When State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki was asked if the administration still believes the trade of five high-ranking jihadists for one Army deserter was a good deal, her blithe response was that we are still able to monitor their activities. When a follow-up question mentioned that three of the five have already attempted to rejoin their fellow terrorists in order to kill Americans, she actually said that proved that our attempts to monitor their activities have been successful. It was at that point my head exploded.

But she is the least of our worries when you realize that even after our ambassador had to beat a hasty retreat out of Yemen and our Marines had to make good their last second getaway on civilian transport, after leaving their weapons behind, Obama continued to call Yemen one of his more notable successes. I suppose it qualifies if one also considers the Titanic, the Hindenburg and ObamaCare, success stories.

Generally, when Democrats brag that they’re the ones with a sense of humor, pointing with pride to the likes of David Letterman, Bill Maher, Joy Behar and Jon Stewart, they only sound foolish. Unless you’re a registered Democrat, meaning that you are ready to laugh at any insult, no matter how lame, directed at Republicans, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything they say even slightly amusing.

On the other hand, their politicians, and not just Joe Biden, are always cracking me up. Just recently, Harry Reid, 75, announced that he won’t be running for re-election in 2016. We all know that the only reason that Harry is retiring is because after being the majority leader of the Senate, the second most powerful man in Washington, it’s no fun at all being just another Obama sock puppet. But, proving that he hasn’t lost his fabulous sense of whimsy, Reid announced that the reason he won’t be seeking a sixth term is because “I want to be able to go out at the top of my game.” I haven’t stopped laughing since.

Speaking of 2016, Hillary Clinton’s staff has informed the media that they should refrain from using the following words and terms in referring to her campaign: “polarizing,” “calculating,” “disingenuous,” “insincere,” “ambitious,” “inevitable,” “entitled,” “over-confident,” “secretive,” “will do anything to win,” “representing the past” and “out of touch.”

Because I try to be as chivalrous as the next guy – assuming the next guy isn’t Bill Clinton – I was wondering what words I could possibly still use in writing about her. But, then, I realized that they hadn’t banned “devious,” “cunning,” “cut-throat,” “nasty,” “Borgia-like,” “abusive,” “corrupt,” “vindictive,” “arrogant,” “snide,” “power-mad” and “reptilian,” and I realized I’d still be able to cover her campaign while abiding by her dictatorial edicts.

On the subject of campaigns, we hear that a lot of women would vote for Republicans except they’re concerned that it would hasten the day that Roe v. Wade was over-turned. What they never explain is why after decades of sex education classes and a cornucopia of contraceptive pills and devices, abortions are still taking place in this country, and why that single issue should take precedence over national security, the economy, education, energy independence, a strong military and an abiding faith in the Constitution.

For his part, Rand Paul seems to have based his entire campaign on the notion that only he can bring young voters into the GOP tent, but inasmuch as the singular attraction of a Paul presidency seems to be his willingness to legalize marijuana, they wouldn’t really be Republicans, they’d be stoners.

On other fronts, the Justice Department’s Operation Choke Point is trying to put gun and ammo shops out of business by getting banks to shut down their accounts and refusing them business loans. By lumping those who legally sell firearms with telemarketers, home-based charities and loan sharks, Eric Holder’s storm troopers are pretending they’re only looking to go after those who engage in money laundering. And, naturally, we are being told that Obama, who has spent six years waging war on the Second Amendment, had nothing to do with it. It’s always just a providential coincidence with Obama, whether it involves Lois Lerner targeting the Tea Party or using Bowe Bergdahl to help him empty out Gitmo.

When liberals bad-mouth America while praising left-wing sewers like Russia and Cuba, do they ever stop and ask themselves why so many people risk their lives trying to escape from paradise and so few, aside from fugitives like Edward Snowden and Assata Shakur (born JoAnne Byron), ever flee in the opposite direction?

Another question they would do well to ask themselves is if it were the Palestinians, whom they seem to adore, as opposed to Israel’s Jews, whom they openly despise, that possessed a nuclear bomb, would they be equally reluctant to exterminate the enemy?

As of this moment, I am still hearing a number of reasons being floated as the possible motive behind Andreas Lubitz’s crashing the jetliner in the French Alps.

The two most popular seem to be a recurring depression that apparently failed to register with his employers at Lufthansa (which will be known as Losthansa once the lawsuits are finally paid off) and a possible breakup with an anonymous girlfriend. By this time, though, having seen numerous photos of Mr. Lubitz, my own theory is that he was a homosexual who either suffered from conflicted feelings about his orientation or, perhaps, had recently been dumped by a gay lover and been thrown into an emotional tailspin by feelings of heartbreak and abandonment.

All I know is that the last time I saw anyone who was so obviously effete, it was convicted Army spy Chelsea Manning (born Bradley Manning).

Whatever Lubitz’s motive may ultimately turn out to be, his murdering 149 innocent men, women and children, is the reason that I find myself more often hoping there’s a Hell than a Heaven.

The way I see it, good people often get to experience a great deal of heaven right here on earth, but far too many villains seem to evade their just deserts, and one can only hope they will eventually pay the ultimate price.