Less for the Rich, More for the Poor

At his Thursday night press conference, President Bush said the nation has a responsibility to reform Social Security - “by directing extra help to those most in need and by making it a better deal for young workers.”

--CNSNews.com--

It's official! Social Security is a welfare system, not an “insurance” system. Insurance doesn't discriminate based on “need”.

Read the text of Pres. Bush's press conference here. - Ed.

Frist Calls for 100-Hour Debate Limit on Judicial Nominees

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) Wednesday called on Democrats to limit their debate on President Bush's judicial nominees to 100 hours and then to guarantee confirmation votes on the nominees. In exchange, Frist said he would not change Senate rules on filibusters.

--CNSNews.com--

Democrats don't want 100 hours of debate, or 1,000 hours. They want infinite “debate”. Late word is that the Democrats have rejected Frist's compromise. Not surprising! - Ed.

Congress Passes Budget That ‘Cuts’ Medicaid

WASHINGTON - A $2.6 trillion budget outline barely approved by Congress will cut projected spending on Medicaid for the poor, lock in tax cuts and - Republicans claim - put the country on a path toward lower federal deficits.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

You'll probably read a lot about this in the leftmedia. Keep in mind that in Washington parlance, a “cut” isn't necessarily a decrease in actual spending, but more likely a decrease in the projected increase in spending. I can't tell from this story whether it's talking about real cuts or not. I'm assuming it's really Washington-style “cuts”. - Ed.

Flat-tax Revolution Sweeping Europe

Flat taxes, once a fantasy of free-market ideologues, are sweeping across the European Union and could be introduced in more than 10 of the bloc's 25 member states.

--The Independent--

N. Korea Capable of Firing Nuke Missile at U.S.

North Korea has the capability of mounting a nuclear warhead on its missiles that could hit the United States, a senior US defense official said.

--Yahoo! News (AFP)--

Thank the Bush administration for pressing ahead with a missile defense system. - Ed.

Claim: North Korea Gassing Citizens

North Korea's hardline communist regime is using deadly nerve gas on its own citizens and possibly is operating experimental gas chambers, according to a Jewish human rights group.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Gen. Franks: Evidence Showed WMD Transfer

Retired Gen. Tommy Franks, who commanded the successful U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, said Thursday that he saw persuasive evidence that Saddam Hussein had transferred his weapons of mass destruction to Syria.

--NewsMax.com--

Akbar Sentenced to Death for Grenade Attack on GIs

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Hours after giving a brief, barely audible apology, a soldier was sentenced to death by a military jury for attacking comrades with a rifle and grenades early in the Iraq invasion.

--My Way News (AP)--

Arnold: L.A. Billboard Should Come Down

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says a controversial billboard promoting a Spanish-language television station in L.A. that places the city of angels in Mexico should come down.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Former Sen. Zell Miller Rushed to the Hospital

WASHINGTON - Former Georgia Sen. Zell Miller said Friday a fast-paced schedule promoting his new book was partly to blame for the illness that kept him hospitalized overnight.

--Fox News (AP)--

Colorado Democrats Fight ‘Anti-business’ Tag

For Democrats, Senate Bill 21 is the most current example of a problem they have faced all session: how to be pro-labor and pro-family without getting labeled “anti-business.”

--Denver Post--

It's good to see Democrats getting a taste of their own medicine once in a while. - Ed.

Rush Limbaugh's Attorney Issues Statement

Roy Black, Rush Limbaugh's attorney, released the following statement today regarding the Florida Supreme Court's 4-3 decision not to review Mr. Limbaugh's appeal of an earlier split decision by a three-judge panel of Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal:

--NewsMax.com--

Foreign Workers Coming to a Cruise Ship Near You

“Outsourcing” - which has become synonymous with sending American jobs to India or China - could soon mean foreign workers sleeping in ships just a few miles off America's coasts.

--NewsMax.com--

Dems Reject Bipartisanship on Social Security, Republicans Say

Democrats talk about a bipartisan solution to Social Security, but they don't really want one, the National Republican Congressional Committee said on Thursday.

--CNSNews.com--

Hillary's Energy Plan: Burn Old Tires

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is backing a plan to burn old tires to supply energy to an upstate New York paper mill that will produce clouds of acrid black smoke - a proposal that has nearby residents in a panic over potential health risks.

--NewsMax.com--

Senator Slams Constituents Who Criticized His Flip-Flop

Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) is making headlines for describing a conservative Christian group as the "antichrist," a comment he now says he regrets.

--CNSNews.com--

Rumsfeld Asks Congress to Fund Nuclear-Bomb Study

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld pressed Congress on Wednesday to fund research into an earth-penetrating “bunker buster” nuclear bomb that U.S. lawmakers dropped from the budget last year.

--ABC News (Reuters)--

Arizona Citizen Border Patrol Wants to Expand to Canadian Border

WASHINGTON - A controversial civilian patrol group that has been monitoring the Mexican border for illegal immigrants is looking to expand its mission to the Canadian border, organizers said Tuesday.

--USA Today (AP)--

Fla. Court Refuses Limbaugh Records Appeal

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Supreme Court said Thursday it will not consider an appeal from conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh over prosecutors' seizure of his medical records during an investigation into whether he illegally purchased painkillers.

--SunSentinel.com (AP)--

Mind-reading Machine Knows What You See

It is possible to read someone's mind by remotely measuring their brain activity, researchers have shown. The technique can even extract information from subjects that they are not aware of themselves.

--New Scientist--

Judicial Nominiations Hinge on ‘Moderate Republicans’

People on both sides of the “judicial filibuster” issue are being urged to contact Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican, who may or may not go along with a Senate rule change when the issue comes up for a vote this week.

--CNSNews.com--

Frist Stands Firm on Up-down Vote

Majority Leader Bill Frist said yesterday that he will not compromise on the "constitutional principle" of giving judicial nominees final up-or-down confirmation votes on the Senate floor.

--Washington Times--

House Speaker Ready to Scrap Ethics Rules

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Dennis Hastert, leading a Republican retreat, said Wednesday he stands ready to scrap controversial new ethics rules, possibly by day's end.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Sometimes a retreat is staged to lead the enemy into a trap. Stay tuned to see how this one turns out. - Ed.

Obstructionist Democrats Blast Bush on Social Security

Republicans counter, asserting rivals fail to offer their own plans.

--Boston Globe--

Frist to Press for Release of Clinton IRS Report

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Wednesday morning that he'll press for the release of findings by independent counsel David Barrett, whose probe into former Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros reportedly concluded that Clinton officials at the Internal Revenue Service conducted politically motivated audits of White House enemies.

--NewsMax.com--

CIA Can't Rule Out WMD Move to Syria

The CIA's chief weapons inspector said he cannot rule out the possibility that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction were secretly shipped to Syria before the March 2003 invasion, citing “sufficiently credible” evidence that WMDs may have been moved there.

--Washington Times--

Concerns Mount That France May Vote Against EU Charter

Alarmed by opinion polls showing growing opposition among French voters to the European Union constitution, European leaders are warning that failure of a referendum on the issue next month could seriously undermine the E.U. “project.”

--CNSNews.com--

Confirmed: William Weld Mulling Run for N.Y. Gov.

Former Massachusetts Governor William Weld has confirmed that he is seriously considering running for governor of New York in 2006.

--NewsMax.com--

NY Sex Predators to Go Off the Radar

Thousands of convicted sex fiends will vanish from the Megan's Law-mandated registry beginning next January, the Daily News has learned.

--New York Daily News--

Conservatives Press for Confirmation of Janice Rogers Brown

Two Senate Republicans and a conservative black pastor will hold a Tuesday afternoon press conference on Capitol Hill to lobby for the confirmation of filibustered judicial nominee Janice Rogers Brown.

--CNSNews.com--

Friendly Gesture is Political Message

CRAWFORD, Texas - When President Bush and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah held hands walking into their meeting Monday at Bush's Texas ranch, the gesture prompted questions about two men showing that kind of physical intimacy.

--USA Today--

GOP: No Schiavo Fallout on Judges

WASHINGTON - House Republicans say they haven't opened and don't plan any new investigations of federal judges after Terri Schiavo's death despite Majority Leader Tom DeLay's promise to examine the judiciary's conduct.

--Chicago Sun-Times--

It's about time for Republicans to start educating the public on the Constitution, since the “education” establishment refuses to do it. Maybe the GOP isn't doing it because they are as ignorant as your average public school product.

They're saying they can't impeach judges unless they've clearly done something illegal, but the Constitution says different. In Article III, section 1, it says “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour ...” It's clear, then, that the framers viewed bad behaviour, not just illegal behavior, as a valid reason for removing a judge from the bench. - Ed.

‘Liberal’ Group Trots Out ‘Lumbering Elephants’ and Al Gore

A liberal advocacy group is planning a week of rallies and protests - and a speech by former Vice President Al Gore - all blasting Republicans who want to eliminate Democrat filibusters of judicial nominees.

--CNSNews.com--

Illegal Immigration Fears Have Spread

DENVER - The armed volunteers patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border may be the starkest sign of frustration with the nation's immigration laws, but across the country there is a growing populist movement also taking matters into its own hands.

--Los Angeles Times--

US Clears Troops Over Italy Death

US military investigators have cleared American soldiers of any wrongdoing over the killing of an Italian agent at a Baghdad checkpoint, an official says.

--BBC News--

Lt. Pantano Faces Hearing

Second Lt. Ilario Pantano, the U.S. Marine charged with pre-meditated murder of two Iraqis, faces a pretrial hearing today that could lead to a court-martial and the death penalty, if convicted.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Inspectors Find No Proof Iraq Hid Weapons in Syria

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-led group that “scoured” Iraq for weapons of mass destruction has found no evidence Iraq hid such weapons in Syria before the U.S. invasion in March 2003, according to a final report on the investigation.

--ABC News (Reuters)--

The “insurgency” in Iraq has proven that massive amounts weapons can escape discovery. I don't put a lot of stock in this report. - Ed.

Court OKs Guns for Overseas Convicts

In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled people convicted of crimes overseas can own guns in the United States.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Justice Stephen G. Breyer, writing for the majority, reasoned the law should not apply to foreign convictions because courts abroad often have fewer procedural protections for defendants. But it's OK for the Supreme Court to use “foreign law” in making decisions under the U.S Constitution. Go figure! - Ed.

Self-Defense Bill Signed Into Law in Florida

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush Tuesday signed into law a bill that says if a criminal breaks into someone's home, occupied vehicle or place of business, that person can presume the criminal is there to do bodily harm and use any force against him.

--CNSNews.com--

Cisneros Probe Found Clinton IRS Abuse

Top Democrats are reportedly trying to deep-six the findings of an independent counsel probe into former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros that uncovered evidence the Clinton White House used the Internal Revenue Service to audit political enemies.

--NewsMax.com--

Source: Weld Talking to GOP About New York Run

ALBANY, N.Y. - Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld has had discussions with New York Republican officials about a possible run for governor or the U.S. Senate next year in the state where he has lived since 2000, a top GOP official said Sunday.

--Newsday (AP)--

Dean Finds Republicans ‘Evil,’ ‘Corrupt’ and ‘Brain-Dead’

Since taking over as chairman of the Democratic National Committee earlier this year, the former presidential candidate has been quoted in newspapers making unusually caustic remarks about Republicans.

--Washington Post--

If any Republican had said any of these things about Democrats, would the Washington Post have used such a mild adjective as “caustic” to describe it? Yeah, right! - Ed.

Peter Paul: Hillary Still a Target

The man whose allegations spurred a four-year FBI probe into an August 2000 celebrity fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton's first Senate campaign is calling the top Democrat “an unindicted co-conspirator” - a claim that contradicts published reports that prosecutors do not consider Clinton a target of the investigation.

--NewsMax.com--

GOP Strategist: Stay Calm on Clintons

ALBANY, N.Y. - Nelson Warfield, a GOP operative with long experience in New York state and on the national level, says that until Republicans learn to remain calm in the face of politicians named Clinton they will have a tough time beating them.

--Newsday (AP)--

‘Justice Sunday’ Broadcast Addresses Obstruction of Judicial Nominees

A “Justice Sunday” broadcast aimed at “stopping the filibuster against people of faith” reached an estimated 61 million households in 44 states on Sunday, organizers said.

--CNSNews.com--

Bush Court Nominee: Religion Secures Liberties

DARIEN, Conn. - Three days after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown for appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals - possibly touching off one of the most divisive fights in Senate history - Brown, 55, gave a 35-minute speech outlining her belief that religion helped forge the liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

--Stamford Advocate--

Make no mistake, Judge Brown is being threatened with filibuster because of her religion, and this is clearly unconstitutional. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states, “... no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” - Ed.

Gen. Clark Urges Golf Ban for DeLay

The campaign against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay reached new heights of hysteria last week, with former Democratic presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark urging that the top Republican be banned from playing golf.

--NewsMax.com--

Soros Foundation Given $30 Million by US Government

The Open Society Institute, a private foundation controlled by liberal billionaire and political activist George Soros, received more than $30 million [fungible] from U.S. government agencies between 1998 and 2003. Last year, Soros donated at least $20 million of his own money to such liberal groups as Moveon.org, in a failed attempt to block the re-election of President George W. Bush.

--CNSNews.com--

House Urged to Lead on Social Security

Some House Republicans are asking their leaders for a shift in Social Security strategy, arguing that the House should move first on legislation that creates private accounts, instead of waiting for action from the Senate, where Republican leaders are unsure they can pass such a bill.

--Washington Times--

Senate GOP Sets Up Filibuster Showdown

Moving the Senate closer to a historic confrontation, the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee yesterday endorsed two of President Bush's most controversial nominees to federal appellate court, and Democrats vowed once again to use the filibuster to block their confirmation.

--Washington Post--

Bush Vows Not to Attack Ideas for Social Security

President Bush yesterday called for a “civil debate” on Social Security reform, and promised that the White House will work in good faith with Democrats and not use the issue as a political club.

--Washington Times--

Voinovich Surprised by Reaction to Decision

Washington - Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich says he is surprised by the fuss he stirred with his unexpected announcement Tuesday that he wasn't prepared to vote to confirm John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations.

--Cleveland Plain Dealer--

Colin Powell Working Against Bolton

Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell is emerging as a behind-the-scenes player in the battle over John R. Bolton's nomination as ambassador to the United Nations, privately telling at least two key Republican lawmakers that Bolton is a smart but very problematic government official, according to Republican sources.

--NewsMax.com (Washington Post)--

Scalia: Partisan Discord is ‘Unprecedented’

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Thursday that he believed the current politicking over federal judges was “unprecedented” and chalked it up to trends at the Supreme Court itself.

--USA Today--

Kennedy In-Law Secretly Taped Hillary Aide

Sen. Ted Kennedy's brother-in-law, who pled guilty to bank fraud charges yesterday in New Orleans, secretly tape recorded former top Hillary Clinton campaign aide David Rosen - and may have taped Hillary herself - as part of an FBI probe into an Aug. 12, 2000 gala fundraiser for Mrs. Clinton's Senate campaign.

--NewsMax.com--

Border-Watch Group to Stop Patrols

The Minuteman Project says it will focus on protesting businesses that employ illegal migrants and push for immigration reform.

--Los Angeles Times--

No Charges for Soldier Who Held Aliens

The Army reservist who was jailed for holding seven illegal aliens at gunpoint until Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff's deputies arrived will not be prosecuted as the action was determined to be a legal citizen's arrest.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Hybrids Could Pay More Road Tax

Washington - The federal tax man has an eye on those increasingly popular high- mileage vehicles, gas misers whose drivers love going further between fill-ups and saving on sky-high gas prices.

--San Francisco Chronicle--

Hillary Moneyman Secretly Taped

A relative of an “extremely well-known” Democrat is set to testify in the upcoming trial of Hillary Clinton's former finance chairman David Rosen.

--NewsMax.com--

Owen, Brown Nominations Clear Judiciary Committee

By a vote of 10-8 along party lines, the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday sent the nominations of Priscilla Owen and Janice Rogers Brown to the full Senate.

--CNSNews.com--

Another Spineless Republican Senator Wavers on Bolton

A key Republican senator signaled yesterday that he is less likely to support the embattled nomination of John R. Bolton to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after a dramatic meeting Tuesday, and said he will discuss with GOP colleagues whether President Bush should withdraw Bolton's name.

--Washington Post--

Sen. Martinez Cleared on Schiavo Memo

The U.S. Senate Rules Committee has decided to take no action against Florida freshman senator Mel Martinez for an aide's politically embarrassing memo in the Terri Schiavo case.

--NewsMax.com--

House Committee Holds Hearing on Terri Schiavo, Protecting Disabled

Washington, DC - A House committee held a hearing on the debate surrounding the death of Terri Schiavo, the disabled woman who was starved during a painful thirteen day long process.

--LifeNews.com--

Dems Reject GOP Compromise on DeLay Ethics Investigation

House Republicans yesterday offered to open an investigation into overseas travel and other activities by Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), as part of an effort to resolve a three-month impasse with the Democrats that has kept the ethics committee from functioning.

--Washington Post--

When have Democrats ever accepted a compromise except when they get everything they want? - Ed.

House Poised to Approve Broad Energy Bill

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives was expected to approve an $8 billion energy bill on Thursday after brushing aside Democratic criticism that the legislation is a giveaway to big energy companies while motorists face record-high gasoline prices.

--Reuters--

Border Control ‘Absurd,’ Says Gingrich

Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House who led the Republican revolution of the last decade, is blasting the the lack of control at America's borders as “absurd.”

--WorldNetDaily.com--

George Soros Holds Secret Meeting, Makes 5-Year Plan

A hush-hush meeting of 70 leftist fat cats heard billionaire George Soros lay out a five-year plan designed to build a network of think tanks, media outlets and training schools promoting Soros' brand of Marxism. Meeting in Scottsdale Ariz., last weekend, the assemblage of multi-millionaires, whose identities were kept secret by the meeting's organizers, planned to start the process of building an ideas production line for liberal politicians.

--NewsMax.com--

Asbestos Trust Fund Called Wrong Solution to Serious Problem

Advocates of limited government are lobbying against a proposed $140-billion asbestos trust fund intended to compensate Americans suffering from asbestos-related disease.

--CNSNews.com--

Democrats Who Support Filibuster Once Opposed It

Two Senate Democrats plan to stand before the microphones Wednesday afternoon, to defend the Democratic filibuster of President Bush's judicial nominees.

--CNSNews.com--

DeLay Calls Justice Kennedy ‘Outrageous’

WASHINGTON - The House Judiciary Committee is reviewing the activities of justices on the Supreme Court and in other circuits to determine whether they have overstepped their authority and must be reined in, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay told FOX News Radio's Tony Snow on Tuesday.

--Fox News--

Republican Accused of ‘Bolton Betrayal’

Supporters of John Bolton are furious with Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican who joined Democrats Tuesday in expressing concern about Bolton's dealings with co-workers and underlings.

--CNSNews.com--

New Bolton Accuser a Vocal Bush Hater

The woman whose testimony now threatens to derail John Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador claims he was “genuinely behaving like a madman” during a 1994 trip to Moscow.

--NewsMax.com--

GOP Rep. to Bush: Quit Dragging Feet on Social Security

Conservative Republican congressmen want action from the Bush Administration on Social Security reform.

--Human Events Online--

Can't Reform Social Security if Americans Don't Understand It

There are many ways of saying that Americans are clueless when it comes to managing their finances.

--CNSNews.com--

ADL: Pope ‘Atoned’ for Hitler Youth

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today welcomed the election of German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope, Benedict XVI.

--NewsMax.com--

Dean Says Democrats Will Make Schiavo Case an Election Issue

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Friday that his party would wield the Terri Schiavo case against Republicans in the 2006 and 2008 elections, but for now needed to stay focused battling President Bush on Social Security.

--Los Angeles Times--

When an obscure congressional aide wrote a memo discussing how Republicans could benefit from the Schiavo case, the media went wild. But now we see the chairman of the Democrat National Committee doing exactly the same thing and the media are silent. Who says there's no left-wing media bias? - Ed.

DeLay Issues Broad Denial Of Ethics Violations

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), in his first detailed written response after weeks of questions about his dealings with lobbyists and handling of ethics matters, issued a broad denial that he violated any law or House rule in accepting trips abroad, and he implored supporters back home to accept his version of what he called “the real story.”

--Washington Post--

Minuteman Project Expanding to 4 States

The Minuteman Project in Arizona announced yesterday it will expand its operations, putting pressure on employers of illegals and setting up civilian border watches in four states.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

And the New Pope Is ...

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was selected as the new pope to succeed Pope John Paul II Tuesday and will be known as Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez announced.

--CNSNews.com--

GOP Senator's Comments Add Suspense to Bolton Vote

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the outcome may hinge on remarks made over the past few days by Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska.

--CNSNews.com--

CDC: Dangers of being overweight overstated

CHICAGO - Being overweight is nowhere near as big a killer as the government thought, ranking No. 7 instead of No. 2 among the nation's leading preventable causes of death, according to a startling new calculation from the CDC.

--Houston Chronicle (AP)--

Thugs Close Christian Taxi Firm

A Christian taxi firm run by a pastor in the Shankill area of Belfast has closed down days after a campaign of intimidation.

--Belfast Telegraph--

Cardinal Who Warned of 'Antichrist' Rises in Betting Odds

Though Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi is the odds-on favorite to be the next pope, global betting parlors are reporting an influx of bets on Cardinal Giacomo Biffi.

--NewsMax.com--

Cardinal Biffi believes the “Antichrist” is alive and a prominent philanthropist who advocated causes like human rights, the environment and ecumenicism. My guess would be George Soros. What's yours? - Ed.

Frist Educates the Public on Senate Rule Change

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is using the Internet to explain why the Senate may change its rules to allow an up-or-down vote on President Bush's judicial nominees.

--CNSNews.com--

There's only one reason that matters - they can change the rules because the Constitution says “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings ...” The rule for closure, which is the source of filibusters, is one of the senate's self-imposed rules. It can be, and has been in the past, changed at the whim of the majority. The last time it was changed was when a Democrat majority reduced the votes required to end debate from 67 to 60, in response to a Republican filibuster. In that case, though, it applied to all filibusters, not just filibusters of judges. - Ed.

Lott Urges Bush to Give DeLay ‘Aggressive Support’

President Bush needs House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to further his legislative agenda and should be more outspoken in his defense against ethics charges, Sen. Trent Lott, Mississippi Republican, said yesterday.

--Washington Times--

Sandy Berger to Join Hillary Campaign?

Despite recently confessing that he stole top secret terrorism documents, disgraced former national security adviser Sandy Berger continues to serve in an advisory capacity to 2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton - fulfilling much the same roll that he played in John Kerry's presidential campaign.

--NewsMax.com--

Newt Ignites Speculation He's Seeking White House

Will the 2008 presidential race be a contest between Hillary Clinton and Newt Gingrich?

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Author: Linda Cebrian

Date: Tuesday April 19, 2005 0:46

A twice-divorced philanderer who spent his entire tenure as Speaker committing adultery with a bimbo younger than his own daughter.

It takes more than "bright ideas " to make a good leader.

It certainly takes a great deal more self-discipline to make a good person.

Frist Likely to Push for Ban on Filibusters

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is all but certain to press for a rule change that would ban filibusters of judicial nominations in the next few weeks, despite misgivings by some of his fellow Republicans and a possible Democratic backlash that could paralyze the chamber, close associates said yesterday.

--Washington Post--

Make no mistake, the only “compromise” Democrats would accept would be they'd stop the filibusters when Bush stops nominating “extremist” judges. I don't believe getting rid of the filibuster is the best option, however. I'd say let them stage real filibusters and keep talking. But there's another facet of this dispute that Republicans have not addressed properly. Much, if not most, of the Democrats' objections has to do with the nominees religious beliefs. The Constitution clearly states “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” What Sen. Specter, Judiciary Committee Chairman, needs to do is rule any question related to religion out of line and instruct the nominee not to answer, citing the constitutional prohibition. - Ed.

Democrats Vow to Keep Blocking Ethics Committee

[Democrats] insisted ... that their stalling was not aimed at Mr. DeLay, who charged Wednesday that the Democrats' action was a partisan move also intended to protect a Democratic congressman involved in the illegal taping of a Republican member's cell-phone conversation.

--Washington Times--

Limbaugh: Harry Reid Family Cashing In

When it comes to cashing in on family connections, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's relatives can't hold a candle to the clan of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who's sponsored legislation that netted his family hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.

--NewsMax.com--

Hillary's War on Tom DeLay

Recent attention given to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, in the mainstream media is being orchestrated by Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., as a means to be sure the House is in Democratic hands when she runs for president in 2008, a source in the GOP leadership says.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Authorities Free 1 Million Aliens Amid Proceedings

One million people facing immigration proceedings have been released into the general population, the government's chief of detention and removal told the Senate yesterday , prompting some Republicans to say the Bush administration is “not serious” about the problem.

--Washington Times--

Scalia: ‘Constitution Not Living Organism’

The Constitution is not a “living” document that changes with the times U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says, but is to be interpreted on what the Founding Fathers meant at the time they drafted the Constitution.

--NewsMax.com--

Lt. Pantano Supported from House Floor

From the floor of the House yesterday, a congressman urged President Bush to personally attend to the case of Lt. Ilario Pantano, the U.S. Marine charged with pre-meditated murder of two Iraqis.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Priests Would be Subject to Searches

Priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee can be required to consent to unannounced searches of their homes at any time of the day or night if church officials suspect or know they have been involved in sexual conduct, alcohol or drug abuse, or other behavior deemed inappropriate by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, according to a policy change announced to clergy last week.

--Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel--

EU Shocker: Hamas are ‘Freedom Fighters’

A top European Union official held a secret meeting in Gaza with the leaders of Hamas, in spite of EU denials to the contrary, in which he praised the terror organization's work, blamed terrorism on “Israeli occupation,” referred to Hamas militants as “freedom fighters” and failed to contradict claims Israel was responsible for the September 11 attacks, according to transcripts of the conversation obtained by WorldNetDaily.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

DeLay Says Foes Seek to Shut Ethics Panel

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay accused Democrats of shutting down the chamber's ethics committee to prevent him from being exonerated of the ethics accusations against him.

--Washington Times--

Lt. Pantano Demands Speedy Court-martial

Claiming the government is withholding key evidence and witnesses, the U.S. Marine charged with murdering two Iraqis waived his right to a pretrial hearing yesterday and demanded a speedy court-martial.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Mexican Military Not Helping Illegals, Mexican Embassy Says

The Embassy of Mexico has issued a statement “firmly” denying allegations that Mexican Army troops are helping would-be border-crossers avoid areas where American “vigilante groups” are located.

--CNSNews.com--

House Committee Backs Drilling in Wildlife Refuge

A House panel yesterday backed drilling for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, advancing a key element of the Bush administration's energy plan.

--Washington Post--

I'm anticipating that it won't be long until Democrats are claiming that Bush has purposely caused oil prices to rise in order to get this passed. - Ed.

For Bolton Critic, GOP Claim Shaky

Carl W. Ford Jr., who professed to being a “loyal Republican” when he testified Tuesday against the nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations , has contributed to the political campaigns of several Democrats since 1999.

--Washington Times--

3 Indicted in Oil-For-Food Scheme

A Texas businessman, along with a Bulgarian and a British citizen, have been indicted in a scheme to pay millions of dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime as part of the United Nations' scandal-ridden oil-for-food program, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

--NewsMax.com--

Vast ‘Oil’ Reserves in Utah May Tempt Feds to Help Out

WASHINGTON - Utah, Colorado and Wyoming sit on a massive fortune in untapped oil — maybe more oil than in the Middle East — if they could just figure out a way to harvest it.

--Deseret Morning News--

Rudolph Pleads Guilty in Olympic Bombing

ATLANTA - With a hint of pride in his voice and a wink at prosecutors, right-wing extremist Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty Wednesday to carrying out the deadly bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and three other attacks across the South.

--ABC News--

One of the arguments against the death penalty is that it costs more to execute a killer than incarcerate him for life. A factor this argument ignores is the savings due to guilty pleas. Had the death penalty not been hanging over his head, Eric Rudolph might not have pled guilty, and the trial might have cost millions. But don't expect death penalty opponents to ever admit this. - Ed.

Liberals Target Lawmakers Who Support Bankruptcy Reform

“The banks and the credit card companies sure have a friend in Tom DeLay,” a liberal advocacy group says in a new ad intended to anger middle-class Americans - and further undermine both the House majority leader and the entire Republican agenda.

--CNSNews.com--

I consider myself a “middle-class American” and what angers me is people who think they can live high on the hog and then declare bankruptcy when the bills come due. Bankruptcy may do away with a legal requirement to pay one's bills, but it doesn't negate the moral responsibility. - Ed.

Bill Would Dump IRS for Sales Tax

A federal bill that would do away with federal income tax and replace it with a national sales tax has been introduced again in the House of Representative after the same bill failed to get committee consideration in the last Congress.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

I've previously posted commentary by Neal Boortz on this bill. If you haven't already read it, it's worth the read. - Ed.

Dem Junketeers Make DeLay Look Like Piker

Reporters are working overtime trying to convince their readers that three trips abroad taken by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay were suspicious because they were paid for by special interests.

--NewsMax.com--

House GOP Pushes to Terminate Estate Taxes

WASHINGTON - House Republicans on Wednesday pushed to make permanent a one-year reprieve on estate taxes, a change that Democrats said would reward the wealthiest families and increase the federal deficit by tens of billions of dollars annually.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

DeLay Seeks GOP Senators' Support

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) implored Republican senators yesterday to stick with him while he addresses questions about his travel and his dealings with lobbyists, as House Democrats unveiled plans to try to make ethics a defining issue for the year.

--Washington Post--

Justices Defend Court's Independence

WASHINGTON - Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas on Tuesday defended the independence of federal judges and suggested that criticism such as that directed at the federal bench recently by Republican leaders in Congress is simply part of the democratic process.

--USA Today--

I challenge anyone to find where in the Constitution it bestows “independence” upon the federal judiciary. In fact, the judicial branch is a co-equal branch of government under our republican form of government, and is not superior to the other two. It is also subject to checks and balances, just as the other two branches are. One of those checks is the impeachment power of Congress. It's also notable that while the Constitution stipulates lifetime appointments for federal judges, it stipulates a requirement of “good behaviour”. - Ed.

Federal Court Upholds Florida's Lifetime Ban on Felons Voting

MIAMI - A full federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a 160-year old Florida law that enforces a lifetime ban on voting rights for convicted felons, even after they have served their prison time and been released into society.

--Orlando Sun-Sentinel--

‘Kill Bush’ T-shirt for Sale

An online store today removed from its site a T-shirt with the words “Kill Bush” and a phony bloodstain.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Report: Al Sharpton Pocketed Donations

WASHINGTON - The FBI, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the Rev. Al Sharpton, secretly videotaped him pocketing campaign donations from two shady fund-raisers in a New York City hotel room and then asking for more, it was reported [Monday].

--New York Post--

Poll: Americans Say Taxes Too Complicated

WASHINGTON - Most Americans think federal income taxes are too complicated, but they're not eager to simplify tax preparation by getting rid of some deductions and tax credits, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Why don't they ask if the tax code violates our privacy? Are they afraid of the answer? - Ed.

Poll: NY Lukewarm on Hillary 2008 Run

Should Hillary Rodham Clinton run for president in 2008? A slim majority of New Yorkers don't think so.

--NewsMax.com--

Senators May Have Named CIA Operative

During a hearing on John R. Bolton's nomination to be ambassador to the United Nations, Bolton and members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee referred to the analyst as “Mr. Smith.” They were discussing one of the officials involved in a dispute over what Democrats said was Bolton's inappropriate treatment of an intelligence analyst who disagreed with him.

--Washington Post--

Despite ‘Ethics’ Flap, Few in GOP Publicly Criticizing Influential House Leader

WASHINGTON - In his 20-year rise from back-bencher to one of the most formidable Republican leaders in Congress, no one has understood the limits of Tom DeLay's effectiveness better than the House majority leader himself.

--USA Today--

Bill Clinton Bashes ‘Self-Loathing’ Hillary Critic

Former president Bill Clinton indulged in a bit of gay bashing on Monday, attacking one of his wife's critics as a “self-loathing” homosexual.

--NewsMax.com--

See yesterday's story. - Ed.

Bush Thanks Soldiers for Serving in Iraq

FORT HOOD, Texas - President Bush visited soldiers at the largest U.S. military base Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of the end of Saddam Hussein's regime by saying it will be remembered along with the fall of the Berlin Wall as one of history's greatest moments.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Ex-Intel Chief Blasts Bolton at Hearing

WASHINGTON - A former chief of the State Department's bureau of intelligence and research castigated John R. Bolton on Tuesday as a “kiss-up, kick-down sort of guy” who abused analysts who disagreed with him on Cuba. A Democrat said he “needs anger management.”

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Congressmen Introduce ‘Stand By Your Internet Ad’ Bill

Two U.S. congressmen Tuesday introduced legislation that builds on a provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform law of 2002.

--CNSNews.com--

Horowitz: Leftist Hatred Behind Pie-Throwing Thugs

Pie-throwing thugs attacking conservative speakers on college campuses are motivated by left-wing hatred, says free-speech advocate David Horowitz, who warns that the incidents could escalate to serious injury.

--NewsMax.com--

Mass. Committee Hears Charges Against Homophile Judges

A measure to oust the four justices who voted for same-sex marriage in Massachusetts will be considered today [Tuesday] by the state legislature's Joint Judiciary Committee.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Illegals Cost Texas $4.7 Billion

Texas' illegal immigrant population is costing the state's taxpayers more than $4.7 billion per year for education, medical care and incarceration, according to an analysis of the latest Census data by the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Idaho Officials Weigh RICO Lawsuit Over Illegal Workers

BOISE, Idaho - Canyon County commissioners are considering whether they can use a federal law designed to target organized crime to sue local businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

--Casper Star-Tribune--

Man With Suitcases Captured at Capitol

WASHINGTON - Police on Monday tackled and forcibly dragged away a man dressed in black and carrying two suitcases who had stationed himself in front of the west side of the U.S. Capitol.

--Yahoo! News (AP)--

New York GOP Mounts ‘STOP HILLARY’ Effort

ALBANY, N.Y. - Claiming Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is running for the White House, New York's GOP chairman has kicked off a national “STOP HILLARY NOW!” fundraising effort to thwart her 2006 Senate re-election bid.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

The New York GOP isn't going to beat Hillary with a Democrat posing as a Republican, chich is what most of their candidates are. - Ed.

Hillary Clinton's Fundraising Troubles Worse Than Tom DeLay's

This week's media attack on Tom DeLay has a top Washington lobbyist telling Newsweek magazine that the Republican House leader “knew everything” about allegedly shady fundraising on DeLay's behalf.

--NewsMax.com--

John Edwards Bristles at Hillary Talk

John Kerry's runningmate appears to be taking a different tack than Hillary Clinton in the early, early race for 2008. Rather than espouse a few moderate views, Edwards is sniping at Republicans from the Left.

--NewsMax.com--

Petition Drive Urges Senate to Change Its Rules

A conservative civil liberties group is pressuring Senate Republican leaders to stop the “crippling” use of filibusters against judicial nominees.

--CNSNews.com--

I urge readers not to support this petition drive. Let Democrats filibuster, but, make them do it around the clock until they drop. And keep the cameras rolling. - Ed.

Soldier Challenges Sen. Robert Byrd

State Republican Party Treasurer Hiram Lewis IV announced over the weekend that he planned to seek his party's nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd in 2006.

--NewsMax.com--

Zarqawi Had Close Call With Marines

Abu Musab Zarqawi, the most-wanted terrorist in Iraq, is on the run in an undeveloped western border region where he was nearly caught in recent weeks, a U.S. Marine commander says.

--Washington Times--

Saddam May Escape Noose in Deal to Halt Insurgency

Saddam Hussein could avoid the gallows under a secret proposal by insurgent leaders that Iraq's new administration is “seriously considering”, a senior government source said yesterday.

--London Telegraph--

Bolton Pledges to Help Strengthen U.N.

WASHINGTON - John R. Bolton, a blunt diplomat whose nomination as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is opposed by most Democrats and some in the foreign policy establishment, pledged Monday to help strengthen an institution that has occasionally “gone off track.”

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

The worst kind of person we could put in the U.N. is someone who thinks there's nothing wrong with it. That seems to be what Democrats want, though. - Ed.

Kerry: Trickery Kept Voters From Polls

BOSTON - Many voters in last year's presidential election were denied access to the polls through trickery and intimidation, former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told a voters' group Sunday.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

No, he's not talking about the felons who voted illegally. And he's not talking about the GOP get-out-the-vote vans that had their tires slashed. - Ed.

Is Santorum Getting a Political Makeover?

In recent weeks, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Penn., has called on Republican leader Tom DeLay to explain the ethical questions surrounding him; proposed raising the minimum wage; suggested that the death penalty be reserved for the most dangerous of killers; voted with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., on curbing sex and violence in the media; and sided with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., on a bill protecting religious freedom in the workplace.

--NewsMax.com--

Bush, Clinton Disagree on Pope's Legacy

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President Bush on Friday said that attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II was “one of the highlights of my presidency” and made clear that he disagrees with former President Clinton's assessment that the pontiff leaves a mixed legacy.

--San Francisco Chronicle (AP)--

Tape of NJ Dem Boss a Political ‘Gift’

When George E. Norcross III spoke, Republicans listened.

--NewsMax.com--

You can hear some of these tapes in radio ads being run by Republican Doug Forrester. - Ed.

Today's Attack on Tom DeLay Involves Guilt by Association

Get out your pencils: You'll need to draw a chart to keep this story straight. The gist is this: The Campaign for America's Future, a liberal policy group, is challenging House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to “explain his relationship” to Brian Darling, the former counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez.

--CNSNews.com--

They won't be asking Hillary Clinton about her associations with all sorts of unsavory characters, however. - Ed.

DeLay Says Judges Have ‘Overstepped’ Authority

WASHINGTON - A week after denouncing the judges in the Terri Schiavo case, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay resumed his verbal assault on federal judges Thursday by telling conservative religious activists that the judicial branch is out of control and Congress should reassert constitutional authority over the courts.

--Houston Chronicle--

Scalia: Law Shouldn't Write Off Christians

The legal profession shouldn't write off traditional Christians as "simple minded," Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told fellow Catholics, and he urged a blend of reason and faith.

--NewsMax.com--

Dem. Senators Hold Up EPA Head Over Pesticide Study

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency won't rush to cancel a study on how pesticides affect children despite threats from Senate Democrats to hold up confirmation of the new EPA administrator until the study is canned.

--ABC News (AP)--

You don't find out why the Dems are in such a huff about this until you get to the second-last paragraph: “EPA had planned to give participating families $970 plus a camcorder and children's clothes, but critics inside and outside the agency said that might encourage low-income families to use pesticides in their homes.” Aren't “low-income families” the Dems' main constituency? Do they really think their constituency is that stupid? - Ed.

A Mortgage Plan Tailored for Illegals

Mortgage lenders are eager to tap into what they see as a $44 billion marketplace – housing loans for illegal aliens.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

I wonder what happens when the lendee gets deported. Does the bank foreclose on the property? It would seem that the banks might then have an incentive to turn them in. - Ed.

Bill Clinton: Pope's legacy ‘mixed’

VATICAN CITY - President Bush, joined by two of his predecessors, knelt in prayer before the body of Pope John Paul II yesterday after former President Bill Clinton said the pontiff “may have a mixed legacy.”

--Washington Times--

Such hubris! - Ed.

Liberals Launch ‘Fire Tom DeLay’ Campaign

While liberal groups press their attack on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, his fellow Republicans continue defending him and DeLay accuses the liberal media of joining the political effort to embarrass him.

--CNSNews.com--

The Democrat Party, the dog being wagged by George Soros, has been so successful with its minority vetos of federal judges, they now think they can veto Republican Party leadership. A pox on any Republican who lets them get away with it. - Ed.

Papers Say Leak Probe Is Over

The special prosecutor investigating whether Bush administration officials illegally revealed the identity of a covert CIA operative says he finished his investigation months ago, except for questioning two reporters who have refused to testify.

--Washington Post--

Get a load of what the Post says in the third paragraph of this story:

Legal experts and sources close to the case also speculated yesterday that Fitzgerald is not likely to seek an indictment for the crime he originally set out to investigate: whether a government official knowingly exposed a covert officer.

Even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the leftmedia refuses to let go of their assumption that a “crime” was committed. Part of the job of the prosecutor was to ascertain whether or not a crime had actually been committed, but the Post words it such that the prosecutor was operating under the assumption that a crime had been committed. An unbiased news source would at least have added the word “alleged” before the word “crime”. - Ed.

Counsel to GOP Senator Wrote Memo On Schiavo

The legal counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) admitted yesterday that he was the author of a memo citing the political advantage to Republicans of intervening in the case of Terri Schiavo, the senator said in an interview last night.

--Washington Post--

Lib Attacks Horowitz With Pie

The liberals' food police have struck again - this time throwing a pie at conservative pundit David Horowitz, president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture.

--NewsMax.com--

Illegals Interfering With US Military Training

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. - Marines preparing for combat in Iraq or Afghanistan have lost significant amounts of training time because undocumented immigrants from Mexico have constantly wandered onto a bombing test range in Arizona, according to the commander of this base along the border.

--Boston Globe--

Congress May Extend Daylight-Saving Time

WASHINGTON - If Congress passes an energy bill, Americans may see more daylight-saving time.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

“The more daylight we have, the less electricity we use,” said Ed Markey (D-Mass.), co-sponsor of the measure. Does he really think extending Daylight Savings Times is going to give us more daylight? - Ed.

California Moves to Ban Alcohol Inhalation Devices

A California Assembly committee has passed a bill that would ban “alcohol without liquid” devices, which allow users to feel the effects of alcohol by inhaling vapors rather than drinking.

--CNSNews.com--

They learned nothing from prohibition. - Ed.

Partial Solar Eclipse on Friday

LOS ANGELES, California - Sky-watchers from the South Pacific to the Americas will witness the first solar eclipse of 2005 on Friday when the moon blots out part of the sun.

--CNN (AP)--

Frist Eyes Compromise to Forgo Filibuster Ban

WASHINGTON - Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, yesterday brushed aside calls from conservatives to make good on his own suggestion and immediately ban filibusters of judicial nominees, saying he'll keep working with Democrats to avoid a bitter, politically damaging showdown.

--Boston Globe--

Here's an idea: If Democrats want to filibuster, let them hold a real filibuster. When they get to reading names from a phone book, the American public will see what “extended debate” means to senate obstructionists. We all know what “compromise” means when it's with Democrats - they get everything they want. - Ed.

Senate Hearing on Dying Shaped by Schiavo Case

WASHINGTON - A Senate committee that had considered trying to summon a brain-damaged Terri Schiavo to a hearing, instead on Wednesday explored care for the dying or severely disabled who cannot necessarily express their own wishes.

--Reuters--

Apparently, the fact that Judge Greer defied a congressional subpoena is going to be overlooked as Republicans get weak-kneed in the face of Democrat demagoguery. - Ed.

Harry Reid: GOP Shows ‘Arrogancy’

WASHINGTON - Congressional Democrats on Tuesday said Republican criticism of the federal courts after Terri Schiavo's death showed an “arrogancy of power” that is leading to a Senate confrontation over filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominees.

--Arizona Republic--

Isn't it funny how Democrats can get away with criticizing judges, but Republicans can't? Here is just one example of a Democrat senator (Reid) criticizing a sitting Supreme Court justice. - Ed.

Mel Gibson Pushed for President

Inspired by Mel Gibson's strong stand against the dehydration death of Terri Schiavo, an Oregon businessman has begun a campaign to see the "Passion" director run for president as a Republican in 2008, saying he's the only potential candidate who has the star power and charisma needed to keep Democrat Hillary Clinton out of the White House.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Hill Takes a Back Seat on Social Security

The e-mail to her constituents had billed the gathering as a “town hall meeting on Social Security,” but the purported host - Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) - was sitting by herself in the fourth row of a darkened theater of a prep school in Charlotte.

--Washington Post--

Ukrain's Yushchenko Thanks America, Asks for Aid

WASHINGTON - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, seen as living proof of the former Soviet republic's desire for democratic change, told Congress Wednesday that "a civil society has matured in Ukraine" and asked for economic support to spur further progress.

--NewsMax.com--

Minutemen Catch 141 Illegals So Far

In its second day of operations, the civilian volunteer Minuteman Project claimed to have aided the Border Patrol in the apprehension of 141 illegal aliens along the Arizona border and deterred many more from attempting to cross from Mexico.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Banning Guns Won't Stop Terrorists, Poll Shows

Would banning guns reduce the threat from terrorists? Seventy-five percent of Americans say no, according to a new Zogby International poll commissioned by the Second Amendment Foundation.

--CNSNews.com--

It's amazing to me that twenty-five percent of Americans could think that banning guns would stop terrorists. - Ed.

Doctors, Hospitals End Videotaping Births

SEATTLE - Dr. John C. Nelson, an obstetrician, understands the desire of some parents to capture the miracle of birth on video. But a few years ago, he put a stop to the practice among his patients for fear the delivery-room footage could someday become Exhibit A in court.

--Newsday (AP)--

Pelosi helped donor to PAC

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi helped secure $3 million last year for a nonprofit transportation-research organization whose president gave money to her political action committee as the group was paying for a European trip for one of her policy advisers.

--Washington Times--

DeLay Defiant Against Dem Attacks

Defiance defines House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who has three lawyers, one crisis consultant with Justice Department experience and a new support group of conservative activists as he tries to survive allegations of ethical misconduct.

--NewsMax.com--

Civilian Blockade Effective at Border

NACO, Ariz. - Dozens of would-be illegal aliens sat huddled in the desert less than a mile south of the U.S.-Mexico border late Sunday night, stopped by a blockade of civilian volunteers protesting the government's immigration enforcement policies.

--Washington Times--

Giuliani ‘Too Busy’ to Challenge Hillary

If the statements of Rudy Giuliani's top political aide carry any weight, the former mayor of New York will not be challenging Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate next year, but the possibility of a White House run in 2008 is not out of the question.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Post-Schiavo Questions Await Congress's GOP Leaders

Republican congressional leaders return to Washington today to confront a political landscape that is considerably more problematic than the one they left two weeks ago, when the House and Senate adjourned for Easter recess.

--Washington Post--

Senator Links Courthouse Violence to ‘Political’ Decisions

Sen. John Cornyn said yesterday that recent examples of courthouse violence may be linked to public anger over judges who make politically charged decisions without being held accountable.

--Washington Post--

Tax Abuse Rampant in Nonprofits, IRS Says

Charities and other nonprofits exempted from taxes because they serve a public purpose have become a hotbed of tax evasion and abuse, according to the head of the Internal Revenue Service.

--Fox News--

Iraqi Pols Break Deadlock, Pick Sunni for Speaker

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi leaders broke a political impasse Sunday and elected a moderate Sunni Muslim as speaker of the new National Assembly.

--Chicago Sun-Times--

Minuteman Project Snagging 1st Illegals

Just before its official commencement, the Minuteman Project has helped U.S. officials capture at least 18 suspected illegal aliens.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Let's stop calling them “illegal aliens” and call them what they really are - foreign invaders and potential terrorists. As such, they should be sent to Guantanamo Bay. - Ed.

Zogby: Americans Wanted Terri to Live

By a significant plurality, Americans did not agree with the decision by state and federal courts last week that Terri Schiavo should be starved to death, a new Zogby poll has found.

--NewsMax.com--

It's amazing how poll results can be skewed by simply asking the questions from a particular perspective. - Ed.

Cheney Opposes Retribution Against Schiavo Judges

Vice President Cheney says he opposes revenge against judges for their refusal to prolong the life of the late Terri Schiavo, although he did not criticize House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) for declaring that they will “answer for their behavior.”

-Washington Post--

Why does the Washington Post use words like “revenge” and “retribution”? If Congress believes a judge has abused his powers or violated the laws or the Constitution, it has a duty to investigate and remove the judge if appropriate. The Post, being a member of the leftmedia, does not want to see Congress exercising its constitutional duty vis-a-vis the judiciary, so it uses words like “revenge” to divert attention from the constitutional aspects of whatever action Congress might take. - Ed.

Arizona's Democrat Governor Vetoes Bill Requiring All Voters to Show ID

PHOENIX - Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed legislation Friday to bar some people who show up at the polls without identification from voting.

--Arizona Daily Star--

John Paul II: 1978 - 2005

Pope John Paul II is dead at 84.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Justice Dept.: Berger Shredding Wasn't Cover-up

Former national security advisor Sandy Berger wasn't trying to conceal information when he stuffed five copies of a top secret terrorism report in his pants and socks during two trips to the National Archives in 2003 - before taking the documents home and cutting three of the copies "into small pieces."

--NewsMax.com--

DeLay Will Seek Review of Courts

Perhaps dissatisfied and frustrated by the performance of the federal court system in relation to the Terri Schiavo case, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay says he'll ask a House panel to look into it.

--NewsMax.com--

GOP ‘Dark Horse’ Weighs 2008 Bid

Add another name to the list of potential 2008 presidential candidates: Sen. Sam Brownback. The Kansas Republican, little known outside his home state, is using a network of social conservatives and Christian activists to raise his profile in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states critical to White House hopefuls.

--NewsMax.com--

Sandy Berger Lied About Removing Documents

Samuel R. “Sandy” Berger, a former White House national security adviser, plans to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, and will acknowledge intentionally removing and destroying copies of a classified document about the Clinton administration's record on terrorism.

--Washington Post--

Martha Stewart went to jail for lying. - Ed.

Faithful Awaiting Sad Word From Rome

Pope John Paul II is not unconscious but he is critically ill and has unstable blood pressure, a Vatican spokesman announced Friday.

--CNSNews.com--

Vatican Calls Terri's Death ‘Murder’

A spokesman for Pope John Paul II called Terri Schiavo's death Thursday morning a “murder.”

--NewsMax.com--

Troop Deaths Drop to Lowest Point in a Year

The number of U.S. troop deaths in Iraq has dropped to the lowest level in a year, continuing a decline that began after the assault on insurgent-held Fallujah last fall and accelerated after Iraq's Jan. 30 elections.

--USA Today--

Have you seen any news reports of “insurgent” deaths? I haven't. - Ed.

Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.2 Percent

The 110,000 new jobs in March marked the smallest gain since last July, when payrolls grew by a tepid 83,000. March's payroll gain was half of the approximately 220,000 jobs economists had predicted.

--ECommerce Times--

There's good news (unemployment down) and bad news (job creation down) and the media make the story all about the bad news. Employers hire the most qualified people first, so when unemployment gets to very low levels, it stands to reason that the people left out are the most uneducated and unqualified. What kinds of jobs could be created to put these people to work? - Ed.

Pat Buchanan Doused With Salad Dressing

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Commentator and former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan cut short an appearance after an opponent of his conservative views doused him with salad dressing.

“Stop the bigotry!” the demonstrator shouted as he hurled the liquid Thursday night during the program at Western Michigan University. The incident came just two days after another noted conservative, William Kristol, was struck by a pie during an appearance at a college in Indiana.

--Wired (AP)--

Some Not Cooperating in Oil-For-Food Probe

UNITED NATIONS - The United States and other U.N. member states have refused to fully cooperate with investigators looking into corruption in the oil-for-food program in Iraq, blocking access to information about politically sensitive actions of Security Council nations, say leaders of the probe.

--London Guardian (AP)--

Pro-lifers Hear Call to Overhaul ‘Arrogant’ Judiciary

Terri Schiavo's death is expected to have major political ramifications as pro-lifers declare war on the judiciary and galvanize for the coming fight over Supreme Court vacancies.

--Washington Times--

Group Warns Against Living Wills

Amid the national crush to fill out living wills in the wake of the Terri Schiavo saga, a California pro-life group is warning citizens against signing that state's standard living will form, claiming it could result in a painful death by starvation and dehydration.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Review Indicates 278 Felons Cast Ballots Illegally in Wisconsin

When Wisconsin voters went to the polls Nov. 2, for what ended up as one of the nation's tightest presidential races, as many as 278 felons joined them and cast illegal ballots, a new Journal Sentinel analysis suggests.

--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel--

Hindus Attack Church During ‘Passion’ Screening

Kochi (AsiaNews) - A gaggle of Hindu fundamentalists assaulted Christians who were watching a screening of The Passion of the Christ inside the Kanai Church, the oldest church in the state of Kerala (south-western India). One Christian was seriously wounded and scores of others were beaten and injured, including women and children.

--Asia News--

Hindus would make good American leftists. They wouldn't harm a cow, but have no qualms about attacking Christians. Sound familiar? - Ed.

Terri's Killing Called ‘Sad Day’ for the Nation

After 14 days without food or water, Terri Schiavo died around 9:05 Thursday morning -- moments after her parents issued an emotional plea to be at her hospice bedside in her final moments of life.

--CNSNews.com--

Schindlers: Impeach Fla. Judge

A spokesman for the family of Terri Schindler Schiavo said Wednesday the Florida judge presiding over her case “ignores the state's laws and orders the premeditated killing of a disabled Florida woman by her husband.”

--NewsMax.com--

Senator: Schiavo Judges Should be ‘Held Accountable’

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., contends action should be taken against two judges who ignored congressional orders in the Terri Schiavo case.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Conservative Judge Blasts Bush, Congress for Role in Schiavo Case

WASHINGTON - The latest rejection of the Terri Schiavo case by a federal court was accompanied by a stinging rebuke of Congress and President Bush from a seemingly unlikely source: Judge Stanley F. Birch Jr., one of the most conservative jurists on the federal bench.

--Sarasota Herald (KRT)--

I respectfully believe that the judge is wrong. From Article III, section 2 of the U.S. Constitution: “In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.” So it's pretty clear that the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate the federal judiciary's jurisdiction. - Ed.

Planned Parenthood Thanks Anti-Terri Voters

On Thursday, March 24, the director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida sent an e-mail to advocates for the abortion operation telling them how to “express your appreciation” to Florida Republican senators who split with the GOP leadership by voting against a bill intended to save Terri Schiavo, according to David Bereit, national director of American Life League's STOPP International.

--NewsMax.com--

GOP Agenda Conflicting With States' Rights

WASHINGTON - Republicans who swear by the principle of states' rights are having to make some exceptions when it comes to saving Terri Schiavo, or reining in trial lawyers, protecting the sanctity of marriage and advancing the party's other priorities.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Appeals Court Says ‘Black Boxes’ in Cars Can Be Used as Evidence Against Drivers

The little “black box” in Edwin Matos' car is a reliable source of evidence that he was driving at more than three times the speed limit when he slammed into another vehicle and killed two teenage girls in Pembroke Pines, an appeals court ruled on Wednesday.

--South Florida Sun-Sentinel--

And it's getting so you can't buy a car without one. - Ed.