The O'Reilly Factor---TONIGHT!

I'll be a guest with Bill O'Reilly TONIGHT (instead of my usual Tuesday night) at 8pm and 11pm ET on the Fox News Channel. Please tune in!

Dispatches from the Debt-Ridden Western World

Item: Western Europe is drowning in suffocating debt, courtesy of decades of socialist welfare policies.

Item: Greece was the first European economy to collapse under the weight of its own debt, pulling the Eurozone into its crapstorm and begging for bailouts.

Item: Standard and Poor's downgraded U.S. debt last August.

Item: Standard and Poor's is set to downgrade France and Austria today.

Item: Spain and Italy and other Eurozone countries are not far behind.

Item: The socialist welfare state is in collapse everywhere from Greece to California.

Item: The national debt of the United States is currently over $15.2 trillion, careening headlong toward $16 trillion. The size of the entire U.S. economy is about $15.2 trillion. We've reached---and are now passing---the tipping point.

Item: Obama, the biggest big spender president in the shortest amount of time, has just requested another $1.2 trillion increase in the debt ceiling.

Put Your Big $$$ Where Your Big Mouth Is, Buffett

Warren Buffett has been on my last nerve for a while. Now he's really pushed me over the edge.

The billionaire investor has been whining for years that he doesn't pay enough in taxes, that he and his big rich pals would pay more to the government if tax rates were raised and that his secretary pays a higher marginal rate than he does.

I'm exhausted from having to point out to the man that if he feels so guilty about his small tax burden, nothing is stopping him from writing an additional check or two to the Treasury. I'm sure Tim Geithner isn't going to reject a billion dollar check signed by Warren Buffett. Next, Buffett takes a relatively small salary but makes most of his money on capital gains and dividends, which are taxed at a lower rate than income. Further, it would be nice if before he preached the virtues of higher taxes, Buffett and his firm actually paid the taxes they already owe. Berkshire Hathaway has back taxes due from years ago. And Buffett retains a fleet of expensive lawyers to minimize that annual tax bill as much as possible.

This week, the hypocrite spoke again, this time to challenge Congressional Republicans to a money duel: for every $1 each of them donates to reduce the deficit, he would match it. See the story here: http://swampland.time.com/2012/01/11/warren-buffett-to-mitch-mcconnell-put-up-or-shut-up/

Why just limit the challenge to Republicans? They want to lower taxes to spur economic growth. If Buffett is truly interested in cutting the deficit, he'd offer to match any voluntary contribution from anybody. The vast majority of the richest members of Congress are Democrats, not Republicans (Rockefeller, Kerry, Pelosi...) so you might want to start with the other side of the aisle, Warren.

And once again: nothing is stopping you from doing this now, Big Mouth. But of course, you don't really want to pay more to the government, which is why you've got a gazillion tax shelters and why you're handing over the majority of your vast fortune to a PRIVATE organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, rather than let the government tax it.

Warren: instead of your Giving Pledge, in which you try to convince billionaires to pledge half of their fortunes to private philanthropy, why don't you push a Giving To The Government Pledge, in which you ask these same folks to give their big money to the government instead?

Let's see how many takers you get for that. My guess is none, particularly since that line starts with you, and you are nowhere to be found.

On New Hampshire, Part II

Now that we have results from yesterday's primary, let's recap where we are in the Republican presidential race:

The Dominant Guy, Mitt Romney, remains dominant. He won in New Hampshire by a large margin, which was predicted but now that it's a reality, he's got real momentum heading into South Carolina and Florida. His speech last night was much better than previous Romney speeches: more passionate, more from the heart, more conservative. He's now running a general election campaign, so let's see if he sticks with the more conservative message. That's a big "maybe."

The Hot and Cold Guy, Newt Gingrich, has some work to do. He tied with the Earnest Guy, Rick Santorum, for 4th place. After his disappointing finish in Iowa, he's got a steeper climb ahead. South Carolina may be friendlier territory for Newt as well as for Santorum, but both will have to work much harder to get back into the top tier. I don't count anyone out, but the odds just grew a lot longer against them.

The "Hey, Didn't He Work For Obama?" Guy, Jon Huntsman, came in third, despite putting all of his eggs in the NH basket. He was hoping for second place, which went to the Outlier Guy, Ron Paul, who cheered liberty last night and then tossed in his isolationist stuff, which always reminds as to why he will not be the nominee. Huntsman gave a ponderous speech that mercifully spared us turns of phrase in Mandarin. I can't see a path to victory for him. As for the Pistol Packer, Rick Perry, he didn't really compete in NH, so his last place finish can somewhat be excused. But now he heads into South Carolina, a southern state he believes will be kinder to a southern gentleman. And it may, but Perry is going to have to place in the top three to be viable beyond that primary.

This is the reality of the race right now. It could change, but the patterns are looking more distinct at this point. If you want to change the pattern, get out there and work for your candidate and surprise everybody. It's still early, but very soon it won't be.

The O'Reilly Factor---TONIGHT!

I'll be a guest with Bill O'Reilly TONIGHT 8pm and 11pm ET on the Fox News Channel. Please tune in!

On New Hampshire

As voters head to the polls in the first in the nation primary today, let's take a quick look at where we are in the race:

The Dominant Guy. Mitt Romney is still the Dominant Guy. Barring some major upset, he'll walk away tonight with a major victory and some serious momentum going into the next contests. He's running a well-oiled machine of a campaign: well-funded, professional, disciplined. It's a presidential-level shop, which is what the GOP will need to run against Barack Obama. It would, however, be refreshing to see Romney be a little more human. He gives us passion when he is personally attacked. I'd like to see some real passion on behalf of what's happening to America---and some passion on behalf of what he'd do to rescue it.

The Hot and Cold Guy. Newt Gingrich's campaign has been exactly like the candidate himself: blowing hot and cold. What attracted voters to him in November and December was his big brain, seriousness of purpose---and positive energy. He'd throw his fellow GOP candidates lifelines in debates, he kept the focus on Obama, and he pounded the leftist media. GOP voters ate it up. We were parched for someone who looked like he was actually having fun out there. Then Newt's poll numbers began to spike and he went negative, attacking his rivals, getting bitter about press coverage and looking pained to be out there rather than looking like he was having the time of his life. An erratic campaign points to an erratic candidate, and that's not good. I respect Newt's intellect so much. We'll see what he does today.

The "Hey, Didn't He Work For Obama?" Guy. Jon Huntsman put all of his eggs in the NH basket. The most recent polls show a steady climb into third, even second, place. He's a serious man but he hasn't shown much of a pulse. And even if he places well tonight, he doesn't have much infrastructure to continue in other states. By the way, any candidate the NY Times and MSNBC love isn't a candidate most conservatives are going to trust. Endorsements from the Left are the kiss of death. And also by the way, if by some miracle Huntsman were to get the nomination, the NY Times and MSNBC and every other leftie will drop him like he's hot in favor of Obama.

The Earnest Guy. Rick Santorum surged at exactly the right moment and basically tied Romney in Iowa. He has positioned himself as the conservative alternative, and that message has gained some traction. He is running against Huntsman for a second place finish tonight. If he scores it, he'll be able to ride a wave into South Carolina. If he doesn't, he'll continue but in a greatly diminished state.

The Pistol-Packer. Rick Perry remains alive, although his campaign is really struggling. I must say that I'm most disappointed in him. He has a great reputation in Texas for being a whip-smart, effective leader. On the national stage, he just couldn't get it together. If he had been sharper and more prepared in the early debates, he would have walked away with the nomination. It's a tragedy, really. He's not competing in NH, so he'll have to score big time in South Carolina.

The Outlier. Ron Paul is still in the picture with consistently rabid support. He will go on after tonight. He will not be the nominee.

New Hampshire voters have a way of turning expectations upside down. Let's see which "type" they court today.

Presidential "Czar"

Over the last few years, President Obama has appointed various "czars" to "oversee" everything from "green jobs" to "climate change" to the auto industry and health care. These "czars" did not require Congressional approval and remain totally unaccountable to anyone but Obama. They serve at his command and in the service of his radical agenda.

Now, it seems, that Obama himself has become one of his own "czars." He told us over and over again that he intended to end-run Congress (one chamber of which is run by his own party, the Senate) with executive orders, bureaucratic activism and recess appointments.

And he has done exactly that: when the noxious cap and trade legislation passed the Democrat House but couldn't get through the Democrat Senate, Obama activated his EPA to push through the suffocating regulations he wanted. He has mobilized bureaucracies such as Health and Human Services to regulate health care out of the reach of Congress. And he's made "recess appointments" to the National Labor Relations Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau even though Congress is not in recess. Those appointments are at the very least constitutionally dubious and at the most blatantly unconstitutional. The Constitutional law lecturer strikes again. If President Bush had done any of these things, Maxine Waters and Chuck Schumer would be screaming for impeachment. Obama pulls extra-Constitutional overreach and tramples on Congressional authority, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he agrees with the president. Help yourself to my Constitutional authority, Mr. President!

Obama has become his own presidential "czar."

His other "czars" report to him. To whom does he report? We know it's certainly not to us.

Romney, Santorum and Paul....Oh My!

We now have the first race of 2012 under our belts. It was simultaneously exciting and boring. Exciting because it was a three-way race for much of the night, then it was a two-way race between the Dominant Guy and the Dark Horse, and then it was the Dominant Guy by a mere 8 votes. Boring because we conservatives are still saying, "Are we really going to go into this war with Barack Obama for the future of the country...with this group?" Sigh.

Well, sometimes you have to go to war with the troops you've got. While it's possible that someone else could jump in the race, it's not likely. So, here we go again, sucking up our frustration and having to make a decision about whom we want carrying the banner into the final battle in November.

Dominant Guy---Mitt Romney---remains dominant. His campaign is a machine of organization, fundraising and cash on hand. He's disciplined and so is his team. He rarely if ever steps off message, is late for an event or interview or makes a misstep. This is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because this is exactly the kind of tight ship campaign we're going to need to go up against Obama. It's a curse because he looks almost robotic out there. But in the end, I'll take disciplined any day.

The Dark Horse---Rick Santorum---came so close to Romney to place second not because he ran an ingenious campaign but because he was the last in line to grab a look from conservatives. Don't get me wrong: Santorum is a genuine conservative and a good man. But he surged only after everybody else did and was the last man standing. He's got some money rolling in now, but he doesn't have much organization anywhere else and not a lot of dough in general. We'll see how far his phenomenal Iowa finish takes him. Maybe through South Carolina. Maybe beyond.

Outlier Guy---Ron Paul---finished third, despite great organization and rabid fans. He finished strong, though not as strongly as some might have expected. He's right about spending, the debt and the Fed but woefully wrong about American superpower and our role in the world. That's hurt him big time. The United States cannot move into the 21st century with a commander-in-chief who doesn't believe in American power and influence.

I really feel for Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry---two strong conservatives---whose roads to the GOP nomination ended last night. They both had powerful messages of limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets. They deserved close attention, and they got it---although they didn't always stand up well under the glare. Bachmann struggled to break through and Perry had some unfortunate debate moments. It occurred to most GOP voters that we really couldn't send either one into a general election against Barack Obama.

The November election is as serious national business as we will ever have. Despite our discontent, we've got to match the seriousness of the moment with our own seriousness. The future of the country depends on it.