John Edwards, Wal-Mart shopper? Haha, poor guy. The people he gets to shop for him didn’t get the class warfare memo.

UPDATE: Yes, he did. No condemnation from the Crunchy Cons thus far.

That is an interesting question. It was posed to the three people running for House leadership positions by Dean Barnett. Here is the result: 0/3.

FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. Not a single candidate was able to mention a specific book. The one candidate who tried created inadvertent hilarity by saying, “Gosh, I have a book in my draw. ‘Jihad’ or something like that.” That representative then apologized but quickly recovered a sheen of omniscience by reminding us all that he/she has spoken to constituents who have served in Iraq, and through these conversation she has learned a lot.

Not the end of the world, but have no doubt my fellow conservatives, most of you are more informed about the true nature of this war than your congressman.

In a perfect ode to the free market principles espoused by Milton Friedman on the day of his death, we see an interesting situation developing around this nation’s healthcare and various solutions parroted to the citizens, both in the public and private sectors. HUMAN EVENTS’s Ken Shepard notes the mainstream media’s failure to highlight that Wal-Mart, and thus some of its competitors (because that’s how a competitive free market works), is beginning to offer prescription drugs for $4 - but the media has gladly harped on the difficulties of the Republican Medicare Part D program, for which re-enrollment has just begun. Says Shepard:

The same day the federal government opened re-enrollment for a costly drug benefit, Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) expanded its $4-generic drug plan and another competitor announced it would offer generic drugs for the same price. Yet while ABC’s “World News” complained about the cost and inconvenience of Medicare premiums, it left the role discount retailers like Wal-Mart and BJ’s Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ) have in making medicine more affordable.

On the November 15 program, anchor Charles Gibson complained that “43 million senior citizens, eligible for the Part D prescription drug benefit, have to enroll for 2007, and there is no prospect that it’s going to be any easier.”

Correspondent Lisa Stark took up the story with complaints by senior citizens about rising premiums and how confusing it is to navigate all the fine print when comparing drug plans. For good measure Stark tossed in Ron Pollack, a liberal health care activist and a supporter of Bill Clinton’s 1994 plan to universalize health care.

Stark left out Pollack’s political bent, however, and characterized him merely as one of many experts “who study next year’s options” to “warn that people need to look closely at the fine print.”

Yet Stark herself didn’t pore over the fine print – in the federal budget. Nowhere in her story did she mention the hundreds of billions of dollars Medicare Part D is projected to cost taxpayers. Conservative detractors such as The Heritage Foundation consider it a “massive new experiment in central planning” and have estimated it will set back taxpayers nearly $700 billion over 10 years.

So, um, maybe Wal-Mart isn’t so evil after all? Don’t hold your breath waiting for the mainstream media to give Wal-Mart half the airtime they give the Medicare disaster.

Milton Friedman has died today at the age of 94.

Pulled a Dan Hackett last night. I know I’m late to this, but it’s so freaking low….

Hoyer will be Majority Leader for the next Congress. I’m mildly disappointed, but it shows that Pelosi is not nearly as popular in her caucus as she certainly believed herself to be.

Of a problem that is, in the long run, probably not the one they should be focusing on. I guess we can look forward to a skinnier, healthier Europe folding to the tides of time.

Eric Egland lays out Six Steps to Victory in Iraq. Hat-tip: Powerline

U.S. forces need to reduce the predictability of their movements. To do this, generals in Baghdad should stop requiring units to report the number of patrols conducted, and instead focus on effective offensive operations. The current emphasis on gauging unit effectiveness by the quantity of patrols conducted keeps the troops too busy to conduct quality operations that offensively hunt the enemy.

Click to continue »

So I sent my former Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-GA11) a note urging him to support Mike Pence for Minority Leader. I say “former” because I was gerrymandered out of the 11th and into the 13th last session which is represented by Democrat David Scott. This was his response:

Thank you for contacting me in regards to the House Republican leadership elections. I appreciate the opportunity to learn of and respond to your views on this matter.

I believe that this decision is crucial in reaffirming our commitment as a party to less government, traditional family values, and a strong national defense. The next leaders of the House Republicans will have a responsibility to unify our conference and convince conservative democrats to join us in defense of these principles.

Like you, I believe this decision must be made with great deliberation. Therefore, I have joined with most of my colleagues in supporting an election date later than November 15th. While we needed additional time to consider who will be best to lead our conference, we cannot wait too long because we need our team in place to serve as a check to the democrat leadership.

With regard to the candidates for House leadership, rest assured that I will give each individual running due consideration. I have approached this election with an open mind and a very strong desire to see leaders elected who will defend our conservative values and principles and set forth a plan to enact these principles. I feel very confident that House Republicans will make the best and most informed choice in whomever they choose for their leaders because we all recognize that the American people depend upon us to keep taxes low, keep government small, keep America safe, and keep the democrats in check.

This is the kind of the non-committal answers I have received from Gingrey in the past. I am disappointed because I believe he will ultimately support Boehner for Minority Leader.

Apparently banning smoking in government buildings and property isn’t enough. Neither is banning it on public property, such as parks and roads. Nope, the city of Belmont, California, will be the first city to completely and entirely ban smoking with one minute exception of “single-family detached residences.” What does that mean, in a cave remote from any other humans or living species for that matter?

Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else.

The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone.

The actual language of the law still needs to be drafted and will likely come back to the council either in December or early next year.

“We have a tremendous opportunity here. We need to pass as stringent a law as we can, I would like to make it illegal,” said Councilman Dave Warden. “What if every city did this, image how many lives would be saved? If we can do one little thing here at this level it will matter.”

Heaven forbid citizens of this country chose what to do with their own bodies (and lefty trolls, this is not an invitation to ramble about a woman’s abortion of another human being - totally different line of thought). Heaven forbid a private bar or restaurant owner make his own decision about whether he will allow smoking or not. Who wants to make a journey to Belmont, California, and walk around smoking a cigar with me? The first police officer who gives me a ticket gets an earful.

H/T to Drudge.