On MSNBC, Daily Beast's Obeidallah: 'Conservatives Hate a Lot of Women'

Appearing as a guest on the Friday, December 27, Hardball on MSNBC, comedian and Daily Beast columnist Dean Obeidallah -- who has also been a CNN contributor -- cracked that "conservatives hate a lot of women" as he recounted that the woman whose face appeared on the ObamaCare Web site had been tagged "the most despised woman in America"  by "some bloggers on the right," whom he failed to identify.

Substitute host Michael Smerconish asked about the background of the woman known as Adriana whose photograph was used for the Web site: "Dean, what was the back story here? She posed in exchange for free photographs or something?"

Obeidallah responded:

For nothing. They paid her nothing, and look what she got in exchange. They said, "We're going to use your photo on some of the rollout." I bet you under their hushed breath, they were like, "You're going to be on the home page."

But they didn't want to say that to her because no one would want to be on the home page of this huge program. And then she was demonized. First, comics made fun of her. Then, some bloggers on the right called her "the most despised woman in America." Which is a pretty high bar because conservatives hate a lot of women.

The comedian then quipped that, if he had gotten his own face on the Web site, it might have landed him a job hosting on MSNBC:

But, on the flip side, is she got really well known, and I wish, for that reason, they would have used me. I would have been happy to be the face of ObamaCare Web site. I would have become better known. Maybe I could have guest hosted Hardball one night, Michael. You never know.

--Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Brad Wilmouth on MSNBC.

Via: Newsbusters

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These 13 Tax Increases Hit in 2013

It’s about time for us to uncover our eyes and take a hard look at what 2013 did to our finances.

Did you feel the pinch of the 13 tax hikes that hit Americans this year?

Before you review the list below, put these two on your watch list for 2014:

• Obamacare’s individual mandate. Beginning in 2014, it’s mandatory to purchase health insurance. If you don’t, you’ll pay a penalty that dramatically increases over time. It starts at $95 or 1 percent of your income (whichever is greater). It rises to $325 or 2 percent of income in 2015, and $695 or 2.5 percent of income in 2016.
• Obamacare tax on insurance companies. If you liked seeing your premiums go up, you’ll love this new tax on health insurers—which they are most likely to pass on to you.

As you start reviewing your tax information for 2013, here’s what you’re contending with.

The 13 Tax Increases of 2013

1. Payroll Tax: increase in the Social Security portion of the payroll tax from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent for workers. This hit all Americans earning a paycheck—not just the “wealthy.” For example, The Wall Street Journal calculated that the “typical U.S. family earning $50,000 a year” would lose “an annual income boost of $1,000.”

2. Top marginal tax rate: increase from 35 percent to 39.6 percent for taxable incomes over $450,000 ($400,000 for single filers).

3. Phase out of personal exemptions for adjusted gross income (AGI) over $300,000 ($250,000 for single filers).

4. Phase down of itemized deductions for AGI over $300,000 ($250,000 for single filers).

Via: The Foundry

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Coburn: Year could go down as one of America's 'worst'

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Monday night argued this year could be remembered as one of the “worst for the republic," and he urged voters to clean house in the midterm elections.  

Coburn lamented the rollout of President Obama’s healthcare law, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) decision to use the “nuclear option” to change Senate rules and the unwillingness of both parties to address the main drivers of the debt. 

“In 2014, here's a message worth considering: If you don't like the rulers you have, you don't have to keep them,” Coburn said in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, echoing President Obama's failed promise on health insurance.

The lawmaker also took the administration to task for delaying the mandate on large businesses to provide insurance to their workers while not offering individuals the same relief. 

“The president apologized in part for his statements, but his actions reveal the extent to which he has conformed to, rather than challenged, the political culture that as a presidential candidate he vowed to reform,” Coburn said. 

Coburn also blasted Reid for using “raw political power” to change Senate rules to allow most executive branch nominees to advance with a simple majority vote. He argued Reid was trampling minority rights. 

“In a republic, if majorities can change laws or rules however they please, you're on the road to life with no rules and no laws,” he said. 

Coburn said neither party should be celebrating the modest budget agreement reached earlier this month, which set spending levels for the next two years and avoided a government shutdown. 

Via: The Hill

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[CARTOON] Never Enough

Via: California Political Review

Passengers, crew stuck on ship trapped in Antarctic ice ring in 2014

Passengers and crew who set off on an expedition to prove climate change are ringing in the new year in the same place where they have been for the past week: stuck in ice at the bottom of the world.

The 74 scientists, tourists and crew on the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been trapped near Antarctica since last Tuesday, are expecting to be airlifted from the ship by a helicopter.

Andrew Peacock, a doctor on board, said the passengers are frustrated but are trying to keep their spirits high with a New Year’s party they planned in the ship’s bar.

"We are preparing for evacuation to a dry ship so a few drinks seems reasonable, but we also have to be ready at a moment's notice for the helicopter arrival so staying sober is important," hetold AFP.

The ship has two weeks’ worth of fresh food, but Peacock said drinks are becoming sparse, with "just enough alcohol left” to ring in 2014.

Via: Fox News

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