The editors over at NRO are calling for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gozales.

What little credibility Gonzales had is gone. All that now keeps him in office, save the friendship of the president, is the conviction of many Republicans that removing him would embolden the Democrats. It is an overblown fear.

It is not an overblown fear. Every small victory emboldens the Left to go after anyone and everyone. They do it because we let them. We give them victory after victory on this kind of nonsense. Our virtue is used against us and I am tired of it. I am tired of cutting our losses. Our Republican leaders fail to defend themselves and other Republicans because they are frightened by what the media will say about them.

The time has come for a bold conservative statesman to emerge from the right. I am almost convinced that it won’t happen anytime soon. The Republican Party must first hit rock bottom before change will occur, and the way of the moderate and the RINO will be set aside. Unfortunately, we are not there yet.

I am going to say it. Republicans and conservatives will be better off in the long run when the Democrats win back the White House next year. Nothing will galvanize the base and party more leading to a victory for conservatives in the 2010 mid-term election.

Half of voting-age Americans say they would not vote for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) if she became the Democratic nominee for president in 2008, according to a Harris Interactive poll released Tuesday.

More than one in five Democrats that participated in the survey said they would not vote for Clinton. Overall, 36 percent say they would vote for the former first lady and 11 percent are unsure of their top choice.

Forty-eight percent of Independent voters also said that they would choose another candidate over Clinton, the poll, which surveyed 2,223 potential voters, states.

Fifty-six percent of men said that they would not vote for Clinton, while 45 percent of women said that she would not be their pick. In addition, 69 percent of those 62 and older said that they would not vote for Clinton.

Nearly half of the respondents said that they dislike Clinton’s political opinions and Clinton as a person. Fifty-two percent of people also said that “she does not appear to connect with people on a personal level.”

The Hill

This just came across a few minutes ago. The Senate version of a timetable withdraw from Iraq passed 50-48. They got Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) to change his position in supporting the plan and Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) and Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) crossed over to provide the minimal amount of passing votes. John Enzi (R-Wyoming) and Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) were not present for voting.

Everyone needs to watch this video called, “The Mindset of a Liberal,” of a speech given to the Heritage Foundation.  It is long (about 47 minutes) but incredibly true and eye-opening.

This past Saturday the Republican Party of Georgia held their county conventions.  Gwinnett County, which is the base of the state party, boasting the largest membership in the state conducted a straw poll at their convention.  State Senator David Shafer, who was there had this to say:

 

“But the most interesting news came from the Presidential straw poll, which had been tacked on to the end of the officer ballot, almost as an afterthought.  The delegates were given a choice of a dozen or so candidates.  None of the Presidential campaigns were represented at the convention.
The national frontrunner, Rudy Giuliani, placed third, right behind Georgia’s own Newt Gingrich, who finished second.  But the winner was former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, who received more votes than all the other candidates combined.
Fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh place went to Romney, McCain, Huckabee and Brownback, in that order.
I have always liked Fred Thompson, but his stunning and seemingly spontaneous victory took me completely by surprise.  I am not sure what it means, but his nascent candidacy certainly bears greater scrutiny.” 

This is a big deal.  Fred Thompson got more votes then all of the other candidates combined!  This is no small feat of accomplishment as Romney has made several visits recently and Newt is the home boy.  Not to mention Fred Thompson has not announced anything and not spent a dime……yet.   

 

Hat tip: Sen. David Shafer

We always hear about the RINOs supposedly being fiscal conservatives despite their social liberalism. This is the “It’s My Party Too” crowd. I have never seen much proof of this claim, but there is plenty of refuting evidence, not to mention the recent vote in the Senate this past Thursday to stop the raid on Social Security.

Senator Jim DeMint introduced an amendment to Senate Resolution 21 that would prevent Congress from spending Social Security surpluses that they currently funnel into the general fund. Every voting Democrat minus one voted against this sensible and fiscally responsible amendment. They were joined by three RINOs, the usual suspects:

Apparently, Senators Snowe, Collins, and Smith would rather spend our future away than act fiscally prudent today.

South Carolina officially banned gay marriage Thursday as legislative leaders ratified a constitutional amendment approved by voters in November.

The state was among seven others that voted for similar bans on the ballot last year.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell met Thursday to ratify the act. The constitution now reads, “a marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”

It prevents the state and local governments from legalizing any sort of domestic union of gay couples or recognizing those made in other states.

Charlotte Observer

This is the way it should be done.  Each state should decide their own restrictions based on the will of the people in that state.  The Federal Marriage Amendment was nothing but a bate and hook for conservatives to come out and vote for Republicans.  The Feds knew it had no hope of passing.

A Texas legislator has proposed that pregnant women considering abortion be offered $500 not to end their pregnancies.

Republican State Sen. Dan Patrick, who also is a conservative radio talk show host, said on Friday the money might convince the women to go ahead and have babies, then give them up for adoption.

He said during a legislative conference in New Braunfels, 45 miles south of Austin, there were 75,000 abortions in Texas last year.

“If this incentive would give pause and change the mind of 5 percent of those woman, that’s 3,000 lives. That’s almost as many people as we’ve lost in Iraq,” Patrick said.

Reuters

I am not going to poke fun at this guy because his heart is in the right place, but this is just an uber bad idea on a fiscal and moral ground. To begin with, nobody should be paid to have their baby. I really have to question the humanity of a woman who will place a $500 price tag on the life of her child. Not to mention what the psychological impact would be on that child as an adult if he ever found out the circumstances of his birth.

Additionally, the provisions of this law would render it ineffective anyway, in my opinion. This bill says that the money would be paid after the child is born and given to an adoption agency. This prevents fraud, but probably also defeats the purpose. I would think anyone shallow enough to participate in this program would probably want the money up front rather than after the birth. That, however, would open the door for fraud, so it’s a “Catch 22.”

Has our culture degraded this badly that this is what we now must resort to as a society?

Illegal immigrants allowed at least five strikes
Border-crossings guidelines revealed amid probe into U.S. attorney firings

Documents released in the controversy about eight fired U.S. attorneys show that federal prosecutors in Texas generally have declined to bring criminal charges against illegal immigrants caught crossing the border — until at least their sixth arrest.

A heavily redacted Department of Justice memo from late 2005 disclosed the prosecution guidelines for immigration offenses, numbers the federal government tries to keep classified. DOJ officials would not say Thursday whether it has adjusted the number since the memo was written, citing “law enforcement reasons.”

Houston Chronicle

I wonder if I decide to rob a bank whether or not the Feds will give me a five shots at it before prosecuting me.

The prosecution guidelines have been a source of frustration for years among the ranks of U.S. Border Patrol agents, said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council. Smugglers can figure out the criteria by trial and error, he said, and can exploit it to avoid prosecution.

“It’s devastating on morale,” Bonner said. “Our agents are risking their lives out there, and then they’re told, ‘Sorry, that doesn’t meet the criteria.’ “

Mr. Bonner hits the nail right on the head.  How do these guys do their jobs with all of this bureaucratic crap hanging over their heads, especially when two have them were recently sent to jail for effectively doing their job?  Who the hell would want to be a border guard?

The so named “U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007” disgracefully passed the House of Representatives yesterday with the help of two Republicans who apparently condone legislative bribery and playing with the lives of our soldiers on the ground. Republican Congressmen, Wayne Gilchrest (MD-1) and Walter Jones (NC-3) voted along with almost all of the Democrats in successfully passing this bill.

There are a number of things about this bill that bother me:

First of all, the obvious timetable provision in this bill just goes beyond even a sliver of common sense. Do I even have to explain this? If it was scripted it would go like this:

Nancy Pelosi: “America, we will have every last American soldier out of Iraq by June 1st”

Osama bin Laden: “Terrorists, lay low until June 2nd.”

Hello??????? Do we actually have members of our government that don’t understand this? I really believe the answer is no. I think they all are fully aware what the repercussions would be which is why at this point I am convinced that the Democrat Party is a party invested in America’s defeat, not in her success.

Secondly, Pelosi knew that she didn’t have the votes to pass this bill on the merits of the WOT alone, so the Democrats stuffed this bill with an outrageous amount of pork that didn’t even have an ounce to do with our military. It was a bribe to bring on some of the Blue Dog Democrats, who have been resisting the pullout timetable, and apparently a couple of Republicans. It evidently succeeded:

• $25 million for spinach farmers
• $283 million for milk income loss
• $74 million for peanut storage
• $60 million to the National Marine Fisheries Service

This, coming from the party that made criticism of out of control pork spending a platform in their 2006 campaign.

Finally, and most detestable of all, is the fact that this is all a political show and the lives of our soldiers in combat are tools for these people to grandstand before their constituents. Col. David Hunt said it pretty well on Fox News last night that both parties are failing in their obligation to our soldiers. The Republicans let the war run four years unchecked and the Democrats are playing political theater. President Bush was also candid about the impact of this bill:

“A narrow majority in the House of Representatives abdicated its responsibility by passing a war spending bill that has no chance of becoming law and brings us no closer to getting the troops the resoures they need to do their job,” the president said.

Forbes

According to the American Spectator and Red State the former head of National Right to Life interviewed Thompson in 1994 and they supported his campaign determining he was “pro-life”

This time from the opposition:

“Real patriotism is standing with us on this bill.” - Rep. John Larson, D-Connecticut

The bill he refers to sets a timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq by September 2008.  Are you kidding me?!?

“That’s not a war supplemental, that’s a salad bar at Denny’s” - Representative Mike Pence (R- Indiana) on the pork-stuffed war supplemental bill.

If you are by a TV turn on CSPAN… David Obey and Murtha are going totally insane on the floor.

For those who downplay the cost to taxpayers for our government’s negligence in protecting our borders, these numbers should be reason for concern.  Emphasis on the “Should”.

Polling 

Giuliani - 31%
McCain - 20%
Gingrich - 8%
Romney - 6%
Fred Thompson - 6%

The first poll to include Fred Thompson in a poll.

I remember way back when in the second grade my class did a balloon launch.  They are fun and exciting for small children because of the thrill you get when someone finds your balloon from far away and writes you back.  Living in northeast Ohio at the time I remember people sending our class letters from places they found our balloons in western Pennsylvania and one even from Canada.

This legislation is just absurd and this guy should be hysterically laughed at by his peers.  Although, New Hampshire is now in complete control of the Democrats so this will probably pass.

Those who favored the bill said the balloon materials, including the attached strings and ribbons, pose a serious threat to wildlife. Whales, turtles and seabirds that live along New Hampshire’s coastline mistakenly eat floating balloons thinking they are food, and then are unable to eat real food.

“Do we now get balloon police?” Rep. Randolph Holden, R-Goffstown, asked.

Rep. Kevin Waterhouse, R-Windham, said police officers would be given enforcement responsibility.

A move to give the job to Fish and Game officers was rejected, since the department is under budget pressure already.

He said people need to be aware that balloon releases cause real harm to wildlife.

“It doesn’t just go to heaven and disappear. It comes back down again,” Waterhouse said.

Waterhouse said he was inspired to sponsor the bill by a group of homeschoolers studying ecology.