Watching the Alberto Gonzales hearings yesterday was sickening. How much RNC, NRSC and other money went in to saving Senator Arlen Spector’s political life against GOP primary challenger Pat Toomey? We pour millions into races to save the likes of Lincoln Chafee and Jim Jeffords.

I have pasted below a piece I just had published in the Valley Conservative here in the Central Valley. Enjoy.

IS CONSERVATISM DEAD

Over the past twelve years, conservatism for me has become hollow words, empty promises, and abandoned principles.I know that most of you agree. How many times do we have to bear the unbearable – the sight of a Republican candidate or elected official talking about “less government, lower taxes, school choice, less regulation, energy independence, reforming Medicare and Social Security” – knowing full well that these issues will not ever see solutions?In fact, the vast majority of our elected officials have continued to cast votes making these problems worse, not better.Do Medicare Part D and … Read More

Spring Cleaning

House Republican leaders moved swiftly to pressure two of their conference members under federal investigation to step down from key committee posts this week. Yesterday saw Rep. John Doolittle of California step down from his Appropriations Committee assignment after word leaked that his Virginia home had been raided by FBI agents seeking documents linking him with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Similarly, Rep. Rick Renzi of Arizona stepped down from the Intelligence Committee after it was revealed that the FBI had raided a business tied to his wife as part of an ongoing probe into his official actions.

House Republicans were often slow in the last Congress to… Read More

Its very possible that Congressman John Doolittle will resign because of circumstances relating to the ethical (and maybe legal) charges being brought against him.

With ethical issues being at the forefront at the national level, Doolittle’s next challenge may be from the leadership in the Republican party — asking him to step aside for “the good of the party”. It is also possible that a federal judge and/or US attorney forces this congressional seat open in a less subtle manner.

For those not familiar with the seat, this North Eastern California Congressional District is solid GOP territory that stretches from the Sacramento suburbs up to Lake Tahoe and all the way north to the Oregon border. The district has a 48% to 30% GOP registration advantage and Bush received 61% of the vote in 2004. If Democrat challenger Charlie Brown couldn’t win this district in the perfect storm last year, he sure wont win it in 2008 against a well qualified Republican… Read More

Its very possible that Congressman John Doolittle will resign because of circumstances relating to the ethical (and maybe legal) charges being brought against him.

With ethical issues being at the forefront at the national level, Doolittle’s next challenge may be from the leadership in the Republican party — asking him to step aside for “the good of the party”. It is also possible that a federal judge and/or US attorney forces this congressional seat open in a less subtle manner.

For those not familiar with the seat, this North Eastern California Congressional District is solid GOP territory that stretches from the Sacramento suburbs up to Lake Tahoe and all the way north to the Oregon border. The district has a 48% to 30% GOP registration advantage and Bush received 61% of the vote in 2004. If Democrat challenger Charlie Brown couldn’t win this district in the perfect storm last year, he sure wont win it in 2008 against a well qualified Republican… Read More

We asked the Senator for an account of what took place:

During this morning’s Senate Floor session, Senator Leland Yee (D—San Francisco/San Mateo) paid tribute to a delegation from Communist Vietnam, a delegation that included a member of the Communist government. I was appalled that such an honor would be bestowed upon representatives of a regime that has enslaved and murdered thousands; a regime which still denies, in a vicious and systematic manner, so many of the basic freedoms which every American is privileged to possess. I couldn’t sit by silently. I felt it was my responsibility to speak out on… Read More

Susan Davis over at Roll Call is reporting that Congressman John Doolittle is going to be resigning from the powerful House Appriations Committee. Here is an excerpt:

Facing increasing legal scrutiny into his family¹s ties with incarcerated former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is expected to send a letter to House leaders today removing himself from his post on the powerful Appropriations Committee. While Doolittle is expected to voluntarily take himself off the panel while the investigation continues, knowledgeable House sources said that Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and members of the Republican Steering Committee, which determines committee assignments were prepared to remove him from his post if he would not do so … Read More

Tom Harman’s misguided attempt to promote "Community Service" was unanimously passed by committee. (Wyland, Maldonado voted yes with the Democrats) The bill has changed since Harman wanted to conscript California’s youth into so-called "community service". As a side note why call it service? Service sounds like they want to do it. At least change it to community work.

Conservatives on several grounds opposed the original bill. See here. This bill is still bad and will do nothing to help kidsmeet state standardsin math or reading. But, what legislator cares about that?

Now the bill only forces local school districts to offer elective classes in community service. See how much Republicans support local control?

The legislative analysis says that such activities should be non-partisan and “non-sectarian”.

There was some discussion of that in committee but no real resolution. Can a student counsel a homosexual student about changing their life? Can someone volunteer at a church homeless shelter? Church Youth Group? What… Read More

From today’s WSJ Political Diary E-mail:

Corruption and the House GOP

During last year’s GOP House leadership elections, North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx pointedly asked a question of every candidate: Would a Member be allowed to hold a position of trust if he or she was under criminal investigation? John Boehner, the Ohio Republican who eventually became Minority Leader, answered that it would be unwise to prejudge such cases. His message, according to one source who was present: "We have to be careful… Read More