Free Republic

CONFIRMED STATEWIDE & FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS & CANDIDATES: GOVERNOR SONNY PERDUE Ralph Reed - Candidate, Lt. Governor Karen Handel - Candidate, Sec. of State Eric Martin - Candidate, Sec. of State Bill Stephens - Candidate, Sec. of State Perry McGuire - Candidate, Attorney General Kathy Cox - Candidate, State School Superintendent John Oxendine - Candidate, Insurance Commissioner Brent Brown - Candidate, Labor Commissioner Gary Black - Candidate, Agriculture Commissioner Bob Greer - Candidate, Agriculture Commissioner Brian Kemp - Candidate, Agriculture Commissioner Deanna Strickland - Candidate, Agriculture Commissioner Chuck Eaton - Candidate, Public Service Commissioner Catherine Davis - Candidate, Congress District...

Last Tuesday (September 27th) the voters of Georgia House District 106 elected Melvin Everson in a Special Election Runoff. The results were extremely close with a final margin of only 27 votes (final results here). In the interest of full disclosure I must tell you that I was the campaign manager for the Everson campaign and am obviously pleased with the result. Now that the campaign is over I would like to make some comments and do my best not to appear self-congratulatory. I agreed to manage the Everson campaign because I consider Melvin a friend and I know first...

Q&A WITH MELVIN EVERSON 'Everything that I do will be monitored' > Published on: 10/02/05 Melvin Everson made history Tuesday by becoming the first black Georgia Republican since Reconstruction to win a legislative seat in a contested election. AJC Gwinnett News reporter Ben Smith interviewed the former Snellville city councilman at his home Thursday. Rep.-elect Everson discussed his historic victory, the possibility for more African-Americans in the GOPand his plans for the upcoming 2006 General Assembly in January. Q: During the election, you consistently avoided discussing the historic nature of your campaign. Now that you've won, have you had a...

NUMBER ONE ---- AGAIN! The word came in yesterday afternoon. The FairTax Book will remain No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller's List for the second week in a row. Our editor at Regan Books told us yesterday afternoon that it is much harder to make this list the second week than it is the first. Needless to say, we're excited and gratified. Interview requests for Congressman Linder and myself are pouring in, and the crowds at the book signings remain strong. Our greatest hope is that the book generates a buzz and momentum of its own. Across the...

Fair Tax Fans is a group of blogs and websites that support the Fair Tax proposal advanced by Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder in their best-selling book "The FairTax Book." I am, of course, a supporter of this proposal and in an effort to help spread the word about the Fair Tax, I have started Fair Tax Fans. It is my hope that blogs and websites supportive of the Fair Tax will join Fair Tax Fans and help create support for this reform proposal. Please click on right here for more information.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!!! We got the word just as we were arriving at our Gainesville, Florida hotel. The FairTax Book will debut at No. 1 on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller's list. In a word .... unbelievable. Oddly enough, this list won't actually be published until September 21st. Go figure. Last winter I spent week after week doing my radio show, grabbing a sandwich for lunch, and then sitting down in front of the word processor and stacks of research to pound out my portion of this book. Congressman Linder was doing the same thing...

It appears the Senate Democrats are heading toward a filibuster of Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts using the same tactic used against UN Ambassador Nominee John Bolton. Democrats have demanded documents the White House has no obligation to produce as they are privileged documents. During the Clinton years, the Administration repeatedly invoke privilege in refusing to produce documents - they even created the "protective function" privilege - whatever that is. Kennedy, Schumer, Leahy et.al. defended Clinton's claims at the time, but now want Bush to waive privilege so they can play "gotcha" with a Nominee. Consider this threat from Schumer:...

Underwood, Martin Are Sexiest Vegetarians 1 hour, 58 minutes ago If only Bo Bice had cut down on the ribs. Carrie Underwood, who beat out Bice to win the "American Idol" crown in May, was voted the "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" in PETA's annual online poll. She shares the honor with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. More than 13,000 votes were cast in the contest run by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal rights group announced Tuesday. Underwood, a 22-year-old Oklahoma native, wore a "V for Vegetarian" T-shirt on the Fox show. Martin, 28, and his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow,...

Bush Lobbies Republicans on CAFTA Bill By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago In a rare piece of lobbying on Capitol Hill, President Bush appealed personally to fellow Republicans Wednesday to close ranks behind a free trade agreement with Central America that faces a very close floor vote. The House was beginning debate on the Central American Free Trade Agreement later in the day, with a vote coming as early as Wednesday night. With Democrats strongly against it, passage depends on keeping Republican defections to a minimum. The president reminded Republicans that while some might oppose CAFTA for...

CRITICISM OF SUICIDE BOMBERS CENSORED AT THE UN IHEU today attempted to call on the United Nations to condemn killing in the name of religion, but were prevented from doing so by the heavy-handed intervention of Islamic representatives. The IHEU call, at today's meeting of the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, follows moves by Islamic clerics to legitimise the current wave of terror attacks. At this afternoon's meeting, IHEU representative David Littman attempted to deliver a prepared text in the joint names of three international NGOs: the Association for World Education, the Association of World Citizens, and IHEU,...

One of the best ways to solve the illegal immigration problem over the long term is to reduce the incentive to come to the U.S. The way to do that is to promote freedom and economic prosperity within our hemisphere. The Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA will help spread prosperity. It amazes me that opponents of illegal immigration are often vehemently against CAFTA. Hopefully the Congress will pass this measure and follow up with stronger measures to protect the borders. Here are two resources for further reading on CAFTA: Publius Pundit: THE CAFTA IMPERATIVE: FARSIGHTEDNESS NEEDED TO LEAD...

U.N.: N. Koreans Scavenging for Food By ALEXA OLESEN, Associated Press Writer 5 minutes ago North Korea's government and international aid agencies are running short of food, forcing hungry people to scavenge for acorns, grass and seaweed, the U.N. food agency said Tuesday as talks on the North's nuclear program began in China's capital. The United States has promised to send 50,000 metric tons of cereals to help feed millions of malnourished North Koreas, but that aid is not expected to arrive for three months, said Gerald Bourke, a Beijing-based spokesman for the World Food Program. There is "very little"...

By Paul Majendie 33 minutes ago British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday much of the world had dropped its guard after the initial shock of the September 11 attacks and urged that "not one inch" be given to terrorists. With police intensifying their hunt for four would-be bombers who tried to attack London's transport system last week, Blair also sought agreement from political leaders on tougher anti-terror legislation. On Tuesday, police said they might have found material for making explosives at a house connected to one of the suspects wanted over attempts to set off bombs on three...

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago The fuel sensors on Discovery's giant external tank passed initial tests early Tuesday as NASA fueled the spacecraft for the first shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster 2 1/2 years ago. NASA officials monitored the sensors throughout the three-hour fueling process to make sure they functioned properly. A faulty sensor reading forced NASA to scrub a launch attempt July 13 as the astronauts were boarding the spacecraft. "All the sensors are performing as expected," said NASA commentator Jessica Rye. Discovery and its seven astronauts were set to blast off for the...

I've decided to boycott Citgo gas stations. I'm not one that normally participates in boycotts, but for Citgo I'll make an exception. I not trying to start a nationwide movement, and I won't be out front of my local Citgo with a placard, I'm just making my personal decision public. I was informed by my brother, a resident of San Francisco, that many of the leftists of that fair city only purchase gasoline from Citgo to send a message to Bush. He told me that supporting Citgo was a way to support Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan strong man. At first...

Tom Spring, PC WorldMon Jul 18, 4:00 AM ET Tip of the MonthIs your PC running malicious code that may have turned it into a spam-spewing zombie? Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool scans, identifies, and extracts threats. Symantec also offers a free online virus detection service and a software program that identifies existing problems on your PC and determines how safe it is from potential online threats. Symantec also offers dozens of virus-removal tools. In a novel if potentially controversial effort to fight spam, a firm called Blue Security this week begins distributing the beta of a free program that,...

By Jon Bramley 8 minutes ago Jack Nicklaus made an emotional exit after the most illustrious career in golf at the British Open on Friday, a day when Tiger Woods took a giant step toward clinching his 10th major. Woods took the tournament by the scruff of the neck with a flawless 67 to move four shots clear of the field late in the second round but it was Nicklaus who stole most of the plaudits at the Old Course. The 65-year-old, who holds a record 18 major titles, was intent on avoiding the halfway cut but despite perfect conditions,...

By The Associated Press 38 minutes ago An Egyptian biochemist arrested in Cairo in connection with the London subway and bus bombings taught at a British university after taking graduate courses in North Carolina. Magdy el-Nashar, 33, has denied any role in the attacks during questioning by Egyptian authorities, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. A government official said el-Nashar was detained in Cairo between July 7, when the bombings occurred, and Wednesday. U.S., British and Egyptian officials had been in contact concerning el-Nashar following the attacks, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he...

By Thomas Ferraro 57 minutes ago A bipartisan group of U.S. senators who crafted a compromise on judicial nominees two months ago said President Bush's talks with both parties for his first nomination to the Supreme Court may help avert a divisive confirmation battle. The group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans, which had urged such consultations, could be key to the prospects of Bush's eventual choice. "The environment now is such that that the president has reached out, and that is appreciated by everyone," said Sen. Ben Nelson (news, bio, voting record), a Nebraska Democrat and a leader of...

By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer 9 minutes ago "Desperate Housewives," a dark satire about suburbia that became an instant television hit in its debut season, was among top nominees announced Thursday for the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The ABC series, competing in the comedy category, received 15 nominations, sharing status as series front-runner with the rowdy NBC sitcom "Will & Grace," which also got 15 bids. Premium cable channel HBO once again dominated the made-for-TV category with two of its films, "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers" and "Warm Springs," each garnering 16 bids to top all...