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Democrats want to use the big spending package designed to jump-start the staggering economy to send billions to long-term programs to help poor and disabled school children.

President Barack Obama's recovery plan amounts to the biggest increase ever in federal money for schools. Many Republicans say it is not a short-term boost but an immense expansion that will be impossible to roll back.

SPRINGFIELD -- Sweeping federal subpoenas of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration include requests for records involving David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, senior advisers to President Barack Obama.

Among 43 subpoenas released by the Blagojevich administration Friday, one from Dec. 8 seeks notes, calendars, correspondence and any other data that relate to Axelrod, Jarrett and 32 other people and organizations.

That was the day before the FBI arrested Blagojevich, a two-term Democrat, on charges that he tried to trade his appointment to replace Obama in the Senate for campaign contributions. Wiretapped conversations show Blagojevich thought Jarrett was interested in the seat and he wanted campaign money or a high-paying job in return, according to a sworn statement.

In addition to pushing a pretty compelling message (reminding members that -- fairly or not -- Dems have fared well under Duncan's tenure), the fact that this is humorous -- at a time when RNC members are no doubt sick of receiving attack emails and mail -- probably makes this especially effective ...

After two weeks in theatres, the fine new film “Not Easily Broken” has earned nearly $10 million at the box office, assuring robust profitability for this low budget labor of love. Bishop T.D. Jakes, dynamic pastor of a flourishing mega-church in Dallas, wrote the book that inspired the film and helped to produce the handsome movie adaptation.

Starring Morris Chestnut and Taranji P. Henson, two superb African-American performers on the verge of major stardom, the movie shows the way that Christian faith and traditional values can help a stressed-out, upwardly mobile husband and wife in keeping their troubled marriage together. Like the similarly moving “Fireproof” in 2008, “Not Easily Broken” demonstrates the existence of an eager audience for a marriage-saving message that’s simultaneously hopeful and realistic—an audience that’s become a powerful force in all ethnic communities.

Mr. Blair [Obama nominee for intelligence director] also suggested that some interrogation procedures [for detainees] would need to remain secret so potential adversaries could not train to resist them.

“We don’t want to provide open intelligence support for those who are coming after us,” he told members of the Intelligence Committee.

Remarkably, as the piece goes on to detail, congressional Democrats, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, oppose this common sense approach.  She, among others, wants to legislate what methods can be used -- making the information unavoidably public.

It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to realize two things: If we publicize which interrogation methods can (or cannot be used), first, our enemies can be trained to resist them.   Second, our forces lose the psychological advantage that comes with being able to threaten an unresponsive terrorist with certain measures (even if he has no intention of using them) -- because, in fact, his adversary knows as well as he does what's actually allowed.  This is like handing a not-insubstantial weapon to our enemies. 

Surely if the Obama White House is willing to restrict access for journalists to its own political activities, it should be willing to restrict access to information about American interrogation methods for our enemies.