* What an appropriate–and well-earned–White House tribute this has been for the late Republican Sen. Bob Dole. From the half-staff flying of the flags from the White House, public buildings, military posts and naval stations to those on naval vessels, embassies and consular offices. Dole hearkened back to a time when being a Republican didn’t mean white nationalism and being a Democrat didn’t mean a demonized, ideological “socialist.”
A wounded World War II hero, Dole, 98, was an avatar of the Greatest Generation. He could put self-serving, pure partisanship aside and credibly advocate for country first. Witty and self-deprecating, he was dedicated to public service. He was an American patriot, back when that term was at its most meaningful. He was an American political leader, back when that meant more than party-first hack.
* Word is that Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has told colleagues and donors that Senate GOPsters won’t be releasing a legislative agenda before next year’s mid-terms. In short, when your party is out of power, the mid-terms are solely a referendum on what the other side has done for the last two years. In other words, it’s not about Republican plans and programs, it’s about Biden & Co., “socialism” and “critical race theories.”
* The House and Senate passed the spending bill. The bar is embarrassingly low when a major Congressional accomplishment is a stop-gap bill that avoids a shut-down of the government.
* “I pull for him every day. I pray for him every night.”–Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Kentucky and West Virginia still have a lot in common.
* “Build Back Better”? Will its passage be a stocking-stuffer Christmas present? Joe Manchin doesn’t seem well cast as Santa’s helper.
* The Economist forecasts inflation next year at 4.1 percent. That’s lower than the 6.1 percent for 2021—but still twice that (2 percent) targeted by the Fed.