Free Republic

At the very end of September 2006, after a nationwide speaking campaign by President George W. Bush, The Hotline poll reported the generic ballot for Congress was even at 40% for each party. At the same time Gallup was saying the Democrats had an insignificant two point generic lead making it a virtual tie. The history of generic polling shows that Republicans always under poll. Most political observers agree that anything better than –4 for Republicans is considered a good sign for the GOP. In the weeks and days leading up to that final September generic poll, many people were...

If you are not yet alarmed and outraged by radical Republican John McCain’s “bipartisan” campaign finance “reform” package, which is in no way bipartisan, Monday’s revelation from the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACU) should put an end to your complacency. In its latest report, “Who’s Buying Campaign Finance Reform?” (1) the ACU unveils the secret that some conservatives have suspected all along: The campaign finance reform ‘movement’ has, contrary to its anti-big money agenda, raised and spent more than $73 million since 1996; has, contrary to its bipartisan claims, been funded by “wealthy Democratic Party soft-money donors, ultra-liberal foundations and...

Drill ANWR by Paul Driessen Issue 112 - July 23, 2008 “We can’t drill our way out of our energy problem.” This daily mantra underscores an abysmal grasp of economics by the politicians, activists, bureaucrats and judges who are dictating US policies. If only their hot air could be converted into usable energy. Drilling is no silver bullet. But it is vital. It won’t generate overnight production. But just announcing that America is finally hunting oil again would send a powerful signal to energy markets … and to speculators – many of whom are betting that continued US drilling restrictions...

Obama Makeover by David Keene Issue 112 - July 23, 2008 The makeover has begun, and by the time it’s complete, Barack Obama will be barely recognizable to many of those who signed on with him a year ago. The man who began his campaign as a quasi-spokesman for the folks at MoveOn.Org now claims he gets his foreign policy advice from a consortium of Democratic insiders that includes former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher. Obama may not think much of Bill and Hillary, but he wants general-election voters to know that he’s really not as different...

Washington - Most lawmakers receive little attention when they introduce bills in Congress. That's especially true for House members in the minority party. But Republican Rep. Paul Ryan is generating excitement in conservative circles for a bill he introduced Wednesday that would reform Social Security, Medicare, the health care system and the tax code. It's an ambitious plan that even Ryan admits won't go anywhere during this session of Congress. Still, he and others say the measure is an attempt to influence the debate about some of the country's most pressing problems. "I call it a road map for America's...

Al Gore, billionaire Socialist George Soros, and John McCain have hatched a plan which according to Americans For Balanced Energy Choices is designed to: - Decrease your disposable income by as much as 30% - Increase unemployment by as much as 9% and, - Increase Inflation by as much as 27% This is no folk tale. It's a very real and imminent threat called the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Bill. This bill contains many of the dangerous and disastrous provisions of the international climate treaty negotiated in Kyoto years ago that the Senate rejected by a 95-0 vote. And -- like...

I received an email today from the American Conservative Union which states the following: "Dear Friend of the ACU: Al Gore, billionaire Socialist George Soros, and John McCain have hatched a plan which according to Americans For Balanced Energy Choices is designed to: - Decrease your disposable income by as much as 30% - Increase unemployment by as much as 9% and, - Increase Inflation by as much as 27% This is no folk tale. It's a very real and imminent threat called the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Bill. This bill contains many of the dangerous and disastrous provisions of the...

Senator John McCain's lifetime rating of 82.3% from the American Conservative Union is often cited as proof that he is conservative. Here is a closer look at that 82.3 rating. First, a rating of 82.3% is not really that high. It puts Senator McCain in 39th place among senators serving in 2006, the latest year for which the ACU has its ratings posted online. For that most recent year in particular, McCain scored only 65, putting him in 47th place for that year. ... Generally, McCain has voted less conservatively in more recent years. ... So where did McCain differ...

John McCain answers the Questionnaire sent to all presidential candidates by the American Conservative Union.1. Why do you want to be President? I am running for president to protect our country from harm and defeat its enemies. I am running for president to restore trust in our government and to ensure it remains worthy of that honor. I am not running to leave our biggest problems to an unluckier generation of leaders, but to fix them now, and fix them well. I am running for president to make sure America maintains its place as the military, political and economic leader...

The commonly held belief amongst self-described Reagan footsoldiers, is that John McCain is a conservative apostate, who enjoys sticking his thumb in the eye of conservatives. Maybe he does enjoy his "maverick" reputation a little too much; maybe his 5 1/2 years as a POW knocked a few screws loose and instilled a certain "mean-spiritedness" in him. Maybe he was born this way. But a conservative apostate?! He may not be the conservative we like; nor the kind of conservative we can all trust, on all issues; yet, conservative he is, and the conservative we are all stuck with. I...

Some 50 stalwarts of the political right privately met with Mitt Romney minutes after he dropped out of the Republican nominating race to discuss the former Massachusetts governor becoming the face of conservatism, as Ronald Reagan became en route to his 1980 election win.

Arizona Sen. John McCain’s (R) charge that former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney favors setting a date for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq tells one a lot more about the “straight-talking” McCain than about Romney. The Arizona senator had been desperately trying to change the subject in Florida, where voter concern about the economy is seen as giving Romney a leg up in Tuesday’s primary. When Romney called him to account, McCain not only refused to apologize, he suggested instead that “the apology is owed to the young men and women serving this nation in uniform.” The McCain ploy worked...

John McCain is largely a creation of the media, David Keene, president of the American Conservative Union, tells Newsmax. “McCain has gotten a free ride from the media,” says Keene, who has endorsed Mitt Romney for president. “Indeed, he’s gotten better treatment than any GOP candidate I can remember.” While tagging other candidates “flip-floppers,” Keene says “admiring reporters” ignore McCain’s flaws and the fact that he has “changed or obfuscated his position on more issues this cycle than any other candidate. And that’s saying something.” ... Keene says McCain routinely rewrites his own record, and his version is accepted by...

McCain's ACU Ratings Randall Hoven Senator John McCain's lifetime rating of 82.3% from the American Conservative Union is often cited as proof that he is conservative. Here is a closer look at that 82.3 rating. First, a rating of 82.3 is not really that high. It puts Senator McCain in 39th place among senators serving in 2006, the latest year for which the ACU has its ratings posted online. For that most recent year in particular, McCain scored only 65, putting him in 47th place for that year. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), for example, scored 64 and...

Here's the truth: John McCain is one of the most Conservative Republicans in the Senate. Indeed, in 2006 few Senate Republicans were as Conservative or had a higher ACU Rating than John McCain. They're listed below: Richard Shelby Jeff Sessions Lisa Murkowski John Kyl Wayne Allard Mel Martinez Saxby Chambliss Johnny Isakson Larry Craig Michael Crapo Charles Grassley Mitch McConnell Jim Bunning David Vitter Norm Coleman Trent Lott Thad Cochran Jim Talent Kit Bond Conrad Burns Chuck Hagel John Ensign Judd Gregg John Sununu Pete Domenici Elizabeth Dole Richard Burr Michael DeWine Jim Inhoffe Tom Coburn Gordon Smith Rick Santorum...

Mitt Romney's endorsement by David Keene of the American Conservative Union may be the most significant declaration of support by any individual or group on the right to date. That's because the ACU enjoys widespread respect among most conservative activists - those most likely to vote in primaries. In addition to its annual rankings of Congress, the ACU puts on the number one conservative conference every year. The Conservative Political Action Conference draws around 4,000 attendees every year and features every conservative commentator, lawmaker, and author of note as speakers and panelists. An endorsement from Keene, therefore, carries more than a...

Thursday, Nov 29, 2007 David Keene "The Laura Ingraham Show" 11/29/07 David Keene On His Endorsement Of Governor Mitt Romney: Laura Ingraham: "David, I know you made an announcement. I didn't reveal it to the listeners because I wanted you to tell us when you came on the show about who you were endorsing for the Republican nomination." David Keene: "Well, I decided earlier this week and announced this morning that I'm supporting Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. I came to that decision after a lot of thought. Early on in this process, I thought I'd stay neutral for...

Boston, MA – David A. Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union and long time Republican strategist, today endorsed the presidential candidacy of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.In a statement issued today, Keene said that "while I certainly can't pretend to speak for all or even most conservatives, the road that led me here today is one that many conservatives find themselves on and it is my hope that they will end up where I am today – convinced that Mitt Romney represents our best hope for 2008.“As this race began, I intended to remain neutral both because there...

Less than 24 hours after former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.) jousted with his rivals over his conservative credentials at the CNN/YouTube debate in Florida, he is set to receive the endorsement from American Conservative Union President David Keene. Keene said he became "convinced that Mitt Romney represents our best hope for 2008" and added that in the weeks remaining before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, 2008 he would work to persuade "my fellow conservatives that if we are serious about electing a conservative president in 2008, it's time to unite behind his candidacy." Long courted by Romney, Keene agreed...

Mitt Romney is in the best position to win the Republican nomination, Dave Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, tells Newsmax. While Rudy Giuliani leads in the polls, Keene says most people have not begun to focus on the election. Once they do, they will recognize how liberal Giuliani is on some social issues like abortion and gay rights, and Republicans overall will tilt against him. Then Romney’s strategy of focusing on key states like Iowa and New Hampshire could propel him to the nomination, Keene says. “Romney’s doing it the right way, in my view,” Keene says over...

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Conservative Union (ACU) chairman David A. Keene announced today that ACU has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against MoveOn.org Political Action and the New York Times Company for violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. On Monday, September 10, 2007, MoveOn sponsored a full-page advertisement in the New York Times attacking General David Petraeus prior to his report to Congress regarding the status of the United States military operations in Iraq. The open rate for a full-page...

Islamisation of David Keene, American Conservative Union June 27, 2007 David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), has been moving, along with several other paleo-conservatives like Dinesh D’Souza, towards a partnership with Saudi-funded, pro-Hamas institutions. A forewarning was the appointment of Grover Norquist to the ACU board. A second forewarning was the appointment of Suhail Khan to the ACU board. Then Tuesday, David Keene joined United for Peace and Justice, the ACLU, the Communist Party-USA, as a speaker in the “Day of Action to Restore Law and Justice” to “…call on Congress to restore habeas corpus, fix the...

Startlingly, Fred Thompson has managed to emerge as a top-tier candidate for the Republican Party’s 2008 presidential nomination without either declaring himself a candidate or spending much money. As a result, the former Tennessee senator is now in the process of assembling a campaign team, testing the waters and preparing for what everyone believes will be a formal announcement sometime this summer. If it works, he’ll be able to say, “I seen my opportunity—and I took it,” because he appears to be in the right place at the right time and could benefit from the almost palpable craving among many...

Does Fred Thompson have what it takes to be president? The former senator turned "Law & Order" actor, who launched an exploratory committee last week, has been dogged by rumors that he doesn't have the work ethic for a long campaign. "The book on him is he's lazy," David Keene, president of the American Conservative Union, said last week. The criticism seems fed by Thompson's time in the Senate, where he maintained a less rigorous schedule than his colleagues and was known to duck out of late-night debates. Of the 90 bills he introduced during his eight years in the...

The year 2006 was not only a loss for conservatism in the election but in Congressional voting too. It is reasonable to assume the two were related. Fewer members of either the House of Representatives or Senate voted conservatively than in any recent Congress. Liberal voting went down too. Congress moved to a mushy middle that apparently did not appeal to the voters, who turned out the majority party in a search for a coherent and principled course of action. In 2006, only 8 House Republicans scored a perfect 100% conservative rating, including newly elected Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman...

March 05, 2007 ACU / CPAC Responds To Coulter Controversy The American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC, released this statement: "The just completed 2007 Conservative Political Action Conference on March 1 – 3, 2007, was the largest in the 34 year history of the event, featuring 33 panels on a variety of public policy issues, 24 stand alone speakers including public officials, writers, student activists, media personalities and comedians." "ACU, the event’s primary sponsor and CPAC strive to provide a platform and forum for a variety of differing views and personalities. ACU and CPAC do not condone or endorse every...

Who is Suhail Kahn and why does Grover Norquist want him on the Board of Directors of the American Conservative Union?  The casual observer might think nothing of the candidacy of a fellow named Suhail Khan for election to one of two open seats on the Board of Directors of the American Conservative Union – the political Right’s largest and most influential grassroots umbrella organization.  Certainly, for most Americans, the man’s faith would be of no interest.  If the fact that Khan is an adherent to Islam were even known, it probably would be seen as an asset ­– another...

The 2006 election was tragic for conservatives who did lose several key races. But the losses were downright devestating for RINOs (Republicans In Name Only.) The following is a list of the RINOs, who scored under 60% as graded by the American Conservative Union, and how they fared in the last election: SENATE: Linc Chafee, RI: defeated. Olympia Snowe, ME: no contest. Sue Collins, ME: re-elected. Mike DeWine, OH: defeated. HOUSE Christopher Shays, CT: re-elected. Mike Castle, DE: re-elected. Sherwood Boehlert, NY: defeated. Jim Leach, IA: retired. Mark Kirk, IL: re-elected. Nancy Johnson, CT: defeated. Wayne Gilchrest, MD: re-elected. Scott...

ACU Releases 2005 Congressional Ratings ALEXANDRIA, VA— The American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization, today released its 2005 “Rating of Congress,” the definitive conservative assessment of the federal legislative branch. ACU has rated every member of the House and Senate since 1971, making the latest guide its 35th edition. The purpose of the “Rating” is to inform the public, in as unbiased a method as possible, exactly where individual senators and congressmen stand on the ideological spectrum. “In the House, 38 Republicans scored a perfect 100% conservative rating in 2005, including newly elected House...

I got a call a couple of weeks ago from a friend who also happens to be a local GOP party leader. He is upset with the negative tone of ads being run by the national party on behalf of his state’s beleaguered incumbent Republican senator. He wanted me to help him convince whoever gave the orders for the attack ads against the senator’s Democratic challenger that “instead of attacking the Democrat, we should be talking up our senator and all he’s done for the state.” I sympathized with him, of course, because it would be nice if campaigns could...

The most liberal republicans: (The score represent the portion of ACU-selected votes that the congressmen voted with the Conservative union. 12 SENATOR Chafee RI 20 Shays CT 32 SENATOR Collins ME 32 SENATOR Snowe ME 33 Leach IA 36 Kirk IL 40 Johnson CT 42 Gilchrist MD 44 McInnis CO 45 SENATOR Specter PA 48 Simmons CT 56 SENATOR DeWine OH 58 Tim Johnson IL 60 Biggert IL 60 Fitzpatrick PA 61 Shaw FL 62 Smith NJ 63 Foley FL 63 Freylingheusen NJ 65 LaHood IL 67 Gerlach PA 68 SENATOR Voinovich OH 69 Regula OH 70 Weldon PA 70...

No man is above the law -- unless of course you're a confidential snitch who feeds classified information to a New York Times reporter! At least that's the way it seems because the New York Times has published leaked information -- information that compromises our ability to fight the war against al-Qaeda and Islamic Jihadists and places the lives of our brave men and women in uniform and American citizens in grave peril! And no one seems to be in a great rush to identify and prosecute the leaker! Yes, our political leaders have all been swift to give the...

President Bush yesterday called for the Senate to send him a bill establishing a legislative line-item veto, saying the tool is important to restrain spending and keep the economy growing. The House has passed a version of the line-item veto that would give the president new powers to strip projects out of spending bills. Mr. Bush, in his weekly radio address, said it is time for the Senate do the same. "This was a victory for the taxpayers and for spending restraint," he said. "I call on the Senate to show a bipartisan commitment to fiscal discipline by passing the...

Remember when the Senate supposedly heard the demands of the American people and provided for a 370 mile fence across the border?Well guess what?  According to Thomas Sowell -- in a column titled Birthright Sale -- the entire fence provision may be smoke and mirrors.Here's what Sowell said: "Under a provision inserted at the eleventh hour by Senator Arlen Specter, the Senate bill forbids the federal government from building a fence without first consulting with the Mexican government." "In fact, state and local governments are also forbidden by this bill to take any border control actions without first consulting...

Pollsters who just a few months ago were dismissing warnings from conservative leaders about weaknesses in the Republican base are finally realizing that many voters they thought would stick with the president no matter what are no longer there for him. Indeed, the president’s precipitous fall in the polls is largely traceable not to defecting independents or increasingly hostile Democrats but to disgusted Republicans. The bottom began to fall out a few months ago, with conservatives asking each other if maybe they’ve been wrong about Bush all along. Is he, they ask, really a conservative? The fact is that, from...

1. Democrats Campaign to Lock up Latino Vote 2. McCain Denies Rightward Shift 3. China and Saudi Arabia Forge Stronger Ties 4. Weld and D'Amato Put Spin on Their Feud 5. Club for Growth Endorses Ken Blackwell 6. Al Gore Gets Campaign Manager 7. We Heard: Mel Martinez, Laura Bush Bio 1. Democrats Campaign to Lock up Latino Vote Democratic strategists are seeking to turn the Hispanic community's discontent over immigration policy into an opportunity to win over Latino voters. The activists believe the recent pro-immigration rallies - which are a reaction to the Senate's failure to pass a guest-worker...

David Horowitz - Ward Churchill Debate From George Washington University to Air on C-SPAN Saturday, 8 EDT. The topic was Politics in the Classroom.

THE Wiggles are to receive a doctorate from the Australian Catholic University (ACU) for their contribution to childhood education. The four children's entertainers will receive a Doctor of the University degree from ACU National at a graduation ceremony on Tuesday night at Sydney Town Hall. "Drawing on their natural talents and energies, this group has used its knowledge of early childhood education ... and their keen interest in music and art to bring joy, humanity and great happiness to the young children of Australia, the United States of America, Great Britain, China and New Zealand," ACU National Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter...

ALEXANDRIA, VA— The American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots lobbying organization, today released its 2005 “Rating of Congress,” the definitive conservative assessment of the federal legislative branch. ACU has rated every member of the House and Senate since 1971, making the latest guide its 35th edition. The purpose of the “Rating” is to inform the public, in as unbiased a method as possible, exactly where individual senators and congressmen stand on the ideological spectrum. “ In the House, 38 Republicans scored a perfect 100% conservative rating in 2005, including newly elected House Majority Leader John Boehner (OH)...

On April 6-7, 2006, Students for Academic Freedom will host its First National Academic Freedom Conference featuring a debate between Students for Academic Freedom Chairman David Horowitz and University of Colorado-Boulder Professor Ward Churchill. The topic for debate will be: “Can Politics Be Taken Out Of The Classroom, and Should It Be?” The debate will be held Thursday evening on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, DC. Young America’s Foundation and the Center for the Study of Popular Culture are the co-hosts of the debate. Seating for the debate is limited and will be determined by George Washington...

Dear Robert: Conservatives in Congress have an ATOMIC BOMB that could literally wipe out liberals in the 2006 elections. But Republican Leaders and RINOs in Congress are STOPPING THEM FROM PUSHING THE BUTTON! That's RIGHT -- "Republicans!" Of course, I'm talking about the Contract with America: Renewed which was produced by Representatives Mike Pence and Jeb Hensarling of the Republican Study Committee. If you haven't heard about the Contract with America: Renewed -- I'm not surprised. Liberals, the media and EVEN SOME REPUBLICAN LEADERS want to keep it under wraps! Why? Because the Contract with America: Renewed actually KEEPS the...

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots lobbying organization today applauded the legislative agenda for 2006 announced by the House Republican Study Committee, chaired by Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN). “The legislative priorities for 2006 announced today by Congressman Mike Pence and his colleagues on the Republican Study Committee are welcome news to conservatives throughout America and should serve as a roadmap for action during the remainder of the 109th Congress,” said David A. Keene, Chairman of The American Conservative Union. The ten priority legislative actions proposed by the RSC are: 1. Make the Bush...

Hardline conservatives, among President Bush's staunchest supporters, question whether he is conservative enough when it comes to government spending and growth, leaders of the movement say. "What conservatives have realized during the last five years is that we have not elected a conservative president," said Bill Lauderback, executive vice president of the American Conservative Union. "Nor do we have a conservative majority in either the House or Senate." Conservatives gathered at a Washington hotel this weekend for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, where they assess the status of their movement and what they think of government policies. President Reagan...

The editorial page of The Washington Times has reviewed the interest-group and ideological ratings and rankings of the three Republican House members -- John Boehner of Ohio (first elected in 1990), John Shadegg of Arizona (1994) and Roy Blunt of Missouri (1996) -- seeking the post of House majority leader, which Tom DeLay permanently vacated recently. >snip Mr. Shadegg, who has compiled five 100% ratings in 10 years from the American Conservative Union (ACU), has a lifetime ACU rating of 97.6. With four 100% ratings over 14 years, Mr. Boehner's lifetime ACU rating is 93.4. Mr. Blunt, who has received...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Arizona Rep. John Shadegg's longshot bid to become the No. 2 GOP leader in the House got a boost Thursday when he was endorsed by the leader of a group of more than 100 conservative lawmakers. "We need leadership with the energy and vision to steer this Congress back to our roots of fiscal discipline, limited government and traditional values," said Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the Republican Study Committee. More than one-half of the 110-member committee had endorsed a candidate in the race to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, as majority leader. About 40...

Leading Conservatives Call for Extensive Hearings on NSA Surveillance; Checks on Invasive Federal Powers Essential 1/17/2006 6:36:00 PM To: National Desk Contact: Laura Brinker, 202-715-1540, for Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances, laura.brinker@dittus.com WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances (PRCB) today called upon Congress to hold open, substantive oversight hearings examining the President's authorization of the National Security Agency (NSA) to violate domestic surveillance requirements outlined in the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, chairman of PRCB, was joined by fellow conservatives Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform...

After noticing errors in how Senators were rated by the American Conservative Union in 2003, I decided to look up the roll call votes for every item that the ACU had listed for that year. Senator by Senator, I made a list of how the ACU had listed their position on the items and compared them to the actual voting records. Zell Miller (D-GA), was the only Senator that they had properly listed the voting record on. The most glaring error was the vote to accelerate the repeal of the death/estate tax. Every Senator but Zell was rated incorrectly on...

Congressman DeLay, according to a recent article in the Washington Times, “said … that Republicans have done so well in cutting spending that he declared an "ongoing victory," and said there is simply no fat left to cut in the federal budget.” Would that this were true. In reality, the Republicans during President Bush’s administration have taken government spending to unprecedented new heights, far beyond the most extravagant fancies of Bill Clinton and his big-spending Democratic cronies.

ACU Backs Pence, Rebukes GOP Leaders: The board of directors of the American Conservative Union struck back at the Republican leadership, passing without dissent a resolution in defense of Pence. "The board of directors of the American Conservative Union, acting on behalf of over one million ACU members and supporters, do hereby express their grave concern that the Republican Party has abandoned its traditional belief that the individual has supremacy over the state," said the resolution. "Big government, in the hands of any party, threatens the rights and privacy of that individual. In the hands of the GOP, the federal...

Alexandria, VA - The American Conservative Union, the nation's oldest and largest conservative grassroots organization, today called on President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress to take immediate action to rein in federal spending. “Clearly the terrible tragedy resulting from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina will require substantial federal resources to be expended, and all Americans support this relief effort,” said ACU Chairman David Keene. “But the idea that Congress should spend tens of billions of dollars on this relief effort in the absence of reprioritizing overall federal spending makes absolutely no sense.” “ Let us not lose...