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11-14-09	Challenges for a Republican Renaissance by Star Parker Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele and the New York Yankees can look back on a good week. Maybe Steele deserves extra credit. The Swine Flu Boogeyman by Michael Fumento "The boogeyman will get you!" parents sometimes tell misbehaving children. With about 40% of parents saying "no!" to vaccinating their kids for swine flu, apparently health officials think turnabout is fair play. And the media seem happy to help. Divided We Fall by Erick Erickson The Democrats’ health care legislation passed the House of Representatives on Saturday by three votes. Under the Democrats’ plan, should you fail to obtain health insurance, you will go to jail for five years. Third-Party Candidacies, Last Resort by Gary Bauer Doug Hoffman’s narrow defeat in New York’s 23rd Congressional District special election was one of few blemishes in a nearly flawless Election Day for Republicans. But Hoffman’s strong showing — coupled with the successful uprising against Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava’s candidacy — will embolden some conservatives to consider abandoning the GOP and initiating a broader third-party movement. Prejudice, Denial and Fort Hood by James Taranto "We don't know all the answers yet," the Associated Press quotes President Obama as saying Friday about the Fort Hood massacre. "And I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts." Defense Nominee Won't Reveal Potential Conflicts President Obama's nominee for a top weapons-buying job at the Pentagon recently served as a paid adviser for a big defense contractor and is declining to disclose whom else he has worked for on a government ethics form designed to help the public guard against potential conflicts of interest. Fort Hood Suspect Was under FBI Probe in 2008 The FBI and the Army last year investigated contacts between a Yemen-based militant Islamist prayer leader and the Army psychiatrist accused of last week’s deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, but they dropped the case after concluding that he didn’t pose a terrorist threat, a senior federal law enforcement official said Monday. Terrorist Pen Pals by Gary Bauer We now know that Fort Hood murderer Nidal Malik Hasan sent between 10 and 20 messages to Anwar al-Awlaki, an Islamofascist cleric known for his exhortations for Muslims to rise up and kill the infidels. Counterterrorism officials intercepted the communications but concluded (are you sitting down?) that the e-mails were probably part of a research project on post-traumatic stress disorder that the psychiatrist had been conducting at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Blind Diversity Equals Death by Michelle Malkin The violence at Fort Hood, President Obama told mourners on Tuesday, was "incomprehensible." The "twisted logic that led to the tragedy," he reiterated, may be "too hard to comprehend." If the Bush administration suffered a systemic failure of imagination on homeland security, the Obama administration is suffering a willful failure of comprehension. Conventional Wisdom Recycles Lies about Recent Elections by Michael Medved Mistakes, distortions and outright lies appeared so frequently in media coverage of the elections of 2009 that they made accurate analysis all but impossible. Pro-Abortion Senator Who Could Live with Stupak is Attacked by Net-roots & Caves by Dan Perrin The difference between the U.S. House and U.S. Senate debate on the Stupak amendment is stark. The pro-abortion Members of Congress in the House, and pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood, rolled over and did not threaten to derail the bill because Speaker Pelosi asked them to. So they played dead. 'No Easy Way Out' for Democrats on Abortion by Alexander Burns The sudden spasm of intense debate over abortion on Capitol Hill this week threatens not only to stall the passage of health care legislation, but also to shatter the delicate cease-fire that has governed the abortion issue during the Obama era. Muslim Suffers Bruised Ego in Fort Hood Tragedy By Ann Coulter The massacre at Fort Hood last week is the perfect apotheosis of the liberal victimology described in my book "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America." Democrats Divided on Abortion by Bill McLaughlin A funny thing is happening on the way to the impending health care showdown, as the Democrats try to turn the newly-passed House bill into something that can pass both Houses of Congress. Fort Hood Suspect Contacted Muslim Extremists Fort Hood shooting suspect Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had been in contact with numerous Muslim extremists -- some of whom are under federal investigation -- before last week's rampage, two U.S. officials told The Washington Times on Wednesday. Fort Hood Shooting Suspect Sent Money to Pakistan, Texas Congressman Says An Austin congressman said Thursday that he has confirmed that Fort Hood massacre suspect Nidal Malik Hasan wired money to Pakistan, which Muslim extremist groups use as a base to raise funds and carry out terrorist attacks. Breaking News by Gary Bauer There are reports out of New York’s 23rd District of major voting irregularities. Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman may have conceded too early. Recanvassing has dramatically narrowed Democrat Bill Owens’ lead to just 3,000 votes, with thousands of absentee ballots still to be counted. RNC to Opt Out of Abortion Coverage The Republican National Committee will no longer offer employees an insurance plan that covers abortion after POLITICO reported Thursday that the anti-abortion RNC's policy has covered the procedure since 1991. Holder: Gitmo 9/11 Suspects Face Trial in N.Y. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday that self-proclaimed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees will be sent to New York for trial in a civilian federal court, and he expects to seek the death penalty. Former Clinic Director: Church Chilly to My Pro-Life Turn Abby Johnson, the former Planned Parenthood clinic director whose about-face on abortion prompted her to resign her job, says she's gotten flack for her decision from an unexpected quarter: her own church. Among Obama Aides, Debate Intensifies on Troop Levels The disclosure that the United States ambassador in Kabul has expressed written opposition to deploying more American troops to Afghanistan lays bare the fierce debate within the Obama administration over the direction of the war, even after weeks of deliberations and with the president on the verge of a decision. Palin Confirms Friction with McCain Staff The rumors are true, according to Sarah Palin: The McCain-Palin campaign was not a happy family. 4GW Comes to Ft. Hood by William S. Lind Last week’s shootings at Ft. Hood, in which thirteen U. S. Soldiers were killed and 30 people wounded, appear to be a classic example of Fourth Generation war. The shooter, U. S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was a practicing Moslem. 9/11 Plotters May Walk by Gary Bauer Liberalism’s theories often sound good to the uninformed. But when liberals are in power and attempt to govern with those theories, the public usually wakes up. Here’s a good example. During the campaign, Barack Obama sounded like he had the moral high ground on Guantanamo Bay, claiming that the terrorist prison there violated our values. He vowed to close Gitmo and to try the terrorist thugs in civilian courts. Today the administration made good on half of that promise – Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 conspirators are headed to New York City to be treated like American citizens and tried in civilian courts.
11-07-09	13 Killed at Texas Army Base; Psychiatrist Accused An Army officer opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas on Thursday, killing 13 and injuring 30, authorities said. The massacre left investigators scrambling to figure out what may have driven a mental health professional to go on such a rampage. The Media Will Downplay His Religion, But God Help Us if His Car Had a Talk Radio Station On by Erick Erickson As the sun set tonight, tragedy came to Ft. Hood. A muslim soldier began shooting other soldiers. What we know so far is that the soldier was a muslim and began yelling at his fellow soldiers statements in Arabic. The Fort Hood Massacre by Bill Murchison It makes no sense to see Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, as represented in at least one family account, as the victim of "harassment" by fellow soldiers (and therefore a candidate for "understanding"?) He's an officer. Jihad at Fort Hood by Gary Bauer Every American this morning should be outraged not only about the murderous rampage against U.S. soldiers in Ft. Hood, Texas, by Major Nidal M. Hasan, but also by the sickening effort of Big Media, and even some U.S. officials, to deceive us about what has taken place. Pelosi: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R.3962, as amended) could land people in jail. Mood Sours Toward Both Parties by Salena Zito Would one-party domination in any combination of Tuesday’s off-year elections really indicate where this country is going politically? Election Countdown – Looking Good For Conservatives by Gary Bauer Off year election results are notoriously hard to predict, but we are feeling optimistic about potential gains in tomorrow’s races. The GOP Establishment Must Be Purged as the GOP Loses in NY-23 by Erick Erickson The race for NY-23 has taken a startling, exciting twist. Regardless of what happens on Tuesday, we know for certain the Republican candidate will not, after getting $900,000.00 in support from the Washington GOP Establishment, will not win. Scozzafava dropped out. Joe Scarborough: How History Repeats Itself by Erick Erickson There is something about New York’s 23rd Congressional District that reporters and the GOP establishment are ignoring. According to the PPP poll and the Sienna poll, Doug Hoffman is expanding the base of voters willing to vote for a conservative, not shrinking the base as the press alleges. Wall Street Journal Editors Should Explain by hogan Today, in editorializing about Scozzafava’s collapse, the normally astute editors of The Wall Street Journal join the ranks of those chronically infatuated with equating the supposed extremism of the right with that of the left. This apples-to-oranges nonsense is made only worse by the editors’ absurd acceptance of the “litmus test” argument about supposed conservative rejection of those who don’t “agree with them on every issue.” Marine Leads 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Fight Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway has emerged in internal Pentagon deliberations as the most outspoken opponent of permitting gay men and women to serve openly in the U.S. military, according to a former senior Pentagon official. Hold the Champagne: Happy Days Aren't Here Again by Michael Barone The recession is over, we are told. The Commerce Department announced Thursday that the economy grew in the third quarter of 2009 by 3.5 percent. Great, huh? Is the Republican Label Irrelevant? by Bay Buchanan According to a recent Gallup study, 40% of Americans view themselves as conservative, 36% call themselves moderate, and only 20% fall into the liberal category. While this may be great news for conservatives, the Grand Old Party did not fare so well. Can the Tenth Amendment Save Us? by Cal Thomas Does the U.S. Constitution stand for anything in an era of government excess? Can that founding document, which is supposed to restrain the power and reach of a centralized federal government, slow down the juggernaut of czars, health insurance overhaul and anything else this administration and Congress wish to do that is not in the Constitution? The Love Affair is Over: In 2008 Independents Proved They Weren’t Racist by Voting Obama. In 2009, Independents Vote GOP to Prove They Aren’t Socialist. by Erick Erickson New York’s 23rd Congressional District is, at this writing, too close to call, but it looks like the GOP Establishment’s candidate helped throw the race to the Democrat after the GOP spent $900,000.00 on her. That said, the Democrat’s lead keeps shrinking and there are 10,000 absentee ballots to count. We know for certain that if we combined the Republican and Conservative votes, that team would win. The Dede Media by Brent Bozell The New York Times editorial page is a perfect weather vane for the way the liberal media's hot air is blowing. In an Oct. 26 editorial called "Torching the Big Tent," they lamented: "The feeble pulse of moderation in the Republican Party is in danger of flat-lining in the Nov. 3 Congressional election in upstate New York." Virginia, New Jersey Races Showing Voters Changing Course by Michael Barone As the final votes were being counted, it was possible to draw some lessons from Republican Bob McDonnell's victory in Virginia and the close, three-way governor's race in New Jersey, never mind that White House press secretary Robert Gibbs has taken to saying that the elections don't mean much. The Off-Year Elections and the Politics of the Obvious by Emmett Tyrrell What strikes me about politics over the past couple of years is how obvious it all has been. In 2008, as the junior senator from Illinois campaigned across the country, demonstrating his gifts as a motivational speaker and community organizer, all one had to do was review his recent life to know that he was about to bring down on the country -- ever so incompetently -- the most left-wing government in American history. Need for Republican Unity Seen as Election Lesson by Stephen Dinan "Tea party" activists say Tuesday's elections show that the Republican Party needs conservatives for victory, but the results suggest solidarity is more important: unified Republicans steamrolled in Virginia, while they fractured in New York and lost a House seat that they had held for more than a century. GOP Schism Exposed in New York Election Adds Pressure to Pete Sessions' Campaign Chief Role It was a big election night for Republicans overall. But their lone disappointment – the loss of a New York congressional seat in a crossfire between moderates and conservatives – could portend struggles next year for GOP leaders. Tuesday's Suburban Vote Swing by Karl Rove Tuesday's elections should put a scare into red state Democrats—and a few blue state ones, too. Barack Obama was said to have redrawn the electoral map by winning Virginia last year with 53% of the vote. On Tuesday, Republican Bob McDonnell flipped the state back to the GOP, winning his election for governor with 59% of the vote. A Defeat Made in Washington by Kenneth Tomlinson Why the James Buckley scenario didn't quite pan out. On Election Day, veteran conservative leader David Keene was regaling friends with the story of how the Nixon White House manipulated a split in liberal opinion to help elect James Buckley to the U.S. Senate from New York. The Myth of '08, Demolished by Charles Krauthammer Sure, Election Day 2009 will scare moderate Democrats and make passage of Obamacare more difficult. Sure, it makes it easier for resurgent Republicans to raise money and recruit candidates for 2010. But the most important effect of Tuesday's elections is historical. It demolishes the great realignment myth of 2008. Blueprint for GOP Victories by Linda Chavez Democrats are having a hard time explaining away their big losses on Tuesday. First, the White House let it be known that President Obama wasn't actually watching election returns, choosing instead to tune into HBO's puerile documentary about his own presidential campaign. Talk about ego; the man just can't get enough of himself. Panel OKs Climate-Change Bill without GOP The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday passed a sweeping climate-change bill, with none of the panel's seven Republicans participating in the 11-1 vote. The Forgotten Battle of World War II: Remembering the Aleutian Campaign by Dr. Paul Kengor Every Veterans Day presents an opportunity to commemorate those who served in some faraway place long ago, many of whom paid that ultimate sacrifice. World War II offers its share of remembrances: Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941; Normandy, June 6, 1944; the Battle of the Bulge, December 16, 1944; to name a few. GOP Tent Can ‘Be Big,’ but NY-23 Was a ‘Train Wreck’ by Mike Huckabee In the wake of Tuesday’s elections, what’s the future of the Republican Party – big tent or conservative enclave? Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and Republican presidential candidate in 2008, says there’s room in the party even for people like Dede Scozzafava, the liberal Republican who was effectively run out of her House race in New York’s 23rd District by conservatives. The Democrat ended up beating the Conservative candidate there.
10-31-09	Conservatives vs Republicans by Tim Lambert This morning the Republican nominee for congress in district 23 special election in New York dropped out of the race after weeks of contention leaving the field to the Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman and Democratic Party Candidate Bill Owen. The story behind this situation is indicative of the condition of the Republican Party at the national level and what will happen if leadership of the Republican Party does not wake up. 'Doc-Fix' Battle Shows Problem with Health Reform Gimmicks by Bill McKenzie If you're in the camp of those of us who worry about the deficit, get up for a moment and stomp your feet. We finally have reason to cheer. Twelve Democratic senators and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman rose up last week with Senate Republicans and stopped their colleagues from passing along $250 billion in health care costs without a way to pay for them. New York’s Big Frapple by Jillian Bandes It’s been a lucky week for Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman in the scorching race for New York’s 23rd Congressional seat, his poll numbers edging ahead of Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava after conservative outlets criticized her politics and ethics. Palin Endorses Conservative Party Candidate in N.Y. Race by Tom McGregor Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska, has gotten embroiled in New York state politics by endorsing a third party candidate in a divisive congressional race. Polling Polls: Americans Independent and Irate by Salena Zito A poll of opinion polls shows that Americans are undergoing rapidly changing attitudes. RealClearPolitics, a national polling aggregator, shows that Americans are becoming less and less thrilled about the direction of the country and with the job Congress is doing. Support has been peeling off steadily, says RealClearPolitics executive editor Tom Bevan. Health Reform Written behind Closed Doors By day, Democrats tout how open they have been while crafting a bill to reform the nation's health care system. By early evening, they're behind closed doors. Public Option Seen Buoyed by 'Opt Out' A leading Senate Democrat said Sunday that a health care proposal that lets states decide whether to participate in a "public option" insurance plan is close to gaining the 60 votes needed for passage, and a key moderate Democrat hinted at being open to such a plan. Dismantling America by Thomas Sowell Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many "czars" appointed by the President, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent? Dismantling America: Part II by Thomas Sowell Many years ago, at a certain academic institution, there was an experimental program that the faculty had to vote on as to whether or not it should be made permanent. Conservative in N.Y. Race Claims He's at 'Heart' of GOP Doug Hoffman says he's fighting for the "heart and soul of the Republican Party" by running as a Conservative Party candidate, so don't call him a spoiler. Reid Puts 'Public Option' in Health Reform Again Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday sought to assuage the left wing of his Democratic Party by deciding to include a government-run insurance plan in his health care reform bill, bypassing the lone Republican who supported the effort and ensuring a bruising political battle in pursuit of President Obama's top legislative priority. Gov't May Say Recession Over but Not Job Losses It's about to become official: The recession is over - but not the pain. The government will release figures this week expected to show that the economy has awakened from its deepest slump since the 1930s and is in the early stages of a recovery. But the following week, the government will issue another set of figures expected to show unemployment continuing to rise toward and possibly above a clearly recessionary 10 percent. Something Really Scary for Obama's Democrats by Wesley Pruden This is one Mr. Deeds who apparently isn't going to town. The collapse of the Democratic campaign for governor of Virginia speaks volumes - chapters, anyway - about what the body politic is trying to tell Barack Obama's Democrats. A Good Time to be a Conservative by William Kristol Bien-pensant conservative elites and establishment-friendly Republican big shots yearn for a more moderate, temperate and sophisticated Republican Party. It’s not likely to happen. And probably just as well. All Independent Candidates Are Not Created Equal by Michael Medved A third party vote is almost always an idiotic gesture that promotes enemies and punishes allies, but in next Tuesdays elections two strong independent candidates deserve serious consideration. One of them Doug Hoffman in New Yorks 23rd Congressional District could actually win his race and send a powerful message to the GOP and the country. Reid's Bait and Switch Tactics by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann Harry Reid had two problems. How would he get the health care bill out of the Senate Finance Committee without revealing the glaring potential fissures in his party over the public option on health care? And, how could he lend a veneer of bipartisanship to a one-party bill? Constitutionality of Health Overhaul Questioned by Donald Lambro On top of all the other obstacles facing President Obama in his quest to pass health reform is this one: Does the U.S. Constitution allow the government to require uninsured Americans to buy medical insurance or impose a tax penalty if they refuse? Scozzafava Contest a Bellwether for GOP Battle between Ideology and Electability by Dan Balz Is politics about standing for principles and fighting for them? Or is politics about winning elections and passing legislation? In an ideal world, politics is both of those things, but at the moment, both Republicans and Democrats face internal debates about the true nature of what it means to be a political party. It’s Still about Jobs, Jobs, Jobs The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the economy grew in the third quarter at rate of 3.5 percent, a sign that the U.S. is climbing out of the recession. Arkansas Legislature to Begin Study on Changes to Home School Law An interim study on changes to home school law by the Arkansas Legislature is set to begin on November 5, 2009 at 10:00 am. Eleven representatives from the public school sector will be there. Dee Black of the Home School Legal Defense Association and Jerry Cox of Family Council located in Little Rock Arkansas will be representing the interests of home school families. Representative Les Carnine (R) of Rogers is the Chairman of the committee engaging in this study. I'll Pass on "Opting Out" by Ann Coulter The Democrats' all-new "opt out" idea for health care reform is the latest fig leaf for a total government takeover of the health care system. Democrats tell us they've been trying to nationalize health care for 65 years, but the first anyone heard of the "opt out" provision was about a week ago. They keep changing the language so people can't figure out what's going on. Four Races Will Test the Strength of Obama's Majority by Michael Barone Five days from now the voters of New Jersey and Virginia will elect governors. Voters in the 23rd district of New York and the 10th district of California will elect new members of the House of Representatives to replace incumbents, a Republican and a Democrat, who were appointed to positions in the Obama Defense and State departments. National Conservative Campaign Fund Rallies Prominent Conservatives to Hoffman 15 prominent conservative leaders are out today joining RedState in making NY-23’s race between Doug Hoffman and the two leftists running against him a hill to die on for the conservative movement. Republican vs. Conservative by James Taranto You might have heard about the unusual election next week in New York's 23rd Congressional District. It's unusual for several reasons: It's taking place in an odd-numbered year, there was no primary, and there are three candidates. Tuesday's Elections and the Democratic Agenda by Karl Rove Democratic enthusiasm for President Barack Obama's liberal domestic agenda—particularly for a government-run health insurance program—could wane after the results of the gubernatorial elections next Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey. GOP victories in either state will tell Democrats in red states and districts that support for Obama's policies is risky to their political health. Black Muslim Raids by Gary Bauer For two years the FBI has been conducting an undercover investigation of a group called Ummah (the brotherhood) made up mostly of African American converts to Islam. Ummah’s goal is to establish Sharia-law within the United States by any means necessary. Health Bill: 42 Studies, 214 Mentions of Taxes House Democrats' health care bill runs to 1,990 pages, costs $1.06 trillion, covers 96 percent of eligible Americans and demands the production of 42 studies on everything from whether post-partum screening should be required to using student loan programs to help recruit doctors. Breaking News from the RedState Morning Briefing by Erick Erickson In New York's 23rd Congressional District, Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava has withdrawn from the race, leaving only the conservative, Doug Hoffman, versus the Democrat, Bill Owens. Republican Scozzafava Drops Out of New York Congressional Race Republican state Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava has suspended her campaign for upstate New York's 23rd Congressional District seat, giving a possible boost to Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman against Democrat Bill Owens, Fox News has confirmed. California vs. Texas: America’s Future What’s the worst state to do business in? According to readers of Chief Executive magazine, it’s California. In the same poll, Texas won first place as the best state in which to put your headquarters.
10-24-09	Magic Numbers in Politics: Part II by Thomas Sowell t is understandable that many people do not pay nearly as much attention to political issues as they do to practical decisions that they have to make in their own lives. For one thing, they have only one vote among millions, so their influence on what policies the government will follow is in no way comparable to the weight of their decisions in their own personal affairs. Could a Wave Be Building? by George Will Demure Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, but since then has not made many waves. It might, however, be part of a political wave a year from now, thanks to a direct descendent of Benjamin Franklin. U.S. Troop Funds Diverted to Pet Projects Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis. '09 Budget Deficit Tripled to $1.4 Trillion The federal budget deficit more than tripled to $1.4 trillion in the fiscal year that ended last month, the Treasury Department confirmed Friday. Relative to the size of the economy, the fiscal 2009 deficit was 9.9 percent of gross domestic product, the biggest shortfall since 1945. For each dollar of revenue, the federal government spent $1.67. Left's Rush Blitz a Cheap Shot by Diana West Before I get to the chilling implications for free conservative speech underscored by the vicious, public campaign to blackball Rush Limbaugh as a potential owner of an NFL team, I want to provide a little context about the pre-existing NFL comfort zone of expression. The Censorious Sound on the Left by Brent Bozell Rush Limbaugh was convicted of racism in a kangaroo court of "objective" media and dropped as a potential owner of the St. Louis Rams football franchise. His accusers claimed he once said slavery "had its merits" and that the assassin of Martin Luther King deserved a "Medal of Honor." The story circulated on the Internet and was eventually picked up by the major media, including both CNN and MSNBC. Thought While Shaving: It Just May be Huckabee’s Time by Tom Roeser As one who has either sat in an audience or on press row for 56 years...auditing speaking performances from Hubert Humphrey, Everett Dirksen and Ronald Reagan and through the campaign rosters of two midwestern states including Barack Obama here...I must say that the performance delivered by Mike Huckabee last night at the Illinois Family Institute (my presence due to Kirk Dillard who invited me as his guest, for which thanks) was unrivaled. McDonnell Confronts Climate Change Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert F. McDonnell said Saturday he thinks the globe is warming but wouldn't fix blame on man-made carbon emissions as its cause. Bipartisan Facade Can't Hide Health Plan's Flaws by Debra J. Saunders If the Democrats' health care package is so great, why are President Obama and Dem congressional leaders so hungry to share the credit for its passage with a Republican? Money and Meltdown (Part 6) by Wes Riddle It is time we address some fundamental issues about money. First, money didn’t originate with government. It originated amongst people who needed a way to exchange their goods indirectly, instead of through direct barter all the time. GOP to Orchestrate Health Attacks House Republicans are planning an interest-group strategy to try to stop a health care bill and will spend the next three weeks arguing that the Democrats' measure will be a bad deal for small businesses, senior citizens, and women and children. Tea Partiers, GOP Regulars Scuffle in N.Y. House Race Republican officials turned to a conservative icon and invoked an anti-tax pledge Thursday to salvage the slumping campaign of a New York congressional candidate competing with a more conservative third-party challenger, part of an ongoing battle between the fiscally hawkish "tea party" movement and the Republican establishment. The Race Card, Football and Me by Rush Limbaugh David Checketts, an investor and owner of sports teams, approached me in late May about investing in the St. Louis Rams football franchise. As a football fan, I was intrigued. I invited him to my home where we discussed it further. Even after informing him that some people might try to make an issue of my participation, Mr. Checketts said he didn't much care. I accepted his offer. Budget Tricks Rife in Health Reform Effort Advocates of health care reform are relying on budget manipulations to stick with President Obama's pledge to overhaul the system without adding to the deficit, critics on and off Capitol Hill say. Harry Reid Plan: 'Vaporize' 2010 GOP Opponent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is prepared to run a sharply negative campaign if that’s what it takes to win reelection next year, with a top adviser predicting that the Nevada Democrat will “vaporize” his Republican challengers with attack ads. Feds Threatened to Oust BofA Execs over Merrill Deal Government regulators threatened to remove top Bank of America executives if they backed out of a buyout of failing brokerage giant Merrill Lynch, and offered to provide taxpayer funds to compensate for Merrill's poor performance, according to company records obtained by The Washington Times. Justice Concludes Black Voters Need Democratic Party Voters in this small city decided overwhelmingly last year to do away with the party affiliation of candidates in local elections, but the Obama administration recently overruled the electorate and decided that equal rights for black voters cannot be achieved without the Democratic Party. TARP Watchdog: Full Repayment 'Unlikely' The auto industry, AIG and other struggling recipients of the government's $700 billion Wall Street bailout will make it "extremely unlikely" that taxpayers will receive a full return on their investments, says a new report by the Treasury Department's independent watchdog. American Idea by Walter E. Williams Americans are harder workers, more philanthropic, individualistic, self-reliant, anti-government than people in most other countries. We’ve turned what was an 18th-century Third World nation into the freest and most prosperous nation in mankind’s entire history. Throughout our history, United States has been a magnet for immigrants around the world. What accounts for what some have called American exceptionalism? Health Costs and History Washington has just run a $1.4 trillion budget deficit for fiscal 2009, even as we are told a new health-care entitlement will reduce red ink by $81 billion over 10 years. To believe that fantastic claim, you have to ignore everything we know about Washington and the history of government health-care programs. For the record, we decided to take a look at how previous federal forecasts matched what later happened. It isn't pretty. “Democrats’ Hidden Gas Tax” by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison & Kit Bond There’s something the Democratic lawmakers who are pushing cap-and-trade legislation don’t want the public to know. The controversial climate-change legislation winding its way through Congress will impose a massive new national gas tax on the American people. CNN Explores Conservative Talk Radio, the Last 'Dark Continent' by Jim Lakely CNN, fresh off being dubbed a "real" news organization by the Obama White House, has embarked on a three-part series examining that bizarre and foreign cultural subset of America called conservative talk radio listeners. To those not in the liberal elite, they're known simply as "normal folks." Low Black-Voter Turnout Threatens Dems in Va., N.J. Races Voter doldrums - especially among blacks far less energized than they were for Barack Obama's historic presidential bid last year - pose problems for Democrats struggling in the governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey.
10-17-09	The James Buckley Scenario by Kenneth Tomlinson A couple of weeks ago, political handicapper Charlie Cook alerted his subscribers that "the situation for President Obama and congressional Democrats has slipped completely out of control." Politico asserted the Cook Political Report special "should send shivers down Democratic spines." Stakes High for Maine's Marriage Vote For an off-year election in a state only rarely in the national political spotlight, an upcoming referendum on same-sex marriage has dramatic potential to make history and to roil emotions from coast to coast. Lose at the Ballot, Push! for Payback at the Bench by Debra J. Saunders Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker opened the gates to hell this month when he ruled that strategists for Proposition 8 -- the 2008 ballot measure, passed by 52 percent of California voters, that limited marriage to a man and a woman -- must release internal campaign documents to measure opponents. ‘Conceptual Language’ Hides Health Care’s Costs by Michael Barone Some of the headlines in recent days are not worthy of belief. No, I'm not referring to the headlines that Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, however odd that many seem to many (including, it seems, Obama himself). I'm referring to the headlines earlier in the week to the effect that the health care bill sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus will cut the federal deficit by $81 billion over the next 10 years. Show Me the Bill! by Robert Knight Do you think Congress should vote on bills without reading them? How about voting on bills that don’t even exist yet, except in fragments? Tea Partiers Turn on GOP Leadership While the energy of the anti-tax and anti-Big Government tea party movement may yet haunt Democrats in 2010, the first order of business appears to be remaking the Republican Party. Muslim Spies On Capitol Hill? by Gary Bauer Yesterday, a disturbing story was brought to my attention regarding our national security. A group of four House Republicans are calling for an investigation into a leading American Muslim advocacy group for placing interns in security-related Congressional committees. Making Us Less Safe by Gary Bauer At a time when the Obama Administration should be actively pressuring Iran to allow inspectors into its nuclear facilities, it has reportedly decided to allow Russia to inspect OUR nuclear sites. The plan was agreed to when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday. According to Fox News, this would “constitute the most intrusive weapons inspection program the U.S. has ever accepted.” Leveling Limbaugh The National Football League, in which each Sunday men weighing 365 pounds slam headlong into men weighing 245 pounds, has decided it can't handle Rush Limbaugh, talk-show host, age 58. C'mon guys, show some guts. Rush’s Rams by Elisabeth Meinecke For all the fuss over Rush Limbaugh’s attempt to buy the NFL’s St. Louis Rams franchise, you’d think he’d been torturing dogs or accidentally firing pistols in nightclubs.
10-10-09	Conservatism and The Commonwealth by David R. Stokes Evangelical Christian voter erosion away from the Republicans and toward the Democrats in 2008 was undoubtedly a significant factor in the election of Barack Obama. It didn’t work out too badly for those clinging to his coattails, either. "Change" GOP's 2010 Ally by Salena Zito If a flood of House seats now held by Democrats switches to Republicans in 2010, it will not be because of a seismic change in the country’s ideology. Senate Giant Killer Sees New Goliath: Reid The Republican who ousted the Democratic leader of the Senate in 2004 says Harry Reid finds himself in a similar predicament of representing a conservative-leaning state but leading a liberal party. Democrats: Republicans Are Rooting Against America During the Bush era, Republicans from Karl Rove to Joe Wilson questioned — in ways both veiled and overt — the patriotism of Democrats who challenged the administration’s Iraq policy, pre-war intelligence and surveillance programs. Dems See Rise in Jersey, Fade in Va. With a month to go until Election Day, national Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances to win the New Jersey governor’s race while cautious, or downright skeptical, about their prospects in the Virginia gubernatorial contest. Ron Paul and Gloria Steinem, Unite! by S. E. Cupp New York health-care workers are protesting the emergency regulation adopted this summer by the State Health Department making seasonal and swine flu shots mandatory. As well they should. So should good conservatives, libertarians – and yes – the pro-choice left A War of Necessity Turns Out Not So Necessary by Michael Barone "This is not a war of choice," Barack Obama told the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Aug. 17. "This is a war of necessity. Those who attacked America on 9-11 are plotting to do so again. If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which al-Qaida would plot to kill more Americans. So this is not only a war worth fighting. This is fundamental to the defense of our people." Study: Bernanke, Paulson Misled Public on Bailouts Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. misled the public about the financial weakness of Bank of America and other early recipients of the government's $700 billion Wall Street bailout, creating "unrealistic expectations" about the companies and damaging the program's credibility, according to a report by the program's independent watchdog. Universal Coverage, Private Competition and Reduced Deficits by Lanny Davis Re-read that headline. I am not making this up. A health care bill exists that would accomplish what the headline says. Home School vs. Public School: What Are the Benefits? President Barack Obama sparked controversy earlier this week with the announcement that he believes American kids don't spend enough time in school. Mojave Cross Honoring Veterans Embodies Best Traditions of Our Nation by Ted Cruz and Kelly Shackelford From the first musket shots at Lexington and Concord, American patriots have fought to defend liberty. We rightly memorialize our fallen soldiers and remember their sacrifices that have kept us all safe. And yet Wednesday the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Salazar v. Buono on whether a 75-year-old veterans' memorial in the Mojave Desert should be destroyed. GOP Faces Multiple Hurdles as It Aims for a 1994 Replay by Gerald F. Seib A big question hangs over American politics: Could next year be 1994 all over again? That was the year a bitter debate over health care led to a disastrous congressional election for Democrats, in which they lost 54 House and 10 Senate seats and ceded control of both chambers to the Republicans 34 Banks Don't Pay Their Quarterly TARP Dividends The U.S. taxpayers' investments in smaller banks are increasingly at risk. In a sign that more banks are under great pressure from the recession, 34 financial institutions did not pay their quarterly dividends in August to the Treasury on funds obtained under the Troubled Asset Relief Fund (TARP). Poll: Third of Parents to Shun H1N1 Vaccine As the first wave of swine flu vaccine crosses the country, more than a third of parents don't want their kids vaccinated, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. Key Democrats Align with Military on Afghan Buildup The Democratic chairmen of several key committees overseeing war policy, including the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, say they back the military's request for a troop buildup in Afghanistan - despite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's stance that Congress will not support deploying more U.S. forces. Doggett Upstages Texas Senators, White House on Judicial Nominations Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, upstaged Texas’ Republican senators — and the White House — Wednesday by announcing the selections for 10 candidates for federal judge, U.S. attorney and the U.S. Marshals Service, including four Hispanic nominees.
10-03-09	Life Chain Will Present Pro-Woman, Pro-Life Message to Millions in October Millions of Americans will be reminded of the pro-woman, pro-life perspective when they take to the streets on Sunday, October 4. That's because thousands of pro-life advocates in cities and towns across the country will be there to share the message with them. Senator: “We’ll do everything we can to stop people from breaking into (your) files.” by Tom Giovanetti Yes, it’s right there. On pages 195-196 (out of 1,107 pages), in Section 431, entitled DISCLOSURES TO CARRY OUT HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE SUBSIDIES of the “Affordable Health Choices Act”. This provision amends the Internal Revenue code, opens up taxpayer information to federal officials, requires your employer to also provide your financial information, and gives the Health Commissar wide discretion to ask for “other information” deemed necessary. On Julius Genachowski and Net Neutrality by Neil Stevens I am in danger of becoming a broken record on the issue of Net Neutrality in this space, but as aggressively as the Democrats are pushing the issue, it is a danger we all will have to live with. Once again, I will summarize the issue with a minimum of technological impediments to understanding. Bolton: Foreign Policy Now Big Problem The apparent escalation of Iran's nuclear-weapon program is the result of President Obama readily following the Bush administration's failed foreign policies while focusing on health-care reform, former United Nations Ambassador John R. Bolton said Monday. A Declaration of Independents in 2010 By Alex Isenstadt Independent candidates are poised to run serious campaigns for governor in at least a half-dozen states, a development that threatens Democratic fortunes in some of the bluest and most progressive-minded states in the nation. Plum Assignment Has Helped Hutchison, but Will It Now Hurt Her? It's often said that in Washington, there are three parties: Republicans, Democrats and Appropriators. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is a Republican, but she's also an appropriator — a member of the Senate committee that decides how to spend federal dollars. Abortion Funding Takes Center Stage in Health Care Debate Some moderate Democrats have joined abortion foes in pressing for votes to impose explicit restrictions. Abortion opponents in both the House and the Senate are seeking to block the millions of middle- and lower-income people who might receive federal insurance subsidies to help them buy health coverage from using the money on plans that cover abortion. Health Co-Ops Aren't the Answer by William Winkenwerder Congress is now backing away from creating the government health-insurance program, better known as the "public option." Instead, Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus is proposing to spend $6 billion to create government sponsored health-care co-operatives that he believes will create needed competition with private insurers. GOP Takes 'Targeted' Health-Care Approach Up against an overwhelming Democratic majority, Republican arguments against the health care reform plan so far largely have been limited to requests to slow down the process, maintain some fiscal restraint and make Democrats live up to President Obama's promises. Palin's Memoir, 'Going Rogue,' Out Nov. 17 That was fast. Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate, has finished her memoir just four months after the book deal was announced, and the release date has been moved up from the spring to Nov. 17, her publisher said. Republican Base Still Wild about Sarah Palin Despite a torrent of criticism from the media, Democrats and even some in her own party, Sarah Palin remains the hottest brand name in politics. Get Free Health Care -- In Jail! by Gary Bauer Senator Max Baucus’ (D-MT) latest “bi-partisan” healthcare bill has been criticized by Republicans and Democrats alike. The liberals in Congress are upset because it does not provide for a public option, while conservatives are upset that it still amounts to a government takeover of healthcare and forces individuals to buy healthcare coverage whether they like it or not. A large percentage of younger workers in our country are healthy and would prefer not to pay for healthcare coverage. Also, many wealthy Americans, who can afford to pay their own bills, don’t want to be forced to buy a policy they don’t need. Senate Panel Rejects Public Option Twice In a long-awaited fight that pitted Democrats against one another, liberal lawmakers failed twice Tuesday to insert a government-run health insurance program into the emerging Senate health care reform bill but vowed that the battle for a public option is far from over. Senate Finance Panel Has Votes to Pass Health Bill, Baucus Says Democrats on a key Senate panel backed off a plan to impose billions of dollars in new taxes on senior citizens with catastrophic medical expenses Wednesday and defeated Republican amendments on abortion, immigration and other divisive issues, aiming to bring a comprehensive health-care overhaul before the full Senate within two weeks. Gun Case Puts Focus on Sotomayor & Future Nominees The Supreme Court announced today that it will decide, in McDonald v. Chicago, whether the Second Amendment applies to state and local gun laws. That puts the focus on the Court’s newest Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, and on President Obama’s future picks for the Court. U.S. Panel Chides Holder in Panther Probe The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights asked Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Wednesday to name a Justice Department official to oversee the production of what it called "our overdue information requests" for documents in the dismissal of a civil complaint against members of the New Black Panther Party accused of disrupting a Philadelphia polling place in the November elections. Double Standard For Democrats by Gary Bauer Tuesday night, Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) spoke on the House floor about the healthcare debate. During his remarks, Grayson blatantly lied and attacked Republicans, saying, “If you get sick, America, the Republican healthcare plan is this: die quickly. That’s right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.” Survey: Pro-life Views Gain under Obama Popular support for abortion rights has dropped seven points in the past year due in part to the election of a pro-choice Democratic president, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life said Thursday. Obamacare Pushing Voters to GOP by Donald Lambro The White House remains in deep denial about the growing unpopularity of President Obama's government healthcare plan. Recent polls not only show that a clear majority of voters disapprove of his government-run entitlement plan; they show that key groups who make up that majority - seniors and independents - are now moving away from the Democrats and toward Republicans in the 2010 election cycle.
9-26-09	New Government Policy Imposes Strict Standards on Garage Sales Nationwide The "Resale Round-up," launched by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, enforces new limits on lead in children's products and makes it illegal to sell any items that don't meet those limits or have been recalled for any other reason. Health Reformers Targeting 'Enemies' The plan for a series of grass-roots demonstrations Tuesday to promote President Obama's health care agenda calls for tightly scripted events and an "escalation" of efforts against "enemies" of reform. Campaign-Giving Restriction is Nullified A federal appeals court on Friday dramatically expanded the ability of politically oriented groups such as Emily's List or the National Rifle Association to raise and spend money to help candidates get elected to federal office. Values Voters Poke Fun at Health Reform Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, once considered a moderate by some social conservatives, was the headliner at the Values Voters Summit in Washington on Friday evening, quoting from the Bible and bringing the nearly 2,000 social and religious conservatives to their feet. Book Paints Unflattering Portrait of Hutchison as Taskmaster Former George W. Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer admits being enamored of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison when he arrived as a young staffer on Capitol Hill some years ago. Breitbart a Conservative Rebel with a Cause He is hybrid journalist, content wrangler, glib analyst. But most of all, Andrew Breitbart relishes running against the grain. For starters, he is an unabashed political conservative in a Hollywood dominated by liberals. Palin Marks First Ever Visit to Asia with Hong Kong Speech Sarah Palin, former U.S. Republican vice-presidential nominee, addressed a packed ballroom of mostly high-flying fund managers at a five-star hotel in Hong Kong Wednesday -- on issues ranging from the Alaskan fishing industry to the financial crisis to Sino-U.S. relations. McChrystal to Request More Afghan Troops The commander of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, will make a long-anticipated request for additional troops by Friday after a controversy erupted over whether President Obama is still committed to a counterinsurgency strategy there. GOP Seeks 72-Hour Window to Read Bills Trying to capitalize on voters' anger at lawmakers this summer, Republicans on Wednesday launched bids in both the House and Senate aiming to force Democrats to let them have at least three days to read bills before they're put up for a vote. ACORN Sues Breitbart, Loses IRS Gig ACORN on Wednesday sued the duo who shot hidden-camera videos that are damaging the organization's reputation and the Web site that aired them, as the Internal Revenue Service broke off its partnership with the liberal community activist group. Liberal Lies About National Health Care, Part 5 by Ann Coulter Democrats lost Congress in 1994 because President Clinton failed to pass national health care. I'm not sure if this is another example of the left's wishful-thinking method of analysis or if they're seriously trying to trick the Blue Dog Democrats into believing it. But I gather liberals consider the 1994 argument an important point because it was on the front page of The New York Times a few weeks ago in place of a story about Van Jones or ACORN. A National Disgrace : Obama’s Harrassment of Freedom-Loving Honduras by E Pluribus Unum You may have missed this crisis if you get your news from the alphabet soup partisan media, who have mostly failed to cover it except to misrepresent it in favor of Obama. Cook: Voter Attitudes Hardening Against Democrat Congress by Brian Faughnan When it comes to the 2010 midterm elections, the conventional wisdom in Washington seems largely agreed a few central points: the Democrats are going to lose a bunch of House seats, and how many they lose will depend a lot on the economy and Barack Obama’s approval rating. In fact, in virtually any piece you read about 2010, you’ll see a significant caveat: Democrats will suffer less if the economy improves and Barack Obama’s favorability rating rises. Obama Health Care Plan Angers Seniors Across the country, amid the heat swell of the ongoing health care debate, many of the nation's gray panthers have a new fire growing in their bellies, attending town halls, writing letters, and shifting the balance of political power as polls show them moving to the GOP. ACORN Fights Back A week after undercover videotapes made it the butt of a national joke, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now is launching a three-pronged effort to rebuild its reputation and try to hold on to the millions of dollars in funding it gets each year from the federal government. Attorney to Terrorists Organizes Muslim Rally at Capitol A lawyer with a history of representing Islamic terrorists, including men connected to the 1993 and 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, is one of the chief organizers of a large Muslim prayer service intended as a show of American patriotism Friday at the Capitol. Can the Republicans win the House in 2010? by Michael Barone There’s starting to be some speculation that Republicans might recapture a majority in the House in 2010. That would require them to gain 40 seats—the exact number they needed to gain in 1994, the last time they recaptured a majority from the Democrats. From The Department of Completely Predictable Consequences by Dan McLaughlin New York Governor David Paterson discovers the gee-who-coulda-seen-this-coming fact that jacking up marginal tax rates is bad for the economy and not all that helpful to the budget. “Mmm mmm mmm:” New Details about the Dear Leader Song Video; Update: School Responds by Michelle Malkin In case you were wondering which school taught kids that “Barack Hussein Obama mmm mmm mmm” rap that I posted yesterday afternoon, here are some new details. Top Republican Withdraws from CIA Inquiry The top Republican on the Senate intelligence committee has pulled out of the panel's bipartisan review of Bush-era terrorist interrogation techniques, saying Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.'s criminal investigation into the CIA undermines the committee's ability to interview witnesses.
9-19-09	Capitol 'Tea Party' Rally Assails Big Government Tens of thousands of conservative "tea party" protesters brought their angry grass-roots movement to the steps of the Capitol on Saturday in a muscular political demonstration against big government spending, budget deficits, taxes and President Obama's sweeping health care plan. ACORN Fires Back at Critics after Sting Still, it came under fire during the presidential campaign after investigations of voter fraud in several battleground states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada. National Party Leader: Help for Texas Democrats Will Flow Next Year At a rare red-state gathering of Democrats from across the United States, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine said in Austin on Friday that the Democratic National Committee will help Texas Democrats gain ground next year, perhaps toward wiping out the GOP's 76-74 edge in the Texas House of Representatives. Maureen Dowd's Disgusting Insinuation that Joe Wilson Is a Racist Would Land Her in Court in Britain by Damian Thompson Nasty piece of work, Maureen Dowd. In the Barack Obama-worshipping New York Times over the weekend, she insinuated that Congressman Joe Wilson’s “you lie” outburst during the presidential address was inspired by racism. Speaking of Apologies: Hypocrisy Clouds Democrats’ Demand for “You Lie” Apology by Rep. John Carter It’s time for Democrats to start issuing an apology or two of their own. They’ve spent the past week clamoring for Congressman Joe Wilson’s apology, even though the President has accepted his apology, twice now. Democrats Lack the Votes to Pass Health Care Legislation in Latest Whip Count by Erick Erickson In a nutshell, the Democrats lack enough moderates to pass H.R. 3200 with the government option and if they ditch the government option, the Democrats would lack enough liberals to pass it. Mitch McConnell Smiled? by George F. Will Mitch McConnell, the taciturn Kentuckian who leads Senate Republicans, usually resembles Samuel Beckett's character Watt, who "had never smiled, but thought he knew how it was done." Last week, however, careful observers detected a trace of a hint of a shadow of a smile. Congressional Democrats were still at daggers drawn with one another, and the president's rhetoric was becoming CPR for the Republican Party. ACORN Watch: Charlie Gibson and the Ostrich Media by Michelle Malkin Several Chicago readers and Twitterers report that ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson told WLS-AM Chicago talk show hosts Don Wade and Roma this morning that the reason he hasn’t covered the ACORN scandal is that he didn’t know about it. Carter: Wilson's Outburst 'Based on Racism' Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday that U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst to President Barack Obama during a speech to Congress last week was an act "based on racism" and rooted in fears of a black president. Divide between Right, Mainstream Media by Michael Calderone & Mike Allen The right-wing media’s single-minded focus on a handful of targets over the past months and its success in pushing those stories into the mainstream have underscored the sharp divide between traditional news organizations and the bloggers and talk show hosts aggressively pursuing an ideological agenda on-line and on TV and radio. Updated: Baucus’s Bipartisan Bid Is Set Back, But Not Necessarily Over For the moment, at least, Max Baucus has come up short. Mr. Baucus, the Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who has led a months-long effort to develop bipartisan legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system, is expected to unveil his plan Wednesday morning with Republicans not yet on board. Quick Take: Fight over Missed Votes Makes It Harder for Hutchison to Stay in the Senate If it wasn’t ACORN, it would have been something else. The fact that the first Senate vote Kay Bailey Hutchison missed since entering the governor’s race happened to be on ACORN — a group Republicans love to hate — was just a bonus. Dem Senator Warns of 'Big, Big Tax' on Middle Class in Baucus Bill It's not every day that you hear a Democratic senator charge that a fellow Democrat is proposing to raise taxes on the middle class, but that is what happened on Tuesday when Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., ripped into the health-care bill developed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mt., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Lawmakers Back Officials Facing Jail for Prayer Two Florida school officials facing possible jail terms for praying in the presence of students arrive in court Thursday enjoying the support of more than 60 members of Congress. Home School: Making the Grade? by Megan Holland If Alaska parents want to home-school their child, no paperwork needs to be filed, no phone call made. No one need be told. Schooled at Home by Anchorage Daily News Editorial Staff Alaska has some of the most lax home-schooling laws in the nation, according to a report in Sunday's Daily News. Home schooling can be a highly effective option for educated, motivated parents who have the time and expertise to handle such a profound responsibility. However, our home-schooling laws are so lax, parents don't even have to notify the state that they have a school-age child whom they are educating at home, let alone show that their children are actually learning anything. In the Race from Race, Democrats Rebut Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter is 84 years old and three decades removed from the White House, but he still has the power to make Democrats run. Away from him, that is. U.S. Missile Shift Tied to Russian Nuke Talks The Obama administration Thursday implemented a seismic shift in U.S. security strategy, abandoning its predecessor's plan for ground-based missile defenses in Eastern Europe and possibly improving the prospects for a new nuclear arms reduction agreement with Russia. It's about Policy, not Race by Haley Barbour Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said in an interview that rising opposition to President Obama's free-spending policies has nothing to do with race, and dismissed rosy federal predictions that the recession is over as nothing more than "political happy talk." Christmas arrives early for Putin by Wesley Pruden Barack Obama looked Thursday to the lesson of Hiroshima. Sometimes one bomb won't do it. Nagasaki had to follow to "reset" relations with Japan. Six decades later, the Apology Bomb the president dropped on Moscow during his visit last May didn't do it, either. He had to drop another one Thursday. How Rogue Conservative Filmmakers Took Down ACORN For the longest time, conservatives were content to sit around and kvetch about the state of the culture, complaining about the ascendancy of Michael Moore and the double standards of the mainstream media when it came to documenting the foibles of the political parties. Who Lied? by Phyllis Schlafly The sanctimonious shock at Rep. Joe Wilson's, R-S.C., calling out, "You lie," when Barack Obama said the health care bill will not insure illegal aliens reminds me of the Casablanca police chief saying he was "shocked, shocked" to learn that gambling was taking place in the cafe. The Disgusting Race Card by Gary Bauer We saw it during the campaign, and now it has come roaring back in all of its demagoguery and ugliness – the infamous race card. Numerous liberal politicians and their Big Media allies are once again trying to demonize conservatives and shut down debate.
9-12-09	White House 'Green Jobs Czar' Van Jones Resigns Top White House advisers deflected questions Sunday about former "green jobs czar" Van Jones early Sunday, just hours after he submitted his resignation amid a growing furor over his previous statements and political associations. Progressives Decry Resignation of Van Jones The middle-of-the-night resignation Sunday of longtime Bay Area activist Van Jones as a White House environmental adviser left many progressives angry at the Obama administration for buckling to conservative criticism of Jones' controversial past comments and actions. Democrats Brace for Midterm Losses Few issues in American politics are as supercharged as health care, and when presidents choose to touch the subject, a surge of high voltage often scorches not only the chief executive, but his party in Congress. Timing Crucial for Hutchison on Quitting Senate to Run for Texas Governor As Congress returns today from summer recess, Kay Bailey Hutchison opens a final chapter in the Senate, assuming she sticks with her vow to quit soon to focus on her bid for Texas governor. Tea Party Express Roars to D.C. When the "tea party" movement kicked off in April to protest record federal spending bills, trillion-dollar deficits and higher tax burdens, its members were fiercely independent and opposed any suggestion that they bond with a larger umbrella group, preferring to work within their local communities. Texas Republicans in the U.S. House Get Flood of Mail, Calls over Health Care Bill It's no surprise that Democratic lawmakers got an earful about health care legislation when they went home this summer. But Texas Republicans in the House who have already denounced the legislation have also been bombarded by correspondence from highly informed constituents. Democracy on Display During August by Rep. Joe Barton August proved that thousands of voices uniting as one are an effective communication tool. This past month democracy has been on display here in the 6th District and across the country as people packed town halls, wrote letters, and jammed phone lines to express their thoughts on the future of the nation’s health care system. Will Government Jobs Keep Growing? by Tom Pauken “Government Jobs Have Grown Since Recession’s Start” was the headline of a recent story in The New York Times. The article cited a report from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government which stated that “state and local governments have expanded their payrolls and added 110,000 jobs” since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. Liberal Lies About National Healthcare: Fourth in a Series by Ann Coulter Only national health care can provide "coverage that will stay with you whether you move, change your job or lose your job" -- as Obama said in a New York Times op-ed. This is obviously a matter of great importance to all Americans, because, with Obama's economic policies, none of us may have jobs by year's end. GOP: Our Health Plans Ignored Congressional Republicans insist they have plenty of ideas for reforming the health care system from tort reform to expanding availability for insurance coverage to tax credits for small business and low-income Americans to buy private insurance. The problem, they say, is their solutions are not being taken seriously as Democrats push their own plans. Joe Wilson's Rallying Cry All eyes were on President Barack Obama entering Wednesday night's address to Congress, but a little-known South Carolina Republican may have done more than the president’s combative speech to unify besieged Democrats around health care reform. Democrats Dying for Good News are Grasping at Obama’s Health Care Illusions by Dan Perrin The Democratic party has massive pent-up demand for good news on health care — i.e., they haven’t had any and Obama’s brightly colored abstract art painting of a health care speech has temporarily put the Democrats in a trance like state. Senate's 'Gang of Six' Near Closure on Health Bill The Senate Finance Committee's "Gang of Six" is working to strengthen the citizenship requirements for obtaining health care coverage - a hot topic highlighted by Rep. Joe Wilsons "You lie!" outburst during President Obama's congressional address. GOP Provides Backing for Obama's War Effort Facing fire from his own party over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, President Obama is getting cover from an unlikely source: Republicans.
9-05-09	New GOP Tactic: The Counter-Town Hall Republican challengers across the country have found a new way of capitalizing on the roiling emotions surrounding congressional health care town hall meetings. Experts See Double-Digit Dem Losses After an August recess marked by raucous town halls, troubling polling data and widespread anecdotal evidence of a volatile electorate, the small universe of political analysts who closely follow House races is predicting moderate to heavy Democratic losses in 2010. The Health Care Fight is Far from Over! by Texas Eagle Forum Over the past few weeks, you, along with thousands of your fellow American citizens, have done your civic duty and actively participated in and influenced the legislative process by attending the thousands of town hall meetings. Your patriotic opposition to the government-run health care proposal has successfully put the liberal majority and the Obama White House on the defensive, but they haven't retreated and surrendered yet! White House Fears Liberal War Pressure White House officials are increasingly worried liberal, anti-war Democrats will demand a premature end to the Afghanistan war before President Barack Obama can show signs of progress in the eight-year conflict, according to senior administration sources. Climate Change Legislation Postponed The once-delayed climate change legislation has been postponed again, spelling trouble for a top item on President Obama's legislative agenda. Cheney: CIA Torture Probe 'Outrageous' Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday called the Justice Department's decision to investigate whether CIA interrogators abused terrorism suspects after the Sept. 11 attacks "an outrageous political act" that "offends the hell out of me." Enough Is Enough, Harry by Sherman Frederick This newspaper traces its roots to before Las Vegas was Las Vegas. We've seen cattle ranches give way to railroads. We chronicled the construction of Hoover Dam. We reported on the first day of legalized gambling. The first hospital. The first school. The first church. We survived the mob, Howard Hughes, the Great Depression, several recessions, two world wars, dozens of news competitors and any number of two-bit politicians who couldn't stand scrutiny, much less criticism. Health-Care Anger Has Deeper Roots Recent town-hall uproars weren't just about health care. They were also eruptions of concern that the government is taking on too much at once. That suggests trouble for the president and his party, and fears of losses in next year's midterm election are likely to shape the Democrats' fall agenda. Obama's Lobbyist Curbs Are Political, Watchdog Told A former Treasury official has told the watchdog for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout program that President Obama's promise to restrict lobbyist access to the bailout was made purely for political reasons. CIA Interrogators Did Not Cross the Line by Thomas Sowell Britain's release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi-- the Libyan terrorist whose bomb blew up a plane over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people-- is galling enough in itself. But it is even more profoundly troubling as a sign of a larger mood that has been growing in the Western democracies in our time. Ex-Bush Whistleblower Pans Dems Bunny Greenhouse, the Army contract director lionized by Democrats for exposing corruption during the George W. Bush administration, is now complaining that her efforts to win more protections for federal whistleblowers are being undermined by the Obama White House and Democrats in the Senate. Town Halls Dissuade Some on Health Plan Voters angry about Democrats' health care overhaul plans have managed to wrest commitments in August from a handful of lawmakers to oppose the reform bills and solidified the opposition of others -- raising new doubts about President Obama's hopes to pass a bill this year. Un-American and Unlawful White House Projects by Phyllis Sclaffly The Obama administration brags that Cash for Clunkers was a success because it revived the suffering auto industry. But who really benefited from this $3 billion program? Home-Schooler Ordered to Attend Public School "What if this were Muslims who don't want their children exposed to infidel thoughts?" he asked. "Can a judge come into my home -- even if my wife and I agree to home-school our children -- and say it's to their best interest to put them in government schools?" CIA Asks Justice to Probe Leaks of Secrets Besieged by leaks of several closely held secrets, the CIA has asked the Justice Department to examine what it regards as the criminal disclosure of a secret program to kill foreign terrorist leaders abroad, The Washington Times has learned. Gonzales Denies Supporting CIA Probe Former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said Thursday that his previous assertion that it was "legitimate to question and examine" charges of CIA abuses of terrorism suspects did not mean he endorsed such an investigation. Nancy Pelosi: No Public Option, No Bill As the White House signals that it is willing to move forward on a health reform plan without a public option, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sent a strong message Thursday evening: not so fast. School Speech Backlash Builds School districts from Maryland to Texas are fielding angry complaints from parents opposed to President Barack Obama’s back-to-school address Tuesday – forcing districts to find ways to shield students from the speech as conservative opposition to Obama spills into the nation’s classrooms. White House Tepid about Adviser Jones The White House offered the most tepid of endorsements Friday of Van Jones, the administration's top adviser on green jobs, after conservative critics began circulating videos of him using expletives to describe Republicans and comparing former President George W. Bush's calls for oil exploration to "a crack head trying to lick the crack pipe for a fix."
8-29-09	Double Jeopardy for CIA Interrogators by Tim Lambert A column today by Gary Bauer talks about the political decision by President Obama's Attorney General to appoint a special investigator to examine the CIA interrogators who were responsible questioning terrorists and obtaining information to prevent the death of Americans in future terrorist attacks in this country similar to the attacks on 9/11 2001. Murrysville (PA) Couple Challenges Home-School Law A Murrysville couple, long at odds with the Franklin Regional School District over the home-schooling of their now-grown children, filed a lawsuit in Westmoreland County Wednesday seeking a ruling to overturn laws that give public school districts the right to oversee home education. Interrogators Got Valued Info, Could Face Charges The Obama administration Monday appointed a special prosecutor to pursue criminal charges against CIA employees who interrogated some of al Qaeda's hardest core members, while releasing documents showing individuals subjected to the tactics provided life-saving intelligence that disrupted numerous terror plots ranging from an anthrax attack on Westerners to a massive bombing of U.S. troops in Africa. Small Businesses Turn Against Health Plan Over the course of two years, the annual health insurance premiums at David White's auto shop in Bar Harbor, Maine, more than doubled from $23,000 to $47,000. Prosecuting the CIA Mr. Holder had it right the first time. His about-face yesterday, compounded by his release of a 2004 internal CIA report on that agency's handling of terrorists, opens a political war that President Obama, the CIA and above all the country will live to regret. 'Historic' Deficit a Political Thorn The federal budget deficit will hit a record $1.6 trillion this year, a figure that could threaten President Obama's agenda, complicate 2010 congressional campaigns and set up big political battles over government spending. Health Care Struggle is About Freedom by Star Parker President Obama took his case for what he now calls “health insurance reform” to the faith community. He made his pitch in a phone call, also broadcast over the Internet, to clergy who called in and logged on from around the nation. Exploiting Kennedy’s Death by Gary Bauer The first news most Americans heard this morning was the announcement that Senator Ted Kennedy had passed away after his 15-month battle with brain cancer. The second thing most Americas heard was a shameless attempt by Big Media “talking heads” and liberal politicians to exploit his death by suggesting that America should honor the senator by stopping the debate and passing “healthcare reform.” New Hampshire Court Orders Christian Homeschooled Girl to Attend Public School A Christian homeschool girl in New Hampshire has been ordered into government-run public school for having "sincerely held" religious beliefs -- and the Alliance Defense Fund is troubled by the ruling. The Opportunity of a Century by Phyllis Schlafly Speaker Nancy Pelosi said one correct thing: health care legislation is our "opportunity, not of a lifetime, but of the century." Passage of the bill she supports would put us forever on the road to trillions of dollars in debt, bankruptcy, and European mistakes; defeat of the bill will safeguard the unique American recipe for liberty and prosperity. Healthcare Reform Bill = Loss of Privacy A free-market think tank is warning that the House healthcare bill could potentially give thousands of federal employees access to citizens' financial records. Death Penalty Sought for Illegal Alien Murder Suspect Prosecutors in Los Angeles are seeking the death penalty for a 20-year-old illegal alien gang member charged with the brutal murder of a promising high school athlete. It was a crime one immigration reform activist says should have been prevented. High Hurdles to Prosecute CIA Prison Abuses: Experts by Jeremy Pelofsky A decision by the U.S. attorney general to probe deeper into alleged CIA abuse of captured terrorism suspects may not land anyone in jail, and it could just produce more headaches for President Barack Obama who wants to move on. The Fall Guy by Kimberly A. Strassel In the game of political football that is today national security, spare a thought for CIA Director Leon Panetta. Quarterbacking is hard enough without getting sacked by your own team.
8-22-09	Ronald Reagan Warned Americans Against 'ObamaCare' In 1961, Ronald Reagan joined the American Medical Association in opposing the Democratic Party's attempt to force socialized medicine on the American people. President Reagan's advice is just as relevant today as it was then. Obama Cronies In Disarray by Gary Bauer While many politicians are enjoying the August recess with their families, Administration officials were busy contradicting one another on healthcare this past weekend. Washington liberals have been shocked at the public resistance they are facing in their hometowns. The pressure is getting to them, and that is evident by the missteps leading proponents of ObamaCare have been making. Eagle Forum Urges Grassroots Not to Fall for Co-Op Compromise Washington, D.C.-Eagle Forum, a conservative public policy organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly, urges grassroots Americans not to fall for the Obama Administration's recent hints that they may drop the public option from the health care bill and replace it with a "co-op compromise" that is more popular with some House Blue Dog Democrats and moderate Senate Democrats. Finding No Buyers for Snake Oil by Wesley Pruden Master politician that he is, Barack Obama is a lousy calculator. He spectacularly misjudged the American public's appetite for a government nanny. Or maybe he miscalculated the power of his slippery tongue to sell government snake oil. 29 Species Considered for Endangered List The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that 29 species - plants, insects, mollusks and one fish - will be considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Freedom-minded Americans Will Not Go Quietly by Bill Murchison The town hall turmoil now on display shows how, when the dogs of political war are loosed, they can ruin the carpets and chew up all the furniture in the house – even in a placid place like Texas. Are You An Immoral Un-American Evil Monger? by Gary Bauer You know things are getting desperate for the Left when Democrats suddenly “get religion.” That’s what happened yesterday as President Obama turned to the leaders of the Religious Left to help him sell healthcare reform to an increasingly skeptical public. Big Government, Big Recession by Alan Reynolds There’s no evidence for the theory that state spending has shortened this or any other slowdown. ‘So it seems that we aren’t going to have a second Great Depression after all,” wrote New York Times columnist Paul Krugman last week.

8-15-09	What The Health Care Bill Actually Says by John David Lewis What does the bill, HR 3200, short-titled ‘‘America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” actually say about major health care issues? I here pose a few questions in no particular order, citing relevant passages and offering a brief evaluation after each set of passages. Recycling the Contempt by Wesley Pruden Recycling is so popular that even our congressmen, unaccustomed as they are to practicing what they preach, do it. They're reaching back into the dark past to recycle contempt. Never waste a crisis, even if you have to manufacture the crisis. Health Care Furor at Fever Pitch Besides blasting Republicans, the Democratic National Committee is attacking insurance companies in its latest TV ads to promote President Obama's health care overhaul, accusing the industry of shamefully putting profits above Americans' health. Abortion Will Be Covered by Gary Bauer We have been warning for some time that the healthcare reform bill would likely include taxpayer subsidies for abortion-on-demand. In recent days, many folks have emailed us responses they have received from their members of Congress who deny that abortion is being covered in the bill. At least one congressional liberal is now publicly suggesting otherwise. Back To Bizarro World by Gary Bauer When President Obama first waded into the public debate over healthcare reform, he insulted pediatricians by suggesting that they were ripping out children’s tonsils for extra cash. In New Hampshire this week, he suggested that some doctors are cutting off feet, rather than encouraging diabetes patients to lose weight. Both the AMA and the American College of Surgeons shot back. A Price to Pay for the Town Hall Rage by David S. Broder Watching the muscular tactics being used in congressional town meetings by some opponents of health-care reform, I keep thinking somebody should remind the Republican leaders who are reveling in the scenes about Bruce Alger. Reject White House Eeffort to Squelch Health Debate by Newt Gingrich and Nancy Desmond Just months after Islamic terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon with the deadliest attack on American soil in U.S. history, Attorney General John Ashcroft attempted to establish a “TIPS” program in hopes of catching any future terrorists Pace of Stimulus Spending Plummets Stimulus bill spending has slowed to a trickle, despite President Obama's June order to his Cabinet to speed it up. Palin Target Renounces Care Rationing Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, the White House official targeted by Sarah Palin and other conservatives as an advocate for health care rationing and "death panels," said Thursday his "thinking has evolved" on the need to decide who gets treated and who does not.
8-08-09	Economy Seen Improving in Third Quarter The U.S. economy performed better than expected during the second quarter, but revised data revealed that the intensity of the economic downturn has been much greater than economists thought. States' Woes Could Drag Democrats Down A new government report out Friday showed the economy shrinking less than expected last quarter — raising hopes that the recession might end soon. Geithner, Summers Hedge on Tax Hikes Wavering on an emphatic promise he made in the spring, top White House economic adviser Lawrence H. Summers would not rule out middle-class tax increases Sunday as a way for the Obama administration to pay for a sweeping health care plan. Republicans Closing Gap in Polls Nine months after Republicans suffered their worst political defeat in decades, President Obama and the Democrats are slipping in the polls and the Republican Party is expected to make gubernatorial and congressional gains in the 2009-10 election cycle, according to pollsters and election analysts. Blue-State Blues by Ross Douthat We know because he said so, in the first of many famous speeches, that Barack Obama doesn’t see Red America or Blue America — he only sees the United States of America. But as the president contemplates his faltering poll numbers and his stalling health-care push, he might want to consider a more colorful perspective. Charlie The Tax Man Cometh! Yesterday I warned you about the tax hikes the Obama Administration will likely impose on middle class Americans. Despite White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs’ protests to the contrary, there is mounting evidence that these tax increases are inevitable. Poll: McDonnell Widens Lead in Va. Race Republican candidate Robert F. McDonnell has opened a decisive lead over state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds in the Virginia gubernatorial race, according to the latest poll, released Tuesday. Cornyn Calls On White House To Stop Compiling Political Enemies List In a letter to President Obama, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, expressed serious concern about the White House’s new program requesting Americans to forward email chains and other communications opposing the President’s health care policies. Cornyn is seeking assurances that the program is being carried out in a manner consistent with the First Amendment and America’s tradition of free speech and public discourse. Obama Loses Favor in Va., Could Hurt Deeds State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds stands to raise a pile of cash and energize his party's base at his first joint appearance with President Obama on Thursday, but it's an open question whether it will do anything to help his faltering gubernatorial campaign. Cornyn Is Confident that Republicans Could Keep Hutchison's Seat Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Wednesday that he is "very confident" that Republicans will hold on to the Senate seat expected to be vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison for her run for governor.
8-01-09	Pelosi vs. The People by Gary Bauer House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on CNN Sunday to talk about healthcare reform. She was adamantly upbeat, saying, “When I take this bill to the floor, it will win. We will move forward, it will happen.” Pelosi also said that she doesn’t care how despised she is. Cornyn Is So Right That He's Wrong Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee requested a week's delay in voting on Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, and time's up. The vote is scheduled today and will largely follow party lines. Med Center Leaders: Slow Down on Health Reform In their first unified voice on the subject, Texas Medical Center leaders Monday sent a message to Congress as it tries to reform America's troubled health care system: slow down. Conrad, Dodd Tied to VIP Loans Despite their denials, influential Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad and Christopher J. Dodd were told from the start they were getting VIP mortgage discounts from one of the nation's largest lenders, the official who handled their loans has told Congress in secret testimony. Backlash: Democratic Dangers Mount Democrats giddy with possibilities only six months ago now confront a perilous 2010 landscape signaled by troublesome signs of President Barack Obama’s political mortality, the plunging popularity of many governors and rising disquiet among many vulnerable House Democrats. Debate Tests Reid’s Leadership Style Sen. Harry Reid said Tuesday that health care reform is probably “the most difficult legislation … in the last century because it affects literally everybody in America.” Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Is Not Health Care Reform by Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) When most Americans talk about the need for health-care reform, they’re usually talking about the need to address rising health-care costs; they aren’t talking about the need for taxpayers to subsidize abortion. In fact, a November 2008 Zogby poll revealed 71 percent of Americans oppose government-funded abortion. A Minimum Wage Equals Minimum Jobs by John Stossel The media are never better at displaying their economic illiteracy than when they report on the minimum wage. Bully Boys: A Brief History of White House Thuggery by Michelle Malkin Six months into the Obama administration, it should now be clear to all Americans: Hope and Change came to the White House wrapped in brass knuckles. Questions For Your Congressmen by Gary Bauer t’s been a very busy time here in Washington. Fighting ObamaCare has dominated our work in recent days. In fact, we’ve published more than a dozen items on ObamaCare in this daily report in the past two weeks. We were able to stop the march of Big Government socialism for a while. But with news that the “moderate” Blue Dog Democrats have cut a deal with liberal House leaders, ObamaCare is on the move once again. The battlefield now shifts from Capitol Hill to each congressional district, and we’re calling in reinforcements – YOU! ObamaCare On Life Support? by Gary Bauer As I’ve stated before, polls are just a snapshot in time and they can and do change. It’s also not unusual for polls to give you conflicting information or even contradictory results. But here’s something that we can safely say without any fear of contradiction: ObamaCare is on life support; the American people do not want it. No. 3 at Justice OK'd Panther Reversal Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli, the No. 3 official in the Obama Justice Department, was consulted and ultimately approved a decision in May to reverse course and drop a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party of intimidating voters in Philadelphia during November's election, according to interviews. House Dems Break Health Impasse House Democratic leaders Wednesday cut a deal with rebellious moderates to advance a stalled health care reform bill, only to meet fresh roadblocks from more liberal members in the bid to pass President Obama's top legislative priority. Hutchison Says She'll Resign from Senate in Fall to Seek Texas Governor's Office U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Wednesday that she plans to leave the Senate this fall in her bid to challenge Gov. Rick Perry, paving the way for a rare special-election free-for-all for the Senate seat she has held for 16 years. Blue Dogs Pulled in Two Directions Color it blue, this latest House deal to keep health care reform moving: Blue Dogs, Blue Cross-Blue Shield and all the blues sung by rural, middle-income and working-class families if no relief comes on medical insurance. Lawmakers Seek Refiling in Panther Case Congressional Republicans on Thursday escalated their criticism of the Justice Department for dismissing a controversial voter-intimidation case, demanding that civil charges against the New Black Panther Party be restored. They also renewed their request to interview career attorneys who disagreed with the administration's decision to dismiss the charges. Obama Aides Clash over Sudan Policy A dispute over policy toward Sudan has exposed a significant rift between two of President Obama's closest advisers. Quit Your Job, Sen. Hutchison by Amarillo.com Editors U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is inching closer to a critical decision that in the long run should bode well for Texas.
7-25-09	Mayo Clinic Says “No” To ObamaCare by Gary Bauer Yesterday, the Mayo Clinic, one of the world’s most recognized hospitals, announced its opposition to the healthcare reform bill now under consideration in the House of Representatives. In a bluntly worded statement posted on its health policy blog the Clinic left no doubt about what it thinks of the Obama/Pelosi socialized healthcare plan. Here are some excerpts: Abortion Roils Already Tense Health Debate A coalition of anti-abortion groups is set to open a new front against Democrats’ efforts to restructure American health care, claiming the plans open a back door to publicly financed abortions. A Better Remedy for Health Reform by Barton and Burgess The president and many Democrats are urging Congress to quickly pass their idea of health reform because they say it is key to economic recovery and better health. We fail to see how creating scores of new bureaucracies will revitalize anything except the governing class in Washington. Pro-Gun Amendment Rejected The gun lobby suffered a rare defeat on Capitol Hill as the Senate on Wednesday narrowly rejected a measure to allow gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines. Senate Denies Obama Health Plan by August Senate Democrats defied President Obama on Thursday by scuttling plans to vote on health care reform by August, abandoning the president's timeline amid trouble coming to consensus with the White House on how to pay for it.
7-18-09	Palin to Stump for Conservative Democrats Brushing aside the criticisms of pundits and politicos, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said she plans to jump immediately back into the national political fray — stumping for conservative issues and even Democrats — after she prematurely vacates her elected post at month's end. It's Cornyn's Time to Shine When confirmation proceedings start Monday for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, it will be Texas' soon-to-be senior senator who will emerge to persistently press the federal appeals court judge about her 17-year judicial record. Franken, a Clown for All Seasons, Arrives in Time by Wesley Pruden We've never had an Official U.S. Senate Pornographer before, though pornographic behavior is frequently the entertainment provided to the public by the world's oldest deliberative body. So Al Franken, the answer to Harry Reid's prayer, should fit right in. Going Alamo: Why Jobs and Companies are Flocking to a Big Small-Government State by Keven D. Williamson If you want to know where the future is headed, look where the people are going. And if you want to know where the people are going, check with U-Haul. Here's an interesting indicator, first noted by the legendary economist Arthur Laffer: Renting a 26-foot U-Haul truck to go from Austin to San Francisco this July would cost you about $900. Renting the same truck to go from San Francisco to Austin? About $3,000. In the great balance of supply and demand, California has a large supply of people who are demanding to move to Texas. There's a reason for this. The Fake Cheney/CIA Scandal by Gary Bauer For three days the Left and its media allies have been in full-throated attack mode against former Vice President Cheney, the Bush Administration and the CIA. They are claiming that there was a secret program at the CIA to kill Al Qaeda operatives and that Cheney ordered the CIA not to inform Congress about the program. This is actually being treated as “breaking news” and partial justification of Nancy Pelosi’s outrageous charge that the CIA routinely misleads Congress. Don’t get sucked in by the media hype. This isn’t a scandal. It is an attempt to demonize everyone in the Bush/Cheney Administration, and ultimately throw some good people in jail. Dems to GOP Nominee: Will the Defendant Please Rise? by Ann Coulter Every time a Democrat senator has talked during the Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor this week, I felt lousy about my country. Not for the usual reasons when a Democrat talks, but because Democrats revel in telling us what a racist country this is. 2010 by Peter Ferrara Next year's elections are going to produce a political earthquake. That is because we currently suffer the most left-wing government in our nation's history. After just 6 months in office, the flower children that rule Washington in overwhelming numbers are already smashing through all records regarding federal taxes, spending, deficits, and debt. Health Bill Would Deliver Pre-Reagan Tax Rates Small-business owners are warning that the economy would suffer under a health care bill proposed by House Democrats, which would drive tax rates for high-income taxpayers to levels not seen since before President Reagan's tax reform of 1986. Sotomayor Is Grilled on Abortion and Gun Rights Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor sidestepped questions on abortion, gun rights and gay rights Wednesday -- including whether a state could forbid aborting a 38-week-old fetus -- leaving both conservative and liberal activists troubled. Poll Shows Falling Support for Health Care Reform Public support for congressional efforts to reform America's health-care system is declining, according to a report released Wednesday by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Zogby International. CBO: Health Care Reform to Increase Federal Cost Congress' budget watchdog warned Thursday that Democrats' health care bills would not lower skyrocketing costs and would drive up government spending, undermining one of President Obama's chief arguments for the overhaul.
7-11-09	Palin Fires Back at Critics on Twitter Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin used her Twitter page Sunday to fire back at critics seizing on her decision to abruptly resign from office this month and to rebut speculation of an FBI investigation. For Reid, 60 is the Loneliest Number Oh, the burdens of a Democratic supermajority. After eight months in limbo, Al Franken is poised to be sworn in as the 60th Democratic senator — cause for celebration among party activists, the lefty blogosphere and his fellow Democrats planning to give him a hero’s welcome at Tuesday’s caucus lunch. A Free-Market Approach to Health Care Reform What exactly would a free-market approach to health care reform look like? Quite simply, it relies on those time-tested building blocks of marketplace efficiency: competition and choice, says Michael Tanner, a senior fellow with the Cato Institute. We Need to Reduce Emissions in Congress In the last week of June, the House of Representatives passed a bill intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050. The bill is a long way from becoming law. Palin And “Blood Sport” by Gary Bauer During her surprise weekend announcement, Sarah Palin bemoaned that American politics increasingly looks more like “blood sport” than it does legitimate debate. I agree. Thanks to figures like Saul Alinsky and his “Rules for Radicals,” the Left has put together a “kill machine,” funded by ideologues like George Soros, that is capable of destroying anyone who stands in the way. In recent months, Palin was the target of 15 ethics probes, all of them baseless, which cost her hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend against. Sarah Palin Attorney Warns Press on 'Defamatory Material' Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin’s attorney threatened on Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation. GM Takeover Part of Broad Federal Role Capping a series of bold government actions to rescue failing corporate giants, the White House has won approval of its restructuring plan for General Motors Corp., putting the government on track to take ownership of the storied automaker by the end of the week. Déjà Vu All Over Again by Gary Bauer Laura Tyson, an economic advisor to President Obama, is suggesting that the nation needs a major economic stimulus plan devoted to infrastructure spending to help the anemic economy recover. No, you’re not having déjà vu; the administration is laying the ground work for Stimulus II. Believe it or not, Tyson says the $787 billion stimulus bill was “a bit too small.” Democrats Stuck in Stimulus Jam President Barack Obama says there’s “nothing” he “would have done differently” about his economic stimulus plan, but one of his top outside economic advisers says the plan was “a bit too small.” Republicans Bring Knife to Gunfight & Lose Again by David Kahane One of the most terrifying moments of my political life came last summer at the Republican convention in St. Paul. No, I don’t mean seeing John McCain careering around the Xcel Energy Center like Eyegore in Young Frankenstein, as he reached across the aisle to his erstwhile friends in the media and got his hand bitten off. Rather, I’m referring to the aftermath of Sarah Palin’s outrageous acceptance speech, which whipped up the Rotary Club delegates into a frenzy of white-boy fury that not even heckling by a brave Code Pink embed could deter. McCaul Race Garners Attention as Dollars Pour In Austin Democrat Jack McDonald continues to show strength in his possible challenge to Republican U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, saying Tuesday that he raised more than $322,000 in the second quarter of the year. Texas, Other States File U.S. Supreme Court Brief Challenging Handgun Bans In a brief filed Tuesday with the U.S. Supreme Court, the top legal officers in Texas and 32 other states said state and local handgun bans violate Second Amendment protections allowing individuals to keep and bear arms. Breaking News by Gary Bauer Just minutes ago, the Associated Press reported that the state of Massachusetts has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to overturn the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. This is the one law that currently protects the people of 30 states who voted to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman from being forced to recognize homosexual marriages being performed in Massachusetts. Forgetting Sarah Palin by Ann Coulter Sarah Palin has deeply disappointed her enemies. People who hate her guts feel she's really let them down by resigning. She's like the ex-girlfriend they're SO over, never want to see again, have already forgotten about -- really, it's O-ver -- but they just can't stop talking about her. Democrats Shy Away from Health Care Tax Cracks in President Obama's health care reform plan formed Wednesday as his August deadline appears to be slipping away amid angst from Democrats over taxing employer benefits to help pay for the $1 trillion makeover. Palin: Not Down and Not Out by Gary Bauer Like a few other intrepid souls, I have received a lot of grief for my defense of Sarah Palin’s decision to resign the governorship of Alaska.
7-04-09	Ruling Reverses Sotomayor in Firefighter Case Casting a wary eye on affirmative action, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters faced unlawful discrimination when their city threw out a promotion test after not enough minorities did well on it. Vulnerable House Dems in GOP Sights Republicans believe a handful of junior House Democrats may have taken a career-ending vote by supporting the controversial energy bill last week and are planning to launch an ad campaign in targeted districts to try to seal their fate. Franken Declared Minnesota Senate Victor Democrats picked up a crucial vote for President Obama's agenda in Congress as the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously declared challenger Al Franken the winner over incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in their epic, eight-month legal battle for the Senate's last vacancy. Sarah Palin Story Sparks Republican Family Feud A hard-hitting piece on Sarah Palin in the new Vanity Fair has touched off a blistering exchange of insults among high-profile Republicans over last year's GOP ticket - tearing open fresh wounds about leaks surrounding Palin and revealing for the first time some of the internal wars that paralyzed the campaign in its final days. Roberts Court Shifts Right, Tipped by Kennedy Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. emerged as a canny strategist at the Supreme Court this term, laying the groundwork for bold changes that could take the court to the right even as the recent elections moved the nation to the left. GOP Forum Airs Health Care Issues Calling the debate on health care reform a seminal moment for domestic policy, three Republican U.S. senators brought the GOP case to the Texas Medical Center Tuesday. What's So Super About a Supermajority? by Carl Hulse Senate Democrats are about to reach the magical threshold of 60 votes, allowing them in theory to sweep aside Republican delaying tactics. But the arrival of that 60th vote, in the person of Al Franken of Minnesota, is not likely to make the party's very real difficulties in advancing contentious legislation disappear. A Sarah Palin Rebound? by Chris Cillizza After enduring months of derision within Republican circles for her role as the party's 2008 vice presidential nominee and her uneven performance as a national figure this year, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is experiencing something of a rebound among the D.C. chattering class in the 48 hours since the release of a very tough profile on her in Vanity Fair magazine. Congressmen Call Energy Bill 'Disastrous' The American Clean Energy and Security Act that barely passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week is either the first major step in curtailing the emission of gases believed responsible for global warming or will lead to "the complete annihilation of the oil industry in the United States." Confidence in Stimulus Plan Ebbs, Poll Finds Barely half of Americans are now confident that President Obama's $787 billion stimulus measure will boost the economy, and the rapid rise in optimism about the state of the nation that followed the 2008 election has abated, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. All-Black D-Day Battalion Vet No Longer Forgotten Samuel J. Harris knew he wasn't dead. But on June 7, his morning newspaper suggested otherwise. The 88-year-old Washington resident read in an Associated Press story that the last known survivor of an all-black World War II U.S. Army unit had received the Legion of Honor from the French government. But he, too, had served in the 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion and was, therefore, confused. In Political Ads, Christian Left Mounts Sermonic Campaigns Randy Brinson, a conservative political consultant in Alabama, has been fielding anxious calls for weeks from business interests across the South. Their concern is massive ad blitz on Christian and country-music stations across 10 states. The ads, funded by a left-leaning coalition, urge support for congressional legislation to curb greenhouse-gas emissions -- by framing the issue as an urgent matter of Biblical morality. Climate Vote Threatens Some Democrats' Careers Rep. Thomas Perriello relishes an energy fight with Republicans - even here in the rural Southside. The freshman lawmaker understands the potential consequences that he and other vulnerable Democrats face for backing a sweeping climate-change bill, and rather than ducking the issue, he's embracing what may have been the toughest vote of his young political career. IOUs Spell Uncertainty for California Small Businesses Business consultant Katrina Kennedy has taken her young son out of preschool and put a family vacation on hold. Dairyman Mike O'Kelly is wondering whether he is going to have to let employees go. Massachusetts: A Model Not to Copy by Phyllis Schlafly The Obama-Kennedy health plan is modeled after the Massachusetts plan which, when adopted, many applauded as innovative and destined for success. In fact, the Massachusetts plan has been a massive failure and is a model for what not to do. Palin to Call It Quits as Alaska's Governor Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska stunned her state and the political world Friday by announcing she will resign her post at the end of the month, igniting speculation about what the move means for her political future and her viability for the GOP's presidential nomination in 2012.
6-27-09	Hard Times, but Not in the House While businesses across the country are cutting back, members of the House saw their own office budgets increase by an average of 7 percent between 2008 and 2009. Democrats Urged to Play Down 'Global Warming' House Democrats neared a deal Thursday on a bill to combat global warming, but a top party strategist warned that to sell any plan to voters they'll need to change the way they pitch it -- including curbing the use of the term "green" jobs and even talk of "global warming." U.S. Attorney Nominee Won't ID All Clients The criminal defense lawyer nominated by President Obama to be the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey is declining to identify more than half of his private clients on government forms designed to help the public guard against potential conflicts of interests. U.S. Contacted Iran's Ayatollah before Election Prior to this month's disputed presidential election in Iran, the Obama administration sent a letter to the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for an improvement in relations, according to interviews and the leader himself. Bid to Expand Knife Ban Doesn't Cut It with Critics Hunters, whittlers and Boy Scouts, beware - your knives may soon be on the government's chopping block. The Obama administration wants to expand the 50-year-old ban on importing "switchblades" to include folding knives that can be opened with one hand, stirring fears the government may on the path to outlawing most pocket knives. Climate Bill Targets Hot Tubs and Light Bulbs The Democrat-led House pressed Thursday for enough votes to pass landmark legislation that would combat global warming by forcing U.S. companies to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions, expanding expensive renewable-energy sources and trimming consumers' choices on new light bulbs and hot tubs. The Hot One from the Democrats by Wesley Pruden You can't blame the Democrats for hurrying to enact their hot-air legislation. The public is finally paying attention, recognizing the global warming crisis for what it is, a giant scam that will cost every American plenty. The globe isn't warming - it's actually cooling, in fact - and there's no crisis.
6-20-09	GM's Deal Erased Many Average Americans' Savings When people think of "bondholders," they imagine tycoons. J.P. Morgan. Warren Buffett. Even the fictional Gordon Gekko of "Wall Street" fame. In fact, tens of thousands of the bondholders of General Motors Corp. are not rich at all — and never were, even before the value of their bonds collapsed in the months leading up to the giant automaker's bankruptcy filing. Rural Democrats Differ with Barack Obama Angered by White House decisions on everything from greenhouse gases to car dealerships, congressional Democrats from rural districts are threatening to revolt against parts of President Barack Obama’s ambitious first-year agenda. Bush Takes Swipes at Obama Policies Former President George W. Bush fired a salvo at President Obama on Wednesday, asserting his administration's interrogation policies were within the law, declaring the private sector -- not government -- will fix the economy and rejecting the nationalization of health care.
6-13-09	Big Government & Religion Could the rise in government spending—from economic stimulus to health care reform to education spending—endanger the vitality of religion in America? That’s a question University of Virginia Professor W. Bradford Wilcox discussed recently in the Wall Street Journal. The study’s authors, Anthony Gill and Erik Lundsgaarde, found an “inverse relationship between religious observance and welfare spending.” Sarah Palin In, Then Out, Back In - and Now Again Out of Fundraising Dinner After being invited — for a second time — to speak to the annual joint fundraiser for the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Palin was told abruptly Saturday night that she would not be allowed to address the thousands of Republicans there after all. Palin Fends Off Ethics Charges "My investigation has uncovered no evidence that the governor or her husband received anything of value in exchange for the governor wearing the Team Arctic jacket when she acted as the official starter of the 2009 Iron Dog," said Thomas Daniel, the investigator. "I also note that most jackets worn by Alaskans have a company name or logo on them." Predicting the End of Recession: Texas to be an Early Riser by Bill Dedman If you want to be in the right place when the recovery starts, that place may be in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Texas or Washington. USA Today Reports: 4 States Yet to Agree to National Education Standards for Rigor Fifty states, 50 different sets of academic standards. Right? Maybe not for much longer. Dismayed that students are slipping further behind their international peers, 46 states have agreed in principle to develop a set of rigorous criteria — the Common Core State Standards Initiative — designed to prepare high school graduates for college and the workforce. Kids who are taking algebra I, for example, would be expected to learn the same material whether they’re in Massachusetts or Mississippi. How Value Added Taxes Threaten American Prosperity by Laura Elizabeth Morales It’s summer time and you were hoping to take a much-needed vacation with your family; in fact, your vacation has been planned for over a year now. Your family lives comfortably, but money is tight with a kid in college and another in high school. You work well over 40 hours a week to make ends meet and this vacation is finally a chance to get free from the concrete jungle of your downtown office. Bank Bailout Fund Underwrites Automakers The Treasury Department's bank bailout fund is starting to look more like an automaker bailout fund as the United States gets deeper into the car business and banks work furiously to cut their ties to the government and return their bailout money. Supreme Court Backs Judges' Recusals in Big Donors' Cases The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that judges must step aside in cases involving their large political contributors, prompting renewed calls for Texas to change a system in which judges raise money to run in partisan elections. U.S. House Restricts Ethics Probes When Democrats made their case during the 2006 elections about why they should control Congress, they offered up Republican lawmakers like Mark Foley and Rick Renzi as examples of the "culture of corruption" they wanted to rid from Washington. Pay-Go's Promise Routinely Broken by Washington The pay-as-you-go rules President Obama is resurrecting as a solution to runaway federal spending have been repeatedly violated by Congress and the White House, allowing hundreds of billions of dollars to be spent without the required spending cuts or tax increases. Military Warns Against Detainee Transfers Military intelligence officials have quietly told Congress they advised against transferring 25 of the 60 Guantanamo Bay terror detainees deemed eligible for relocation by the Obama administration, including five who are considered to be highly dangerous and likely to return to the battlefield. Mirandizing Terrorists? by Gary Bauer The Weekly Standard and Fox News are reporting today that the Obama Administration has “quietly” ordered the FBI to read highly-valued terrorist suspects their Miranda rights at U.S. military detention facilities in Afghanistan. If you have watched any television crime show you are probably familiar with the Miranda warning.
6-06-09	When Democrats Derailed a GOP Latino Nominee by Byron York Unless something entirely unforeseen happens, confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will be a lovefest for the Democrats who run the Senate Judiciary Committee. Va. GOP Fills Out Fall Slate; Conservativism Applauded State Sen. Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II won the Virginia Republican convention's nomination for attorney general Saturday, electrifying delegates with a speech decrying the state of the Republican Party and proving that conservatives still have a voice in the party. General Motors Files for Landmark Bankruptcy General Motors filed the largest ever industrial bankruptcy Monday morning under a strategy mapped out by the White House to quickly reorganize the venerable Detroit company in two to three months. Poll: Most Oppose Closing Gitmo Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to closing the detention center for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and moving some of the detainees to prisons on U.S. soil, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. GOP Eyes GM Takeover as Election Tool Republicans plan to use the government takeover of General Motors Corp. as ammunition in their bid to defeat congressional Democrats next year, saying its a glaring example of big government intrusion into the marketplace that will rankle average voters. Colin Powell and the Failure of Moderate Republicanism by Jeffrey Lord Colin Powell doesn’t get it. Neither do moderate Republicans, which is why there are an increasingly fewer number of them left. IRS Files $800,000 Lien on '04 Kerry Campaign The Internal Revenue Service has filed a tax lien seeking more than $800,000 from Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, escalating a dispute over payroll taxes that the lawmaker's office blames on faulty government paperwork. A Major Force in Education -- Homeschooling in America by Albert Mohler The U.S. Department of Education has released its periodic review of schooling in America, and it offers a revealing look at the growth of homeschooling. The picture of contemporary homeschooling offers some real surprises and raises some new questions. First Amendment Victory: Federal Court Strikes Down Florida’s “Electioneering Communications” Law Arlington, Va.—In a major victory for free speech, U.S. District Judge Stephan Mickle today issued an opinion striking down Florida’s “electioneering communications” law—the broadest regulation of political speech in the nation. The ruling frees community groups and educational non-profits across Florida and the nation to speak about candidates and issues on the Florida ballot without registering with the government and navigating bureaucratic red tape. Kansas Abortion Doctor Killed during Church Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas physician who provided late-term abortions, was fatally shot Sunday morning at his church in Wichita, in the first fatal act of anti-abortion violence in 11 years. City and Police Propose Curfew to Curb Youth Crime People younger than 18 committed more than a quarter of all crime in Columbia last year, though they make up less than a fifth of the city’s population.
5-30-09	Pelosi Refuses Queries on CIA Dispute n her first news conference since accusing the CIA of lying to her about the use of harsh interrogation techniques, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday refused to answer questions on the controversy, telling reporters only that she stands by her earlier statements. Dick Cheney's Compelling Witness by Editors of The Washington Times An extraordinary scene played out Thursday with what amounted to a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate between a popular sitting president and an unpopular former vice president. The former veep won, hands down. Powell Says GOP Must Expand Its 'Very, Very Narrow Base' Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said Sunday that he will not leave the Republican Party, although he thinks its future is threatened by a shift too far to the political right. California Court Upholds Gay-Marriage Ban The state Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, but also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who wed before the law took effect will stay married. Justice Sotomayor? by Gary Bauer Today, President Obama announced Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to replace retiring liberal Supreme Court Justice David Souter. We know Judge Sotomayor is a liberal who once declared that the courts are “where policy is made.” Obama assured us during the campaign for the presidency that he would appoint judges with “empathy” – judges who knew, in the president’s words, “what it’s like to be poor, or African-American, or gay, or disabled, or old.” Sotomayor certainly fits that description. Coming This Summer: Health Care Wars by Newt Gingrich The Washington battle that will most directly and profoundly affect you and your families’ lives is the battle for the future of our health care system, which will play out this summer. How the Sonia Sotomayor Nomination Battle Will Be Waged Seeking to block her confirmation to the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor’s critics will call her some combination of the following: radical, pushy, racially insensitive and lacking judicial smarts. Texas, Florida Offer GOP Models for the Future Texas Sen. John Cornyn is an upbeat kind of fellow, but when it comes to the Republican Party’s current political standing, he is distinctly downbeat. Cheney Shows the Way by Patrick J. Buchanan Dick Cheney is giving the Republican Party a demonstration of how to fight a popular president. Stake out defensible high ground, do not surrender an inch, then go onto the attack. Sen. Cornyn Statement On Sonia Sotomayor U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement following President Obama’s nomination of Federal Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. A Voice For Our Values by Gary Bauer Our phones started ringing off the hook yesterday as major reporters from leading news agencies rushed to get our reaction to the president’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. The widely read Washington insider publication Politico asked for a column with my take on the nomination. Today, the Washington Times published an op-ed I wrote encouraging senators to thoroughly scrutinize Sotomayor’s judicial philosophy and temperament. The Left’s Assault On Freedom by Gary Bauer After insulting the integrity of the men and women of the CIA by accusing the Agency of lying to Congress about what she knew about waterboarding and when she knew it, Speaker Nancy Pelosi jetted off to communist China. She’s there to engage real torturers and abusers of human rights in Beijing about the urgent need to combat climate change. In fact, the need is so urgent that, according to Speaker Pelosi, “Every aspect of our lives must be subjected to an inventory ... of how we are taking responsibility.” Discrimination Case Could Pose Problems for Sotomayor by Seth Stern A reverse discrimination lawsuit filed by a group of Connecticut firefighters is shaping up to be the most contentious case in which Sonia Sotomayor participated, one sure to provoke sharp questioning when the Senate begins consideration of her nomination to the Supreme Court. Career Lawyers Overruled on Voting Case Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews. Lawyers Tag Nominee as 'Terror on the Bench' Lawyers who have argued cases before Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor call her "nasty," "angry" and a "terror on the bench," according to the current Almanac of the Federal Judiciary -- a kind of Zagat's guide to federal judges.
5-23-09	CIA Rejects Deceit Charge from Pelosi President Obama's CIA chief told employees in a blunt message Friday that it was not agency "policy or practice to mislead Congress," one day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused intelligence officials of lying to her and other lawmakers about the use of harsh interrogation methods against terrorist suspects. Poll: More Americans 'Pro-Life' More Americans now say they are "pro-life" than "pro-choice," according to a Gallup poll released Friday. GOP: Resurgence or R.I.P.? by Ken Connor Contrary to popular reports by Democrats and members of the chattering class, the Republican Party is not dead—not yet. Soak the Rich, Lose the Rich by Art Laffer and Stephen Moore With states facing nearly $100 billion in combined budget deficits this year, we're seeing more governors than ever proposing the Barack Obama solution to balancing the budget: Soak the rich. Lawmakers in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Oregon want to raise income tax rates on the top 1% or 2% or 5% of their citizens. New Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn wants a 50% increase in the income tax rate on the wealthy because this is the "fair" way to close his state's gaping deficit. Climate Change: GOP Turns on Business to Fight Measure Senate Republicans have come up with a novel way to fight the climate change bill working its way through the House: Tee off on Big Business, and tie it around the neck of the Democrats. California, Out of Money, Reels as Voters Rebuff Leaders Direct democracy has once again upended California — enough so that the state may finally consider another way by overhauling its Constitution for the first time in 130 years. Democrats in Senate Block Money to Close Guantánamo In an abrupt shift, Senate Democratic leaders said they would not provide the $80 million that President Obama requested to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The move escalates pressure on the president, who on Thursday is scheduled to outline his plans for the 240 terrorism suspects still held there. Pelosi Taking 'Wrecking Ball' to CIA Morale, Hoekstra Says In disparaging the CIA and accusing the agency of lying last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has become a "wrecking ball" to the morale of officers risking their lives in the field, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee said Tuesday.
5-16-09	Anti-Tax Crusade to Storm Capitol The grass-roots "tea party" movement that swept across the country April 15 to protest federal tax and spending hikes will hold demonstrations in Washington and elsewhere this summer and fall when Congress will be battling over President Obama's biggest budget proposals. Mom Outraged by Son's Arrest Reportedly Knew of His Web Stardom for Phone Threats When a North Carolina woman accused the federal government last week of abusing the Patriot Act to imprison her teenage son for allegedly making bomb threats, the mother's allegation caused quite an uproar, including calls to free 16-year-old Ashton Lundeby. But a new report by Wired News suggests that, not only was the teenager an online superstar in rogue tech communities for his prank phone calls, but his mother may have known all along that the boy was conspiring with others to make bomb threats. Report Citing Veteran Extremism Is Pulled A contentious "Rightwing Extremism" report that warned of military veterans as possible recruits for terrorist attacks against the U.S. was not authorized, has been withdrawn and is being rewritten, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Capitol Hill lawmakers.
5-09-09	More People Should Listen to Tea Party’s Valid Messages Some have been quick to downplay the surprisingly strong showing at the hundreds of “tea parties” across the country April 15, the deadline for filing income tax returns or getting an extension. Since then, critics have come out to suggest that the protests were aimed personally at President Barack Obama. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Receives Deluge of Ethics Complaints Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s life has changed in a myriad of ways since she became the Republican vice presidential nominee last August, but one aspect of her newfound fame has been more bracing than the others: Since entering the national spotlight, Palin has been inundated by ethics complaints, most of them filed against her after she agreed to become Sen. John McCain’s running mate. Values And The GOP by Gary Bauer Twenty years ago, the public generally, and young adults in particular, were significantly in favor of legal abortion. You can’t say that anymore. The shift has been steady, but a new poll suggests it might be accelerating. According to the most recent Pew Research survey, 46% of American adults favor “legal abortion” in all or most cases, while 44% favor the pro-life position that abortion should illegal in most or all cases. That represents the lowest level of support in over a decade for legal abortion measured by Pew and the ABC-Washington Post polls. Glimmers of Hope for the GOP by Patrick J. Buchanan For conservatives fretful over the future of the party to which they have given allegiance, "How Barack Obama Won: A State by State Guide to the Historic 2008 Election" reads like something out of Edgar Allan Poe. Mom Says Patriot Act Stripped Son of Due Process Sixteen-year-old Ashton Lundeby's bedroom in his mother's Granville County home is nothing, if not patriotic. Images of American flags are everywhere – on the bed, on the floor, on the wall.
5-02-09	Specter to Run as Democrat for 2010 Five-term Republican Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he is switching parties and will run next year as a Democrat, substantially eroding Republicans' power in Washington and repositioning himself to ride his popularity among Pennsylvania Democrats to re-election in 2010. Breaking News by Gary Bauer Today, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter announced that he was switching parties and running for reelection as a Democrat. Once Al Franken is seated as the next senator from Minnesota, as he presumably will be, Democrats will hold 60 seats in the Senate, giving them and President Obama a level of control not seen among the Democrats since the Carter “malaise.” Top Dems Rebel on Specter Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties. Congress to Oversee CIA More Closely In a rare gesture, House intelligence committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes sent a letter this week to all CIA employees suggesting that Congress shared some blame for the CIA interrogation controversy and should play a more robust role in the intelligence policymaking process. Democrats Struggle with Guantanamo Politics Republicans are pushing the hot-button issue of what will be done about Guantanamo’s prisoners—so much so that Democrats signaled Thursday that they will likely drop language sought by the Pentagon to authorize the use of war funds to relocate the inmates.
4-25-09	Why GOP Is Devouring One Book House Republicans are tearing through the pages of Amity Shlaes’ “The Forgotten Man” like soccer moms before book club night. Top Legislators Knew of Interrogations The CIA briefed top Democrats and Republicans on the congressional intelligence committees more than 30 times about enhanced interrogation techniques, according to intelligence sources who said the lawmakers tacitly approved the techniques that some Democrats in Congress now say should land Bush administration officials in jail. Can the GOP Take Congress Back in 2010? by Tony Marsh House Minority Leader Eric Cantor predicted recently that 2010 could see Republicans regain control of the House. States in Need Not First in Line for Stimulus President Obama's stimulus bill was supposed to spend money to create jobs, but four of the top 10 recipients of per capita grant aid to date have the lowest unemployment rates in the country and nearly all are below the national average. “Go ahead. Make My Day!” by Gary Bauer There’s a saying in Washington that no good deed goes unpunished. Members of the Bush Administration who made the tough decisions that defended our security and saved American lives may soon find out just how true that saying is. The radical Left is on a McCarthyite witch hunt to criminalize the policies of the past administration and throw conservative Republicans in jail.
4-18-09	SEALs End Standoff by Gary Bauer The standoff with Somali pirates who had captured Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama came to an abrupt end this weekend after President Obama ordered the Navy’s elite SEALs into action. Negotiations were going nowhere, and Saturday evening the SEAL team was dropped by parachute near the USS Bainbridge – one of several Navy vessels that responded to the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama. SEAL snipers took up their positions on the Bainbridge and shot the pirates when it appeared they were about to kill Captain Phillips. As always, we are grateful for the incredible courage and skill of the American military. Federal Agency Warns of Radicals on Right The Department of Homeland Security is warning law enforcement officials about a rise in "rightwing extremist activity," saying the economic recession, the election of America's first black president and the return of a few disgruntled war veterans could swell the ranks of white-power militias. You Might Be a Rightwing Extremist by Gary Bauer Comedian Jeff Foxworthy is perhaps best known for his line, “You might be a Redneck if…” Evidently, someone at the Department of Homeland Security thinks he may be the next Jeff Foxworthy. According to today’s Washington Times, DHS has just released a report warning law enforcement officials across the country about a resurgence of “rightwing extremist activity.” But DHS so broadly defines “rightwing extremism” that half of the country could be considered suspect. Republicans Criticize Report on Right-Wing Groups Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans. Friends, Foes Cash in on Palin Since the conclusion of the presidential election, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has largely avoided the political fundraising circuit. Nevertheless, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee has emerged as an almost unparalleled fundraising force, with both foes and fans minting money off the mere mention of her name. Napolitano Apologizes, Sort Of by Gary Bauer Tuesday, we commented on the Department of Homeland Security report indicting half of the country as potential “rightwing extremists” and domestic terrorists. Outrage has been building ever since, and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has apologized for at least one aspect of the report. Homeland Issued 'Extremism' Report Despite Objections Homeland Security Department officials disregarded warnings from their internal civil liberties watchdogs before releasing a security assessment of "right-wing extremism" that had Secretary Janet Napolitano apologizing to veterans Thursday. Tea Party Triumphs by Gary Bauer The coast-to-coast Tea Parties protesting outrageous government spending were a tremendous success. By one estimate, more than 340,000 Americans participated, and that is probably a low number. Fox News recorded an incredible boost in viewership because Fox was the only network where anyone interested in the events could get fair and balanced reporting.
4-11-09	Liberals Ramp Up Healthcare Pressure A coalition of liberal groups are waging a broad national campaign to build pressure on conservative Democrats and centrist Republicans who may not support President Obama’s vision for healthcare reform. April 15 Tax Deadline Approaching, and So Are Tea Party Protests by Ray Nothstine The April 15 tax deadline is approaching, and so are the tax protest tea parties. It would be beneficial if that sentiment was harnessed in a way to help reform our current tax code. Our country then could take the long overdue steps needed to upgrade our economy for a more competitive global market.
4-04-09	Sen. Hutchison Calls Hillary Clinton an “Inspiration” by Tom McGregor During an event at the Women’s Museum in Dallas, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R.-Tex.), who is expected to campaign against Rick Perry for Governor in the state Republican primary in 2010, heaped words of praise for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by describing her as an “inspiration.” GM: Government Mafia by Gary Bauer It’s been said that dealing with Big Government is like dealing with the mafia – both operate by their own rules and there’s a high price to pay for dealing with either. In recent days, we witnessed the government arbitrarily change rules and impose confiscatory taxes on contracts it had previously approved. “Cap And Tax” Is Coming by Gary Bauer Democrats on Capitol Hill are set to unveil a massive new tax today that will hit the entire American economy and every single consumer. The legislation would create a “cap and trade” scheme for carbon dioxide emissions. In the process it would impose tremendous costs on businesses, especially utility companies, and those costs would be passed along to you. Everyone would pay this new tax. Turn on a light switch, and you will pay. Put gas in your car and you will pay. Justice Department Files Motion to Drop Case Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens The U.S. Justice Department filed a motion Wednesday to drop its case against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, who was convicted of seven felony counts of corruption last fall. Specter Swings to the Right to Save Senate Seat It’s a familiar story that makes Pennsylvania conservative activists turn red when they tell it. Every six years, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) runs for re-election and he must quiet a Republican base angry with some of his moderate votes. Every six years, Specter briefly veers to the right to placate them. Every six years, he wins — and promptly goes back to being the Arlen Specter who stubbornly votes against their interests.
3-28-09	White House Snubs Texas Senators in Nominee Battle The White House has thrown down the gauntlet to Texas’ Republican senators in the ongoing skirmish over control of nominations of judges, marshals and U.S. attorneys by saying that the state’s 12 U.S. House Democrats will be central to the selection process. GOP Gloves Off for Budget Brawl House Republicans have begun unveiling detailed alternatives to President Barack Obama’s policies — a concerted effort to push back against Democratic efforts to label them “the Party of No.” Democrat Divisions by Gary Bauer As congressional Democrats take up President Obama’s massive $3.6 trillion budget, many of them are reaching for the Maalox.
3-22-09	The Republican Civil War by Thomas Sowell As if it is not enough that they have been decimated by the Democrats in the past couple of elections, the Republican survivors are now turning their guns on each other. Hutchison: No on Bill, Yes on Pork by Lisa Falkenberg If only we could “export the good, old Texas common sense to the United States Congress.” That was U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s wishful sentiment in a press release last week. But maybe our senior senator in Washington could use a dose of that good old Texas common sense herself. Legislatures May Not Be Able to Override Governors on Stimulus Money by James Rosen A nonpartisan congressional report released Wednesday concludes that it would likely be unconstitutional for a legislature to supplant a governor in accepting and using economic stimulus money — a finding that could have major implications in Texas. Baby Boomlet: U.S. Births in 2007 Break 1950s Record A record-setting number of babies were born in the United States in 2007, and it may prove to be just another reminder of prosperity lost. Congress Moves to Slap Heavy Tax on Bonuses Congress moved yesterday to levy punitive taxes on bonuses paid by financial firms receiving government aid, threatening to undermine federal efforts to rescue the financial system by driving away participants in the programs. Bishop to Shun Steele's Address A Roman Catholic bishop in Indiana will shun a pro-life banquet if Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele addresses the sold-out event, The Washington Times has learned. Senate Race Could Mirror 1961 Upset When LBJ's Seat Vacated by Carlos Guerra Could the impending U.S. Senate race reprise the historic 1961 contest that gave Texas its first Republican senator since Reconstruction — and made a shadow party viable?
3-14-09	Democrats' New Villain: Eric Cantor by Patrick O’Connor Forget Rush Limbaugh. For all the focus on the king of conservative talk, Democrats may have found a more important villain in House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, a telegenic young Republican trying to bring life to his party on Capitol Hill. No Quit: the Campaign to Boost Bush The defense never rests. When President Barack Obama released his own policy this week on former President George W. Bush’s practice of attaching controversial signing statements to legislation, a reporter quickly got a tip from a Bush loyalist: the cell phone number for a White House lawyer in the past administration. Divided Court Restricts Voting Rights Act A fractured Supreme Court on Monday narrowed the protections of the Voting Rights Act, saying it does not require governments to draw electoral districts favorable to minority candidates in places where minorities make up less than half the population.
3-07-09	Cabinet-Pick Kirk Owes $10,000 in Back Taxes Ron Kirk's excess deductions for basketball tickets and failure to report speaking fees as income have cost him $10,000 in back taxes, a Senate committee disclosed Monday, in the latest IRS-related embarrassment for an Obama Cabinet pick. R.N.C. Chairman Apologizes to Limbaugh in Flap Over His Role The new chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, apologized to Rush Limbaugh on Monday after describing him in a television interview over the weekend as an “entertainer” who made incendiary and sometimes ugly remarks, party officials said. Rush vs. The Radicals by Gary Bauer In yesterday’s report, I noted that the dustup between Rush Limbaugh and the Republican Party was a “coordinated” effort that clearly benefits the Left. Today, there is proof, and it is more evidence that this White House has embraced “the politics of personal destruction,” as best defined by the “godfather” of radical politics, Saul Alinsky. Limbaugh Benefits from Obama’s Attacks By one measure, Rush Limbaugh is a definite winner this week. His ratings have almost doubled since his dispute with the White House exploded into the media limelight. Bush Reversed Wartime Powers In its final days, the George W. Bush administration issued a Justice Department opinion dramatically reversing most of the legal arguments that governed its war on terrorism - from interrogations to electronic surveillance. For GOP: All Pain, No Gain by Ben Smith Four months after John McCain’s sweeping defeat, senior Republicans are coming to grips with the fact that the party is still – in stock market terms – looking for the bottom. While Fighting Wasteful Spending, Sen. Hutchison Tops List of Texas' Earmarkers Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison fought against earmarks this week, urging her colleagues to trim wasteful spending from a $410 billion bill and even voting to strip all 8,500 earmarks from the measure. Yet Hutchison also was the state's biggest sponsor of earmarks – more than $150 million for Texas.
2-28-09	Despite Obama's Campaign Promises, Spending Bill Is Packed with Earmarks During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidates Barack Obama and John McCain fought vigorously over who would be toughest on congressional earmarks. U.S. Clears Path to Bank Takeovers The Obama administration yesterday revamped the terms of its emergency aid to troubled financial firms, setting a course that could culminate with the government nationalizing some of the country's largest banks by taking a controlling ownership stake. Outlook Grim for Budget's Costly Initiatives A new report reveals how difficult it will be for President Obama to increase spending on health care, energy and education while cutting the deficit in half. Boxer Seeks to Ratify U.N. Treaty That May Erode U.S. Rights Sen. Barbara Boxer is urging the U.S. to ratify a United Nations measure meant to expand the rights of children, a move critics are calling a gross assault on parental rights that could rob the U.S. of sovereignty.
2-21-09	In Gingrich Mold, a New Voice for Solid Republican Resistance The last time Congressional Republicans were this out of power, they turned to a college professor from Georgia, Newt Gingrich, to lead the opposition, first against President Bill Clinton in a budget battle in 1993, and then back into the majority the following year. The 7 Stimulus Lessons for the Dems The stimulus fight is now history — but Democrats who don’t study their stimulus mistakes are doomed to repeat them. One Trillion Dollars In 28 Days by Gary Bauer President Barack Obama is flying to Colorado today for a signing ceremony for the so-called "stimulus" bill. He has been in office for only 28 days and already he has put the taxpayers on the hook for more than one trillion dollars in new Big Government spending. Spending the Stimulus Won't Be Easy Passing the economic recovery bill may turn out to have been the easy part: The sheer size of spending increases in the $787 billion measure threatens to overwhelm the agencies that administer the money and the government watchdogs who keep the agencies in line. GOP Loses Standoff, Wins Respect by Family Research Council Staff President Obama came to the Republican mountain, but he didn't manage to move it. In his much-anticipated meeting with the House minority, the new leader tried to soften opposition to the $1.1. trillion stimulus package. S.O.S. – STOP OBAMA'S SOCIALISM! by Gary Bauer My friends, you are not alone! More and more Americans are waking up and realizing what is happening to our great country. This morning there was a near revolt on the floor of the Chicago stock exchange. If you haven't seen it yet, you have to watch this video.
2-14-09	If You Are Elderly – Be Afraid, Very Afraid by Gary Bauer President Obama's press conference last night was big on fear and short on facts. Once again, he warned the country that our "crisis" will become a "catastrophe" if we don't immediately pass his "porkulus" spending bill. I always get suspicious when a politician wants everyone to shut up and vote on a 700-page bill. You can bet there are a lot of "surprises" hidden in the fine print. American Minute for February 12 by William J. Federer Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born on the exact same day, February 12, 1809, but their lives had completely different effects. Pay Close Attention to the Plans behind the Curtain by Denise McNamara They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but our new President is anything but old, and he has a lot of new tricks in his bag. And he seems to be running circles around the old guard in Washington, D.C. While President Obama campaigns for his euphemistically titled "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009," other items on his wish list are shaping up behind the scenes, away from the scrutiny of most Americans. Rahm’s Fingerprints All Over Package, Tactics Rahm Emanuel may have moved his office down Pennsylvania Avenue, but to stand in the hallways of the Capitol lately, it seems he never left. Gregg Flip-Flop Emboldens GOP Judd Gregg was all but dead to his Republican colleagues just a few days ago, another collaborator drinking the Obama Kool-Aid. Here's the Blueprint for a Real Stimulus by U.S. Senator John Cornyn On Monday, President Barack Obama argued that we cannot rely on the same strategies that got our economy into this crisis to get us out of it. I agree. I voted against the economic stimulus bill as it moved through Congress – and will vote against the final bill today – because I believe it replicates a failed strategy.
2-7-09	'I am the Speaker of the House' When the book is written on Nancy Pelosi’s reign as speaker of the House, the thinnest chapter just might turn out to be: “Bipartisanship and the 111th Congress.” Signs of Life in the GOP! By Denise McNamara When House Republicans united to vote unanimously against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Read H.R. 1), downtrodden conservatives everywhere rejoiced. The legislation, all 647 pages, is purportedly an economic stimulus package. Dubbed "Porkulus" by Rush (read here) and "The Generational Theft Act of 2009" by Michelle Malkin (read here), this bill will, according to 200 top economists (read here), do almost nothing to stimulate the economy. H.R. 1 would create over 30 new government agencies. It is the worst kind of wasteful spending bill, loaded with goodies for special interest groups such as ACORN, National Endowment for the Arts, and Planned Parenthood. Congressional Republicans, going on the offensive, countered with their own plan, and even ran it through the simulation of the Obama Administration's model to prove that the Republican proposal would create more jobs than the Pelosi/Reid/Obama plan. Republicans are back! Sticking It to Rahm by John Batchelor From their shared loathing of Rahm Emanuel to the insurgency led by the minority leader ("he took us by the throat"), the inside story of why not a single House Republican supported the president’s stimulus package. National Coalition Announces 2009 Human Trafficking Internship Every year, millions of women and children are trafficked into an international sex trade that spans the globe, including the United States. Through force, fraud, or coercion, these victims are raped and exploited in a form of modern-day slavery that has been referred to by federal officials as one of the most violent and unconscionable crimes occurring in our country today. In the U.S. and around the world, sex traffickers pocket billions of dollars in profits while their victims are robbed of their innocence, their dignity, and their freedom. House Democrats from Texas to Take Lead in Choosing Federal Judges Democratic House members from Texas met Wednesday with the top White House lawyer over how to pick federal judges – and they emerged signaling a far diminished role for the state's Republican senators. Last Chance to Stop Trillion Dollar Bailout by Gary Bauer In previous reports, we have outlined what's wrong with Obama's "economic recovery" plan, currently under debate in Congress. The Democrats like to call it a "stimulus plan," but they couldn't be more wrong about its effects. Spending over a trillion dollars on a bailout of bloated Big Government bureaucracies will not stimulate the economy.
1-31-09	Politics or Policy? Cornyn Takes Aim at Obama Picks Sen. John Cornyn emerged last week as a top Republican attack dog, perhaps the single most vocal anti-Obama voice at the Capitol. Delays in Cabinet Nominations Demonstrate GOP Resolve President Barack Obama chose his cabinet nominees with record speed, but since his inauguration the process of securing their Senate confirmation and building his government has slowed markedly. Why I am Voting Against the Democrats’ Economic Stimulus Package by Congressman Michael McCaul President Obama and the Democrats that control Congress have made a hard push for their so-called economic stimulus package to mend our economy. GOP Stands Firm! by Gary Bauer Congratulations to House Republicans! Few thought they could do it, but they held together, stood firm and voted unanimously against the pork-filled monstrosity. The bill is over 600 pages long, and by one estimate it will cost us approximately $1.8 billion per page. GOP Loses Standoff, Wins Respect by Tony Perkins President Obama came to the Republican mountain, but he didn't manage to move it. In his much-anticipated meeting with the House minority, the new leader tried to soften opposition to the $1.1. trillion stimulus package. Obama did concede on one of the Republicans' largest complaints--the hundreds of millions of dollars in contraception. He stripped that provision, along with a beautification project for the National Mall, but neither compromise did much to ease Republicans' minds. Like us, they see the "recovery package" not as stimulus but as a major pork-and-payoff bill that quietly authorizes the most controversial pieces of Obama's social agenda. GOP Promoting Own Stimulus Plan House Republicans, leery of being labeled naysayers after rejecting the $819 billion economic rescue bill, are launching a district-by-district message campaign to promote their own stimulus bill and highlight the huge taxpayer debt amassed by the Democrats' spending plan.
1-24-09	Pelosi Pushes Obama on Repeal of Tax Breaks House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing Barack Obama to fulfill a campaign promise to repeal tax breaks for high earners and to investigate possible wrongdoing in the Bush administration - positions that the president-elect recently has been reluctant to address. Steele: A Pro-Life, Pro-Gun Moderate? Michael Steele’s past association with a centrist group connected to former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R) has undermined his standing among social conservatives and is threatening his bid to become chair of the Republican National Committee. Gingrich Urges GOP to Fight Geithner Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is challenging Senate Republicans to take on President Obama's nomination of Timothy Geithner as Treasury secretary. Bush Commutes Sentences of Border Patrol Agents President George W. Bush commuted the sentences Monday of two Border Patrol agents who shot an unarmed Mexican drug smuggler, after relentless pressure from border-state lawmakers and conservative activists in a case emblematic of the fight over illegal immigration. Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance Just days after taking office vowing to end the political era of "petty grievances," President Obama ran into mounting GOP opposition yesterday to an economic stimulus plan that he had hoped would receive broad bipartisan support.
1-17-09	Will The News Media Be Neutered? Connecticut is considering a bailout for local papers. But government assistance always comes with a catch. In the case of government aid of newspapers, it will destroy the ability of those papers to function as watchdogs. As journalism professor Paul Janensch told Reuters, "You can't expect a watchdog to bite the hand that feeds it." That's why the news out of Connecticut is very disturbing. Obama to End Military's Ban on Homosexuals, Spokesman Says' President Obama will end the 15-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has prevented homosexual and bisexual men and women from serving openly within the U.S. military, a spokesman for the president-elect said.
1-03-09	RNC Draft Rips Bush's Bailouts Republican Party officials say they will try next month to pass a resolution accusing President Bush and congressional Republican leaders of embracing "socialism," underscoring deep dissension within the party at the end of Mr. Bush's administration. Unions Clash with Cost-Cutting State Legislators Unions invested heavily in the 2008 election in Colorado, and it paid off: The labor movement defeated three anti-labor initiatives, including a right-to-work measure, and helped Democrats increase their edge in Congress and the Legislature. 'Magic Negro' Flap Might Help Saltsman The controversy surrounding a comedy CD distributed by Republican National Committee chairman candidate Chip Saltsman has not torpedoed his bid and might have inadvertently helped it.
12-20-08	Arsonist Sets Fire to Palin’s Church By Tom McGregor The home church of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was terribly damaged by arson, causing the governor to personally apologize if the fire was connected to “undeserved negative attention” from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee. Obama Team May Reverse Bush-Era Abortion Rules President-elect Barack Obama is looking to reverse a regulation being finalized this week by the outgoing Bush administration that allows health care providers to refuse participation in any practice they object to on moral grounds, The Wall Street Journal reports.
12-08-08	Governors Against State Bailouts by Rick Perry and Mark Sanford As governors and citizens, we've grown increasingly concerned over the past weeks as Washington has thrown bailout after bailout at the national economy with little to show for it. Chambliss Victory Refutes Public Break With Conservatism by Christopher G. Adamo Georgia voters validated the Reaganite template for victory once again on December 2. In a runoff election for Senate, incumbent Saxby Chambliss won handily over Democrat challenger Jim Martin, with an advantage of nearly fifteen percent.
11-22-08	History Favors Republicans in 2010 by Karl Rove Political races are about candidates and issues. But election results, in the end, are about numbers. So now that the dust is settling on the 2008 presidential race, what do the numbers tell us? Do We Need the Big Three? by George Will "Nothing," said a General Motors spokesman last week, "has changed relative to the GM board's support for the GM management team during this historically difficult economic period for the U.S. auto industry." Nothing? Not even the evaporation of almost all shareholder value? Big Three on the Brink An emergency effort to send billions of dollars in aid to the ailing American carmakers fizzled on Wednesday, as Senate Democrats failed to strike a compromise with Republicans and the White House. Markets Collapse, Obama AWOL by Gary Bauer Thursday was another day of carnage on Wall Street, and the stocks of many major U.S. corporations are now selling in the single digits. Big Media, of course, are continuing to bash President Bush for the declines. But what about our president in waiting?
11-08-08	Voters Approve Proposition 8 Banning Same-Sex Marriages A measure to once again ban gay marriage in California led Tuesday, throwing into doubt the unions of an estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who wed during the last 4 1/2 months. Four Senate Races Still Undecided With four razor-close U.S. Senate races yet to be decided, Democrats hoped on Wednesday to further expand their majority in the new Congress and act quickly with President-elect Barack Obama on an ambitious agenda. Dems Lower Expectations by Mike Soraghan Democratic leaders are tamping down on expectations for rapid change and trying to signal they will place a calm hand on the nation’s tiller. Emanuel Accepts Post as Chief of Staff Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a Chicago Democrat known for slash-and-burn Washington tactics but widely respected for his keen political instincts, accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer Thursday to serve as White House chief of staff.
11-1-08	Home-School Group Seeks Repeal of Regulations North Dakota home-schoolers deal with some of the toughest regulations in the country and the strictest of any state in the Upper Midwest. “The Reason Democrats Are Winning Congressional Races Is….” by John A. Tures “…Nearly Half Of Voters Don’t Realize Democrats Are In Charge of Congress.” It’s no joke. In this column, I’ll document the polls about congressional approval ratings, the generic congressional vote, and results of a poll on the intelligence of the average American voter.
10-11-08	Update for 5th District Residents on Financial Markets and Energy Freedom Day by Jeb Hensarling Three weeks ago, the Bush administration requested $700 billion from Congress to bail out banks on Wall Street that held troubled mortgage-related assets. I spent the last month in Washington leading the charge against the Paulson plan and spearheading efforts to find an alternative that would not place taxpayers on the hook for mistakes made by Wall Street. Two of the most important issues facing this Congress happened to climax all at once: the current financial crisis and energy independence. While Congress was considering the Paulson plan, Americans were finally able to celebrate Energy Freedom Day when the offshore drilling moratorium was allowed to expire. This was a significant victory on an issue I've been working on for a long time.
10-04-08	Cornyn Releases New Ad on the Economy Senator Cornyn's campaign released its third television ad of the 2008 election cycle on Thursday. The new spot speaks directly to the economic stabilization legislation passed overwhelmingly by a bipartisan majority of the United States Senate this week.
9-27-08	Bailout Compromise Gets New Life The Bush administration and Congress closed in on a new compromise aimed at stabilizing U.S. financial markets, a move designed to assuage conservatives who one day earlier had staged a revolt against the controversial $700 billion project. GOP Sees Rebound in Battle for Congress Like many of her Republican colleagues concerned about their reelection prospects, Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina skipped the party's national convention to focus on campaigning back home. But even in her absence, the gathering may have given her bid for a return to office its biggest boost yet. House Democrats to Let Ban on Drilling Expire Congressional Democrats bowed to political pressure yesterday and agreed to let the ban on offshore oil drilling expire, a decision that would allow exploration just three miles off the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines unless the next president reinstates an executive branch order that prohibits drilling. 'Work Out' not Bailout by Rep. Jeb Hensarling Every day in Washington people throw around the word "crisis," but this week I've given it more weight than before. Last week, the Bush Administration requested $700 billion from Congress to bail out banks on Wall Street that held troubled mortgage-related assets. I am extremely concerned about the state of our economy, the status of our capital markets, and how the problems of Wall Street are being assumed by Main Street. I remain skeptical of the Administration's plan and am utterly unconvinced that this is the only alternative. Disarray in D.C. by Gary Bauer Yesterday, I made the case for the proposed rescue package. As a free market advocate, I hate government intervention, but I was willing to support the plan, with MAJOR improvements, because I believe we are close to a financial panic that will hurt everyone – including people who did not take on too much debt. If this crisis causes our economy to completely meltdown, we will all suffer from the fallout.
9-20-08	House OKs Drilling; GOP Calls It 'Hoax' The Democrat-led House, facing voter outrage over high gas prices, late Tuesday approved a bill allowing some new offshore oil drilling, though critics say the plan would still leave most known underwater oil fields off-limits. Cornyn, Noriega Temporarily Suspend Senate Campaign Because of Ike The race for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat is, for now, on hold. Both candidates have said they are temporarily suspending campaign events and commercials in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Cornyn Ads Airing Despite Announced Moratorium Republican Sen. John Cornyn's campaign, after saying it canceled a planned run of television ads because of the devastation of Hurricane Ike, acknowledged Tuesday that Cornyn commercials are on the air in some markets after all.
9-13-08	Dems Agree on Offshore Oil Drilling Vote Capitol Hill Democrats have agreed to vote on expanding oil drilling off the U.S. coast, but have drawn guffaws from Republicans after proposing a second economic-stimulus package. As More Homeschool, State Could Track Kids A bill pending in the state House would require Michigan families, for the first time, to register their homeschooled children with their local school district superintendent by name, age and grade level. Backers say it's the only way to get an accurate picture of the number of students being educated in Michigan. FLDS Families File Hundreds of Homeschool Affidavits Hundreds of homeschool affidavits have been filed by parents from a polygamous community at the Utah/Arizona stateline in the past week, a reaction apparently triggered by a threat to enforce truancy
8-30-08	John Cornyn, Rick Noriega Agree on 2 Debates Republican Sen. John Cornyn is agreeing to debate Democratic challenger Rick Noriega in Dallas and Houston in October.
8-16-08	GOP Revolt by Robert M. Duncan There is something especially inspiring in watching democracy in action. Today, as has been the case all week, Republican Members of Congress took to the House floor to stand up for Americans who need relief from rising energy costs. House GOP Raps Energy Impasse House Republicans say they will continue to interrupt their summer break this week to hold daily protests at the Capitol in their ongoing push to expand domestic oil drilling, insisting the "American people are with us." Texas' 22nd District Has Both Parties Working Hard for House Seat For two decades, the 22nd congressional district in Southeast Texas was the political domain of Tom DeLay, the former House Majority Leader who resigned under a cloud of scandal two years ago.
8-9-08	Cornyn Sets Sights on Rising in Senate With a major financial advantage and a lead in the polls over his Democratic challenger, Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is running as if his opponent is the national Democratic Party, not state Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston. Democrats Hit Shutdown Threat Democratic leaders slammed Republicans on Monday for threatening to force a government shutdown this fall unless Congress lifts the ban on offshore oil drilling and for simultaneously demanding lawmakers return from the August recess to vote on more drilling. Jones on List of Possible U.S. Senate Candidates Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones of San Antonio is the latest state political figure added to the list of possible candidates to replace U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Homeschooling OK, Appeals Court Says A state appeals court lifted the cloud it had cast on the homeschooling of 166,000 California children and ruled Friday that parents have a right to educate their children at home even if they lack a teaching credential.
8-02-08	Senate's 'Dr. No' Spurs Showdown Over Spending Instead of a keepsake photo of a political hero or his family, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has a large framed picture next to his desk that serves as a constant reminder of his political ideology. Inside the black frame and matting is a single word, in large white letters: "No." Fears of a Shutdown The prospect of a September government shutdown loomed over the Capitol on Wednesday as the two parties fought over rising energy prices. On Energy, T. Boone Pickens Sees Bipartisan Fault When T. Boone Pickens discusses energy policy with Democrats and Republicans this week, neither side may like all that they hear.
7-26-08	Louisiana asks Supreme Court to Revisit Ban on Death Penalty in Child Rape Cases Louisiana prosecutors asked the Supreme Court on Monday to revisit its recent decision outlawing the death penalty for people convicted of raping children. Slim Majority of California Voters Would Uphold Gay Marriage, Poll Finds A bare majority of California voters would continue to allow gay marriage, according to a new poll released Friday. Bid to Ban Gay Marriage Will Stay on Ballot, California Supreme Court Rules A voter initiative to reinstate a ban on same-sex marriage will remain on the November ballot, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously Wednesday. Noriega Strays from Party Line on Energy Democratic Senate hopeful Rick Noriega said Tuesday that 100 percent of the energy used to generate electricity for Texas households should come from renewable sources by 2019. Grassley Won't Be GOP Delegate Evangelical Christians in Iowa, dominant in the state's Republican Party, have denied Sen. Charles E. Grassley his request for a place on the state's delegation to this summer's Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
7-19-08	Congress Feels Pressure for Action on Oil Prices Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, said anxiety over fuel oil costs is at crisis proportions in her state. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, said oil drilling advocates weighed in from the sidelines as she marched in a Fourth of July parade. Tony Snow, Former Bush Press Secretary, Dies at 53 The conservative writer and commentator, Tony Snow, who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White House briefing room as President George W. Bush’s press secretary, has died of colon cancer, as reported by Fox News on Saturday. He was 53 years old. Cornyn Far Surpasses Noriega in Money Republican Sen. John Cornyn reported Tuesday he has nearly $9.4 million in the bank for his re-election campaign, about 10 times what Democratic challenger Rick Noriega has in campaign cash.
6-21-08	America Will Regret High Court's Decision by Ken Blackwell The Supreme Court’s 5-4 opinion in Boumediene v. Bush will go down as one of the most egregiously-wrong decisions in history. Breaking 200 years of settled precedent, the Court has rewritten the Constitution’s allocation of national security powers. In essence, the narrow majority attacked the actions of a Commander-in-Chief in time of war. Cornyn: Supreme Court Decision on Gitmo is Troubling U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, made the following statement Thursday regarding the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Boumediene v. Bush, which involves foreign terrorist detainees held at Guantanamo Bay: “Upon initial review, the Supreme Court’s ruling is both troubling and disappointing. A slim, 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court ignored the informed wartime policy choices of both elected branches of the federal government. In 2006, 65 Senators—Democrats and Republicans alike—approved a carefully crafted law that provided these detainees a fair process consistent with America’s critical national security needs. Chaos In California by Gary Bauer So-called same-sex "marriages" are scheduled to begin today in California. I say "so-called," because you can steal a word and apply it to something that it isn't, but that doesn't make it so. Someone can call me tall, but that doesn't make me tall. Someone can call two men exchanging vows a "marriage," but that doesn't make it a marriage. Drilling Action Likely to Hit Clog in Congress With Americans steamed about paying more than $4 per gallon at the pump, chances for action in Washington remain stalled in heavy political traffic. Recent Statements by Sen. Hutchison on Energy Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison: “(Sen. McCain believes off-shore drilling should be left up to the states). It is an incentive that Republicans put in the last piece of legislation, which many Democrats are trying to withdraw, for states to be able to get royalties if they explore and produce off their shores. It is a great incentive.
5-31-08	Democratic Victory May Be a Bellwether A democrat won the race for a GOP-held congressional seat in northern Mississippi yesteday, leaving the once-dominant House Republicans reeling from their third special-election defeat of the spring. Filibuster-proof Senate Tantalizingly Close for Dems The Democrats, who now have 51 seats in the 100-member Senate (counting independents), are beginning to dream of an almost unattainable goal: Reaching the magical 60 votes needed to exercise absolute control of the chamber. Judges Behaving Badly by John Browning Judges have very difficult jobs. I know - I've seen a lot of them in action over the years. Whether state or federal court judges, at the trial or the appellate level, judges are charged with the task of making the right call. Acting within the bounds of what the law requires and what the evidence supports, jurists reach conclusions that can have life-altering consequences. History has borne witness to the judiciary's deregulation of industries, the breakup of monopolies, and assuming control of educational and correctional institutions. Our Supreme Court has hastened the exit of one president in Richard Nixon and the entrance of another following the Bush v. Gore decision.
5-24-08	GOP Cancer: Party Could Lose 20 More Seats For the past 18 months, ever since the 2006 elections, congressional Republicans have been like a hospital patient trying to convince visitors that he is not really all that sick: a bit under the weather; actually feel better than I sound; should be up and about any day; thanks for asking.
5-18-08	Democratic Victory May Be a Bellwether A Democrat won the race for a GOP-held congressional seat in northern Mississippi yesterday, leaving the once-dominant House Republicans reeling from their third special-election defeat of the spring. Filibuster-proof Senate Tantalizingly Close for Dems The Democrats, who now have 51 seats in the 100-member Senate (counting independents), are beginning to dream of an almost unattainable goal: Reaching the magical 60 votes needed to exercise absolute control of the chamber.
5-10-08	Dems Lose Footing for Gains in November "Saturday Night Live" veteran Al Franken should have had an easier run for U.S. Senate in Minnesota against an embattled Republican incumbent but is being dogged by $70,000 in unpaid taxes and is slipping in the polls — just one of the topsy-turvy races clouding Democrats' expectations of big gains in November.
4-19-08	Breaking the Law? She's crunched by a budget, like most California teachers. She faces an increase in class size, like most California teachers. She makes no protest. There's nobody to protest to. Except maybe her husband. JoAnna Pritchett home-schools her 16-year-old daughter, Corrie. Her class size doubled this year when her 6-year-old son, Chad, started kindergarten.
4-12-08	What I Heard at the Petraeus-Crocker Hearings John Cornyn America’s top military commander and chief diplomat in Iraq reported Tuesday that we are making significant progress there. They added that we cannot afford to squander our gains by losing our resolve. But was anybody really listening? Why tax cuts mustn't expire Kay Bailey Hutchison Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman observed that "Congress can raise taxes because it can persuade a sizable fraction of the populace that somebody else will pay."
4-05-08	Congressional Resolution to be Introduced in Support of Homeschooling, Parental Rights Nearly three dozen members of Congress including the senior Republican on the U.S. House Education Committee today announced plans to introduce a resolution in support of parental rights in education, including the rights of parents who choose to home school their children. The resolution, which is expected to be introduced tomorrow, comes on the heels of the California 2nd District Court of Appeal decision (In re Rachel L.) that found parents without teaching credentials who home school their children are violating California law. A Case of the Blues The Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole is 58 years old, but he has never been famous before, and after this year, he will most likely never be famous again. Even this kind of fame, brief and slight, is uncomfortable on him.
3-29-08	Certifying Parents In the annals of judicial imperialism, we have arrived at a strange new chapter. A California court ruled this month that parents cannot "home school" their children without government certification. No teaching credential, no teaching. Parents "do not have a constitutional right to home school their children," wrote California appellate Justice Walter Croskey. Homeschool Ruling Vacated; Court Will Reconsider Pacific Justice Institute has just received word that the court ruling which declared most forms of homeschooling unlawful in California has been vacated. This means the Rachel L. decision, which has sparked a nationwide uproar, will not go into effect as it is currently written. The Second District Court of Appeal has instead decided to re-hear the case, with a new round of briefings due in late April. It would likely take the court several additional months to schedule oral argument and issue another decision. California Homeschooling Case to Be Reheard A state appeals court has agreed to reconsider its decision last month that barred homeschooling by parents who lack teaching credentials, raising the possibility that the judges will change a decision that has infuriated homeschool advocates nationwide.
3-22-08	Home Schooling Unlawful, Says California Court A three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal has determined parents in that state have no legal right to home school. A Christian attorney in Sacramento says unless the ruling is reversed, literally thousands of students in the Golden State will be subject to criminal sanctions. Former Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey Endorses Randy Dunning Continuing a string of momentum-building conservative endorsements by the Dunning campaign, Former U.S. House Majority Leader and Freedom Works Chairman Dick Armey today announced his endorsement of Randy Dunning in the March 8th Republican primary runoff. Dunning also continued to secure key conservative endorsements from Republicans leaders increasingly concerned about Angie Chen Button’s long history of support for liberal Democrats. Iraqi Documents Show al-Qaida Ties by Kenneth R. Timmerman A much-publicized report released by the Pentagon last week details the extensive ties between the regime of Saddam Hussein and a wide variety of international terrorist organizations, including Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.
3-15-08	Dems Pressure Cornyn over Pastor's Remarks Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn should follow the lead of presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain and denounce the anti-Catholic remarks made by San Antonio televangelist John Hagee, the communications director for the Texas Democratic Party said Tuesday.
3-08-08	Judge Orders Homeschoolers into Government Education A California court has ruled that several children in one homeschool family must be enrolled in a public school or "legally qualified" private school, and must attend, sending ripples of shock into the nation's homeschooling advocates as the family reviews its options for appeal. Homeschoolers’ Setback Sends Shock Waves Through the State A California appeals court ruling clamping down on homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials sent shock waves across the state this week, leaving an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution. Governor Vows to Protect Homeschooling Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denounced a state appeals court ruling that severely restricts homeschooling and promised Friday to change the law if necessary to guarantee that parents are able to educate their children at home. 10 Questions with Michael Steele by Scott W. Graves Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor, Michael Steele, burst on to the national political scene as a Republican candidate for the United States Senate in 2006. He lost the race to then congressman Ben Cardin. Steele has since assumed the post of Chairman of GOPAC, a Republican political action committee focused on training the next generation of Republican candidates. Steele can be seen regularly as a guest commentator on Fox News.
2-23-08	Pelosi’s Reckless Gamble on FISA by Jed Babbin With great fanfare, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her agenda for her first 100 hours last January. One of the seven things she promised to do was to enact all the remaining recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. One year later, with few of those items accomplished, Pelosi is gambling recklessly that terrorists will miss the opportunities given them by the House’s failure to pass essential fixes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
2-16-08	States of Opportunity An old adage says high taxes don't redistribute income, they redistribute people. For new evidence look no further than migration patterns within the United States, as documented in a new survey by the moving company United Van Lines. Dem Leaders Shower Pork on Freshmen Democratic leaders have sent tens of millions of dollars to freshman lawmakers’ districts in hope of protecting the party’s newfound majority come November.
2-02-08	Bush Draws Line on Spending In his final State of the Union address last night, President Bush called on Congress to overcome election-year politics and impose fiscal discipline, prevent the economy from slipping into recession and bolster national security. Noriega Gave to Charity on John Kerry's Advice, but Would Still Like GOP Donor's Support State Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston, a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, says he donated $8,000 in political funds to charity last month to address heartburn in the Democratic establishment over a reported $9,500 in donations that his House campaigns accepted over the years from Houston home builder Bob Perry.
1-26-08	Senator Seeks Debt Forgiveness for Soldiers Killed in Combat U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison doesn't want families that are grieving for soldiers killed in combat to be bothered by military debt collectors. FISA Fight Continues One week from today, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will expire unless Congress passes a new version that President Bush is willing to sign. If it expires, our intelligence gatherers here and abroad will be rendered blind and deaf because the legality of their operations will be put in limbo.
1-19-08	GOP Candidates for Congress Tout Experience With 10 Republican candidates vowing their allegiance to anti-Washington, grass-roots conservative values, the way for them to stand out Monday night in the race to face U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson was to focus on their backgrounds.

Why tax cuts mustn't expire