1. The Ominous Omnibus

2. Vermont as a “Laboratory for Change”

3. Moratorium Leads to Abrupt Production Declines

4. To Sexist AP, HuffPo Inanely Bashing Palin Is More Important Than Helping Haiti

5. 2012: The Championship Match

1. The Ominous Omnibus

The Senate has released an omnibus appropriations bill that blows the lid off spending. They waited until the last possible minute to put it out for review. It is 1,924 pages long, filled with earmarks, and goes so far as to declare Nevada a Pacific Coast state so it can get in on a few million dollars to protect salmon. The Democrats have also put a provision in the legislation to begin funding Obamacare.It is insane and the GOP claims it will fight. Naturally though, several of the outgoing Republican Senators have decided they can finally flip the middle finger at their constituents. Senator Susan Collins is joining these departing senators — Voinovich, Bennett, Bond.Please take a few moments to call these 4 Senators and tell them to Vote NO:Senator Kit Bond: (202) 224-5721Senator George Voinovich: (202) 224-3353Senator Bob Bennett: (202) 224-5444Senator Susan Collins: (202) 224-2523Then click here to go to the RedState Action Alert Center and call your own Senator. Tell him to vote no.Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Vermont as a “Laboratory for Change”

The pro-freedom movement has done a good job so far of resisting Obamacare. The new House majority has the ability to de-fund much of it. Officials at the state level have already started the process of legal challenges. On Monday the 13th, a federal judge in Virginia ruled that the insurance purchase mandate in the bill is unconstitutional. Numerous corporations are asking for an opt-out option, as are some states. The whole thing is headed to a “death by a thousand cuts” if this trend continues. Since some of the worst features do not kick in until 2014, we might even have the whole thing repealed before they kick in, if we keep up our momentum in 2012. Of course none of this is guaranteed, so we must keep up the pressure. In keeping up the pressure through the obvious avenues, we need to be aware of back door avenues.Not all of the states looking to opt out of Obamacare are likely to put forward a free market alternative. Here in Vermont, the objection of the state’s “progressive” leadership is that Obamacare does not go far enough toward a full single payer system.Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Moratorium Leads to Abrupt Production Declines

Offshore oil and gas wells typically are able to produce at high rates at the beginning of their lives. Reserves are not infinite, so that means a rapid natural rate of decline as reserves deplete. “Reserve replacement” is a big issue; we often say that every day that you don’t replace production in the oilfield means you’re just slowly going out of business.How do you replace production? By drilling new wells and working on old ones.But you need permits to work on wells and permits to drill new ones.Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. To Sexist AP, HuffPo Inanely Bashing Palin Is More Important Than Helping Haiti

Every time I think that the “Press” can’t sink any lower than the rock bottom they’ve already hit, they somehow manage to burrow themselves further into the earth’s mantle. As is so often the case, this most recent gutter-dwelling example has to do with Sarah Palin, who dared to go on a humanitarian trip to Haiti. This does not suit! You see, how can the Press feel all holier-than-thou and better than Sarah Palin – and her fellow rubes – when she is out helping people in Haiti, while they are sitting at home and sipping their soy lattes? I mean, you can’t even see their super awesome and caring “cause ribbons” in print. Plus, she’s just a girl and not the right kind of girl; she embraces motherhood and doesn’t hyphenate her name. She doesn’t even limit herself to caring only about topics that women are assigned to caring about by the left. This aggression cannot stand.Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. 2012: The Championship Match

Just a reminder that you have until noon today to vote in the championship match. Since Friday, RedState readers have been voting on the potential 2012 field of Republican candidates. It’s all in good fun, but there have been some surprises along the way.The votes will count until noon today.Please click here for the rest of the post.