Well, that’s over. A fairly painless holiday for me, and I actually managed to get a few chores done, which is nice. Yesterday started out as a white(ish) Christmas (just a dusting of snow to make things look nice), but then it got kind of warm and sunny, so the snow melted (at least the parts where the sun gets to – it doesn’t clear the trees in a lot of places at this time of year). I’m not sure if there’s anything out there this morning, ‘cuz it’s still too damn dark. Now it’s time to go fight the crowds at the mall. Not.

Much to my surprise, I saw that my teabagger anti-abortion RN congresscritter made the TPM Top Ten. She’s the “Freshman GOPer Didn’t Know Government Paid For Her Health Benefits” one.

A fun nugget buried in this story about Rep. Ann Buerkle’s (R-NY) first town hall meeting as an elected member of Congress. Constituents repeatedly asked a puzzled Buerkle about her health benefits. She couldn’t figure out why. But her staff sure could.

Buerkle, who voted to repeal the health care reform act, was twice asked about the health insurance she receives as a government employee. At first she said she couldn’t understand why people were so interested in her health insurance, and that taxpayers didn’t pay anything for it. She later corrected herself after being handed a note from a staffer.

I’m so proud.

In case you’re keeping score, she also voted against the payroll tax cut extension (despite having some “issues” with paying her own taxes).

Just to clarify: taxes for her? Bad. Taxes for you good. Healthcare for her? Good. Healthcare for you? Go Cheney yourself.

I’m sure you all feel bad for Newt, what with his inability to find 10,000 registered suckers voters to sign his petition to get on the ballot in Virginia. Poor Newt. Oh, and Ricky, too. It aint easy competing with the ghost of Herman Cain.

Damn. Seven o’clock, and still dark. When does spring get here already?