Woman Suing Over Veil Revealed as Kid-beater

A Muslim suing Florida for denying her a driver's license because she refuses to take a picture without her veil, once had her bare face photographed - for a police mug shot.

--New York Daily News--

Streisand Sues Environmentalist Photographer for Website Photo

Singer/actress Barbra Streisand has filed a $50 million lawsuit against amateur photographer Kenneth Adelman for posting a photograph of her Malibu, Calif., estate on his website. The site features 12,000 other photos of the California coastline as part of a project to document coastal erosion for scientific and other researchers.

--CNSNews.com--

Cops Catch Illegals, Then Let 'em Go Free

Local authorities are catching then releasing illegal aliens despite the nation's increased terror alert status because there are too few regional U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services agents to pick them up.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Homosexual Agenda Unrelated to Civil Rights Movement, Conservative Blacks Insist

As homosexual advocacy groups increasingly model their push for greater acceptance on the rhetoric and tactics of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, some black groups are beginning to take exception.

--CNSNews.com--

Clinton Casts Long Shadow Over Candidates

WASHINGTON - Faster than you can say Monica Lewinsky, Democratic presidential candidates are embracing former President Clinton and his economic record. They are just as quick to second-guess Al Gore for running from his sex scandal-plagued boss in 2000.

--ABC News--

What this story skirts is the fact that the Clintons will do everything in their power to ensure that none of the Democrat candidates for president will be elected in '04. If a Democrat wins in '04, Hillary would have to run against an incumbent Democrat in '08. That will not happen! - Ed.

Dick Morris: 'Clintons Want Bush Re-elected'

The decision by Bill and Hillary Clinton to keep a high profile going into next year's presidential campaign amounts to a "conscious effort" by the former first couple to make sure that no Democrat wins the White House in 2004.

--NewsMax.com--

Clinton Eyes 22nd Amendment Repeal - Again

For the second time since he left the White House, ex-President Bill Clinton has engaged in open speculation about repealing the 22nd Amendment barring presidents from seeking a third term.

--NewsMax.com--

Maybe he wants to run against George W. Bush in '08. The contrast in character would be stark, to say the least. - Ed.

DNC Under Fire for Report of Minority Layoffs

The Democratic National Committee backed away yesterday from reports that it plans to lay off nearly a dozen minority staffers -- a proposal criticized by several prominent black politicians -- saying it has not made any decisions on its staffing.

--Washington Post--

Brazile Still Rages as Red-Faced Dems Nix Plan to Ax Blacks

Donna Brazile and other prominent black Democrats are still seething about the party's now-canceled plan to fire 10 non-white employees.

--NewsMax.com--

Civil Rights Leaders Criticized for Silence on Sudan Slavery

Leaders of the U.S. civil rights movement are being taken to task for failing to make the human rights situation in the African country of Sudan a policy priority.

--CNSNews.com--

Tax-cut Language Leaves Poorest Out

WASHINGTON - With the stroke of a pen, President Bush sped up tax cuts for middle- and upper-income taxpayers this week, but Republican congressional tax writers put the brakes on a provision that would have sent more money to millions of low-income working families.

--Miami Herald--

Conservative Republicans will be "blamed" for not giving "tax cuts" to people who don't pay taxes, while the real culprits, the "moderates" who forced an arbitrary cap on the "cost" of the tax cuts, will go unmentioned in the "mainstream" media. - Ed.

Bush Administration: Legal Avalanche Threatens 'Endangered Species'

Six years of lawsuits and court orders will soon mean that the U.S. Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service runs out of money to designate habitats for endangered species, according to Craig Manson, assistant secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

--CNSNews.com--

It would be nice to think that for once, the Left's agenda was thwarted by one of their own tactics, i.e., harrassment lawsuits, but the government will never run out of money as long as you have some in your pocket. - Ed.

Philadelphia Boy Scout Council Won't Discriminate Against 'Gays'

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? The nation's third-largest Boy Scout council expanded its nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation, defying the national group's official position.

--Washington Times (AP)--

Disabled Rape Victim's Baby Aborted

The last 24 hours marked a critical turning point for a 24-week-old unborn baby thrust into the center of an abortion debate, as a Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge first agreed to allow its live birth and then reversed himself, authorizing an abortion to take place.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Voice your views on this controversial subject in our open forum. - Ed.

Woman Says Pro-Life View Cost Her A Job Promotion

An Illinois woman who says her pro-life views cost her a job promotion is suing the Dekalb County Health Department.

--CNSNews.com--

'Masculinists' Lashing Back at Feminists?

A report funded by the Canadian government finds "masculinists" are orchestrating a backlash against feminism and blame women for oppression and discrimination against men, reports the National Post.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

EU Constitution Calls For European President

LONDON - A draft E.U. constitution proposing the creation of a European president, foreign minister and prosecutor's office sparked further calls Tuesday for a referendum on the document in Britain.

--CNSNews.com--

The question is, can the Europeans have it both ways with regards to the United Nations. Can they become a single entity politically, militarily and economically while retaining the voting power of individual states? If they can get away with it, why can't all 50 of the United States each have a vote? - Ed.

Second Clintonista Attacks Louis Freeh After Terror Op-ed

A second Clinton administration official is trashing former FBI Director Louis Freeh after Freeh blamed President Clinton in a Wall Street Journal op-ed piece last week for being "unable or unwilling" to help the FBI gain access to key witnesses in the Khobar Towers bombing probe.

--NewsMax.com--

They continue to re-write history. - Ed.

Democrats' War in Ranks Imperils Chances in '04

Democrats head toward the presidential campaign's summer season with their party at war with itself, but with high hopes that a stubbornly weak economy could help them win back the White House in the 2004 election.

--Washington Times--

I view the seeming demise of the Democrat Party with mixed emotions. It's good to see them get what they deserve for a change, but I worry that a Republican monopoly on government will become corrupt. If the Democrat Party can't reform itself, there needs to be a new party to take its place. What do you think about this? Sound off here. - Ed.

Muslim Fights Unveiled-driver Photo

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) ? A Muslim woman suing to keep her veil on for her driver's-license photo took the stand yesterday, to say Florida's insistence on photographing her face violates her religious rights.

--Washington Times--

The ACLU supports this woman's "right" in spite of its insistence on "separation of church and state" in every other area. If Democrats really want to reverse the trend noted in the previous story, maybe it ought to reassess its close ties to the ACLU. - Ed.

Supreme Court's Family Leave Ruling 'Bucks Trend' of States' Rights Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that state workers can sue for violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act, breaking the court's recent string of decisions that favored states' rights.

--CNSNews.com--

In this story, we read, "The Pacific Legal Foundation made the argument that a statute that offers workers 12 weeks of unpaid leave does nothing to remedy the constitutional prohibition against gender discrimination." I ask, what "constitutional prohibition against gender discrimination?" Did I sleep through the "Equal Protection Amendment" (EPA) being ratified? Last I heard, it was resoundingly rejected. - Ed.

Florida Legislature Approves Restaurant Smoking Ban

TALLAHASSEE - Come July 1, smoking in Florida's restaurants and bars will be dramatically curtailed. Lawmakers on Tuesday enacted a voter-mandated smoking ban on the last day of a special legislative session to pass the state's budget.

--Miami Herald--

For another view on smoking bans, click here. - Ed.

Presbyterian Panel Approves Ordination of Practicing 'Gays'

DENVER - A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) committee approved a proposal yesterday that would allow the ordination of practicing homosexuals, sending the issue before the full General Assembly for the third time since 1997.

--Washington Times--

Missouri Teen to Get Scouts' Highest Heroism Honor

A Ballwin teenager will receive tonight the highest honor for heroism given by the Boy Scouts of America, the Medal with Crossed Palms. The organization says the medal is very rarely given out; it was last awarded in the St. Louis area about 15 years ago.

--St. Louis Today--

Congressional Quarterly Denies UNFPA's Demand to Retract Critical Ads

The bully boys and girls at the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) have lost another one. Generally, the lap-dog mainstream media wolf down whatever pabulum UNFPA serves up. Not today.

--NewsMax.com--

Officials 'Never Thought of an Airplane Being Used as a Missile'

Capitol Hill - Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta told the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9/11 Commission) Friday that, prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, aviation security officials had not considered that a hijacker might commandeer an airplane for any reason other than taking hostages.

--CNSNews.com--

They must be pretty stupid, because best-selling author, Tom Clancy, wrote "Debt of Honor" which was released in 1994, and it ended with an airplane being flown into the capitol building. - Ed.

Critics: Medicare Report Is Smoking Gun for Fat Police

WASHINGTON - A recent study tying obese patients to skyrocketing Medicare and Medicaid costs is the ?smoking gun? lawyers and bureaucrats need to drive the fast food industry into submission, critics of the report say.

--Fox News--

When will we see the "smoking gun" being held over our liberties and held by the proponents of socialized medicine? - Ed.

Mexico Angered by U.S. Congressman's Use of Fox Photo on Fake ID

Mexico City, Mexico - The Mexican government will officially protest the actions of Colorado lawmaker Tom Tancredo, who appeared in public with a poster of that country's president on an ID card issued to undocumented Mexicans living in the United States.

--Que Pasa.com--

Republican Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Bill

Md. Governor Ehrlich Weighs Independence, GOP Loyalty.

--Washington Post--

Hillary's Surrogate, Blumenthal, Trashes Bill's Rape Accuser

In interviews last week on his book "The Clinton Wars," former White House advisor Sidney Blumenthal defended the former first couple against an array of allegations - including one that both Clintons have avoided talking about like the plague.

--NewsMax.com--

Specter Presses for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Should President Bush reverse his decision to ban federal funds for embryonic research? A prominent member of the president's party thinks so.

--CNSNews.com--

Sen. Specter is, in many respects, a left-wing extremist. Pres. Bush needs Specter's support for many of his initiatives, but he shouldn't sell his soul for it. - Ed.

Presbyterians Elect 'Gay'-friendly Chief

A third-generation Presbyterian minister who has built her own church's membership despite declines nationwide and who supports the ordination of noncelibate gays and lesbians was elected Saturday as moderator of her denomination's 215th General Assembly.

--Denver Post--

Clinton's Editor Questions Memoir's Credibility

An editor working on ex-President Bill Clinton's memoirs has raised questions about the veracity of his account after reading the book's first draft.

--NewsMax.com--

Anger won't die for Dixie Chicks

They're still all riled up: A well-heeled audience booed the Dixie Chicks plenty during the country music's biggest night of the year Wednesday ? proof that patriotism continues to run deep through America.

--Washington Times--

Lose Your Property for Flying U.S. Flag?

Former Marine wins battle in banner fight, but final ruling on Old Glory to come.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Shrubbery Violation Leads to Potential Jail Time

Kay Leibrand is a 61-year-old software engineer suffering from breast cancer who is facing up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 because she didn't properly trim the bushes in her yard.

--CNSNews.com--

Democrats Want Unemployment Payments Extended Again

CAPITOL HILL - Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate said Wednesday that Congress should scrap plans for tax cuts proposed by the Bush administration in favor of doubling the length of time out-of-work Americans could collect unemployment payments from the government.

--CNSNews.com--

They don't want tax cuts because they will work. If the economy rebounds, they are in big trouble. - Ed.

Species Regulations May Be Endangered

The House voted yesterday to exempt the Defense Department from two laws designed to protect endangered animals and plants, arguing that the restrictions hamper the military's ability to train U.S. troops and test weapons.

--Washington Post--

This debate clearly shows how screwed up Democrats' priorities are. - Ed.

NRA Blasts Broward's Bogus Gun Demo

The National Rifle Association accused the Broward County Sheriff's Office in south Florida - which said deputies did not intend to mislead anyone during a televised weapons demonstration - of presenting a demonstration last week that exaggerated the firepower of assault weapons.

--NewsMax.com (UPI)--

US House OKs Bill Blocking School-Ordered Drugs

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House passed a bill on Wednesday that would block schools from ordering troublesome students to take mood-altering drugs as a condition of attending class.

--Reuters--

This crucial legislation and needs to be passed in the Senate. Contact Sen. Clinton by clicking here. Contact Sen. Schumer by clicking here. - Ed.

Ashcroft Takes Hit for Backing Suit Against Tobacco Industry

Attorney General John Ashcroft, who as a senator opposed federal litigation against tobacco companies, has come under fire for keeping the suit alive during his two-and-a-half-year tenure in the Bush administration.

--CNSNews.com--

Global Anti-tobacco Treaty Approved

Despite initial concerns over its constitutionality, the U.S. said today it will sign on to an international tobacco control pact adopted by the World Health Organization.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Reno Blamed for Clinton's Decision Not to Attack Bin Laden

Former Attorney General Janet Reno is being wrongly blamed for ex-President Clinton's decision not to bomb Osama bin Laden's compound in Khandahar, Afghanistan, and the ex-president is apparently willing to let her take the fall.

--NewsMax.com--

Political Aide Likens GOP to KKK

A top aide to the Democratic-Farmer-Labor minority in the Minnesota House apologized Tuesday for a published statement in which he said he believed many Republican legislators were "of the KKK mentality, but totally without the hoods."

--St. Paul Pioneer Press--

They can't prove us wrong, so they try to portray us as evil. It's the strategy of losers. - Ed.

At Marist, Protesters Greet Spitzer

POUGHKEEPSIE - State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer told Marist College's Class of 2003 Saturday that one of the best commencement addresses ever given was Winston Churchill's six-word speech at Oxford a half century ago. Churchill twice repeated the phrase, "Never give up," and then sat down.

--Kingston Daily Freeman--

Psychiatric Problems Linked to Abortion

A new study challenges defenders of abortion rights who insist the procedure is an essentially benign experience that brings relief to the woman.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Newborn Auctioned for Organ Transplants?

Italy rushing law to ban sale of human 'parts' after bid to sell infant.

--London Telegraph--

'Liberal' Academics Continue Assault on Pro-Gun Research

CAPITOL HILL - On May 28, Minnesota will become the 35th state in the nation to allow its citizens to carry concealed handguns. Legislation to make Missouri the 36th such state is on the governor's desk, with enough votes to override a threatened veto.

--CNSNews.com--

Sen. Hagel Mystified by Graham's 9/11 Cover-up Charges

A member of the Senate Intelligence Committee has stepped forward to challenge the account of its former chairman, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., who last week charged that the Bush administration was engaged in a cover-up of intelligence that could have prevented the 9/11 attacks.

--NewsMax.com--

Texas Dems Sell T-Shirts Honoring Fugitive Lawmakers

CAPITOL HILL - The Texas Democratic Party is labeling as "heroes," the 53 members of the state House of Representatives who fled the state capitol to protest a Republican-sponsored political redistricting plan. The party is also trying to immortalize the fugitive lawmakers - for whom arrest warrants are still outstanding - with t-shirts that are being sold to raise money for the party.

--CNSNews.com--

Can you imagine if the Alamo had been defended by Democrats? - Ed.

Peterson Case, Similar Crimes, Build Momentum for Protection of Unborn

With a high-profile murder case providing momentum, pro-life activists are mounting an aggressive campaign to persuade Congress to pass the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

--CNSNews.com--

AIDS Bill Targets African Men's Attitudes

The Senate opened debate yesterday on a $15 billion bill aimed at stemming the spread of AIDS in Africa, with most attention focusing on whether to devote a third of the prevention funds to programs stressing only sexual abstinence. Largely overlooked, however, is a more novel proposition that House Democrats slipped into the bill this month, which would teach African men to be more feminist.

--Washington Post--

Second-hand Smoke Study Sparks Controversy

LONDON - A study about to be published in this week's British Medical Journal indicates that second-hand smoke doesn't increase the risk of heart disease or lung cancer, but the publication and the study's authors have come under attack by anti-smoking groups.

--CNSNews.com--

Gun Controller Schumer Has Armed Bodyguard

The Senate's leading gun control advocate, Sen. Charles Schumer - who's currently pressuring the White House to extend the 1994 assault weapons ban - travels with an armed bodyguard, NewsMax.com has learned.

--NewsMax.com--

White House Committed to ANWR Drilling Despite Senate Opposition

CAPITOL HILL - Two years after President Bush first offered his domestic energy plan, the administration remains confident Congress will send him a bill that opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling.

--CNSNews.com--

Senate GOP to Resurrect Pickering Nomination

Republicans plan in coming weeks to take up the nomination of U.S. District Court Judge Charles W. Pickering Sr. of Mississippi, who likely faces a filibuster on the Senate floor by Democrats.

--Washington Times--

Group Sues Senate Over Filibuster

WASHINGTON - A private conservative group sued the Senate Thursday in federal court in an effort to have the Democratic filibuster of President Bush's judicial nominees declared unconstitutional.

--Excite News (AP)--

France Blames US for Smear Campaign

PARIS - After conducting a failed international effort to oppose the Iraq war, France on Thursday blamed the Bush administration for orchestrating a smear campaign against it in the press.

--CNSNews.com--

Estrich to Clintons: 'Shut Up'

Democratic Party strategist Susan Estrich attempted to spark a political mutiny on Thursday by telling her party's two most powerful figures, Bill and Hillary Clinton, to "shut up."

--NewsMax.com--

Democrats Want to Fund Chinese Abortions

Everyone knows that Red China is involved in forced abortions as a means of population control. And perhaps some people know that American law precludes financial support for the ugly practice.

--NewsMax.com--

Gov. Bush Orders DCF to Seek Guardian for Rape Victim's Fetus

ORLANDO - Gov. Jeb Bush ordered state lawyers Tuesday to seek the appointment of a guardian for the 6-month-old fetus of a mentally disabled woman who was raped, overruling child welfare officials who said such an appointment would be illegal.

--South Florida Sun-Sentinel--

Dade County United Way Ends Boy Scout Funding

The United Way of Miami-Dade on Tuesday discontinued its funding for boy scouting programs, saying the local Boy Scouts of America affiliate failed to abide by an agreement requiring it to help 'gay' youths cope with their sexuality.

--Miami Herald--

Why do homosexuals need special help "coping" with their sexuality? - Ed.

Democrats Fault Administration for Saudi Attack

WASHINGTON - Democratic lawmakers say President Bush is somewhat responsible for the homicide bombings in Saudi Arabia, saying had the United States not been distracted by war in Iraq, it could have further debilitated Al Qaeda (search), the terror network blamed for the attack.

--Fox News--

Pathetic! - Ed.

9/11 Lawyer Mystified Over Failure to Invoke Iraq-WTC Link

The lawyer who won a $104 million court award last week for families of two victims of the Sept. 11 attacks said Sunday that he remains mystified over the Bush administration's decision not to publicize evidence tying an Iraqi hijack training facility to the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

--NewsMax.com--

Liberal Democrats Threaten Filibuster of Gun Suit Bill

CAPITOL HILL - Six liberal Senate Democrats threatened Tuesday to filibuster a bill that would prohibit lawsuits against gun makers, dealers, sellers and importers for the illegal actions of criminals who misuse their products.

--CNSNews.com--

Don't believe anything Chuckie Schumer says about this bill. - Ed.

GOP Eyes 'Nuclear' End to Filibuster

The only time in history the Senate changed its rules using the "nuclear option," many feared the parliamentary maneuvers could be employed again far into the future to quash the minority.

--Washington Times--

Texas Democrats Still Hiding Out

AUSTIN - More than four dozen defiant Texas Democrats remained holed up in an Oklahoma hotel Tuesday, vowing to keep the state House shut down to kill a congressional redistricting bill being pushed by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

--Houston Chronicle--

More evidence that the Democrat Party has become nothing more than an obstructionist party. - Ed.

GOP Will Let Gun Ban Expire

The Republican-controlled House will not renew the federal ban on Uzis and other semiautomatic weapons, a key leader said yesterday, dealing a significant blow to the campaign to clamp down on gun sales nationwide.

--Washington Post--

An interesting development. Pres. Bush "supports" this bill, probably knowing he'll never have to sign it into law. - Ed.

Carville: Sex Was Clinton's Top Priority

Former White House consigliere James Carville inadvertently admitted on Sunday that while his former boss Bill Clinton served as president of the United States, his top priority was his own sex life.

--NewsMax.com--

N.Y. City Council Mulls 'Nanny's Rights' Bill

NEW YORK - Justina Dumpangol still can't shake the memory of the caged, but hissing, pet snake that shared her basement quarters in the house where she lived while caring for two small children. Lately, the diminutive nanny from Malaysia has nursed a sore back that still aches from an injury she suffered while tending the children.

--Washington Post--

What kind of "nanny state" would it be without a "nanny's rights" law? - Ed.

Protest Planned Against Greenpeace's 'Eco-Manslaughter'

An African American civil rights group is planning a Saturday protest against Greenpeace, alleging that the environmental group has committed "eco-manslaughter" through its support of international policies limiting development and the expansion of technology to the developing world's poor.

--CNSNews.com--

It's about time someone stood up to these econtrol-freaks! - Ed.

Conservatives Renew Fight to Stop US Financing of UN Population Fund

Critics of the U.N. Population Fund are assailing the House committee passage of an amendment that would restore funding to the beleaguered agency and reverse a Bush administration decision to withhold nearly $70 million over the past two years. Conservatives say the U.N. Population Fund condones forced abortion and sterilization in China and elsewhere.

--CNSNews.com--

In my humble opinion, no country should be making pronouncements regarding the populations of other countries. It is dangerous for government officials to declare, as Al Gore once did, that the populations of other countries is a threat to this country. Once you declare that the people in another country are a threat, how do you address that threat other than by killing the people? Taking away their ability to reproduce only addresses the problem in the future. - Ed.

UK Court Refuses to Release Man Who Shot Burglar

LONDON - A farmer who shot to death a burglar and was later convicted of manslaughter had his parole request rejected Thursday by the British High Court.

--CNSNews.com--

Gun Maker Liable in Shooting of Boy

A California jury has found a firearms manufacturer partially liable in the accidental injury and crippling of a young boy in a unique court ruling against a gun maker.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

This ruling isn't as bad as it might appear. It involves a particular weapon's inability to be unloaded safely, which makes it a legitimate target for a product liability lawsuit, at least by today's standards. - Ed.

London Mayor Calls Bush Corrupt And Illegitimate

LONDON - London's socialist mayor said he stands by a scathing attack in which he called the U.S. administration "unsupportable" and said he would welcome President Bush's departure from power as much as Saddam Hussein's removal from the Iraqi presidency.

--CNSNews.com--

When I read stories like the one preceding this one, I wonder why we should care what the London mayor thinks about anything. - Ed.

Alarm Sounded Over African Slave Trade

NAIROBI, Kenya - Anti-slavery campaigners are calling on the international community to become more active in confronting incidences of the practice still present in parts of Africa and elsewhere.

--CNSNews.com--

Where is Je$$e Jak¢$on? - Ed.

Maxine Waters Defends Ex-Klansman, Attacks GOP'er as Racist

Firebreathing California Congresswoman Maxine Waters angrily defended former Ku Klux Klansman Sen. Robert Byrd this week, saying that the one-time member of the cross-burning, night-riding anti-black terror group was no more racist than her House colleague Republican moderate Peter King.

--NewsMax.com--

Bush Defers to Military on Women in Combat

President Bush yesterday deferred to the Pentagon the question of women in combat, angering conservatives who want the commander in chief to reverse the Clinton-era rule change putting females on the front lines.

--Washington Times--

What do you think about women in combat? Speak your mind on our open forum. - Ed.

Frist Moves to Change Rules, End Judicial Filibusters

CAPITOL HILL - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) introduced a resolution Friday that would end the filibuster against two of President George Bush's judicial nominees by Senate Democrats. The move came just before a Rose Garden appearance with the president at the White House.

--CNSNews.com--

GOP Senators Endorse Tax Hikes

Senate Republicans, struggling to make more room for President Bush's cherished tax cut plan in their annual budget, yesterday settled on an unusual and controversial solution: raise taxes elsewhere.

--Washington Post--

Here's a novel idea - cut spending! - Ed.

'Osama Mama' Murray Brags of Skipping Vote for Photo Op on USS Lincoln

The Taliban's favorite U.S. senator, Patty "Osama Mama" Murray, isn't carping like Sen. Robert "KKK" Byrd about President Bush's visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln. Though she attacked the president on Operation Iraqi Freedom, now she's bragging about her own photo opportunity with the Lincoln's crew.

--NewsMax.com--

Bin Laden died from wounds suffered in Tora Bora air raid, says Arab expert

Osama bin Laden died after being maimed in an American air raid on the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan in December 2001, a French expert on the Arab world believes.

--London Independent--

Taxing Smokes Puffs Up Mob?

The Lorillard Tobacco Co. is hoping people are more afraid of mobsters than they are of lung cancer.

--CBS News--

Hillary's New York Problem

A crowded field with no clear front-runner has fueled speculation that New York Sen. Hillary Clinton may enter the 2004 presidential race.

--NewsMax.com--

Administration Defends Bush Flight to Carrier

Some Democrats have criticized Bush's national address from the carrier as little more than a campaign event for a president up for re-election in 2004.

--CNN--

Let's face it. The biggest complaint Democrats have against Pres. Bush's carrier landing was the landing itself. They would have been much happier if the cable had snapped. - Ed.

Judge Links Saddam to Osama bin Laden

A link between ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and terror chief Osama bin Laden has been drawn in a United States federal court, backing part of the rationale behind the coalition's war in Iraq.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

In recent days, there have been several prominent Democrats and "anti-war" activists saying that there is "not a shred of evidence" linking Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks. These claims have gone unchallenged in the "mainstream" media despite the fact that the evidence they claimed doesn't exist was being exposed in open court on a daily basis. Will they recant? - Ed.

Peterson Murders Shift Debate on Unborn Victims Bill

CAPITOL HILL - The murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, have refocused the debate on legislation intended to punish those who cause the death of an unborn child while committing another federal crime. The bill was reintroduced in the Senate Wednesday for the fourth time.

--CNSNews.com--

Conn. Supreme Court: Fetus Is Body Part

HARTFORD, Conn. - Angering both sides of the abortion debate, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a fetus is a body part, akin to teeth, skin and hair that are eventually shed.

--The Guardian (UK) (AP)--

This decision clearly shows why Democrats are so frightened about losing control of the judiciary. The democratic process would most likely never yield such a breathtakingly stupid and arrogant principle. - Ed.

GOP Decries Abortion 'Litmus Test' for Judges

Abortion is at the center of the debate over President Bush's judicial nominations.

--Washington Times--

Thomas Called 'Unworthy' of Giving Graduation Speech

A petition objecting to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as the University of Georgia Law School commencement speaker this month claims Thomas is "unworthy" because of his opinion in the court's December 2000 decision that ended the recount of Florida's votes in the last presidential election.

--CNSNews.com--

Let's see if this petition has any more effect than the local petition to Marist College against Elliot Spitzer as commencement speaker. - Ed.

RNC Chief to Meet With Ex-Homosexuals

After pro-family leaders criticized Republican National Committee Chairman Marc Racicot for meeting with what they call "gay pressure" groups, Racicot has now agreed to a meeting with a group of people who used to be homosexual.

--CNSNews.com--

Casino Probing Bennett Privacy Violation

A casino named in news reports on morals czar Bill Bennett is investigating how confidential records detailing his personal gambling habits were leaked to Newsweek magazine and the Washington Monthly, NewsMax.com has learned.

--NewsMax.com--

McCain-Feingold Backers Pleased Despite Adverse Court Ruling

A U.S. District court may have struck a blow to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance restrictions this past week, but the law's proponents quickly regrouped and say it's not all that bad.

--CNSNews.com--

They have every reason to be happy. When you're attacking the Constitution, you'll welcome any erosion, and this decision leaves much of the bill's unconstitutionality intact. - Ed.

NRA Seeks Stay of Court's Ruling on Campaign Finance Law

WASHINGTON - The National Rifle Association (search) on Wednesday sought to block part of a federal court's ruling on the new campaign finance law, seeking a stay of its decision to uphold broad restrictions on interest-group political ads.

--Fox News--

U.N. Furious That Taxpayers Know of Its Food Fight

UNITED NATIONS - U.N. officials are still in a tizzy that the public knows about the globalist body's latest frenzy of greed.

--NewsMax.com--

Frist: Byrd's KKK Past a Legitimate Issue

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., broke a cardinal rule of modern Washington politics Wednesday afternoon when he dared to point out that Sen. Robert Byrd's 1940s membership in the Ku Klux Klan might be a relevant issue.

--NewsMax.com--

Doctor Performs Abortion on Non-pregnant Woman.

A doctor who performs abortions at the Hope Clinic in Granite City could have his medical license suspended or revoked for allegedly performing an abortion on a woman who wasn't pregnant.

--Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat --

We had no idea it was illegal to perform an abortion on a woman who isn't pregnant, and frankly, this law is insane. If a woman isn't pregnant, even pro-lifers have no reason to object to her having an abortion. And on the other side, why in the world should a woman have to get pregnant in order to exercise her right to choose? Then there's the unconscionable invasion of privacy this law entails. Pro-choice advocates say that mandatory counseling or a 24-hour waiting period puts an undue burden on a woman's right to choose. But neither of these measures seems anywhere near as intrusive as forcing her to take a pregnancy test.

Furthermore, dropping the pregnancy requirement for abortion would do away with a great injustice in existing law, under which men, who through no fault of their own can't get pregnant, are denied the right ever to have an abortion. Get your laws off our body! - James Taranto, OpinionJournal@wsj.com.

Virtues Maven May Have Played Last Slots

WASHINGTON - Elayne Bennett, wife of conservative virtues maven William Bennett, says her husband is "not addicted" to gambling and has not lost millions of dollars at casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.

--USA Today--

No Charges for Anti-war Protesters

CAPITOLA, Calif. (AP) - A California prosecutor has decided not to file charges against 13 activists arrested for blocking access to a military recruiting center two days after the United States attacked Iraq.

--Sacramento Bee (AP)--

Can you imagine charges being dropped if they had blocked access to an abortion clinic? - Ed.

Baghdad Museum 'Outrage' Dwarfed by Diplo Looting Spree

Now that many of the irreplaceable treasures supposedly looted from Baghdad's National Museum are now turning up in Jordan, it seems that all handwringing over the episode by media types desperate to paint the Iraq war as a failure was vastly overdone.

--NewsMax.com--

Kennedy, Liberal Republicans Urge Protection for Homosexuals

With the support of liberal Republicans, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has reintroduced legislation that would expand federal hate crime laws to include crimes motivated by a victim's "sexual orientation."

--CNSNews.com--

Gun Firms On Verge Of Winning New Shield

The gun industry, demonstrating its resurgent influence over Washington politics, is on the cusp of convincing President Bush and Congress to protect it from pending and future lawsuits.

--Washington Post--

Baghdad Tried to Bribe Scott Ritter With Gold

Scott Ritter, the former U.N. weapons inspector who was arrested for reportedly seeking sex from teen-age girls he met online, was targeted for bribery with gold by Iraq, reports the London Telegraph.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Clinton Monument 'Marked by Deceit'

Utah land grab now plagues former White House adviser.

--Pittsburgh Tribune-Review--

Enron Tries to Reclaim Tax on Inflated Profits

Enron, the bankrupt energy company, is trying to claim back tens of millions of dollars in taxes from America?s Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on the ground that it paid too much during the years when it fraudulently overstated revenues and profits.

--London Times--

Are you outraged? Read this first. - Ed.

Boy, 12, Pays Child Support

Twenty-eight boys aged between 13 and 15 who have fathered children are being forced to pay child support ? the tax department will even seize the money from their paper round.

--Dominion Post, New Zealand--

Man Faces Jail for Killing Rattler in Self-defense

A Michigan man who killed a poisonous snake he says was threatening nearby children has been found guilty of "killing a protected reptile or amphibian without a state permit" and faces a possible jail sentence, reports the Ann Arbor News.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Court Throws Out Parts of Campaign Finance Law

WASHINGTON - A federal court threw out as unconstitutional on Friday some parts of a landmark U.S. campaign finance law designed to restrict corruption and the influence of money in politics.

--Reuters--

Clinton: China or Europe Will Replace U.S. as Top Power

Ex-president Bill Clinton predicted this week that either Communist China, which helped bankroll his 1996 reelection campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal contributions, or the European Union, would replace the United States as the world's number one power within the next 30 years.

--NewsMax.com--

He did everything in his power to make this happen. - Ed.

The Man of Virtues Has a Vice

'Conservative' activist Bill Bennett has wagered millions in Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos during the past decade.

--Newsweek--

Boy Scout Supreme Court Victory Ignored by District of Columbia

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that the Boy Scouts of America, as a private non-profit organization, has the freedom to choose members and leaders who agree with the group's stated convictions. By stating its belief that the commitment to be "morally straight" excludes homosexuals, the Court ruled, the Boy Scouts are protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

--CNSNews.com--

Leftist Eggheads Still Defend Castro's Atrocities

In the wake of the execution without trial of three hijackers and the sentencing of 75 Cuban dissidents to long prison terms, more that 160 so-called intellectuals from around the world, including two Nobel Prize winners, have signed a declaration defending Fidel Castro's brutal regime.

--NewsMax.com--

Website Critical of Anti-War Celebrities to Be Shut Down

An Internet website that has gone after Hollywood actors for their past statements against the Bush administration and its policy of removing Saddam Hussein from power is shutting down, the site claimed Thursday.

--CNSNews.com--

If you were wondering just how dedicated to "free speech" those Hollywood blowhards are, read this. - Ed.

Suicide Bombers Posed as Anti-war Demonstrators

The two suicide bombers who blew up a seafront walkway and restaurant in Tel Aviv, killing three people and injuring at least 55 others, had earlier posed as anti-war activists and "human shields" and had participated in a Palestinian march to commemorate the death of American anti-war demonstrator Rachel Corrie, killed in March by an Israeli bulldozer, according to the London Telegraph.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Bush's Carrier Visit Contrasts with Clinton's

The left is livid at the political masterstroke that was President Bush's visit to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Thursday - with some complaining it was a cynical misuse of military personnel and equipment.

--NewsMax.com--

Political Fallout Follows SARS Coverup in China

GUANGZHOU, China - The mishandling of the SARS crisis is feeding tentative calls for political reform in China and has exacerbated a broad power struggle among current and former Communist leaders, according to government sources, journalists and political analysts.

--Washington Post--

A major contributing factor to the fall of the Soviet "Evil" Empire was the way it mishandled the Chernobyl accident, and the intense political pressure from the international community that followed. This SARS epidemic is a terrible thing, but it might lead to major positive changes in China. Stay tuned . . . - Ed.

Warning to Senate Democrats: 'Don't Mess With Texas'

CAPITOL HILL - If House and Senate Republicans from Texas have their way, liberal Senate Democrats may regret the decision to filibuster the nomination of a Texas Supreme Court justice to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. One of those liberal Democrats Thursday bristled at the threats.

--CNSNews.com--

Bad News for Democrats: Blacks Are Prospering

Increasing numbers of black Americans are improving their educations and earnings, and the trend of single-mother households is in historic decline, the Census Bureau reports.

--NewsMax.com--

This is bad news for Democrats! According to the Democrats, Republicans are the party of the "rich," and they, by extension, are the party of the poor. So it stands to reason that a party that is for the "rich" would expand its base by increasing the number of "rich" people, and conversely, a party of the "poor" would see its base erode as the "poor" move out of poverty. Democrats are obviously going to have to do something to reverse this trend or they might seek blacks voting for (Gasp!) Republicans! - Ed.

Kerry Calls 'Global Warming' Biggest Threat Since Cold War

"Global warming" is America's biggest threat since the Cold War, according to Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who addressed an environmental conference in Washington, D.C., Thursday.

--CNSNews.com--

Kerry could make a great contribution to slowing "global warming" by shutting his mouth. The hot air emanating from it is a greater threat than the "global warming" hoax he is helping to perpetrate. - Ed.

Democrats Link Gun Rights to Terrorism

WASHINGTON - Leading Democrat senators are tying their long-standing gun control agenda to homeland security and terrorism fears. Advocates of the Second Amendment compared the proposal to the actions of Adolf Hitler's regime in Nazi Germany.

--CNSNews.com--

Lawmakers Oppose DOD Exemptions for Environmental Laws

A delegation of congressional Democrats said Thursday the Bush administration is using the war on terrorism as an excuse to seek exemptions to a broad array of environmental laws governing air pollution, drinking water and endangered species.

--CNSNews.com--

We have a leading Democrat saying the "global warming" hoax is the greatest threat since the cold war, more Democrats trying to focus the "war on terrorism" on law-abiding gun owners, and here we have other Democrats saying that "endangered" beetles and slugs are more important than our national defense. These guys certainly have their priorities straight! - Ed.

'Baghdad' Jim McDermott Took Cash From Saddam Ally

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., who famously traveled to Baghdad last fall and pronounced President Bush a liar, accepted a cash payment less than a month later from an Iraqi-American businessman with ties to Saddam Hussein.

--NewsMax.com--

Head of Women's Group Criticizes RNC Head

The head of a major conservative women's organization has criticized the chairman of the Republican Party for meeting with leaders of the nation's largest gay rights organization, and called on him to take a stronger stand in support of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), even if such a declaration risks support from homosexual voters.

--Washington Post--

The message that "conservatives" need to be conveying is that being opposed to the homosexual agenda does not mean that we what homosexuals. Let's focus on that agenda, make people understand what it is, and why it is wrong. They have for years been denying that this agenda exists. - Ed.