Free Republic

The latest running debate between Al Gore and Sarah Palin reveals once more the absurdity behind today's Republican Party, which looms increasingly as a far right pressure group rather than a viable political entity. The Republicans indicated the direction where they were heading when Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele dared to speak of right wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh as an "entertainer," which was construed to mean that he was undermining his stature as a serious political analyst. A furious Limbaugh demanded an apology. The blustery talk show host had declared himself to be the titular head of...

South Florida attorney Scott Rothstein may have ran a $1.2 billion ponzi scheme and is, in general terms, a giant @$$hat with the gaudiest taste known to man, but if he had it his way no one in the lower 48 would have ever heard of a certain pitbull in lipstick. Bob Norman up at New Times Broward-Palm Beach is reporting that Rothstein funded the fledgling efforts to put Gov. Charlie Crist in the McCain campaign's VP slot. The Ponzi schemer was the fourth ranked fundraiser for the GOP candidate in the entire nation, and used that influence (he apparently...

The Philadelphia Inquirer in today's front page story managed to put a D after Stephen Stetler's name when reporting his resignation as Pennsylvania's revenue secretary shortly before Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that he was one of three officials being charged with six counts of conflict of interest, theft, and conspiracy. Granted the Inky didn't spell out the D as Democrat, nor did they put the word in the headline as they would have perhaps if another party had been involved,

KYW1060.com, yesterday, reported that state lawmakers were mulling mandatory sex education in public schools. While the story didn't mention a bill number, HB 1163 was the only one found in search for "sex education" at the website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Granted we might think our elected our experts on the matter of sex due to their amazing skill at finding imaginative ways of, well, giving it to us taxpayers, but one is puzzled at why they think it best to place a new mandate on public schools. Oh yeah, I forgot, silly me. They are good at finding...

John E. Peterson, who represented Pennsylvania's 5th District in Congress from 1997 until his retirement in 2009, is saying dump the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. (snip) This morning, btw, five Republican state representatives filed a bill abolish the Turnpike Commission. HB 2134 would transfer the transfer its assets and functions to PennDOT. And did you know that the Turnpike was designed so that the straightaways could be negotiated at 102 mph and the curves at 90?

The Pennsylvania House, today, voted to create a searchable online database regarding state spending. The vote to pass HB 1880 to establish the operation of the Pennsylvania Government Accountability Portal, or "PennGAP, was unanimous. Gov. X-Man Rendell is reportedly against the bill citing cost.

Texas gubernatorial candidate and San Antonio native Mayor Bill White made his first campaign visit in the Countdown City this week. White blasted Perry on a handful of issues including education. White states he's eager to work towards improving the education system in Texas with specific programs geared towards helping "Hispanics and other minorities." Additionally, White has a brilliant scheme for decreasing the drop out rate: "...Letting people know that by leaving school early they will cut their earning ability in half." With ideas as revolutionary as this one, White should have world hunger and world peace solved BEFORE he...

Governor Rick Perry is turning up the heat on Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's record as one of Washington's biggest spending Republicans. Fiscal and economic issues is, after all, Rick Perry's strong suit heading into this primary election, which should prove to be a tough and bloody one. I'm supporting Rick Perry, but will obviously vote for Kay Baby in the general election should she win the primary. The following ads sure do hurt, though. Don't they, Kay? *-*Video @ site*-* Frankly, Kay Bailey Hutchison has really picked a bad time to challenge Rick Perry for governor. While she isn't getting...

Republican Glenn Richardson has been dogged by talks of an alleged affair with a lobbyist and has admitted to struggling with depression. He leaves office Jan. 1. BY RICHARD FAUSSET Atlanta - Embroiled in a strange and unsavory drama involving a suicide attempt and allegations of an affair with a lobbyist, Georgia's powerful House Speaker Glenn Richardson, a Republican, said Thursday that he would resign. The announcement by Richardson -- a hard-charging, family-values conservative -- came amid Republicans' mounting calls for his ouster and fears that a lingering sex and ethics scandal could harm the Georgia GOP in next year's...

In a hypothetical three-way contest, the latest Rasmussen national telephone survey found Democrats would attract 36 percent of the vote. A Tea Party candidate, if there were one, would attract 23 percent of the voters, while just 18 percent would be inclined to vote for a Republican candidate. However, 22 percent of the voters are undecided. In the survey of 1,000 likely voters, respondents were asked to assume that the Tea Party movement organized as a new political party. The survey was conducted Dec. 4-5. However, in a standard two-way race, Republicans hold a modest lead over Democrats. “It appears...

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's choice of Sen. Abel Maldonado for lieutenant governor was essentially a political challenge to his fellow Republicans: Expand the party, or continue to wither on the vine of ideological purity. Maldonado's confirmation is largely in the hands of legislative Democrats, who must decide by mid-February if they will accept his nomination. The Santa Maria Republican's long-term prospects, however, could be decided by GOP activists who have held him in disdain since he voted earlier this year for a tax hike — but may need him if they are to win in a statewide race. "He...

Sarah Palin, everyone's favorite Christian conservative hockey mom turned ex-Governor of Alaska, is headed to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for a book signing event in Plano. This is the only book signing scheduled for North Texas to promote Sarah's new book "Going Rogue - An American Life." And which lucky store gets the honor? Legacy Books, a massive three-level 24,000 sq. foot independently owned bookstore located at 7300 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX 75024. Legacy Book's website states: "Tickets to Sarah Palin's GOING ROGUE book signing at Legacy Books sold out completely in November in just two days ... Access to...

Doylestown Township lawyer and Air Force veteran, whose political interest was steeped in Bucks County's Tea Party movement, Tuesday announced he will seek the Republican nomination for Congress for PA's 8th District. At the Elkins Gallery in the Mercer Museum, Rob Mitchell told family and supporters that if elected he would bring common sense to Congress and support allowing business to solve national problems. "I am running for congress because I trust the wisdom of the American people more than I trust the judgment of the Washington elites," he said, a theme repeated several times during his 15 minute speech....

Supporters collecting signatures in an effort to recall Republican Sen. Bob Huff fell short today... by about 65,535 names. Recall proponents had until Nov. 16 to turn in the 65,535 valid voter signatures from the 29th Senate District needed to spark a recall election. But, according to counts confirmed today by election officials in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, they turned in zero signatures

Thanksgiving produced many conversation, one surrounding the riches of eMeg, and if she is buying the governor's race for the GOP. There seems to be a new mantra that says, “Republicans are making a mistake in supporting wealthy candidates like Meg Whitman in the gubernatorial primary race; she is just too wealthy to be supported as a candidate.” After reading the bottom-line in the LA Times Wednesday, it seems that GOP voters are beside themselves. How can we vote for a woman who has, and spends, so much of her own money? More at the link...

The Placer County Republican Central Committee is making waves with accusations that some GOP officeholders in the party stronghold are not a deep enough shade of red. Committee members have indicated they will target fellow Republicans they view as not conservative enough and in some cases will back rival candidates in primaries and even in nonpartisan races. "You get a Republican candidate and if they are not Republican enough, they go after them," said Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes. The latest flap has been roiling since August when five registered Republicans on Rocklin's City Council supported an extension of a...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpRZnnrjrs An empty suit? A Republican who hopes to prevent Democrat Evan Bayh from winning his third U.S. Senate term in 2010 is running his first commercial. The ad features Marlin Stutzman, a state senator from Howe, standing next to a suit on a hanger. "I don't approve of sending empty suits to Washington," he says, an implication that the moderate Bayh shifts with political winds. Stutzman is emerging as the front-runner among three Republicans who have entered the race. The empty suit commercial is running only on cable channels right now. Political observers think that to seriously challenge Bayh,...

With food and gasoline prices generally lower than 2008, are you planning a bigger Thanksgiving? Yes, more family members will be attending this year. Yes, We are traveling this year. No, our Thanksgiving will be the same as most years. No, we are still cutting back because of the economy. We are volunteering this year to help others. We don't really celebrate Thanksgiving. No Opinion

An anti-tax recall movement against Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia, has failed to gather enough valid signatures to go to the ballot, the California secretary of state's office announced Friday. "I'm elated. I'm euphoric," Adams said Friday. "People generally don't like recalls," he said. "I'm up for re-election in June, in the primary. Voters will have their say then." The recall effort was launched after Adams provided one of three GOP votes needed in the Assembly to pass temporary income tax increases last February. Tim Whitacre, who is active in Orange County GOP circles and managed the recall campaign, could not...

The Commonwealth Foundation's Nathan Benefield points out that Pennsylvania legislators, judges and executive branch people get an automatic cost-of-living adjustment in their pay using the consumer price index (CPI) for Philadelphia as the measure for inflation. Will fancy that, the CPI is down 0.15% this year. Does the pay of our solons and mandarins go down?

Today's Philadelphia Inquirer column by Michael Smerconish was a textbook conservative complaint about the cowardice of political correctness. It looks like someone wet his finger and put it in the air.

It looks like Attorney General Tom Corbett will have some competition in the GOP gubernatorial candidacy, according to PaWaterCooler.com State Rep. Samuel E. Rohrer (R-128) is expected to announce his candidacy, Nov. 17, at a town hall in West Lawn.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has announced that 10 Republicans connected to the Pennsylvania Legislature, including former Speaker of the House John Perzel, have been charged in scheme masterminded by Perzel to funnel $10 million in tax dollars to political campaigns.

In the strange world of politics, where up is down and down is up, Republicans tout as a victory David Harmer's 10-point loss to Democrat John Garamendi in Tuesday's special congressional race. With an 18-point party registration advantage, off-the-charts name identification and double the cash of his opponent, Republicans say Garamendi should have won with a far bigger margin. "Harmer winning 43 percent of the vote in an overwhelmingly Democratic district in the Bay Area does not speak well for the Democrats," California GOP Chairman Ron Nehring said the morning after Tuesday's election. Yes, this is largely spin. Harmer outperformed...

Lessons from Virginia for the GOP By Ed Gillespie Thursday, November 5, 2009 After losing Virginia's governorship for the first time in eight years, some Democrats are trying to console themselves that Virginia is at its core a "red" state. This ignores not only that they won back-to-back governorships but also that Democrats defeated a sitting senator in 2006, took control of the state Senate in 2007 and won an open Republican Senate seat and three House seats in 2008 while carrying Virginia's electoral college votes for the first time since 1964. Some in the White House are trying to...

Vice President Joe Biden and the woman who ran against him last year did some long-distance sparing today. Biden, at a rally for New York congressional Democratic contender Bill Owens, took a verbal shot at former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who's a supporter of Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in Tuesday's crazy special election for New York's 23rd district (where Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava has dropped out and endorsed the Democrat). Using energy as an issue with which to score some rhetorical points, Biden said that "the fact of the matter is, Sarah Palin thinks the answer to energy is...

Rush Limbaugh appeared on "Fox News Sunday" today, and said Sarah Palin is ready to be president. He also predicted a revolt against Democrats in 2010, and a loss for President Obama in 2012: (VIDEO AT LINK)

This is why Republicans lose elections: Crabill is trying to position herself as a conservative in the 99th House of Delegates district of Virginia, against a popular Democrat incumbant. But at the Northern Neck Republican website, the visitor is presented with Crabill at a Yacht & Country Club with elitist-looking old white women. At a formal tea party. Not the populist, conservative mass movement tea party rallies, but an elitist tea party of rich old white women.

Reminiscent of the authoritarian regime in George Orwell’s 1984, the Obama Administration introduced some “newspeak” terms into our political debate earlier this year. The “war on terror” became an “overseas contingency action” and “acts of terrorism” became “man caused disasters.” Seemingly innocuous changes in statements appeared to do no harm at the time. Now, however, when one looks at the execution of “overseas contingency actions,” the change in semantics reflects a change in urgency. We have seen Obama drag his feet in Afghanistan while our casualties mount. Rather than denounce “acts of terrorism,” we are striving to understand “entering a...

BOSTON (AP) ― The four Republicans who held the Statehouse Corner Office for 16 years have endorsed Charles Baker for governor next year. William Weld, Paul Cellucci, Jane Swift and Mitt Romney made the announcement Tuesday during a fundraiser for the Massachusetts Republican Party.

I am now very afraid of David Vitter. I am also very ashamed. I have publically wondered why the Democrats, the GOP, David Vitter and US Senate hopeful—Congressman Charlie Melancon had not given a statement concerning the very controversial and embarrassing Justice Bardwell incident. The Democrats and Melancon have since made comments denouncing the actions of the Louisiana Justice of the Peace. Today, for really the first time ever, I am serious beginning to question whether David Vitter is not a completely racially insensitive and not playing to the most ugly element of our state’s population for the purpose of...

One candidate in next year's gubernatorial race contributed thousands of dollars to Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and John Kerry. Another wrote $21,000 in checks to Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and the Democratic National Committee in 2000. A third was a registered Democrat in the early 1970s and has acknowledged supporting George McGovern as the party's presidential candidate in 1972. All three – Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner and Tom Campbell – are vying to become California's next governor, but not as Democrats. They constitute the entire GOP gubernatorial field, a fact that has some Republicans wondering where their candidates' loyalties...

Tonight, Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate for the November 3 special election in the 23rd congressional district, spoke to about 100 Republicans at the Lewis County GOP dinner at the Elks Lodge 1605. After a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, Scozzafava fended off criticism that she wasn't as conservative as third-party candidate Doug Hoffman and urged her supporters to vote for her in order to keep her Democratic opponent Bill Owens from serving as a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama's agenda in Washington. It was a fairly typical evening--until the speech ended and someone with...

California Republicans are seeing political gold in California's water problems, hoping to steal the issue from Democrats and win support from one of that party's key constituencies - Latinos. GOP leaders have put water atop their agenda for next year's statewide campaigns. They are expanding voter-registration efforts in the drought-stricken Central Valley, where unemployment is high and food banks are busy, and encouraging candidates to reach out to Latino voters hit hard by the recession. The strategy was distilled on a 5-foot-high banner at the Republican voter registration table in front of a Walmart store in Dinuba (Tulare County) in...

Dede Scozzafava, the GOP nominee in a key upcoming House special election, is running dangerously low on campaign cash, according to several GOP sources familiar with her spending and fundraising. While Scozzafava’s official fundraising numbers will not be known until next Thursday, the third-quarter Federal Election Commission reporting deadline, the GOP sources acknowledged to POLITICO that she’s unable to compete financially with her two opponents.She’s also being outspent in the sprawling district by Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, the third-party candidate who has peeled off conservative support from the moderate state assemblywoman. Scozzafava has drawn fire from the right over...

Our Presidents and the Congress swear to defend it. Men and women have died to preserve it. Groups as diametrically opposed as the ACLU and NRA defend the rights enumerated in it. So why do average Americans seem so indifferent toward the Constitution? Make no mistake that there are those without who wish to destroy our Constitution and those within who profit from its demise. The only thing left to impede their success is an apathetic American public. Americans should demand that Congress make a simple resolution and reaffirm their commitment to our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and particularly...

TN/OK: Polls Close In Special Elections The polls have closed in Tennessee. The first results are in for early voting and absentee and can be found here. The polls have also closed in Oklahoma. The first results are also in for early voting and absentee and can be found here.

A new conservative talk radio show, The Conservative Underground Radio Show, can be listened to at Electric Talk Radio at http://curadio.reaganites.org There will be a new show every Saturday night at 10 PM. It currently has about 4,000 listeners per week and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

And we thought McCain was bad.... Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, known through out the country for his no nonsense stance on illegal immigrants in his home county, has been reprimanded by the Obama Administration. Sheriff Arpaio (better know simply as Sheriff Joe) and his deputies were authorized by the federal government to detain, question and verify the status of suspected illegal immigrants in the area. After receiving a litany of complaints from liberals various individuals, the Obama Administration revoked his ability to make immigration arrests. Sheriff Joe responded by stating that he would continue to make arrests...

Minnesota Republicans were told Saturday that they are members of a brand-new party and that Rep. Marty Seifert is their early favorite to be the state's brand-new governor. Seifert, of Marshall, who came into the race as a front-runner and has one of the most active campaigns, won 37 percent of the first-choice votes in a non-binding straw poll. Rep. Tom Emmer of Delano came in second, former state auditor Pat Anderson third and Sen. David Hann of Eden Prairie a close fourth. The poll won't bind delegates in next year's endorsement fight, but it gave winners bragging rights and...

Hey Dave, got caught with your pants down? SHE who laughs last laughs best. Hey, you and Bob Barker can talk about your diffenent methods of staffing the staff.

After last weekend's California Republican Party convention, a spokeswoman for potential Senate candidate Carly Fiorina dissed the results of rival Chuck DeVore's self-commissioned straw poll, telling CNN's Peter Hamby: "Let me get this straight, you want me to comment on a Chuck DeVore straw poll that was conducted in the DeVore hospitality suite on Saturday night with a bunch of college Republicans and a lot of free beer flowing?" Beer and college students may go together like Republicans and no-tax pledges, but can candidates really capture conservative students' support with an abundance of ale? Not so easily, according to Michael...

Indian Wells, California Republicans begin the 2010 campaign season with something many considered unthinkable just a few months ago - hope that they can win a major statewide race. They realize the odds are still steep. Only 31 percent of California voters are registered Republicans and no Congressional or legislative district has a majority of GOP voters. And demographically, former state Republican leader and current political analyst Allan Hoffenblum said the GOP has become an "old white guy" party in a state that is rapidly diversifying.Yet coming out of their three-day state convention that ended today, party activists say they...

Main stream media, or state run media, which ever you prefer, all seem to be wondering who is the leader of this protest movement? Is it Rush, Hannity, Beck...possibly Newt Gingrich, or heaven forbid, Sarah Palin? They seem to be alluding to the fact that without a leader, one must question their legitimacy. Well, my question has always been, why do they need a leader when the message is loud and clear? I found a response for the pundits on the left, and guess what? It comes from the mouth of one of your own politicians. So the next time...

Indian Wells, CA -- Greetings from the California Republican Convention, where we've already made a tactical error: We forgot to eat before the speeches. Do you know what the sound of 900 Republicans chewing sounds like? For all intents and purposes, this weekend is the kickoff for the 2010 campaign season and all the major statewide candidates are here. (Save for US Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina, who is undergoing her final two weeks of radiation therapy to treat breast cancer.) The next 40 hours are all about kissing up to the hardcore activists here. But before the smooches were planted,...

The Republican polling firm Rasmussen Reports surveyed 500 "likely voters" in Iowa on September 22 and came up with bad numbers for Governor Chet Culver. Former Governor Terry Branstad leads Culver by 54 percent to 34 percent, and Bob Vander Plaats leads Culver by 43 percent to 39 percent. Culver's approval rating is 43 percent, with 53 percent of respondents disapproving of the job he is doing. Topline results and favorability ratings are here. Culver was viewed very or somewhat favorably by 43 percent of respondents and viewed very or somewhat unfavorably by 50 percent. Branstad's favorability was 64 percent,...

Ohio, a traditional bellwether state, will take center stage once again to gauge how the two major parties will fare in 2010, a year Republicans are hoping to make gains in statehouses and congressional seats across the country. Republicans are looking to defeat Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland with the help of former congressman and Fox News host John Kasich, and win an edge in congressional redistricting in the process. The Republicans are also playing defense in the state, however, hoping to hold onto the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. George Voinovich — a moderate Republican representing a state that...

I bought a bird feeder. I hung It on my back porch and filled It with seed. What a beauty of A bird feeder it was, as I filled it Lovingly with seed.. Within a Week we had hundreds of birds Taking advantage of the Continuous flow of free and Easily accessible food. But then the birds started Building nests in the boards Of the patio, above the table, And next to the barbecue. Then came the poop. It was Everywhere: on the patio tile, The chairs, the table .. Everywhere! Then some of the birds Turned mean. They would...

Mitt Romney has not announced whether or not he’ll make a second run for the White House, but his former aides are staying in campaign shape by managing key races across the nation that could benefit their old boss in future elections. In at least six crucial races around the country, veterans of the former Massachusetts governor’s presidential campaign are working to guide new candidates to victory. It may appear a simple case of political professionals moving to new clients, but Romney’s team has kept in close contact should a second presidential campaign come to fruition. That could pay off,...

Obama's recent AFLCIO speech was too good for conservative talk radio to pass up. As was his national address to public school students. You know that old saying.... If it seems to good to be true it is. It was all a big setup. Obama will use the negativity about his education speech to paint a fear mongering picture of anyone who opposes his Healthcare Plan. He set his position up, "purposefully"at the AFLCIO picnic yesterday by saying (loosely quoted) "The special interests are using fear to prevent reform from happening". He knew that nobody could pass up an opportunity...