From Da Tech Guy: Illinois is only a Partially Free state

There is a definite dearth of freedom in ILL-inois, as I write at Da Tech Guy: Illinois is only a Partially Free state.

Christmas Time's A-Comin: The Del McCoury Band.

Earlier this month Mrs. Marathon Pundit and I enjoyed the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. One of the performers was the Del McCoury Band who played this song, "Christmas Time's A-Comin. This rendition was recorded at the Triple Door in Seattle in 2015.

Judge rules ObamaCare is unconstitutional

I am still not tired of winning.

From NBC News:

A federal judge in Texas struck down the Affordable Care Act on Friday night, ruling that former President Barack Obama's signature domestic legislation has fallen down like a losing game of "Jenga."

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth sided with the argument put forward by a coalition of Republican-leaning states, led by Texas, that Obamacare could no longer stand now that there's no penalty for Americans who don't buy insurance.

The U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the law in 2012, by classifying the legislation as a tax. But since Congress removed the individual mandate in 2017, O’Connor ruled, there's no way the ACA can be allowed to stand.

"The Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress's Tax Power and is still impermissible under the Interstate Commerce Clause — meaning the Individual Mandate is unconstitutional," O'Connor wrote. "The Individual Mandate is essential to and inseverable from the remainder of the ACA."

Mark Dice: Big Announcement from Democrat Genius

Someone is announcing that he's thinking about running for president.

And Mark Dice exposes some fake news about Melania Trump.

Go with Marathon Pundit when shopping on Amazon

Here's another opportunity for you to say "thank you," without paying anything extra, by clicking on an Amazon ad when you are shopping.

I get a tiny commision--and that money gets plowed into the blog.

Office of powerful Chicago alderman--who has been in office 49 years-- raided a second time

Burke

Term limits, anyone?

Chicago alderman Ed Burke (14th) has been in office since 1969. His predecessor was his father.

This is democracy?

From WGN-TV:

The FBI raided powerful Chicago Ald. Ed Burke’s City Hall office for the second time in two weeks.

The FBI’s Chicago office told WGN News it does not comment on anything it may or may not be investigating. In the past, the alderman has said that he’s cooperated with investigations in the past, will cooperate with this one and is confident no wrongdoing will be found.

Two weeks ago, federal agents raided Burke's office, who is the longest serving alderman.

After the raid began, federal agents put brown paper over officer windows to conceal their work. As the agents executed their warrant, no one was allowed in or out of his third floor City Hall Office.

Related post:

Offices of powerful Chicago alderman raided by feds

DuPage County state rep-elect being threatened for vowing not to vote for Boss Madigan as speaker

Here is more proof that when you vote Democratic in Illinois you are voting for Boss Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), the speaker of the state House for 32 of the last 34 years and chairman of the state Democratic Party since 1997. Anna Stava Murray from DuPage County ousted a Republican incumbent last month. Murray ran on the promise of not voting for Madigan as speaker, and for now she is holding to it.

But now she says she is saying Democratic leaders and labor bosses are telling her if she follows through with her promise there will be retaliation.

Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood) voted "present" on Madigan's reelection as speaker in 2017. He was removed from a committee assignment which cost him $10,000 in salary.

Illinois Democrats: This is your party.

You'll learn more on Murray at the Chicago Sun-Times, paid subscription required.

Last year Reuters called Madigan "The man behind the fiscal fiasco in Illinois" in an exhaustive report.

Enemies of the taxpayers: SEIU drops $1 million on Taxwinkle's Chicago mayoral campaign

Clearly SEIU, a far-left union, sees a lot they like in Toni "Taxwinkle" Preckwinkle, the leftist who foisted an extremely unpopular but since repealed Crook County soda tax on struggling county residents like myself.

While SEIU doesn't represent many city workers, I'm sure it would love to have many more under its expensive--the taxpayers that is--umbrella.

From Politico:

SEIU says it spent about $3 million between direct contributions, in-kind contributions and its own independent expenditure TV ad buys on Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in 2015 in his mayoral bid against Rahm Emanuel.

This year, the Service Employees International Union state council is weighing in with a $1 million contribution to Toni Preckwinkle’s campaign — just weeks after the Cook County Board president announced $700 million in spending above the current county budget and an infusion of money into county hospitals, which are run in part by the ranks of SEIU employees.

End Freedom of Speech Says Democrat Congressman Ted Lieu

Ted Lieu, a leftist Democratic member of Congress from California, said yesterday on CNN that we would love to be able to regulate the content of speech" but is frustrated that the First Amendment prevents him from doing do.

Democrats: This is your party.

But Lieu is encouraging tech giants to stifle free expression.

MSNBC loser Brzezisnki calls Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a 'wannabe dictator's butt boy'

Mika Brzezisnki is a co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joke."

From the Daily Mail:

MSNBC is once again dealing with a network host's alleged homophobic comments after Morning Joe anchor Mika Brzezinski casually tossed off what can be a slur on live television Wednesday morning.

The Morning Joe host was talking about an interview on Fox & Friends earlier in the morning during which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was evasive when it came to answering questions about how the administration planned to deal with Saudi Arabia in the wake of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

'I understand that Donald Trump doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. But why doesn’t Mike Pompeo care right now? Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard when he appeared on - is that a patriot speaking?' asked Brzezinski.

'Or a wannabe dictator’s butt boy?'

Over the years another MSNBC clown, Joy "Joyless" Reid was discovered to have written many anti-gay comments on an old blog of hers. The left wing media chose not to excoriate her for them. Reid dismissed her hateful comments as a result of hacking.

Uh, no.

Brzezisnki did apologize for the "butt boy" comment. But will MSNBC suspend her?