SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

SOBER WARNING – FROM BRITAIN'S ITV:    A "large number" of hospitals are cancelling cancer operations, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons has said, revealing the depth of the NHS (National Health Service) funding crisis.  Clare Marx said cancer surgery was no longer protected in the health service, and that hospitals had been cancelling operations since the start of the year.  She told The Observer: "Historically, they have been protected due to their urgent nature.  "However, feedback from our members suggests that since the start of January, a large number of hospitals across the UK are now cancelling cancer surgery.  "It is increasingly clear that no part of the system and no patient is immune from the pressure the NHS is experiencing."  A chilling reminder of what socialized medicine can lead to. 

THEY ARE SO RIGHT – FROM BREITBART:   Bill Clinton’s famous sex assault accusers Paula Jones, Juanita Broaddrick and Kathleen Willey are strongly criticizing the upcoming Women’s March on Washington, a celebrity-endorsed event planned for the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The march has been described by the news media as a female protest against Trump, with reports that hundreds of thousands might attend.  The mission statement for the march claims that the gathering is meant to send a message “that women’s rights are human rights” and pledges to fight against those who have demonized “survivors of sexual assault.”  Speaking to Breitbart News, Broaddrick had strong words for the march organizers:   "I am a survivor of sexual assault. I am one of the people you are supposedly marching for. I was raped by Bill Clinton. Did you hear me? I am one of many that Bill Clinton assaulted. Where were you ladies when I was hurting and scared? This past year, I once again told about my horrific encounter with Bill Clinton.  Where were you? You were silent because of your support for Hillary Clinton. Shame on you; all of you. I can finally move forward because your candidate, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton, my abuser, no longer matter."  These women have a powerful story to tell, but the mainstream media isn't interested. 

SO STAY HOME – FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:   WASHINGTON—The number of Democratic lawmakers planning to skip Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony Friday is growing, with more joining in the boycott after the president-elect took to Twitter over the weekend to rebuke civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis (D., Ga.) for saying Mr. Trump wasn’t a “legitimate president.”  At least 20 lawmakers, all Democratic members of the House, have said they wouldn’t attend. Some are citing the president-elect’s past lewd comments about women and remarks about illegal immigrants; others, such as Mr. Lewis, cite accusations of Russian-backed hacking of political committees during the 2016 election.  “I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” Mr. Lewis told NBC in comments released Friday. “I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.”  I'm sure they'll be sorely missed at the inauguration.  That is a joke.

January 15,  2017