Free Republic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Muslim cabdriver from Somalia ran over two college students near Vanderbilt University after getting into an argument with them about religion, police said. Ibrahim Ahmed, 37, a driver for United Cab, picked up two men near the Vanderbilt campus early Sunday morning, Capt. Mike Alexander of the Nashville Police Department said, referring to the incident report. The two men, reportedly college students from Ohio who were visiting Nashville, were on their way back to the campus.

California leads the states in how much Section 527 issue-advocacy groups spend on state elections — $5.2 million, up more than 300 percent from the 2004 election cycle. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says this is part of a national trend in which these tax-exempt groups, which can raise unlimited money, are shifting their focus from federal to state politics. California Common Cause policy advocate Ned Wigglesworth said the explosion in state-level spending underscores that "527s are the 'billionaire boys clubs' of politics — they're created specifically to skirt campaign laws and give some of the richest people...

Expect much bloviating over President Bush's proposed $2.5 trillion in federal spending next year. The annual budget season produces some of Washington's most creative theatrics, as lawmakers complain about all the pain that would be caused if their favorite federal programs are axed. With the White House putting 150 programs on the chopping block in this year's budget, interest groups are energizing their rank and file to rally behind endangered services. But the cold, hard facts are that, in the last half century, Congress has closed just one agency -- the Interstate Commerce Commission. And the only thing that actually...