Free Republic

LONG BEACH After months debating issues peripheral to a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in the Port of Long Beach, the City Council will consider a request Tuesday to oppose the project itself. But the sides are gearing up for a battle that may only be inflamed by a city report released late Friday detailing the project's potential terrorist and safety threats. The report that City Hall sent to the California Energy Commission described the potential for "massive damage' downtown and in neighborhoods if an incident occurs at the proposed LNG site. It also detailed an alarming range of potential...

I think this mess has been very good for conservatives, though not necessarily good for Republicans.One needs one's views challenged in order to fully embrace them.Conservatives were put on the spot and asked to defend or reject their racist past.They rejected it.The debate served as a useful dye-marker for many of us on the health and status of the conservative body politic.The self diagnosis was painful for many, especially given the bad faith of many liberals who used the opportunity to claim--once again--that any disagreement with them consitutes racism.But even Lott's defenders defended the man, not the views he expressed.Indeed,...