SHE'S IN

The general will announce her candidacy Monday, racing around the state announcing in every media market. Good for her. The race to replace Bernie Sanders is crowded: seven candidates and counting.

The toughest race is the first race: who will win the September Republican primary, Senator Mark Shepard, R-Bennington, or General Martha Rainville? This race is not dissimilar to political neophyte General Eisenhower's run against conservative Senator Taft for the 1952 Republican presidential nomination.

Governor Douglas said that he would endorse Rainville and campaign with and for her. He did the same for attorney general candidate Marianne Kennedy in 2004. Conservative Dennis Carver beat her by 28 percent in the Republican primary.

Shepard is a great campaigner, has friends in every corner of the state. Democrats will cross over as there is no primary race of consequence in their party. As usual they will vote for the weakest candidate against Senator Peter Welch, D-Windsor. But who is that?

If Progressive Representative David Zuckerman, P-Burlington enters the race and the liberal vote will split, then Shepard may be the stronger opponent. His conservative base contains the most motivated Republican voters, guaranteed to turn out rain or shine.

But Rainville will have all the endorsements, money, and inevitability. So then Shepard is the weakest against Welch? Not an easy choice for the strategic Democrat voter. Welch's pollster will probably make the call.

STANDING ABOVE THE REST FOR VERMONT

Rich Tarrant's radio tag line, and he does stand above the rest at six feet many inches. The radio ads are the best we have heard. His first mail piece arrived, very slick, with keepsake photos. The television spots are a bit herky jerky; but all this advertising caused Bernie Sanders to faint clear away.

PASTA LOVERS

On pasta, Mr. Sanders and Tarrant agree: free food for the faithful, the former serving lasagna, garlic bread and salad, the latter spaghetti, garlic bread and salad. Bernie's staff was welcoming, his ever present replacement, Senator Peter Welch, was charming; Bernie was snarling.

"It's not the Republicans that bother me. It is not even the conservative Republicans. It is the right wing extremists who have taken over both houses of Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court. (Applause!) No, no, this is not good. Our job is to get rid of the people in government right now.

"Bush and all his hustlers are doing very, very well. Tax breaks to the wealthy cut back on money for the low income. This is a moral value? The Bible speaks of poverty, I am told with more than one thousand citations. So, how many times does the Bible deal with abortion? Zero."

Bernie's Bible lessons have not gone well: Exodus, Chapter 20, verse 13, "Thou shalt not kill."

KIDS SAY THE DARNEST THINGS

As we were driving away from Bernie's event, our eight-year-old daughter said, "You know Daddy, I liked the other person better, that tall one. He was nice. And he was funny."

SHAMELESS

Days later Bernie re-appeared with the Ambassador of the thug-in-chief of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. Señor Chavez, formerly jailed as a failed coup leader, returned with a vengeance to win the presidency in 1998. Since he has reportedly fixed elections to change the constitution to become sort of "president for life." Wikipedia describes him as an "authoritarian demagogue." A socialist and consort of Fidel Castro, he is Bernie Sanders newest best friend.

The event with the ambassador was to publicize the generous offer from Hugo to provide heating oil to the Vermont poor at discount prices. That the poor of his own country are in greater need of Venezuela's oil wealth was lost on Sanders and Hugo. That the only road connecting his capital, Caracas, to its airport is no longer passable was lost on Sanders and Hugo. Ten miles used to separate Caracas and its airport. The connecting viaduct has been closed indefinitely as unsafe. The trip to the airport is now five hours.

DEAN DRYSDALE SPEAKS

Dick Drysdale of the Randolph Herald was not amused, lambasting Sanders in an editorial entitled, "Shameless."

"This offer of oil is a transparent, cynical political ploy... Of all the people who should turn a cold shoulder to this cynical offer, Bernie Sanders tops the list... What he needs to prove is that he has the stature to serve in the most important, deliberative body in the world, and to represent his country in the minefield of international relations...

"By counting side deals with foreign powers, Bernie flunked the stature test... Either Sanders doesn't understand the political bribery that is at work, or he doesn't care. One wonders which is worse... Oil has been know to explode if it gets hot enough. This is an issue which may, and should, explode on Bernie Sanders."

RETURN OF THE JEDI

For the year that the wounded Republican majority has been consigned to minority status in the Vermont House, it has appealed for a leader, a leader with a vision, with a Republican message, one they could all call their own. Obi-Wan Kenobi delivered one in his state-of-the-state, a vision of affordability.

Joyous, House leaders began to organize the troops, recruit fresh faced candidates, fill the coffers, and prepare for the battle. The Vermont House Democrats provided lots of opportunities: government run health care, gay marriage, embracing Judge Cashman, no civil commitments, readying the raising of taxes and fees on snacks, cigarettes, SUVs and family vans, gas, beer, car registrations, not working to lower property taxes, insisting on adding two new pre-school grades to public education, concluding that Obi's scholarship program was DOA (dead on arrival), etc.

Yet there are Republicans who insist on looking that gift horse in the mouth, who insist on not just voting with the Democrats, but compounding the error by chatting their vote up with the PR arm of the Democrats, the Montpelier press corps. Certainly there are times when any representative may have a constituency which requires him/her to vote against the GOP's caucus interests. Fine. But to go to the Democrats' comrades-in-arms and with gags, giggles, and sound bites is just plain stupid.

GO TO THE POLLS

Governor Douglas provided the roadmap to victory in his state of the state speech, affordability. Nothing is affordable in Vermont: property taxes, housing, education, electricity, oil, natural gas, gasoline, health insurance, workman's compensation insurance, jails, skiing, etc.

Let's take a poll; you give us your opinion. How many Vermonters would support legislation allowing them to buy insurance from out-of-state carriers at much lower costs? Republicans are in favor and Democrats are opposed as usual. Wow, 74 percent say yes, a few ideologues say no thank you; must be on a government funded program.

Let's try capping the property tax increases at the inflation level. Again GOP in favor, Democrats opposed. Gee so low, 66 percent in favor and 24 percent opposed. What about a cap on school spending. You say 60 percent in favor, 30 percent opposed. There must be 30 percent employed in schools.

How about the social issues? Civil commitment, a slam dunk, 78 percent in favor; keep the kids home with scholarships, 72 percent for that program; merit pay for teachers, 71 percent. Remember that Democrats are opposed to each of these programs. Hey, you guys are great; you just saved us $10,000 for a real poll.

WHY ARE YOU OFF THE BUS?

How could any GOP legislators want to be off this bus? Are they deaf or blind? The governor's approval rating must be four score. This is not just a roadmap; this is the winning roadmap to a return to common sense and power.

MR ROGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD

Once upon a time, "neighbor" was a greeting of warmth, an introduction of respect, a partner in life, the name given for the reliable folks nearby who help out in times of trouble. This has changed, why and how we are not sure. Do you have the answer?

Years ago, we awoke to a neighbor sitting on our porch with a rifle. He said, "There was a strange person wandering around the neighborhood last night. Thought I'd better spend the night sitting here making sure that you were okay."

Today you might as likely meet your neighbor in court, have your neighbor call a commission or an agency to report some perceived misdeed, or see your neighbor oppose your plans for the peaceful enjoyment of your property.

VERMONT'S PREDOMINANT IDEOLOGY: NIMBYISM

The good neighbor policy is passe. The dominant crowd is the baby boomer, we are the power generation. They are followed by the me generation. Me first, me only, I know best, I am entitled to whatever, my way or the highway. From the local papers over just the past two month, here is a litany.

In White River, "parents line up against homeless shelter plan. 'I think that it is a recipe for disaster,' said Hunter Resenberg."

Windsor, "town officials have turned down a state offer to host a prison work camp."

Vergennes, home of the waiter's race, just like in Paris, soooo cool, "says no to psych unit, worried about losing property taxes. 'We did not see any advantage to it,' said April Jin, mayor."

"Mixed reviews for affordable housing in West Woodstock. 'My home is my most important investment. Affordable housing is a threat to our quality of life. We would prefer that nothing be built there,' said Tod Minotti."

"Barnard is wary of a proposal to build affordable housing. The sewer line would cause expense to the town and potentially harm the environment."

In Greensboro, rehab center stirs online protest. "A storm of protest by year-round and summer residents is roiling the Internet since news broke that Human Services planed a rehabilitation and recovery center for up to 13 men and women (wow, so many!) with mental illness. 'My phone rang off the hook,' said selectman Anne Stevens."

"Housing proposals irk farmers, 'We own a beautiful piece of land and we want to keep it that way,' John Roberts said."

"Randolph housing proposal alarms neighbors, nine units...are monstrous. This town will be wrecked. 'We like the neighborhood just the way it is,' said Alan Heath."

PEACE, LOVE, AND TIE-DYE

Remember the flower children? Dancing with everyone, poor or rich, educated or illiterate, fat or thin. Remember the Broadway show Hair, "this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius when peace will guide the planet?" Or "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of man... And the world will live as one?"

How soon they forget. Long forgotten and far away. How did we get this way? They have turned into the out of touch and soon-to-be headless queen, "Let them build elsewhere." That's right, no power plants, no affordable housing, no prisons, no work camps, no mental health buildings, no rehabilitation centers, no homeless shelters, no housing period, no cell phone towers; we want just the way it is.

FLINTLOCK SPEAKS

"Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country," said Vermont's flinty Calvin Coolidge. Not today; just look out for yourself, screw your neighbor, fellow citizen, those in need; you are not your brother's keeper, you no longer abide by Matthew Chapter 5, verse 43, "love thy neighbor as thyself."

JUST THE WAY IT IS

Okay, roll back the clock. Let's keep it in the 1930's, in Randolph a common infection killed Dr. Gifford, the founder of Gifford Hospital, there was no penicillin. Let's keep it in the 1940's, Jews and Gypsies turned into lampshades. Let's keep it in the 1950's, your children are being crippled or killed by polio. Let's keep it in the 1960's way, blind, there is no cataract surgery to restore your vision.

We like it just the way it is. What an insult. Change is the only constant, but not here. Governor Kunin on being exposed to the Northeast Kingdom famously said, "We need to preserve all this." Neither she nor others asked what the natives might want, maybe a Starbucks, or text messaging, or broadband, or, Heavens forbid, a "We sell for less" Wal-Mart. As one Derby Line resident said at a recent hearing for a new Wal-Mart, "I raise my voice against the size of this planned Wal-Mart," as the smug all-knowing yuppie scum awaited the obvious. Then they suddenly sat slack jawed as the fellow concluded, "It is not big enough!"

WHAT MAKES DEMOCRACY TICK?

Pericles spoke at the funeral of a fallen warrior in 430 BC. He made the case for why Athens's democracy was better than Sparta's dictatorship to comfort the families as to why it was necessary to defend Athens's way of life, even at the cost of many of its young.

"The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. In Sparta they are exercising a jealous surveillance over each other. Here we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes."

Vermont is becoming Sparta.

NO HOOKING HERE

Scottsdale, Arizona officials fretted that a local sex business was not good for growth," wrote the Economist. Bring them to Vermont; anything to slow down growth is great!

PUT A TIGER IN YOUR TANK

ExxonMobil made record profits blared paper after paper in Vermont, $36 billion! Wrong. Their profit was $59.4 billion, and then they paid $23.3 billion to the government in income taxes.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW, NOW, HERE?

In Somalia, cell phones work better than anywhere else in Africa. Why? Of course, there is no government in Somalia, therefore there is no regulation.

In Kenya, mobiles phones are helping to root out corruption according to a report in the Economist. Our record for a continuous cell phone call on the highways of Vermont is about ten minutes, then "call is lost."

IT'S THE MARKET

No, says Senator Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille. It is not Act 60, it is not Act 68, it is not, Heaven forbid, your government, it is not Democrats that cause your property taxes to go up. It is because of the "insane property value increases," which is the direct result of your party's policies. No land, no permits, no building, no housing, no supply, big demand, prices rise as per the laws of supply and demand, not insanely.

WHOOPS

Remember all that blather about the Democrat's legislative health study committee, $800,000 down the drain, offering the executive director job far and wide only to find that no one who would take it? Then they selected an expert consultant, Doctor Ken Thorpe, to guide them.

Dr. Thorpe has now suggested a plan like "Governor Douglas's proposal which offers similar features", not the state run, wait-in-line system called Green Mountain Health Plan which the governor vetoed last year. It has been renamed "The Catamount Plan." Their new communications director is earning that salary.

VTNEA WATCH

The Brattleboro Reformer carried an article about the teacher contract talks in Bellows Falls. It seems that contract talks came to an early and unexpected crossroads: a union demand for secrecy.

"'Having the sessions open makes a complicated situation more complicated... There is no good reason to have them (negotiations) in open session,' said the union's lead negotiator Dennis Ladd. Laurie Huse, spokeswoman for the Vermont National Education Association, said, 'If you want to get work done and settled, close the door.'

"But Stephen Fine, who is negotiating for the supervisory union, said his board deals with public money and taxpayers have a right to know what is going on. When the negotiations are kept open, both sides are forced to come to the table with real proposals.

"'If the public is aware of a party's proposals, it can make a considered judgment as to whether or not such proposals are realistic and advanced in good faith. This is particularly so in light of the recent teacher strikes and settlements that have occurred around the state.'"

Open covenants, openly arrived at. Has a kind of nice ring to it.

TEACHERS BLINK

Seems like years ago, but just at the end of last year, the South Burlington teachers' union boss, Rich Wise "said that a third round of failed contract negotiations could lead teachers to strike," according to the Free Press. The union was demanding top pay to be $81,182 for the third year of the contract with the teachers paying 10 percent of their health care premium. The School Board offered a miserly $78,137.

Watching the Barre teachers twisting in the wind persuaded their South Burlington counterparts not to strike and to accept $78,857.

SCHOOL BOARDS GET BAD NEWS ON BUDGET

This headline in the Randolph Herald is typical of others around the state; school boards are again approving budgets well ahead of inflation or your earnings. And that is before the CLA, the Common Level of Appraisal, kicks in.

OR, SHRINKING NUMBERS, PROBLEMS MOUNTING

Another common headline. There are fewer students in Vermont's K-12 school population every year. Yet each year school budgets go up.

Quality has not followed our lowest in the country student-teacher ratios. The VTNEA opposes school choice, charter schools and merit pay, options which increase quality elsewhere. A recent Free Press story quoted an Education Week survey, "The percentage of Vermont's high school students who graduate on time and enroll in college is declining and has fallen below the national average."

Not so good for the whitest state in the country with the lowest student-teacher ratios. And recall that teachers, the number of them and their accompanying salaries and benefits, are the drivers of rising school costs in Vermont today.

And it is even worse than that according to Bill Gates, "America's high schools are obsolete. They, even when they are working exactly as designed, cannot teach our children what they need to know today." --From Fast Company magazine.

THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW

There ought to be a law which holds that school budget votes cannot be held on school property or on a day other than town meeting day. More and more of them are. Pretty sneaky. Sort of insider trading, a big conflict of interest joke being pulled on the citizenry. Vermonters are used to voting on town meeting day at the town hall or community center. School budget votes are often held on some other day, reducing the participation to a ridiculous single digit. Holding them in schools insures that all those who benefit most by a positive vote are inconvenienced least.

WHY DO PEOPLE NOT LIKE ELECTIONS?

Who would believe that a free and fair election could be held in Palestine? Who would believe that if an opponent won, a transfer of power would be allowed? Each happened, an amazing story, a success story for America's foreign policy.

Yet before the ink dried, the winner, Hamas, was declared an abomination, its leaders not to be dealt with. They are all terrorists.

Does anybody recall the Hotel David attack? On July 22, 1946, members of Irgun lead by Menachen Begin who later became prime minister of Israel, carried seven milk churns, each filled with fifty kilograms of explosives, into the hotel and set them off killing ninety-one men and women, military and civilian. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

Prime Minister Sharon was quoted recently in the New Yorker, "The conflict is not between us and the Palestinians; it is between us and the Arab world. The heart of the conflict is that the Arab world does not recognize the Jews' inherent right to have a Jewish state in this land." Yes, there are peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, based in part on America's promise of an annual gift of billions. This does not mean that the people of Egypt or Jordan accept Israel. The recent vote in Palestine confirms that; the street has a different view than the elites. But now the street will have to make the schools, sewers, water systems, transportation, and other normal governmental services work.

CARTOONS KILL

Many have died because of a few cartoons. Danish and Norwegian embassies have burned. How ironic; each of these countries contribute a larger portion of their GNP to foreign aid than any other. This only confirms Professor Samuel Huntington's quote, "Muslims in the West are an indigestible minority."

And ungrateful. Forty-five percent of the Muslims in Holland are on the dole. More than half of the ancient city of Rotterdam are Muslims. The dole did not work in France either, pyrotechnics did.

SURRENDER MONKEYS

Much fun has been made in jest of old Europe as "surrender monkeys." No more jest, now it is the real thing. This from the Daily Telegraph. "The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show 'prudence' when covering religion.

"'The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression. We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right.'"

WHEN YOU ARE THE STORY

This week's untold media story is about us. Adam Quinn of www.vermontersfirst.org wants a seat at the table during the Governor's weekly press conference. The Governor's press secretary, Jason Gibbs, says no. Quinn says, well James Dwinell has a seat, why can't I?

Gibbs in an email to Quinn writes, "The Governor's weekly press conference is for bonafide working journalists who are employed by newspapers or news services whose business it is to disseminate the news to the people of Vermont and elsewhere on a regular basis."

AS IT IS AND ALWAYS SHALL BE

Peggy Noonan recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "Eleven years ago the Democrats lost control of Congress. But just as important, maybe more enduringly important, they lost their monopoly on the means of information in America. They lost control of the pipeline.

"And the end of the monopoly of course isn't only in the news, it's in all media. 'You don't like it, change the channel,' network executives used to say. But that, as they knew, meant nothing: There were only three channels. Now there are 500. And more coming."

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110007835

AND SO IT WILL BE, EVEN IN VERMONT

In spite of our having a "seat at the table" for many years, we do not meet Mr. Gibbs's definition. There are many kinds of new media. Gibbs's continues, "You are undoubtedly entertaining the idea of raising Mr. Dwinell's status in a rebuttal. He has been, and continues to be, commissioned by the Wall Street Journal to write about Vermont. The Wall Street Journal meets my definition of a newspapers or news services whose business it is to disseminate the news to the people of Vermont and elsewhere on a regular basis."

Though a true statement, it is a pretty thin gruel. Because of other pressing business, our writings have not yet been submitted to the Journal. We do not "disseminate the news to the people of Vermont and elsewhere on a regular basis," quite un-regularly. While the Journal disseminates news "on a regular basis," it is not ours.

DPR-SOMETIMES IRREVERENT, ALWAYS PROVACATIVE

DPR is not always "fair and balanced," sometimes unfair and biased, though biased we think in favor of not just truth, justice, and the American way, but common sense. That the Democrats do not have much is not our fault. We hope that they do have a sense of humor.

We also whack the Grand Old Party up side the head, often; recently Misters Douglas, Dubie, Shepard, and Tarrant. In this issue, Mr. Gibbs and the walleyed House GOPs have their turn in the barrel.

DPR does not know Mr. Quinn. A quick visit to one of his web sites today, www.vermontersfirst.org suggests that it links to Democrats and raises money for them. We too began as partisans publishing VTGOP Update. We attended Governor Dean's press conferences but we never took "a seat at the table" or asked a question.

After we left VTGOP and began the DPR, we still did not take a seat at the table. Over time Peter Freyne urged us to take a seat and we did. Over more time, Mr. Freyne urged us to ask a question and we did. But now, who knows, Mr. Gibbs suggests that we do not belong.

HYPERBOLE

The Randolph Herald lead this week was "RUHS budgets voted down, big turnout may reflect worries about CLA effect, other budgets." What would you think a big turnout would be, 75 percent, 60 percent maybe? The actual "big turnout" was 8.5 percent of the registered voters of Brookfield, Braintree, and Randolph. A vote at the school on an odd day is not democracy: it is a fraud.

PAYING THE CONSEQUENCES?

The New York Times has reported severe circulation decline, announcing that fourth-quarter earnings fell 41 percent from the same period in 2004. Could it be that constant partisan attacks and an uncontrollable urge to root against America are causing the decline? --The Federalist, 1/27/06

RESPONSE TO MORE THOUGHTS ON 2006

»» Ginny Duffy, Rutland: Mr. Maynard of Williston hit the nail on the head with regard to the loss of the hard won majority in the Vermont House. The leadership of the Party was terrified to take a strong stand on "social issues". All those who worked so hard and gave of their time and skills to turn things around in this state, were successful beyond the wildest dreams of moderates who comprise the leadership of the Party. Quite frankly, it scared the hell out of them. The blame for the loss of a majority may be laid squarely at the feet of the leadership of the Republican party in the Vermont House.

It will be many years before the conservatives in this state are willing to step forward and give their all to a party that largely ignores them. RHINOS rule here.

SUPPORT FOR SHEPARD

»» Bob and Sally Treat, Manchester Center: We disagree with your suggestion that Mark Shepard step out of the House race and perhaps run for secretary of state.

Senator Shepard's background will serve him well as a candidate for the U. S. House. He has the analytical mind of an electrical engineer, while at the same time he has the practical monetary sense of a man who has run his own business. Furthermore his experience in the Vermont Senate will serve him well in debates with other U. S. House hopefuls.

»» Virginia Duffy, Rutland: You suggest that Mark Shepard should step aside for someone who can win, Martha Rainville. Mark's educational credentials, and more importantly his years of experience in the Vermont Senate, have given him the tools that will be so essential to a winning candidacy for the U.S. House.

Mark is a gracious, plain speaking and knowledgeable man. He is solid in his core beliefs and comfortable in his ability to explain and support them. He has all the necessary qualifications for becoming a proud warrior for the State of Vermont.

MORE VT NEA COMMENTS

»» Raoul Beaulieu: Just wondering if you heard of or saw Jon Stossel's special edition of 20/20 on ABC last Friday 1/13/06. It was all about our broken public school system and the reasons why. It exposed the teacher unions for what they really are and what they contribute to the broken system. It showed why charter schools and school choice works along with private schools which operate at half the costs of public schools while providing twice the education. It interviewed students and compared our schools to those in Belgium. There all schools are in competition with one another for students.

It was the best report that I'd ever seen. It seemed to be well researched and very well presented.

I probably watch 20/20 once a year but when I saw that special advertised, I had to see it and I was darn glad I did. My only regret was that I didn't tape it. If you didn't see it, try to find a way to get a copy. It was that good as it exposed the system for what it really is..

HOUSING

»» Wes Hrydziusko, Windsor: We cannot solve everyone's problems on home ownership. People are leaving Boston because they cannot afford to live there because of the cost of housing and cost of living. New York is losing people for various reasons. Housing is cheaper where there are fewer jobs and the jobs pay less. So, where does that leave us? We cannot be everything to all people.

THEY LIKE US

»» William Gunn, Williston: I look forward to every edition. Keep up the good work. Every edition is read top-to-bottom!!

»» Charlie Burnham, Stowe: Keep up the good work! Still can't fathom why the Vermont Press hasn't continued a continuous stream of expose on the VTNEA.

UNCLE OSAMA ON LINE ONE

"[U]nmoored from reality, wafting happily into fantasy land safe in the hermetically sealed Democrat-media bubble, Sen. Barbara Boxer and her colleagues are apparently considering impeaching the president for eavesdropping on al Qaida calls made to U.S. phone numbers... By the way, I'd love to see the witness list for that trial: Muhammad al-Jihad testifying that a week before he blows up a Bali nightclub he always makes a perfectly innocent call to his cousin in Milwaukee to ask how the kids are; Abu Musad al-Zarqawi testifying that he only called Howard Dean to issue a formal complaint about congressional Democrats stealing his rationalizations. Etc. ..." ---Mark Steyn

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0106/steyn.php3

PIED PIPER OF THE FLOWER CHILDREN

"You have to be smart enough to know the game and dumb enough to think that it is important." --Senator Eugene McCarthy

GIVE IT UP FOR SAM

"He is an honorable man who loves his country and loves his Constitution. Can we really ask for more?" --Senator Robert Byrd in support of Judge Alito.

LITTLE BO PEEP HAS LOST HER SHEEP

"The problem for America's left is not the lack of justified complaints about Mr. Bush. It is their propensity to exaggeration and conspiracy-mongering and its inability to distinguish between justified complaints and hysteria, means that their cries are seldom listened to except by people who suffer from the same affliction." --The Economist, January 7, 2006

DO RIGHT BY US

"The free market offers Wal-Mart haters an easy way to hit Wal-Mart right where it hurts. Start their own companies and pay workers more and offer generous healthcare benefits. Problem solved!" --Paul Jacob of Americans for Limited Government

GLASS HOUSES

"One of the things that drives Republicans crazy is the media's enormous double-standard in how they cover various scandals... Skeptics can go to the Web site of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

"By my count, there have been 70 different members of the House who have been investigated for serious offenses over the last 30 years. Of these, only 15 involved Republicans, with the remaining 55 involving Democrats." ---Bruce Bartlett

http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/brucebartlett/2006/01/24/183537.html

GLASS HOUSES II

Four Kerry campaign workers in Milwaukee pleaded no contest to charges of slashing the tires on 25 vehicles to be used by Milwaukee Republicans to get folks to the polls. To make matters even more amusing, one of the defendants is the son of former Milwaukee mayor Melvin Pratt and another is the son of Congresswoman Gwen Moore. --The Federalist, 1/27/06

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