NEWSFLASH: The Laffer Curve Actually Works!
Starting today, I'm going to write an "as-it-happens" post called "NEWSFLASH: The Laffer Curve Actually Works!" (note the dripping sarcasm). All around the world, and here at home, tax cuts have proven to be the catalyst for strong economic growth. Yet liberals continue to scream and throw fits about how they cause deficits. We know better.
For today's post, this was taken from the Financial Times as relayed by Tyler Cowen at Marginal Revolution (FT.com requires a subscription).
bq. While Germany struggles with inflexible labour laws and high taxation, Austria has pushed through tax reforms that will bring rates down close to east European levels, to run alongside already business-friendly employment measures.
bq. The results have been dramatic. Since January this year, when the first phase of Austria's two-step reforms kicked in with big income tax cuts and some relief for small and medium-size companies, the country has enjoyed a rash of high-profile investment.
bq. Businesses have been enticed not just by the current reforms but by the prospect of corporate rates falling from 34 to 25 per cent, or less than 22 per cent including allowances, from January next year as part of the second stage.
bq. However, Austria's success has been at Germany's expense, as companies relocate from the German border region of Bavaria.
If you ever stumble upon evidence of the Laffer Curve hard at work, shoot me an email at aroth-at-clubforgrowth.org.
Wednesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Self-Inflicted Poverty - Walter Williams, Townhall.com
Social Security Reality - Keith Miller, National Review
Cigarette Tax Hike Should Go Up in Smoke - John La Plante, MacKinac
Journalists Need to Study a Little Economics - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
The European Tax Cartel - Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution
The Estate Tax - Stephen Bainbridge, ProfessorBainbridge.com
*Campaign News*
SC: Beasley to Endorse DeMint Today - Charleston.net
OK: Coburn leads GOP in New Poll - KFOR.com
OR: Republican Tax-Hikers Lose - Jonathan Collegio, Heartland.org
SD: Business Ads Targeting Daschle - Josephine Hearn, The Hill
Bigger Government vs. Greater Freedom - Carrie Lukas, IWF
Kerry Flip-Flops... Again - James Glassman, TCS
Economy Boosting Bush, Poll Finds - Ralph Hallow, Washington Times
*Laughing at Liberals*
Kerry Campaign Halts: Candidate Won't Cross Pickets - ScrappleFace.com
KerryCare vs. Capitalism
This country is moving to the Right. Liberals can accept it or not, but Reagan's vision of limited government and lower taxes is not only sound policy, but people everywhere now understand its intuitive nature. They are removing New Deal shackles for fat supply-side economic wallets. With that being the case, President Bush can win the election this November in a CAKE WALK if he exposes John Kerry for what he is -- a free-wheeling tax-and-spend liberal.
Carrie Lukas at the Independent Women's Forum is helping to expose Kerry by bringing to light the fiscally irresponsible health care ideas that are a part of his campaign platform. Here is an excerpt from her recent article, "Cold Sweat":
bq. The Kerry health-care expansion would entail nearly a trillion dollars of new federal government spending, but that’s just the beginning. He has another $200 billion of new spending allocated to education programs and additional billions on everything from energy research to national service initiatives. He doesn’t talk about these spending proposals as coming at the expense of other initiatives -- he unabashedly plans to increase the size of government by rolling back tax cuts on income, capital gains and by reinstating the death tax.
Read the full article here.
Quote of the Day - Hillary Clinton
Read it and weep:
bq. "Many of you are well enough off that ... the [Bush] tax cuts may have helped you. We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." -- Hillary Clinton
The reaction I felt after reading this was probably similar to what Bart Simpson experienced after being told to rub Aunt Selma's feet. Thanks to Stephen Bainbridge for the pointer. He also has some additional comments.
RINO Watch 2004
The RINOs are back (Republicans In Name Only)! In a display of career protectionism, they shunned the American taxpayer and voted against the Family Budget Protection Act. Learn more about this fiscally responsible bill and the RINOs who reflexively shot it down.
NEWSFLASH: The Laffer Curve Works!
From a recent article by Donald Lambro at the Washington Times:
bq. "Just for the record about the tax cuts' long-term impact, budget officials now forecast the deficit will be about $100 billion less than expected this year because of rising federal tax revenues from a growing economy."
Thanks to Kerry Kerstetter for the pointer.
Cornering the Campaign Market -
Cornering the Campaign Market - Larry Kudlow, NRO
Tuesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Cornering the Campaign Market - Larry Kudlow, NRO
Rate Hike Reservations - James Galbraith & Jude Wanniski, Wash Times
Where's The Misery? - Rich Lowry, Townhall.com
Michael Moore, MoveOn, and Fahrenheit 9/11 - Byron York, NRO
A Risk-Free World - NCPA Daily Policy Digest
The Evolution of Michael Moore - Bill O'Reilly, Human Events
*Campaign News*
Schwarzenegger to Speak at Convention - Washington Times
Streisand Sings Bush-Bashing Song - Jimmy Moore, Talon News
‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ Ban? - Alexander Bolton, The Hill
SC: GOP Counts on DeMint Win - Jennifer Holland, AP
GA: For Blacks, Democrats' Allure Slips - Jim Wooten, AJC.com
Healthcare? Yes, But at What Price - Lawrence O'Rourke, StarTribune.com
Provide a Caption - Week 6 (FINALIZED)
The Winning Caption
"Sharing a rare disease with Pinnochio where lying causes rapid, massive growth, director Michael Moore shows how thin his gut was when he started working on his recent Bush-bash, "Fahrenheit 9/11.""
Eric Spohn
Duluth, GA
Club Member since June 2004
When he accepted his Club for Growth t-shirt, Mr. Spohn replied, "I will wear it and not wash it until Herman Cain is my Senator!"
While the Club for Growth doesn't promote uncleanliness, we certainly think this is a terrific idea.
And the Winner is...
The winner to last week's "Provide a Caption" contest goes to...
bq. "The back of the shirt said, 'I woke up this morning and there were democrats rifling my wallet, my cash was all gone, and a bazillionaire thinks we're buds'".
bq. Flip Johnson
New Club Member
Mr. Johnson will soon experience the touch of a Club for Growth t-shirt. It's 100% pure cotton and 100% liberal-free!
Look for this week's contest later today.
Monday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Day of Reckoning - Edwin Feulner, Heritage Foundation
With-It Sanford - Deroy Murdock, National Review
Going Broke by Degree - AEI Press Release
More Bad News for Social Security - Michael Tanner, Cato Institute
The Prosperity Pool - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
Louisiana's Death Tax Going Away, Mostly - Alan Sayre, AP
*Campaign News*
OK: Group's Ads Boost Coburn Campaign - Chris Casteel, NewsOK.com
UT: Campaign Began After '02 Vote - Jerry Spangler, DeseretNews.com
SC: How DeMint Rallied to Win - Jennifer Talhelm & Aaron Sheinin, The State
Senator Kerry's Health Care Plan Fails Women - IWF Press Release
New Ad Featuring Hitler Comparisons to Bush - Jimmy Moore, Talon News
Bad ACTors - John Fund, Wall Street Journal
Who's kidding who?
From Bob Novak's latest article:
Veteran Democratic political operative Rodney Shelton has crossed over from America Coming Together (ACT), an anti-Bush 527 organization set up to evade the McCain-Feingold Act's ban on soft money, to become Arkansas state director of John Kerry's presidential campaign.
The 527s and the Kerry campaign are not supposed to coordinate with each other, but top staffers have moved back and forth through a revolving door. Zack Exley has left the Bush-bashing MoveOn.org to become Kerry's director of online organization. Moving in the opposite direction, former Kerry campaign manager Jim Jordan has joined ACT.
Moore Suggests State Drop Income
Moore Suggests State Drop Income Tax - Carmel Snyder, The Oklahoman
Good Money’s on W. -
Good Money’s on W. - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Friday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
How to End Fiscal Malpractice - Steve Moore, Club for Growth Advocacy
Good Money’s on W. - Larry Kudlow, National Review
House Kills Dems' Bill to Tax Rich, Fund Programs - Brian DeBose, Wash Times
Moore Suggests State Drop Income Tax - Carmel Snyder, The Oklahoman
Budget Process That's Spent - Alison Fraser, Heritage Foundation
Pork Alert: We've Only Just Begun - Citizens Against Government Waste
*Campaign News*
SC: About Jim DeMint - The State
GA: Isakson, Cain at Odds Over TV Ad - Associated Press
UT: 2nd Rematch More Than Déja Vu - Rebecca Walsh, Salt Lake Tribune
AK: GOP Heavy Hitters Back Mike Miller - Nicole Tsong, ADN.com
Stern Warning on Kerry - The Australian
Anti-Bush Group to Stop Sending Violent Felons to Homes - David Lieb, AP
*Laughing at Liberals*
Kerry Calls Clinton Endorsement 'Badge of Honor' - ScrappleFace.com
How To End Fiscal Malpractice
How To End Fiscal Malpractice in Washington - Stephen Moore, Club for Growth Advocacy
Club Gets Wins in South
Club Gets Wins in South Carolina and Utah - Steve Moore, President, David Keating, Executive Director
Want to propose new tax hikes? Be my guest....
From John Fund's WSJ Political Diary:
bq. Here's a good rule to follow in politics: When your opponent is preparing to shoot himself in the foot, give him all the ammo he needs. That's one reason Republicans could hardly say "yes" fast enough this week when House Democrats requested floor time to argue in favor of raising taxes by $268 billion over the next decade. The bill at issue comes from Wisconsin Democrat David Obey and would increase income tax rates on the "wealthy" by more than four percentage points. Republicans estimate that this new tax would show up on 200,000 tax returns, three fourths of which are filed by small business owners. Republicans plan to give Democrats 90 minutes today to talk about Rep. Obey's jobs-killing plan -- more time than the House spent debating this year's budget resolution.
bq. Following this tax-and-spend talkfest, Republicans plan to devote the second part of the afternoon to talking about how to limit spending. Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle will defend "pay-go" legislation that would force any new spending to be offset with corresponding cuts elsewhere in the budget -- but without treating proposed tax cuts as "spending programs," as many Democrats insist. Other Republicans are expected to present their own proposals to restrain spending. After all is said and done today, all that popping you hear from the House floor is likely to be more than just some Democratic Big Government fans shooting their mouths off.
bq. --Brendan Miniter
Tribute to George W. Bush
I don't know the origin or creator of this video, but I've received it from a couple of people through forwarded email. It's worth watching.
Watch the Video
Thursday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
New York City Tax Follies - E.J. McMahon, New York Post
Random Thoughts - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
Putting Taxes on Ice - Veronique de Rugy, AEI
Reagan Embraced Free Trade and Immigration - Daniel Griswold, Cato
A Guide to the Family Budget Protection Act - Brian Riedl, Heritage
Tax Cut Opponents Prefer Spending Instead - Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, Fox News
*Campaign News*
GA: Cain looks For GOP Votes in Senate Race - Dick Pettys, AP
CO: Schaffer Takes Gloves Off in Debate - Matthew Benson, Coloradoan.com
SC: GOP Relieved DeMint's on Ticket - Henry Eichel, Charlotte Observer
George's Friend Bill - Bob Novak, Townhall.com
Cold Sweat - Carrie Lukas, Independent Women's Forum
Sen. Kerry vs. Nobel Prize Economists - Employment Policies Institute
*Laughing at Liberals*
SpaceShipOne Pilot Glimpses Edge of Clinton Book Hype - ScrappleFace.com
Bordering on Defeat: Immigrant bashing
Bordering on Defeat: Immigrant bashing is for losers. - Steve Moore, The Weekly Standard
Cubs Fan Finalizes Deal With Satan
There are a few Cubbies fans here at Club for Growth HQ so when I read this satirical article from The Spoof, I almost fell of my chair with laughter:
bq. Early this morning news broke from hell that a deal has been finalized between Satan and a Chicago man that will result in a guaranteed trip to the World Series for the Chicago Cubs.
bq. The terms of the deal are believed to be the Chicago man’s soul going to Satan in exchange for the Cubs assurance of going to the 2004 World Series.
bq. When asked why he could only guarantee a trip to the World Series and not a World Series championship Satan said “C’mon what did you expect? I’m not God! The Cubs winning the World Series… That would take a miracle.”
bq. The Cubs have not been to the World Series since 1919 and are believed to hindered by “The Curse of the Goat”
bq. The Chicago Man’s name was not disclosed but he is being referred to as the “Anti-Bartman”. In a press release today the man said “Selling my soul to Satan was a last resort but eternity in hell might be quicker than waiting for the Cubs to make the World Series on their own.”
bq. In a related story Ben Affleck is reportedly making progress in negotiations to get the Boston Red Sox to the fall classic as well. The two sides are still believed to be far apart due to Satan’s lingering hard feelings over the movie Dogma.
Here's the full link.
Letter from Club Member
Dear Mr. Moore:
Congratulations to the Club for Growth, for marshaling support for DeMint, and in such a short span of time!
When I contribute money to a candidate's campaign, it is usually the kiss of death. I am pleased that, this time, DeMint won, despite the fact that I sent him money!
Seriously, I really appreciate your strategy of targeting support to key races where pro-growth candidates are running. Slowly but surely, we can really change the complexion of the Congress, one race at a time.
Keep up the good work!
William H. Eilberg
Club Member since June 2003
Getting to Know Inflation -
Getting to Know Inflation - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Wednesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Getting to Know Inflation - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Economist Steve Moore Leads Summer Series - NewsOK.com
Summer De-Programming - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
Porker of the Month: South Carolina Legislature - CAGW Press Release
The Reagan Presidency III - Jude Wanniski, Wanniski.com
A Superbowl of Subsidies - Mark Gongloff, CNN/Money
Shadegg, Franks Push Healthcare Choice - Mike Sunnucks, Business Journal
Soaked in New Jersey - Wall Street Journal Editorial
*Campaign News*
SC: DeMint Wins! - Henry Eichel & Heather Vogell, Charlotte Observer
UT: Swallow Wins! - Jerry Spangler & Bob Bernick, DeseretNews.com
GA: Cain Receives Home School Endorsement - The Weekly
Bush, Kerry Duel Over Economic Statistics - AIADA.com
Teacher Unions Working Overtime to Elect Kerry - Linda Chavez, Human Events
Swallow Wins!! The Club goes 2 for 2
The Associated Press is calling it. As of 12:56am EST with 477 of 503 precincts reporting:
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
| Swallow |
25,576 |
53.17 |
| Bridgewater |
22,525 |
46.83 |
On to the next race...Updated.
In the Utah Two race with 451 of 506 precincts reporting, as of 12:44am EST:
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
| Swallow |
23,508 |
53.06 |
| Bridgewater |
20,797 |
46.94 |
Book it, Danno - DeMint's the Winner!!
With 100% of the precincts reporting, the unofficial final count is:
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
| DeMint |
153,965 |
59 |
| Beasley |
106,131 |
41 |
DeMint/Beasley Election Update
This is wrapping up quickly. As of 8:27pm EST, with 1509 of 2002 precincts reporting (75%):
DeMint - 107,942 (60%)
Beasley - 73,336 (40%)
DeMint/Beasley Election Update
As of 8:25pm EST, with 1363 of 2002 precincts reporting (68%):
DeMint - 88,543 (59%)
Beasley - 62,583 (41%)
Lou Dobbs is a Big Fat Hypocrite
That's the title of this blog post by Daniel Dresner. Here's an excerpt:
bq. If I wasn't busy trying to get tenure and all that, I'd be sorely tempted to write a quickie paperback with that title. Never mind Dobbs' tendentious reporting about outsourcing -- now he's got bigger ethical quandries.
bq. Back in March, James Glassman pointed out in Tech Central Station that Dobbs was praising companies like Boeing and Washington Mutual as worthy stocks in his eponymous investment letter -- even though he was bashing these very same companies for offshore outsourcing on his CNN show, Lou Dobbs Tonight.
Thanks to Tyler Cowen at Marginal Revolution for the pointer.
Today's Election Results
Updated election coverage for today's races can be found on the following sites. If you know of any better links, please post them in the Comments section.
The DeMint/Beasley race in South Carolina -- WISTV.com.
The Swallow/Bridgewater race in Utah -- Utah Elections Office
Tuesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Leave Telecom to the Marketplace - Doug Bandow, Townhall.com
Zero Down for the American Dream - Ron Paul, LewRockwell.com
MoveOn Ad Wrought With Errors - Jimmy Moore, Talon News
The NYT on Economists on the Minimum-Wage - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
The Shrinking Clinton - Fred Barnes, The Weekly Standard
Air America: The Corporate Law Aspects - ProfessorBainbridge.com
*Campaign News*
SC: Today's Vote Marks Turning Point - Henry Eichel, Charlotte Observer
SC: Beasley Can't Overcome DeMint's Destiny - Jimmy Moore, TCV
UT: Bridgewater, Swallow fight for Congress - Kallee Nielsen, The Spectrum
UT: Undecideds Hold Key to House Races - Salt Lake Tribune
GA: Cain Signs 'Fair Judiciary Oath' - Townhall.com
Kerry's Stealth Strategy - Dick Morris, NY Post
The Economic Policies of Bush and Kerry - Chris Edwards, Cato Institute
*Laughing at Liberals*
Future Kerry VP McCain Infiltrates Bush Campaign - ScrappleFace.com
Reagan and Bush: Vision, Leadership,
Reagan and Bush: Vision, Leadership, Action, Security - Club for Growth Press Release
Provide a Caption - Week 5
The Winning Caption
"The back of the shirt said, 'I woke up this morning and there were democrats rifling my wallet, my cash was all gone, and a bazillionaire thinks we're buds'".
Flip Johnson
New Club Member
Mr. Johnson will soon experience the touch of a Club for Growth t-shirt. It's 100% pure cotton and 100% liberal-free!
Joke of the Day
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.
She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican."
"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."
The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Democrat."
"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met but, somehow, now it's my fault."
Reagan and Bush: Vision, Leadership,
Reagan and Bush: Vision, Leadership, Action, Security - Club for Growth Press Release
And the Winner Is...
Last week’s winner of the “Provide a Caption” contest is:
"I never had sexual relations with that woman, Hillary Rodham, not once..."
Kerry Kerstetter
Harrison, AR
As the undisputed winner and new owner of a Club for Growth t-shirt (100% cotton, mind you), Mr. Kerstetter will now be the best-dressed person on his block.
Look for this week’s new photo later today…
SC: DeMint's Star Rises in
SC: DeMint's Star Rises in Senate Bid - Jonathan Weisman, Wash Post
Fathers and Families - Pete
Fathers and Families - Pete du Pont, Washington Times
Contract Revisited - Steve Moore,
Contract Revisited - Steve Moore, Washington Times
Monday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Contract Revisited - Steve Moore, Washington Times
Fathers and Families - Pete du Pont, Washington Times
Fat in California's Budget - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
Politicizing Reagan - Union Leader Editorial
Tallying Presidential Economic Success - Richard Rahn, Cato Institute
The Reagan Presidency II - Jude Wanniski, Wanniski.com
Free-Spending Congress - Bob Novak, Townhall.com
Be Nice to Liberals Day - Daniel Mitchell, Heritage Foundation
*Campaign News*
This Time, Get It Right - John Fund, Wall Street Journal
SC: DeMint's Star Rises in Senate Bid - Jonathan Weisman, Wash Post
OK: Senate Candidates Split on Stance - Chris Casteel, The Oklahoman
Kerry Calls For Minimum Wage Boost - Bruce Alpert, Times Picayune
Kerry's Min. Wage: Ignorant Superstition - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
Bush Touts Growth in Radio Address - CNN.com
The New Weekly Poll is Up...
This week's question:
bq. What do you think about the Club's new "Leadership" ad contrasting Bush and Reagan with John Kerry?
As a Club member, you can view the Weekly Poll on any page within the MEMBERS ONLY section of the website.
Quote of the Day
"There's a lot of excitement for [Jim] DeMint," said economist Dan Mitchell of the conservative Heritage Foundation, "because he's not only someone who believes in individual freedoms and the free market, but he would actually fight for them. That's what's missing on Capitol Hill."
Club Releases New 'Baby Talk' Ad in Oklahoma
The Club for Growth today launched a new ad in Oklahoma that tells what Oklahoma’s kids can learn from Dr. Tom Coburn. Don’t spend more than you can afford. And keep your promises. The spot, which began airing June 18, 2004, will run through Saturday, June 26th.
Ad Script
View the ad: Windows | Real Player | Quicktime
Black Vote Begins to Fracture
From John Fund's Political Diary:
Juan Williams, a correspondent for National Public Radio and author of best-selling books on the civil rights movement, says younger black voters are no longer willing to vote Democratic automatically. He notes a survey by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies that found that 34% of black voters between 18 and 25 now identify themselves as independents; among all blacks the number is 24%. "Young black Americans seem ready for a forthright conversation about race and politics. While many older blacks responded with anger to Bill Cosby's recent call for poor black people to take more responsibility for their problems, the young people I encountered were uniformly supportive of Mr. Cosby's words," writes Mr. Williams.
The attitude shift that Mr. Williams is noticing is also being picked up by the unusually large number of black Republican candidates running in the South this year. In Georgia, former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain is getting many invitations to black churches "and that's before I win the Republican primary for U.S. Senate," he says. A total of 14 black Republicans are seeking state legislative seats in Georgia this year. One of them, Willie Talton, is running unopposed and will take office next year as the state's first black Republican lawmaker since Reconstruction. Dylan Glenn, a former aide to President Bush, is also a top-tier candidate for a vacant Congressional seat.
In North Carolina, Vernon Robinson is the front-runner for a U.S. House seat centered on Winston-Salem, where he serves as a city councilman. The fiery Mr. Robinson is an unapologetic conservative and uses the slogan: "Jesse Helms is back! And this time he's black."
Black Republicans are also making an impact in other states. Rep. Johnny Ford, who became one of the first black mayors in Alabama in the 1970s, switched parties last year and now serves as a Republican state representative. In Florida, Jennifer Carroll, a former career military officer, was elected to that state's legislature in 2003.
One reason for the growth of black Republicans in the South is the burgeoning ranks of the minority middle class. Rasmussen Research surveys show that while only 6% of all blacks identify themselves as Republicans, that figure jumps to over 20% if the voter owns $5,000 or more in stock. In Georgia, black household income has increased by 655% over the last 30 years, outstripping the 469% rise in white income. "People who are moving up the income ladder are deciding that Republicans like me might have a message about how they can best reach the next rung," says Mr. Cain.
--John Fund
MoveOn.org Uses the 'L' Word
From Craig Newmark:
bq. The co-founder of MoveOn.org has started using the "L" word. That would be "landslide." Professor Ray Fair's model is also predicting landslide. The other way, however.
Also, while I was trolling around on MoveOn.org's website, I came across a link to ProgressivePunch: Leading with the Left. What struck me as funny was the leading paragraph on their site:
bq. ProgressivePunch is a non-partisan searchable database of Congressional voting records from a Progressive perspective.
They are "leading with the left" and have a "progressive perspective", yet strangely, they are non-partisan.
Create Jobs: Bring Capital Home
Create Jobs: Bring Capital Home - Steven Moore, Human Events
Toomey Trains His Eye on
Toomey Trains His Eye on U.S. Senate - Bill Cahr, The Express-Times
First Ad Making Link to
First Ad Making Link to Reagan is Set to Debut - Nick Anderson, LA Times
A W.-for-President Scenario - Larry
A W.-for-President Scenario - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Friday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Create Jobs: Bring Capital Home - Steven Moore, Human Events
A W.-for-President Scenario - Larry Kudlow, National Review
First Ad Making Link to Reagan is Set to Debut - Nick Anderson, LA Times
No Need to Hunt for Him - John Fund, Wall Street Journal
House Approves Corporate-Tax Breaks - Jeffrey Sparshott, Wash Times
Defending the Reagan Deficits - Brian Riedl, Heritage Foundation
The D.C. Voucher Debate is Just Getting Started - Neal McCluskey, NRO
On the Trade Deficit - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
*Campaign News*
Toomey Trains His Eye on U.S. Senate - Bill Cahr, The Express-Times
Kerry Adopts Edwards' Ideas - Charles Hurt, Washington Times
CO POLL: Schaffer, Coors in Dead Heat - UPI
FL: Major TV-Ad Buys Heat up Senate Race - Marc Caputo, Miami Herald
WA: President stumps for Nethercutt - Nicholas Geranios, AP
Bush, Kerry Battle Over Economic Optimism - Lois Romano, Wash Post
*Laughing at Liberals*
John Kerry Denies Existence of Idaho - Charlie Van Horn, The Spoof!
Kerry Meets Gephardt, Running Mate Talk Picks Up
From an AP report:
bq. Democratic White House candidate John Kerry spent more than an hour meeting privately with Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt on Wednesday, adding fuel to the vice presidential guessing game.
bq. The presumptive presidential nominee and his former rival met for between 60 and 90 minutes in Kerry's Capitol Hill office, a Democratic official said.
bq. Kerry was expected to meet with other potential candidates in coming days. An announcement was unlikely before next month.
Who thinks Gephardt will be the eventual VP nominee? One insightful Club member said that the unions are forcing Kerry to pick him. Whether that's true or not, what else can Gephardt bring to the campaign (besides that angry "bad fever" red face)?
The World's 100 Largest Economic Entities
As part of their December 2000 Report on the Top 200 Corporations, Sarah Anderson and John Cavanagh at the Institute for Policy Studies, listed the World's 100 largest economic entities. As you would expect, a lot of them are countries. But it's a testament to the virtues of capitalism that 51 of the 100 are corporations.
The Left, in their efforts to socialize medicine, over-regulate the economy, and stifle private enterprise through higher taxes, should pay heed to these numbers. However, they will probably instead point out that Wal-Mart is larger than Poland, and is thus a very evil, evil company. Nevermind that they are "evil" because we, as consumers, choose to buy from them on a daily basis. Put another way, these companies succeed only because we voluntarily buy from them. To condemn Big Pharms, Big Tobacco, and Big Autos is to condemn the shareholders, the workers, and the consumers who own, work, and buy from them.
Here is a partial list.
| Rank |
Country/Corp |
GDP/Sales (mill) |
| 1. |
United States |
8,708,870 |
| 2. |
Japan |
4,395,083 |
| 3. |
Germany |
2,081,202 |
| 18. |
Switzerland |
260,299 |
| 25. |
Wal-Mart |
166,809 |
| 29. |
Poland |
154,146 |
| 57. |
Citigroup |
82,005 |
| 65. |
Chile |
71,092 |
| 72. |
Pakistan |
59,880 |
| 100. |
State Farm Insurance |
44,637 |
| |
|
|
View the entire list
here. Thanks to
Tyler at Marginal Revolution for the pointer, who correctly stated that these comparisons between countries and companies are somewhat problematic.
Quote of the Day
"Clinton had a lot of tea parties with celebrities, but (right after) his term, somebody flew two planes into the Twin Towers. What do you want -- somebody who keeps your children safe or somebody who throws nice tea parties?" -- Out of the closet Hollywood conservative, Rachel Hunter.
Thanks to John Fund at the WSJ for the pointer.
Just Like '84 - Larry
Just Like '84 - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Thursday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Just Like '84 - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Jobless Claims Drop; Wholesale Prices Jump - NewsMax.com Wires
Miss. Gov. Barbour Signs Tort Reform Bill - Emily Wagster Pettus, AP
Reaganomics & The Poor - Ralph R. Reiland, American Enterprise Online
The Left's Tactical Weapons - Arnold Kling, TCS
Rating the Presidents - Jude Wanniski, Wanniski.com
*Campaign News*
SC: DeMint, Supporters Launch 2 New Ads - Lauren Markoe, TheState.com
SC: Rep. DeMint Plugs Role as Underdog - Josh Hoke, The Sun News
GA: Columbia County News Times Endorses Herman Cain - TheWeekly.com
Kerry Asked to Resign - Lauren Shepherd, The Hill
Q&A With Michael Barone - Part Two - RealClearPolitics.com
Statement by Stephen Moore, President of the Club for Growth
"I just concluded a very pleasant conversation with Ms. Joanne Drake, Chief of Staff to President Reagan and Mrs. Reagan. Ms. Drake asked, and I immediately agreed, that in deference to the wishes of the Reagan family, the Club will hold off on airing our latest commercial for one week. Ms. Drake made it clear that she had no problem with the contents of the TV commercial.
"The TV ad shows video footage of President Reagan at the Berlin Wall proclaiming those memorable words: 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!' I believe that this ad does honor to President Reagan and reminds all Americans of how Reagan won the Cold War and liberated millions of people around the globe from tyranny through his strategy of peace through strength.
"The Club for Growth was formed, in part, because of the legacy of Ronald Reagan's beliefs in limited government and tax cuts. We believe George Bush shares that belief and we will do all we can to educate the America people about the similarities between Reagan and Bush and the dissimilarities between Reagan and John Kerry."
New Feature on the Club for Growth Blog!
Immediately below this post (and below each and every other post), we have added the new link "Send to Friend". It's new, it's exciting. Help spread the word! Make it a point of conversation at martini parties and backyard BBQs!
The Colorado GOP Senate Primary Race
The Political State Report, which is a very comprehensive blog, had this to say about the Colorado GOP Senate primary race:
bq. A Basswood Research poll of 500 likely Republican primary voters (MOE +/-4.4%) on June 7, 2004, commissioned by the Club For Growth (source: Club For Growth press release), found that Schaffer leads Coors 33.6% to 30.6%. A plurality of likely voters were undecided. Only 3.6% of likely voters had an unfavorable view of Schaffer, while 10.2% had an unfavorable view of Coors.
bq. The Schaffer lead is well within the margin of error, the undecideds are the largest part of the sample, and the imponderables (name recognition, favorability, commited v. non-committed voters, regional leads, funding, support among the party elites) are so muddled there is no telling who will win the race on August 10, 2004, the only day that matters in this race. Hang on tight for a wild campaign on the Republican side of the U.S. Senate race.
Georgia Newspaper Endorses Herman Cain
Endorsing Herman Cain for the GOP nomination in the Senate race in Georgia, Barry Paschal, publisher of Columbia County News Times, writes:
bq. [U]nlike most "outsider" candidates, [Herman Cain is] firmly grounded in common sense. He's a staunch advocate of a national sales tax to replace the federal income tax, and he wants real, top-to-bottom reform of Social Security -- needs that only an outsider would have the courage to tackle.
bq. Even better, Cain is a businessman who is entering public service not to massage his own ego, but to give back to the country that allowed him to be successful. Imagine that: A politician running to give, not to take. How much more "outside" can you get?
The full article is here.
House Conservatives Seek the Right
House Conservatives Seek the Right Senate - Alexander Bolton, The Hill
Conservative Campaign Ad Features Reagan
Conservative Campaign Ad Features Reagan - Liz Sidoti, AP
Reagan and Bush: Vision, Leadership, Action, Security
The Club for Growth will launch a new television ad that contrasts the policies of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush for fighting communism and terrorism respectively to John Kerry's. “History shows Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush had what it takes to make tough decisions to protect national security,” said Club for Growth president Stephen Moore. The ad will begin running later this week.
Press Release | Ad Script
View the ad Windows | Real Player | Quicktime
We can dream, can't we?
From Benson's View.
Mass Governor Wants Kerry to Resign
From the Boston Globe as reported by the AP:
bq. BOSTON --The Romney administration called Tuesday for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry to resign while he runs for president, saying he's had an abysmal attendance record since launching his campaign last year and is not adequately representing his constituents.
bq. Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, a Republican, said Kerry has missed 64 percent of last year's roll call votes and 87 percent this year, including a vote on banning Internet child pornography.
bq. He also missed a vote on extending unemployment insurance benefits, which was defeated by one vote.
bq. "It's not fair, it's not right and the public is not being well-served," said Healey, who said she was acting on behalf of Gov. Mitt Romney. "I'm calling on John Kerry to resign so that we can fill that office with someone who is 100 percent devoted to the job of representing the people of Massachusetts."
bq. A spokesman for the Kerry campaign did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Kerry, who is to receive the Democratic nomination for president at next month's national convention in Boston, said in February that he had no plans to resign his Senate seat.
bq. Under current state law, the governor would appoint someone to fill the remainder of Kerry's term, which is set to expire in 2008.
Thanks to Aaron at Pardon My English for the pointer.
Key Findings of Survey of
Key Findings of Survey of Colorado Republican Primary Voters - Club for Growth Commissioned Poll
Tuesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Krugman Attacks Reagan Again - Don Luskin, National Review
Lying About Yosemite - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
Oh, Maryland! "Free State" Bureaucracy - Jonathan Last, Weekly Standard
Ersatz Congressional Budgeting - Jack Kemp, Townhall.com
The Market's Neglected Virtues - Ramesh Ponnuru, TCS
Americans Export Baseball to Iraq - Jeff Gannon, Talon News
*Campaign News*
Kerry on Reagan - Washington Times Editorial
SD: Senate Campaigns Prepare for Takeoff - Terry Woster, Argus Leader
SD: Will Daschle endorse Kerry here in SD? - Jason Van Beek, SDP
GA: More Blacks Run As Republicans in South - NewsMax.com Wires
CO: Candidate Profile - Bob Schaffer - Rocky Mountain News
Sales Tax 'Discrimination'
There are currently seven states that don't have an income tax. However, other states have little incentive to join this fiscally-diehard group because state sales taxes aren't deductible at the federal level, unlike state income taxes.
However, if Marsha Blackburn has her way, that's all about to change. The congresswoman from Tennessee, and a Club-endorsed candidate in 2002, has developed a bill that would allow people to deduct either state income taxes or state sales taxes from their federal return. Blackburn states:
bq. ''Tennesseans should not be unfairly penalized at tax time because our state does not have a state income tax on wages. We should fix the inequities in the tax code so that all taxpayers are treated equally. I support sales tax deductibility, and I'll urge my colleagues to support this critical provision.''
Normally, tax reform legislation like this eventually succumbs to the same fate that most conservative bills receive in Congress. They are enthusiastically passed by the House only to be crushed under the heel of the gridlocked Senate. However, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who hails from none other than the state of...dramatic drumroll...Tennesseee, is a co-sponsor of the bill and could provide the necessary "ooomph" to bring it to a vote.
Learn more about Blackburn, the "Shadow Governor" and "Anti-Tax Warrior" of Tennessee, in this Nashville Tennessean article.
The Straight Dope on the 16th Amendment
This is from the Straight Dope which is written by the infamous "Cecil Adams" who, at times, can be the funniest person on the planet.
bq. Dear Cecil:
bq. Do Americans really have to pay income tax? I have been told the 16th Amendment, which authorized the income tax, is invalid because Ohio was not legally a state at the time of ratification. So far I haven't had the nerve to actually try this argument out on the IRS, but with Christmas coming I could use the extra cash. What do you think, Cecil, is it worth a shot? --Tex R. Zister, Chicago
bq. Dear Tex:
bq. This is my absolute favorite anti-income-tax argument. Most claims that Americans aren't required to pay income tax rely on legal interpretations so tortured only a tax resister could possibly believe them. But the Ohio thing has just enough plausibility to give even sane people pause.
bq. It all started when Ohio was preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its admission to the Union in 1953. Researchers looking for the original statehood documents discovered there'd been a little oversight. While Congress had approved Ohio's boundaries and constitution, it had never passed a resolution formally admitting the future land of the Buckeyes. Technically, therefore, Ohio was not a state.
Read the rest of Cecil's reply.
On a completely separate note, read Cecil's response to the question: "Can a 90-lb. chimp clobber a full-grown man?"
Provide a Caption -- Week 4
The Real Caption:
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton stands in front of a portrait of his wife, former first lady and now a Democratic Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton, while addressing a group of people in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., June 14, 2004.
A Better Caption:
After Bill Clinton glazed at the portrait and asked, "I really married a horrible woman, didn't I?", the entire audience silently nodded in agreement.
_________________________________________________
Can you think of a better one?
Use the Comments link below to submit your idea of a caption for this photo. At the beginning of next week, we will present the winner with a Club for Growth t-shirt (be sure to provide your email address!).
Also, keep the language clean. Remember, it’s not censorship when it’s private property. :-)
Rock << Senator Lindsay Graham >> Hard Place
From John Fund's WSJ Political Diary:
One of the side benefits of the rough-and-tumble GOP primary to replace South Carolina Senator Fritz Hollings is the spotlight it has shined on the state's other sitting Senator: Republican Lindsey Graham. Mr. Graham is starting to sweat under the scrutiny.
South Carolina's Republican primary has been about one issue: trade. Former Governor David Beasley has sided with the state's protectionist textile barons. Representative Jim DeMint has been unabashedly in favor of free trade. Next week, they will face each other in a runoff to determine which GOPer will meet Democrat Inez Tenenbaum in the fall. Mr. Beasley, a former governor who is unpopular with many Republicans over his previous dissing of the confederate flag, has adopted a new gambit of trying to yank Sen. Graham, who's not up for re-election this year, into the trade fight. Mr. Beasley argues that if voters elect Mr. DeMint, they'd be putting someone in office who'd "cancel out" Mr. Graham's admirable anti-trade votes. Mr. Beasley went on to suggest that he and Senator Graham would stand shoulder to shoulder in opposing free trade deals.
Mr. Graham, in other words, suddenly finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being called on his two-faced posturing on trade. Out one side of his mouth, he has frequently made a point of broadly backing free-trade principles and even accused Democrats of being "shameless" in playing on fears of outsourcing. Yet at the same time, he has been more than willing to pander to his state's protectionist bloodlust, slamming President Bush for his trade policy, opposing the Central American Free Trade Agreement and co-sponsoring legislation to slap tariffs on Chinese imports. Mr. Graham has made it clear that he doesn't appreciate another Republican putting him on the spot about all this expedient straddling. He tried to wriggle back out of the limelight last week by suggesting that, hey, he and Mr. DeMint weren't that far apart on favoring expanded trade.
If only that were true. Elected to the Senate in 2002, Mr. Graham hasn't cast many trade votes, but his rhetoric has hardly been an asset to a Republican administration trying to defend America's interest in an open global trading order. Let's hope Mr. DeMint wins both his primary and the fall race against Ms. Tenenbaum, who has proudly assumed the protection mantle of Fritz Hollings. Mr. Graham might learn that being pro-trade isn't political suicide in South Carolina and finally button up his pandering to the state's protectionist bloc.
--Kim Strassel
And the Winner is...
Last week's winner of the "Provide a Caption" contest is:
Queen Elizabeth says: "Why, I say Mr. Chirac, you lean to the left even when you're sitting."
Douglas Kelly
Springfield, MO
As the undisputed winner, Mr. Kelly is now the proud owner of an authentic and highly sought-after Club for Growth t-shirt (insert applause).
Look for this week's new photo last today...
Is America Going Soft -
Is America Going Soft - Pete du Pont, Wall Street Journal
The new Weekly Poll is up...
Club members can vote by logging into the website. The poll is under the left side menu on all pages. This week's question:
bq. "Who will be John Kerry's running mate?"
Monday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Is America Going Soft - Pete du Pont, Wall Street Journal
Oil: How Bad Do You Want It? - George Will, Washington Post
Shall Bush Reform? - Bob Novak, Townhall.com
Right Nation - John Micklethwait & Adrian Wooldridge, NRO
In Defense of President Warren Harding - Jude Wanniski, Wanniski.com
*Campaign News*
Don't Pardon Their French - John Fund, Wall Street Journal
SC: Free Trade Splits Campaign Giving - Henry Eichel, Charlotte.com
FL: Byrd's Ideals to be Put to Test - George Bennett, PalmBeachPost.com
AK: Miller Chases Conservative Funds - Liz Ruskin, Anchorage Daily News
GA: GOP Senate Candidates Compare Records in Debate - AP
UT: Swallow Stresses War Chest, Hard Work - Bob Bernick, DeseretNews.com
Five Months to E-Day - John Miller, National Review
Kerry's Liberalism a Weapon For Bush - Bill Sammon, Washington Times
Reagonomics -- Then, Now, and
Reagonomics -- Then, Now, and Forever - Stephen Moore and Larry Kudlow
Thatcher Says Goodbye to Reagan One Last Time
bq. "We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man. And I have lost a dear friend."
bq. "In his lifetime Ronald Reagan was such a cheerful and invigorating presence that it was easy to forget what daunting historic tasks he set himself. He sought to mend America's wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism. These were causes hard to accomplish and heavy with risk."
The rest of Baroness Margaret Thatcher's eulogy can be read here.
Jeff Flake: Freedom vs. Security
Last night, at a Club for Growth reception honoring Ronald Reagan, Congressman Jeff Flake (R - AZ) repeated a quote that he often likes to recite which was originally given by the former president:
bq. In a 1964 speech, Ronald Reagan reminded us that there was no such thing as "left" or "right". Rather, there was onlly an "up" toward freedom or a "down" toward totalitarianism. "Those who would sacrifice freedom for security, Mr. Reagan said, "have already started down the downward path."
Flake then made a perfect analogy. In 2002, the Republican Party, slipping more and more into the recklessness of political careerism, pushed through Congress the "Farm Security Act", thus replacing the "Freedom to Farm Act". The Security Act was a $173.5 billion subsidy which replaced the Freedom Act which allowed farmers to wean themselves off of the government dole.
As Flake wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in 2002:
bq. "That the new farm bill is bad policy is not seriously disputed. It distorts the free market, wreaks havoc with incentives, further institutionalizes dependency and jeopardizes our export economy."
John Kerry on Ronald Reagan
From the Weekly Standard:
* In an interview last September with the Manchester Union-Leader, Kerry said, "We've seen governors come to Washington, . . . and they don't have the experience in foreign policy, and they get in trouble pretty fast. Look at Ronald Reagan. Look at Jimmy Carter and, now, obviously, George Bush."
* In 1992 Kerry said, "Ronald Reagan certainly was never in combat. I mean, many of his movies depicted him there. And he may have believed he was, but he never was. And the fact is that he sent Americans off to die."
* After his first major political battle in the Senate over Reagan's support for the Nicaraguan contras in 1985, Kerry said "I think it was a silly and rather immature approach," of Reagan's dismissal of a "peace offer" from Sandinista junta leader Daniel Ortega
* Last year Kerry said to the Democratic National Committee: "I'm proud that I stood against Ronald Reagan, not with him, when his intelligence agencies were abusing the Constitution of the United States and when he was running an illegal war in Central America."
In the end, not bad. Not bad at all...
As we finally say goodbye to Ronald Reagan after this heartfelt week, please feel free to submit your thoughts on what he meant to you -- what you thought about his presidency, his leadership, and his effect on America (Use the Comments link below).
Friday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Closing the Earnings Gap - Rochelle Johnson, Heartland Institute
Data Shows Fraction of Jobs Sent Abroad - NewsMax.com Wires
Bush Spending--a Comparison - Veronique de Rugy, AEI
Blue Chip Survey Sees Faster U.S. Growth - Reuters
Tax Efficiency vs. Market Inefficiency - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
*Reagan Remembered*
"The Speech" - Ronald Reagan, Heritage Foundation
Reaganomics: Steve Moore vs. Robert Reich - PBS
Reagan the Leader - Margaret Thatcher, New York Post
The Polish Preferred "Cowboys" Over Communists - Lech Walesa, WSJ
What Ronald Reagan Meant to Me - Senator Jon Kyl, Real Clear Politics
No Accidential Leader - Lee Edwards, National Review
Mr. President, We Salute You - Human Events Staff
*Campaign News*
SC: Beasley, DeMint hit Trail - Jennifer Talhelm & Aaron Sheinin, The State
UT: Primary Fight Costly For GOP - Lee Davidson, DeseretNews.com
IL: New Poll in Ryan/Obama Race - SurveyUSA.com (pdf file)
Zell At The Republican Convention? - Geoff Earle & Klaus Marre, The Hill
Daschle's Feelin' the Heat...
As seen on the Daschle V. Thune blog:
The Frontrunner, June 7, 2004 Monday
SECTION: WASHINGTON NEWS
LENGTH: 355 words
HEADLINE: According To Rumor, Daschle Will Leave Leadership Post Win Or Lose
Josh Green of The Atlantic Monthly said on NBC's The Chris Matthews Show (6/6), "Tom Daschle will not stay on" as Democratic leader, adding, "There's a rumor going around the Hill if he wins, he'll cut a deal, step down, become Appropriations chairman and Chris Dodd, Harry Reid or maybe even Hillary Clinton" will assume Daschle's current post. Host Chris Matthews added, "You're betting he'll get reelected? Don't."
Reaganism in South Carolina
DeMint is getting good print from the Wall Street Journal. Here is what John Fund had to say in his Political Diary:
bq. The battle lines have been drawn in South Carolina's June 22 GOP primary runoff for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Ernest Hollings. Former Governor David Beasley, who led this week's primary, has unveiled a new commercial that emphasizes his skepticism about free trade. The ad features Glenn Landrum, who says he lost his job when his boss shipped it to Mexico. Mr. Landrum says he's endorsing Mr. Beasley because he will help protect South Carolina jobs from unfair competition. But Mr. Beasley's opponent, Rep. Jim DeMint, says the only long-term path to prosperity is to embrace the global market and recruit more companies to the state. "To talk about a moratorium on trade is talking about a moratorium on growing our country and our future," Mr. DeMint says.
bq. Yesterday, Mr. DeMint picked up the endorsement of third-place finisher Thomas Ravenel, who publicly slapped a DeMint bumper sticker over the Ravenel sticker that had previously graced his automobile. Together, the two men won 51% of the primary vote, outstripping Mr. Beasley's 37%.
Below is a WSJ editorial from today's issue (the last pargraph is a perfect coup de grace to protectionist RINOs):
Reaganism in Carolina
June 10, 2004; Page A12
bq. In a week devoted to honoring Ronald Reagan, South Carolina Republicans rendered their own symbolic tribute at the ballot box. Let's hope folks in Washington are paying attention.
bq. In a widely watched GOP Senate primary, voters sent a message that protectionism no longer sells, not even in textile country. Former Governor David Beasley, a protectionist-come-lately, took 37% of the vote in a multi-candidate field. But the news is that he was forced into a runoff, as voters gave 26% and 25% respectively to the two committed free-traders in the race -- Representative Jim DeMint and businessman Thomas Ravenel.
bq. Put another way, more than 50% of GOP voters rejected the anti-trade message that Mr. Beasley had made the centerpiece of the campaign. The results were a special rebuke to the textile kings who have long run the Carolina political show. They recruited Mr. Beasley for the Senate race, and their price was his abandonment of his previous free-trade principles.
bq. Yet despite his financial advantage, statewide name recognition and voter-recruitment help from textile baron Roger Milliken, 63% of GOP voters cast their ballots for a Beasley alternative. Mr. DeMint's second-place finish means he will face Mr. Beasley in two weeks, and yesterday he got Mr. Ravenel's endorsement. The Congressman now has a good shot at winning the primary, assuming he can raise enough money, as well as the Senate seat in this GOP-leaning state next fall against another protectionist, Democratic Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum.
bq. Mr. DeMint's election would also send a message to what has become a nominal Republican Senate "majority" in Washington. He has used his time in the House to promote tax cuts, entitlement reform and ways to trim spending. At a time when the GOP Senate can't even work up the nerve to make permanent the Bush tax cuts that revived the economy, Mr. DeMint's arrival might remind a few time-serving Republicans why they came to Washington in the first place.
bq. Meanwhile, Palmetto State voters also rendered a verdict against overspending. GOP Governor Mark Sanford has been waging a war against his own GOP-dominated legislature to rein in their largesse. After the state house overrode 105 of his 106 vetoes, Mr. Sanford showed up at the statehouse carrying two pigs (named "Pork" and "Barrel") to make his point to the voters. On Tuesday, at least two GOP state legislative incumbents lost their primaries, and another three have been forced into run-offs. One of the casualties was House Majority Leader Rick Quinn, who lost to a political newcomer who'd stressed fiscal conservatism.
bq. The underlying lesson here is that voters are looking for politicians willing to stand for something. Protectionism may look alluring in the polls, but voters will gladly vote for a candidate who can explain the benefits and importance of competing successfully in the global economy. Voters are also tired of Republicans who claim to be for smaller government but then vote to tax and spend to perpetuate their incumbency. Did we say something about a tribute to Ronald Reagan?
Reagan's Link - Larry Kudlow,
Reagan's Link - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Ravenel Endorses DeMint in U.S. Senate Race
From CommonVoice.com:
Press Release
June 10, 2004
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – U.S. Representative Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a candidate for the U.S. Senate, was pleased today to announce the support of Charleston businessman and former U.S. Senate candidate, Thomas Ravenel.
“Thomas Ravenel ran a strong, spirited campaign about ideas and I’m honored that we can work together to implement the ideas that will secure the future. As a successful businessman in Charleston, he knows first hand how important it is to enact meaningful tax reform and tort reform, to open markets, and limit frivolous government regulations,” DeMint said.
“The next two weeks will be a clear contrast between someone who’s trying to tell you the sky is falling and someone who is trying to tell you the sky is the limit. Last night, more than half of the voters of South Carolina issued a clear mandate for a positive, optimistic leader who will fight for real solutions,” DeMint said.
“From the Lowcountry to the Upstate, our momentum is building. I look forward to continuing to spread our message to the voters of South Carolina over the next two weeks,” DeMint concluded.
DeMint’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate has been endorsed by Congressman Gresham Barrett (SC-3), former Governor Jim Edwards, former Congressman Tommy Hartnett, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Club for Growth, Citizens Against Government Waste, the National Taxpayers Union and the Association of Builders and Contractors.
Chuck Norris, Brit Hume, to Make Parachute Jump with #41
Former President George H. W. Bush will jump out of an airplane for his 80th birthday this Sunday. To jump with the president is movie star Chuck Norris and Foxs News correspondent Brit Hume. Even the Oakridge Boys will be on hand to perform for the audience. The event will be held to help raise money for the Bush Library Foundation, the Points of Light Foundation and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
You can make learn more about giving to the Bush Library Foundation here.
Thursday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Hiking Taxes on Gas: Who Gets Hurt? - Christina Haines, Accuracy in Media
A Catastrophe in the Making - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
More Public Universitites Are Going Public - Daily Policy Digest, NCPA
The Jihad Against Wal-Mart - Butler Shaffer, LewRockwell.com
*Reagan Remembered*
Reagan's Link - Larry Kudlow, National Review
Reagan Alumni Wield Influence Over Policy - James Toedtman, Newsday
Reagan vs. the Intellectuals - Dinesh D'Souza, NewsMax.com
MULTIMEDIA: Funeral for the President - LA Times
For Vision and Leadership - Connie Mack, Washington Times
What Makes a President Great? - James Taranto, WSJ
*Campaign News*
SC: Beasley vs. DeMint - Jimmy Moore, CommonVoice.com
AZ: GOP Incumbents Highlight Races - Jon Kamman, Arizona Republic
NY: 2 More Counties Don’t Back Boehlert - Denise Champagne, FLTimes.com
'94 Vote Puts Kerry in Tight Spot - Bob Novak, Chicago Sun Times
Senator John Sununu Honors Reagan on Senate Floor
WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senator John Sununu (R-NH) today (6/9) honored the legacy of President Ronald Reagan on the floor of the United States Senate with the following speech:
"As Americans gather here in our Capitol and across the country to remember and pay tribute to President Ronald Reagan, we have been provided the opportunity to reflect on his great achievement as our Commander in Chief as well as the tremendous personal strength which he brought to the Oval Office.
"But, as we salute President Regan for his leadership, integrity, and vision, I am struck by the very personal nature of so many of these memories. They so often seem to begin with phrases such as ‘I remember seeing him during his first visit to our state,’ ‘I shook his hand when he visited our factory,’ ‘I recall a story he loved to tell,’ or ‘Because of him, I decided to run for office.’
"Each such recollection is testament to the deeply personal way in which he affected the lives of millions here in America and around the world. In countless encounters, many of which were mere moments of a public life spanning decades, his gift was an ability to make a connection; a connection that held the power to bridge generations, to last a lifetime, and to change a life as well.
"We remember his touch, his smile, his encouragement, not simply because of his personal warmth, which was special in itself, but because they conveyed such a sense of purpose, of kindness, and love for service.
"I consider it the greatest tribute of all that despite his myriad and extraordinary legislative and foreign policy victories: cutting taxes and reforming the code, rebuilding our nation’s defenses, turning back the Soviets in Afghanistan, and leading the West to lasting victory in the Cold War, and despite the deeply substantive achievements, Ronald Reagan is not remembered for clever political strategy, machinations, or hardball tactics.
"Instead, the descriptive words used over and over again are integrity, character, courage, and leadership - qualities that transcend politics and time, qualities that inspire the young, and comfort the aged. They are the qualities of heroes.
"Ronald Reagan was fond of describing the heroes he saw in every corner of America, and which came from every walk of life. He saw in these men and women the very strength of character, courage, integrity, and leadership that made our country unique, and that keeps it prosperous and free.
"But, by bringing these same qualities to the Oval office, and drawing on them time and again to guide our nation through demanding and even dark times, he left a legacy that shines like the city on a hill which he knew America could be and would again become.
"It is a heroic legacy of a great American."
Free Trade Wins With Mixed Majority in South Carolina
From John Fund's WSJ Political Diary:
bq. The Salvador Allende effect was in play in South Carolina yesterday, in a GOP Senate primary watched nationally as a test of whether anti-free trade politicking is the wave of the future. Ex-Gov. David Beasley may have won his 36.6% plurality partly by arguing that free trade is nearly as much a threat as terrorism. But Mr. Beasley remains permanently unpopular with many voters because of his attacks on the confederate flag and video poker six years earlier, which helped get him bounced from the governor's office. Meanwhile, two unabashed free traders, Congressman Jim DeMint and businessman Thomas Ravenel, actually collected more votes between them yesterday, 26.3% and 24.8%, respectively.
bq. The field now narrows to just Messrs. DeMint and Beasley in a primary runoff, and Mr. DeMint is considered the strong favorite. If so, he should also be able to make short work of Democrat Inez Tenenbaum, herself a Fritz Hollings-style protectionist, this November in a state with a pronounced GOP tilt. The lesson of yesterday's South Carolina outcome should then become clear: Whatever its minority appeal, anti-trade politics just doesn't have legs to go the distance in America.
bq. --Holman W. Jenkins Jr.
Jim DeMint Makes South Carolina
Jim DeMint Makes South Carolina Runoff -- Election June 22 - Steve Moore, President, and David Keating, Executive Director
Wednesday's Daily News
*Relevant News and Commentary*
Talkers Versus Doers - Tom Sowell, Townhall.com
Distribution versus Production - Alex Tabarrok, Marginal Revolution
Assist Workers Displaced by Outsourcing? - Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek
Do Electoral Systems Affect Government Size? - Patrick Basham, Cato
*Reagan Remembered*
My Hero, An Eternal Light For The World - Gov. Schwarzenegger, USAToday
How About a Reagan Gold Coin? - Jude Wanniski, Wanniski.com
Remembering President Reagan - Citizens Against Government Waste
The New America - Investors Business Daily
Reagan Critics Still Getting It Wrong - John Podhoretz, NY Post
Remembering Ronald Reagan - David Boaz, Cato Institute
*Campaign News*
SC: Beasley, DeMint Head For Runoff - Henry Eichel, Charlotte Observer
SC: It Only Gets Tougher For Beasley - Lee Bandy, The State
LA: Jindal Leading House Race - IndoLink.com
OK: No Political Lull This Summer - Oklahoman Editorial
DeMint and Beasley Heading to a June 22nd Run-Off
As expected, former Governor David Beasley placed first with Jim DeMint receiving second. Here are the results:
| Candidate |
Vote |
Percentage |
| David Beasley |
107,262 |
36.64 |
| Jim DeMint (Club-endorsed) |
77,279 |
26.40 |
| Tom Ravenel |
72,567 |
24.79 |
| Charlie Condon |
27,330 |
9.33 |
| Mark McBride |
6,431 |
2.20 |
| Orly Benny Davis |
1,901 |
0.65 |
The South Carolina GOP Primary is Today!!
Results for today's race will be available at the South Carolina State Elections Commission's website. The polls close at 7:00pm EST. If no one candidate receives 50% or more of the vote, the top two finishers will compete in a run-off election on June 22.
bq. The Candidates
Jim DeMint (Club-Endorsed Candidate)
David Beasley
Charlie Condon
Thomas Ravenel
Mark McBride
Orly Benny Davis
Off Into The Sunset...
From The Hill
Tuesd
