IS CHUCK HAGEL being deep-sixed by gay opposition?

BRIDGET JOHNSON: Boehner’s Plan B Bombs. “In fact, the compromise legislation — which was under the shadow of a veto threat anyway — didn’t even make it to the floor due to a lack of GOP support. . . . The failure to even bring Plan B to the floor may have been pushback from conservatives, but gives Democrats some leverage in demanding that the Senate’s tax-cut extension (the original $250,000 proposal favored by President Obama) to the floor. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) claims there are enough votes from his party and moderate Republicans in the House for passage.” Not feeling like things are being especially well run.

UPDATE: GOP Forgoes Plan B; Pulls Out Instead.

AT AMAZON, Top Holiday Deals. New ones every day, and new “lightning deals” every hour.

Also, today only: Up to 65% Off Jewelry and Watch Gifts for Her. With free one-day shipping.

And: Lightning Deals On Watches.

AT AMAZON, Digital Deals.

HEH: “Damn, I’ve been so busy I almost forgot about the end of the world. I could have saved money on Christmas.”

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: High-profile studies overrate going to college and picking the right major. “Any investment is about value added — what you get relative to what you started with. Popular studies regarding whether to attend college and what field to study ignore the skills and abilities different students start with, as well as their different preferences regarding job stability and the types of hours they’d like to work.”

THE AMERICAN DREAM is not dead yet. “A new survey disproves the notion that ‘echo boomers’ — a combination of Generations X and Y — intend to remain renters and are clueless about homeownership. . . . This group of young adults is very much in tune with owning real estate. Their values are similar to their parents’. They don’t have any feeling of entitlement. They’re hardworking, and homeownership is important to them.” Well, good.

I KEEP ASKING THIS, BUT WHEN DID SPORTSWRITERS BECOME such whining, politically-correct manginas?

BLOGGINGHEADS TV: Reason’s Jacob Sullum Defends Gun Rights. From the comments: “The most interesting part of the discussion was at the end when Bob Wright said we should make policy based on irrational fear and Sollum said we shouldn’t. People who don’t fear their fellow citizens have no desire to control them.”

BILL QUICK ON the reality disconnect.

WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS: Whiskey Toothpaste. “Don’t forget to rinse with soda.”

JAKE TAPPER IS MOVING TO CNN.

WHY SANTA CLAUS is a no-show at many malls this year. “When the bulk of a mall’s shoppers are tourists, young singles, and older folks—basically anybody other than moms with young kids—there’s little reason to devote time, space, money, and energy for a large-scale ‘Meet Santa’ section.” He’s just another casualty of plummeting birthrates.

21ST CENTURY EMPLOYMENT: Business woman injured in sex romp gets worker’s comp. “The male friend said in a statement at the time that they were ‘going hard’ and that he did not know if they bumped the light or it just fell down during the tryst in 2007.” Well, it was on a business trip.

IN HOLLYWOOD, a “creeping dread” of a crackdown on violent imagery.

Well, whatever. Until then, at least repeal the Hollywood tax cuts!

DOUG BANDOW: Secession Isn’t The Answer For America—Federalism Is. “The U.S. faces a crisis of government. Instead of fighting to break up America, people should focus on devolving authority to states, localities, families and individuals.”

I agree, of course.

STEVE CROWDER HAS POSTED raw video of the Lansing assault.

ANN ALTHOUSE: “So I would honor the professionalism of the press corps in dragging our attention back to the fatiguing and sad occupation of attending to the federal budget.”

IN KENTUCKY, environmental rules shut down Big Sandy power plant.

HILLARY CLINTON WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT, DUE TO A NASTY CASE OF TOE FUNGUS: The emerging aspect of the Benghazi scandal — failing to bring justice to the terrorists.

KATRINA ON THE HUDSON: “Two months have passed since Hurricane Sandy devastated parts of the northeast coast, and in some neighborhoods, very little has changed.”

EVIDENCE-BASED POLICIES: “Empirical evidence suggests a sure fire way to dramatically lower gun homicides: repeal drug laws.”

WILL HATE SPEECH AGAINST GUN OWNERS LEAD TO HATE CRIMES?

MEGAN MCARDLE: You Can’t Save Gun Control With Word Games. “Bans on ammunition sound clever, but probably not quite clever enough for the Supreme Court.”

I discussed this very topic in my Second Amendment Penumbras piece, though ammunition bans don’t really fall outside the core right. And putting a high tax on ammo would probably fail even minimal rationality, since it would punish honest recreational shooters (who shoot a lot for fun and practice) far more than criminals (who just need enough ammo to carry out a crime).

ADVICE FROM THE INSTA-WIFE: Don’t Let the Media and Liberals Demoralize You. Plus, Christmas in Barbados?