Free Republic

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush made it clear Friday that he will not seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Bill Nelson, regardless of who asks him to run. "No, hell no," Bush said when asked whether he would consider replacing U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris as the Republican candidate if she ends her faltering campaign to challenge the Democratic incumbent. He said he often is asked about getting into the contest. What if his brother, President Bush, called? "No. (Not even if) Pope Benedict calls," Bush responded. "I'm not doing it, trust me. I...

Harris Needs Image Change to Win Seat By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer Sat Sep 17, 2005 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - If Katherine Harris has any hope of beating U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (news, bio, voting record), she may need an extreme makeover. The Republican congresswoman's poll numbers are poor; her appearance is a distracting issue; and many non-Republican voters see her as a flirty, vacant, beauty-queen wannabe who used her role in the 2000 presidential recount to get to Capitol Hill. Most political observers think that she can make the race competitive, though, as long as she can shed that...

Last week's Senate compromise that averted a showdown over filibustered judicial nominees was actually the opening salvo of the 2008 presidential campaign, several veteran political observers say. The unexpected consequence of the filibuster compromise is to give a boost to the presidential prospects of Sen. George Allen, Virginia Republican. "Allen was very vocal in support of changing the rules to eliminate the filibuster of judicial nominees and took the right position in condemning the compromise," said Free Congress Foundation President Paul M. Weyrich. Conservatives have strongly condemned the compromise as a politically motivated gambit by Arizona Sen. John McCain, key...

Dear GOP, No Deal. There will be a political price. Re: Judges There is nothing more that need to be added to this, other than, BORDERS. CLOSE THE FRIGGIN BORDERS. THERE WILL BE A POLITICAL PRICE TO PAY IN 2006 IF YOU DO NOT DEAL HARSHLY WITH THE ALIEN FLOOD. One thing else to understand. There will be massive voter fraud by aliens in 2006.. Don't think they'll be voting for you.. I hope you've learned that pandering to racial groups, does NOT pay off at election time. We don't have 40 years to figure this out this time, we...

Advocacy Group Says Minority Leader Guilty of Gross Violation: Leahy and Levin Also Named ALEXANDRIA, VA - The American Conservative Union, the nations oldest and largest conservative grassroots organization, yesterday filed an ethics complaint against Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). The complaint comes in response to Sen. Reid's May 12th reference to judicial nominee Henry Saad's confidential FBI file on the floor of the United States Senate. "Henry Saad would have been filibustered anyway…," said Reid on the floor of the Senate. "All you need to do is have a member go upstairs and look at his confidential report...

Why Does Governor Napolitano Think Arizona Should have the Lowest Security Standards in the Nation? Governor Janet Napolitano made a big show of sending a “bill” to the federal government for the costs of illegal immigration, complete with tough talk and finger-pointing. However, by vetoing meaningful reform in her own backyard, she is turning a blind eye to fraud, identity theft and other crimes committed in Arizona by illegal immigrants. I sponsored Senate Bill 1511 -- “secure and verifiable identification” -- to establish a standard for identification used by state and local government as recommended by FBI testimony. The FBI...

As part of the Iraq supplemental appropriations bill, Congress voted to support legislation for the use of federal troops on the Mexican-American borders. The National Border Control Council and the Fraternal Order of Police endorsed the legislation mandating the stationing of U.S. troops on the Mexican-American border to support the U.S. Border Patrol. [SNIP] On a more personal note, Virginia Sen. George Allen said, "Legal immigration has been and is the lifeblood of our nation. My own mother followed the process and emigrated to the U.S. from Tunisia after World War II. I have the greatest respect for the ingenuity,...

This is a dynamite article, but unfortunately can't give you anything but the link under the FR rules because it's USA Today. http://story.news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20050518/ts_usatoday/mexicansgotoarizformedicalhelp/nc:716

Feinstein targets agricultural workers. Senator plans to introduce an industry-specific bill, rather than a sweeping measure on immigration. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday that she ... plans to introduce her own measure to provide a path toward legalization only for longtime undocumented agriculture workers. Feinstein, D-Calif., said any new guest-worker program – even one requiring employees to eventually return to their home country – would be a "magnet for illegal immigration" and something she could not support. SNIP Under Feinstein's idea, which hasn't yet been finalized, longtime undocumented agricultural workers would get a "blue card," allowing them to continue to...

Take a moment to consider all of the pressing issues facing America today. There is a war we are waging, and rightfully so, to rid the threat of Islamo-Fascist terror. That might rightfully, be placed right at the very top of our national concerns. After all tax-cuts, spending, education, and Social Security reform will take a back seat very quickly if terrorists were to strike here in America. So let us agree, for the purpose of this column, to assume the war on terror is the pre-eminent issue facing America. Now let us examine how the Bush administration has handled...

Hillary gets it. Hillary Clinton says she's against illegal immigration. And she would fine employers who hire illegal aliens. Pundits say the New York Democrat is using this hot-button issue to position herself for the 2008 presidential election. It's a way to hit Republicans from the right. Polls show huge majorities of both Republicans and Democrats oppose illegal immigration -- and are frustrated that President Bush won't do a thing to stop it. But this issue does not belong to the right. Or it shouldn't. Illegal immigration hurts most liberal causes. It depresses wages, crushes unions and kills all hope...

MEXICO CITY - Mexico will send a diplomatic letter to the United States protesting the extension of a wall along the U.S.-California border, officials said Friday. Ruben Aguilar, a spokesman for President Vicente Fox, said the president would also continue to pressure the U.S. government to approve a migration accord that would allow more migrants to work legally north of the border. President Bush proposed a temporary work program last year, but it has stalled amid opposition in Congress. Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said Thursday that Fox had instructed him to send the diplomatic letter with the message...

WASHINGTON - Seven Republican senators will determine the outcome of a showdown this week between the president and Congress — and a minority within it — over who is going to shape the federal courts. Barring any unforeseen developments, these are the lawmakers in the make-or-break position when it comes to deciding whether to allow a Senate minority to block a president's nominees for the federal bench. The senators are Susan Collins of Maine, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, John Warner of Virginia, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Sununu of New Hampshire....

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK? As the secretary of state's unofficial deadline passed, business supporters of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's "reform" agenda and an opposing coalition of Democrats and labor unions submitted millions of signatures to qualify proposed ballot initiatives. In all, registrars are verifying signatures for eight possible measures: Redistricting - The Schwarzenegger-backed measure would shift the task of redrawing legislative and congressional district boundaries from the Legislature to a panel of judges. Budget - Centerpiece of the governor's plan, the measure would enact state spending controls and let the governor unilaterally cut programs. Tenure - A third Schwarzenegger proposal would...

Border Control Key to National Security By Paul Weyrich May 13, 2005 We must control our country’s borders. Former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Admiral James M. Loy appeared before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in February to counsel the Committee about improving immigration control at our nation’s borders. He delivered a message that was not given wide media coverage but one that many Americans already knew. Admiral Loy said: Recent information from ongoing investigations, detentions, and emerging threat streams strongly suggests that al-Qaeda has considered using the Southwest Border to infiltrate the United States. Several al-Qaeda leaders believe...

HILLARY CLINTON'S reelection campaign for the United States Senate in 2006 may be tougher than expected. On Monday, May 2, the New York Observer reported that Clinton might face a challenge from Richard Nixon's son-in-law Ed Cox. Cox, who has declined to make a statement on his intentions, has made steps toward running for Clinton's New York Senate seat, including launching an exploratory committee. Associates to Cox believe that he will win the endorsement of New York Governor George Pataki. By the time Hillary Rodham married future president Bill Clinton in 1975, Ed Cox had been married to the daughter...

Tony Snow just finished an interview with Trent Lott. Senator Lott wanted to respond to an article in Roll Call to the effect that he had crafted a deal to dump certain judges to guarantee others an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. According to an account (I didn't hear the interview), Lott called the report "exaggerated," adding that he has worked with Ben Nelson "from time to time" on a deal, but that the proposed deal "isn't much of a deal at all." Lott also stated that he won't accept criticism from Republicans for working with Democratic senators because...

Breaking party lines, former Gov. Howard Dean said Monday he supports Rep. Bernard Sanders' bid for the U.S. Senate, saying the Independent makes a "strong candidate." "A victory for Bernie Sanders is a win for Democrats," Dean said in a telephone interview Monday. Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., announced last month he would not seek re-election, clearing the way for what's expected to be a crowded race in fall 2006. But Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, added that his support is not unconditional. "We've got a few things to work out with Bernie," he said, adding, "Bernie's not a...

The Answer Is in the Works The real negotiations haven’t taken place yet. Today begins the fifth year of waiting for confirmation for some of President Bush's nominees to the federal courts of appeals. With the Senate reconvening on Capitol Hill, and Majority Leader Bill Frist preparing to use the "nuclear option" — or the "constitutional option" or "Byrd option," as it is also known — to end the standoff over Democratic filibusters, the outlines of a possible compromise solution are beginning to take shape. It's not the quick-and-dirty fix, recently floated in the press, in which both sides would...

Maybe the fight over Bush's judicial nominees in the Senate is over, and then again maybe Harry Reid is just trying to buy some time. In a statement, the top liberal said, "Let's take a step away from the precipice. Let's try cooperation, rather than confrontation, which seems to be the hallmark of what we've been doing here lately." A step away from the precipice? Maybe somebody should remind Harry that he, and his party put themselves on the precipice.