I don't want to start the new year by bashing President Barack Obama, but as I see him and politicians from both parties criticizing countries such as Cuba and China and advocating the release of political prisoners, I can't help but wonder how they can do this with a straight face.

China and Cuba may have hundreds of political prisoners, but in this country we have hundreds of thousands of political prisoners. Our political prisoners are not in jail for crimes against the government such as treason, political coups or murder, though.

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