Free Republic

Not a single Republican voted for California's landmark global warming law when the state Senate passed it last year. Today, the minority party is taking advantage of the law by using it as leverage during negotiations on the overdue state budget. Republicans are upset that Attorney General Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has told at least a dozen cities and counties that they must offset the increased greenhouse gas emissions that will be a byproduct of future growth. Republicans say that will hurt cities' and counties' transportation and housing plans, and want language in the state budget to protect local governments...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Deep mountain snow usually drives moose to seek lower ground in Anchorage, but the snow piling up in town this winter is a bit much even for the stilt-legged animals. So they're going where they'd rather not, choosing major roads, plowed sidewalks and groomed trails to sidestep the vast cushion of snow in neighborhoods and greenbelts left during a remarkably temperamental month in Alaska's largest city. The half-ton ungulates are even showing up downtown, placidly gnawing on bare trees at busy intersections. "They don't want to walk through deep snow either," said state wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott....

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's failure to put a multibillion dollar public works bond on the June ballot robs him of a fresh accomplishment just as he is poised to begin asking voters for a new term. The bond's failure, at least for now, is more than just an ordinary legislative setback. Schwarzenegger has staked his re-election on an ambitious plan to use the bonds to rebuild the state's aging roads, schools and water projects. The governor still has time to rescue his plan and put some sort of bond on the November ballot. But the difficulty he is having underscores the...

WASHINGTON - When it comes to counterterror strategy, maverick Rep. Curt Weldon (news, bio, voting record) tells it as he sees it — often to the extreme discomfort of fellow Republican lawmakers and the Bush administration. But his candor in a new book accusing the CIA of ignoring terror information has called Weldon's credibility into question as he is being considered to chair the House Homeland Security Committee. As the committee's vice chairman, Weldon, R-Pa., is among a small number of Republicans competing to ascend to the panel's top job as early as next month. The new chairman would replace...