EXCELLENT: Looks like we don’t have the votes for that immigration bill after all. But I'm still keeping the pressure on my senators.

RAHM EMANUEL appears to have done something right: Teachers union vows to oust Chicago mayor.

LOUISANA GOV. BOBBY JINDAL: Blame the liberals' Big Government philosophy:

The latest problems with the IRS witch hunt, the seizure of phone records from The Associated Press, the conflicting Benghazi stories and disastrous attempts to enforce Obamacare may all seem unrelated, but they are not.

Each of these events is the direct byproduct of two central philosophies of the Obama administration -- the massive expansion of the size and power of the federal government and a lack of trust in the American people.

These scandals were bound to happen. In fact, it was inevitable, and there will be more. President Obama has grown the size, the scope, the debt and the power of the federal government to such irresponsible proportions that problems like these are an inevitable result.

Lord Acton famously noted that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

In a pathetic attempt to defend President Obama, another noted statesman, David Axelrod, said that the president couldn't possibly know about all these scandals because "the government is so vast." Therein lies the problem. The government is so vast.

Just a few years ago, President Clinton assured us that the era of big government was over. He could not have been more wrong. Now we have not just big government, but big brother running big government.

We don't know what the president knew of these matters before they became public, and it strains credulity to suggest that his top political advisers were in the dark. But again, when you grow government this big, these kinds of scandals are inevitable, and he bears the responsibility for that.

Are these scandals the byproduct of liberalism or incompetence? I'd say the answer to that question is yes, both.

The Obama presidency, and liberalism in general, are based on not trusting the American people -- a belief that big government is better for people. The latest scandals show why liberalism and big government don't work.

The scandals cut at the core ideology of the Obama presidency. Indeed, these issues aren't just the failure of an individual, but the failure of a system in which liberals put too much trust in big government.

Look at liberalism across every issue, from healthcare to energy to spending, and one thing is crystal clear: Liberals don't believe in the dynamic and transformative power of freedom. Bigger government and more power in the hands of a few means the interests of the public will be violated.

Many are wondering aloud if these scandals will tarnish Obama's legacy or weaken his presidency or cause his popularity to drop. Some of that will probably occur, but it's not the ever-charming Obama who will suffer the most from these scandals. No, fortunately the biggest loser here will be the paternalistic big government liberalism that Obama has foisted upon us.

We need leaders who have more confidence in the American people, and more skepticism for big government. Maybe we can get Clinton to pronounce the second end of the era of big government? It's time for Big Brother to be put down.

From CNN.

THE CASE AGAINST Congressional ‘comprehensive reform’ of anything is that "the overall effect of ... legislation on the future of America has become a crap shoot."

"THE WHITE HOUSE insists President Obama is 'outraged' by the 'inappropriate' targeting and harassment of conservative groups. If true, it's a remarkable turnaround for a man who helped pioneer those tactics."

JUST ANOTHER defensive use of firearms. Move along; nothing to see here. Just move along.

BIGGER GOVERNMENT, bigger Nanny.

A MINI PERFORMANCE: Why you should buy a Mini.

NEWT GINGRICH: President Obama is the symptom, not the disease. Big government scandals are not about Obama; they are about big government.

PIN-HEADS: In New York, naturally. One more reason for a (very) part-time legislature.

ROGER AILES: "To be a Fox journalist is a high honor, not a high crime."

FROM MY EMAIL:

In the hospital where a family member lay gravely ill, the relatives gathered in the waiting room. Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber.

"I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news," he said as he surveyed the worried faces."The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It's an experimental procedure, very risky, but it is the only hope. Insurance will cover the procedure, but you will have to pay for the brain."

The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news. After a time, someone asked, "How much will a brain cost?"

The doctor quickly responded, "$5,000 for a Democrat's brain; $200 for a Republican's brain.

The moment turned awkward. Some of the Democrats in the family actually had to try not to smile, avoiding eye contact with the Republicans. A man unable to control his curiosity, finally blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask, "Why is the Democrat's brain so much more than a Republican's brain?"

The doctor smiled at the childish innocence and explained to the entire group, "It's just standard pricing procedure. We have to price the Republicans' brains a lot lower because they're used."

Enjoy the moment, they only come once.

DR. BENJAMIN CARSON: It's not too late to stop ObamaCare.

A NIGHTMARE, not a dream.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP. In the White House?

PUNCHING BACK TWICE AS HARD: Conservative group’s lawsuit targets IRS employees personally. Let them know that their bank accounts are at risk.

UPDATE: No, it's not bullying -- it's payback.

NEXT GENERATION TELEVISION: Try it; it's free.

DOCUMENTS: Lois Lerner Was Directly Involved in Targeting Program. "Lerner relished her role as a regulator that allowed 'government to bestow things on people rather than acknowledging them as equals, based neutrally on the law.'"

PEGGY NOONAN gets it almost right.

Ronald Reagan had it exactly right: "Trust, but verify."