#ObamaCare Delay Won't Solve Anything

At IBD, "Delaying ObamaCare's Employer Mandate Solves Nothing":

The reason the administration delayed the Obama-Care employer mandate was because it was turning into a monumental catastrophe. Among the problems:

• Businesses that were supposed to benefit the most from it were instead cutting workers, trimming employees' hours and doing whatever else they could to minimize the mandate's costs. The administration made this problem worse by decreeing that 30 hours constituted full-time work.

• Insurance companies started to announce their ObamaCare premiums for small businesses, and many were coming in with big double-digit increases.

• In June, Obama announced the delay of a key feature of the small business insurance exchanges — called SHOP — that promised choice and competition. Instead of letting workers pick their own plans, as originally promised, owners would have to choose a single plan for their entire workforce.

• Some of the biggest insurers were avoiding the SHOP exchanges altogether. In several states, only one planned to offer a policy, and in Mississippi, none signed up.

• Democrats were starting to rebel against the mandate. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said the administration's inability to get the SHOP exchanges fully operational would end up "crippling 29 million small businesses." Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., was pushing a bill to define "full time" as 40 hours a week, saying that without it ObamaCare would "be a negative for our families."

But while the delay might look like a political bonus to Democrats running in 2014, it will likely cause as many political problems as it solves.

Most of the concerns facing businesses will still be there next summer — right before the mid-term elections — when owners will again confront the costly mandate. In fact, the problems will likely be worse, since ObamaCare will have had a full year to wreak havoc on the health care system.

Plus, since the employer mandate was meant to keep businesses from dumping workers into the Obama-Care exchanges, delaying it could encourage them to do just that, which won't endear workers to the law.

And by delaying a key piece of his signature law, Obama has given Republicans ammunition to argue ObamaCare is a fatally flawed, economically ruinous "reform" even Democrats are finding hard to support.

What's more, the individual mandate — which is still set to go into effect as scheduled — is just as disastrous as the employer mandate.

IBD argues that the law should be fully repealed and replaced with market-based reforms. And it will be. After that, the Obama legacy will be one of complete failure on the single most important policy that it passed during the entire two-terms of Hussein's presidency. He's been a terrible president and the bills --- economic and political --- will be coming due for a long time to come.

RTWT at that top link.

Obama's Statement on Egypt

At the Washington Wire:

President Barack Obama’s statement on Wednesday’s events in Egypt:

As I have said since the Egyptian Revolution, the United States supports a set of core principles, including opposition to violence, protection of universal human rights, and reform that meets the legitimate aspirations of the people. The United States does not support particular individuals or political parties, but we are committed to the democratic process and respect for the rule of law. Since the current unrest in Egypt began, we have called on all parties to work together to address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people, in accordance with the democratic process, and without recourse to violence or the use of force.

The United States is monitoring the very fluid situation in Egypt, and we believe that ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsy and suspend the Egyptian constitution. I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsy and his supporters. Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our assistance to the Government of Egypt.

Continue reading.

And at Twitchy, "Always evolving: White House releases this week’s position on who should control Egypt’s destiny":

Obama on the wrong side of history twice in Egypt. Calls for Mubarak to step down but not Morsi. Nice work.

— Kirsten Powers (@kirstenpowers10) July 3, 2013

Yeah, well. As I tweeted earlier:

He's got no clue, really. RT @emilydparker "Obama orders US to review aid to Egypt" http://t.co/eoKetOf9NF …

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 3, 2013

New Calls to Repeal #ObamaCare

From Bridget Johnson, at PJ Media, "ObamaCare Opponents Energized by Delay, Urge Full Repeal":

Lawmakers critical of ObamaCare were claiming victory at the announcement that the administration would postpone for one year the requirement that businesses cover their employees.

But they also used the Treasury Department’s news as a springboard to issue fresh calls for full repeal of the healthcare law.

“This is a remarkable acknowledgment by the Obama Administration that ObamaCare is a disaster in progress that will hurt job creators and those looking for work,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). “The solution to ObamaCare is not to delay the day when the Internal Revenue Service comes after struggling American businesses who cannot afford to provide Washington mandated health coverage. The solution is to repeal it entirely.”

“This monstrous and unaffordable law is bad for business, bad for our economy, and bad for jobs. If the Administration is incapable of fully implementing ObamaCare after three years, then it is clearly too complex to force upon families and small businesses,” said Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas).

Republican Study Committee Chairman Steve Scalise (R-La.) noted that President Obama publicly criticizes House Republicans for fighting to repeal Obamacare but “has been privately trying to waive portions of the law for select groups.”

“We have been pointing out for years that Obamacare will be a disaster for hard-working families, and today President Obama finally agreed that this law is not ready for prime time by delaying the employer mandate. The president’s decision is further proof that we need to fully repeal this failed law,” Scalise said. “We stand ready to work on a bipartisan solution to lower health care costs and fix the real problems without the unworkable mandates and taxes in the President’s health care law.”

The law requires businesses of 50 employees or more to provide a prescribed level of health insurance or pay a penalty between $2,000 and $3,000 for each employee working 30 hours or more a week. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) pointed to a Hudson Institute study that found this mandate is expected to lead to an estimated 3.2 million lost jobs

“While the Administration finally admitted that the employer mandate is unworkable in 2014, it now must recognize that the real problem continues to be the entire Affordable Care Act,” Moran said. “Implementation of the ACA has not lowered costs or increased access as promised. Individuals, families and employers still face increasing health insurance costs, new taxes overseen by what we have recently learned is a politically-biased IRS, burdensome mandates, and massive uncertainty because of this flawed law. The best course of action is to dismantle the ACA and replace it with practical reforms that are workable and will actually reduce health care costs.”

Even a few Democrats were happy with the delay...

And see the Heritage Foundation, "It’s Official: Administration Admits Obamacare Is a Job-Killer," and "Morning Bell: So Which Part of Obamacare Works, Then?"

Plus, "The Massive Costs of the Latest Obamacare Waiver."

Military Ousts Mohamed Morsi in Egypt

Al Jazeera's live feed is here.

And at the Lede blog, "The Lede: Latest Updates on Egypt’s Political Crisis."

Also at Legal Insurrection, "Morsi removed from power by military in Egypt."

And at the Wall Street Journal, "Egyptian Military Removes President: Morsi Rejects Move; Court Official Installed as Constitution Is Suspended":

CAIRO—The leader of Egypt's military ousted President Mohammed Morsi from office and replaced him with the head of the country's constitutional court—a move the presidential palace quickly branded a "complete military coup."

The announcements capped days of political crisis that brought millions of Egyptians out to the country's streets, spurring bellicose rhetoric from Mr. Morsi's backers and Egypt's military, and sparking deadly violence. Egyptians remained on the squares on Wednesday evening, the stark divides between their celebration and anger suggesting a new period of political uncertainty ahead.

In a terse televised statement Wednesday evening, Defense Secretary Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Sisi—joined by important Muslim, Coptic and oppositionchiefs—announced Mr. Morsi's ouster. The head of Egypt's highest court—Adly Mansour, a judge who was named to the position only two days earlier—would take over from Mr. Morsi effective immediately, he said.

Mr. Mansour is tasked with leading a technocratic government that will be "inclusive of all political factions" including youth, who Gen. Sisi said would be "empowered" under the terms of the new government.

Gen. Sisi also suspended the constitution that Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies pushed through late last year in a controversial referendum, and charged the Supreme Constitutional Court with addressing the draft law for parliamentary elections.

The military leader—until recently a close ally of Mr. Morsi—said that a committee would be formed to amend the constitution.

Mr. Morsi's office rejected the move, but called on Egyptians to peacefully resist what it called a military coup. Mr. Morsi's statement came hours after he mounted what appeared to be a last-ditch effort to remain in power—offering a plan to form a coalition government to run parliamentary elections, and forming an independent committee to address constitutional amendments and present them to the coming parliament.

Continue reading.

Also at Foreign Affairs, "Foreign Affairs Report: A Year of Morsi."

Foreign Policy has a lot of excellent coverage, for example, "Celebrating a Disaster in Egypt," and "Can a Coup Ever Be Democratic?"

Still more at Memeorandum.

Expect updates ...

Homosexuals Love Weiner!

Anthony Weiner came out for some gay pride love at the foreskin festival over the weekend.

At New York Magazine, "Anthony Weiner’s ‘Gay’ Pants Are the Talk of the Town." And the New York Post, "Anthony Weiner in bid for gay vote as Christine Quinn wins major endorsement."

A cock-waving adulterer? He should have the homosexual vote locked down!

More at Twitchy, "Outside Stonewall, Anthony Weiner photographed wearing pants."

Employer Mandate Delay is the Locomotive Crashing in the #ObamaCare Train Wreck

The locomotive has derailed and the rest of the train will be tumbling off the tracks shortly.

Yuval Levin, who I referenced this morning already, has an outstanding analysis, "Delaying Obamacare":

I think the administration has just made its Obamacare problems worse rather than alleviating them. But it may have opened a path to alleviating the country’s Obamacare problem, by elevating the idea of delay. Opponents of Obamacare should not imagine that the law will just collapse by itself or that as problems arise Democrats will come to them asking for repeal. That’s just ridiculous. They should look for ways to make the most of opportunities to avert the implementation of this odious law and advance the cause of ultimately repealing and replacing it. And yesterday’s announcement offers such an opportunity. The employer mandate is very bad policy, and its delay (which likely means its elimination) is a good thing. But the rest of Obamacare is very bad policy too. The delay of the employer mandate by a year highlights the irrationality of the larger law and exacerbates its instability. It does not seem to be sustainable as a discrete measure. It calls at the very least for a broader delay.

More at the link.

And at AIM, "CBS: Obamacare Delay a “Major Setback” for White House—Gives Impression It’s “Barely Operational” [Video]."

Flashback: Repeal #ObamaCare

Here, "The Overthrow of ObamaCare":

From Yuval Levin, at the Weekly Standard, "REPEAL: Why and How Obamacare Must Be Undone."

Megyn Kelly to Get Prime-Time Slot on Fox News

At the New York Times:

Back in my May 7 story (http://t.co/fRRaUPBe2c) Greta Van Susteren's husband hinted about a new time slot for her. Maybe weekend prime time?

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 2, 2013

The second quarter of 2013 cemented the recent ratings trends in cable news, with CNN rising and MSNBC falling, while Fox News continued its overall dominance.

But within those quarterly reports was the news that in June Fox News scored its lowest ratings since August 2001 among the viewers news advertisers most want to reach, the 25-to-54 age group. The network may be trying to address this issue with its decision to elevate one of its rising stars, Megyn Kelly, to a prime-time slot as soon as she returns from a planned maternity leave in the next few months. Fox made that expected promotion official on Tuesday.

Fox did not announce a specific show for Ms. Kelly or whose place she would be taking in the network’s prime-time lineup. However, speculation has centered on Greta Van Susteren, the 10 p.m. anchor. Ms. Van Susteren recently signed an extension of her Fox contract but her future role is not certain at this point.

Her husband, John Coale, said in an interview with The Times in May that she would be willing to move to an earlier hour. Several Web sites, including Mediaite, reported this week that Ms. Van Susteren had held talks with CNN, seeking a job at that network. A CNN executive confirmed Tuesday that those talks had taken place.

Fox News also announced on Tuesday that it had extended the contracts of all its evening and prime-time anchors: Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Bret Baier and Shepard Smith.

All those men continued to pile up huge advantages over their competitors in terms of total viewers in the second quarter, as did Fox News, which was up 12 percent in total day ratings and 3 percent in the Monday through Friday prime-time ratings.

But Fox News did show declines among viewers between 25 and 54, the group that accounts for the bulk of ad revenue for news networks. For the quarter, Fox was down 6 percent in total day ratings in that category and 12 percent in the prime-time hours.

Absolutely worst hit: Lying dirtbag Rachel Maddow at the communist MSNBC.

Erick Erickson's Red State Posts Sexist Photoshop of Sarah Palin

It's not that big of a deal to me.

Photoshopping people for a dig is old hat, even for people on your own side. It's a little surprising, however, for such a big conservative brand as Red State to sink to petty locker room Photoshop humor as this. And the post has been up for two days. Worse is that Erick Erickson defended the image as not Photoshopped when called out on Twitter, and then some.

Folks contacted me privately after I tweeted earlier.

Again, not that big a deal. That said, here's Jen Kuznicki, "RedState misstates Palin and misses the point":

Anger erupted on twitter after RedState’s Peter List posted a photoshopped cleavage picture of Sarah Palin on his Diary, but the content of his post misstated her position, and shows how little he knows about the current fight going on in the GOP.

For all its buzz, RedState is a fairly static presence on the web. For instance, you can miss reading it for about 2 years, and then jump back in, and they are saying the same thing, with the same people, pointing out the same circumstance, and frankly, being really nasty and angry in the comment section.

List says that Palin’s third party solution is part of the problem. He knows she didn’t come up with a third party plan, and if he knows anything about boots-on-the-ground grassroots work, he would know that the third party idea is prevalent in the GOP rank and file. In his misleading post, List points to another RedState writer and how he has laid out the way to take over the GOP.

Is List ‘taking over’ the GOP? It seems to me that if you are going to preach it, you ought to do it. If he is in the fight, good, but I do not see the insight in his post that would prove such. For him, and his clique at RedState, I’ll lend a hand to show what has happened to warrant what many see as a possible alternative. And I’d like to stress the fact that Palin didn’t say she’s going third, she said, ‘if’ the current GOP establishment keeps on doing what they are doing, it certainly is a factor.

RTWT.

Jen's got a handle on the grumbles at the grassroots. Mostly, I just like how Erick Erickson gets a pass.

More on Twitter:

@Josh_Painter I have no idea nor do I care if it's a Photoshop. She your Mohammed or something? @EWErickson @arias_harley
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) July 2, 2013

At what point do you blame the famous person for their absolutely insane cultist followers?
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) July 2, 2013

I second this. RT @Pqlyur1: Just fix this and come clean @EWErickson and @BenHowe...Jeeze... http://t.co/i4gu90WuFQ”
— Pam Swan (@pjswan) July 2, 2013

ADDED: This post has a lot of the details that I was unable to locate as I was writing this essay: "RedState Posts Demeaning Photoshop of Governor Palin, Denies When Confronted — Updated."

Also, from Dan Riehl, "Erickson and His Redstate Boys Never Learn, Titter at Faux Palin Ta-Ta’s." (Original photo there, compared to the Photoshop.)

Here's still more at C4P, "RedState Boys Act Like Leftists When Confronted On Smears Against Governor Palin," and "Redstate Posts Demeaning Photoshop of Governor Palin, Denies When Confronted — Updated."

Elle MacPherson Recreates 1984 Playboy Cover for Australian Harper's Bazaar Magazine

She's 49 and in amazing physical condition.

As lithe was she was 19 years ago.

At London's Daily Mail, "Rolling back the (naked) years! Elle MacPherson, 49, poses in just a pair of stockings to recreate iconic 1994 Playboy cover."

RELATED: At the Other McCain, "Rick-Rolled by HuffPost."

Defiant Morsi Rejects Calls to Step Down

At the Wall Street Journal, "Egypt's Leader Vows to Stay: Defiant Morsi Rejects Military Pressure, Calls to Step Down; 'I Have No Choice'":

CAIRO—Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi rejected protesters' calls for him to step down, telling Egyptians in a late-night address that he is willing to give his life "to protect the legitimacy" of the country's ballot box and Islamist-drafted constitution.

Without elaborating, he mentioned the possibility of parliamentary elections in six months, part of a list of proposals he said he would consider during talks with the opposition.

Moments later, antigovernment protesters in four provinces across Egypt chanted against the president, calling for him and his Muslim Brotherhood-backed party to leave, according to live footage. Antigovernment protests again swelled on Egypt's streets, reaching millions, according to local media estimates, just hours ahead of the military's Wednesday deadline for Mr. Morsi to patch relations with the country's opposition.

Morsi supporters and antigovernment protesters clashed near Cairo University in the suburb of Giza late Tuesday, leaving at least four people dead, according to the Ministry of Health. The groups traded fire of rubber bullets and pellets in Cairo's Kit Kat district, according to residents and local media.

The Obama administration has used U.S. diplomatic and military channels to deliver quiet messages and warnings to Mr. Morsi and Egyptian commanders to try to head off the crisis and avert any military coup, according to current and former officials.

Continue reading.

And from Mandy Nagy, at Legal Insurrection, "Morsi rejects military ultimatum (Update: “I am prepared to sacrifice my blood”)(Update No. 2: Egypt army says ready to die in “final hours”)."

So Feminists Hate Makeup?

I had no idea.

Here's my tweet from last night after seeing Jessica Valenti retweeted in my timeline:

.@JessicaValenti's avi is all glamour and lipstick. Too bad millions of baby girls won't be born to enjoy the same feminine milestones.
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) July 3, 2013

Valenti got a kick out of it.

Well this a new one: make abortion illegal because every girl should experience lipstick https://t.co/uw1y8k3s5U

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) July 3, 2013

Depending on your browser, you might be able to see all the responses in the Twitter timeline. Here's a few choice attacks from all the feminist psycho-vituperation:

@AmPowerBlog Because all women can aspire to is wearing make-up and making babies. Congratulations, you've reached maximum sexist claptrap.

— Megan Taros (@journotics) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog @JessicaValenti Ah, feminine milestones! Like the first time a man told me "good women" submit to a man's authority? Yeah...

— Ellen Fulton (@drbfg) July 3, 2013

@JessicaValenti @AmPowerBlog too bad millions of idiot men still think they can dictate what women should do in the year 2013

— ＡＵＴＯＥＸＥＣ．ＫＡＴ (@papierhache) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog @JessicaValenti no, saying that women should be forced to give birth to daughters and enforce patriarchal gender roles for them

— ＡＵＴＯＥＸＥＣ．ＫＡＴ (@papierhache) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog @JessicaValenti but keep on "praying little girls live" while abortion restrictions would make sure mothers die, you ass

— ＡＵＴＯＥＸＥＣ．ＫＡＴ (@papierhache) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog @JessicaValenti no, i am angry because you're an idiot man who feels entitlement to deny women agency over their own bodies

— ＡＵＴＯＥＸＥＣ．ＫＡＴ (@papierhache) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog too bad millions of millions of people die in murders and accidents and you aren't one of them

— Count Fistula (@0157) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog You do not care about life. Don't pretend u do. U are obsessed with controlling women. Shut it

— MarieMackinnon (@MarieMackinnon) July 3, 2013

And a little backup from the guys:

@AmPowerBlog @journotics say 'wearing a flower in your hair' maybe she'll get it then. Or maybe not.

— barackcastro (@obamaislazy2) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog hard to believe they don't see themselves as waging the war on women. I'm embarrassed for them

— barackcastro (@obamaislazy2) July 3, 2013

@AmPowerBlog Of course not.Today's feminist is about inserting a urinary catheter & blabbering for 13 hours about chopping babies into bits.

— Vern Demerest (@TxAv8r) July 3, 2013

@MarieMackinnon @AmPowerBlog Same BS rhetoric from a science denying low information Feminut who thinks women are just about vaginas

— Doug Hagin (@DaleyGator) July 3, 2013

The inspiration for my feminist trolls, or Ms. Valenti at least:

"Set the foundation with the powdered ashes of Susan B. Anthony" Feminist Makeup Tutorial http://t.co/V42jMjIFtR

— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) June 20, 2013

#ObamaCare Delayed Until 2015

Technically, it's the mandate requiring that employers provide their workers with health insurance that's taking a hit, but since that's really the heart of ObamaCare --- and the Supreme Court ruled as well that individuals who don't buy insurance on their own must pay a tax --- we're really seeing the entire 2009 healthcare cluster-k being repudiated by the Obama White House. This gives Democrats a lifeline to save their sinking asses in the 2014 election, but since the Democrats are in effect admitting their own incompetence (and deception) the Republicans will have an even more powerful hammer to crush the idiot Democrat-Socialists a year from November.

At Twitchy, "Report: WH will delay Obamacare employer mandate until 2015."

And at the New York Times, "Obama Administration to Delay Health Law Requirement Until 2015":

Never. Be. Implemented. RT @whitehouse It's. The. Law. #ObamaCareInThreeWords, pic.twitter.com/TnzsUWyIYq

— Em (@lamblock) July 2, 2013

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that it would delay for a year, until 2015, the Affordable Care Act mandate that employers provide coverage for their workers or pay penalties, responding to business complaints and postponing the effective date beyond next year’s midterm elections.

“We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively,” Mark J. Mazur, an assistant Treasury secretary, wrote on the department’s Web site in disclosing the delay. “We recognize that the vast majority of businesses that will need to do this reporting already provide health insurance to their workers, and we want to make sure it is easy for others to do so.”

Under the 2010 law, employers of more than 50 full-time employees were required to provide them with health insurance starting next year or face fines. Numerous reports had suggested that some companies with payrolls at or just over that size were complaining that they would have to cut some jobs or switch some full-time workers to part-time employment.

The change does not affect other central provisions of the law, in particular those establishing health care marketplaces in the states — known as exchanges — where individual Americans without health insurance can shop from a menu of insurance policies. Under those provisions, subsidies are available for lower-income individuals who qualify.

However, it will be difficult for officials running the exchanges to know who is entitled to subsidies if they are not able to confirm whether employers are offering insurance to their employees. Enrollment in the exchanges is to begin on Oct. 1, and they are to take effect on Jan. 1.

Much of the administration’s public effort, especially at the Department of Health and Human Services, has been directed toward spreading the word to uninsured Americans, especially younger and healthier individuals whose participation is needed to help keep down the price of premiums for everyone else. About 15 percent of Americans are uninsured, so most individuals are unaffected, at least initially.

Behind the scenes, however, the administration has been fielding questions and criticism from businesses about the mandated reporting requirements — especially the Treasury Department, which has responsibility, given its oversight of the nation’s tax reporting system.

Mr. Mazur wrote that the one-year delay “will allow us to consider ways to simplify the new reporting requirements consistent with the law." He added, “Second, it will provide time to adapt health coverage and reporting systems while employers are moving toward making health coverage affordable and accessible for their employees.”

Within the next week, he added, the Treasury will issue official guidance to insurers, self-insuring employers and other parties that provide health coverage. Formal rules will be proposed later this summer, he added.

Don't #StandWithWendy Davis

It turns out Kirsten Powers ain't standing with the idiot Wendy Davis.

Weird that a lot of the same women who cheer Wendy cry at the death of a cat: I Don’t Stand With Wendy Davis http://t.co/DMjZKfOxPn

— David Kahane (@dkahanerules) July 2, 2013

Also at Memeorandum.

FRC Launches 'Voice of the Voiceless'

According to the group's information page:

The mission of Voice of the Voiceless is to defend the rights of former homosexuals, individuals with unwanted same-sex attraction, and their families. We also support the faith-based community and work actively in the United States to defend the constitutional rights of all Americans to share their views of homosexuality in the public forum. We support similar international efforts and provide assistance, whenever possible, to individuals and organizations abroad who align with our mission and goals.

And there's a related Facebook page as well, "Ex-Gays Protecting Traditional Marriage."

Via Memeorandum, where the regressive homosexuals are working overtime on demonizing FRC.

Stay classy, progs. Because we know you people are the model for happy families.

Two Homosexual Men Convicted for Making Hardcore Child Pornography With Adopted Son From Russia

Hey, another day, another news item from the left's program of unicorns and rainbows on the homosexual equality frontier.

Yay progs!

At the Other McCain, "Two Gay Men Used Russian Surrogate Mother to Create Boy for Sex Abuse Ring."

As I've been reporting, it's a daily barrage of progressive contempt and abuse for decency, values and the law. But seriously. Two Los Angeles homosexuals use a Russian surrogate mom to create a baby boy rape toy. That is Democrat values there for you, perfectly.

And come to think of it, LGM's Scotty Lame-ieux needs to update his essay on "the liberal agenda."

Dude, no worries.

There's so much more ahead for the progressive left. Unicorns, rainbows, and homosexual baby boy bondage! Proletarian child pornographers unite!

Hawthorne Police Gun Down Rottweiler After Owner Films SWAT Operation

I like this headline at RT, "Cops arrest California man for filming them and then kill his dog (VIDEO)."

London Daily Mail, "Heartbreaking moment cops shot and killed dog who leapt at officers when owner was being arrested for FILMING them."

The video's all over YouTube, but I think this comment pretty much sums things up:

Several issues here. The very first thing is the guy that has involved himself into a situation that he should have avoided. He should have stayed quiet and watched, not commented while videotaping. He was looking for an issue and found it from a more than willing police force. The dog was an unfortunate victim of stupid actions on the owners part and the police force. STFU and let the officers do their job (which seldom happens) and this crap wouldn't happen. I feel sorry for the dog.

Added: At the Los Angeles Times, "Police fatally shoot Rottweiler; dog's owner alleges retaliation."

UnitedHealth, Nation's Largest Health Insurer, Will Leave California's Individual Insurance Market

You know, because ObamaCare was supposed to increase competition and drive down rates, or something.

Ezra Klein hardest hit, after Obama that is.

At the Los Angeles Times, "UnitedHealth to exit individual insurance market in California":

The nation's largest health insurer, UnitedHealth Group Inc., is leaving California's individual health insurance market, the second major company to exit in advance of major changes under the Affordable Care Act.

UnitedHealth said it had notified state regulators that it would leave the state's individual market at year-end and force about 8,000 customers to find new coverage. Last month, Aetna Inc., the nation's third-largest health insurer, made a similar move affecting about 50,000 existing policyholders.

Both companies will keep a major presence in California, focusing instead on large and small employers.

The moves illustrate how different companies are responding to a major overhaul of the health insurance market for millions of consumers. Starting Jan. 1, the federal healthcare law forces insurers to accept all individual applicants regardless of their medical history and provide a comprehensive set of benefits with limits on patients' out-of-pocket spending.

Healthcare experts said some national insurers aren't interested in playing by those new rules in states where their presence in the individual market is relatively small and more profits can be made by tending to the employer market.

"The business model of health insurance is fundamentally changing and some companies are willing and able to adapt," said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. "Given the limited market share those carriers had, UnitedHealth and Aetna have made the calculation that it required too much of an investment to change their strategy in California."

A spokeswoman for UnitedHealth said "our individual business in California has always been relatively small … [and] over the years, it has become more difficult to administer these plans in a cost-effective way for our members."

The departure of another big-name insurer raised concerns about the effect of reduced competition on California consumers.

"I don't think this is a good result for consumers," said California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "It means less choice, less competition and even more consolidation of the individual market with three big carriers."

The whole point to ObamaCare was to make insurance affordable precisely to those individuals not covered by the employers' market. It's failing.

Added: From Foxmuldar's Blog, "Obamacare Impact: Another Insurer Leaves California Market."

Germany's Sabine Lisicki Ends Serena Williams' 34-Match Winning Streak

From Helene Elliott, at the Los Angeles Times, "Serena Williams' Wimbledon loss is latest, biggest tennis shocker":

WIMBLEDON, England — Serena Williams insisted her round-of-16 loss to Germany's Sabine Lisicki wasn't a shock, because Lisicki is a good grass-court player with a "massive, massive serve" and was vastly underrated as the 23rd seed. In many ways, that made sense.

What triggered gasps throughout a sport thrown off-kilter by a flood of upsets last week was how unaggressive Williams often was. Overwhelmingly favored to win her sixth Wimbledon and 17th Grand Slam title, she was so ineffective at crucial moments, and so tentative, that "shocking" is the only fitting description for her performance, if not the result itself.

Lisicki's big serve and even bigger store of feistiness were her key weapons Monday in a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 triumph at Center Court. Although Lisicki lost 14 straight points and nine straight games at one stage — she dropped the final six games of the second set and the first three games of the third — she bounced back decisively to end Williams' 34-match winning streak.

"I went into this match feeling that I could win," said Lisicki, who lives in Bradenton, Fla. "I just was fighting for every single point no matter what was happening out there."

Williams, the defending champion, didn't play like the woman who owns 16 Grand Slam titles and had lost only twice this year. She had a chance to seize control when she led 3-0 and 15-0 in the third set but hit a couple of forehands long and gave Lisicki an opening. Lisicki broke her twice and held serve in a 10-point game to pull even at 4-4 before breaking a rattled Williams again for a 5-4 lead.

"I think that I didn't play the big points good enough," Williams said with admirable honesty. "I didn't do what I do best. I think I had a little hesitation, and that explains it.

"I definitely had my opportunities and I didn't take them. Maybe I backed off a little bit at some points. If I'm going to be successful, I'm never going to do it backing off."

She got whooped by a cracka!

More at that top link.

'I was offended because I believe as a Christian woman it is my prerogative to display my faith any way I like so long as it is not harming anyone else...'

Because outwardly expressing your faith in Christ is hateful. Hateful!

At Campus reform, "Public university allegedly orders student to remove cross necklace because ‘it might offend others’":

A student at a public university in California is alleging school officials ordered her to remove a cross necklace while she was working at an orientation fair because they feared others find the religious symbol offensive.

Nineteen year-old Audrey Jarvis, an employee of Sonoma State University’s (SSU) Associated Students Productions (ASP), told FOX News her supervisor initially ordered her to remove the necklace because “it might offend others, it might make incoming students feel unwelcome, or it might cause incoming students to feel that ASP was not an organization they should join.”

In a second encounter, her supervisor reportedly told her to hide the cross under her shirt or remove it.

Jarvis, identifies as devout Catholic, said she was in “complete shock” and “thrown for a loop” by her supervisor’s instructions.

“I was offended because I believe as a Christian woman it is my prerogative to display my faith any way I like so long as it is not harming anyone else,” Jarvis told FOX News. “I was very hurt and felt as if the university’s mission statement – which includes tolerance and inclusivity to all – was violated.”

More at that top link.