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____________________________________ CHUCK MUTH�S NEWS & VIEWS April 24, 2004 To view the HTML version of today�s News & Views, just go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsandviews/nv.cfm _____________________________________ SURVEY SAYS! Should photos of flag-draped coffins of dead American soldiers being returned to U.S. soil be published and shown by the media? * Yes * No Cast your vote by clicking the �Survey Says!� tab at www.citizenoutreach.com RUMSFELD BRIEFING I attended a small, private briefing at the Pentagon yesterday for about a dozen and a half leaders of public policy organizations hosted by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and General Peter Pace, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Unfortunately, the briefing was �off the record,� so I can�t share with you the exact nature of the discussions. But I can tell you this: If you like watching Don Rumsfeld on TV as he slices and dices the Washington press corps, you�d absolutely love him in person. And if there�s ANY doubt in your mind as to the dedication, effectiveness and professionalism of those who are in charge of killing the bad guys over in Iraq...sleep easy tonight. Although challenges, set-backs and problems will continue to confront us in Iraq - especially during the transition period after we turn control back over to the Iraqi people on July 1 - don�t doubt for a minute that as long as George W. Bush is in the White House and Don Rumsfeld is in the Pentagon, we won�t quit...and we won�t lose. The only way to �lose Iraq� will be to lose the election to John �UN� Kerry next November. And that�s up to YOU. FREE & INDEPENDENT TAIWAN After a civil war in 1949, the island of Taiwan separated from mainland China. Since that time, the United States has offered its umbrella of security to the breakaway province via the might and power of the American military, particularly the Navy. The official U.S. policy is to defend Taiwan against any attempt to forcibly re-unite the island with the mainland communist nation. But a growing number of Taiwanese are growing impatient with this stalemate and desire full independence. However, the Bush administration adamantly opposes �any unilateral move towards independence,� according to James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asia. Kelly maintains independence would �avail Taiwan of nothing it does not already enjoy in terms of freedom, autonomy, prosperity and security.� We can�t help but wonder if the likes of Sam Adams and Patrick Henry would have bought that line in 1776 when the breakaway colony known as �America� was under the thumb of Mother England. What do you think? Join the debate on our Discussion Board at: http://blog.chuckmuth.com/blog/ PROXY ATTACK MACHINE �(T)here is little need for Mr. Kerry to run anti-Bush ads. Democratic-leaning interest groups that the Kerry campaign can't legally coordinate with, such as the Media Fund and the AFL-CIO, are doing it for him.� - Washington Times, 4/22/04 PROGRESSIVE BOYCOTT �Though it's not clear who is behind it, an effort is underway to convince conservatives and supporters of President George W. Bush to boycott Progressive Auto Insurance, the nation's third-largest auto insurer. The reason? Progressive's chairman and former CEO, Peter Lewis, has committed to give millions of dollars to political groups working to defeat George W. Bush in the November election. �A statement posted on the BoycottProgressive.com Web site urges those holding the company's policies to consider that �Switching auto insurers, if you or someone you know is a Progressive customer, will tell Mr. Lewis loud and clear that you oppose his giving millions of dollars to support front groups� working to defeat Bush with monies raised outside the new McCain-Feingold campaign finance regime.� - Peter Roff�s �That�s Politics!� UPI, 4/15/04 FREE THE CONSERVATIVE 527s! Conservative interests groups - so-called �527�s� - are being discouraged from countering the liberal interest group attacks by the White House and the Republican National Committee. It�s time to �Free the Conservative 527�s.� Get more info by visiting the Brushfire Alert page at www.citizenoutreach.com. Here�s a well-written example of a letter to RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie on this subject from News & Views reader Jason Slagle of Columbus, Ohio: �Dear Mr. Gillespie: It is time for conservatives to unleash our own 527's and fight back. This is an excellent opportunity for us to educate the populace about conservative principles. Most people in this country don't think about politics until a week or even a day before a Presidential election. These people�come from public schools. They've never been exposed to conservative philosophy. If we start talking, maybe they'll start thinking. �And we already know we're right. We always win when thought triumphs over emotion. Conservative 527's can stick to issues and get people thinking. Let's focus on winning converts to the cause instead of slamming Kerry. For every person with whom we connect and who�joins the conservative movement,�we will have one less person to convince next time around. And that person will join the fight and help convince his friends, family, and neighbors.�Think of it as trickle-down politics. �Let's not stop until (Barry Goldwater�s book) �The Conscience of a Conservative� is taught in every high school across the width and breadth of this great nation. Rush Limbaugh always says that he won't quit until everyone agrees with him. Why has the RNC forfeited the battle of philosophy in favor of the political expediency of�buying votes with steel tariffs? Would Rush Limbaugh be as successful as he is today if he simply told people what they want to hear? Just wait until November 3rd and ask John Kerry how well that works. � �Mr. Chairman, please give up this doomed bid to win through the courts what we should have fought for on the floor of the House, Senate, and in the Oval Office. One email from you to your subscribers will unleash a torrent of money that will make George Soros' head spin. Let's focus on winning minds and elections.� COULTER-GEIST �Except for the presidential election, the most important election this year will take place on April 27 in Pennsylvania. No, it's not the �American Idol� finals. It's even more important than that. That's the day of the Republican primary pitting a great Republican, Pat Toomey, against the 74-year-old, Ira Einhorn-defending alleged �Republican,� Arlen Specter. . . . More than any other person in America, Arlen Specter is responsible for a runaway Supreme Court that has turned every political issue into a �constitutional� matter, giving radical liberals an uninterrupted string of victories in the culture wars. That's not a court, it's a junta.� - Columnist Ann Coulter VICTORY AT HAND? �Two new polls released Tuesday show that conservative Congressman Pat Toomey (R-PA) is rapidly narrowing the gap in his primary battle against incumbent US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA). The KDKA-TV/SurveyUSA poll shows Specter-50%, Toomey-44%. The Quinnipiac University poll showed nearly identical numbers: Specter-49%, Toomey-44%. With just one week remaining until the hotly contested primary, it is never a good sign for an entrenched incumbent -- especially one with White House support and a fat campaign bank account -- to be holding a lead this narrow. Unless these polls are way off the mark, look for Toomey to defeat Specter next Tuesday.� - Ron Gunzburger, Politics1, 4/22/04 OR TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE? �Conservative activists backing Rep. Pat Toomey�s Senate bid are voicing doubts that the congressman has enough money or shock troops to counter the statewide, multimedia campaign being waged by Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania�s Republican primary. While a recent Quinnipiac University poll put Toomey within five points of Specter � marking a significant tightening of the race � the activists said the conservative House member from Allentown needs to do a better job mobilizing his base.� - The Hill, 4/22/04 RICHIE RICH WET BEHIND THE EARS �(Nathan) Tabor touts his own business experience, even though he just left college in 1998. The son of a longtime house painter, he grew rich through a company his family started six years ago. He's now vice president of Revival Soy, which makes chocolate-covered soy nuts and other products. Tabor's three cars include a Hummer with the tag �SOYTOY2.� � - Charlotte Observer, 4/22/04 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 SUBSCRIBE, just go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsletter/ To be REMOVED, go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/remove/default.cfm Or send your request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To make a secure online contribution to Citizen Outreach, go to the �Donate� page at www.citizenoutreach.com.
