And now I find Beldar's exellent entry on this brouhaha, after I wrote mine. Here it is: : Jeepers, Mrs. Wilson! Let's not all jump off into the deep end, okay?

Some of the articles he links to prove my point, some make a good case. I was not aware of his problem with TPM, if I had been I would have claimed that I was boycotting and not just forgetting to read it. I think what Beldar himself says (points 1, 2, and 3) are pretty good. But I kind of doubt the CIA/DOJ etc. would be asking the White House to investigate if there wasn't anything to the story.

There's No Spinning This

I have no idea how I missed the story of the CIA employee's identity being revealed in a Robert Novak column. I guess I haven't been reading Talking Points Memo as faithfully as I should. Here's what started it:

Town Hall: Robert Novak: Mission to Niger

Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife, [Name Deleted], is an Agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him. "I will not answer any question about my wife," Wilson told me.

It is illegal, as it should be, to reveal the identity of a CIA employee acting undercover. Mr. Novak's revelation gets troublesome because of First Amendment issues, but he's not the real culprit. The real culprits are the "two senior administration officials," if they did tell him that Ms. [Name Deleted] is an "Agency operative" (if she is).

Many of my brothers on the Right have rallied to the Administration's defense. Their loyalty is admirable. Their arguments are full of crap.

National Review Online: Spy Games

It's the top story in the Washington Post this morning as well as in many other media outlets. Who leaked the fact that the wife of Joseph C. Wilson IV worked for the CIA?

What also might be worth asking: "Who didn't know?"

The "everybody knew" argument is dead on arrival, so far as the "two senior administration officials" are concerned. If they came across this tidbit of info and it was classified, then that's the end of the story. Pretend for a second that the following is classified info: "Kermit the Frog is not a real frog. He is a muppet (combination of marionette and puppet). The United States government has never confirmed a talking frog exists." When Mr. Novak asks the "two senior administration officials" if Kermit the Frog is real, their answer may be, and may only be, "I can't comment on that." Any other discussion leads one, as it should, to prison.

National Review Online: Mark R. Levin on Joe Wilson

When I first heard about Wilson's wife, my immediate thought was: Wilson created the very circumstance he now complains about. He voluntarily drew attention to himself and, by extension, his family. He interjected himself into an intense international policy dispute regarding the war with Iraq.

This argument is ridiculous as a legal or logical argument.

Sparkey at SGT. Stryker's Daily Briefing, here, makes the case that

1. Ms. [Name Deleted]'s husband is a lefty wimp.


2. He can't keep the story straight.


3. The "CIA" verified it.

The only possible defense these "two senior administration officials" have is if Ms. [Name Deleted] does not meet the definition of an undercover CIA employee. It would appear she does.

I had a clearance for many years. They make it idiot-proof to know what is classified info. It's stamped in real big letters. They make you sign papers almost daily reiterating that this info is classified, you can't reveal it, and people may die if you do reveal it. Also, you'll go to prison and prisoners are a strangely patriotic bunch who think they will redeem themselves if they make your life hell.

Every elected official and every high level goverment appointee should have military experience, imho. At the very least, they will learn in boot camp that there is a time for thinking independently, there's a time for blindly following orders, and there's a time for shutting up. Whoever these "two senior administration officials" are, they need to learn when it's time to shut up.

Note: I deleted the lady-in-question's name. It's silly, but if I find myself remembering classified info that I don't have a need-to-know for, I get the creeps. I don't want to publish her name.

Son of a Bitch

Yahoo! News: U.S. Arrests Another Guantanamo Base Translator

AP story

DHS | Department of Homeland Security | Statement by the Department of Homeland Security on the Arrest of Ahmed Mehabla

UPI: Guantanamo civilian translator arrested

WMUR: Military Translator Detained At Logan Airport

Through our business, Michelle and I are supporting Houston Habitat For Humanity in their SuperBuild XXXVIII project. It's a plan to build 38 homes in 38 days leading up to the Superbowl. If you don't know about Habitat for Humanity, they help people who otherwise couldn't buy a home to, well, build their own. I'd like to urge anyone with a website to help promote this very worthy effort. Here's the logo:

We're going to try to get out there and pound some nails, if you can fit it in to your schedule, please do.

I guess I am in favor of beating prisoners with clubs.

SGT Stryker can't comment on this story, but I can.

Find the guy who leaked it. Lock him up. Release him for random beatings. Repeat.

Here's a sailor's blog: Haze Grey & Underway. Look at the puppy! Aww!

Yahoo! Sports: Team USA lays waste to 'Group of Death'

RLC Members in the News

HoustonChronicle.com: Gun advocates encouraged to recruit younger following

Damaso Torres, 27, was among the younger of the 500 conference attendees who paid nothing for admission, literature or food. He said he began a student group, Students for the Second Amendment, at St. Mary's University in San Antonio in 1999.

So Much for Military Intelligence

Chuck Muth's News & Views - September 28, 2003

It's now being reported that last November the military began investigating an Air Force translator accused of passing secrets from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - where the U.S. is holding the worst of the worst al Qaeda prisoners - to Syria, otherwise known as Terrorist Central.

It's interesting to note that at the same time Syrian-born Arab translator Al-Halabi came under suspicion and investigation, nine American translators were discharged from the Army for being:

Gay.

Nine Army linguists, including six trained to speak Arabic, have been dismissed from the military because they are gay,' reported the Associated Press on November 14, 2002. 'The soldiers' dismissals come at a time when
the military is facing a critical shortage of translators and interpreters for the war on terrorism.

So American-born Arab translators were drummed out of the military just because they were gay while a Syrian-born Arab translator was sent to Guantanamo Bay where the most dangerous threats to American security were
being held...even while he was under suspicion for espionage? Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

[Start Rob's Comment] All that above is a quote from Chuck's newsletter. I'm undecided on the gays-in-the-military issue. But it's cases like this that really poke holes in the "gays are a security risk" argument.

I Don't Care What This Quiz Says...

• Florida...learn more (score = 100)


• Louisiana...learn more (score = 99)


• Texas...learn more (score = 97)


• South Carolina...learn more (score = 97)


• Mississippi...learn more (score = 96)


• Delaware...learn more (score = 94)


• Nevada...learn more (score = 93)


• Georgia...learn more (score = 89)


• Alabama...learn more (score = 87)


• Tennessee...learn more (score = 83)

I ain't moving. Link via RAW.

baldilocks commented on my post over at RAA.

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

But I guess if you're celebrating the holiday, you're not online. So I hope you had a meaningful day. I don't know much about Judaism, so if I got this all terribly wrong, please accept my apologies.

GregsOpinion.com: John Culberson - Evil, or Just Wrong? - I need to come back to this one.

Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing

While perusing the latest edition of the ChronicBile online I came across this editorial attack on Congressman Culberson: A good example: helping Houston in Washington

By the way, I'm running early and hard for the Houston Press's best blog next year. Step 1 - come up with a cute name for the local "news"paper. Done!

So here are some select quotes from the editorial:

As part of his campaign to harass Houston's Metropolitan Transit Authority at every step...

Hutchison differs from Culberson in this respect: She wants to help the largest city in Texas and its residents, while Culberson wants to harm them.

He shows contempt for the voters' intelligence by pretending otherwise.

So, between that and the recent piece by Mr. Gibbons, I suppose the ChronicBile would have us believe that Congressman Culberson:

• Ran for Congress because he hates Houston (harm them)


• Is a racist when it comes to his black constituents (few politicians combine such distaste for minority participation in civic life with such candor)


• Thinks his white constituents are stupid ([Culberson] didn't want the more tiresome and backward branches of his constituency to know it)


• Is in favor of random beatings in prison (Texas prison wardens may no longer hand out clubs to some inmates to be used on others...)

Boy. Mr. Gibbons, the rest of the editorial board, and their bosses at the Greater Houston Partnership must think that their readers are pretty dense if they're going to accept the notion that Congressman Culberson worked his butt off to represent Houston in DC because he hates us.

You guys may have the main paper in town, but I've got a web site and I'm willing to use it when you pull this sort of thing. Go back to the drawing board and try another strategy. This one isn't working.

Oh, OK, we'll just drop the whole thing.

Dar Al Hayat: Pentagon's Arrest Of American-Syrian Soldier Sparks Surprise In Syria

Syria's Minister of Information Ahmad Al Hassan said that this accusation against Ahmad Al Halabi is 'baseless.'

I don't read Dean Esmay very often, but it's nice to find I agree with him on something: The Kulaks

Congratulations Kevin!

Houston Press: Bestof : City Life Best Local Blog, Publiustx.net

Camp Delta Charlie Foxtrot

I'm into this al-Halabi/Yee espionage story at the moment. I've collected a few links that are interesting. One item of note is that in the charge sheet, SrA al-Halabi is charged with lying when he denies that he has an Internet site. I wonder what the site is. Googling him doesn't do much good, but I'm sure that he doesn't have his name on his site.

Here's al-Halabi's official charge sheet, it gives details on what he's alleged to have done. It's a PDF file, about half a meg.

DefenseLINK News: Military Investigates Guantanamo Bay Cases - It's good to check the DoD news articles, they get the details right. Let's me know they're actually paying attention.

WaPo: Guantanamo Security Probe Widens

...and Air Force Special Airman Ahmad Halabi, an Arabic translator at the prison.

sacbee.com: Box sent to Travis key to spy charge

The search warrant documents indicate al-Halabi came to the attention of investigators in November, while stationed at Travis Air Force Base as part of the 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

The court records give no details about what drew investigators' attention, but say there were 'reports of suspicious activity.' Despite those suspicions, al-Halabi was dispatched in November to the United States' high-security prison in Cuba, where about 660 suspected Taliban and al-Qaida prisoners are held.

Oh yeah, my headline (Camp Delta Charlie Foxtrot): Camp Delta is the name of the Gitmo camp, Charlie Foxtrot is a military way of saying something is a cluster f**k.

Jefferson Review: ENVIRONMENTALISTS' URBAN LEGEND: THAT LIGHT RAIL IS POLLUTION FREE

Paging the Pentagon

Over at Reductio Ad Absurdum Blog, I've got this post: Please Read the Fine Print, and How We Got This Mess.

It's about the recent case of SrA al-Hababi and the accusations against him, but more importantly it's about military readiness with regards to foreign language skills.

Thank God, Once Again...

Instapundit: Problems with Electronic Voting

...Harris County did not buy the Diebold system. I'd like to think it was the brilliance of our county government, but it's probably just dumb luck.

A Disclaimer

First off, I ought to announce a financial arrangement I'm now in. Congressman Culberson's political campaign has offered to pay me for some consulting work on the upcoming Metro vote and other issues. It's mostly what I've been doing for free, but they're insisting on paying. I don't want to hurt their feelings and I need the money anyway. (That part about hurting feelings is a joke.) I don't represent the campaign on this blog, so please don't try to pin my opinions on the Congressman.

I've been volunteering my time to the Congressman for a few years now. I do it because I believe in what he's doing. I disagree with him some, but I disagree with my wife on things too, so I don't have a problem aligning myself with him. It's also an issue of friendship. I've gotten to be friends with him since I started to volunteer on his campaign back in 1999.

A Retort

Since I'm friends with him, when people call him Little Napoleon of West Houston or mini-me, I get quite angry. But as Hyman Roth said in The Godfather, this is business, not personal. I've still got to wonder why the rail enthusiasts feel the need to insult and belittle their opponents in such a personal way. Do they have an argument in favor of their plan? Or is this it?

It's also strange to me that anyone is surprised that the Congressman took this position on the ballot language of the Metro rail proposal. I've been to town hall meetings where's he announced his stand since at least January. This article on his Congressional site was published in the Chronicle back in April.

First, to honor Metro's stated goal to be honest and open with us, Metro must make its ballot proposal honest and open by separating it into two propositions that identify clearly and concisely what it proposes to do with our tax dollars: one ballot item to define the proposed use of the 25 percent of the Metro sales tax, and a second ballot item that specifically identifies the rail lines that will be built and defines precisely how much money will be bonded and spent on rail over what period of time.

I can understand people who disagree with that idea, but the vitriolic hate that's coming out of some peoples' mouths is totally surprising to me. We're talking about trains here. Not abortion or war or something where peoples' lives hang in the balance.

So, all this anger and fury is about Congressman Culberson doing what he has said he would do. Ensure that when we get to vote on a rail plan, we know exactly what it is we're voting for. How is that so controversial?

Lots of good info the military/legal consequences of espionage here: INTEL DUMP

Fred Ebner was my political mentor in college. Read more about him: In Memoriam

Get your W news feeds here: GeorgeWBush.com :: W Stuff News Feeds

Now, Was That So Hard?

HoustonChronicle.com: Ballot to list all 7 rail lines vote could authorize

Now We Know What Orlando's Been Doing

HoustonChronicle.com: Berry drops out of mayoral race

City Councilman Michael Berry rocked Houston's mayoral race this morning when he withdrew as a candidate, indicating he did not want to play a spoiler's role.

Link via George Strong: Power in the City: Mayoral Elections and Patterns of Political Influence in Houston, Texas

I Had Hoped This Would Go Away

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MoveOn.Org is arm of the Communist Party
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[Start Rob's Comment] But Quorum Report discusses it, so it deserves to get posted here. Man, is it bad. There's no proof beyond a link from one site to another.

Friendly note to TexasCAN, it's work first, then drink. Not the other way around.

Oh yeah, and you guys sent me the link to the CPUSA web site. What does that make you? Hmmm?

I got this link, Alex Jones Presents Infowars.com, from here.

New Blinks

I added two new links to the Houston blogs section, but they deserve more of an introduction than just suddenly appearing.

1. Beldar is doing some great anaylsis of redistricting. He is a lawyer though, so I'm not endorsing him yet. Just linking and watching. :->


2. The Internet and Political Campaigns (IPC) is run a by a former co-worker. Since I do technology work in campaigns, I need to leech off his hard work in researching these issues.

Here's a brilliant post over at RAA, Spin and Hype?.

DarrenKaplan.net: The Irrefutable Saddam-Al Qaeda Connection--Abu Sayyaf -- I'm not sure that I buy this, but it's interesting.

Texas Redistricting News

Conroe Courier: Newest redistricting map splits off two county precincts into different district

A peculiar shift of lines in the newest Texas Senate redistricting map splits two voting precincts in the southern tip of The Woodlands from the rest of Montgomery County and places them in a new congressional district.

Athens Daily Review: House again passes redistricting measure that would split Henderson County

"It's frustrating," said State Rep. Betty Brown (R-Terrell). "It's been done over and over. I was hoping the Senate would meet and complete our job, but it hasn't happened so far."

A good link on Texas regulation of the economy, via instapundit: Dynamist Blog: NOT SO FREE ENTERPRISE

All that stuff sounds interesting and academic until you actually open a business and deal with the Health Department, TABC, etc. The best office in the state of Texas for us to deal with? It's run by one tough grandma.

WaPo: General to the Rescue?

While some Dems are salivating for a candidate who can match Bush on the national-security front -- more than match him, in fact, since Clark had some stars while Bush served in the National Guard -- simply having served as a general doesn't turn you into Ike.

Newer Plan

PLAN 01268C -House Cmte Redistricting - HB 3 - Adopted 9-15-03

New Redistricting Map Online

PLAN 01341C -Sen. Staples - Statewide Proposal

As Opposed to Say....

Houston Voters Against Flooding

...Houston Voters for Flooding?

I'm Tired

On Friday, after working my regular job, I went to the local school to set up the voting machines for Saturday's election. Then I went to work at our studio. 70s Night is getting to be a big hit and I was there until 12:15, home by 12:45. I got up at 5:30 to be at the school to open the polls by 7:00. I worked all day and closed the polls, home by 9:30 PM.

I've got to give a big public thanks to Katherine B., who worked several hours during the day, Matthew A., who came by in the morning to give me a chance to smoke, and Donnie B. who was just a nice guy voting who saw that I was all alone and volunteered to break down the voting machines for me. We're going to try and get Donnie to run the Democrat primary in our precinct. Otherwise I'll run the GOP primary and will have to send the Democrats away. I'd rather my neighbors got to vote in the local school.

Everyone I Know Goes Away in the End....

One of the highlights of my life was shaking Mr. Cash's hand after a concert in Houston. If you know nothing about Johnny Cash and are curious, you should try buying At Folsom Prison or At San Quentin. If you like Johnny Cash, but have never checked out his recent stuff, it's some of his best work. Try any of the American Recordings series.

Another Houston Blog

The Internet and Political Campaigns

Glenn Tilbrook in the News

BILLBOARD: Tilbrook Plans Second Solo Set

Who's Left That's in Favor of Rail?

Houston Press: Trainspotting, Here's how Metro wants to sell us on light rail

A Remarkable Man

Mudville Gazette: 911 Remembered: Rick Rescorla was a soldier

Have You Forgotten?

John Ernst Eichler, RIP

Until I was 11 I lived in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. The Eichlers lived up the street from us. Our families didn't stay particularly close after we moved, but my aunt and uncle still live two blocks over and we kept in touch with the goings on in Cedar Grove. Mr. Eichler's murder by those terrorist scum made the events very real to us.

I hope that his family finds peace after this horrific event. I also hope that we never forget that day.

You can read his New York Times obituary here:

John Ernst Eichler: Magician and Joker

Brit Hume, Tim Russert, Howard Stern

Entertainment Weekly: FCC rules that Howard Stern is a newsman

Who Wants to be a County Commissioner?

HoustonChronicle.com: County sets property tax rate without hearing from public

"I think that snap vote just cost the average Houston homeowner 50 bucks," Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt said. "That's what happens when you do these votes without some period of public comment. Now, we basically have another de facto tax increase without public comment."

BW Online: A Talk with Halliburton's Generals

Q: When Dick Cheney was CEO of Halliburton you were running military contracting for KBR. To what extent was Cheney, a former Defense Secretary, involved in the company's dealings with the military?


A: I saw how much he could help us -- I thought. But he never would. Now we're getting credit for all the stuff he did for us, and he didn't do anything. He couldn't. That man has such high integrity when it comes to dealing with professional military officers and the government in general. He gets a lot of credit for that now, but I can tell you that he wouldn't go to an installation with me, he didn't make a sales call, I mean, he wouldn't go near the Pentagon. He was just very, very careful not to do that.

Very nicely done: The Online Atlas of Texas Politics

Perry calls back lawmakers for fourth round at redistricting

A Message from New York City

Hi there

I’m looking for help producing a radio piece for the Next Big Thing, which is a nationally syndicated public radio program. Please let me know if you can think of anyone who might be interested in telling their story.

Here’s the idea:

Phil Gramm did it. Condoleezza Rice did it. Winston Churchill did it -- twice. There are countless reasons why politicians switch parties – convenience, opportunities, ideology, geography… but what about ordinary people? In a country where party affiliations are often life long and handed down through the generations, the change can be huge and divisive.

For a radio piece to be broadcast on the WNYC program, The Next Big Thing, I am looking for unusual stories of people who have switched their political party allegiance.

Whether Democrat to Republican or Republican to Democrat, I’m looking for compelling stories of party hopping.

Thanks for your help, and please forward this email!

Amanda

Producer, The Next Big Thing

WNYC - New York public radio

aaronczyk@wnyc.org

www.nextbigthing.org

Russian Libertarian Party

I like the looks of this blog, PrestoPundit.com, and he links to RAA. I need to post there more often.

I would have blogged on Texas redistricting today, but there's no point when Kuff is all over it. The nail-on-the-head moment is here:

I've said before that I don't understand why the Republicans, who were oh-so-sure that they'd be able to wait out the Democrats, didn't use all that time to hammer out these differences amongst themselves so as to make their victory a swift one when the Dems finally did return.

One of the habits, as I remember, was to "start with the end in mind." Basically, figure out what you want to do before you start doing it.

One of people's major complaints about the Covey training was that it was all "just common sense." I always said that common sense often bears repeating. That's true here. I'm all for redistricting, I think it's very important that elected officials and not courts draw political districts. But we shouldn't have started down this road if we didn't have a clear goal, i.e., a target map.

I avoid problems like this by avoiding topics about which I know nothing. Link via RAA.

HoustonChronicle.com: Rail expansion debate rides on projections

Culberson calls the proposed rail system 'a black hole for tax dollars that hurts us all.'

Proponents argue the cost per new rail rider is a simplistic way to view the transit-expansion proposal. Many, including Mayor Lee Brown, say the investment will pay off in prestige. They contend rail will enhance the city's image and attract more visitors and businesses.

Attract visitors? Here's a possible scenario:

Husband: Hey honey, where do you want to go on vacation this year? I was thinking Jamaica, Hawaii, or maybe Europe.

Wife: Dear, what I've wanted to do for years is to go to Houston and ride their light rail system. Now that it's finally done, let's go and ride the train around Houston.

This is a public service announcement, without guitars....

More Scum-Sucking, Fortunate Thieves - RAWbservations

Lie for Me

Yahoo! News: VNS Data From '02 Midterm Votes Released

After disbanding VNS, the six news organizations signed a contract with two veteran polling experts to conduct exit polls during next year's election. The other job that VNS had performed, counting vote on election night, will be handled for the television networks by the AP.

The lying sacks of sh*t in the media deserve to be prosecuted for fraud for what they've done with election returns over the years. I have a perfectly good remedy, suggested by Mike Royko. If you're ever approached by an exit pollster, lie to them. If enough people do that, they'll be out of business. They deserve it, and then the networks can go back to counting actual votes, and not broadcasting fiction.

What You Talkin' 'Bout Willis?

1. Bill Simon (dropped out) (100%)

2. Tom McClintock (77%)

3. Peter Ueberroth (43%)

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger (39%)

5. Gary Coleman (28%)

6. Arianna Huffington (23%)

7. Gray Davis (18%)

8. Cruz Bustamante (15%)

9. Larry Flynt (13%)

10. Audie Bock (13%)

11. Peter Camejo (12%)

12. Mary Carey (11%)

13. Angelyne (0%)

I'm happy to see I'm closer to Gary Coleman than I thought.

Update: That was, until I read this:

Why is our health care system in such a mess? Put Coleman in Sacramento, and he promises to jack up the sin taxes. "Yeah, raise it as high as possible!" Gary pledges. "I'd raise it to the point where people start thinking about spending money on it. In order to improve health care, you have to reduce things like obesity and car accidents from drunk drivers." And all you smokers out there: Coleman's got his eye on you, too: "When you remove alcohol and cigarettes from society, you improve the health, safety, and the cost of medical services".

Link via the Brothers Judd: The Texas Mercury

Kuff's post here reminded me of this.

Mewes is out of rehab! Party!

Do What I Tell You!

My neighbor's sister, Cassandra Tyson, is on a local version of American Idol, called Gimme the Mike. I want you to go to this site and vote for Cassandra Tyson. Don't whine about having no idea what I'm talking about. Just go there and vote for Cassandra Tyson. Now.

What are you still doing here? Go vote for her.

Texas Redistricting News

AAS: 10 remaining Democrats turn to Bush

The 10 Democratic senators remaining in New Mexico on Wednesday tried to turn up the heat on President Bush, calling on him to tell Gov. Rick Perry to end the Republican effort to redraw Texas' congressional boundaries.

AAS Lasso: What happens now that Whitmire's come home?

What Lasso can't figure out is whether Whitmire told his 10 colleagues in Albuquerque that he was leaving. The Statesman reports that Whitmire "broke the news to his 10 Democratic colleagues in an emotional, three-hour meeting at the hotel."

[snip]

However, Lasso watched the evening news last night and heard several Democratic senators say Whitmire left unannounced. This was the story in some of the papers this morning.

Watley Review: Texas Democrats Head to International Space Station

In an apparent effort to forestall their return to the state, eleven Texas Senate Democrats have secretly purchased passage aboard a Russian Cosmos 3M rocket and have departed for the International Space Station.

News 8 Austin: Speculations on next governor's race

Gov. Rick Perry's all-time low approval ratings are raising questions about his possible opponents in the 2006 election. Political analysts are mentioning two candidates – U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

Outbreak!

OK, if you know me and you know Scott Pouliot of Verisent, you might have the sobig virus. That is all.

Return-Path:

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id ; Wed, 3 Sep 2003 16:36:06 -0400

Message-ID:

From: NAV for Microsoft Exchange-MAIL2

To: "[deleted]

Subject: Norton AntiVirus detected a virus in a message you sent. The infected attachment was deleted.

Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003 16:39:15 -0400

X-MS-TNEF-Correlator:

MIME-Version: 1.0

X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)

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boundary="----_=_NextPart_000_01C3725B.70B730B0"

Recipient of the infected attachment: Scott Pouliot\Inbox

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One or more attachments were deleted

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Virus UNAUTHORIZED FILE was found.

Otfutbolyvat'

From: info@rnchq.org

To: subs@robbooth.net

Subject: RE: Is the Reagan Revolution Dead?

Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003 14:25:53 -0400

Content: text/plain

In response to recent editorials in The Union Leader newspaper in Manchester, NH (which were then discussed on Rush Limbaugh's show), Chairman Gillespie sent the editors the following letter today.

The Union Leader

Attn: Andrew Cline, Editorial Page Editor

P.O. Box 9555

Manchester, NH 03108-9555

Sent via facsimile: (603) 668-0382

September 3, 2003

Dear Editors,

Thank you for your hospitality and I look forward to sitting down again with you in the future but would like to clarify a few things in the interim.

The party of George W. Bush is very much the party of Ronald Reagan--the party of lower taxes, less regulation, strong national security and, yes, fiscal responsibility.

Since President Bush came into office Republicans have rejected $1.9 trillion in additional budget spending proposed by Democrats while passing $350 billion in tax relief just this year. That's just a fact, as I noted in our discussion.

Fiscal discipline requires leadership and this year President Bush proposed and the Republican leadership in Congress worked to pass a budget that limits spending growth to 4%, the same amount as family income. This accounts for important increases in spending required to continue our fight in the war on terrorism. In fact, non-defense discretionary spending only goes up 2%, a point I should have made but did not.

As I also pointed out, I worked with Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey in their effort to eliminate the federal Department of Education but these efforts were defeated. And so I noted that the issue is settled but I also noted that this administration has applied conservative principles to the now settled federal role in education, a point you neglected to mention.

As I also pointed out regarding Medicare, our choices are to maintain a health program for seniors where government makes decisions and delivers the care or a market oriented approach where patients make choices and private providers deliver the care, and that we could pass our modernization program over the objections of Ted Kennedy if necessary.

Not Reaganesque? I joined the Republican Party because of Ronald Reagan. I believe that conservatives and millions of other Americans are Republicans because they support our positive agenda and share our beliefs, not because they have nowhere else to go.

Cheerfully yours,

Ed Gillespie

RRB: Otfutbolyvat' is Russian for passing the blame, like passing the ball in soccer (futbol). So, Mr. Chairman, that's it? We lose the battle and surrender education to the feds? Thank goodness we had other folks in charge after the Alamo.

Well, I guess at least I should thank you all for the reply and I guess that's your way of trying to shore up the support of limited-government types like me, but I'm not prepared to give in to those who would and have expanded the authority of the federal government. Never give up!

I'm just following orders...

From: webmaster@savetexasreps.com

To: subs@robbooth.net

Subject: Let Whitmire Know What You Think!

Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003

Content: multipart/alternative

Call Sen. Whitmire's Austin office (512) 463-0115 and Houston Office (713) 864-8701 and tell him you won't sleep until this assault on your most basic right to vote is defeated. Email him at:

john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

[RRB]: OK, I'll e-mail him.

From: subs@robbooth.net

To: john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us

Cc:

Subject: Thanks for Coming Back!

Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2003

You're doing the right thing by Texas and your oath of office.

Regards,

Rob Booth

It's Not Over Till It's Over

SAEN: Democrats' walkout stumbles

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A 37-day walkout by Texas Senate Democrats to stop redistricting started to unravel Tuesday when Sen. John Whitmire of Houston returned to Texas, saying he'd continue the fight there, not in New Mexico.

Before we break out the champagne, there's a few hurdles:

• Where's Senator Ratliff? Will he come back?


• What's the map? The one the House passed, C01268, splits McLennan County, and several GOP senators said they're not voting for it. I hope we have one drawn.


• What will the House do? They have to pass a map. Will the Dem reps run again?


• What if Sen. Whitmire says pooh on you and walks out? Are we going to have pictures on the TV of him being dragged back into the chamber? That works for me, but it won't work with the general public.

I'm Addicted

Daily Record GET OUT! Entertainment: Former Squeeze lead singer Tilbrook loves life on the road

Then What Am I Doing Here?

The Union Leader: GOP, MIA: Taking the roadmost traveled

HAD THERE been any doubts about the direction the Republican Party is headed, they vanished last week when Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie visited New Hampshire.

During a cheerful and pleasant meeting (that’s the kind of guy Gillespie is) at The Union Leader offices, the party’s new chairman, energetic and full of vigor, said in no uncertain terms that the days of Reaganesque Republican railings against the expansion of federal government are over.

It's About Time

AP via FWST: Democratic senator spent weekend in Texas, wants exit plan

"After being in my district for five days, I have concluded my constituents are opposed to redistricting, but they also believe the fight should be on the Senate floor," said Sen. John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat. "I am returning to New Mexico today to keep my commitment to the Texas 11. I will discuss with my colleagues that we need an exit plan and we need it now."

Going to Hell

Well, at least I'm only being sent to limbo. Thanks Owen!