Free Republic

Posted on Fri, Sep. 30, 2005 THE AMERICAS Jeb Bush calls for more foreign students Speakers at The Herald's Americas Conference called for immigration reform and asserted that China's regional interest is business, not politics. BY CHRISTINA HOAG AND PABLO BACHELET pbachelet@herald.com A forceful call by Gov. Jeb Bush to reform U.S. immigration laws and China's long shadow over Latin America were the buzz of the first day of the Americas Conference in Coral Gables on Thursday. Participants also looked ahead to the summit of presidents and prime ministers in Argentina in November, with diplomats from Washington and Buenos Aires...

Posted on Thu, Sep. 29, 2005 Gov. Bush calls for more efficient U.S. immigration policies JOHN PAIN Associated Press CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush urged the federal government Thursday to make its visa and immigration policies more efficient to make U.S. travel easier for foreigners. Bush recognized that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks required the country to tighten security and that is still important. But he said the balance between security and free travel for people and trade must be better achieved. "Now it's important to look at where we are and to make the necessary adjustments...

Rep. Mike Pence, a 46-year-old former radio talk show host from eastern Indiana serving his third term in Congress, is currently chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC). He has tried hard to cooperate with the regular House Republican leadership rather than confront it. So, he could not have been happy last Tuesday when he found himself in a closed-door autodafe, with GOP leaders as the inquisitors and Pence as the heretic. Pence and the RSC's heresy was to propose that massive federal outlays resulting from Hurricane Katrina be offset by reduced spending elsewhere. Specifically, they requested offsets to...

The American Civil Liberties Union and gay rights groups have made a legal challenge to the proposed same-sex marriage ban amendment that got its start in Jacksonville last year. The ACLU, joined by Equality Florida and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, filed a brief with the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday in an attempt to prevent the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment from getting onto the general election ballot in November 2006. The Orlando-based Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage is pushing the amendment, but ACLU lawyers say it is misleading and could actually affect traditional families. Specifically, the ACLU says...

No apology for discussing retaliation on Muslim holy sites Washington - Rep. Tom Tancredo refused Monday to back down from his statement Friday suggesting that the United States might respond to a radical Islamic terrorist attack by bombing Muslim holy sites. Muslim groups earlier Monday called on Tancredo to apologize and said they want to meet with the Colorado Republican. "I'm not suggesting we do it. I have nothing to apologize for in that respect," Tancredo said. "I'm simply saying to have a good discussion on this issue, a thorough discussion on what is perhaps the most serious kind of...

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Rep. Tom Tancredo started barnstorming through eastern Iowa on Thursday, talking immigration to religious conservatives and stepping up his flirtation with the 2008 presidential race.The Littleton Republican arrived in Moline, Ill., then made the short drive across the Mississippi River into Davenport.Iowa is home to the first presedential caucuses in 2008, and Tancredo wants the big-name contenders to take up his crusade to stop illegal immigration."If you don't approach this thing as if you are completely serious, you can't accomplish any goal," he said.

Given Right Circumstances, 'I'll Run,' Says Colorado Republican --- NASHUA, N.H. -- U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo says he is so dissatisfied with the pace and direction of immigration reform, he is considering running for president to deal with it himself."If no one is willing to pick up the banner ... yeah, I'll run," the Colorado Republican said Saturday during a visit to the state with the earliest presidential primary. "Though I say that with a great deal of trepidation. It seems like a daunting task. But we need to get a president in there who will support this," he said....

OK, I've "done the homework" for y'all and hoping I can get some support for this cause. I saw Tom Tancredo on C-Span a few days ago as he spoke to a women's group in New Hampshire and he "went on record" saying that "Yes, I will run if no one else does" (not a direct quote) should there be no Republican that takes a firm stand on the issue of illegals. My crusade here, then, is to email him w/words of encouragement (use the form at): http://www.tancredo.org/info/contact.html and THEN send an email or phone or fax (State, Border Governor's...

NEW YORK A pitched battle has broken out between Gov. Jeb Bush and The New York Times--on the newspaper's editorial page. Two days ago, the Times criticized the governor in an editorial called "Autopsy on the Schiavo Tragedy." While not naming Bush, it denounced "opportunistic politicians" who exploited the case. Today, the Times published a hard-hitting, critical letter from Jeb Bush--and another editorial attacking him. Bush, in his letter, said that the Times' "grotesque and chilling disrespect for the sanctity of life has never been more apparent than in your June 16 editorial...Terri Schiavo was a deeply loved daughter, wife,...

For years, Jesse James Hardy tried valiantly to avoid the day when the State of Florida would take his 160-acre "patch of heaven," 30 miles east of Naples. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in engineering studies and legal fees trying to convince the state that his land was not necessary to the Everglades Restoration Project. The state disagreed.

MIAMI - The family of a severely brain-damaged woman who died after her feeding tube was removed in March said Friday they still have not been told where her remains will be laid to rest. Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings, who waged a lengthy court battle over her end-of-life wishes, said on Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" show that her husband is keeping her remains from them. "They were supposed to tell us, and we still have not heard from ... Michael Schiavo where Terri's been laid," said Terri Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler. "Our family expected this. Michael has disobeyed court...