Larwyn's Linx: A Blatant, Frontal Assault on the Constitution

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Constitutional Crisis

A Blatant, Frontal Assault on the Constitution: RS
Members of Congress React to Obama’s Abuse of Power: Foundry
Is the Senate in recess? The Constitution says no.: Exam

Lone GOP Senator Supports Illegal Recess Appointments: Malkin
Lawmaker: Obama recess appointment is attack on Constitution: Hill
Unprecedented 'Recess' Appointment Defies Obama DOJ: Speaker

Nation

Irrefutable: Voter ID Prevents Election Fraud: Foundry
No, Rick Santorum isn't trying to ban The Pill: Exam
Santorum has raised $1M since last night: Politico

Santorum: I’m gonna surprise people in NH: Scoop
Bachmann Says Good-bye; Mitt Romney Will Miss Her: NatlJrnl
How Rick Santorum can win the nomination: DC

Romney’s watchwords in Iowa: Divide and Conquer: Barone
'Not Romney' Campaign Juiced by Iowa: Sunshine
What Did Iowa Prove?: RWN

Economy

As Predicted, Obama Backs Off Medicare Anti-Fraud Efforts: Cato
Is Obama preparing a trillion-dollar, mass refinancing of mortgages?: Peth
'Occupier' calls for burning people alive: Spew

Union Bosses Applaud Unconstitutional Appointments to NLRB: RS
Thanks For The Bailout: GM To Move Chevy Volt Production To China: WZ
Detroit Is Laying Off Cops to Rehire Them With Federal Money: MB

Gunrunner & Energygate

Breaking: ATF reportedly relieves Fast and Furious managers prior to OIG report: Codrea
BREAKING on Fast and Furious: Holder to Appear Before Issa’s Committee on Feb. 2: BigGovt
President Obama's Anti-Gun Agenda Shows No Sign of Stopping: Lott

Climate & Energy

Obama’s EPA Opens Another Front in the War on Coal: BigGovt
Airlines Passing EU Carbon Costs to Consumers: Wired
Crude Surges On News Europe Agrees To Ban Iran Oil Imports: ZH

Media

Krauthammer: Obama's Recess Appointents Part Of "A Long Strong Of Lawless Actions": RCP
Al Sharpton: 'The American Public Overwhelmingly Voted for Socialism When They Elected President Obama': NB
Keith Olbermann Takes Another Shot At Current TV, Lawyers Now Involved: Mediaite

Not All Fails Are Funny: MB
NPR, Reuters Can't Find the Magic D for Democrat in Corruption, Reckless Driving Stories: NB
Why Paul Really Lost in Iowa: Simon

Obama: America's Greatest Asset: AT
NY Times: What Do Boehner, Romney, Sensenbrenner, Wilson, Gingrich Have In Common?: WZ
Obama Political Advisor: Romney Is "The 25 Percent Man": Fox

World

Cuba criticizes Twitter for Fidel death rumor: smh
Elite Asian students cheat like mad on US college applications: GlobalPost
French Auction Fails As Bid-To-Cover Plunges: ZH

Sci-Tech

Google demotes Chrome browser SEO for advertising gaffe: Cutts
Jan. 4, 1903: Edison Fries an Elephant to Prove His Point: Wired
'Lost World' of Sea Creatures Discovered Near Antarctica: Fox

Cornucopia

PayPal dispute ends in destruction of violin: CNet
DASH, Weight Watchers ranked as top diets for 2012 by US News: GlobPost
Canadian man uses iPad to enter US: smh

Image: Lars Larson's Toon o' the Day
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Sign the Petition: Stop Obama's Big Labor Power Grab

QOTD: "I can safely say that this is the ballsiest thing I have ever seen a President do that served absolutely no meaningful purpose at all. If Congress – and I am including Congressional Democrats in this – takes this lying down, it will set a breathtaking precedent and instantaneously demolish a significant part of Congress’ relevance. Consider that if Congress allows this to stand, then the next Republican President might just announce Jay Sekulow for his next SCOTUS appointment, and then two weeks later when the Senate breaks for the weekend, declare them in recess and appoint him to the Court. If Democrats consider this to be an undesirable view of the future, I would suggest that they figure out a way to cooperate with Republicans in making Obama pay a very real price for this blatant slap at their constitutional authority." --Leon H. Wolf

Sometimes I wonder whose side he is on [Dan from NY]

Dan from NY:

Can all that high-priced talent in the White House and State Dept. possibly be "naïve?"

January 4, 2012

Taliban Prisoner Release A Premature, Dangerously Naive Move

By Lisa Curtis

The British newspaper The Guardian has reported that the U.S. has agreed in principle to release high-ranking Taliban officials from Guantanamo Bay in return for the Afghan insurgents’ agreement to open a political office in Qatar. If true, this would demonstrate that the Obama Administration is dangerously naïve about the reality of the threat the Taliban continues to pose in the region. It also could reveal that the Administration has no real strategy for achieving U.S. counterterrorism objectives in the region and is desperate to strike a deal with the Taliban in order to justify its troop-withdrawal plan.

A few days ago, the media reported [3] that the U.S. was considering releasing Mohammed Fazl, a “high-risk detainee” held at Guantanamo Bay since 2002. According to the report, a senior U.S. Administration official said that the release of Fazl and four other Taliban members had been requested by the Afghan government and Taliban representatives as far back as 2005. As a former senior commander of the Taliban, Fazl is alleged to be responsible for the killing of thousands of Afghan Shiia between 1998 and 2001.

It is a stretch to portray the Taliban’s opening of an office in Qatar as a major concession by the organization worthy of a reciprocal move by Washington. In fact, allowing the Taliban to open an office outside Afghanistan allows the organization to claim international legitimacy, despite its unwillingness to drop support for international terrorism or to commit to participating in a normal political process in Afghanistan.

...In seeking talks with the Taliban, the Administration must avoid the same pitfalls U.S. officials fell into during the 1990s that ultimately helped set the stage for the 9/11 attacks. If the Taliban is able to reassert influence in Afghanistan without making the political compromises necessary for peace in the region, the U.S. will not only fail the Afghan people, who have already suffered under Taliban rule, but it will also sacrifice U.S. national security by allowing a violent, anti-Western Islamist ideology to succeed in the region.

Gee, ya think?

Democrat Dream Ticket [Papa B]

Papa B*:

"My name is Barney Frank... and I approve this message."

*Remember, when you see the "[Papa B]" warning indicator, you can be certain that political correctness is checked at the door.

Constitutional Crisis: His Own Justice Department Says President Obama's "Recess Appointments" Are Invalid

Over 100 years of precedent and tradition were flushed down the toilet today when President Obama decided to defy Constitutional constraints on his federal appointments.

The White House announced Wednesday that President Obama would recess-appoint Richard Cordray as chairman of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and three new members to the National Labor Relations Board.

There’s just one problem: The U.S. Senate is not in recess. The decision to appoint these officials nonetheless appears to contradict the Obama administration’s own stated position on the issue. ...According to Obama’s own Justice Department, the president is in the wrong. During a 2010 Supreme Court hearing, Chief Justice John Roberts and Deputy Solicitor General Neal Katyal had this exchange, in which the latter admitted that recess appointments may not be made within three days of adjournment:

CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: And the recess appointment power doesn’t work why?

MR. KATYAL: The — the recess appointment power can work in — in a recess. I think our office has opined the recess has to be longer than 3 days. And — and so, it is potentially available to avert the future crisis that — that could — that could take place with respect to the board. If there are no other questions –

CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: Thank you, counsel.

It's worth recalling that Democrats used the same "gavel-in and gavel-out" tactic time and time again to block President George W. Bush's appointments

The Senate's top Democrat, Harry Reid of Nevada, said in 2007 he would keep the Senate in "pro forma" sessions to block Bush from making an end run around the Senate and the Constitution with controversial nominations. That's exactly what Obama's White House now calls a gimmick. Yet on Wednesday, Reid came out in support of what Obama did.

The Heritage Foundation's Todd Gaziano correctly calls Obama's moves today "a tyrannical abuse of power."

The Constitution, in Article I, section 5, plainly states that neither house of Congress can recess for more than three days without the consent of the other house. The House of Representatives did not consent to a Senate recess of more than three days at the end of last year, and so the Senate—consistent with the requirements of the Constitution—is having pro forma sessions every few days. In short, Congress is still in session, and no one in Congress is saying (or can reasonably say) otherwise...

Under Article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution, the President has the power to fill vacancies that may happen during Senate recesses. That power has been interpreted by scores of attorneys general and their designees in the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) for over 100 years to require an official, legal Senate recess of at least 10–25 days of duration...

In other words, through his blatantly lawless activities, the President has initiated a Constitutional crisis.

And we all know that if a Republican President had even publicly considered this option, legacy media would be beating the war-drums for impeachment.

It's high time the clueless John Boehner and Mitch McConnell started playing hardball. Real hardball. Impeachment-style hardball. Heaven knows, there are enough charges to impeach five or six presidents at this point.

Finally: Scientists Explain Michael Moore's Behavior

The headline of the article is -- and I quote -- "Fatty diet damages brain - study."

SCIENTISTS have found a high-fat diet damages a crucial region of the brain that controls body weight in rodents and believe a similar process may occur in obese humans.


Within 24 hours of being fed high-fat foods, rats and mice developed inflammation followed by scarring in the hypothalamus, a region that regulates body weight and food intake in humans and rodents. Animals fed the diet continuously for four weeks developed chronic inflammation and neuron loss.

Rosie O'Donnell could not be reached for comment at press time either.

Larwyn's Linx: Santorum Surge Results in Photo Finish

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Iowa Caucuses

Santorum Surge Results in Photo Finish: RSM
Iowa-bashing snobs and sore losers: Malkin
Romney ekes out 8-vote win over Santorum: WSJ

Game on! Rick Santorum’s amazing victory speech: Scoop
Iowa finish could knock Perry out of SC debate: Exam
Iowa Caucus Day: News, Aggregation and Updates: SIGIS

Remember the Crying Girl?: RSM
Palin: Maybe Bachmann should endorse someone and get out: Hot Air
Bachmann won’t drop out after last-place Iowa finish: Hill

Nation

Obama Officially Abandons Governing: Dossier
Ignorance is Bliss: Steyn
What the Republican Primary Season Has Revealed: Galston

Obama: The Constitution? That's For Mortals, Not Messiahs Like Me: Ace
The State of the Race, Post-Iowa: RWN
No Kidding: FLOTUS likes being called 'Your Excellency': GWP

Meanwhile, outside of Iowa...: Prell
Despite Obama's Failures, He Will Be Tough To Beat: IBD
Ron Paul: Reagan’s conservative agenda was a disaster: Scoop

Economy

How Copyright Industries Con Congress: Cato
Cronyism doesn’t sell in corn country: Wolf
Stop Feeding Big Government: Battle Creek Enquirer

Occupy’s Celebrity 1 Percent Backers: RWN
In Brazil, "The factory is closed": Pundette
Carter Offers Obama Advice About How to Avoid Being a One Termer: Malkin

Climate & Energy

Oil Prices Up, but Keystone Still in Limbo: Foundry
Good news: EPA now producing automobile company sales projections for the year 2025: Manning
Chevy Volt Gets "Worst Product" Award: NPLC

Media

Politico’s great headliner guest for Iowa caucus coverage is …: Hot Air
CBS Scolds Gingrich: To Cut Deficit You Must Increase Taxes: NB
NBC's Gregory: Isn't GOP To Blame 'For Not Doing More to Make Government Work Better'?: NB

Univision Wages Political War On Latino Conservatives: IBD
Washington Post Cries, ‘Michelle Obama’s Massive Posterior Off Limits!’: SHN
Alan Colmes Hit Bottom, Begins Digging New Sub-Basement: Hayward

Non Profit Accused of Mortgage Fraud on Chicago's West Side: Volpe
The Gloves Are Off: Newt Gingrich’s Full Page Ad Hitting Mitt In New Hampshire: RWN
America Worries Whether Keith Olbermann Will, or Will Not, Take His Very Important Anchor Desk Tonight: Ace

World

Ron Paul's Soros Defense Plan: Sultan Knish
LA Times: Obama’s Hostility to Israel Comes From ‘Intellectual’ Roots; Still Won’t Release Khalidi Tape: Pollak
Iran threatens action if US carrier returns: Reuters

Air Force Will Lose Hundreds of Planes in New Pentagon Plan: DangerRoom
Yes, @WordPress is Shutting Down Bare Naked Islam’s Site: Creeping
Jihadist Invents Flying Motorcycle: Jawa

Jihad plotting persists in mosques: Spencer
Iran warns U.S. warship to stay out of gulf: SFGate
Saudi King’s Reform Step vs. Crown Prince’s Ambitious Wahhabism: WS

Sci-Tech

The Stratfor Scandal: AT
Samsung Announces Wi-Fi Enabled, Android Controlled Digicam: Wired
Twitter and Facebook your way to a wealthier 2012: Telegraph

Exposed: The Military’s Freakiest ‘Non-Lethal’ Weapon Ideas: DangerRoom
The Incredible Scale of the Internet: Foundry
Time stamp bug exposes photos on locked iPhone: CNet

Cornucopia

Our Great Big Post-Modern Campaign Poster Contest: MOTUS
Stats, Rankings Turn Beer Pong Into Moneypong: Wired
They told me he would be historic -- and they were right!: Glob

Image: The People's Cube
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Rick Santorum Needs Your Help Now!

QOTD: "Yes [I am calling Mitt Romney a liar...] This is a man whose staff created the PAC, his millionaire friends fund the PAC, he pretends he has nothing to do with the PAC – it’s baloney. He’s not telling the American people the truth.

“It’s just like this pretense that he’s a conservative. Here’s a Massachusetts moderate who has tax-paid abortions in ‘Romneycare,’ puts Planned Parenthood in ‘Romneycare,’ raises hundreds of millions of dollars of taxes on businesses, appoints liberal judges to appease Democrats, and wants the rest of us to believe somehow he’s magically a conservative." --Newt Gingrich

Google Trends: Rick Santorum Searches Explode

Someone alert the IPCC: here's a real hockey-stick graph. The latest Google Trends data shows an astonishing jump in searches for Rick Santorum (who, by the way, would make an excellent, excellent Republican candidate for president).

Santorum is a true Constitutional conservative and has the track record to prove it. And it appears he is quite close to winning the Iowa Caucuses.

If you can afford it, I would encourage you to support Santorum's campaign any way you can. It's time we elected a principled conservative -- in the mold of Ronald Reagan -- as opposed to a Beltway RINO.

There's nothing that would piss off the establishment GOP more, which tells me it's the right thing to do.


Update: Robert Stacy McCain has running updates on the Iowa Caucus.