FOXNews.com: Obama creates climate change task force

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Obama creates climate change task force Nov 1st 2013, 21:15 Through the stroke of a pen, President Obama on Friday used his executive powers to elevate and take control of climate change policies in an attempt to streamline sustainability initiatives – and potentially skirt legislative oversight and push a federal agenda on states. The executive order establishes a task force of state and local officials to advise the administration on how to respond to severe storms, wildfires, droughts and other potential impacts of climate change. The task force includes governors of seven states — all Democrats — and the Republican governor of Guam, a U.S. territory. Fourteen mayors and two other local leaders also will serve on the task force. All but three of those appointed are Democrats. The task force will look at federal money spent on roads, bridges, flood control and other projects. It ultimately will recommend how structures can be made more resilient to the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and warming temperatures. "We're going to need to get prepared.  And that's why this plan will also protect critical sectors of our economy and prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change that we cannot avoid," Obama said last June, when he first launched a Climate Action Plan. "States and cities across the country are already taking it upon themselves to get ready… And we'll partner with communities seeking help to prepare for droughts and floods, reduce the risk of wildfires, protect the dunes and wetlands that pull double duty as green space and as natural storm barriers." The White House added in Friday's statement that even as the United States acts to curb carbon pollution, officials also need to improve how states and communities respond to extreme weather events like last year's Superstorm Sandy. Building codes must be updated to address climate impacts and infrastructure needs to be made more resilient. Critics of the order charge, among other things, that it groups together everything from forest fires to heavy rains as evidence of climate change - despite scientific testimony from both sides of the debate. "The devil is in the details," a former senior government official said to FoxNews.com earlier this month, referring to a recently released study that proposed the streamlining between federal and state agencies. "Who gets to decide what sustainability is? Or what its outcome means?" The chair of the study, Thomas Graedel, a professor of chemical engineering, geology and geophysics, and currently head of the Center for Industrial Ecology at Yale University, said at the time of its release that the study "provides encouragement for parts of the government to get together on projects of concern. There is no formula for how it all works out." Officials for the EPA released a statement on Friday afternoon praising the order, saying it will be vital in their attempts to help local-level communities "adapt to a changing climate." "To meet our mission of protecting public health and the environment, EPA must help communities adapt to a changing climate," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in the statement. "These Implementation Plans offer a roadmap for agency work to meet that responsibility, while carrying out President Obama's goal of preparing the country for climate-related challenges." But critics say the order has the potential to do much more, including: •  Hold back money to communities unless they meet new standards on various items and agendas set by the federal government. For example, using new policies that will encourage communities to rebuild to pre-disaster standards instead of stronger ones. •  A possible mandate to bring sweeping new changes to land use and resource policies. •  More control and refocus of climate change data and use of it to push a new agenda into every priority of the federal government. •  Create the need for a new internal organization for coordination efforts during a government sequestration and possible future shutdowns. The task force includes Govs. Jerry Brown of California, Jay Inslee of Washington and Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, as well as Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn. The panel also includes several big-city mayors, including Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Houston Mayor Annise Parker. All three are Democrats. The task force builds on efforts Obama announced for his Climate Action Plan last June, which include the first-ever limits on climate pollution from new and existing power plants. The plan is intended to reduce domestic carbon dioxide emissions by 17 percent between 2005 and 2020. The plan also would boost renewable energy production on federal lands, increase efficiency standards and prepare communities to deal with higher temperatures. The 12 hottest years on record all have occurred in the past 15 years. Climate change skeptics argue there is no proven link between extreme events and global warming. Indeed, Roger Pielke, Jr., a professor of environmental studies at the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, argued recently that -- heat waves aside -- there is little evidence for an increase in extreme events themselves. Others find small links between climate change and some specific natural disasters, saying storms like Sandy were worsened by rising sea levels. But for other events, notably droughts and downfalls, there's no evidence of a global warming effect.  A Sept. 2012 editorial in the prestigious journal Nature urged caution in drawing any such connection: "Better models are needed before exceptional events can be reliably linked to global warming." FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: Iraqi PM to ask Obama for more aid to stop attacks

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Iraqi PM to ask Obama for more aid to stop attacks Nov 1st 2013, 17:19 Published November 01, 2013 Associated Press Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, center, walks with the House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking Democrat Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., right, and the committee's chairman Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif. in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, before their meeting.AP Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is expected to appeal to President Obama Friday for more U.S. assistance in beating back the bloody insurgency consuming his country. The White House hasn't indicated whether it will grant al-Maliki's request for additional weapons, help with intelligence and other assistance. The United States already provides military aid to Iraq, the legacy of an unpopular war that already cost Americans nearly 4,500 troops and more than $700 billion. It's unclear what more Obama will be willing to give. Al-Maliki argues U.S. assistance is vital to help push back the bloodshed that has spiked across his country since U.S. troops left at the end of 2011.  The withdrawal came after al-Maliki's government refused to let U.S. forces remain in Iraq with legal immunity that the Obama administration insisted was necessary to protect troops. Obama had campaigned on ending the nearly nine-year war in Iraq and took the opportunity offered by the legal dispute to pull all troops out. Sunni Muslim insurgents who had been mostly silenced under the U.S. presence lashed out once the American forces were gone, angered by a widespread belief that Sunnis have been sidelined by Iraq's Shiite-led government. Indiscriminate violence has continued to rise, with the United Nations saying Friday that 979 Iraqis were killed last month alone -- 852 civilians and 127 were security forces -- and nearly 2,000 more injured. "The terrorists found a second chance," al-Maliki said in a speech Thursday at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He said the violence has been fueled by the neighboring Syrian civil war, although he acknowledged that homegrown insurgents are to blame for the vast number of car bombs, suicide bombings and drive-by shootings that have roiled the nation. "If the situation in Iraq is not well treated, it will be disastrous for the whole world," said al-Maliki, whose comments were translated from Arabic. "Terrorism does not know a single religion, or confession, or a single border. They carry their rotten ideas everywhere. They carry bad ideas instead of flowers. Al-Qaida is a dirty wind that wants to spread worldwide." Al-Maliki's Oval Office visit with Obama will be their first meeting since December 2011, six days before the last American troops left Iraq. At the time, Obama pledged the U.S. would remain committed to the government they left behind, and helped create. Obama spokesman Jay Carney, asked about criticisms of al-Maliki for failing to govern inclusively, said the president will raise concerns about Iraq's violence with the prime minister. "And inclusive democratic governance is a key piece of the picture there and always has been," he said. "The importance of that dialogue between the different parties and the different political factions cannot be overstated when it comes to resolving these issues peacefully as opposed to through violence," Carney said. "What's important to remember, though, is that the violence we're talking about, the attacks we're talking about, are not coming from within the political system. They're coming from al-Qaida and its affiliates." Carney said the United States considers Iraq and essential partner in fighting terrorism, and that security assistance is necessary "in this fight against a common enemy." But Carney wouldn't comment on whether Obama would approve more spending. FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: Cash for Clunkers program falls short of goals to help economy, environment

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Cash for Clunkers program falls short of goals to help economy, environment Nov 1st 2013, 15:59 Published November 01, 2013 FoxNews.com WASHINGTON –  The Cash for Clunkers program that was pitched to the public as a big boost for the economy and the environment turned out to be nothing more than a lemon, according to a new study released by the Brookings Institution. In fact, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) known as Cash for Clunkers, did little to help the environment and was "far more expensive per job created than alternative fiscal stimulus programs," according to new research led by Ted Gayer and Emily Parker of Brookings.   Sold as an economic stimulus and an environmental salve, the program made early progress in jump-starting the ailing auto industry. Initial data seemed to indicate that the program, which offered $3,500 to $4,500 for people who trade in their old cars for a new one with higher fuel economy, was popular. The plan, which was the brainchild of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, was championed as one that would stimulate the economy, create jobs and reduce emissions. But ultimately, all of those lofty goals fell short of expectations. For starters, the fuel-economy requirements ended up being fairly loose. For example, a person trading in a vehicle like a Hummer, which clocks in 14 miles-per-gallon, could get a $3,500 voucher that would go towards a new SUV with 18 miles-per-gallon. Experts argue that the small gains made in efficiency would be offset by the energy costs put into manufacturing a new car. "The existing evidence also suggests that these sales were pulled forward from sales that would have occurred otherwise in the future," Gayer and Parker said. "Ten months after the end of the program, the cumulative purchases from July 2009 to June 2010 were nearly the same, showing little lasting effect." Americans traded in 700,000 "clunkers" between July 1 and Aug. 24, 2009, according to Brookings. While the study found that the $2.85 billion program provided a short-term bump in vehicle sales, the program only provided a small boost in employment which the government watchdog group says could have been done easily through other fiscal stimulus programs like reducing employers' and employees' payroll taxes. The environmental gains made through the program weren't all that impressive either, according to the study. The cost per ton of carbon dioxide reduced from the program suggests that the program was not a cost-effective way to reduce emissions, although it was more cost effective  than certain other environmental policies, such as the tax subsidy for electric vehicles or the tax  credit for ethanol. Total emissions reduction was not "substantial" because "only about half a percent of all vehicles in the United States were the new, more energy-efficient CARS vehicles." During the CARS program, vehicle sales increased 14 percent in July 2009 and another 28 percent in August but sales reverted to pre-program levels after the program ended, Brookings said. FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: Legislative ‘pork’ takes on new meaning in Ohio

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Legislative 'pork' takes on new meaning in Ohio Nov 1st 2013, 18:12 By Maggie Thurber Published November 01, 2013 Ohio motorists soon will be able to claim their roadkill and take home the pork under a new provision OK'd by the state House of Representatives. H.B. 199 was approved by a 94-1 vote Wednesday. It allows any driver who hits and kills a feral hog, wild boar, or a wild turkey to keep the animal. They just need to report it to a wildlife or law enforcement officer within 24 hours. Deer are covered by a similar provision. Sponsored by state Rep. Bob Hackett, R-London, and state Rep. Tony Burkley, R-Paulding, the measure also adds feral hogs to the game list, which means the state can establish a hunting season and set bag limits on the animals. Dishing up a number of puns while urging support, Burkley said Ohioans won't have to wait for road crews or buzzards to clean up the roads, adding that the cost of repairing any damage to a vehicle caused by hitting a hog "would be offset somewhat by the additional food that may be placed on the table, so you can say it's for the kids." The one person not amused was Rep. Matt Lundy, D-Elyria, who cast the lone vote against the measure. Click for more from Watchdog.org FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: 2 US commandos involved in Benghazi rescue to be privately honored for bravery

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2 US commandos involved in Benghazi rescue to be privately honored for bravery Nov 1st 2013, 15:36 Published November 01, 2013 FoxNews.com Two of the military's elite Delta Force operators, who were called into action the night of the Benghazi attack, have been nominated for medals for bravery, Fox News has learned. The two U.S. commandos, who were in Libya as part of a separate counter-terrorism mission, volunteered to join other U.S. forces when the U.S. consulate in Benghazi came under attack on Sept. 11, 2012. The commandos joined Glen Doherty, a former Navy Seal who was later killed in the assault, and the CIA's small Quick Reaction Force in their rescue operations on the consulate.  Both Delta Force operators have been nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross -- the military's second highest medal for valor -- and a Silver Star, sources confirmed to Fox News. On Sept. 11, 2012, at least one of the operators made his way into the Benghazi hospital to retrieve the body of Ambassador Chris Stevens, even though the hospital was under the control of Ansar Al Shariah -- the Al Qaeda-linked group believed responsible for the attack.  The U.S. State Department's Accountability Review Board reported that Stevens' body was "delivered" to the tarmac of the airport at about 7 a.m. on Sept 12, but failed to mention the action of the U.S. Delta operators. The Distinguished Service Cross, like the Medal of Honor, has a strict and long vetting process that takes over a year and it is not believed that the award has been given yet. The Silver Star takes less time to vet and it may have been already awarded.  Sources who have viewed the nomination papers confirm that the two commandos were nominated for their actions on the night of the Benghazi attack, which included carrying the dead and injured off the rooftop of the CIA annex after the mortars hit around 5 a.m. on Sept 12 -- almost eight hours after the assault began. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.  FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: John Kerry: Some NSA surveillance reached `too far'

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John Kerry: Some NSA surveillance reached `too far' Nov 1st 2013, 16:26 Published November 01, 2013 Associated Press U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is acknowledging that some National Security Agency spying has reached too far and says it will be stopped. Kerry says that because of modern technology, some NSA activities have been happening on "automatic pilot" without Obama administration officials knowing. He says ongoing reviews of U.S. surveillance work will ensure that technology is not being abused and says the Obama administration is going to make sure activities that have, quote, "reached too far" do not happen in the future. Sweeping surveillance practices by the NSA have drawn the ire of other nations, who have called for investigations and have demanded the U.S. stop spying on allies. Kerry spoke Thursday via video link to an open government conference in London. FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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FOXNews.com: No wonder they won’t release the numbers!

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No wonder they won't release the numbers! Nov 1st 2013, 12:41  **Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.** Buzz Cut: • No wonder they won't release the numbers! • ObamaCare for Christmas • Paul: NSA probably spies on Obama • Daley: Campaign considered desperation dump of Biden • Tell Cooter to sober up, bless his heart NO WONDER THEY WON'T RELEASE THE NUMBERS! - The first look at administration efforts to track signups for ObamaCare shows just how bad the Oct. 1 crash of the new entitlement program was. Memos obtained by the House Oversight Committee are not official enrollment numbers, but say that as of the morning of Oct. 2, "six enrollments [had] occurred so far." After two days, only 248 enrollments were on the books out of an estimated population of uninsured Americans in the tens of millions. More from Fox News. [Watch Fox: Health Oversight and Government Reform Committee Head, Rep. Darell Issa, R-Calif., discusses new ObamaCare subpoenas in the 11 a.m. ET hour] Dire digits - President Obama and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have refused to share enrollment numbers, but this snapshot shows the extent of the failure as ObamaCare opened for business. That's significant as bipartisan demands for delaying penalties for the uninsured continue to grow. Team Obama is trying to hold the line, but with a steady stream of stories showing the plight of families losing coverage because of ObamaCare regulations, the failure to launch becomes increasingly dire. The scope of the debacle also ups the chances that Sebelius will have to be cashiered as part of a re-launch in the months to come. Frustration flares as WH briefs Senate Dems - White House Chief of Staff Dennis McDonough and other senior administration officials got an earful when they briefed Senate Democrats Thursday on the problem-plagued ObamaCare rollout. Multiple reports of the meeting describe several senators as "agitated." "I don't think there's confidence by anyone in the room. This is more of a show-me moment," – Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., describing the ObamaCare briefing to reporters. Welfare dominates - ObamaCare's architects envisioned a nearly even split between enrollees in private-sector policies and the government program for low-income Americans, Medicaid. But as WaPo points out, the first month of the program shows a massive skew toward the welfare program. Maryland, for example, has seen 96 percent of its ObamaCare enrollments going into Medicaid. Federal tax dollars pay for the first three years of the expanded Medicaid offerings under the law, but then, taxpayers in those states that opted to join the program are on the hook. [On Fox News Opinion – Rep. John Barrasso, R-Wy., marks today's conspicuous date with "One month of HealthCare.gov horrors -- time for Obama to apologize, meet with Republicans"] New York policies crumble - NY Post: An estimated 100,000 New York state residents are slated to lose their individual policies as a result of ObamaCare, with a still-unknown number of small-business plans headed for the scrapheap. Breitbart reports a survey from the state medical society says 44 percent of doctors won't accept ObamaCare plans. Oregon's crash continues - Oregon officials are moving to process paper applications for ObamaCare after news that its online portal may not be fully functional for another two months. A report suggests 150,000 state residents are slated to lose their current health coverage because of the law. Daily Caller has more. Dr. K's reveals all ­- Charles Krauthammer cuts to the bone in ObamaCare laid bare: "…when you find your policy canceled, your premium raised and your deductible outrageously increased, you've learned the real meaning of 'free' in the liberal lexicon: something paid for by your neighbor -- best, by subterfuge." OBAMACARE FOR CHRISTMAS - President Obama's permanent campaign apparatus, Organizing for America, is urging his supporters to give the gift of ObamaCare this holiday season. The political group has launched a new effort "Health Care for the Holidays" that includes tips on how to get family members to sign up for the new entitlement and to develop strategies for introducing ObamaCare into the holiday conversation. "Be persistent, but keep it positive…" the site encourages.  Naughty, naughty -The OFA site also features a video of a young man confronted by his parent over his lack of insurance at the family table. LOIS LERNER'S IMPROPER EMAILS REVEALED - We knew that IRS division chief Lois Lerner had likely shared confidential tax information about conservatives with the Federal Elections Commission. Now it's official after the elections agency was forced to release emails confirming Lerner's work to help target conservatives. Congressional investigators caught an improper February 2009 back-channel request for information in a document dragnet of IRS emails, but the agency managed to avoid revealing Lerner's response. A FOIA field by Judicial Watch shows she responded just 10 minutes later, and showed no hesitation: "I have sent your email out to some of my staff. Will get back to you as soon as I have heard from them." Read the rest at Washington Examiner. PAUL: NSA PROBABLY SPIES ON OBAMA - Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told National Review Online that the National Security Agency, "could well be spying on the president, for all I know...He has a cell phone, and, in fact, my guess is that they have collected data on the president's phone." Paul has introduced a Senate resolution calling on President Obama to address a recent report the NSA spied on Catholic cardinals during their selection of Pope Francis. Meanwhile, the White House has announced an end to NSA spying on officials at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Reuters has more. [Watch Fox: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky,, discusses the NSA in the 1p.m. ET hour]   FOOD STAMP FIGHT AS STIMULUS EXPIRES - A boost to food stamp benefits enacted as part of the 2009 Obama stimulus and extended during various fiscal cliffs expires today. Democrats want to keep the boost, worth about $38 a month for a family of four. Republicans say the more than tripling in the overall cost of the program in the past 13 years is cause for concern. Both House Republicans and Senate Democrats are both proposing new, higher baselines for the program as part of budget negotiations. Fox News SECURITY WORKERS' BIG TAX DEBT - Washington Free Beacon: "More than 8,000 federal workers and contractors with security clearances owe $85 million in unpaid taxes to the IRS, according to the Government Accountability Office." [Employees at the Department of Homeland Security have abused overtime pay to the tune of $8.7 million a year, according to a report.] WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE...Kimberly Strassel wants to know what's Driving Dick Durbin: "You don't come to be the No. 2 Senate Democrat without proving you can help your friends along the way. That's why the motivation behind Dick Durbin's ongoing campaign against a prominent free-market[The American Legislative Exchange Council]  group deserves attention… Mr. Durbin knows that every company that can be harassed out of donating to ALEC means a bit less firepower for tort reform…Government unions are relying on Mr. Durbin to put ALEC out of business." Got a TIP from the RIGHT or LEFT? Email FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM POLL CHECK - Real Clear Politics Averages Obama Job Approval: Approve – 43.9 percent//Disapprove – 51.5 percent Direction of Country: Right Direction – 22.1 percent//Wrong Track – 70.9 percent  CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN VIRGINIA - Both campaigns are blitzing the airwaves in the lead up to Tuesday's Virginia gubernatorial election. The latest ad from Democrat Terry McAuliffe casts him as a consensus builder and a friend of business. Republican Ken Cuccinelli counters by slamming McAuliffe's support of ObamaCare and claims McAuliffe's agenda would cost Virginians an average $1,700 per family.  TEAM OBAMA CONSIDERED DUMPING BIDEN - A new book claims President Obama considered dumping Vice President Joe Biden in favor of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to improve the president's re-election prospects. The book, "Double Down" by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, says Team Obama scrapped the plan after focus groups showed the switch wouldn't improve the president's prospects. Former Obama aide David Plouffe is refuting the claim on Twitter. But former White House Chief of Staff William Daley told the NYT that the move was considered as part of "due diligence" to help the then-struggling campaign. "You have to remember, at that point the president was in awful shape, so we were like, 'Holy Christ, what do we do?'" [Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be the keynote speaker as the Philadelphia Conference for Women marks its 10th anniversary this afternoon.] Hill Hints in the Highlands - Hillary may have tipped her hand during a recent reception in Scotland. NY Post reports Clinton told guests at a private reception "I'm minded to do it," when pressed about a potential 2016 run. TOP TWEETS @laurenashburn's top tweet pick for this morning: CNN's@JohnBerman: "Back last term, with polls a slidin', did POTUS want to dump Joe Biden?" BOOM! Beat that newsy #MorningRhyme #EarlyStart." [Lauren Ashburn of "#MEDIABUZZ" tracks the Twitterverse every day in Top Twitter Talk.] GOP GETS TOP-TIER DRAW FOR MONTANA SENATE RACE - Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is expected to announce his bid to fill the Senate seat of retiring Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., next week, The Hill reports.  Daines is likely to face Democratic Lt. Gov. John Walsh in the general election  SORRY, CHARLIE - Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., will greet Monday's expected announcement from Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist with a half-million-dollar ad blitz. Crist, who left the GOP after losing a 2010 Senate primary to Sen. Marco Rubio, is seeking to return to his old job as governor. The ad's title: "Opportunist." WIN FOR TEXAS PRO-LIFERS - A federal appeals court has reinstated part of Texas' law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Planned Parenthood had won a lower court battle to strike down part of the law. The decision marks a victory for Attorney General Greg Abbott, who is also the Republican frontrunner for next year's gubernatorial election. Democratic contender state Sen. Wendy Davis predicated her candidacy on her opposition to the regulations, including the ban on late-term abortions. Fox News has more. Pressure grows for federal ban on late-term abortions - Washington Examiner reports Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has sponsored a bill that would bar abortions after five months of pregnancy. The House has already passed a similar measure. [Watch Fox: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., appears in the 1 p.m. ET hour] #MEDIABUZZ  - Washington Examiner's Tim Carney and Juan Williams will join host Howard Kurtz to examine how the media is now portraying Barack Obama as a disengaged president after his "in-the-dark" defense on NSA spying, health care rollout, IRS, journalist surveillance and other issues. What explains the dramatic change in tone? Plus, a very special surprise guest. Tune in this Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. SEMPER FI - Marine Sgt. Joshua Moore will receive the Navy Cross for heroism in the Afghan war by "grabbing a live enemy grenade and throwing it away" to save the members of his sniper team while they were pinned down by intense fire inside a building. Marine Times has more. TELL COOTER TO SOBER UP - How much money does it take to burn a wet mule? How fine is a frog hair? Who is Cooter Brown and why is he so drunk? Why would a dead pig be happy? Business Insider offers the culturally disadvantaged a translation of Southern sayings. Remember, "Bless your heart," isn't a compliment. [Ed. Note: Those sayings are just ridiculous. Everyone knows that a rich person has enough money to burn a wet elephant. Who would want to burn a wet mule? Absurd.] AND NOW A WORD FROM CHARLES…"As long as the exchanges are down, all you're getting are stories of people losing insurance and practically no one gaining insurance. This is a program that's doing the opposite of what it was intended... the insurers are going to have to increase their premiums [which] reduces further the incentive and you get a system that cannot sustain itself economically. And it collapses." --Charles Krauthammer on "Special Report with Bret Baier"  Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here. To catch Chris live online daily at 11:30 a.m. ET, click here. FOX NEWS FIRST NEWSLETTER Daily must-read stories from the biggest name in politics Today No wonder they won't release the numbers!

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