Wednesday, December 30, 2009 – The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -16 (see trends).

Confidence in the War on Terror has fallen following the Christmas Day airline attack. For the first time since October 2007, the number who believe the terrorists are winning has reached 30%. Just 36% believe the U.S. and its allies are winning.

AP – The Christmas Day attack on a jetliner over Detroit, combined with technological improvements to protect people’s sense of modesty, could lead to dramatically wider use of full-body scanners that can see through travelers’ clothing.

AP – The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week, a sign the job market is healing as the economy slowly recovers.

By PABLO GORONDI, Associated Press Writer Pablo Gorondi, Associated Press Writer

Oil prices were back below $79 a barrel Wednesday after a report showed an unexpected rise in weekly U.S. crude inventories and the dollar made gains on other major currencies.

Prices were supported by cold weather in the United States, which increased demand for natural gas and heating oil.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was down 30 cents to $78.57 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Earlier in the session, prices peaked at $79.19. On Tuesday, the contract added 10 cents to settle at $78.87.

AP – Two federal agencies charged with keeping potential terrorists off airplanes and out of the country have been without their top leaders for nearly a year.

Reuters – U.S. consumer confidence improved more than expected in December, hitting a three-month high as job market pessimism eased and consumers’ expectations reached a two-year high, according to a private report released on Tuesday.

Despite the ease with which an alleged terrorist got an explosive aboard a Detroit-bound flight, the Obama administration says the incident shows the U.S. aviation security system worked.

Billions of dollars have been spent on aviation security since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when commercial airliners were hijacked and used as weapons.

Much of that money has gone toward training and equipment that some security experts say could have detected the explosive device the 23-year-old Nigerian man is believed to have hidden on his body on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

“One thing I’d like to point out is that the system worked,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Sunday morning on CNN.

Since 9/11, traveling by plane is a nightmare. It is amazing how Americans have allowed themselves to be humiliated, strip searched, wanded, puffed, etc. so the politically correct Homeland Security can show they’re not racist by profiling the very people who should be profiled…Muslims!