Larry Kudlow eyes Donald Trump's coattails

From the story here:

'Economist and political pundit Larry Kudlow says he is strongly considering challenging Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) for his Senate seat in 2016. ... Kudlow says he disagrees with Blumenthal on a variety of issues, ranging from the Iran nuclear agreement to the corporate tax rate. “Mr. Blumenthal was wrong on signing the Iran deal. He was wrong on pushing for the U.N. to bring Syrian hostages into the United States,” he said. “And . . . he’s a tax-and-spender. He was in Connecticut, and he’s a tax-and-spender in Washington at a time, frankly, with the economy at two percent [growth] or less, we ought to have a 15 percent corporate tax, not a 40 percent.”'

Kudlow has previously allied himself with Trump without saying so in so many words by coming out against the Iran deal and against letting in the refugee surge, but explicitly has come out in support of Trump's plan to slash the corporate income tax rate to 15 percent. Trump has repeatedly emphasized all three issues mentioned by Kudlow this weekend.

Kudlow clearly sees these as coattail issues on which he could succeed in a Connecticut US Senate run, emphasizing US and Israeli security after a period of increased terrorism as well as a pro-growth supply-side tax policy reminiscent of the era of Ronald Reagan as an answer to the moribund economy's ills.

It works both ways, Larry. Trump as president will need support within the Congress if he hopes to get passed anything he stands for as a candidate.

Tom Rogan on McLaughlin group illustrates how an English accent and three degrees from London can't mask basic ignorance

"Obsession with minutae" at 8:30 and "him in solidarity with I" at 12:50.

Here.

Grand Rapids MI December 2015 temperature anomaly was a staggering +9.9 degrees F

The December 2015 temperature anomaly for Grand Rapids, Michigan, was a staggering +9.9 degrees F, almost twice the size of the November anomaly of +5.4 degrees F.

Heading into December, the cumulative anomaly for 2015 through November stood at -11.7 degrees F, so thanks to El Nino the massive negative anomaly for 2015 is all but wiped out, erasing 92% of the 22.6 degrees of negative temperature anomaly in just four months.

The year 2015 thus finishes with a total anomaly of -1.8 degrees F. That's basically an undetectable .0049315 degrees F below normal on your average day in 2015.

Precipitation in December, unsurprisingly, was 33% above normal while snowfall was just 2.5 inches, 84% below normal. Mean snowfall for December going back to the beginning of the record is 15.7 inches. 

Hillary Clinton admits to one vodka drinking competition

"I haven't been in many of them, but . . .."

Video here.

Yeah, sure.

Arctic sea ice extent at its highest in 10 years while news numbskulls imply the North Pole is melting

THIS IS THE NEWS

THIS IS THE PROPAGANDA

It takes a psycho to know a psycho

Gov. George Pataki ends campaign for president

Who?

The former governor of New York has registered 0.0% in each of the last five major polls in the Real Clear Politics poll average.

Trey Gowdy will accomplish for Marco Rubio what he's accomplished for the House Benghazi Committee

Absolutely nothing.

"Gowdy officially endorses Rubio".

Rasmussen poll finds Clinton and Trump running neck and neck in December as in October

Here.

22% favor other candidates.

Forget the problem with Christians, the problem with Michael Savage is that HE'S too moderate

"I'm a sexual libertarian", he repeats today, after telling Christians they're too moderate yesterday.

Moderation for me, but not for thee. What a J.A.P.

Frankly, the passion for poodles is apropos.

Jeb! Bush, 4.2% in the polls, challenges Donald Trump, 36.5% in the polls, to one-on-one debate

Our problem in the West is that we have too many moderate Christians

Just now, half kidding, but he's right.

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says it's a shame US and Russia don't get along

Quoted here:

“We’re two super powers – Russia is not as strong as it used to be – but it’s a shame that we’re not getting along, when in the past we had an understanding with each other,” he added. Richardson said the Syrian rebel forces opposing Assad are not ideal alternatives to Assad, but added that "if Russia, the United States, instead of just fighting over Assad, we fight ISIS together with Europe, we may have a chance to bring some kind of stability to the region.”

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge backs a pause on refugees from Syria/Iraq region

Also the former head of DHS, Tom Ridge is quoted here calling for a pause, as originally called for by Donald Trump and later by Rupert Murdoch:

“So, a pause for refugees from that part of the world is very appropriate at this time.”

Freudian slip at TheHill.com: Columnists think Hillary is already the president in story about Clinton fundraising

The boo-boo, "Here are the five biggest challenges facing the president in 2016", was edited out of the full story.

Descended from Piltdown man, news media hoaxsters call Muslim terrorists "Maryland man" and "Pennsylvania man"

Reconstructed skull of the hoax "Piltdown Man"

From WaPo here:

'A second was Mohamed Elshinawy, a Maryland man accused of receiving at least $8,700 from the Islamic State overseas and planning to use the money to carry out attacks in the United States. He told prosecutors that a childhood friend had connected him through social media with an Islamic State operative. ... The third was Jalil Aziz, a Pennsylvania man who was arrested for allegedly providing material support to the Islamic State, by spreading its propaganda on social media and for seeking to help the group’s supporters travel to Syria to fight. Aziz also encouraged other Islamic State supporters he communicated with to use U.S.-based encrypted messaging applications, prosecutors said.'

Mohamed Elshinawy was born in Egypt

Jalil Aziz' country of origin is unknown. No US school has a record of the 19-year old.

Obama ties military's hands with stricter rules of engagement than the law of war requires or even France follows, leaflets the enemy before attacking

From the story here on Christmas Eve:

"We will do everything we can to prevent civilian casualties," said Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren on Wednesday. ... Donatella Rovera, senior crisis response adviser at Amnesty International, said the leaflet drops actually started last week, but it has been difficult for people to leave.  ... The Obama administration has come under fire from critics for adhering to restrictive rules of engagement and trying to avoid any civilian casualties in the fight against ISIS. Some say the rules are allowing ISIS fighters to escape.  ... A U.S. defense official said the current U.S. rules of engagement for airstrikes, which are more restrictive than what the law of war requires, would remain the same as Iraqi forces push into Ramadi. Other coalition members — such as France — adhere to looser rules of engagement, however, and it's not clear who will be doing the striking in Ramadi.

The 2015 El Nino to date in perspective

Using the Oceanic Nino Index here the strong to very strong El Ninos of the past can be summarized like this, showing the 2015 El Nino to be so far most like 1972-73:

1957-58, 16 consecutive months, 1.0 average severity

1965-66, 11 consecutive months, 1.2 average severity

1972-73, 12 consecutive months, 1.2 average severity (One 3-month mean reading at 2.0)

1982-83, 15 consecutive months, 1.3 average severity (Three consecutive 3-month mean readings averaging 2.1)

1997-98, 13 consecutive months, 1.6 average severity (Five consecutive 3-month mean readings averaging 2.2)

2015 to date, 8 consecutive months, 1.2 average severity (One 3-month mean reading at 2.0).

At this hour in Grand Rapids we have 38 degrees F and no snow whatsoever.

From one imbecile to another: John McLaughlin in an oversized jacket awards "Person of the Year" to FBI Director James Comey

The jacket John has worn for years for this annual occasion now hangs like a bag on his shrinking frame.

Here.

James Comey testified recently before the US Senate to Lindsey Grahamnesty that he has no idea how weapons purchased over the internet reach their buyers.

And neither does Lindsey.

In 7 years Obama more than doubled a debt it took all other presidents combinded 233 years to pile up

The debt when Obama took office

The debt after 7 years of Obama in office

The debt held by the public is up 116% in just 7 years of Obama, going from $6.3 trillion to $13.6 trillion.