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Annotations & Elucidations

The Turkeys Amongst Us

We’ve beaten everyone to the punch with some political leftovers. If you didn’t hear already, Governor Tim Kaine is talking the same way on the way out as he did on the way in — tax increase! That a way to leave a legacy, Excellency! Playing politics to the very end. Oh, well. It is, thankfully, the end.

In National News, the Catholic Bishop of Rhode Island, Thomas Tobin, has reluctantly become the foil to the most famous member of his flock: pro-abortion-on-demand Democrat Congressman Patrick Kennedy, son of the late senator. The congressman has made public private letters written to him by the Bishop explaining why abortion is evil and that his support for it endangers his soul. Leave it to a Kennedy to politicize private religious counseling. Speaking of Catholic Bishops, Real Catholic Blog reports on Richard Viguerie’s concern that the U.S. Bishops, despite directly cutting off ACORN, indirectly may still be funding it. Also, Mitt Romney’s presidential ambitions are sinking as “health care reform” rises in the public consciousness, the AFA calls a temporary cease fire with the Gap, and Republicans in Congress want an investigation into leaked e-mails from the organization the U.N. takes its “climate change” info from. You see, the e-mails admit “the science” is junk.

In Commentary, Chuck Norris chimes in on loss of freedoms, Matt Friedeman writes about a man in a coma for 23 years, who was able to hear but not communicate (so much for the euthanasia argument), and Friedemen discusses one brave clergyman not afraid to take on fellow evangelicals for modern day indulgences (”Prosperity Gospel”). But, today, as the News Stand wishes everyone a fantastic four day break from the serious, it’s all about Michelle Malkin’s “Turkeys of the Year” — a great figurative appetizer to the real deal meal Thursday. Enjoy. 

News:

Kaine doesn’t say no to possibility of a tax increase (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Kaine hints of Virginia tax hikes (Washington Times)

Kaine: New taxes possible (Roanoke Times)

Elections board certifies Virginians’ votes (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Villanueva certified as 21st District winner (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

National News:

Kennedy abortion debate puts politics, religion back in spotlight (CNN.com)

CCHD Still Funding ACORN? (Real Catholic Blog)

Mass. healthcare undermines Romney’s GOP support  (OneNewsNow.com)

Gap boycott on hold (OneNewsNow.com)

GOP opens probe into climate science e-mails (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Commentary:

Turkeys of the year (Michelle Malkin/OneNewsNow.com)

Loving Life That Doesn’t Seem Very Alive (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Fighting The Prosperity Gospel (Matt Friedeman/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Thankful for fading freedoms (Chuck Norris/Rightly Concerned Blog)

Obama Approval Index Hits New Low (Elijah Friedeman/The Millenial Perspective, Rightly Concerned Blog)

Annotations & Elucidations

Built From Scratch

The communications department threw in the towel today, not providing its share of material for the News Stand. What to do? Build one from scratch. Go to traditional sources for national news and for the state stuff — raid blogs! You know what? I think this is one of the best News Stands, ever. Please read it all as most are short, but with loads of enlightening info. The Post’s Virginia Politics Blog provides self-explanatory headlines. Tertium Quids was a source of much to note, including a free-market health care plan that will be introduced at this year’s General Assembly. It’s about two pages compared to the 2,000-page PelosiCare federal version. The Shad Plank connected the links in a compelling post about a possible challenger to Representative Bobby Scott (D-3rd District), which is rare. 

Elsewhere, the T-D contributes one article — about Representative Tom Perriello’s tele-townhall on his health care vote, while TQ reports on a different type of meeting in Danville between Tea Partiers and the congressman. It looks like Representative Glenn Nye committed a mortal leftist sin. We also have reports on Governor Kaine’s out-of-state fundraising while Virginia gets flooded. A VDOT land grab is chronicled in TQ. Nationally, the ACLU is trying to force a high school into allowing a same-sex prom date and the RNC is dropping staff health insurance plans that cover elective abortions. In Analysis, Bernie Quigley of The Hill’s Pundits Blog debuts here with a look at the Dems and the South, while AFA looks at naughty and nice retailers (which ones say “Merry Christmas” and which don’t).

Finally, our friends at TQ provide something we don’t know how to describe, but it has to do with Glenn Beck, so we created our first ever Feature category. Look it over for a good laugh.

News:

Perriello telephone town hall draws 8,000 (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Burning Perriello Effigy (Tertium Quids)

Nye Targeted From the Left (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

A challenger for Bobby Scott? (The Shad Plank)

McDonnell heads to Austin a GOP star (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Only 9th Street astir on quiet holiday (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

McDonnell, House Dems to meet (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

GOP criticizes Kaine for absence during storm (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

VDOT’s costly attempt at a land grab (Tertium Quids)

Health Care Freedom for VA? (Tertium Quids)

National News:

GOP chairman ends abortion insurance for employees (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

ACLU defends lesbian student on prom issue (OneNewsNow.com) 

Evangelist gets 175 years for sex convictions (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Analysis:

The South has won (Bernie Quigley/The Hill’s Pundits Blog)

Retailers can be naughty or nice, too (OneNewsNow.com)

Governor’s Travels (Tertium Quids) 

Feature: 

South Park does Glenn Beck (Tertium Quids)