Free Republic

If you want to know how out of touch Congress is on the issue of wasteful spending, listen to Florida Rep. John Mica defend his pork projects: "There's no way in hell I would support banning earmarks. That's our job, getting elected and making decisions." Mr. Mica is the most powerful Republican on the Transportation Committee. The idea that bringing home federal dollars is integral to a politician's job and essential to getting re-elected is a favorite of Republicans and Democrats alike. Three months ago, Hillary Clinton told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, "I'm very proud of my earmarks. It's one...

Today, the Club for Growth Political Action Committee endorses Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Don Young in the state's August primary. The reason for the endorsement is simple. Mr. Parnell is a solid conservative who led the fight for lower taxes and spending in the state legislature, and joined Gov. Sarah Palin in pushing for reform in the state. The man he is hoping to replace isn't economically conservative in the least. Mr. Young is actually a poster child for what has gone wrong with the Republican Party in Washington.

There are many ironies associated with “Ronald Reagan’s Eleventh Commandment,” but perhaps the greatest irony of all is that this outdated Republican Party maxim didn’t originate with the Gipper. Those famous words “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican” were actually conceived by former California GOP Chairman Gaylord Parkinson, largely to spare Reagan’s 1966 gubernatorial campaign from the same liberal Republican attacks that sank the 1964 presidential bid of Barry Goldwater. Yet nearly a half century later, with an increasing number of Republicans wandering further than ever off of the “Reagan reservation,” the Eleventh Commandment has not only...

While most political observers are focused on the protracted Democratic primary fight between the senator from the state of New York and the senator from the state of Hope, rumors have been swirling in conservative circles that two of the movement’s most prominent leaders are considering Senate bids in 2010. Former Louisiana state Rep. Tony Perkins, president of the socially conservative Family Research Council, and former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), president of the fiscally conservative Club for Growth, are both rumored to be considering leaving their positions to run for the U.S. Senate — an office both have unsuccessfully...

Thirteen days ago, a full-page ad questioning the patriotism of Gen. David Petraeus was placed in The New York Times by the liberal anti-war group MoveOn.org. It added real heat to the 2008 presidential season. For many liberals, the red-meat issue is ending the war in Iraq. MoveOn.org’s tactics have effectively made it the standard-bearer for that issue. For many conservatives the red meat is the economy, and their standard-bearer is the Club for Growth, led by is president, Pat Toomey. In an interview, Toomey said that he has no problem taking aggressive positions like MoveOn.org, but only within the...

As Pat Toomey hopped on the stage to address the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference in Harrisburg two weeks ago, he got the kind of raucous reception he has grown accustomed to at conservative gatherings. But new to the crowd's response, as some in the state look beyond 2008 toward 2010, were shouts of ''Go, Pat, go.'' Three years after Toomey narrowly lost the Republican primary to Sen. Arlen Specter, the former Lehigh Valley congressman is on an early short-list of GOP hopefuls eyeing and being courted to seek statewide office in 2010. For Toomey, who served three terms in the House...

There is a political lesson behind today's Supreme Ct decision on partial birth abortion that some of you who now oppose Rudy Giuliani need to think about. Back in 2004, Pat Toomey challenged Arlen Specter in PA for the nomination to the U.S. Senate. Both Rick Santorum and George Bush backed Santorum. They did so for three reasons. First, they believed Toomey had little chance to win in the general election whereas it was virtually certain Specter would win if nominated. Second, the Senate was too evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans to risk losing even one seat--which would mean...

The war in Iraq, President Bush’s sagging approval numbers, and a series of scandals are widely considered the major culprits behind Republican losses in the House and Senate yesterday. This analysis is correct, but is incomplete. Abandonment of the principle of limited government must be added to the litany of serious Republican missteps. A poll commissioned by the Club for Growth in 15 key districts shows surprisingly severe damage to this aspect of the GOP brand (to see a summary of the results, see here). And it’s little wonder. From the last Farm Bill to the Prescription Drug entitlement to...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The conservative Club for Growth, which has angered some Republicans for years with a series of well-funded challenges of party moderates, is taking aim at its biggest target yet -- Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. The group, which advocates tax cuts, free trade and limited government, has raised more than $700,000 for Chafee's conservative challenger and helped put the moderate senator at risk in Tuesday's Republican primary in Rhode Island. The maverick Chafee has frequently opposed the policies of President George W. Bush, but the White House and Republican Party establishment have rallied to his...

by Mark Finkelstein July 3, 2006 What do you call an Arlen Specter supporter who proposes a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and accuses Republicans of 'chicanery' for introducing proposals on gay marriage and flag burning? Why, a 'conservative' of course - if you're NBC's Today show and your guest is Michael Smerconish. This is the MSM's way of convincing viewers that there is balance in their choice of guests. As I noted here, the mislabelling reached its pinnacle a while back when Today labelled Bush antagonist Pat Buchanan - someone who left the GOP seven years ago to run...

"The Toomey-Specter race took place two years ago, but the votes are still coming in tonight." That was the observation of one Pennsylvanian, an establishment Republican, as he watched the primary returns Tuesday night. Still upset by last year's pay raise, Republican primary voters sent packing two state legislative leaders, David J. "Chip" Brightbill, Senate majority leader, and Robert Jubelirer, Senate president pro tempore. Over a dozen House incumbents were also turned out of office. Speaking to TAS on the condition of anonymity, the Republican said Pat Toomey's 2004 primary challenge of Sen. Arlen Specter did not end with his...

Adrian Smith – Nebraska’s 3rd District Here we have a clear cut race between two Republicans – one is a tax cutter, the other is a tax hiker. State Senator Adrian Smith is considered one of the legislature’s strongest supporters of limited government and earned one of the highest ratings from Nebraskans for Freedom, an anti-tax hike group. A few years ago, when the tax and spenders pushed a huge tax hike through the legislature, Smith helped lead the fight against it -- standing up to the pressure from his own party’s leadership in the process. We could use more...

I have endorsed Bill Pierce for US Senator from Ohio over incumbent Senator Mike DeWine and one other less-qualified challenger. I encourage all Ohioans who read this to vote for Bill in the Republican Primary on May 2, and also ask that everyone spread the word that this man is the best qualified of the three candidates to represent the GOP, and the best qualified person of either party to represent our state. Bill Pierce CAN win in May, and if he wins in May, he WILL win in November.Here's a quick checklist of Bill's strengths and political positions (go...

In the next couple of weeks, the Senate Budget Committee will consider President Bush's proposal for presidential line-item veto authority. Despite concerns about investing the executive with too much power, this proposal deserves the full support of anyone committed to limited government.The irony of the debate among conservatives about the line-item veto is that in 1996 a Republican Congress gave this power to Democrat Bill Clinton. Although there was some conservative disquiet at the time over executive authority, most Republicans believed the line-item veto to be a necessary tool to address the explosion in wasteful federal spending.Unfortunately, in 1998 the...

Santorum Flip-Flops on Intelligent Design by Chuck Muth Posted Dec 27, 2005 I sure hope Sen. Rick Santorum, Pennsylvania Republican, has a good chiropractor. ‘Cause he’s gonna need one by the time this election year is over -- what with all his flip-flops, back-flips and political 180s. Either that, or he’s got a great future as an Olympic gymnast if his senatorial career comes to an end next November. I’m trying to keep track of all the strange things Santorum has said and done since kicking his base in the teeth last year when he aggressively stumped for liberal Republican...

Wanted: true-red conservatives By Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review You have to wonder about Republicans' state of mind of late. Did they wake up one morning and confront an unfamiliar face in the mirror? Like some bad political Botox, gone is Ronald Reagan's face; staring back in his place is Teddy "I will spend your money like a drunken sailor" Kennedy. Republicans are knee-deep pork barrelers practicing the fine art of fiscal irresponsibility. Who passes the baton that began with Goldwater, took root with Reagan and gained power through the "Contract with America"?

 The Federal Election Commission’s suit against the Club for Growth continues this agency’s war on the First Amendment and its defense of incumbents from criticism of their policies. The FEC’s claims and legal theories are a bizarre interpretation of the Club’s mission, the Constitution, the laws adopted by Congress and their own regulations governing nonprofit organizations.The Club’s principle purpose is to advocate for and defend pro-growth policies. One of the ways we do that is through the Club for Growth PAC, which allows Club members to donate to pro-growth candidates and independent expenditure campaigns. We have consulted with counsel every...

Many argue that communism will never be possible because of "human nature". The essence of this false argument is the belief that a communist society would consist of an all-powerful central government that would tell everybody what to do--and would therefore undermine the creative initiative of individuals and the search for happiness. • This argument is based on two false assumptions: (1) It assumes that a communist society will look like the former Soviet Union, or the current China, North Korea, etc (ie: corrupt police states with a feudal-style ruling class) (2) It assumes that people will only work in...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cmp/20050715/tc_cmp/165702500 UN Panel: No Single Nation Should Control Internet Addresses Aoife White Thu Jul 14, 9:38 PM ET BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP)--A U.N. panel created to recommend how the Internet should be run in the future has failed to reach consensus but did agree that no single country should dominate. The United States stated two weeks ago that it intended to maintain control over the computers that serve as the Internet's principal traffic cops. In a report released Thursday, the U.N. panel outlined four possible options for the future of Internet governance for world leaders to consider at a November "Information...

Here is the list so far for sponcers to this hate America fest: ANSWER Code Pink UFPJ NION Al Awda World Workers Party Ruckas Revolutionary Communist party Moveon.org ACORN Campus Antiwar Network International Socialist Org Greens Party Muslim Student Association CPUSA

The conservative Club for Growth, which has funded campaigns against a few less-than-conservative incumbents in Congress, is planning to develop a new scorecard to evaluate lawmakers. This step is being contemplated by former Rep. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, the new Club for Growth president, because he disagreed with some of the organization's endorsements in the past. Toomey in particular questioned the endorsement of Republican Rep. Rob Simmons of Connecticut, whose lifetime voting is rated at 55 percent by the American Conservative Union. Simmons has ridiculed personal Social Security accounts, voted for the prescription drug bill and most recently opposed the...

When he was named president of the Club for Growth (clubforgrowth.org) last year, Pat Toomey didn't need anyone to tell him how important it was having the Republican lobbying group on his side in a tight political race. When the former Lehigh Valley congressman almost unseated Arlen Specter in the Senate primary last spring, the club — which specializes in helping candidates who favor small government, free markets and low taxes — contributed nearly $1 million to his campaign. I asked Toomey about his new job and his future political plans, when I called him at his offices in Washington:...

Sometimes you need to be reminded of where you came from to understand where you're going. The Club for Growth is giving one senator such a reminder today with the launch of an ad campaign designed to send a simple message: Higher taxes are not the answer for Social Security reform. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina came to the Senate with a strong record of cutting taxes to support increased freedom and economic growth. But in the debate on Social Security reform, Mr. Graham has suffered a sort of economic amnesia. He is proposing a large tax increase, in...

This may be a repost but an important one.Alexandria, VA) – Even though President Bush took the oath of office last week, taxpayers still have one piece of unfinished business from the election: some federal lawmakers – including many seeking higher office – received thousands of dollars in salary overpayments for being away from their jobs during 2003 and 2004. According to a study released today by the 350,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU), an obscure federal statute still on the books requires Congressional absentees to forfeit their pay unless they or a family member are ill; but leaders have failed...

A mightily encouraging thing sprouted among real conservatives across Pennsylvania in the aftermath of Pat Toomey's narrow primary election loss last April to entrenched Republicrat Arlen Specter: conviction. The grassroots group that played an integral role in the Specter squeaker made no excuses in defeat. It did not retreat to lick its wounds; it did not disband. It stepped up its efforts and worked even harder. Now better organized and far stronger, Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania, or YCOP, is a force to be reckoned with. As Shawn Macomber detailed Friday on the Web site of The American Spectator magazine, YCOP,...

Recent News! They discover proof that Atlantis did not submerge complete but only one part...By Salvador Morales. Atlantis News Agency. Madrid, Spain. 01-06-2005. The Spanish investigator and scriptologist, Georgeos Diaz-Montexano, has discovered paleographical proofs that in fact the island or peninsula (Nêsos) denominated like Atlantis or Atlantic, it was divided in two parts below the sea. To date all atlantologists and students of the Timaeus and the Critias de Plato had thought that in texts of the Greek philosophist narrated the collapse of the all island or Atlantis peninsula, nevertheless, Georgeos Diaz-Montexano has reviewed the oldest texts known writings in...

During the epic primary battle between sitting liberal Republican Senator Arlen Specter and conservative challenger Pat Toomey, I traveled in April to a Philadelphia gun show to watch Specter try and burnish his credentials. The senator was stumping with only a few aides in tow, and dogged every step of the way by college students brandishing Toomey signs and pamphlets. "My voters might not be as intense as his," Specter answered when I asked him what he thought of this conservative militia following him around. "But there's a lot more of them if I can get them out on Tuesday."...

Below is an e-mail I recieved from the Club for Growth. Because you have been such an important part of the Club’s work over the years and such a generous supporter, I wanted you to be among the first to learn about a major new development here at the Club. After rejoicing over the election results, I decided that now was the time to start an exciting new venture which will complement the Club’s work. More about that in a minute. For that reason, I decided to resign as president of the Club for Growth and I’m happy to announce...

If Pennsylvania turns into a bastion of conservatism, political anthropologists might someday partially credit a 25-year-old Duquesne University law student from Newton Township. Christopher K. Lilik -- who goes by Chris and likes punk rock -- and his band of young bloggers helped an obscure conservative Republican congressman from Allentown scare the heck out of the state's senior U.S. senator in the spring and boosted President Bush's Pennsylvania vote in the fall. They call themselves the Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania (YCOP) now and aim to keep conservative ideology at the political dinner table. But Mr. Lilik isn't looking for his...

THIS AM...on Fox News, Podesta was being interviewed about the library. When asked about the extend of the displays about shillery, he said that...she was important..."as the vice president." He didn't say, "as was the vice president."

Judy (hmmm?) Woodruff just had a report that Karl Rove had offered Nebraska Sen Ben Nelson the post of Secretary of Agriculture. Nelson is up in 2006...and facing a hard race from popular GOP Gov Mike Johanns. Nelson is among the most conservative of Senate Dems..Does this make sense, because Nelson votes with the GOP on most of the key issues..?

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan urged the Security Council on Thursday to issue ``the strongest warning'' to the forces fighting in Sudan to bring an end to the civil wars there. Annan's comments were made to Security Council members in Kenya's capital, where they have begun extraordinary meetings on the violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. ``I regret to report that the security situation in (the western region of) Darfur continued to deteriorate despite the cease-fire agreement signed earlier,'' Annan said. ``Both the government and its militias as well as the rebel groups have breached these...

WASHINGTON - Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country. Some said he will be pressured to give the money to Democratic campaign committees rather than save it for a potential White House bid in 2008. "Democrats are questioning why he sat on so much money that could have helped him defeat George Bush (news - web sites) or helped down-ballot races, many of which could have gone our...

Reprinted from NewsMax.com Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004 5:45 p.m. ESTClinton 'Elvis' Library to Include Monica As Bill Clinton's library is unveiled at a gala opening this week, one thing is certain: His messy legacy will be on full display. One alcove will be dedicated to impeachment, and organizers have promised not to sidestep even Monica Lewinsky or Paula Jones. The 58-year-old political superstar is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to his library. "Bill Clinton is a rock star," said Skip Rutherford, head of Clinton's nonprofit foundation that built the $165 million library. "He is Elvis."...

From "Light the Lamp!": The monthly newsletter of the Holy Flame Pentecostal Church of Little Rock, Ark. We welcome back to the area Senator Hillary Clinton (D., N.Y.), who has been spending so much time here in Little Rock lately that she's practically joined the church choir! "I'm here spending time at my husband's library," she told the Lamp when we caught up with her after a Sunday camp meeting, "and of course, I always take time to worship God in as evangelical a way as is feasible, given time and location constraints. As you know, I consider myself an...

By Rob Long EDITOR'S NOTE: This article appears in the November 29, 2004, issue of National Review. Church Newsletters From All Over From "Light the Lamp!": The monthly newsletter of the Holy Flame Pentecostal Church of Little Rock, Ark. We welcome back to the area Senator Hillary Clinton (D., N.Y.), who has been spending so much time here in Little Rock lately that she's practically joined the church choir! "I'm here spending time at my husband's library," she told the Lamp when we caught up with her after a Sunday camp meeting, "and of course, I always take time to...

(The) "nuclear option," (is) a parliamentary maneuver to effectively change Senate rules so that only a simple majority is needed to end a filibuster of a judicial nominee. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he has not decided whether he would invoke that option next year. Robert F. Bennett, R-Utah, the chief deputy majority whip, said such a move would occur only if Democrats filibuster a Supreme Court nomination. It's the last paragraph in the source link.

Apparently hoping to heal some wounds, Republican Sen. Rick Santorum (R.-Pa.), who angered many conservatives when he supported liberal Sen. Arlen Specter against Rep. Pat Toomey (R.-Pa.) in this year's Pennsylvania Senate primary, now says Toomey would be a good choice to head the Office of Management and Budget in the Bush White House. "Yes, Pat would be outstanding in that position if it should become vacant," Santorum told me after a luncheon of conservatives held before the election. "He understands the issue of cutting spending about as well as anyone in Congress and he would also have an excellent...

Exit polls reveal that President Bush may have miscalculated in endorsing pro-abortion Republican Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter in his primary battle against conservative challenger Pat Toomey. Immediately following his narrow win, Specter was quick to declare his independence from the President and re-assert his pro-abortion credentials. After his November 2 win, Specter repeated the mantra, asserting that if he were to become Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pro-life judges need not apply. Originally believing that a strong GOP Senate candidate in Pennsylvania could put the state's 21 electoral votes in the Bush column, the President campaigned with Specter and...

When Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania launched his campaign for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination, he nattered on about his support for abortion rights. Lurking somewhere in the recesses of his mind was the notion voters would gravitate to a pro-choice Republican in much the same way they had flocked to "New Democrat" Bill Clinton in 1992. Well, then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani already had staked out the pro-choice-Republican territory. He won bipartisan support because voters liked the way he ran the city and correctly perceived his position on abortion to be irrelevant. So no one paid much attention to...

Could President Bush have won Pennsylvania if he would have endorsed Toomey instead of Spector? Toomey lost in the Republican primary (49½ to 50½ %). Things were looking pretty good for Toomey until Bush weighed in. He could have left it at a pro-forma statement of support, but instead he came to Pittsburgh to stand beside Specter and say: "I appreciate my friendship with Arlen Specter. He's been a friend for quite a while. I'm proud to campaign for him. I think he's earned another term in the United States Senate. He's a bit independent-minded sometimes, but there's nothing wrong...

November 03, 2004, 10:05 a.m. Thank You, ArlenWe reelected the worst Republican Senator, and still lost Pennsylvania. Rick Santorum and George W. Bush told us that the GOP needed Arlen Specter. We needed Arlen Specter to deliver Pennsylvania for Bush. We needed Arlen Specter to boost the party in the Keystone State. We needed Arlen Specter to keep the Senate majority. Santorum and Bush were wrong. They were wrong morally, and they were wrong politically. These men saved the man who saved Roe v. Wade, and now the costs to the pro-life cause, the conservative movement, and the Republican...

We have the next-best thing to Mr. Toomey, however, in Constitution Party candidate Jim Clymer, a Lancaster lawyer who is as close to the kind of principled, small-government conservative Republican we can hope for in 2004. Thus, we wholeheartedly endorse Jim Clymer for U.S. Senate. Full article at http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/archive/print_267041.html

Young Conservatives Proudly Announce Addition of Commonwealth’s Conservative Leader PITTSBURGH – Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania (YCOP) today announced that the man who helped inspire its conception, Congressman Pat Toomey (R-Lehigh), has accepted the invitation to become Honorary Chairman of its Board of Advisors. “Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania has a very important role to play in the political arena in our Commonwealth – to promote conservative policies and candidates among our next generation of civic leaders,” Toomey said. “I commend the founders of YCOP for their vision, and I look forward to supporting their effort.” “Congressman Toomey is my hero, and...

HARRISBURG, PA – U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) today issued the following statement regarding John Kerry’s campaign travel to Pennsylvania: “John Kerry talks a lot about lowering the cost of health care, but his record doesn’t show a lot of action. Kerry opposed medical liability reform that would curb frivolous lawsuits costing Americans as much as $108 billion each year and work to keep doctor’s practicing in Pennsylvania – now classified as a ‘crisis’ state by the American Medical Association. “John Kerry also talks about growing the economy, but Pennsylvanians know his plans for higher taxes and increased government spending...

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - When Jim Clymer announced on Monday that he was going to be on the ballot for U.S. Senate this Nov. 2, a lot of Republicans groaned. They worry that Clymer, who ran a strong but unsuccessful campaign for Lancaster County commissioner in 2003, will doom Republican Sen. Arlen Specter’s chance to win re-election. A conservative, third-party candidate such as Clymer, of the Constitution Party, will siphon votes from Specter and benefit Democrat Joe Hoeffel, they believe. And a Hoeffel victory could tip the Senate’s balance of power in favor of the Democrats. The Democrats think so...

I was deeply saddened by Toomey's heartbreakingly close loss to Arlen "Yay Abortion!" Specter. If you still want to send a message to Specter and the RINOs, consider voting for Jim Clymer, the Constitution Party candidate, who is 100% pro-life, pro-gun, and anti-tax. He needs help getting on the ballot, though-26,000 signatures before early August. If you would like to help him, please email me at epeemon@hotmail.com or visit his website and sign up. Don't worry about throwing the election to Hoeffel-the latest polling I've seen has Specter up by 20 points because he's convinced so many Democrats he's one...

* Specter leads by 25 points today, 58% to 33%. Hoeffel holds just 54% of Democrat base; 37% of Dems cross-over & vote Spector. By Contrast, Spectors keeps 83% of GOP base. * Independents & Moderates break 5:4 for Spector. Specter leads in SE PA by 13 points.

The temporary truce between President Bush and Senate Democrats over judicial nominees does not mean J. Leon Holmes, attacked because of his religious beliefs, will be confirmed as a federal district judge in Arkansas. When Bush agreed not to make any more judicial nominations this year while the Senate is not in session, Senate Democrats agreed to up-and-down votes on 25 judges. That includes Little Rock lawyer Holmes, whose nomination was sent without recommendation to the Senate floor by the Judiciary Committee a year ago. Holmes is under fire from feminists and may not get a simple majority. Holmes is...

This afternoon, in a conference call, Congressman Toomey was named Vice Chairman of the Bush Campaign in Pennsylvania. Toomey reiterated what he had said on the campaign trail: The Bush/Kerry contest is the single most importance race facing us. Toomey enthusiastically called for his supporters to assist the Bush campaign, stating that a Bush victory in PA will sink any hope Kerry has for winning the Whitehouse. Toomey also said that he had the best grassroots team in PA, if not the country, taking a candidate no one thought had any chance within one point of victory. As for the...