Stop Telling Us How to Be Patriotic: New at Reason

It was creepy when former President Barack Obama declared his first Inauguration Day as "National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation" and called upon us to find "common purpose of remaking this nation for our new century." And it's creepy when President Donald Trump declares his Inauguration Day as "National Day of Patriotic Devotion," one in which "a new national pride stirs the American soul and inspires the American heart."

Tiffany Scanlon and Megan Marx stun in swimwear

Trump is joined by a stunning Melania at pre-inauguration dinner and jokes that if it rains at parade 'people will know it's my real hair' 'I'm going to have biggest pee of my whole life': Alec Baldwin brings his Trump impression to huge New York protest with a tasteless 'dirty dossier' joke about Donald urinating at the Russian consulate All Revved up! Pro-Trump bikers roar into Washington DC ready to form a 'WALL OF MEAT' to protect The Donald from protesters at his inauguration Bill Clinton's rape accuser Juanita Broaderick and 'sexual harrassment victim' Paula Jones have a blast at Trump's pre-inauguration dinner Dance floor ready! Caitlyn Jenner attends inauguration eve dinner in a tassel dress amid rumors Trump has been encouraged to dance with her Jon Voight hits out at 'barrage of lies' aimed at Trump as he kicks off The Donald's inauguration concert Outrage at 'traitorous' CNN ... (more)

Hill Democrats’ Inauguration Divide

Since civil rights icon John Lewis called the Trump presidency illegitimate, more than 50 of his Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives have echoed his call to boycott the inauguration. Yet no Democratic senator has joined Lewis in the past few days, nor so explicitly questioned the validity of the presidential election.

The perks of being vice president

The role of vice president has not only become more powerful since it was derided as not worth a bucket of spit, it also comes with plenty of perks. The perks of being vice president The role of vice president has not only become more powerful since it was derided as not worth a bucket of spit, it also comes with plenty of perks.

Biden: Trump should retain sanctions on Russia

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, on a last foreign trip before leaving office, has met with Ukraine's president and called on the impending Donald Trump administration to retain Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia. Biden's comments Monday at a briefing with President Petro Poroshenko came after Trump indicated in a Times of London interview that he could end sanctions imposed in the aftermath Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal.

One hand on light switch, Obama isn’t flipping to ‘off’ just yet

President Barack Obama listens as Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a ceremony in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, where Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. An unusually young ex-president, Barack Obama has a busy life awaiting him after he leaves the White House.

Biden’s honor

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Cheers and Jeers

Cheers to the proposed use of a $1 million gaming grant to help Berskshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance expand its Wilkes-Barre operations by building on the site of the former Hotel Sterling. The money would be well spent on retaining a growing, nationally known company in the city and developing a vacant piece of prime real estate.

Biden’s honor richly deserved

SUSAN WALSH / ASSOCIATED PRESS President Barack Obama honors Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington on Thursday. Vice President Joe Biden has been highly effective at the highest levels of the federal government since he was 30. He has been chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees and, for the last eight years, President Barack Obama's right hand.

President Obama to NASA: Thanks for Sending My Signature to Mars

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover arrived at the Red Planet in 2012, carrying a special embellishment: a plaque with signatures from the country's top officials, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Last night , Obama responded to a NASA tweet about that plaque with a thank you, calling it "out of this world."

Obama surprises Vice President Biden with Medal of Freedom

U.S. President Barack Obama surprised Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction in an emotional White House ceremony that celebrated their partnership over eight years in office. "This is an extraordinary man," Obama said of his friend and running mate at a surprise ceremony with staff, family and friends of the vice president.

More Evidence CNN Was Right: Multiple Outlets Confirm Comey Personally Briefed Trump On Dossier

First DNI James Clapper issued a statement that tended to support the CNN report that the intelligence community had briefed Donald Trump about allegations that the Russians had gathered compromising information about Trump. Then Joe Biden confirmed that he and Obama had been briefed on the material.

President Obama Gives Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom

U.S. President Barack Obama, front, embraces U.S. Vice President Joe Biden after his farewell address in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017.Bloomberg - Bloomberg via Getty Images President Obama presented Vice President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in an emotional ceremony at the White House on Thursday. Biden, who was elected to the U.S. Senate at age 29 and served until the start of the Obama Administration, wiped away tears and shared a laugh with Obama.

Joe Biden Cries as President Obama Surprises Him With Presidential Medal of Freedom

Vice President Joe Biden burst into tears as President Barack Obama awarded him with the nation's highest civilian honor during a surprise ceremony Thursday. Biden turned his back to cameras and those in the crowd to wipe away tears moments after Obama announced he was bestowing the vice president with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.