Texas Home School Coalition PAC

Commentaries

8-30-08	Child Protective Services Relents by Tim Lambert As the result of the legal challenge by a Texas home school family, CPS has changed it's policy of removing children from their parents home. The Real Obama by Tim Lambert In recent days pro-life groups have exposed a radical pr0-choice position of Barak Obama when he was in the Ill. State Senate. He not only opposed a measure to insure that babies that survived a botched abortion would receive medical care, he was the only senator to speak against the bill.
8-16-08	Where We Are by Gary Bauer Columnist George Will gave us something profound to ponder in his column today. With a "peacenik" ready to enter the Oval Office and assume the duties of commander-in-chief while Soviet tanks are rolling through a defenseless democracy, Will had this to say about where we are in history and reminded us about where we have been. The Battle for Home Schooling Freedom by Tim Lambert In a stunning reversal of its own recent decision the California Second Court of Appeals said that home school families in California may teach their children at home without being state accredited teachers.
8-9-08	My Concerns for America by Jon Voight We, as parents, are well aware of the importance of our teachers who teach and program our children. We also know how important it is for our children to play with good-thinking children growing up.
7-05-08	How Jesse Helms Made a Difference by John Fund If Ronald Reagan was the sunny and optimistic face of modern conservatism, the uncompromisingly defiant exemplar of it was Jesse Helms, who died yesterday at age 86. Losing the Revolution by Michael Quinn Sullivan Rarely does a government committee produce much of substantive value, poetic or otherwise. Just check out the Internal Revenue Code… Or the state's new business tax. Convoluted. Expensive. Uninspiring. No Guarantees by Tim Lambert Much of the discussion going on now and that has gone on in the last 12 months regarding who we should choose for president is based on what one believes will happen if a certain candidate is nominated or elected to the office. Some have said that in the primary you should vote for what you heart tells you and in the general election follow what your head dictates. This was perhaps the reason that many Republicans chose not to vote for John McCain in primaries after it was clear that he would be the Republican nominee. They wanted to vote for who the really liked.
6-28-08	The Marines Vs. Haditha Smear Merchants by Michelle Malkin Yet another U.S. Marine, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, had charges dropped Tuesday in the so-called Haditha massacre -- bringing the total number of Marines who've been cleared or won case dismissals in the Iraq war incident to seven. "Undue command influence" on the prosecution led to the outcome in Chessani's case. Bottom line: That's zero for seven for military prosecutors, with one trial left to go. Defend your Right to Use Bio-identical Hormones by Steven F. Hotze, M.D. Will you join our army and help us recruit 100,000 individuals to contact the U.S. Congress demanding our right to use bio-identical hormones?
5-18-08	Islamofascists Flex Muscles by Gary Bauer The U.S. is doing well in Iraq where, over the opposition of America's political Left, including Barack Obama, we are taking the fight to the enemy. But in the rest of the region, the news is disastrous. In Defense of 'Big Oil' by Cal Thomas With gas prices topping four dollars a gallon in some regions of the country, now may not be the best time to say something positive about "big oil," but here goes anyway. Who Is Really Responsible For The High Prices You Pay For Gasoline? Investor’s Business Daily For the last 28 years, Democrats in Congress and a few Republicans have again and again opposed our drilling for oil in Alaska's ANWR area when we knew it contained at least 10 billion barrels of oil we could be using now. Commentary: State Needs Innocence Commission Dallas Morning News Editorial A poignant drama unfolded in the state Capitol last week that should have been witnessed by all Texans.
5-10-08	Let's Be Calm and Conservative by Gary Bauer In recent days, I've gotten a lot of questions (not to mention a few angry messages) about oil and gas prices. I don't like paying these prices either, but it seems that a lot of good people are buying into the rhetoric of the Left, which suggests it's all George Bush's fault or some conspiracy in the boardrooms of corporate America. My Plea to Republicans: It's Time for Real Change to Avoid Real Disaster by Newt Gingrich The Republican loss in the special election for Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District last Saturday should be a sharp wake up call for Republicans: Either Congressional Republicans are going to chart a bold course of real change or they are going to suffer decisive losses this November. Ben Stein Provokes the Liberal Wrath by Phyllis Schlafly Ben Stein is known to many as an actor on Comedy Central. But the funniest part about his recent movie "Expelled" is not any clever lines spoken by Stein but the hysterical way liberals are trying to discourage people from seeing it. Michael Moore, Frank Rich, Jeremiah Wright and John Hagee by Dennis Prager It is with no pleasure that I put in writing what I have long believed: Though many individual liberals have only goodwill toward black Americans, the liberal world since the late 1960s (i.e., after the major civil rights legislation of the mid-1960s) has done incalculable damage to black America and to race relations in this country.
4-26-08	The High Cost of Immorality by S. Michael Craven For more than five decades, self-proclaimed experts and so-called sexual reformers, beginning with Alfred Kinsey, have worked to advance the belief that there are no public consequences to private sexual behavior. And Americans, for the most part, have bought into this notion, proving what Lenin said, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth!” Shocking Example Of Leftwing "Tolerance" by Gary Bauer The Left constantly tries to portray itself as the guardian of tolerance and liberty, while defining conservatives and Christians as "bitter, mean-spirited, bigoted extremists." Nothing could be further from the truth. Recent studies have found that conservatives and Christians are far more generous when it comes to donating money, giving blood or volunteering their time. Christian conservatives are not the ones pushing for the passage of so-called "hate crimes" laws that threaten to criminalize certain thoughts or speech, nor are they trying to censor the airwaves with the "Fairness Doctrine" in order to shutdown political or religious speech they oppose.
4-12-08	Popular Vote Is Hilary's Last (Slim) Chance Robert Novak Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) is on the edge. Though she still can be nominated super-delegates are poised to leap to Sen. Barack Obama (D) if there are any further problems for Clinton. Her slippage in the Pennsylvania polls is most worrisome for her.
3-29-08	The Big (Untold) Story in the Middle East by Joel Rosenberg The lead story on Drudge over the weekend was the Pope baptizing a prominent Egyptian author who converted from Islam to Catholicism, and for good reason. It's a huge story in Italy and the Muslim world, especially coming as it did the week that Osama bin Laden accused the Pope of waging a "crusade" against Islam. But this particular baptism is just the tip of the iceberg. Hillary’s Whopper, Jeremiah and Jesus, Defund Planned Parenthood by Gary Bauer We've focused a lot in the past week on Senator Barack Obama's credibility,but we haven't forgotten about Hillary. It's not breaking news to say that politicians often exaggerate, but here is an example of Hillary's disconnect from reality.
3-22-08	Liberal Fascists Are Coming for Your Kids by Don Feder One of the most encouraging signs in an otherwise bleak election year is Jonah Goldberg's insightful book "Liberal Fascism -- The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning," currently number 3 on The New York Times Best Sellers List.
3-15-08	One Man Can Change History by Newt Gingrich On Wednesday, March 12, I am delivering a lecture at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington based on a simple proposition: "What if Reagan had not run for President and the Soviet Union still existed?" "Non-Judgmental" Nonsense by Thomas Sowell What was he thinking of? That was the first question that came to mind when the story of New York governor Eliot Spitzer's involvement with a prostitution ring was reported in the media.
3-08-08	THSC Response to California Home School Case by Tim Lambert On February 28 the California Second Court of Appeals ruled that a family has no constitutional right to homeschool their children, and, in fact, a family could only homeschool legally if the parent was a certified teacher. How Liberals Play Race Politics By Patrick J. Buchanan "All is race," wrote Benjamin Disraeli, "there is no other truth." What Disraeli meant by race is what Winston Churchill meant when he spoke of "our island race" -- a tribe, an ethnic group, a people unique and separate from all others.
2-23-08	Liberal Lies, Con-Man Conservatives, Your Money by Michael Quinn Sullivan How do you know when a liberal is lying? Because he’s promising to do the will of the people. History is littered with despots, tyrants and those who wanted to be, all claiming to be men of the people, doing their will. Which people? The ones he isn’t oppressing, right then.
2-02-08	When the NY Times Speaks, I Listen by Bobby Eberle Conservatives have a special relationship with the New York Times, the newspaper that has been caught in scandal after scandal and which is the epitome of extreme liberalism. Remember the full page ad by MoveOn.org against Gen. David Petraeus that appeared in the New York Times? We later learned that the paper "accidentally" gave MoveOn.org a discounted rate. Noriega Has Many of the Attributes to Beat Texas GOP and Cornyn by Carlos Guerra Will Texas Democrats finally start winning statewide elections again? State Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston — who wants to deny U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a second term — is betting on it.
1-26-08	Can Giuliani Get Into the Republican Game in Florida? by Stuart Rothenberg Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) has taken quite a hit recently both in the national media and in national polls. Journalists have noted that his crowds during the first two weeks of January were small, leading some to conclude that the mayor’s presidential race may be over even before it has begun. HSLDA PAC: Mike Huckabee for President by Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA’s PAC Committee has taken the historic step of making an early endorsement in the 2008 race for president. ENPR: Clinton and McCain Now Front-Runners by Robert Novak While both the Republican and Democratic presidential races are undecided going into the massive array of February 5 primaries (which amounts to nearly a national primary), a Hillary Clinton vs. John McCain contest in November looms as the most likely prospect. That is the match-up that offers the highest likelihood of Republican success despite the continued sniping at McCain by certain right-wing activists. 'Straight Talk' Express Takes Scenic Route to Truth by Ann Coulter John McCain is Bob Dole minus the charm, conservatism and youth. Like McCain, pollsters assured us that Dole was the most "electable" Republican. Unlike McCain, Dole didn't lie all the time while claiming to engage in Straight Talk. Huckabee Presents the Best Choice for Reagan Supporters by John Linder I was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives 34 years ago. I have watched this party change for a long time. Some changes have been better than others. Two Against One by Maureen Dowd If Bill Clinton has to trash his legacy to protect his legacy, so be it. If he has to put a dagger through the heart of hope to give Hillary hope, so be it. Mitt’s Moment by Carl Cameron Polls show Mitt Romney could win the Florida Primary. John McCain is under attack, much as he was in 99 and 00. Rudy Giuliani’s slide appears to have halted - so far there is no sign of an uptick out of third. Unpopular TxDOT, Do-Nothing Candidate, Annoying Taxpayers, Math Tax by Michael Quinn Sullivan In our pre-packaged, shrink-wrapped political marketplace, it’s nice to find unabashed, unadulterated honesty. Sometimes it’s intentional, sometimes accidental. This week we find honesty, sickening truth, and some delusional self-righteousness thrown in for fun.
1-19-08	John Vincent Coulter by Ann Coulter The longest baby ever born at the Albany, N.Y., hospital, at least as of May 5, 1926, who grew up to be my strapping father, passed away last Friday morning. Martin Luther King's Struggle Was Against Democrats by Michael Zak On this day in 1901, the Alabama Democratic Party called for a convention to write a new state constitution that would prohibit African-Americans from voting. Despite vocal opposition from Booker T. Washington and other Republican civil rights activists, the Democrat scam succeeded. The Problem by Gary Bauer A lot of us are frustrated about the GOP's obvious shift in recent years away from conservative principles. A few years ago, the GOP Congress spent money like the proverbial "drunken sailor," which is actually an unfair insult of sailors. When Reagan was elected, he tried to get rid of the federal education bureaucracy. We failed, but at least we tried. Under this administration, the education bureaucracy has grown like a weed, and so has the budget. Are your schools any better? Of course not! Add some GOP scandals to this drift away from conservative principles, and you have a demoralized movement.
1-12-08	Craddick Isn't Going Anywhere by Clay Robison I might as well start off the New Year with a safe prediction: Regardless of how many Republican and Democratic legislators want to remove him as speaker, Tom Craddick will be re-elected in November to his umpteenth term in the West Texas district he has represented since 1969. Bilingual Waste, Coastal Bailout, Enviro-Birdies by Michael Quinn Sullivan Spending other people’s money too often means never having to stop being wasteful. From creating another faux-financial crisis in our schools to underwriting risky behavior, the new year brings new reminders of the need for vigilant stewards of the taxpayers' money. It’s Time to Change the Presidential Nomination Process by Bobby Eberle Over the years, there have been attempts by some members of the Republican National Committee to change the process by which the GOP presidential nominee is determined. Years ago, there was talk of "smoke filled rooms" at the national convention in which deals would be hashed out to determine a nominee. As the years went on, the state primary/caucus elections become more powerful, and the nominee was determined long before the convention. Human Events Endorses Fred Thompson by Editors of Human Events The 2008 presidential election is the most unusual and most important in many years. It’s been more than five decades since such a race didn’t feature an incumbent President or Vice President. Since World War II, America has not had a presidential election at a time when the stakes were higher. Conservatives have to win this election, and to do so, we have to identify a candidate around whom we all c
1-05-08	Spunky Homeschool on Huckabee and Homeschoolers by Ned Ryun I alluded to Spunky Homeschool’s blogs on Huckabee and homeschooling and figure it deserves a separate posting. Having been at HSLDA, I enjoyed the fact that she made it quite obvious the discrepancy between HSLDA’s strong stances against Huckabee’s legislation, and then its endorsement of him. I would encourage everyone, homeschooler or not, to read the Spunky Homeschool blogs. If nothing else, they show what Huckabee is all about. The Case for Immoral Politicians by Rick Casey If being confronted by brief footage of the naked breasts of beautiful women offends you, don't go see Charlie Wilson's War. Flashback: The Real John McCain by Patrick Ruffini In preparation for a John McCain presidential run, I clipped out what is perhaps the seminal article on McCain’s transformation from a Goldwater conservative to a maverick quasi-Democrat during the 2000 campaign and the early Bush years. Jonathan Chait’s assessment of just how far McCain had gone to the left in the April 29, 2002 issue of The New Republic stood out even at the time. I Googled it a few years later, and saved the full text. It is no longer available on TNR’s website. Op-Ed Columnist: The Great Divide by Paul Krugman Yesterday The Times published a highly informative chart laying out the positions of the presidential candidates on major issues. It was, I’d argue, a useful reality check for those who believe that the next president can somehow usher in a new era of bipartisan cooperation. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Novak The surprising results of last night's Iowa Republican caucus were devastating for former Gov. Mitt Romney and vindicating for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, but the biggest winner may have been Sen. John McCain (Ariz.).
12-29-07	Huckabee Governed Against the Grain by Adam Nossiter and David Barstow In more than a decade of presiding over this state, Mike Huckabee produced a legacy like few other Republican governors in the South, surprising even liberal Democrats with his willingness to upend some of Arkansas' more parochial traditions. Behind Our Presidential Recommendations by Keven Ann Willey It all started on Oct. 24. That's the day we decided that we needed to go public with our recommendations in the 2008 presidential primaries before the end of the year for them to have any resonance. And it's the day we mapped out a process for making our recommendations as studied and relevant to our readers as possible. Liberals Sing ‘Huckelujah’ by Ann Coulter All I want for Christmas is for Christians to listen to what Mike Huckabee says, rather than what the media say about him. The mainstream media keep flogging Huckabee for being a Christian, apparently unaware that this "God" fellow is testing through the roof in focus groups. Mitt and Mike: A Tale of Two States by Matt Bai As I watched Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee try to out-speechify each other in Iowa last week, it occurred to me that they are separated not just by temperament or ideology, but also by the distinct political cultures from which they hail. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Novak Republican Overview: With the Iowa caucuses in one week and the New Hampshire primary in 12 days, the GOP picture is getting fuzzier, rather than clearer. With former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee under increased scrutiny, and front-running former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney being closely watched for any misstep, lesser candidates are seeing glimpses of hope. AP Gives Thompson the ‘04 Treatment by Jed Babbin The Associated Press -- once the gold standard of fast and accurate reporting -- changed during the Bush presidency. What was liberal bias has reshaped the wire service into one of the most politically activist media outlets. This is a cautionary tale for every Republican candidate. What AP tried to do to Fred Thompson is going to be repeated against any conservative candidate who exudes a whiff of conservatism in the primaries and whichever Republican gains the presidential nomination. Will Arizona's New Immigration Law Work? by Froma Harrop What would happen if the United States seriously enforced the ban on hiring undocumented workers? We may find out starting Tuesday, when Arizona promises to do it locally. Criticism of Texas House Speaker Is Misplaced by State Rep. Warren Chisum During the waning days of the legislative session, some members, including individuals who had announced candidacies for the speaker's post, urged the House to disengage from regular business to consider a "motion to vacate the chair," even though such a motion is not authorized under H
12-22-07	Huck Finned by USA Today by Ken Conner In his newfound role as "front-runner", Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is the subject of increased scrutiny by the media. For many in the secular media, Huckabee's prior role as a minister is of far greater concern than his prior role as governor of the State of Arkansas. (A preacher as President? Heaven help us!) Consequently, Huckabee has been the candidate among the Republican wannabes who has had to field most of the tough "God questions" during their debates. Beyond the Presidential Campaign Spotlight by Newt Gingrich For the next few weeks, we will be drowned in news media coverage of every detail of the presidential campaign. The Huckabee Backlash by Paul Vitello The “Huckabee panic” some political bloggers are calling it: The conservative backlash gathering against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s increasingly formidable bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Secular Europe or Religious America by Dennis Prager Last week, New York Times columnist Roger Cohen wrote a column titled "Secular Europe's Merits," in which he explained why he prefers the secularism of Europe to the religiosity of America. Religion At Christmas 2007 by Donald Devine U.S. Stands Alone in Its Embrace of Religion Among Wealthy Nations.” That is the title of a Pew Research Center report on the status of worldwide religion—and no other rich country comes close. While 59 percent of Americans say religion plays an important role in their lives (mostly Christianity, which is adhered to by 80%), only about half that percent say religion is important in the second-most religiously-wealthy nation, Great Britain. As the nearby chart shows, religion is important in many countries in South America, Asia and Africa but only the U.S. is both religious and prosperous. Baptists Not on Board by Robert Novak When Mike Huckabee went to Houston on Tuesday to raise funds for his fast-rising, money-starved presidential candidacy, a luncheon for the ordained Baptist minister was arranged by evangelical Christians. On hand was Judge Paul Pressler, a hero to Southern Baptist Convention reformers. But he was a nonpaying guest who supports Fred Thompson for president. There’s a Huckabee Born Every Minute by Ann Coulter Despite the overwhelming popular demand for another column on Ron Radosh's review of Stan Evans' book, this week's column will address the urgent matter of evangelical Christians getting blamed for Mike Huckabee. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Novak As this year's session of Congress nears adjournment this week, Republicans are claiming victory with the likely passage of an omnibus appropriations bill roughly meeting President George W. Bush's spending limits. It contains money for the Iraq War and apparently is free of Democratic conditions. Clearly, the Democratic leadership did not want to risk a government shutdown. It's yet more proof that Democrats are unwilling to take bold action on Iraq. Romney Learns That ‘Facts Are Stubborn Things’ by Michael Luo There was the period last spring when Mitt Romney claimed while campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire that he had been a hunter “pretty much all my life,” only to have to admit later he had seriously hunted on only two occasions. For Clinton Campaign, Different Strategies at Play by Patrick Healy Faced with a question, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton often begins her answers with a single word: “Well.” (As in, “Well, I’ve spent 35 years of my life...”) It’s hard to tell if it’s a verbal tic; a one-syllable pause as she prepares a response; or a Midwesternism that has survived Wellesley, Yale, Arkansas, Washington, and New York. Cleverly Firing Back at Atheism by Robert H. Knight For centuries, atheism has been the rake lurking around the edges of the Christmas party, but now it’s slurping from the punch bowl in the middle of the room. Who Would Bush Endorse? He Won't Quite Say by Todd J. Gillman WWWD? That is the question. Bush Boxed in His Congressional Foes by Janet Hook Just over a year ago, a chastened President Bush acknowledged that his party had taken a "thumping" in the congressional elections, and he greeted the new Democratic majority at the weakest point of his presidency. Homeschoolers Beware! by Joseph Farah I take a back seat to no one in my admiration of homeschoolers. I am a homeschooler myself. As I have written in my book "Taking America Back," I believe the homeschool movement is the vanguard of what could be a peaceful, social and cultural revolution that will restore morality, justice and freedom in our country. Vox Huckabee by Terry Eastland Washington (The Weekly Standard) Vol. 013, Issue 16 - 12/31/2007 - Aboard the Huckabus I'm riding across Iowa in a tour bus carry-ing members of the press assigned to cover Mike Huckabee, after whom the bus is named. Huckabus: Is there a candidate whose name has inspired the creation of so many new words? Think Huckaboom (for the candidate's surge in the polls, which has him leading the Republican field in Iowa) and Huckabust (for the candidate's impending demise, predicted by some hopeful observers). Huck is the root from which you can invent your own Huckaword. This marketing-savvy campaign hardly minds the many uses of Huck. Even the unflattering ones remind people of a certain candidate for president. You're going to remember the name Huckabee--a precondition, if you think about it, for giving the candidate your vote.
12-15-07	Bill Hurts, Not Helps, Hillary’s Campaign by Dick Morris & Eileen McGann Bill Clinton’s poll ratings are very high so Hillary figures he can be of great help to her on the campaign trail. So far, so good — but then they extrapolate that view and conclude that he would be a good pe rson to make her negative attacks on opponents, to answer charges against her and to take the media to task for their coverage. And that’s where they are wrong. Blocked Vatican Envoy by Robert Novak President Bush's nomination of Harvard Law School professor Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is being held up in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, raising the possibility that the post may be vacant when Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States in April. All In by Stephen F. Hayes Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson has decided to take his campaign and virtually all of its resources to Iowa in an all-or-nothing attempt to register a strong showing in the caucuses here on January 3. From Kennedy to Romney: 47 Years of Judicial War Against American Freedom of Religion by Newt Gingrich On Sunday, I appeared on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to comment on what I am calling a bureaucratic coup d'etat, that is the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran released earlier this week. I'll give you my take on it in a minute, but first, I wanted to share with you that while I was getting ready to appear, it occurred to me that all the historical comparisons being made between presidential candidate Mitt Romney's speech last week and President John Kennedy's speech in 1960 are wrong in a fundamental way. Laying A Mitt on the Secularists by Bill Murchison Right., Yes. Mitt Romney, if elected our president, “will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest.” Nor should any candidate “become the spokesman for his faith.” Yes, Naturally. Sorting Out the Presidential Race by Bobby Eberle With only a few weeks left until the first presidential primaries and caucuses, the race for the GOP presidential nomination is still wide open. So many conservatives have yet to decide on a favorite, and this has led to the most up-for-grabs race in recent memory. Status-Quo on Tuesday Good News for GOP by Stuart Rothenberg Republicans got some good news Tuesday when they won special elections in Ohio and Virginia to retain two Congressional seats that became open upon the death of sitting GOP U.S. House members. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Novak Despite the continuing partisan stalemate on appropriations in Congress, there almost surely will be no government shutdown. Congress would get the blame for that, and Democrats as the majority party will not let that happen. The best bet is that the government will be kept running by a continuing resolution (CR) until early next spring, postponing determination of the actual spending level until then. Bigger Than Life by Joel Achenbach Freddie Thompson hit full height in the 10th grade, some 6 feet, 5 3/4 inches. His buddies called him "Stick." He was a nice-looking kid, played football and basketball, chased girls, horsed around in class, rarely cracked a book. Analysis: Thompson Scores Debate Points by David Yepsen Fred Thompson came out on top in Wednesday's debate among the Republican presidential candidates in Iowa. Of all the candidates, he did himself the most good. How to Create a National Controversy: Evolution vs. Creationism by Donna Garner For the Texas Freedom Network and the liberal press (i.e., the "Sisterhood") to create a national controversy which is meant to tear down the influence of pro-family conservatives, the first thing the Sisterhood has to find is a "victim." That person has been found -- Chris Comer, the Texas Education Agency's science curriculum director whom the Sisterhood deliberately represents as a noble and courageous evolutionist who was unjustly fired by the mean, old TEA managers. Huckacide by Rich Lowry The ghost of Howard Dean haunts the pundit class. As soon as a candidate of either party spikes up in the polls, he is compared with Dean, who had a spectacular boomlet in the second half of 2003 only to deflate as soon as people began to vote in early 2004. Who’s to Blame for High Property Taxes in Texas? by Tom Pauken The San Antonio Express-News had a major story last weekend about who’s to blame for the small savings in property taxes homeowners have received “since state leaders approved a new school-funding system 18 months ago.” That school-finance plan was designed to cut school property taxes by one-third over a three year period.
12-08-07	Who’s Afraid of Barack Obama? by Frank Rich Just 24 hours after Hillary Clinton mowed down a skeptical Katie Couric with her certitude that she would win the Democratic nomination — “It will be me!” — her husband showed exactly how she could lose it. So You Think You Want to Run for Office? by Jason Embry A politician's life can be pretty fun. People call you "commissioner" or "senator" instead of your boring old first name, lobbyists may treat you to a succulent lobster or bottle of fine wine before asking you for favors, and sometimes you get to park for free at the airport. Mr. Nasty vs. Mr. Nice by David S. Broder Call them Mr. Rough and Mr. Smooth. Or maybe Mr. Nasty and Mr. Nice. The intense battle between Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney for supremacy in the Jan. 8 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary is more a contrast in personalities than a difference on issues. Mike Huckabee is a Fiscal Conservative by Dick Morris As Mike Huckabee rises in the polls, an inevitable process of vetting him for conservative credentials is under way in which people who know nothing of Arkansas or of the circumstances of his governorship weigh in knowingly about his record. As his political consultant in the ea rly ’90s and one who has been following Arkansas politics for 30 years, let me clue you in: Mike Huckabee is a fiscal conservative. You Be the Judge by Gary Bauer As Mike Huckabee continues to improve in the polls, his positions on the issues are coming under greater scrutiny. Over the last week, a heated debate has broken out between Huckabee and many of the other candidates over the immigration issue, and particularly the question of providing benefits to the children of illegal immigrants. Tough Road Ahead for Huckabee by Liz Sidoti Mike Huckabee, who has surged from the back of the Republican presidential pack to challenge longtime leader Mitt Romney in Iowa, is campaigning with a spring in his step and an ear-to-ear grin. Questions About Character Cost Clinton by Star Parker The honesty and transparency themes are driving much of voter sentiment in this election. It helps explain the surprising success of Republican candidate Mike Huckabee. And we see similar dynamics with the Democratic candidates. “Freedom of Education” Adopted at DNC Convention by Jeff Jacoby "Freedom of education, being an essential of civil and religious liberty . . . must not be interfered with under any pretext whatever," the party's national platform declared. "We are opposed to state interference with parental rights and rights of conscience in the education of children as an infringement of the fundamental ... doctrine that the largest individual liberty consistent with the rights of others insures the highest type of American citizenship and the best government." Death, Taxes & Mrs. Clinton by Peggy Noonan I will never forget that breathtaking moment when, in the CNN/YouTube debate earlier this fall, the woman from Ohio held up a picture and said, "Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama, Mr. Edwards, this is a human fetus. Given a few more months, it will be a baby you could hold in your arms. You all say you're 'for the children.' I would ask you to look America in the eye and tell us how you can support laws to end this life. Thank you." Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Novak Despite a slip in the polls by front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Republican confidence about winning the presidency actually has declined. The reason is the dispiriting performance put on by the Republican candidates in last Wednesday's debate in St. Petersburg, Fla. We have had several Republicans tell us that after watching that affair, they wondered not only about the outcome of the '08 presidential election but also the long-range future of the GOP. Russians Voted Away Their Freedoms & Venezuelans Almost Did. Why? by Bret Stephens “It is ultimately a cruel misunderstanding of youth to believe it will find its heart's desire in freedom," says Leo Naphta, the great character of Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain" "Its deepest desire is to obey." On Sunday, voters as far apart as Caracas and Vladivostok took to the polls and put Naphta's theory to a practical test. So, What's The Big Deal About Religion In '08? by Frank Salvato We have come to a point in the 2008 presidential election cycle where both political parties' candidates are fielding questions about religion. While religion is a personal issue for an overwhelming majority of Americans, religion in government has been frowned upon ever since the ACLU took an active roll in purging it from the "public square." So, it would seem at odds with the dogma of the Secular Progressive Left that religion should be an election issue at all. Yet each candidate has had to answer questions about their faith, with Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney being literally scrutinized on the issue. Abolishing Property Taxes, Distorted Reports, and the NFL by Michael Quinn Sullivan We both know the time is long overdue to rip the poisonous weed of property taxes out of the state’s economic garden. We might actually get the chance if State Rep. Phil King of Weatherford gets his way. Paul's Quixotic, Chaotic Run May Make Its Push in N.H. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) has raised more than $10 million for his run for president in the past two months, leaving him well positioned to help swing the outcome of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, a state well suited to his libertarian, antiwar platform.
12-01-07	Obama, Huckabee Make Their Case in Iowa by Salena Zito Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama stand on political precipices in Iowa. NYT: An Undocumented Newspaper by Ann Coulter Last week, in an article titled "Walking a Tightrope on Immigration," The New York Times made the fact-defying claim that the illegal immigration issue poses a risk for Republicans who appeal to voters "angry" about illegal immigration. (This is as opposed to voters "angry" that they spent good money buying a copy of The New York Times.) Addicting Government, Forcing Football, Killing Jobs, Spending Restraint by Michael Quinn Sullivan The hubris of the government planners varies between scary and laughable. Social engineers keep whining to the press that thousands of “eligible” children are not enrolled in the government health “insurance” plan. Their solution, of course, is to spend a lot of your money to “educate” wayward parents into placing their kids in the care of government bureaucracy. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Evans Talk about New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D) primary campaign decline was accelerated by the new Zogby International poll. It shows every major Republican candidate nationally defeating her, while Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D) and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (D) beat every major Republican candidate. National polls at this stage of the game should not be taken too seriously, but Zogby does indicate decline by Clinton. Paris Violence Ramps Up by Gary Bauer The rioting in France entered its third day last night, and events took an ominous turn. A French police official said that "genuine urban guerrillas with conventional weapons" were now involved. European news broadcasts available online show Muslim rioters firing shotguns at reporters and policemen. Over 100 police officers have been injured, at least thirty of them hit by buckshot. Six officers were in serious condition after being shot at close range, several of them in the face. Most media reports continue to describe the rioting thugs as "youth" or, in a few cases, as "Arab and black children." House GOP Exits Will Strengthen Right in ‘08 by John Gizzi With the number of House Republicans retiring at 17 and counting -- compared to four exits on the Democratic side -- there are few GOP prognosticators who dare to say that their party has any chance of regaining the majority it held in the House from 1994-to-2006. Simply put, the mathematics just aren’t there. Hollywood Huckabee? by Jed Babbin One way to tell how well a candidate is doing is by seeing who turns up for the press conferences and lunches they sometimes hold. At a Capitol Hill lunch Thursday, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife Janet attracted a lot of the folks who wouldn’t have taken his phone call a few months ago.
11-24-07	Abortion Rights – The Democrats’ Litmus Test by Tom Paulken Anyone watching the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas Thursday night came away with the clear understanding that all of the Democratic contenders for President support the absolute right of a woman to have an abortion. Support for the Roe v. Wade decision, which overturned the laws limiting abortion in all fifty states, has become the litmus test these days for Democrats seeking the presidential nomination of their party. Democratic Iran Dilemma by Robert Novak Sen. Barack Obama, desperate to cut down front-running Sen. Hillary Clinton, did not take advantage of one opening in Thursday night's Las Vegas Democratic presidential debate. Obama pulled his punches on Clinton's September vote for a resolution that he earlier said can be used to go to war against Iran. His reticence may be traced to his co-sponsorship of a similar hawkish amendment back in March. Will Illegal Immigration Destroy the Democrats? by E. J. Dionne, Jr. More significant than Hillary Clinton's supposed gaffe at the end of this week's Democratic presidential debate is the subject around which she tiptoed so delicately: Immigration is the issue Democrats fear because it could leave them with a set of no-win political choices. Voters Lose by Gary Bauer I've long wondered whether the current presidential debate format sufficiently informs the public about where the candidates stand on the issues, or whether the debates are merely stage-managed public relations events during which candidates offer obtuse and abstract answers to pre- approved questions from friendly questioners. Making Thanksgiving Meaningful Again by Newt Gingrich This Thanksgiving, it's time to ensure that every young American and every immigrant who would become a new citizen learn about the historic origins and meaning of Thanksgiving. Taxing Jobs; Washington's Thanksgiving by Michael Quinn Sullivan In 1789 a Thanksgiving Day proclamation was issued by President George Washington. As we pause 218 years later for this Thanksgiving in 2007, his words make for a valuable reminder of from whence we came. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Evans The Democratic presidential contest is getting mean and nasty with a desperate feeling by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) that she must be stopped in Iowa or not at all. She has never been better than even in the polls in Iowa against Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.). (See below for the Clinton-Obama story.).
11-17-07	The (Anti-Religious) Bigotry of the Elites by Newt Gingrich I got a note this week that reminded me, once again, how much the American people disagree with the Washington elite -- and how differently we would run our country if and when we get the chance. Giuliani’s Lead is Fragile by Tom Pauken A new Wall St. Journal/NBC News poll has Rudy Giuliani well ahead of his principal rivals, John McCain and Fred Thompson. Giuliani has 33% support from likely Republican primary voters while McCain has 16% and Thompson 15%. Mitt Romney is in fourth place in the polls. Huckabee Garnering More Support in Presidential Bid by Tom McGregor The New York Times and Los Angeles Times have “discovered” Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas. Today, both newspapers printed front-page, full-length feature stories on his candidacy. Mr. Huckabee’s campaign has recently gained momentum with increased fund-raising, higher Web traffic, and a major endorsement from a prominent social conservative, the American Family association chairman Don Wildmon. Evans-Novak Political Report by Robert Evans The failure of Congress to move promptly on adjustment of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) may mean a delay in income tax refunds next year for people who count on them. The problem is a dispute over proposed tax hikes in the Democrats' AMT bill. Texas’ Worst Republicans; Seeing Red by Michael Quinn Sullivan Frustrated by the lack of fundamental fiscal reforms in the legislature? Does the fact that your tax burden is only going up make you mad? Bothered that the Republican-controlled legislature has failed to deliver on strengthened spending limits and property tax appraisal reform? Well, you are not alone. Coming Around the Far Turn by Jennifer Rubin With less than fifty days to go before the GOP Iowa presidential caucuses, the Republican presidential nomination is still up for grabs. But who’s ahead, who’s behind, and what should we look for in the next seven weeks? The Icebergs Ahead For the Democrats by David Broder As the Democratic presidential race finally gets down to brass tacks, two issues are becoming paramount. But only one of them is clearly on the table.