Nigerian who has been charged with trying to set off the bomb was able to smuggle explosive liquid onto the jet, Napolitano responded: “We’re asking the same questions.”

If the system worked, why are there new changes to airline screening and in-flight procedures? If the system worked, there’d be no need for that.  If the system worked, the guy would never have gotten a bomb onboard.  Look, it was a lot of luck, and some brave passengers and crew, that kept the passengers of Northwest Flight 253 alive on Christmas.  “The system” apparently relies on stupid terrorists and heroic passengers.  Welcome to our National Security plan!

So pack some rabbit’s feet and four leaf clovers for your next flight.  They’ll keep you safer than the current administration.

Every Christmas, my father reads from the Gospel of Luke.  This year, the frail 89-year old passed that tradition over to my 13 year old nephew.

Luke 2:1-14:

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Merry Christmas!

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Democrat leaders have no shame and no reluctance to buy votes for Obamacare/Reidcare/Pelosicare and hand out taxpayer dollars ($1.2 billion of them, so far)  to help those Democrats corrupt enough to sell their vote.  For an excellent list, check out HotAir:

With the bill hanging in the balance, [Nebraska Dem. Sen. Ben] Nelson won a provision exempting his state from paying the usual share of costs for new Medicaid patients. The deal critics have dubbed the Cornhusker Kickback is expected to cost the federal government $100 million over 10 years.

Before a close vote last month, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) won an even larger break for her state — an estimated $300 million in extra federal spending, in a move opponents derided as the Louisiana Purchase.

But wait, they aren’t the only ones - senators from Vermont, Massachusetts, Michigan  Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah, Hawaii, Connecticut and Wyoming all got special considerations (millions of dollars worth of exemptions and payoffs) for their states too.  Read the list, it’s disgusting.

What does this say about Harry Reid’s credibility when he has to put the payola actually IN the very bill we’re all going to be paying for?  And what does it say about our congresscritters who are willing to sell their votes?  The self-proclaimed most ethical Congress ever is anything but.

The New York Times reports on Saturday’s 53-41 vote, where Senate Democrats cut $43 billion from home health-care services (which Democrats insisted were cutting waste and abuse):

By a vote of 53 to 41, the Senate on Saturday rejected a Republican effort to block cutbacks in payments to home health agencies that provide nursing care and therapy to homebound Medicare beneficiaries.

Republicans voted against the cuts, saying they would hurt some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. Most Democrats supported the cutbacks, saying they would eliminate waste and inefficiency in home care. …

Mr. Baucus, a principal author of the health care bill, noted that his mother was receiving home health care and said he would not do anything to hurt beneficiaries.

“We are reducing overpayments,” Mr. Baucus said. “We are rooting out fraud. We are getting the waste out. The savings go back in Medicare and extend the solvency of the trust fund.”

So that’s how you eliminate waste! Simply reduce the budget for an item by the amount that you feel is “waste” and presto! No more waste! Who knew that it was so easy?

Do these liars in Congress (but I repeat myself) even understand how home health works?  My father was discharged from a skilled nursing facility (after the 90 days that Medicare covers were up) and my mother has been doing a herculean job in caring for him at home.   With some home health help (visiting nurses to check his blood levels, dress his skin ulcers, etc.) and once weekly assistance with showering and physical therapy, Mom is able to keep him home at a cost of about $1,100 a month.  Saving the government about $7,000 a month in nursing home fees.  And the Democrat senators want to limit the amount of assistance available?  Just exactly how is that going to save money?  It boggles the mind that the Democrat senators would try to make things even harder for people.

Oh wait, it’s not.  It’s because the CONGRESS CRITTERS know THEY are not going to be part of any national health care plan.

Here in Washington State, we face a $2.6 billion budget shortfall, but instead of staying home to figure out how to cut spending and not raise taxes, Gov. Christine Gregoire is jetting off on a junket to Copenhagen for the 40,584 tons of CO₂ Global Warming Holiday Festival.

Look, the stuff has already hit the fan on our state budget, the gov. has already dropped the tax increase bombshell, the budget will be submitted to the legislature, and the highest priority for the next week plus is to take off for Copenhagen?…..Give me a break.

The shallow purpose of the trip is pretty lame compared to the “governing” that needs to happen with this budget. You think it’s responsible to just throw the budget at the legislature and run away the next day for a PR trip? Many would prefer that she attempt to “make the case” to affected business owners or others who will be hurt by the upcoming tax increase (many are reportedly about to lose their sales tax exemption) rather than ___(whatever you think will actually be accomplished in Copenhagen)____.

Ironically, as the Copenhagen Climate Change Pilgrimage opens on Monday, the Seattle area is going to be enjoying a record low temperature (for Dec. 7) of 21°.

Since the delegates at the Climate Summit have become accustomed to screwing people, Denmark’s “sex-worker” industry is coming through with free sex to make them feel right at home:

Copenhagen Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard sent postcards to city hotels warning summit guests not to patronize Danish sex workers during the upcoming conference. Now, the prostitutes have struck back, offering free sex to anyone who produces one of the warnings.

At least the prostitutes understand how to effectively run a business.

GOP Introduces Geithner Penalty Waiver Act. Yes, I know it’s all done for political theater and won’t actually get even close to being enacted, but it’s pretty funny.

“Congressmen John Carter (R-TX) and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) yesterday introduced the Geithner Penalty Waiver Act, requiring that the IRS assess the same penalty against U.S. taxpayers that came forward in the UBS tax fraud investigation as paid by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner for failing to pay taxes on his IMF income — zero.”

You know what else I’d like to see — The Chris Dodd Mortgage Equity Act, and the Charles Rangle Tax Privileges Act, and the Your Mortgage Personally Guaranteed by the Privately Held Funds of Barney Frank Act, and the Send Your Doctor Bills to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid Act.

On the other hand, maybe not.  If the penalty would be the same — zero owed but forced to work for Obama and/or Congress.  I’m sure I remember reading something about “cruel and unusual punishment” somewhere…

I’m taking a couple of weeks off from my day job (starting Dec. 18), and I’m really looking forward to it.  I figured the hubby and I would see a few movies, and have some nice together time.  Used to be, you could find three, four, maybe even five movies you really wanted to see around the holidays. Now??

Let’s see…

There’s The Twilight Saga: New Moon.  Now this’ll get me trouble with my nieces, but give me a break.  No matter how good-looking the cast, staring blankly at the camera with your mouth half-open is not acting.  And teenager angst, that could be quickly resolved if they would all just grow up and get a clue, doesn’t appeal to me.  And that fact that some 100 year old vampire is still hanging out in high school — Sparkles the Bloodsucker is either a perv or a moron; either way he is not date material.

Avatar?  Well, it looks gorgeous — if more like a video game than a movie, but the plot seems to be basically Dances With Wolves meets The Smurfs — but with Space Marines and Navii rather than cowboys and Indians.  Offhand, it doesn’t look like something I’d be interested in - all “technology” and no substance, but as a SF fan, I might have to give it a go.

Brothers.  A Marine comes back from Afghanistan to discover his brother’s been sleeping with his wife while he’s been gone.  Naturally, he of course is a psychotic, suffering from PTSD and looking for a chance to kill everything in sight.  I’ll pass due to total lack of interest and too much respect for my husband.

The Blind Side has been called “inspirational.”    Mostly Hollywood movies make me bored or irritated, rather than inspired, but this one looks better than most.  And I’m a bit of a sucker for feel-good sports movies, no matter how cliche.  Give it a maybe.

Invictus.  Great poem.  But this is a movie.  A feel-good sports movie that includes politics and Matt Damon?  Ick.  (see my comment about staring blankly into the camera and add a large dash of wooden.)  Pass.

The Road – post-apocalyptic desolation tale as a father and son (”Man” and “Boy”) travel southward escaping lawless cannibalistic gangs.   Nope, not for me.

I’m looking forward to Sherlock Holmes (with Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role), even if it is billed as a “new and edgier Sherlock Holmes”.  I’m not really into edgy, especially since edgy these days seems to be mostly raunchy and/or gross.  On the other hand, I’ve read everything Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote, so this is likely.

And The Princess and the Frog, which is unlikely to be a masterpiece, but the jokes seem funny, if a bit juvenile, and I like Disney’s traditional-looking animation.  So this is a possible, as well.

Or maybe hubby and I will stay home and watch movies on DVD.  And put real melted butter on the popcorn