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_______________________________ How to Subscribe If you know someone who might like to receive News & Views, you can sign 'em up at: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsletter/ ____________________________ Blacks Just Can't Shake Affirmative Action... "Sixty-five percent of black voters believe affirmative action is necessary but needs to be reformed...according to a survey by the conservative Black America's Political Action Committee (BAMPAC). The survey of black voters did not solicit suggestions for revamping affirmative action programs, but it did find 62 percent favor 'set-asides for minority-owned businesses and racial quotas in employment and education.' " - Washington Times, 7/31/03 ______________________________ ...Neither Can Some in GOP "A proposed ballot initiative aimed at abolishing race-conscious policies in public hiring and college admissions is facing opposition from Michigan's Republican hierarchy because it could hurt President Bush's re-election chances here, its proponents say. "...Constituents have sent letters and e-mail to the state's Republican Party, asking why its leaders have backed down on the issue in a state where polls find most residents oppose race-conscious hiring and college admissions. 'What we need now, and what would be best for our state, is to commit ourselves to reducing racial tensions and focus on policy objectives that unite us as Americans,' was the response one such inquiry received from the party's executive director, Greg McNeilly. ".'I am surprised to see the Republican Party come out against this,' said state Rep. Jack Brandenburg, who is also a co-chair of the committee promoting the initiative. 'The party should be stepping up to the plate on this issue; it shouldn't be afraid.'" - Washington Times, 7/30/03 ______________________________ While Still Others "Get It" "(We need to) come together as a colorblind society where the government doesn't pick winners or losers but the government mandates that everyone have an equal opportunity based on the capacity for each individual to grab opportunities and make something of themselves." - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay in an interview with columnist Armstrong Williams _______________________________ NEW Bumper Snicker! Get the HOTTEST bumper sticker in the country today: "Conservatives Are >From Mars, Liberals Are From Uranus!" $2.95 each. Buy 3...Get 1 FREE. No charge for shipping. Limited supply. Go to: http://chuckmuth.com/merchandise.htm ______________________________ NFL Kisses King Jesse's...Ring "National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue fined Detroit Lions President Matt Millen $200,000 last week. The penalty had nothing to do with breaking the rules of the game or bringing public disgrace on the league through illegal activity, which are the usual reasons for punitive action in sports leagues. Millen has to cough up the cash because he did not interview any minority candidates before hiring a white guy as his club's new coach. The NFL's senseless position on affirmative action is a good example of the ripple effect bad Supreme Court decisions have nationwide. "...The NFL policy encourages dishonesty. The easy way for the Lions to avoid punishment would have been to hold a show interview with an unqualified minority coach just to be able to say they did so. Such a charade does not promote equal opportunity, or fairness or dignity for minorities. It's about window dressing and blackmail. O.J. Simpson lawyer Johnnie Cochran and Jesse Jackson threatened boycotts if the Lions were not punished, and Tagliabue bowed in obedience. The commissioner's shallowness hurts the game. Sportsmanship is about the best man winning, regardless of color." - Washington Times editorial, 7/30/03 ______________________________ Just Say No to Affirmative Racism "As the only black Republican member of the Colorado legislature, I speak from a perspective that minority activists may resent. Regardless, I feel in my heart that race-based policies are antiquated, dangerous and counter-productive to our societal goals... "If an equal society is what we want, we must eliminate all forms of discrimination, including affirmative action. Not only do affirmative-action and race-based policies undermine the equality we tried to achieve, but they are also an acknowledgment that minorities are less capable of thriving and succeeding on our own. self-indictment that I am not willing to make. Further, as long as race-based policies exist, there will be resentment from some who are not entitled to preferential treatment. "As a black man, I would rather make less money at a job I earned than be the token minority who eases the burden of liberal guilt. This same principle applies to higher education. While I do agree that disadvantaged students should be given a helping hand (not a free pass), the qualifications should be based on income, need and individual circumstances. To make a blanket statement that all blacks and Hispanics need assistance, but all white people will be just fine on their own is dangerous." - Colorado State Senator Ed Jones, Denver Post, 7/24/03 _______________________________ Survey Says! If you haven't weighed in yet on this week's online poll, don't forget to visit our "Survey Says" page at www.citizenoutreach.com. This week's question asks what you think is the biggest threat to the American family: gay marriage, divorce or unwed motherhood. Interesting results, so far. _______________________________ Truth in Political Labeling "Never mind their rhetoric: Republicans, like Democrats, are enthusiastic advocates of big government." - Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute _______________________________ Hey, Big Spenders "The administration should be supporting conservatives in Congress who actually want to get federal spending under control. Yet President Bush wants to show he is 'compassionate' with his conservatism. But big-time social spending sure isn't compassionate to federal taxpayers. "...Since coming to office, the administration has been running a strangely compartmentalized budget policy - letting Americans keep more of their money on the tax side, but steadily building up the welfare state on the spending side. That political strategy won't work much longer because spending is ultimately a taxpayer issue. Higher spending pushes up the deficit and creates a looming threat of higher taxes down the road." - Chris Edwards is the director of fiscal policy and Tad DeHaven is a policy researcher at the Cato Institute, Washington Times, 7/31/03 _______________________________ The Goldwater Doctrine "I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents' interests, I shall reply that I was informed their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can." - Barry Goldwater, "The Conscience of a Conservative" _______________________________ This Ain't Barry Goldwater's GOP "For those who desperately want to see the size and scope of the federal government reduced, the first Bush term is a very serious disappointment. Spending levels are approximately 22% higher than when Clinton left office. Health care spending has increased 36% in three years, education spending has increased 26%, and 'community and regional development' spending, which includes boondoggles like HUD, has increased 31%. These purely domestic spending increases cannot be excused by terrorism or the war in Iraq. "Of course, both Congress and a succession of presidents are responsible for the spending mess. The president can set a tone for fiscal restraint or indulgence, and can veto spending bills if he has the political will to do so. Congress, however, actually crafts the laughable federal 'budget' and appropriates the money, so the ultimate blame for spending increases must be accorded members of the House and Senate. It's easy to talk about smaller government, but few actually vote against the 13 annual appropriations bills that fund so many wasteful and unconstitutional departments, agencies, and programs... "The American people are also responsible for the growth in government, however. We have allowed our constitutional republic to deteriorate into a virtually unchecked direct democracy. Today's political process is nothing more than a street fight between various groups seeking to vote themselves other people's money. Individual voters tend to support the candidate that promises them the most federal loot in whatever form, rather than the candidate who will uphold the rule of law." - Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) _______________________________ Campaign Hot Tips New to campaigns and grassroots activism? Seasoned veteran who recognizes there's always something new to learn? Then sign up for Mark Montini's FREE "Campaign Hot Tips" e-newsletter at: http://www.campaignsecrets.com/hot_tips.asp _______________________________ Era of Compassionate Big Government "In the name of 'Compassionate Conservatism,' the Bush administration is now pressing the Republican-controlled Congress to create the largest new government program in 40 years-a prescription-drug entitlement that will cost an estimated $400 billion over five years. This is only the latest of President George W. Bush's massive additions to the federal government, and the costs will be political as well as fiscal. "Bush's advocacy of increased spending on government schools and federal education programs, efforts to ameliorate AIDS in Africa, and the mendacity of tax 'rebates' for those who pay no income tax (honest men call this scheme 'income redistribution') has some advocates of limited government complaining that the president is sacrificing conservative principles for political expediency. "But this understates the hazards of the administration's profligacy. While Bush's largesse arguably aids his re-election efforts, the long-term political costs for the Grand Old Party will rival the fiscal and economic costs of our 43rd president's compassion." - Columnist Tim Carney, The American Conservative, 7/28/03 _______________________________ Davis Alternatives No Goldwaterites "The campaign to recall (California Gov. Gray) Davis was funded by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, whose name will be on the recall ballot as a gubernatorial candidate on Oct. 7. Issa is known more for losing a U.S. Senate primary race than for his Republican ideas. His congressional Web site boasts that he has pushed special programs for Medicare recipients with chronic illnesses -- hardly a landmark for free markets. "Other Republicans considering a run include (former Los Angeles Mayor Dick) Riordan, who endorsed Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein for re-election, and (last year's losing gubernatorial nominee Bill) Simon. There are also the Huffingtons: Arianna, a conservative pundit turned Republican in name only whose ex-husband, Michael, lost a close Senate race to Feinstein, came out as bisexual and has filed papers to run for governor against his ex-wife. "If the GOP field sounds like a rerun of 'Dynasty,' it's because their campaigns appear to be more self-promotion than crusades on principle. Among their positions are regulation of free speech, higher tobacco taxes and restrictions on private property. They aim to take down America's least popular governor by embracing the governor's big-government philosophy. "Not one of the GOP's would-be candidates advocates individual rights and, therefore, no one offers California voters a real alternative to Davis, whose liberalism has caused one calamity after another: rolling blackouts, the nation's first attempt to prescribe which vehicle each person drives and, of course, higher taxes. Californians deserve an antidote to Davis; instead, they face a band of wannabes." - Columnist Scott Holleran, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/31/03 _______________________________ NEW! Citizen Outreach Online Store Get your official Citizen Outreach apparel and merchandise today: http://www.cafeshops.com/citizenoutreach _______________________________ Stick a Fork in Him, He's Done "It's looking increasingly likely that Gov. Davis will have to fight a two-front war, in which he will have to beat both Republicans and factions within his own party. If that happens, he'll be unlikely to survive. The first crack in the Democrats' united front likely came last week. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reportedly called Mr. Davis 'toast' in a private meeting of her California congressional colleagues. She later denied making the remark, but her statement has been widely reported and the media's sources have stood by their account of her comments. "...Democrats are slowly coming to the conclusion that Gov. Davis is a goner, but like the Republicans they are having trouble agreeing on a consensus alternative. Unless Sen. Feinstein runs, chances are that if one Democrat breaks ranks and files for the race, several more will follow. The unprecedented recall of a California governor remains as chaotic and confused as ever. But it's becoming clearer that California is likely to have a new chief executive come October. It's just that so far no one can figure out who it will be." - John Fund's Political Diary, OpinionJournal.com, 7/31/03 _______________________________ HillBillary to Stump for Davis "Bill and Hillary Clinton will inject themselves in to the historic California recall battle, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, as Democrats vow to fight to the finish to retain the state's governorship! The former president and his senator wife will trek to the golden state for campaign appearances with Gray Davis, top sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT. "The Clintons and Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe plan to reinforce a theme of Republicans undoing and undermining election results, 'like they did in Florida,' a well-placed source said from Washington. Still up in the air: if both Hillary and Bill Clinton will appear with Davis at the same time." - Drudge Report, 7/28/03 _______________________________ It's a Free for All in CA "With nine days left for Californians to enter the race for governor in the state's fall recall election," reports the Washington Times, "more than 200 hopefuls have already seized the opportunity to run, elections officials said yesterday." Yikes! That's gonna be some ballot. The Times also reports that the media darling among the 200 is Democrat Georgy Russell, a 26-year-old software creator who's "official campaign apparel (includes) boxer shorts and thong underwear." Yep, that's California, all right. For all you knuckle-dragging misogynists out there, here's where you can find Georgy's website: http://www.georgyforgov.com/ _______________________________ Affordable Campaign Websites! Now you can get professional-looking campaign web sites for as little as $10 a month. 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Just go to: <http://www.NewsandViewsLongDistance.com> today. _______________________________ How to Subscribe If you know someone who might like to receive News & Views, you can sign 'em up at: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsletter/ Published by Citizen Outreach Chuck Muth Editor/Publisher 611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, #439 Washington, DC 20003-4303 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Citizen Outreach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public policy organization and does not endorse candidates or lobby for specific legislation. The opinions and views expressed in Chuck Muth's News & Views reflect those of the writers, editors and columnists therein and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Citizen Outreach, its officers, directors or employees. To be REMOVED, go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/remove/default.cfm and complete the removal request instructions you'll find there. Or send your request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # #
