Free Republic

Baird wants to make sales tax deduction permanent Thursday, January 27, 2005 The Columbian Congressman Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, will introduce legislation that would extend a two-year tax cut expected to save Washington residents $500 million this year. Baird announced Wednesday that he and Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, will sponsor legislation so taxpayers in seven states can permanently deduct state and local sales taxes when filing their federal tax returns. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., will introduce companion legislation in the Senate. Washington lost the deduction when Congress rewrote the tax code in 1986, but taxpayers in Oregon and other states have...

It's Maria v Serena in Semis by Bren O'Brien Tuesday, 25 January, 2005 Women's No.4 seed Maria Sharapova will meet No.7 seed Serena Williams in an Australian Open 2005 semi-final after the pair notched contrasting victories over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Amelie Mauresmo, respectively. 2003 champion Williams had a surprisingly easy win over the French No.2 seed, triumphing 6-2 6-2, after Sharapova came from a set down to oust her compatriot and fellow 2004 Grand Slam winner 4-6 6-2 6-2. The 17-year-old Wimbledon champion had to call on all her energy reserves to get past Kuznetsova, who broke her midway...

It's easy to critique Arnold Schwarzenegger's rookie year as California governor, and this space has contained its share of criticisms about errors of action and inaction. If one were to generalize about those mistakes, it would be that he overpromised the voting public and specific interest groups, especially on fixing the deficit-saturated state budget. It began on inauguration day 14 months ago, when his first act was to reinstate a very popular, $4 billion per year reduction in car taxes, while insisting that he could still fix the chronic budget gap. And it continued with promises to educators about school...

There was uproar in Republican circles last week when California Governor Arnold Scharzenegger (search) was quoted in a German newspaper saying that the Republican Party should "move a little further left." But the reporter who conducted the interview now says Schwarzenegger never actually said that. Marc Hujer translated Schwarzenegger's English remarks into German and says he changed the phrasing to make the interview more understandable to a German audience. Schwarzenegger actually said he'd like to "Keep [the Republican Party] to the right where it is, but ... cross over that centerline a little bit, because that would immediately take away...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told a German newspaper this month that the Republican Party needs to "cross the center line" — that is, to slide toward the left. He couldn't be more wrong — and more disloyal to real Republicanism. The comment made it clear he's part of the only group more disappointed than the Democrats with last month's election results: liberal Republicans.

"Are you, like, the governor?" a second grader asked Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger during a visit to his school. "That's a really loaded question," Shriver answered with a smile, the San Jose Mercury News reported. all that loaded it seems. The governor’s wife is seen as a force to be reckoned with in the California state capitol, the News explained. There’s nothing new about the glamorous TV reporter working alongside her husband. The News says she’s long been a full partner in Arnold Schwarzenegger's business affairs. "I've always been interested in helping Arnold with whatever he was doing. I want him...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pardoned three men yesterday who were convicted of drug charges in the 1970s, marking the first state pardons in six years. The actions are a turnaround from the policy of Gov. Gray Davis, who never pardoned a convict during his 4½ years in office. Schwarzenegger has also been more aggressive than his predecessor at paroling convicted murderers and kidnappers, freeing dozens in his first year in office compared with the eight life-term inmates Davis paroled. The governor's office said in a statement the pardoned men, each 53 years old, had committed nonviolent crimes and rebounded by contributing...

ARNOLD Schwarzenegger, Republican governor of California and the biggest celebrity in the world, is still a political novice. His recent advice to the GOP reflects this. In an interview in Germany last week, Schwarzenegger said he wanted to see the Republican Party move to the left politically so it can win more elections. “The Republican Party currently covers only the spectrum from the right wing to the middle, and the Democratic Party covers the spectrum from the left to the middle,” he said. “I would like the Republican Party to cross this line, move a little further left and...

SACRAMENTO -- Reversing Gov. Gray Davis' near zero-tolerance policy against paroling convicted murderers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proven to be 50 times more likely to give second chances to killers. Democrat Davis, in his five years in office, blocked all but six parole recommendations for killers and kidnappers, with two of the recommendations involving the same inmate. Republican Schwarzenegger, in office less than 12 months, has approved 60 parole recommendations from the state Board of Prison Terms for convicts guilty of the most serious crimes. That makes him, on average, 50 times more lenient than Davis. But Schwarzenegger aides dispute...

Today’s question: Should the United States consider amending the Constitution so that foreign-born citizens such as Arnold Schwarzenegger can run for president? Yes 14.0% No 86.0% Total Votes: 57

Like him or not, as Americans we should all stand together to say NO to any change in the US Constitution that would allow foreign-born, naturalized citizens to run for and hold the highest office in this great land...Apparently a movement is underway to change the US Constitution. We must stand up to this and oppose it. Please sign the No2Arnold Petition

First lady Maria Shriver has backed off her earlier proposal to create a women's history museum in Sacramento and instead is proposing a more inclusive California State History Center. Trustees of the California State History Museum at 10th and O streets that would be transformed under Shriver's plan intend to hold a private teleconference board meeting at 10 a.m. today to consider her new idea.

Friday night, I was listening to AM 630, WMAL Talk Radio. They are the radio station in Washington, DC that has both Rush and Hannity. The local host at night is Chris Core. Most of the time, I get the feeling he really isn't as set in his opinions, as stated on the air. Last nigth was not an acception. He was arguing that the Constitution should be changed to allow naturalized citizens to become president of the United States. No one even brought up the one reason I will never support such a change. No matter how long a...

California’s Proposition 71, a $3 billion initiative to fund stem cell research, is a bad idea for a state currently in a budget crisis, says Wesley J. Smith of the Weekly Standard. Additionally, the initiative is fuzzy with few checks and balances. For one thing, the $3 billion would have to be borrowed, adding another $3 billion in interest onto its price tag. Moreover, the bill is simply vague and controversial, says Smith: Prop 71 is not merely a law to permit stem cell research, but a constitutional right to human cloning, meaning any changes to its terms and conditions...

Report: Schwarzenegger suggests U.S. Republicans move leftward Associated Press BERLIN - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested in a German newspaper interview published Saturday that the Republican Party should move "a little to the left," a shift that he said would allow it to pick up new voters. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has taken an unorthodox approach since winning office last year - standing by a promise to toe a conservative line of fiscal matters while veering left on social issues such as gay rights and the environment. In an interview with Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, Schwarzenegger said that "the Republican Party...

When red met blueArnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver... America's odd couple     This is an email-able, copyright-ready graphic you can use in emails, on blogs, in flyers, on posters... anything that's noncommercial.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Monday that his speech backing President Bush at the Republican Convention in August resulted in a dramatic cold shoulder from his wife Maria Shriver, a member of the very Democratic Kennedy family. "Well, there was no sex for 14 days," Schwarzenegger told former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta in an on-stage conversation in front of 1,000 people. "Everything comes with side effects." The crowd roared with laughter, but the governor may have been serious: he has said little in public to back fellow Republican Bush since then. Panetta, a Democrat, had asked...

Links go to individual prayers 1. Sign of the Cross and Apostles Creed.2. Our Father. 3. Hail Mary (3 times). 4. Glory be, Announce appropriate First Mystery, Our Father 5. Hail Mary 10 times (once per bead) while meditating on that mystery 6. Glory be, Fatima, announce next mystery, Our Father (then repeat 5 and 6 as shown in diagram). 7. Glory be, Fatima, Hail Holy Queen, Final Prayer and Sign of the Cross.

It will be a week of firsts for Ave Maria. Today, the first phase of the proposed Catholic university and town will be brought before the Collier County Commission. On Wednesday, Ave Maria officials plan to unveil the architect's renderings and plans, including the world's largest crucifix, and the Vatican Choir will perform in the city of Naples for the first time. Thursday, the first Mass at the site of the university's future campus will be celebrated. Collier County commissioners are set to vote on the first phase of Ave Maria at 3:30 p.m. today in commission chambers. Landowner Barron...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Maria Cantwell broke federal election laws by not promptly disclosing emergency loans made late in her 2000 campaign against Slade Gorton, the Federal Election Commission has ruled. The ruling came as a result of a complaint filed in April 2001 by the National Legal and Policy Center, an independent interest group that tracks campaign financing. It alleged that Cantwell, D-Wash., violated election law by not disclosing the loan and by getting an interest rate below market rates. At issue were two loans totaling $3.8 million extended to Cantwell from a branch of U.S. Bank in Bellevue in...