Sorry we’ve been MIA for the past week. That’s my fault. Traveling, book-writing, and the holidays have oligopolized my schedule. But we’re back now, and skipping quite a few days forward, we continue our Christmas countdown with this sure-to-be-provocative post from our resident political analyst, Sarah Kashubski. — AWO

What’s on my Christmas List this year? Well, a public option in health care for one, but even more important is a health care bill that wouldn’t stomp all over women’s rights. The outlook for either of these wishes isn’t good, but it’s even worse for women’s rights; in fact, the nail seems to be in coffin for that one. Unfortunately, even during this joyous and holy time of year, it seems to be the Catholic Church that’s ruining my Christmas.   Read more…

I am delighted to introduce a new contributor to Trading Eights, Sarah Kashubski. She would have joined us earlier, but she was hard at work in Washington, D.C., an experience that will prove valuable in her writings on this blog. In this first post, she adds another facet to the Nobel Peace Prize debate. I gave a complementary view of the issue a few days ago here, and I also encourage you to check out my editors’ opinions here and here. I hope you enjoy Sarah’s insights as much as I do. — AWO

I realize that many believe President Obama’s recent Nobel Peace Prize to be a joke and best and a sham at worst. All the same, the man didn’t campaign for the prize. The New York Times reported that it even caught the White House off guard, with chief of staff Rahm Emanuel saying, “There has been no discussion, nothing at all.” But what was the president supposed to do? Tell the committee, “Thanks, but no thanks?”   Read more…