Morning roundup of a stressful week

  It's been difficult and disgusting watching the democrats' power grab in the waning days of their power. Powerline says it was a good week, however, as we watched the DREAM act, a thinly disguised broad amnesty to illegals including criminal records, and the omnibus bill fail. Rather than take the steps necessary to filter the criminals, the DREAM act would have allowed many disreputable folks to enter the country. A whole new bureaucracy would need to be created (just like healthcare) to accommodate all the college dropouts (only 2 years at any college required) and ALL their RELATIVES who would have been able to receive green cards through this bill. democrats have vowed to fight on, which is another reason to not vote for them in the future.
  Boris Epshtyn, a legal immigrant, cautioned on Fox News today that honest decisions need to be made 2 years of permanent residency as a requisite and then putting the applicants through the steps now required to all applicants.
  This is a great country; many people from around the world would like to live here; some of our most patriotic citizens are recent immigrants. In addition, much of the commerce that is conducted in this country is dependent on immigrants, often illegal. An example of this is the illegal population that moved into the New Orleans area following the destruction of Katrina; while there were many complaints about the influx of non English speaking workers and others complained about the working conditions, others were impressed that the quality and cost of the work that the workers provided was essential to rebuilding. 
  One might wonder why it should be difficult to get a worker's visa, pay taxes on the money earned, but not have rights to vote and other amenities this country offers through its tax paying citizens. IOW, you pay your own way and don't mooch off the rest of us. Buying a minimal policy health insurance, something the government is so desperate to do to the rest of us but NOT illegals, could be a requirement for the worker's visa. 
  But, then, of course, illegals would still have to be dealt with, something our current government doesn't seem to want to do.
  Barone at The Washington Examiner says Republicans have a mandate and wonders how they will govern: like power hungry selfish monsters or with regard to what is best for the country:

Republicans, having succeeded in holding down tax rates, clearly have a mandate to hack away at spending and to defund and derail Obamacare, which is at or near new lows in the ABC/Washington Post and Rasmussen polls. And there does seem an opening, as Clinton White House staffer William Galston argues, for a 1986-style tax reform that eliminates tax preferences and cuts tax rates.

How effectively the 112th Congress will respond is unclear. But the outgoing 111th Congress, despite its big Democratic majorities, responded pretty clearly Thursday night.

  DADT is another story; while it's difficult to understand how someone like Susan Collins should be telling the military how they should conduct their business, it was probably inevitable that DADT would be repealed. As professionals, these men and women are quite capable of conducting themselves appropriately. If they don't do so in any manner (including all sexual conduct), they are eligible for discipline. 
  Now we'll see if the political correctness that has infected the military in such cases as the Fort Hood shooting. One would also hope some of the drama that went along with an individual such as Pvt Manning will be avoided.
  Glenn Reynolds sums the week up this way:

DECEMBER 19, 2010

SO AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, this whole lame-duck Congress thing worked out pretty well.

Tax-rate extensions passed. Good.

Omnibus Pork Bill failed. Good.

DREAM Act failed. Good.

Miserable food “safety” bill failed. Good.

DADT repeal passed. Good.

I hope this foreshadows how things will go in the next Congress. . .

 Yes, it appears that omnibus bill that failed was a REALLY good thing, including the funding of some major Obamacare requirements and the food "safety" bill, which would have required MORE legislation and mustered small food producers out of business because of onerous (when are government regulations NOT onerous) new regulations.

  But if you want a feel good moment apart from all the nastiness of the past few weeks, go here and watch this little video.