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ObamaCare’s Casualty List

At WSJ, "Three elections later, the law continues to be a political catastrophe for Democrats":

Mary Landrieu ’s defeat in Saturday’s Louisiana Senate runoff was no surprise, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored as inevitable. Ms. Landrieu was a widely liked three-term incumbent, and her GOP foe was hardly a juggernaut, yet she lost by 14 points after Washington Democrats all but wrote her off. Think of Ms. Landrieu as one more Democrat who has sacrificed her career to ObamaCare.

It’s hard to find another vote in modern history that has laid waste to so many political careers. Sixty Democrats cast the deciding 60th vote for the Affordable Care Act in 2009 and 2010, but come January only 30 will be left in the Senate. That’s an extraordinary political turnover in merely three elections, the largest in the post-Watergate era. As it happens, the law has been nearly as politically catastrophic for Democrats as Watergate was for Republicans.

Three of the ObamaCare 60 died in office, while 19 declined to run for re-election. Some of the retirees left for reasons such as becoming Secretary of State ( John Kerry ), but others left because their own re-election prospects were hardly stellar. Think Chris Dodd of Connecticut in 2010 or Virginia’s Jim Webb in 2012. At least Democrats succeeded them.

Yet no fewer than eight of the retirees handed their seats to Republicans: They include Ben Nelson, of Cornhusker Kickback fame, who deprived his state of the pleasure of returning him to private life in 2010. After five terms, Jay Rockefeller was increasingly out of step with West Virginia, not least on ObamaCare. Max Baucus (Montana), Tim Johnson (S.D.) and Byron Dorgan (N.D.) would have had rough rides had they tried to stick around.

When they got the chance, voters dumped eight ObamaCare incumbents who dared to seek re-election. In addition to Ms. Landrieu, four are moderate-in-name-only Democrats who went along with President Obama ’s lurch to the left: Mark Begich (Alaska), Kay Hagan (North Carolina), Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor (Arkansas).

But conventional liberals like Russ Feingold (Wisconsin) and Mark Udall (Colorado) also lost in states Mr. Obama carried twice. In Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter left the GOP to vote for ObamaCare after Republican Pat Toomey announced he’d run against him in a primary. Specter, since deceased, lost the Democratic primary to Joe Sestak, who lost to Mr. Toomey in two degrees of ObamaCare separation.

Mr. Obama told Democrats at a March 2010 pep rally that he knew they faced “a tough vote” but was “actually confident” that “it will end up being the smart thing to do politically because I believe that good policy is good politics.” That month, New York Senator Chuck Schumer claimed on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “by November those who voted for health care will find it an asset, those who voted against it will find it a liability.”

Mr. Schumer has since recanted, calling ObamaCare a disaster for the party of government. Nancy Pelosi said his remarks were “beyond comprehension,” which for liberals like her happens to be true. Their goal is to expand the entitlement state whether the public likes it or not, figuring that sooner or later enmity will subside and new programs will acquire a constituency. So it has always been in the Entitlement Age—until ObamaCare...

More.

RELATED: At Politico, "The Dems' Final Insult: Landrieu Crushed."

Bolstered by GOP Electoral Wins, Oil, Gas and Coal Lobbyists Plan Fresh Push Against Climate Rules

At WaPo, "Fossil-fuel lobbyists, bolstered by GOP wins, work to curb environmental rules":

Oil, gas and coal interests that spent millions to help elect Republicans this year are moving to take advantage of expanded GOP power in Washington and state capitals to thwart Obama administration environmental rules.

Industry lobbyists made their pitch in private meetings last week with dozens of state legislators at a summit of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an industry-financed conservative state policy group.

The lobbyists and legislators considered several model bills to be introduced across the country next year, designed to give states more power to block or delay new Obama administration environmental standards, including new limits on power-plant emissions.

The industry’s strategy aims to combat a renewed push by President Obama to carve out climate change as a top priority for his final two years in office. The White House has vowed to continue using executive authority to enact more environmental limits, and the issue is shaping up to be a major flash point heading into the 2016 presidential election.

With support from industry lobbyists, many Republicans are planning to make the Environmental Protection Agency a primary political target, presenting it as a symbol of the kind of big-government philosophy they think can unify social and economic conservatives in opposition...

More.

Obama Launches 'Profanity-Laced' Tirades Against the Media (VIDEO)

From Ed Morrissey, at Hot Air, "Compton: Obama goes on profanity-laced tirades against the media that loves him."

Fewer Law School Graduates Pass California Bar Exam

Apparently, legal academics want to know why, but the entire piece avoids one explanation: it's likely more under-qualified minorities took the exam than in previous years.

At LAT, "Fewer law school graduates pass bar exam in California":

For the first time in nearly a decade, most law school graduates who took the summer California bar exam failed, adding to the pressure on law schools already dealing with plummeting enrollments, complaints about student debt and declining job prospects.

The 48.6% pass rate in California is a drop of nearly 7 percentage points from the previous year; nearly 8,500 people took the test in July. The last time the passage rate dipped below half was in 2005.

Many other states showed similar declines this year. It's unclear why the recent passage rates are so low, but they fell by at least 5 percentage points in 20 states.

The decrease in the number of law school graduates who pass the bar could make it more difficult for schools to attract applicants. As a result, administrators might have to offer further incentives to prospective attorneys, experts say.

Some schools have reduced tuition and increased scholarships, and some have cut staff. Still others are offering dual degrees in an effort to help graduates find jobs.

"Law school deans are in a particularly difficult situation these days," said Derek Muller, a professor at Pepperdine University who writes on the business of law.

The bar exam is offered twice a year, in July and February. The number of people who take the July test is traditionally far greater than in February. About 45% of test-takers passed the California bar in February.

Many academics say the drop isn't a concern — at least not yet. "We live in a sound-bite society, but one year does not make a trend," said Gilbert A. Holmes, dean of the University of La Verne College of Law...

More.

Rolling Stone's 'Rape Fantasies'

Via Instapundit, "Street Artist Sabo Blasts Lena Dunham, Bill Clinton in Fake Rolling Stone Covers."

And at American Digest, "Advance look at the cover of Rolling Stone's 'Rape Fantasies' Issue."

Los Angeles Fire May Have Been Arson

An update, at the Los Angeles Times, "Downtown fire may have been intentionally set":

Los Angeles fire officials said they are “inclined” to believe a fire that engulfed a massive residential development project downtown was intentionally set.

But until arson investigators can enter the wreckage, it’s impossible to determine the cause, which could take several days.

“Certainly one of the things we lean toward is 'was it intentionally set?'" LAFD Deputy Chief Joseph Castro said at a news conference Monday afternoon...

More.

PREVIOUSLY: "Massive Fire in Downtown Los Angeles Possibly Torched by Far-Left Radicals."

ADDED: "L.A. fire: Damage to 110 Freeway estimated at $1.5 million, at least."

Massive Fire in Downtown Los Angeles Possibly Torched by Far-Left Radicals

Here's the fire, at LAT, "L.A. fire: Huge blaze engulfs tower, melts signs, bursts windows."

And see Gateway Pundit, "BREAKING: TWO MASSIVE FIRES IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES! May Be Arson."

I hope everyone has Injustice and Revolution insurance because #LosAngeles is on fire #LAfire pic.twitter.com/d0Nc0QYXvo

— JAGO (@AirJago) December 8, 2014

Just driving through the #LAfire apocalypse. https://t.co/0DM70u3U42

— JAGO (@AirJago) December 8, 2014

Max Blumenthal 'gets his point across about the Jewish state being fundamentally evil with a couple of propaganda paragraphs that might as well have been published on Stormfront...'

From David Steinberg, at Pajamas Media, "NY Times Publishes Op-Ed by Anti-Semite Max Blumenthal."

Wild. Man.

Notre Dame's 'White Privilege Seminar' Designed to 'Disrupt Personal, Institutional, and Worldwide Systems of Oppression...'

It's not really an academic class. It's a training seminar for radical, race-mongering activists.

At the College Fix, "NOTRE DAME ‘WHITE PRIVILEGE’ CLASS PROMISES ‘PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION’."

Rolling Stone Roundup on the Fallout

In no particular order.

At JustOneMinute, "If You Were An Early Reader of the WaPo UVA Rape Expose..."

And from Megan McArdle, "Rolling Stone's Rape Story Fails Victims."

Richard Bradley, "Aftermath." (A list of those who need to come clean and apologize for the hoax.)

At the New York Times, "Rolling Stone Cites Doubts on Its Story of University of Virginia Rape":

Sabrina Rubin Erdely "could not be reached for comment."

Also at BuzzFeed, "Rolling Stone Quietly Changes Its Rape Story Apology."

Plus, from Twitchy, "Feminist refuses to abandon the sinking ship Rolling Stone rape story."

From Ed Morrissey, at Hot Air, "WaPo media critic: Fire everyone associated with Rolling Stone’s UVa rape story."

And Glenn Reynolds on Politico's "fake but accurate" piece, "THE INEVITABLE “FAKE BUT ACCURATE” SPIN: “Ultimately, though, from where I sit in Charlottesville, to let fact checking define the narrative would be a huge mistake”."

73 Years After Pearl Harbor, Sacrifices Continue

Today's the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

At the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "73 years after Pearl Harbor, the sacrifices for country continue":

On Saturday, flags flew at half-staff throughout Franklin County in honor of a newly fallen soldier -- Army Spc. Joseph "Joey" Riley of Grove City, Ohio. The death of the paratrooper and grandson of a World War II veteran -- who had been a popular local football player before he joined the Army 2 1/2 years ago, -- was a reminder that on this 73rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, brave U.S. service members are still putting their lives in jeopardy overseas...

More.

Melissa Harris-Perry, MSNBC Race-Mongering Hack: Arson and Looting 'Not Necessarily Violence...'

She's a bleeding idiot:



PREVIOUSLY: "With No Conception of the Importance of Property Rights to Liberty, Leftists Shocked at Condemnations of Ferguson Arson and Looting as 'Violent Protests'."

Berkeley Michael Brown Protest Turns Violent

Dirtbags, losers, and poseurs.

At the San Francisco Chronicle, "Police use tear gas on Berkeley protesters."

Update: Police use tear gas on Berkeley protesters, six arrested after rowdy night http://t.co/ayvO9KgBqs pic.twitter.com/pnOQCSXasj

— SFGate (@SFGate) December 7, 2014

Also at the Los Angeles Time, "Berkeley protest ends in vandalism, clashes with police."

GOP Challenger Bill Cassidy Defeats Democrat Incumbent Mary Landrieu in #LASen

This is big.

Sen. Mary Landrieu’s defeat to Rep. Bill Cassidy gives GOP ninth pickup this cycle http://t.co/UUhkCP1lhm pic.twitter.com/I9AeXBuD3B

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 7, 2014

Good evening. Senator Landrieu has lost re-election in #LASen

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

Wow this is a slaughter.

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

Nothing from Orleans parish yet mind you, but this is total devastation. Think the elevator from The Shining.

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

Orleans now coming in.

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

And with it, the gap closes a little bit. Cassidy 170822 Landrieu 123100

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

Why we had the parishes to watch- When we planned tonight we assumed a closer race. Typically, you can gauge the race with those three.

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

But in a race of total destruction like this, just enjoy the map : )

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

And Cassidy crosses the 100k margin.

— AoSHQ Decision Desk (@AoSHQDD) December 7, 2014

'It is hard to read an article like this and avoid the conclusion that we live in a culture that hates women, just hates us...'

This is pretty mind boggling, from Chloe Angyal, a "senior columnist at Feministing, with a Ph.D. in pop culture," praising Sabrina Rubin Erdely's rape hoax story at Rolling Stone.

At RCP, "MSNBC Panelist: "We Live In A Culture That Hates Women (VIDEO)."

I'll be on @MHPshow tomorrow. I'll stand by what I said last week: we live in a culture that hates women. Hates us, hurts us, silences us.

— Chloe Angyal, PhD (@ChloeAngyal) December 7, 2014

.@ChloeAngyal You're clearly not too bright.

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) December 7, 2014

.@ChloeAngyal "I've got a Ph.D. in pop culture." Well, that really says it all, doesn't it?

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) December 7, 2014

It takes utter defeat a long time to sink in on the left. And especially in this woman's case. She's obviously special.

With No Conception of the Importance of Property Rights to Liberty, Leftists Shocked at Condemnations of Ferguson Arson and Looting as 'Violent Protests'

It's not just the far-left nutjobs at MSNBC who justify the anarchy in Ferguson as "social justice."

See the New York Times, "Police Killings Reveal Chasms Between Races":

FERGUSON, Mo. — In the decade that Ashley Bernaugh, who is white, has been with her black husband, her family in Indiana has been so smitten with him that she teases them that they love him more than her.

So Ms. Bernaugh was somewhat surprised by her family’s reaction after Darren Wilson, a white police officer here, killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager. Forced into more frank discussions about race with her family than ever before, Ms. Bernaugh, 29, said her relatives seemed more outraged by the demonstrations than the killing, which she saw as an injustice.

“They don’t understand it’s as prevalent as it is,” Ms. Bernaugh said, referring to racial discrimination. “It’s just disappointing to think that your family wants to pigeonhole a whole race of people, buy into the rhetoric that, ‘Oh, these are violent protests.’ ”

It is as if Ms. Bernaugh, a nonprofit organizer living in the St. Louis suburb of Florissant, is straddling two worlds. In one, her black mother-in-law is patting her on the back, saying she is proud of her for speaking out against Mr. Brown’s killing. In the other, her white family and friends are telling her to quiet down because “you don’t know the whole picture.”

Isn't that just perfect?!!

Continue reading.

Chinese Beverly Hills

At LAT, "HOW ARCADIA IS REMAKING ITSELF AS A MAGNET FOR CHINESE MONEY":

Most Los Angeles architects are lucky if they complete two or three houses by their early 30s.

Thirty-one-year-old Philip Chan, who runs a firm in Arcadia called PDS Studio, has already seen more than 75 of his residential designs built across the San Gabriel Valley.

He's still not the best-known designer in Arcadia. That title belongs to Robert Tong, 54, founder of the equally prolific firm Sanyao International.

A growing architectural rivalry between the two men is a key part of a construction wave that is radically remaking Arcadia. Blocks that were once sleepy, with single-story ranch houses from the 1940s set comfortably back from the street, are now lined with bloated villas pushed near the front of their lots as if clamoring for attention.

Chan and Tong, whose names are featured in San Gabriel Valley real estate listings as prominently as Frank Gehry's is on the Westside, tailor their showy Mediterranean-style houses to appeal to wealthy Chinese buyers, many looking to park some of their money here or to enroll their children in American schools.

In the last year alone, more than 90 houses have sold for more than $2.5 million in Arcadia, a city of 56,000 that sits just east of Pasadena at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Prices in Arcadia are up more than 39% from their peak in 2007 before the housing downturn. The city, now 60% Asian, has become more expensive than Calabasas, the suburban enclave that is home to Justin Bieber and the Kardashians. It's become known as the "Chinese Beverly Hills."

What's happening in Arcadia is less about big new houses and startling sales figures than how new patterns of immigration are transforming the architecture of Southern California. New arrivals from China are not victims of change, as they were when Southern California's original Chinatown was razed in the 1930s to make way for Union Station.

This time around they're the ones with the economic power. The architectural landscape is being remade not to displace them but as a magnet for their money...

Interesting.

Keep reading.

Sabrina Rubin Erdely Still Has Rolling Stone Hoax Story Pinned to the Top of Her Twitter Feed

She does indeed --- and she hasn't tweeted for a week.

She's in some deep sh*t.

Rolling Stone contributing editor @SabrinaRErdely still has false #UVA rape story pinned on her Twitter account… pic.twitter.com/a3WvWJLpHI

— Mike Liberation (@mikeliberation) December 6, 2014

Downfall of the Social Justice Warriors

Heh.

On Twitter:

The parallels between the downfall of the SJW "reign of rape terror" (culminating in the RS fraud) and that of Robespierre are delicious.

— Josh Smith (@ThisIsJoshSmith) December 7, 2014