Free Republic

To regain its strength, an out-of-power party like the Republicans needs ideas to fuel its recovery and leaders to promote and deliver them. In this war of ideas, those committed to presenting a sensible, philosophically grounded conservative case to Americans play a special role. Because conservatives are distrustful of concentrated power, it is awkward to select just seven Washington power players, but here are my picks...

Senator Kyl made the point that CBO assumptions on indexing fines were based on staff clarifications which do not reflect what is actually in the bill. Sen. Baucus tries to get Dr. Elmendorf to say the assumptions were in the bill, but Elmendorf says he cannot say that. Sen. Baucus ultimately ignores Sen. Kyl's question and calls on Sen. Kerry.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., voted against President Barack Obama’s pick to head the U.S. Justice Department’s civil right division. U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., voted for the nomination. Twenty-two votes were cast against Thomas Sanchez, who was confirmed Tuesday. Republicans expressed concern about his links to some immigrant groups and the Department of Justice’s disposal of a voter intimidation case involving New Black Panther Party activists who stood in front of polling places on election day holding nightsticks. Hispanic groups including the National Council of La Raza welcomed Sanchez’s nomination. McCain’s office did not respond to questions regarding his...

Here is video of Fox News' Carl Cameron reporting on tempers flaring in the Senate Finance Committee "Mark-Up" of the proposed Baucus Health Care Bill. The flare-up was between Democrat Chairman Max Baucus and Arizona GOP Sen. Jon Kyl. Baucus accused Kyl of just "trying to delay," while Kyl was put out that Baucus kept "interrupting him in the middle of an important point." . . . (VIDEO)

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Security: An Iranian mullah once said "a world without America and Zionism" was a real possibility. Our sellout of Eastern Europe and missile defense brings that dream closer to reality. It would take only one warhead."Is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism?" Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked at a "World Without Zionism" conference in Tehran in 2005. "But you had best know that this slogan and this goal are attainable, and surely can be achieved." He added that Iran had a strategic "war preparation plan" for what it called "the destruction of Anglo-Saxon civilization." A...

Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), the Senate minority whip, spoke with NRO this morning. It is becoming “increasingly clear,” he says, that Senate Republicans will “likely take some kind of action” in the coming days to oppose President Obama’s decision to abandon our missile-defense plan in Eastern Europe. “Like most of my colleagues, I’m not shocked that the administration would change the policy,” says Kyl, “but I have great bewilderment about how they changed it. It looks like a transparent play to the Russians. I’m mostly troubled by the fact that now the United States will be less able to...

Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., says Democratic healthcare plans may end up providing aid to illegal immigrants. In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, he defended Republicans who say Democratic healthcare reform proposals would finance care for those living here illegally, Roll Call news service reports. “It’s a logical question for people to ask,” Kyl said during the call. The issue has come up at recent town hall meetings on healthcare. Kyl says that Democrats have long fought restriction on government services for illegal aliens. For example, he points out that Democrats shot down Republican attempts to limit healthcare...

The number two Senate Republican said Tuesday replacing a public health care option with a nonprofit private cooperative wouldn't win any more Republican support, saying they are essentially the same thing. Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), said Republican objections were more fundamental than simply changing the name of a new national entity to compete with private medical insurers. "It's [the same thing] by another name, it is a trojan horse," Mr. Kyl said, speaking on a conference call with reporters. Mr. Kyl said even if the idea of a public option and that of a medical review for older people...

David Cameron was fighting last night to prevent the Tories again being labelled the 'nasty party' after one of his Euro MPs denounced the National Health Service. The Tory leader slapped down Daniel Hannan after he went on U.S. television to brand the NHS a '60-year failure' that he 'wouldn't wish on anybody'. Hannan joined forces with U.S. critics opposed to Barack Obama's healthcare reforms. They have described the British system as evil, Orwellian and a breeding ground for terrorists. Mr Hannan said: 'I find it incredible that a free people living in a country dedicated and founded in the...

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Rep. Darrell Issa, R-CA, has a message for White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel: “While this type of scare tactic may work In Chicago, it will not work to intimidate me or other Members of the United States Congress.” It's not quite a young Ellot Ness glowering at Al Capone on the steps of a ritzy Chicago hotel, but it may be the next best thing and it could mark a turning point in President Obama's relations with the Congress that is dominated by members of his own party. The occasion for Issa's comment, which was contained in a...

Asked about recent comments Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.) and James Inhofe (OK) have made, suggesting that GOP would benefit politically if President Obama’s health care agenda was stalled, Republican Whip Jon Kyl said, “I don’t agree with that kind of language.” “Because the language has a political implication,” Kyl added, “I think that’s unfortunate. Both sides talk about the politics of this. I don’t think we should be focused on that.” A week ago, Demint evoked Napoleonic metaphor, saying, “If we’re able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.” Speaking to conservative...

The Talk Shows Sunday, July 26th, 2009 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): White House press secretary Robert Gibbs; Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.FACE THE NATION (CBS): David Axelrod, White House senior adviser; Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.; Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La.THIS WEEK (ABC): Sens. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Jim DeMint, R-S.C.STATE OF THE UNION (CNN): House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; David Axelrod, White House senior adviser.

On the defensive over the economy and health care, the White House is shooting back with a double-barreled message for its critics and skeptics. To Republicans who say the stimulus isn’t working: Back off. To moderate Democrats wary of health care reform: We’re watching you. Earlier this week, the administration launched a coordinated effort to jam Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican who’s argued that the government should “cancel the rest of the stimulus spending.” No fewer than four Cabinet secretaries wrote to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer — also a Republican — to ask her if she agreed...

The tag-team effort to intimidate Senator Jon Kyl and the state of Arizona by threatening to withhold federal funds got a quick, pointed, and direct response from Kyl and his fellow Senator, John McCain. The two sent letters to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that castigates them for their “patently offensive” threats — and a reminder where the money originates: We were very disappointed to learn of the letters that you and other members of the Cabinet sent to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer about stimulus spending and that you would allow your good offices to be...

Barack Obama and his administration don’t mind playing hardball on the stimulus package, as Jake Tapper reports. Yesterday, Senator Jon Kyl suggested that not only should Congress refuse to consider a second stimulus package, they should bring the current Porkulus to a halt before it wastes even more money. Rather than make a reasoned argument for their stimulus package, however, the White House threatened to choke Arizona’s federal funds in retaliation: "On This Week with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said of the $787 billion stimulus package, “the reality is it hasn’t helped yet. Only about 6.8...

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has received lettres from Obama cabinet secretaries reminding her how much money her state stands to lose if stimuls spending is halted as Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) called for on Sunday saying it hasn't done what the administration promised it would. From ABC News' Jake Tapper In a coordinated response to comments made by an Arizona Republican senator calling for a the stimulus bill to be halted, the Obama administration this week coordinated a series of letters to the governor of Arizona, with the implicit message: put up or shut up. Arizona Republicans responded that the...

Barack Obama and his administration don’t mind playing hardball on the stimulus package, as Jake Tapper reports. Yesterday, Senator Jon Kyl suggested that not only should Congress refuse to consider a second stimulus package, they should bring the current Porkulus to a halt before it wastes even more money. Rather than make a reasoned argument for their stimulus package, however, the White House threatened to choke Arizona’s federal funds in retaliation:

The Obama administration is firing back at Sen. Jon Kyl for calling for an end to economic stimulus spending, and it's aiming where it hurts the most — at home in Arizona.

(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said that Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s record indicates that she has rejected the idea of an objective legal standard by which all should be judged, instead subsituting her own feelings and biases. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) defended her, saying she represented “living proof” that the country is on the right track. Speaking on Monday, the first day of Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings, Kyl said that in his 20-year experience as a lawyer, which includes arguing before the Supreme Court, he had never once heard a lawyer rely on empathy or any other emotion. “I practiced law...

Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl split as the U.S. Senate approved a measure Friday that would allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from foreign markets. McCain voted for the measure, which passed 55 to 36. Kyl voted against it, saying he is concerned about safety and oversight issues. The Senate plan needs to be reconciled with a similar drug importation plan from the U.S. House of Representatives. . . . . . The Bush administration had opposed drug imports, but the new Obama administration has been more open to the idea.

Here is audio of Sen. Jon Kyl yesterday on the Bill Bennett Radio Show saying he believes President Obama on his trip to Russia was more concerned with making a deal than he was concerned about protecting the United States. Kyl believes Obama is willing to lower our stockpile of nuclear weapons to levels that will put the nation in danger. . . . . (Hear Audio)

U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., wants to nix the rest of the $787 billion federal stimulus plan championed by the Barack Obama administration. Kyl said the Obama stimulus has been slow to jump-start the U.S. economy, federal money is not getting into so-called “shovel ready” projects and the U.S. economy will have recovered by the time the taxpayer money flows. “Many experts also warned that government spending of such magnitude couldn’t be disbursed in a timely way, and now it’s clear that most of the stimulus money hasn’t even been put to use. According to the White House Web site,...

Arizona Sen. John McCain voted for a bill Thursday allowing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco, while fellow Sen. Jon Kyl said no. The bill would give the FDA the power to regulate tobacco and cigarettes for the first time. The Senate voted 79 to 17 Thursday for the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. President Barack Obama supports the bill. Obama and Congress approved a large increase to the federal tobacco tax earlier this year to fund expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health coverage to uninsured minors.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Arizona's U.S. senators, both Republicans, congratulated Sonia Sotomayor on her nomination to the Supreme Court and said they would study her record thoroughly before the Senate's confirmation vote. . . . . . Sen. John McCain also congratulated Sotomayor and said, "I look forward to examining her record thoroughly during the Senate confirmation process."

The Senate's No. 2 Republican on Sunday refused to rule out a filibuster if President Barack Obama seeks a Supreme Court justice who decides cases based on "emotions or feelings or preconceived ideas." Sen. Jon Kyl made clear he would use the procedural delay if Obama follows through on his pledge to nominate someone who takes into account human suffering and employs empathy from the bench. The Arizona Republican acknowledged that his party likely does not have enough votes to sustain a filibuster, but he said nonetheless he would try to delay or derail the nomination if Obama ventures outside...

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Arizona's two U.S. senators lashed out Wednesday at the Department of Homeland Security, charging the agency with what amounts to profiling people as terror risks based on their political beliefs. Sen. Jon Kyl said he understands the need of the agency charged with helping protect the country from terrorists to understand where the threats may be coming from. And he acknowledged that Homeland Security has done various similar reports. But Kyl said a 10-page memo on right-wing extremists prepared earlier this month by the department goes over the line.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl say they support sending National Guard troops to the nation's southern border to guard against spillover violence from Mexico's drug war. McCain says border violence has reached a point to where the government should respond to requests from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to station additional Guard troops at the border. McCain doesn't foresee the Guard staying at the border for an extended amount of time, but says they're now needed there because of the violence.

Back in late march, Dr. Taitz meet with someone from the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, as well as (supposedly) Senator Kyl.http://defendourfreedoms.us/2009/03/26/off-to-washington.aspx It was mentioned on her blog that the 'results' from the meeting with Senator Kyl would be announced by Patrick Gibson over at Evil Conservative Radio (http://www.evilconservativeonline.com/).To date, I've not heard or seen any update on that meeting with Senator Kyl. Has anyone else?? Good or bad, it would be nice to know what came of that (supposed) meeting.

WASHINGTON -- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' nomination as health and human services secretary remained on course Wednesday, even as she became yet another Obama Cabinet candidate with the back tax blues. On the eve of her appearance before the Senate Finance Committee, news she had to pay $8,000 in back taxes didn't appear to trigger a sudden effort to derail her nomination. "We wouldn't be having this hearing if we didn't think the tax things were pretty well taken care of," said Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the committee's ranking Republican. Another committee member, Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona,...

Senate Republicans are drawing out a flap that has made the Obama administration squirm, applying the brakes to Democratic attempts to quickly tax away most of the bonuses at troubled insurance giant AIG and other bailed-out companies. Sen. Jon Kyl, the Republicans' vote counter, blocked Democratic efforts Thursday evening to bring up the Senate version of the tax bill to recoup most of the $165 million paid out by AIG last weekend and other bonuses in 2009. The House had swiftly approved its version of the bill earlier in the day. By rushing, Kyl said, Democrats were letting populist outrage...

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., has referred constituents raising concerns over President Obama's eligibility to occupy the Oval Office to an online "fact" organization that relies for its answer partly on information from the Obama campaign. "Thank you for your recent e-mail. Senator Obama meets the constitutional requirements for presidential office. Rumors pertaining to his citizenship status have been circulating on the Internet, and this information has been debunked by Snopes.com, which investigates the truth behind Internet rumors."

Here is video from Fox News Sunday yesterday where Sen. Jon Kyl and Rep. Paul Ryan, both Republicans, talked about the chances of stopping the $3.55 Trillion 2010 Budget being put forward by President Barack Obama. Kyl says it is possible for the 41 GOP Senators to stick together and keep the Budget from coming to a vote IF the American people put pressure on all 41 to stop the budget. He feels there is at least a chance of forcing Obama to change the worst parts of the budget. Ryan says there is not hope of stopping it in...

According to Shariah law, it is a crime to engage in speech or writings that ‘defame' Islam or otherwise offend its followers. It is a crime, not only in Muslim states, but in Western democracies, and may soon be coming to a city near you unless we stand up to the worldwide attacks against free speech. It appears that some brave souls, including a U.S. Senator, are pushing back against the global effort to stifle our freedom of expression. In Amsterdam, the capital of freedom and tolerance, a Dutch Muslim nearly decapitated filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had made a...

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Jon Kyl is hosting a film screening at the Capitol building on Thursday for a far-right Dutch lawmaker who claims that Islam inspires terrorism. Kyl is sponsoring the event for Geert Wilders, who was denied entry to London earlier this month because British authorities said he posed a threat to public order. Wilders’ 15-minute film juxtaposes verses from the Quran with images of violence by Muslims. Wilders has called the Quran a "fascist book" and said it should be banned. Kyl agreed to facilitate the event because "all too often, people who have the courage to...

Note: The following text is a quote: http://kyl.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=308555 Home > Media Resources SCHUMER, KYL INQUIRE ABOUT RECENT FBI DECISION TO SEVER TIES WITH ISLAMIC GROUP Recent Trial and Conviction of Fundraisers for the Holy Land Foundation Revealed Possible Ties Between CAIR and Hamas FBI and CAIR Previously Collaborated on Outreach to American-Muslim Community and Agent Training WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) announced Tuesday that they have requested more information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding its decision to sever its ties with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Officials at...

Senator John Kyl (R-AZ) is coming under pressure from stealth jihad groups and their allies and dupes for his plan to host a showing of the film Fitna in The Capitol. Please contact Senator Kyl and declare your support for his courageous decision to show this honest and accurate but politically incorrect film. He needs expressions of support more than ever today!

CAPITOL HILL - Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona is hosting a film screening at the Capitol for a Dutch lawmaker who claims that Islam inspires terrorism. Kyl is sponsoring the Thursday event for Geert Wilders, who was denied entry to London earlier this month because British officials said he posed a threat to public order.

Proponents of the so-called economic "stimulus" package have argued that legislation is necessary to stimulate our economy. We agree. The nation needs legislation that creates jobs, fixes our housing crisis and puts us on a path toward economic recovery. Unfortunately, the legislation Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed does not achieve these goals. Instead, this massive, out-of-control spending package will only serve to increase our burgeoning national debt and do little to help Americans who are facing foreclosures, layoffs and financial challenges. The fact is, we are in uncharted territory, and no one knows for sure how best to...

As President Obama prepared to arrive in the Valley to unveil the second phase of his stimulus plan, Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl bemoaned the massive spending and lack of bipartisanship that went into the first phase. At a Feb. 17 press conference at Arizona State University's West Campus, McCain and Kyl lambasted the president and the majority Democrats in Congress for the $787 billion stimulus plan passed last week. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan amounts to "generational theft," McCain said, and will do little or nothing to stimulate the economy. "The bipartisan stimulus package was neither bipartisan...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate's No. 2 Republican warned on Sunday his party's support for President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill was eroding and "major structural changes" were needed to win Republican support. "You have to start from scratch and reconstruct this," Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona told "Fox News Sunday." He said the proposed bill, with a price approaching $900 billion, "wastes a ton of money." Kyl took issue with items in the bill, including a $500 tax rebate, the creation of dozens of new government programs and transfers of cash to states. "There would be major structural changes...

The Senate's No. 2 Republican warned on Sunday his party's support for President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill was eroding and "major structural changes" were needed to win Republican support. "You have to start from scratch and reconstruct this," Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona told "Fox News Sunday." He said the proposed bill, with a price approaching $900 billion, "wastes a ton of money." Kyl took issue with items in the bill, including a $500 tax rebate, the creation of dozens of new government programs and transfers of cash to states. "There would be major structural changes that would have...

Republican and Democratic senators on Sunday questioned how former Sen. Tom Daschle could make a $128,203 mistake on his taxes but said they were not prepared to oppose his nomination as health secretary. "You have to be troubled by it," said Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate. "We'll have to question former Sen. Daschle and understand his explanation, and then have a conversation about it and see where it goes," Kyl said on "Fox News Sunday." As to how much trouble the tax issue could present for the nomination, he said, "I think it's...

Republican senators who oppose the $819 billion economic stimulus plan passed in the House Wednesday declined to say whether they personally would lead a filibuster to try to stop the legislation in the Senate. But they said a filibuster is an option and they are developing a strategy to stop the bill. The House bill passed 244 to 188. No Republicans voted for the legislation and 11 Democrats also opposed it. As this story went to press, GOP senators indicated they were working on a coordinated plan with Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and that a filibuster is a...

It’s not just the bipartisan mingling that makes Obama’s cocktail party at the White House tonight a departure from the Bush era. It’s the cocktails. After sunset. During the week. The event is another sign that the Obamas will have a more youthful, energetic approach to life in the White House than Washington has seen over the past eight years – one where the president hosts roughly two dozen Republicans and Democrats for drinks and economic stimulus chit-chat. Obama’s gathering at the Executive Mansion sounds like a throwback to the days of Lyndon Johnson or conjures up images of Ronald...

Former GOP presidential nominee John McCain on Thursday named fellow Arizona Senator Jon Kyl as a potential 2012 presidential candidate. Asked on CNN’s “Larry King Live” if he plans to support Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in the Republican presidential primaries, McCain said it would be “improper” to commit now because “I don’t know who’s running, for one thing, because, for example, my friend Jon Kyl, my colleague from Arizona.” McCain then trailed off, appearing as if he had accidentally floated Kyl’s name.

Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, second-ranking Republican in the Senate, was not impressed with President Barack Obama's inaugural address. "His speech was not high-brow, it was more low-brow and a bit surprising in that regard," said the Senate Minority Whip. Kyl said he felt that Obama took an unfair shot at the Bush Administration and that he suggested that anyone who does not agree with his policies is unpatriotic. "It's fine to say you're going to do your best to be a leader, you're going to do your best to deal with the problems at home, but you don't have to...

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) today renewed their push to enact legislation to reduce drug-related violence in the border region by cracking down on organizations smuggling weapons illegally from the United States into Mexico.  Senators Richard Durbin, Dianne Feinstein, Jon Kyl, and John McCain are also cosponsors of the legislation. Ongoing violence in Mexico is having a devastating impact on Mexico and is raising concerns for border communities on both sides of the border.  In 2008, more than 5,300 people were killed in Mexico -- double the number in the previous year.  More...