Free Republic

I should never have to tag a post with "Secession." Moving right along... Having grown up in Virginia, I'm well aware of the propensity of batsh*t lunacy: this is the state whose Republican Party nominated Ollie North for Senate. But Republican VA state delegate nominee Catherine T. Crabill has elevated the lunacy to a whole new level. To start with, she's an Oklahoma City bombing truther. But Crabill veers from the lunatic to the outright dangerous: Crabill... claimed the Obama administration is pursuing legislation that will turn it into "the thought police" and wants to put Americans in "the chains...

Concealed Handgun Permit Holders Kill 7 Police, 44 Private Citizens Over Two-Year Period 31 Incidents Result in Criminal Charges or Suicide of Concealed Handgun Permit Holder Washington, DC--Concealed handgun permit holders killed at least seven police officers and 44 private citizens in 31 incidents during the period May 2007 through April 2009 according to a new study (http://www.vpc.org/studies/ccw2009.pdf) released today by the Violence Policy Center (VPC). The release of the study comes as the U.S. Senate is expected to take up today--Monday, July 20--an amendment to the defense authorization bill (S. 1390) that would create a de facto national concealed...

Many first-time hopefuls for statewide office at least go through the formality of setting up an "exploratory" committee before officially announcing their candidacies. Not Republican Susana Martinez, the district attorney in New Mexico's Doña Ana County. She launched her campaign in her state's 2010 open-seat race for governor on Friday without going through an in-between stage. "I'm ready to get to work," she said Friday.

I am starting some ping lists for the 2010 Texas Governor's Race. The ping lists will expire when the election is over. Freepmail me to get on/off the lists. keyword: txgov2010 This ping list will cover all articles related to the governor's race regardless of candidate. keyword: rickperry This list will cover articles related to Governor Rick Perry, positive or negative. keyword: kbh This list will cover articles related to Senator Hutchison, positive or negative. I'll do my best not to send duplicate pings. Regards, BuckeyeTexan

TO: Interested Parties FROM: Ed Gillespie and Whit Ayres DATE: July 15, 2009 RE: Political Shift Among Independent Voters In 2000, 2002, and 2004, Republicans won national elections in large part because Independents looked more like Republicans than Democrats on the major issues of the day. In 2006 and 2008, Independents looked more like Democrats than Republicans, and consequently voted for Democratic candidates by substantial margins Since April 2009, Resurgent Republic polling has shown Independents once again looking more like Republicans than Democrats on fiscal issues, interrogation of detainees, and health care reform. The longer debates continue on these issues,...

California Republicans, known to engage in intraparty warfare, got an unexpected boost from the state's fiscal crunch as party leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger united against Democratic appeals for less-traumatic budget cuts. But GOP unity in Sacramento doesn't extend statewide, where activists and insiders are eyeing next year's election and fiercely debating the future, the message and potential leaders of the party in California, the nation's most-populous state. The dissidence in party ranks was on full display at a Commonwealth Club of California event Friday to explore the party's prospects. State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), who...

President Obama has crossed the red line in his dropping approval rating. The percentage of Americans who strongly or somewhat approve of how he is doing his job has fallen to 51 percent in the latest Rasmussen polling — the lowest ever. Because Obama got 52 percent of the vote in the presidential race, defeating McCain by 52-47, the fact that his approval has dropped below his vote share indicates that he is actually shedding real support for the first time. Until this drop, all Obama was doing was losing McCain voters. Now he is losing his own. It didn’t...

State Sen. George Runner is stepping down as chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, the Flash Report reported today. The 57-year-old Lancaster lawmaker told his 14 GOP colleagues that he will leave the post at the end of this month, according to the blog, written by state GOP official Jon Fleischman. Runner said that resigning the chairmanship will allow the post to be held by someone who is not seeking higher office and, at the same time, trying to qualify and pass a statewide ballot measure.

Gun rights enthusiasts, including rock 'n roller turned avid hunter Ted Nugent, are expected to call in to a talk radio show in Fairbanks, where Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has scheduled an appearance. --snip-- Palin spokesman Dave Murrow says while the governor is in Fairbanks, she will sign several pieces of legislation supporting citizens' rights to carry and bear arms. Murrow says the governor has been a consistent supporter of Second Amendment rights and the bills reflect that.

Hilarious takeoff of Dowd's "secret palin diary" column that came out on the NYT yesterday.

Gov. Rick Perry says Sarah Palin is committed to campaigning for his re-election bid and he welcomes the support of the soon-to-be former Alaska governor...

SARAH PALIN, UNBOUND by Laurie Morrow and Ed Morrow Striving mightily to stay at the head of the torch- and pitchfork-bearing mob pursuing the Monster Palin, Maureen Dowd, in her latest column, has added a new charge to the standard assaults on the Alaska Governor. On top of being too folksy, too pretty, too dull-witted, and too conservative, Palin is crazy. Miss Dowd knows this is true because she read it in Vanity Fair. Using a fashion magazine notorious for its anti-Republican bent as her medical authority, Dowd cattily describes Palin as “one nutty puppy.” She diagnoses the Governor as...

Sarah Palin's decision to resign as governor of Alaska was greeted with doubts, criticism and downright derision -- not just from Democrats or the media or bloggers, but from Republicans. Critical responses to her decision came from many Republican insiders -- not just people who have an axe to grind such as Mike Huckabee and Lisa Murkowski, but others such as Karl Rove. That followed criticism of Palin just before her announcement from Charles Krauthammer and Jonah Goldberg. When talking off the record, Republican insiders are even harsher toward Palin, as Marc Ambinder notes: With a few exceptions, almost every...

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made her own declaration of independence yesterday by announcing that she's resigning as governor of Alaska. It was another gutsy and smart move on her part that has confounded the experts and has many writing her political obituary. I believe it's just wishful thinking on their part and these folks have no clue what just hit them. Since Sen. John McCain chose her to run as his vice-president she, her family, and her staff have been through the wringer as opponents have turned over every rock in hopes of taking her down. Every time she sneezed...

Harlan Muth isn’t organizing Sarah Palin’s presidential campaign, but pledges as soon as someone does, “I’ll be with ’em. In the meantime, the Marion maintenance contractor is turning heads with his “Sarah Palin 2012” poster prominently displayed on his van. “It’s getting a fantastic response,” Muth, 63, said. “So many people give me the thumbs up or honk when they see it. Some people get out of their cars and ask me where they can get a poster.” Muth, who spent 23 years in the Air Force before settling down in Marion, couldn’t find a Palin 2012 sign, so he...

Any politician willing to treat their job as a temporary one is a politician worth looking at. Like most everyone else, I sat back and scratched my head in consternation at the announcement that Sarah Palin was resigning as governor of Alaska. Its either a bold or stupid move, I thought. I placed it on the slow cook burner in my brain and let it soak in. At first glance, you say “Well thats a mistake! She shot herself in the foot!” Then I asked myself “What happens when you decide you dont want to run for re election?” Are...

Dear Friends, I write to apologize and ask for your forgiveness. Well beyond the personal consequences within my own family, I know that at so many different levels my actions have upset, offended and disappointed friends and supporters and for this I am most sorry. As I mentioned in last week's press conference, I've always believed God's laws were there to protect us from ourselves, and what has transpired over this last week vividly illustrates the damage that comes personally, and to those you love and respect, in doing otherwise. So in the aftermath of this failure I want to...

Remember Jimmy Swaggart? He was the TV preacher who wept before America after a tryst with a prostitute. "I have sinned against you, my Lord,” choked Swaggart through tears. “I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgiveness." The fall of televangelism in many ways foreshadowed the decline of the so-called moral majority. The Right is now reaping what it sowed. By making social conservatism central to its platform, it left no room in the GOP for sinners. Now we have the Sanford affair. Many on the...

The fundraiser set to be hosted Wednesday by elected officials and business leaders at the posh Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables sounds like countless other receptions benefiting Florida's political establishment. But the invitation topped with bold-faced names is for Marco Rubio, the upstart candidate for the U.S. Senate daring to challenge the popular Gov. Charlie Crist for the GOP nomination. Rubio has been mostly raising money over the Internet. Crist has been attending swanky events almost nightly this month. Their lopsided fundraising battle and poll ratings suggest Rubio's campaign will not end well, but the former Miami lawmaker posted a...

There's a new leader at the top of the Minnesota Republican Party. State Republicans chose Tony Sutton, a Twin Cities businessman and active GOP party member as its leader at a gathering in Brooklyn Center Saturday. Sutton replaces Ron Carey, who is stepping down from the post. Sutton served on numerous campaigns and Republican committees on both state and national levels. He most recently served as secretary-treasurer of the Minnesota Republican Party. He is also the CEO of Minnesota-based Baja Sol Restaurant Group. Radio talk show host Dave Thompson and former state Sen. Carrie Ruud also sought the post. The...

There has been much chatter about who now speaks for the Republican Party and whether the GOP has a message or agenda to combat President Obama's popularity. Those questions are important to the party's future, but the most serious problem remains the deeper demographic and political forces at work in the country. For the past few months, political analysts and demographers have been poring over the results of the 2008 election and comparing them with presidential results from the last two decades. From whatever angle of their approach -- age, race, economic status, geography -- they have come to a...

The ultra-conservative wing of the GOP wants to make Florida’s Republican Senate primary a test case of its power. The race pits Gov. Charlie Crist, a moderate who had the audacity to endorse President Obama’s stimulus plan, against hard-core conservative Marco Rubio, a former speaker of the state House. Crist also just signed a new state budget raising the cigarette tax and various fees by $2 billion, an act that further fueled conservative anger. Even worse, the moderate governor has drawn strong support from current Republican senators. He has been endorsed by Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate,...

This is what we need to be talking about. Conservative Values and Standing for Something instead of Standing for Everything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rigML-twftY

This is a video from The Daly Buzz that attempts to shed light on Crist's sexual preference. What are your thoughts?

On the surface, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist appears to be the rising star in the Sunshine State. Mr. Crist won a landslide election, maintains high approval ratings and was considered as a potential vice presidential choice by Republican nominee John McCain. In addition, he was even ranked the most "fiscally conservative governor in the country" by the Cato Institute - beating out even South Carolina's budget hawk Gov. Mark Sanford. Many Florida conservatives, however, have a very different hero - Marco Rubio.

Dear Secretary Duncan, By order of the South Carolina Supreme Court, I am submitting the attached application for South Carolina's portion of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. In doing so, however, I'd offer a few observations. First, it's important to state one last time for the record what a monumentally terrible idea I believe the entire so-called stimulus act is, and why in particular utilizing this money as our General Assembly has done is ultimately going to cause more harm than good.

Democrats have remained coy on the idea of new taxes, but Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel last week that it is "not reasonable" for any legislator to rule out taxes . . .

South Carolina — An openly lesbian politician who came close to unseating incumbent South Carolina Representative Henry Brown in November has outed three Republican lawmakers. Linda Ketner's narrow loss to Brown heartened South Carolina gay politicos who never expected such a tight race. A longtime businesswoman and community activist, Kerner's clear leadership attracted strong support from a community mostly cool to gay rights. In 2006, a large majority (78%) of South Carolina voters approved a gay marriage ban in their state constitution. Speaking to Howie Klein at Fire Dog Lake, a progressive political blog, Ketner outed three prominent South Carolina...

You have to see this picture. Don't have time to embed it, but click the link. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2loqh_dRGgc/Sij2FsVwsQI/AAAAAAAAAAw/Ea9jywq_dXI/s1600-h/rhinocrist.jpg

Assemblyman Roger Niello, who cast a key vote to pass a state budget that raised taxes this year, has been replaced as the GOP's point man on the Assembly Budget Committee. The Fair Oaks Republican will hand his committee post to Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, who is a freshman in the lower house but served a dozen years in the Senate, leaving in 1990. The switch was made by the Assembly's new Republican leader, Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo, who has stressed that taxes cannot be raised again in tackling a $24.3 billion shortfall. "There is no doubt that...

It has been over a month since Marco Rubio announced his candidacy for US Senate in Florida http://www.marcorubio.com Still nothing about him mentioned on the RPOF website, but the RHINO Crist is plastered all over the site & now McCollum is featured. When is the RPOF going to show that they are neutral? I still don't see any actions that lend validity to Jim Greer's words. Contact the RPOF and let them know how you feel about their Bias attempt to push a RHINO into the Senate Seat. 420 E. Jefferson Street PO Box 311 Tallahassee, FL 32301 Phone: 850.222.7920...

Let me confess: I really like New Jersey. No joke. My earliest memories are living on Alpha Avenue in Old Bridge, New Jersey. When I was eight, in the summer of ’68, my family moved. Today I live in Virginia, but just last year I detoured while driving to New York City and darted over to see the old Old Bridge neighborhood. It was nice. I enjoyed the scenery. And, thankfully, I didn’t have to pay their highest-in-the-nation taxes. Or contemplate their latest corruption scandal. I’ve been thinking about New Jersey because, like Virginia, the state holds its governor’s race...

The state GOP may be officially neutral in the Republican U.S. senate primary, but as an e-mailer points out to Buzz, you would be hard-pressed to know that Charlie Crist even faces a challenger if you went to the RPOF site. It contains plenty of news about Crist's campaign and endorsements but nada that we can see about Marco Rubio. http://www.rpof.org/index.php

Steele Reinforces "Inside the Beltway" Image of GOP CHQ Blog - The last thing the GOP needs in its mission to restore its public image is the stereotype of being immersed in the elitist, "Inside the Beltway" culture of Washington, D.C. However, recent comments by RNC Chairman Michael Steele are reinforcing this negative image that could undermine any progress the GOP has made in reaching out to voters after its stint in the political wilderness. It's no secret the Republican Party is struggling to rebuild an image destroyed by years of Big Government, big spending, and corruption. However, comments made...

NASHVILLE — Over the weekend, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele ventured into Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams’ backyard in upper East Tennessee and pledged to oust Williams next year. The Kingsport Times-News quoted Steele as saying: “I got a bull’s eye right on his back and we’re taking him out.” Williams is the second-term legislator and Elizabethton restaurateur who stunned fellow Tennessee Republicans when he joined the House’s 49 Democrats in voting for himself for speaker Jan. 13 to defeat his own Republican Caucus’ nominee. For that, the Tennessee Republican Party declared he was no longer a member of the...

Unbelievable. On Thursday, 25 House Republicans joined Democrats in passing HB255. The vote was 86 to 30, with one Democrat voting “Present.” HB255 is a three-pronged attack on the Republican Party Platform. First, it massively expands gambling in the state by legalizing video poker. It also allows lottery wagering over the Internet. Second, it raises the fee for a driver’s license. And third, it imposes sales taxes for the first time on previously exempt grocery items like candy, non-carbonated beverages, and health and beauty aids. Taxes on wine, beer and other alcohol are also increased. Here are the names of...

Just hours before budget negotiations begin at the Capitol, Republican state senators declined to specify today what big-ticket costs they favor chopping to solve a massive $21.3 billion deficit. Instead, gathered at a press conference outside the Capitol, the senators said the collapse of all but one ballot proposition Tuesday was a green light for long-range plans to cut public spending in the future. They unveiled a series of reform ideas to change school spending and hold state bureaucracies accountable for performance by imposing "term limits" on them or requiring them to "prove their worth" to be funded. "Solving the...

President Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, said that Governor Huntsman makes him a "wee bit queasy.” He is referring to Huntsman supposedly being a legitimate challenger to President Obama in 2012/2016. After Plouffe’s comment Huntsman got a lot of media play, which has intensified with him being picked as the new ambassador to China. The Democrats know exactly what they are doing placing a moderate-squishy Republican in the limelight. I guess the Dems apparent fear is supposed to make us start screaming to have Huntsman as the Republican nominee in 2012. They media think the message from his ambassadorship is...

State Rep. Nikki Haley is adding her name to the list of Republicans hoping to become governor of South Carolina in 2010. Haley, a staunch anti-tax advocate, confirmed Thursday that she will mount a run for the seat currently held by Republican Mark Sanford, who is prevented by term limits from running for a third term. “For more than five years I’ve sat in the statehouse and watched - sometimes in disbelief - as our state government has spent with abandon and in the process wasted taxpayer dollar after taxpayer dollar,” Haley said in a release. “I know what good...

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which normally doesn’t endorse candidates in Republican primaries, this week announced it is supporting Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, whom we call the “Arnold Schwarzenegger of the Southeast.” As governor, Crist vetoed budget cuts, and welcomed Barack Obama to Florida. He was a strong advocate for the $787 billion federal Stimulus Spending Bill earlier this year. Who’s running against Crist, and whom did the NRSC dis? Marco Rubio, the young conservative success story, whose Wikipedia bio says, “championed a major overhaul of the Florida tax system. He wanted to reduce property taxes and decrease the size...

Well here we go again. There are very few actual leaders in Illinois Republican politics to begin with. But whenever we do see one – there’s some school yard bully ready to personally attack that person. A couple of weeks ago a sewer blogging little punk named Tom Swiss made a complete fool of himself for about the 150th time by trying to smear Jack Roeser. [By the way, just earlier today – Jack was awarded the de Fleury Medal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in honor of his significant contributions to Army Engineering. So be sure to...

Live Free or Die - by Mark Steyn MARK STEYN'S column appears in several newspapers, including the Washington Times, Philadelphia's Evening Bulletin, and the Orange County Register. In addition, he writes for The New Criterion, Maclean's in Canada, the Jerusalem Post, The Australian, and Hawke's Bay Today in New Zealand. The author of National Review's Happy Warrior column, he also blogs on National Review Online. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling America Alone: The End of The World as We Know It. Mr. Steyn teaches a two-week course in journalism at Hillsdale College during each spring...

Here goes: This presidential candidate talks pro-life, but has a mixed record on abortion, including passing legislation as governor removing restrictions on abortion. In addition, the person he wants as VP is outspoken in his support of pro-choice, warning against candidates who would throw women back into back alley clinics. He talks about Christian faith, but also openly admits he very rarely goes to church. He has been a supporter of 2nd amendment rights, but also openly endorsed the Brady Bill. He wants to balance the budget partly by tax cuts, but mostly by cutting spending back to around 19%...

I thought you might like to read my article on the future direction of the Republican Party, which appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, May 10. In the article, I wrote: Two major debates face conservative Republicans about the future of the party. The first, rekindled by Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch, is whether the GOP should move further leftward. The second is whether conservatives should tone down their advocacy on social issues. History is on the side of outspoken conservatives in both debates. . . Republicans can try smoke and mirrors, but they really need new leaders...

Just before state Sen. Roy Ashburn cast the vote that would subject him to a recall drive and cloud his political future, he recalled his hero, Ronald Reagan. He told of Reagan's painful decisions as California governor to twice abandon a no-taxes pledge. Then the Bakersfield Republican, who had promised never to raise taxes, voted for a state budget deal that included $12.8 billion in new taxes. "Ronald Reagan would vote 'yes,' " he argued. But invoking the GOP icon hasn't spared Ashburn and the "Republican Six" from the wrath of constituents. As California voters go to the polls May...

College students around the country are starting to get organized. Speakers Phyllis Schafly, Representative Aaron Schock, Representative Aaron Schock and Keynote Speaker Tim Pawlenty are amount the guest.

When Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee speaks, everyone listens -- that was the message sent last year in one playful verbal volley. During contentious floor debate, Republicans complained that their policy views routinely are ignored. One Democrat, disputing the complaint, noted that a hush comes over the floor whenever Blakeslee talks. For the next few days, as a joke, legislators would demand silence throughout the Assembly chambers -- loudly murmuring "shhh!" -- whenever Blakeslee grabbed a microphone. The lighthearted wordplay was a symbol, perhaps, of the respect that the San Luis Obispo Republican has within both parties. A lame-duck lawmaker termed out...

Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee was elected Thursday as Assembly Republican leader, effective June 1. "Our team is looking forward to working with everyone in the Legislature to find responsible solutions that balance California's budget and returns prosperity to our communties," the San Luis Obispo Republican said in a written statement. Blakeslee vowed to fight for high-performing schools, safe streets, a healthy business climate, and for reform and streamlining of state government. Blakeslee will replace Assemblyman Mike Villines, R-Clovis, who held a news conference earlier Thursday morning to announce that he will step down at the end of this month. Villines, attacked...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Party interests blurred and twisted at the state Capitol Wednesday as Democrats, led by a former Republican, teamed up with disgruntled GOP members to change the way they choose their leaders. Top Republicans oppose the change, even threatening to sue over it. What's at stake is whether rank-and-file Republicans will get to vote on who serves on the party's central committee, the governing board for the party in Illinois. Right now, Republican leaders in wards, townships and precincts across the state choose the central committee. Some Republican activists say that system produces a central committee that's out...