The HHS contraception mandate is being fought by Christian employers who not only oppose birth control but believe that emergency contraception (Plan B), included in the benefit, causes abortions. Several lawsuits against the mandate will now be going to the Supreme Court. But the argument that Plan B is an abortifacient has now been discredited. Feigning concern for women's health, Fox's "Medical A Team" member and "serial health care reform medical misinformer" Dr. Marc Siegel is using new revelations about the effectiveness of Plan B, on overweight women, to attack the Obama administration over the hated HHS mandate and make the bogus case for the aforementioned businesses that these pills cause abortions. (Take heed, SCOTUS!)  He also worked in the right wing/Fox News hysteria about over the counter access to Plan B. Pretty slick. Fox News - where else can you get a dose of propaganda with your medicine!?

On the O’Reilly Factor, a Thanksgiving Eve topic was why people are depressed about the state of our nation. For answers, the show turned to Fox News’ “Medical A-Team” psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Ablow. Sure, he’s a crackpot, himself, but Ablow always knows whom to blame for nearly every social ill. Meanwhile, O’Reilly announced that he’s a “working class” kind of guy, not a “chichi Manhattan” guy who is concerned about the kind of “invective” he hears. Oy vey!

Fox News is always on the cutting edge of right wing anti-Obama outrages, especially those that involve persecuted Christians. Yesterday, in following up on the Fox Nation article, Fox & Friends zeroed in on the latest "controversy" over the moving of the US embassy to the Vatican into the larger compound which houses the US Embassy to Italy.(Not, as headlined on right wing blogs, "closing the embassy.") While the move was done to save money and increase security, the same folks who bray about budget deficits and Benghazi security lapses, howled in indignation, claiming that this was clear evidence of our secret Muslim president's hatred of  Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular - and, of course, religious freedom. While the Vatican is cool with the move, some former Vatican ambassadors, conservatives all, are indignant. And who better to advance that bogus indignation than Fox & Friends. 

Here are some Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") stories you almost certainly will not see on "fair and balanced" Fox News. Michael Hiltzik, of the Los Angeles Times, did some real reporting of the sort that Megyn Kelly and her colleagues are probably either afraid or unwilling to do. That's probably because what he has to say goes contrary to Fox's ObamaScare message.

Neil Cavuto conducted what may be the most bizarre Fox News interview ever yesterday. Guest Richard Simmons – of “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” fame – acted as though the tastiest morsel of Thanksgiving would be Cavuto himself. Simmons repeatedly said he could hardly keep from climbing over the table to ravish his host. That is, when he wasn’t crying or breaking into show tunes. Really.

Pope Francis just issued a policy statement that was radically different from the theology of his recent dogma obsessed predecessors. In his "Joy of the Gospel" statement, he seemed to draw a line between his views and those of the wealthy, conservative American bishops who focus almost exclusively on abortion, same sex marriage, and electing Republicans. In addition to addressing income inequality, the Pope castigated the belief system of those who "continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world." In other words the very foundation of Fox News and the people for whom and to whom they serve. So it was interesting to see that the Fox News website conveniently avoided any mention of that nasty socialist talk which was mentioned on other websites. Is there any question as to why Fox followers are uninformed!?

Here's wishing our extended NewsHounds family a very happy Thanksgiving. I feel so very thankful for having the platform from which we can share our observations and comments on so many subjects. Your thoughtful and informed responses have enriched our blog and meant more to me than I can express. And a happy Hannukah to our Jewish friends and family.

In addition to the cross of Jesus, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the American Flag, Fox & Friends worships the national anthem, even when it's played loudly enough to be a disturbance in a neighborhood. As the morning chums noted, this morning, they are "up in arms" because a NJ Naval Weapons Station has agreed, after complaints from nearby residents, to lower the volume of the National Anthem played over base loudspeakers during the 8AM flag raising. Ah, don't ya love the smell of patriotism in the morning!

Greta Van Susteren posted a poll "just asking" if her Fox News blog readers are "appalled" that the U.S. Postal Service excludes the word "Christmas" from stamps. Or "is the gingerbread house enough?" she asked, as an (obviously less attractive) alternative. There's just one catch. Christmas was not excluded. (H/T reader Stan)

Surprise! Surprise! That family of four whose “Christmas list” was made up of Scroogey scrimping thanks to the Affordable Care Act should be able to have a happy holiday after all. No thanks to Fox News, however. The "fair and balanced" network was too busy concern-trolling ObamaCare to report on the better health insurance deals almost certainly available under the ACA. Again.