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____________________________________ CHUCK MUTH�S NEWS & VIEWS March 22, 2004 To view the HTML version of today�s News & Views, just go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsandviews/nv.cfm To subscribe, just go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsletter/ To reach our 7-day News & Views archive, go to www.citizenoutreach.com _____________________________________ CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK...IS...COOKING? Dwayne Johnson - better known as professional wrestling�s �The Rock� - was asked recently by the Miami Herald if he had any political ambitions. "Possibly, you never know. Maybe one day. Absolutely.� The Rock said he�s talked to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger about a possible political future and said jokingly, �One day, maybe President Johnson.� Although The Rock spoke at the conventions of both political parties back in 2000 on get-out-the-vote, NewsMax is betting he�s a Republican at heart. Why? �He's a rugged individualist, believes in free enterprise -- and he's married to a Cuban-American.� TODAY ON THE DISCUSSION BOARD It seems a lot of people think the drug companies spend way too much money advertising their products and some members of Congress think maybe the government should do something about it. Do you think it�s the proper role of government to determine or regulate private industry advertising? Or do you think government should stay out of the free market? Or do you think that normally the feds should butt out but that an exception should be made when it comes to prescription drugs? Hot topic and very timely. Share your opinion on our Discussion Board at: http://blog.chuckmuth.com/blog/ THIS WEEK�S �SURVEY SAYS!� This week�s online poll: Do you think it's OK for a state to raise taxes on tobacco products as long as it lowers the taxes on something else, making the net result revenue neutral? * Yes, tobacco products are bad for you * No, a tax hike is a tax hike * I'm a Kerry Democrat: Yes AND No Cast your vote by clicking the �Survey Says!� tab at www.citizenoutreach.com THE MAN WITH TWO (OR MORE) FACES �It comes as no surprise to learn that John Kerry, who hates to take one position on an issue when he can take two or three, has come down strongly in favor -- and strongly against -- US policy in Cuba.� - Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby WHACKING BACK AT THE BUSH-WHACKER Excerpts from President Bush�s remarks at Saturday�s campaign rally in Orlando, Florida� "The other day here in Florida (John Kerry) claimed some important endorsements from overseas. He won't tell us the name of the foreign admirers. That's OK. Either way, I'm not too worried, because I'm going to keep my campaign right here in America." �Senator Kerry voted for the Patriot Act, for NAFTA, for the No Child Left Behind Act, and for the use of force in Iraq. Now he opposes the Patriot Act, NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the liberation of Iraq. My opponent clearly feels strongly about each of these issues. So strongly that one position is never just enough." �Someone asked Senator Kerry why he voted against the $87 billion funding bill to help our troops in Iraq. Here's what he said: 'I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.' That sure clears things up, doesn't it?" �Senator Kerry is one of the main opponents of tax relief in the United States Congress. He also supported a 50-cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline. He wanted you to pay all that money at the pump, and he wouldn't even throw in a free car wash." THE BATTLEGROUND STATES A number of News & Views readers have written in response to last week�s Muth�s Truths column on �vote swapping� for the Libertarian Party candidate, asking which states were the �toss-ups� where either Bush or Kerry could end up with the state�s electoral votes. The general consensus, as reported by the Washington Times yesterday (number of electoral votes in parentheses): Florida (27), Iowa (7), Minnesota (10), Missouri (11), New Mexico (5), Ohio (20), Oregon (7), Wisconsin (10), West Virginia (5), New Hampshire (4) and Pennsylvania (21). READERS WRITE An well-meaning conservative News & Views reader wrote in response to an item in yesterday�s DC Confidential: �Arlen Specter moderate? NO WAY. Chuck, I can't believe you call that (deleted) a moderate. He makes Kerry really look right wing.� Well, I certainly understand the sentiment, but let�s look at the facts here. John Kerry's ACU (American Conservative Union) Rating last year was 13. Pennsylvania�s conservative Republican U.S. senator, Rick Santorum, scored a 90.� Specter, Pennsylvania�s other senator, came in at 65.� He's a heck of a lot closer to Santorum than he is to Kerry...and 65 is an absolutely right-of-center "moderate" score. Now some will claim, rightly, that Specter was having an election-year-only conservative conversion in 2003, so let�s look at the Lifetime ACU ratings. Kerry comes in at 5. Santorum at 87. Specter at 43. Now, I went to public skool for a few years so correct me if my math is wrong here...but 87 minus 5 equals 82...and 82 divided in half comes to 41. So again, Arlen Specter falls in the middle. Look, I�m not defending Specter�s lousy conservative score compared to other Republicans. But what I AM saying is that our side hurts its credibility when we make statements such as, �(Arlen Specter) makes Kerry really look right wing.� Specter is no Barry Goldwater...but he�s no John Kerry either. We need to make sure our emotions don�t get the better of us in such political debates. THE AMERICAN EDUCATION REVOLUTION �Over the past decade, the ranks of families home schooling have grown dramatically. According to a new federal report, at least 850,000 students were learning at home in 1999, the most recent year studied; some experts believe the figure is actually twice that. �...While politicians from Washington on down to your school board have been warring over charter schools and vouchers in recent years, home schooling has quietly outpaced both of those more attention-getting reforms (only half a million kids are in charter schools, and just 65,000 receive vouchers). In many ways, in fact, home schooling has become a threat to the very notion of public education. �In some school districts, so many parents are pulling their children out to teach them at home that the districts are bleeding millions of dollars in per-pupil funding. Aside from money, the drain of families is eroding something more precious: public confidence in the schools. �...Home schooling's successes didn't come easily, though the practice is actually an old tradition. In the early years of this country, most children were educated at home, either by parents or tutors.� - Time magazine, 3/21/04 (http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101010827/cover.html) SEPARATION OF MARRIAGE AND STATE �Marriage belongs in church, not in the courthouse or the legislature. The separation of church and state is fundamental to American democracy. . . . The American solution to the (gay) marriage crisis, then, is simple. Listen to the First Amendment's call for freedom from state-imposed religion. Elected legislatures or judges have no special insight into the word of God; it is not for them to decide which unions God and church should - or should not - sanctify. The state should simply restrict itself to registering civil unions, open to all citizens on a non-discriminatory basis.� - University of Utah law professor Daniel J.H. Greenwood WINNING �HOW TO� CAMPAIGN REPORTS Quick, down-and-dirty "how to" reports on specific aspects of political campaigns and grassroots organizations.� Written primarily for beginners with little or no experience, but certainly chocked full of tidbits and hot tips to benefit even the most seasoned political pro.� Generally 8-16 pages of A-Z, step-by-step instructions to gain more votes, more money and more volunteers for your political activities and/or campaign. Don't expect fancy packaging with a lot of bells and whistles.� Just solid, up-to-date how-to information you can put to use IMMEDIATELY.� Go to http://chuckmuth.com/specialreports.htm to check out our ever-growing library of winning publications! __________________________________________ Chuck Muth�s News & Views is published by Citizen Outreach, a non-partisan, 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. 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. Published by: Citizen Outreach Chuck Muth Editor/Publisher 611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, #439 Washington, DC 20003-4303 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To be REMOVED, go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/remove/default.cfm Or send your request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To make a secure PayPal contribution to Citizen Outreach, go to the �Donate� page at www.citizenoutreach.com.
