Links to the great lineup of weekend posts

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In case you missed the great lineup of weekend posts at LynnRMitchell.com, here they are so you can get caught up on everything you missed:

– Mitch McConnell becomes Senate Majority Leader by guest writer Gregg Hilton

– Faux posturing by anti-Boehner forces dupes their supporters

– Barbara Comstock to be sworn in Tuesday … only woman in Virginia Congressional delegation

– Chris Winslow to run for Chesterfield supervisor

– Mike Huckabee quits Fox show, will explore presidential run

– Kalima Dalton Tate, 92, of Pulaski passes away – with ties to Staunton, she was a first cousin of former Virginia Governor John Dalton

– Obituary: Deceased waitress proud to have served President George W. Bush

– Wintergreen Appreciation Days for neighboring counties and cities – snow skiing deals January 5-7

– VPAP’s top news stories for 2014

– WSJ … ‘Clint Bolick: Jeb Bush’s conservative immigration agenda’

Mitch McConnell becomes Senate Majority Leader

By Gregg Hilton
Guest Post

This is the change we can believe in. The eight years of Democratic rule are over and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is now in power. The first two bills of the GOP Senate are authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline and placing sanctions on Iran.

Most conservatives are thrilled but the libertarian group FreedomWorks and radio host Glenn Beck are not among them. Beck claims, “McConnell is as big of a danger to our country as Barack Obama is.” He calls McConnell a “progressive on the right” and says he is not doing enough to stop Obamacare.

Ted Cruz alienates his colleagues with latest government shutdown effort

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Ted Cruz did it again. He tried to shut down the government just like the disastrous shutdown he orchestrated in October of 2013 (see Ted Cruz does it again by Manu Raju in Politico). Right here at Christmas! Think how well that would have gone over with the American people. Not only that, Cruz blindsided his colleagues while on his self-absorbed mission, demanding on Friday that senators stay in Washington over the weekend, just 10 days before Christmas, causing cancellations of family plans.

McConnell and Boehner: A pledge to Americans

By Senator Mitch McConnell and Rep. John Boehner

Americans have entrusted Republicans with control of both the House and Senate. We are humbled by this opportunity to help struggling middle-class Americans who are clearly frustrated by an increasing lack of opportunity, the stagnation of wages, and a government that seems incapable of performing even basic tasks.

Looking ahead to the next Congress, we will honor the voters’ trust by focusing, first, on jobs and the economy. Among other things, that means a renewed effort to debate and vote on the many bills that passed the Republican-led House in recent years with bipartisan support, but were never even brought to a vote by the Democratic Senate majority. It also means renewing our commitment to repeal ObamaCare, which is hurting the job market along with Americans’ health care.

Mitch McConnell: The face of leadership

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Senator Mitch McConnell talked with the press on Wednesday, the day after a Republican wave swept the country and put a GOP majority in the U.S. Senate to work with the GOP majority in the House. Video and transcript here.