lenbilen

The Fiscal condition of all 50 States.

The Mercatus Center of George Mason University has come out with a study of which states are most fiscally solvent. These are their rankings of all 50 states. The best fiscal status in enjoyed by states ruled by a Republican governor, Republican legislature. There are 24 of these with an average score of 1.02

1. Alaska 8.80

2. South Dakota 2.79

3. North Dakota 2.75

4. Nebraska 2.53

5. Wyoming 2.23

6. Florida 1.99

7. Ohio 1.71

8. Tennessee 1.71

10. Alabama 1.25

11. Utah 1.03

12. Oklahoma 0.93

13. Idaho 0.70

15. Indiana 0.53

17. Wisconsin 0.12

19. Mississippi −0.14

20. Texas −0.18

21. South Carolina −0.19

27. Kansas −0.40

28. Georgia −0.45

30. Michigan −0.51

31. Arizona −0.51

33. North Carolina −0.57

34. Louisiana −0.60

42. Pennsylvania −1.31

Next in line for fiscal responsibility is to have a Democrat Governor, Republican Legislature (4) Avg 0.38

9. Montana 1.66

14. Missouri 0.60

25. Virginia −0.28

29. Arkansas −0.47

Then comes a Republican Governor, Split Legislature. There is only one of those:

18. Iowa 0.09

Now we are getting into negative territory for fiscal solvency. That is to have a Republican Governor, Democrat Legislature. There are four of those with an average of -0.92

16. Nevada 0.49

26. New Mexico −0.34

36. Maine −1.00

50. New Jersey −2.81

Only slightly worse is to have a Democrat Governor, split Legislature. There are three of them with an average 0f -0.98

22. New Hampshire −0.21

40. Kentucky −1.26

43. Hawaii −1.46

And finally, worst of all is to have a Democrat Governor, Democrat Legislature. The fourteen of them have an average score of -1.31

23. Washington −0.23

24. Colorado −0.24

32. Oregon −0.57

35. Minnesota −0.87

37. Delaware −1.14

38. Vermont −1.17

39. Rhode Island −1.18

41. West Virginia −1.30

44. Maryland −1.59

45. New York −1.78

46. California −2.01

47. Massachusetts −2.23

48. Illinois −2.42

49. Connecticut −2.48

This helps to explain why Democrats want the Federal Government to handle everything for them since their states are hopelessly irresponsible with their states affairs, while Republicans as a rule tend to want to have every state handle their own affairs as they see best fit.

One further startling observation is that New Jersey under Governor Chris Christie came in dead last. This helps to explain the reluctance of the more conservative (or fiscally responsible states) to endorse him for President.

On the other hand, Alaska came in first, not in small part due to the heroic efforts of Sarah Palin during her 31.7 month reign as Governor, where she managed to get the Credit Rating for her state to go from AA to AA+ and then raised again to AAA shortly after her resignation. She accomplished more in this short time than most governors do in two terms.

This also helps in part to explain the irrational hatred for Sarah Palin. She did clean up the graft and corruption in Alaska, and they are afraid she would do the same on a national level should she become President.

IRS harassment. A Limerick.

The IRS targets Chuck Neath

And dogs as they are show their teeth.

But they did come up dry,

Though six times they did try.

Harassment the cause underneath.

Chuck Heath, Jr. wrote on Facebook that his father had never heard from the IRS before 2008. Since then, he said, the IRS has tried to “dig up something on him but he’s always operated above board.”

“Coincidence? You decide,” he wrote.

He continued:

My father, who worked multiple jobs and faithfully and honestly paid his taxes for fifty years, had never heard a word from the IRS. In 2008, his daughter was tapped to run for vice president of the United States. Since that time, he has been, in his words “horribly harassed” six times by the agency. They’ve tried to dig up something on him but he’s always operated above board. Government and politics are ugly. Kudos to the few that are trying to clean it up.

Hmm. Let me see. There is less than one chance in 100 that you are “randomly” targeted for an audit. To be targeted six years in a row and still finding nothing the odds are less than 1 divided by 100x100x100x100x100x100 or less than 1 in a trillion that is was not on purpose.

My guess is that it was the people that used to sue Sarah Palin 20 times while she was Governor, losing every time, acting as informants, thereby triggering the audits. Or, it could have been IRS itself acting on order from the political wing of the government. (I don’t have the faintest idea who that may refer to, the corruption is endemic)

To add insult to injury, it was reported this week that the government has decided to sweep Obama’s IRS scandal under the rug. Move along, peasants, nothing to see here.

The Obama administration chose an Obama campaign donor to head the targeting investigation.

Hillary’s enemies list. A Limerick

She’s making a list, and is checking it twice

Of who has been naughty, and who has been nice

It’s an enemies list,

vintage Hillary’s twist.

’tis evil personified, – that will suffice.

In the 2008 campaign the Hillary Clinton campaign staff kept a spreadsheet, an enemies list if you will, where people were given points, from 1 to 7 where 7 were the most hated ones.

The list read like a who’s who among democrats. These ate the ten sevens:

Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Ted Kennedy (D-Mass), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Claire McCaskill(D –Mo.), as well as Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Baron Hill (D-Ind.) and Rob Andrews (D-N.J.).

A sign of God’s hand in the sky. A Limerick.

The heavens declare from on high
a sign of God’s hand in the sky.
When we ask for a sign
of His favor divine.
A wonder, I can’t explain why.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Isaiah 49:14-16
But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.

Calamity in Antarctica. Global Warming alarmists get stuck in ice. A Limerick.

The passage to Commonwealth Bay:

A ship and its crew went that way;

But they ran out of luck,

In the ice they got stuck.

It’s still global warming, they say.

The environmental fear-mongers never cease to amaze me. In an effort to publicize the impending global catastrophe of rapidly melting ice caps a Russian “research vessel” AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY

set out to recreate the British explorer Douglas Mawson’s travel to Commonwealth Bay in 1912. A film (now a U-tube video) has been found showing Mawson landing in ice free Commonwealth Bay where he landed Jan 8, 1912.

That was then, the movie showing an ice free Commonwealth Bay around New Year. Everybody knows the Ice-caps are melting, so BBC and Australian ABC, financed by tax-payers money set out to report the re-enactment of his journey to highlight the impending incredible melting of the ice caps. There were tourists on the ship also, paying their own way wanting to see a glimpse of the rapidly melting ice before it was all gone.

Things did not turn out exactly as planned. With the ship moving ahead at full speed the crew ignored all warning signals and plowed ahead through ice that seemed to be thicker than expected. “But this is mid-summer, so the ice must be rotten” they thought and continued full speed ahead anyway. Then the wind picked up, not unexpectedly, since Commonwealth Bay holds the distinction of being the windiest place on earth, even windier than the Aleutian Islands or Mount Washington, and soon the ice closed in on the ship and got it stuck in more than 6 feet of ice.

Three ice breaking vessels, a Chinese, a French and an Australian tried to come to the rescue, but their crews had the good judgment of turning back before they got stuck too. A helicopter from the Chinese ice breaker is now near the ship, but cannot evacuate the 52 passengers until the winds calm down.

Maybe they should have looked at the statistical data on ice in the Antarctic before risking their lives and the lives of others before taking on such a fools errand.

The Ice in the Antarctic is now 1.529 million square kilometer larger than the 30 year average for this time of the year, a 30% increase over the 30 year average, and obviously more than in 1912..

By comparison the North Atlantic ice cap is now only 4 % below average for this time of the year. We hear of the melting ice caps all the time. Why is not the fact that the Antarctic ice cap has set new absolute records since measurements started two years in a row reported? Are journalists afraid of the truth, being scared to be called a skeptic, even a denier, if they mention statistically relevant data? Until people face up to the truth calamities like this are bound to occur. Look at the data before you set sail!

So what are the “Scientists” reporting back to their sponsors? Here is a sample of what they are reporting:

ICE-STRANDED EXPLORERS’ MESSAGE:

A statement from the Australasian Antarctic Expedition:

We’re stuck in our own experiment. We came to Antarctica to study how one of the biggest icebergs in the world has altered the system by trapping ice. We followed Sir Douglas Mawson’s footsteps into Commonwealth Bay, and are now ourselves trapped by ice surrounding our ship.

Sea ice is disappearing due to climate change, but here ice is building up. We have found this has changed the system on many levels. The increase in sea ice has freshened the seawater below, so much so that you can almost drink it. This change will have impacts on the deep ocean circulation.

Underwater, forests of algae are dying as sea-ice blocks the light. Who can say what effects the regional circulation changes may have on the ice sheet of the Antarctic plateau, or whether the low number of seals suggests changes to their population.

Still not acknowledging the rise in the total amount of sea ice. A sad state for a scientist. He still believes in the failing models rather than observing and drawing conclusions from how nature really behaves.

Update:

An Icy Blast Of Scepticism Greets Climate Expedition

Rescuers in Antarctica have safely transferred all 52 passengers stranded on the ice-bound research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy. The Shokalskiy has been trapped since Christmas Eve. Its 22 crew are expected to remain on board to wait until the vessel becomes free. The ice-bound research vessel has been trapped since Christmas Eve. One of the aims is to track how quickly the Antarctic’s sea ice is disappearing. –BBC News, 2 January 2014

Update 2:

The Chinese icebreaker that supplied the helicopter for the rescue mission is now stuck in the ice too. How inconvenient.

http://www.cfact.org/2014/01/04/media-ignores-inconvenient-ice-yet-antarctic-rescue-ship-now-trapped-too/

Update 3, Jan 7 2014: Antarctic rescue operations complete.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority can confirm that the Akademik Shokalskiy and the Xue Long have broken free from the ice in Antarctica and are no longer in need of assistance.

How do we celebrate Christmas?

My wife and I came to America many years ago. I came from Sweden, my wife came from Denmark.

The Swedes used to have lutfisk for Christmas Eve Supper, the Danes a pork roast with all the trimmings.

But we both liked to sing our Christmas songs, I sang my Swedish songs, she sang her Danish songs.

Coming to America we learned to love the traditional Christmas Carols, especially those with German, Welsh and Irish origins, not to mention the Negro Spirituals. Christmas music is so beautiful and inspiring. But we were not yet born again followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we just sang them happily anyway walking around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve after dinner, but before gift giving. Then we came to a vibrant and joyful faith and we started to go to church Christmas Eve where we always ended up singing “Silent Night” to live candles for everybody in the whole congregation. It started at 7 P.M. so we had to eat a little earlier. Our children had settled for Swedish Meatballs with Lingonsylt (Cranberries) and a fruit bowl in which there was one almond. The one who got the almond got the almond gift – usually a tree ornament. After we came to faith there was just one thing missing – Jesus birthday cake. You can see it for yourself here: (In the background is the Advent Candles, all lit with the center light also lit on Christmas Eve)

It is a normal cake bottom, usually in three layers with say vanilla cream in one layer and maybe apricot jelly in the other. Strawberries, raspberries, or whatever is fine too. It is overlaid with Marzipan and a Rose of Sharon is created on top into which is placed one birthday light. We light the light and sing Happy Birthday Lord Jesus after we come back from church, then we sing more carols around the Christmas tree. Las of all do we share our gifts.

There is no Santa in our Christmas. The Lord Jesus gets the honor. This is the way it should be, at least for us.

Snow and cold records in the U.S. and the Middle East. Baby, it’s cold outside.

Records are falling all over the place. Continental U.S. has had a week for the records
Low Temp: 606 + Low Max temp 1234 + Snowfall 385 = 2225 new cold records.
Compare with 98 high temperature records, and 141 high minimum temperature records.

Source: NOAA National Weather Service and HamWeather records center
But that is only here in parts of the U.S, right?
Not so.
Cairo is a city known for being hot and stuffy.
But as these incredible pictures show, things have changed.
The Egyptian capital has seen snowfall for the first time in 112 years.
As reported by Buzzfeed, Egyptians who had witnessed snow for the first time in their lives were left amazed – with the Arabic word for snow trending on Twitter.

Incredible pictures showing the normally sultry city were also posted on twitter.

A camel looks strangely out of place.

Even in swank uptown Cairo the snow is heavy.
Other countries including Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel also experienced widespread snow.
Temperatures have dropped so much that in Turkey they have been below the monthly average by almost 10C.
Still believe there is global warming?

Funeral selfie. Obama, Cameron and Helle Thorning-Schmidt are having a good time during the sermon part of the memorial service. A Limerick.

Obama, the pre-adolescent

shows spite for the cross, not the crescent.

But a ‘selfie’ is fine

“I look good, it is mine.”

His most nascent descent is indecent.

For some reason President Obama was seated next to the Danish Social Democratic Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and British Prime Minister David Cameron. They seem to enjoy themselves immensely during the ceremony. It was probably taken during the sermon part of the eulogy, after the world leaders Obama and Raoul Castro had made their remarks. It took the U.S. news services over two hours to figure out who the lady in the middle was. Anyhow, she took a selfie of herself with Obama and Cameron. Is this any way for leaders of the free world to behave during a solemn ceremony?

Look, the rest of the people and Michelle Obama look bored listening to the sermon.

This looks interesting. You look pretty good too.

This is hilarious. Where were we?

It is getting funnier all the time. Prince Charming himself succeeds again.

Look there! A fellow socialist!

Forget Michelle. You are my type of girl.

We better behave. She is catching on to us.

Oh, hi there. We are having a good time.

(Foto: Roberto Schmidt © Scanpix)

The Nuclear deal with Iran, a bad, bad deal.

To fully appreciate how bad the nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers is one must take a look at the process of nuclear enrichment and see how close Iran is to make a bomb, with or without this deal.

Natural Uranium consists of 99.28% of Uranium 238 and 0.72% of Uranium 235, and a trace amount of Uranium 234. To make one pound of pure Uranium 235 one has to centrifuge out 138 pounds of natural Uranium. The first step is to go from 0.72% to 5%. This is 84% of the total job. Next step is to take the 20 remaining pounds of 5% Uranium235 and make it 5 pounds of 20% Uranium235. That is 12% of the total job. The last step, to go from 5 pounds of 20% Uranium 235 to 1.25 pounds of 80% enriched Uranium takes the remaining 4% of the job.

We have acknowledged that Iran has the right to enrich Uranium to the 5% level while negotiations proceed. They can keep half their 20% enriched Uranium “for their research reactor”, and converting the remaining 20% enriched Uranium to yellow-cake (a Uranium oxide) and down-blend it to 5% with (another?) Uranium oxide. This step is reversible in about 5 days.

So after 6 months of negotiations Iran will have vastly more 5% enriched Uranium, which is 84% of the job, the capability to convert their stockpile of 20% enriched Uranium to 80% weapons grade Uranium in about 6 weeks, and in about 2 months they will have enough to make 4 to 10 nuclear bombs.

There is not a peep in the agreement about the 10000+ missiles Iran has, some of which are aimed at Israel and American interests in the Middle East.

Iran is also in negotiations to get booster rockets from North Korea. With lifting of the sanctions they can pay handsomely for those booster rockets.

Lifting of sanctions also means Iran can pay Hezbollah, Assad in Syria, Hamas and other terror organizations to ramp up their activity.

What did we get out of this agreement?

No release of prisoners, no agreement to recognize Israel.

Instead Ayatollah Mohammad Khatami, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts said this:

“What is visible is that Obama has agreed to include the fake Zionist regime (Israel) in future negotiations, However, we firmly believe [Israel] must be wiped off the face of the earth and we don’t recognize [its existence].” Khatami said according to IRNA, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic.

No wonder Israel’s prime minister Netanyahu said it was a historic mistake.

Secretary Kerry can tell of its virtues all he wants. These are the facts. Look at the agreement for yourselves!

(CNN) — The following is the full text of the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers:

Joint Plan of Action

Preamble

The goal for these negotiations is to reach a mutually-agreed long-term comprehensive solution that would ensure Iranˈs nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful. Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek or develop any nuclear weapons. This comprehensive solution would build on these initial measures and result in a final step for a period to be agreed upon and the resolution of concerns. This comprehensive solution would enable Iran to fully enjoy its right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes under the relevant articles of the NPT in conformity with its obligations therein. This comprehensive solution would involve a mutually defined enrichment program with practical limits and transparency measures to ensure the peaceful nature of the program. This comprehensive solution would constitute an integrated whole where nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. This comprehensive solution would involve a reciprocal, step-by step process, and would produce the comprehensive lifting of all UN Security Council sanctions, as well as multilateral and national sanctions related to Iranˈs nuclear program.

There would be additional steps in between the initial measures and the final step, including, among other things, addressing the UN Security Council resolutions, with a view toward bringing to a satisfactory conclusion the UN Security Councilˈs consideration of this matter. The E3+3 and Iran will be responsible for conclusion and implementation of mutual near-term measures and the comprehensive solution in good faith. A Joint Commission of E3/EU+3 and Iran will be established to monitor the implementation of the near-term measures and address issues that may arise, with the IAEA responsible for verification of nuclear-related measures. The Joint Commission will work with the IAEA to facilitate resolution of past and present issues of concern.

Elements of a first step

The first step would be time-bound, with a duration of 6 months, and renewable by mutual consent, during which all parties will work to maintain a constructive atmosphere for negotiations in good faith.

Iran would undertake the following voluntary measures:

* From the existing uranium enriched to 20%, retain half as working stock of 20% oxide for fabrication of fuel for the TRR (Tehran Research Reactor which uses 19.75% enriched Uranium for fuel). Dilute the remaining 20% UF6 to no more than 5%. No reconversion line.

* Iran announces that it will not enrich uranium over 5% for the duration of the 6 months.

* Iran announces that it will not make any further advances of its activities at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (1), Fordow (2), or the Arak reactor (3), designated by the IAEA as IR-40.

* Beginning when the line for conversion of UF6 enriched up to 5% to UO2 is ready, Iran has decided to convert to oxide UF6 newly enriched up to 5% during the 6 month period, as provided in the operational schedule of the conversion plant declared to the IAEA.

* No new locations for the enrichment.

* Iran will continue its safeguarded R&D practices, including its current enrichment R&D practices, which are not designed for accumulation of the enriched uranium.

* No reprocessing or construction of a facility capable of reprocessing.

* Enhanced monitoring:

– Provision of specified information to the IAEA, including information on Iranˈs plans for nuclear facilities, a description of each building on each nuclear site, a description of the scale of operations for each location engaged in specified nuclear activities, information on uranium mines and mills, and information on source material. This information would be provided within three months of the adoption of these measures.

– Submission of an updated DIQ for the reactor at Arak, designated by the IAEA as the IR-40, to the IAEA.

– Steps to agree with the IAEA on conclusion of the Safeguards Approach for the reactor at Arak, designated by the IAEA as the IR-40.

– Daily IAEA inspector access when inspectors are not present for the purpose of Design Information Verification, Interim Inventory Verification, Physical Inventory Verification, and unannounced inspections, for the purpose of access to offline surveillance records, at Fordow and Natanz.

– IAEA inspector managed access to:

. centrifuge assembly workshops4;

. centrifuge rotor production workshops and storage facilities; and,

. uranium mines and mills.

In return, the E3/EU+3 would undertake the following voluntary measures:

– Pause efforts to further reduce Iranˈs crude oil sales, enabling Iranˈs current customers to purchase their current average amounts of crude oil. Enable the repatriation of an agreed amount of revenue held abroad. For such oil sales, suspend the EU and U.S. sanctions on associated insurance and transportation services.

– Suspend U.S. and EU sanctions on:

. Iranˈs petrochemical exports, as well as sanctions on associated services. (5)

. Gold and precious metals, as well as sanctions on associated services.

• Suspend U.S. sanctions on Iranˈs auto industry, as well as sanctions on associated services.

• License the supply and installation in Iran of spare parts for safety of flight for Iranian civil aviation and associated services. License safety related inspections and repairs in Iran as well as associated services. (6)

• No new nuclear-related UN Security Council sanctions.

• No new EU nuclear-related sanctions.

• The U.S. Administration, acting consistent with the respective roles of the President and the Congress, will refrain from imposing new nuclear-related sanctions.

• Establish a financial channel to facilitate humanitarian trade for Iranˈs domestic needs using Iranian oil revenues held abroad. Humanitarian trade would be defined as transactions involving food and agricultural products, medicine, medical devices, and medical expenses incurred abroad. This channel would involve specified foreign banks and non-designated Iranian banks to be defined when establishing the channel.

* This channel could also enable:

a- transactions required to pay Iranˈs UN obligations; and,

b- direct tuition payments to universities and colleges for Iranian students studying abroad, up to an agreed amount for the six month period.

• Increase the EU authorisation thresholds for transactions for non-sanctioned trade to an agreed amount.

Elements of the final step of a comprehensive solution*

The final step of a comprehensive solution, which the parties aim to conclude negotiating and commence implementing no more than one year after the adoption of this document, would:

• Have a specified long-term duration to be agreed upon.

• Reflect the rights and obligations of parties to the NPT and IAEA Safeguards Agreements.

• Comprehensively lift UN Security Council, multilateral and national nuclear-related sanctions, including steps on access in areas of trade, technology, finance, and energy, on a schedule to be agreed upon.

• Involve a mutually defined enrichment program with mutually agreed parameters consistent with practical needs, with agreed limits on scope and level of enrichment activities, capacity, where it is carried out, and stocks of enriched uranium, for a period to be agreed upon.

• Fully resolve concerns related to the reactor at Arak, designated by the IAEA as the IR-40. No reprocessing or construction of a facility capable of reprocessing.

• Fully implement the agreed transparency measures and enhanced monitoring. Ratify and implement the Additional Protocol, consistent with the respective roles of the President and the Majlis (Iranian parliament).

• Include international civil nuclear cooperation, including among others, on acquiring modern light water power and research reactors and associated equipment, and the supply of modern nuclear fuel as well as agreed R&D practices.

Following successful implementation of the final step of the comprehensive solution for its full duration, the Iranian nuclear program will be treated in the same manner as that of any non-nuclear weapon state party to the NPT.

—————————————————————————————

(Footnotes)

(1) Namely, during the 6 months, Iran will not feed UF6 into the centrifuges installed but not enriching uranium. Not install additional centrifuges. Iran announces that during the first 6 months, it will replace existing centrifuges with centrifuges of the same type.

(2) At Fordow, no further enrichment over 5% at 4 cascades now enriching uranium, and not increase enrichment capacity. Not feed UF6 into the other 12 cascades, which would remain in a non-operative state. No interconnections between cascades. Iran announces that during the first 6 months, it will replace existing centrifuges with centrifuges of the same type.

(3) Iran announces on concerns related to the construction of the reactor at Arak that for 6 months it will not commission the reactor or transfer fuel or heavy water to the reactor site and will not test additional fuel or produce more fuel for the reactor or install remaining components.

(4) Consistent with its plans, Iranˈs centrifuge production during the 6 months will be dedicated to replace damaged machines.

(5) ˈSanctions on associated servicesˈ means any service, such as insurance, transportation, or financial, subject to the underlying U.S. or EU sanctions applicable, insofar as each service is related to the underlying sanction and required to facilitate the desired transactions. These services could involve any non-designated Iranian entities.

(6) Sanctions relief could involve any non-designated Iranian airlines as well as Iran Air.

* With respect to the final step and any steps in between, the standard principle that ˈnothing is agreed until everything is agreedˈ applies.ˈ

Martin Bashir, A slave to his warped world-view resigns over his hate for Sarah Palin. A Limerick.

The Martin Bashir we once knew;

A slave to his own warped world-view.

Back to England he flew.

No more part of the crew

where hate is spewed out the wazoo.

(From Howard Kurtz, FoxNews.com) Martin Bashir has resigned from MSNBC, nearly three weeks after delivering a scathing personal attack on Sarah Palin that brought him widespread condemnation.

The afternoon talk show host, a former co-anchor of “Nightline,” says he decided to leave the network after meeting with MSNBC President Phil Griffin.

Bashir had already apologized for what he called “offensive” comments about the former Alaska governor, whom he also called an “idiot” and “dunce.” He told viewers in a scripted commentary last month that someone should defecate in Palin’s mouth. He was invoking an old slave punishment in response to a speech by Palin, a Fox News contributor, comparing the national debt to slavery.

Bashir took off two weeks for what was billed as a vacation, and criticism mounted as MSNBC took no disciplinary action against him, even as it booted Alec Baldwin over an alleged anti-gay slur hurled at a photographer. In retrospect, it’s clear that by failing to suspend Bashir, MSNBC allowed public pressure to build to the point where the only way to control the damage was to sever its relationship with the British journalist.

In a statement, first reported by Mediaite, Bashir said:

“After making an on-air apology, I asked for permission to take some additional time out around the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Upon further reflection, and after meeting with the president of MSNBC, I have tendered my resignation. It is my sincere hope that all of my colleagues, at this special network, will be allowed to focus on the issues that matter without the distraction of myself or my ill-judged comments.

“I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers — who are the smartest, most compassionate and discerning of all television audiences.”

In his own statement, Griffin said: “Martin Bashir resigned today, effective immediately. I understand his decision and I thank him for three great years with MSNBC. Martin is a good man and respected colleague — we wish him only the best.”

Only one question remains: Who else at MSNBC got fired over this?