After its losses in November, the GOP gave up being an actual political party and went full-time into generating content for Fox News. With emcee Michael Steele at the helm, the party has done absolutely nothing that would help bring it back into serious contention, so focused has it been on boosting Fox's overnights with its loyal audience. 
     The one-third of the adult audience that Fox targets can be brought back to spend hours on the network on a daily basis only as long as the GOP can whip up a daily frenzy for its commentators. So the party is more and more made up of personalities who can deliver reliable Neilsens like Palin and Bachmann. Plus spectacle-based programming like tea parties and "You lie!"
     I have to doubt predictions that the GOP will make gains in the midterms, especially as the economy improves. But that's not their game. After Obama's victory, viewership of news content by Democrats dipped (who watches Keith as loyally as they did last fall?), as progressives became less motivated. Now it's Fox's turn to shine, and they have a whole party behind it.

President Obama's Powerball ticket matched all six numbers this week, and he will walk away with the entire $180 million jackpot. The president purchased his winning $1 ticket at a QuickieMart in Georgetown where he had stopped in for coffee. He will now have to decide to either take the 29-year, 30-installment annuity, or the one time cash "lump sum" amount of $101,160,403. A spokesperson for Mr. Obama said that the president plans to keep his job and doesn't think the winnings will drastically change his life. He said the president will pay some bills and put the rest in the bank for now, and "maybe buy a Harley." Some political columnists have reacted negatively to the news, saying it "cheapens" the Powerball lottery, and that some out-of-office conservatives could have really used that prize right about now.

President Obama's Powerball ticket matched all six numbers this week, and he will walk away with the entire $180 million jackpot. The president purchased his winning $1 ticket at a QuickieMart in Georgetown where he had stopped in for coffee. He will now have to decide to either take the 29-year, 30-installment annuity, or the one time cash "lump sum" amount of $101,160,403. A spokesperson for Mr. Obama said that the president plans to keep his job and doesn't think the winnings will drastically change his life. He said the president will pay some bills and put the rest in the bank for now, and "maybe buy a Harley." Some political columnists have reacted negatively to the news, saying it "cheapens" the Powerball lottery, and that some out-of-office conservatives could have really used that prize right about now.

(Pardon me if this is too obvious or has already been debated.)
Years ago, before tax laws were changed to put a threshold on personal deductions, all medical expenses were tax-deductible. 
I propose making all medical expenses eligible for a tax credit, rather than a mere deduction. A tax credit is like 100% money in the bank, as opposed to a tax deduction, which just credits you with your tax rate portion of an expense. You should be allowed to draw on the tax credit prior to your personal income tax filing, through an estimated tax system similar to what we have now, or through private financing, or through cuts in withholding.
If your medical expenses exceed your tax burden, the tax credit would be a "reverse income tax" situation.
Conservatives like tax relief, and liberals like health care relief, so this is a simple solution that we can all embrace.

He's apologized to his family. And to his staff, and to the people of his state. 
Now he owes a big sorry to Appalachian Trail hikers. The 2,000-mile "AT" is America's pilgrimage. Few actually hike its length, but it's on the bucket list for so many American dreamers.

I do a section every year, and I'm just about on track to reach the peak of Mt, Katahdin when I'm 80 or so. You'll meet the greatest people in the world there (or see no one for days). And you'll encounter yourself. It's the only good, non-evil thing I do. (I work in public relations).

Now it's become a euphemism for sordid behavior. Sanford's done for hiking the trail what Larry Craig did for airport restrooms. He must be held accountable.

I'm supposed to ask for a week off for my annual hike, and all I'll get are snickers. Hikers will be making up cover stories, pretending they're going to the shore or something. You'll pass them on mountain paths, and they will avert their eyes. Scoutmasters will start taking kids to Vegas and Atlantic City. This must not stand.

They'll be down the box wine by the time Barack moves in.

(CNN) - The global economy may be undergoing a significant downturn, but the White House's dinner budget still appears flush with cash.

After all, world leaders who are in town to discuss the economic crisis are set to dine in style Friday night while sipping wine listed at nearly $500 a bottle.

To wash it all down, world leaders will be served Shafer Cabernet "Hillside Select" 2003, a wine that sells at $499 on Wine.com...

...McDonough also said the White House purchased the wine at a "significantly lower price" than what it is listed at...

"...it was an appropriate time for the White House to use this stock."

It's easy to play. Pick your state results. In case of a tie, first correct entry wins. Here we go with my picks:

ALABAMA: M
ALASKA: M
ARIZONA: M
ARKANSAS: M
CALIFORNIA: O
COLORADO: O
CONNECTICUT: O
DELAWARE: O
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: O
FLORIDA: O
GEORGIA: O
HAWAII: O
IDAHO: M
ILLINOIS: O
INDIANA: O
IOWA: O
KANSAS: M
KENTUCKY: M
LOUISIANA: M
MAINE: O
MARYLAND: O
MASSACHUSETTS: O
MICHIGAN: O
MINNESOTA: O
MISSISSIPPI: M
MISSOURI: O
MONTANA: O
NEBRASKA: M
NEVADA: O
NEW HAMPSHIRE: O
NEW JERSEY: O
NEW MEXICO: O
NEW YORK: O
NORTH CAROLINA: O
NORTH DAKOTA: O
OHIO: M
OKLAHOMA: M
OREGON: O
PENNSYLVANIA: O
REAL VIRGINIA: M
RHODE ISLAND: O
SOUTH CAROLINA: M
SOUTH DAKOTA: M
TENNESSEE: M
TEXAS: M
UTAH: M
VERMONT: O
VIRGINIA: O
WASHINGTON: O
WEST VIRGINIA: M
WISCONSIN: O
WYOMING: M
     

Canvassing on a October afternoon, it's surreal to see the Halloween decorations on the yards, with the tombstones and bones littered all around the McCain-Palin yard signs.

At the Obama houses, happy faces of folks so pleased to see proof of an awesome ground game. We start voting here tomorrow, at any public library regardless of your precinct. Just bring a driver's license if you are registered.

The Obama office has just cleared us to support downticket Dems and we have a challenger to the Republican House incumbent (Ros-Lehtinen) where I'm canvassing.

One house has pumpkins on the steps, but when the lady opens the door, you can see a fully decorated Christmas tree. Her son was home for a bit before his second tour in Iraq, so they celebrated early. She'll leave the tree up until Christmas, I guess. By then, we'll have a new president-elect.

I'll never forget that tree.

Caught stealing an antidepressant slogan (Effexor: the change you deserve), the Republicans need to steal a new one. A quick check in my medicine cabinet yielded these possibilities (if they want to stick with pharm slogans):

Theraflu: Good to be back.
Midol: Because your period's more than a pain
Alli (weight loss): Are you losing it?
Suboxone (heroin dependence): Embrace treatment; regain control.
Rogaine: Use it or lose it.
Chantix (smoking cessation): On the quitting road, it's all about getting there.
Cialis: If a relaxing moment turns into the right moment, you can be ready.
Anadin: When only fast will do. Nothing acts faster.
Aleve: All day strong. All day long.
Fougera (pharm company): Make no compromises.
Celebrex: Understand the risks, see the benefits.

I open the floor to stolen slogan suggestions, not limited to medicines.

He could get sick, or revelations of sexual or criminal nature could come forth, or his medical records could be awful.

Or he could just have an anger meltdown or a pitiful mental lapse.

Or the FEC could put his campaign out of business.

Or maybe the party will finally realize that he's just unelectable, with his sorry record of flip-flops and his inability to inspire or debate his way out of the hole Bush has dug.

So if there's an Eagleton-type withdrawal before November, who runs?

There are probably only a few people who could beat Obama. The Republicans in the primary were a sorry lot. 

The best candidate would be Schwarzeneggar. Constitutionally, he can't serve, but nothing prevents him from running. And if he won, would the Supreme Court overrule the will of the people? I don't think so.

Another good bet would be Lieberman. They can't win without Dems, and Joe could build a coalition of Reps, hardworking Dems, and independents.

Or what about Hillary as the Republican nominee? I think she'd beat Barack in a general election matchup. 

Talk about Operation Chaos!

James Buchanan, our only bachelor president, no doubt acquired much "red phone" experience as roommate, prior to his election, of our only bachelor vice president, William Rufus de Vane King.

King, v.p. to Democrat Franklin Pierce, had campaigned with the slogan, "We Polked you in '44 and we'll Pierce you in '52".  Andrew Jackson liked to call King "Miss Nancy," because of his fashion predilictions.

King and Buchanan lived together for years, and Buchanan no doubt gained much First Lady-type experience from his access to high-level decision making and events on the world stage.

History has not looked kindly on Buchanan's administration, however, and his tendancy toward triangulation and devisiveness contributed to half of the states starting their own country, and the Dems losing the White House to a one-term Republican senator from Illinois.