Free Republic

In a rare visit to Capitol Hill, President Bush pressed Republican senators yesterday to resurrect the compromise overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, but many of the senators instead demanded that his administration first show a more determined commitment to border security. The visit was the first time in five years that Bush had come to the Capitol for the Republican senators' weekly policy luncheon. He and senior administration officials painted the meeting -- coming five days after the collapse on the Senate floor of the tenuous compromise on immigration -- as a rescue session. Bush made an impassioned plea...

Success in politics depends on the ability of a candidate or a party to forge and maintain coalitions. One of the most successful coalitions in modern political history has been the "Reagan Coalition", which brought together economic and social conservatives under the umbrella of the Republican Party. Preserving that coalition brought the Republicans great success, including occupancy of the White House and twelve years of control over the House of Representatives. The coalition that Reagan fashioned is fraying, however, and is on the verge of unraveling. The causes are many, but the coup de grace is likely to be the...

It’s still an open question whether the Senate immigration bill once hailed as a “grand bargain” returns to the Senate floor this week or fades forever from public and political consciousness. But before they try to resurrect this or any other immigration bill, President Bush and the senators who supported this failed effort would be well-advised to heed the opinion of the people who have elected them. A New York Times/CBS poll taken May 18-23 found that 69% of Americans believe that illegal immigrants should be prosecuted and deported; 82% of those surveyed said the federal government should be working...

Back in July 2003, President Bush, in response to a question about stepped up attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq, famously and defiantly declared, “Bring ‘em on!” Oh, how that tune has changed. Defense Secretary Robert Gates - using the old tactic of releasing controversial news just before the weekend in the hope of minimizing press coverage - announced Friday afternoon that “he will advise President Bush to replace Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (this fall), fearing that a contentious renomination hearing in the Senate would focus too heavily on six years...

What on earth are our congressional representatives thinking? On June 6 the Senate defeated an amendment designed to exclude felons from amnesty. Has a de facto coup d’état against the American people just occurred? FSM Contributing Editor Sher Zieve has an informed analysis. Proving once again that US Senators do not care a whit for the American voters who elected them (senators who also appear to be suffering from some terminal stupidity virus), this less than august body voted Wednesday to allow the proposed “Z-Visa” to also be disseminated to illegal immigrants who have been convicted of terrorist and criminal...

The negligence – even recklessness – in the discharge of their duties to the nation by the President and Congress in permitting illegal immigration to continue, and their support of legislation which would encourage illegal immigrants to stay in this country or prompt others to enter in defiance of our laws are disgraceful. Such strong language is warranted and more. I am in a better position than most to judge the impact of illegal immigration. My background is in international studies and international law, which I taught for years at a local university. I have provided briefings for the military...

An Iowa congressman says there's plenty of reason to celebrate now that the controversial "comprehensive immigration reform" bill in the Senate has been defeated. The measure would have given automatic legal status to millions of illegal aliens in the U.S.Supporters of the legislation could only pull together 45 votes on Friday to limit debate and speed the process of getting final passage. Sixty votes were needed on the procedural matter. Steve King (R-Iowa) was a harsh critic of the bill and was prepared to fight it in the House had it made out of the Senate Chamber. The Iowa lawmaker...

Well, all right, the beast is not definitively dead yet. Given the unswerving determination of our president — a quality I have admired, under different circumstances — we may see another effort at “comprehensive immigration reform” before the 110th Congress packs its bags in January ’09. Even if the president can’t be deterred, though, the congressfolk can. They’ve been getting an earful from their constituents. I don’t know what they’ve been hearing, but it can’t be too different from what all the radio and TV talk-show hosts say they have been hearing: “Enforce the law!” This past couple of weeks...

WASHINGTON — While the White House is blaming the Democratic leadership for the collapse of the immigration bill, Senator McCain is directing his ire at members of his own party. The Arizona senator, asked yesterday to explain the bill's failure last week, cited the work of "the more conservative, anti-immigrant, anti-legislation group" of lawmakers who defeated the proposal in Congress. "I think the Senate works in a way where relatively small numbers can block legislation, but I also think the more conservative, anti-immigrant, anti-legislation group were very well backed up by a very vocal group of people who were supporting...

On one level, there seems to be no stopping the powerful forces of globalization. Not only has the world just completed four years of the strongest global growth since the early 1970s, but in 2006, cross-border trade as a share of world GDP pierced the 30% threshold for the first time ever -- almost three times the portion prevailing during the last global boom over 30 years ago. What a great testament to the stunning successes of globalization! On another level, however, there are increasingly disquieting signs. That’s because of a striking asymmetry in the benefits of globalization. While living...

Law enforcement and intelligence experts are scratching their heads in disbelief upon discovering that the next House Intelligence Committee Chairman doesn't possess even a basic understanding of terrorism or terrorist groups. In fact, he's never heard of Hezbollah. Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), who was Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi's second choice to head the sensitive and vital committee, did not know what Hezbollah was and incorrectly described Al-Qaeda as being Shiite rather than Sunni. Rep. Reyes appeared disoriented when a reporter asked him basic questions about the Islamic groups that are the principal targets of America's intelligence agencies, including Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah...

A truck-driving student is in custody in Boston after raising suspicions when he wasn�t interested in learning how to back up his rig. WLVI-TV (Ch. 56) reported last night that the would-be trucker is a 28-year-old Muslim from India and had overstayed his visa. An investigation is under way to see whether there is any connection between his unusual behavior and a terrorism plot. Federal authorities were alerted by instructors at the Nationwide Tractor Trailer Driving School in Smithfield, R.I., WLVI reported. The student was described as a resident of New York, with driver�s licenses from New York, New Jersey...

GREELEY, Colo. — Federal agents raided six Swift & Co. processing plants in six states on Tuesday in search of illegal immigrants who stole the identities of lawful U.S. residents and used their Social Security numbers to get jobs at the beef and pork company. Agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency executed search warrants at Swift's processing facilities in Greeley, Colo.; Grand Island, Neb.; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn. ICE officials did not have an arrest total but said workers were being arrested on administrative immigration violations and in some cases, existing criminal arrest...

(IsraelNN.com) Hamas officials have confirmed a WorldNetDaily report that terrorist organization leaders recently met with senior Democratic party members after the recent sweep of both houses of Congress in last month's American elections. The independent Arab news agency Ma'an quoted Ahmed Yousef, an aide to prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Ismail Haniyeh as saying the meeting was held. However, a Democratic National Committee spokeswoman said she has no knowledge that the meeting took place. Details were withheld in order not to damage the image of the Democratic party, he added. Yousef said that Hamas leaders also spoke to...

Shell is being forced by the Russian government to hand over its controlling stake in the world's biggest liquefied gas project, provoking fresh fears about the Kremlin's willingness to use the country's growing strength in natural resources as a political weapon.

GOP Lost Hispanic Votes (True) GOP Lost White Votes (Media Does Not Talk About That) The Washington Post writes “Republicans Lost Ground With Latinos In Midterms” and that is a TRUE statement. The problem is that Republicans lost ground with all voters. The New York Times has a fascinating web/chart site that lets you compare vote percentages for 20 plus years. First, I would say that it is not fair to compare a 2006 mid term with 2004 Presidential results. If you compare 2006 with 2002, you will find that Hispanic GOP support declined by 8%. Here is the dirty...

BREAKING NEWS: Conservatives with Attitude! insiders are informing us that Congressman John Murtha will DROP OUT of the running for the number 2 spot in the House as Majority Leader. Even if he does stay in the race, he will fall short by a few votes. This will serve as a big blow to Nancy Pelosi. Michael

He challenges the largest superpower on earth, threatens a regional superpower with annihilation, and mocks international efforts to keep tabs on his nuclear program. Where does the unswerving confidence of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad come from? To whom did Ahmadinejad refer to when he told the United Nations in September: "I emphatically declare that today's world, more than ever before, longs for… the perfect righteous human being and real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet. Almighty God… make us among his followers and among those who strive...

There have been conferences, academic papers, mock student parliaments and secret meetings on a confederation of the U.S., Canada and Mexico into future North American Union, but, until now, few officials of any of the three countries have publicly called for the creation of a European Union-style merger. In a panel discussion on U.S.-Mexico relations last Tuesday at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Enrique Berruga, Mexico's ambassador to the United Nations, came right out and said a North American Union is needed – and even provided a deadline. Berruga said the merger must be complete in the next...

Another score for the Laura Ingraham Show. Why would Tom Tancredo be working with a guy who once suppported Ellis Island centers for illegals? Because with a “massive amnesty bill” coming from the White House, the time for intraparty squabbling is over. Ignoring all my cautions about optimism as well as the hard lessons learned on election night, Mary K thinks Pence has a shot at winning: It sounds like the race for Leader will certainly be uphill, but he said he’s been getting positive reaction from folks on the Hill. Will they do the right thing and elect a...