Free Republic

In a nod to tea party power, Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos reversed course on a majority of state senators and his own voting record Friday by saying he supports Gov. Rick Scott's decision to refuse $2.4 billion in federal high-speed rail money. "Florida is leading by example in keeping its fiscal house in order. We must demand the same from Washington," Haridopolos, who voted for high-speed rail in December 2009, said in a letter. [snip] Haridopolos' new stance was widely interpreted in the state Capitol as an election-season play for votes in his bid for U.S. Senate — a...

So excited my picture made the front page of the New Paltz Times, I barely noticed the article to go with the photograph, written by Mike Townshend. Thanks to Pam O’Dell of GardinersRight I addressed a tea party crowd on Tax Day last week and the New Paltz Times (or maybe I should say “Slimes”) covering the story, placed me left center with a nice caption: “Raquel Okyay of Wallkill speaks passionately of her position on health care reform at last week’s tax day Tea Party in Gardiner”. When I would later read the article completely, I realized that the...

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- A Tennessee State University student died Saturday when another driver broadsided her vehicle on Old Hickory Boulevard. Metro police said 24-year-old Victor Benitez was drunk as he ran a red light at the intersection of Old Hickory Boulevard and Nolensville Road, killing 22-year-old Joycelyn Gardiner. "Just a tremendous young lady, from all accounts, who had all types of potential," said Don Aaron, Metro police spokesman. "According to the witnesses who attempted to render aid to both victims, Benitez smelled strongly of alcohol and was very combative," Aaron said. Investigators said Benitez was drunk and he didn't touch the...

The man responsible for the death of Tennessee State University senior is an illegal immigrant, police said Tuesday. Joycelyn Gardiner, 22, died Saturday morning when a car, driven by a drunk driver, plowed into her car. The driver, 24-year-old Victor Benitez, is an undocumented immigrant who has been in trouble with the law before. On Tuesday, News 2 spoke exclusively with his roommate, Margarito Lopez, who said he knew something was wrong when he got a call from Benitez Saturday night. "He told me that he got himself into some trouble,” Lopez said. “He told me he got into a...

Not Bush. And That Might Be a Problem While it is almost certainly more crucial to America's future than, say, immigration, the question of what will happen between the United States and Iran in the next year or so is of surprisingly little public concern. Pollwatcher Stu Rothenberg tells me it's a complete nonissue in this year's midterm congressional elections. As for 2008's presidential race, well, what might be seen as the bellicosity of the Bush administration's Vulcans is drowned out by the mighty bellowing against Iran of prospective Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Sadly but not surprisingly, the American people,...

Just as former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's story that Bushies blew his CIA wife's cover to get back at his criticism of the war in Iraq was getting old, he has stumbled on new ammo to hit the administration's credibility. Wilson tells us he plans to circulate the text of a briefing by analyst Sam Gardiner that suggests the White House and Pentagon made up or distorted over 50 war stories. You know some tall tales, like the Pvt. Jessica Lynch story. But there's more, says Gardiner, a war gamer who has taught at the National War College. Like how defense...