http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:08:36 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has settled a case brought by a Republican who says he was denied the General Counsel's job at the agency because of his political affiliation, according to a release yesterday by the government's internal ethics arm, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).  According to the OSC, the ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/12/03/election-assistance-commission-settles-case-of-illegal-political-hiring/ From 1953 through 1996, New York's Fourth Congressional District, in suburban Nassau County on Long Island, was a Republican stronghold.  However, in 1992 Bill Clinton carried the district in the Presidential race in a Democratic breakthrough.  In 1994 Dan Frisa, a conservative Republican, defeated one-term moderate Republican David Levy in a primary ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/11/29/scaturro-takes-on-mccarthy-in-ny-4/ Ultimately, the biggest problem with nationalizing health care (let's not kid ourselves, that's what these bills do, and that's the objective) is that it pits Americans against one another. In passage of the Stupak Amendment, the pro-choice lobby has just learned a bitter lesson (well, actually, they received a lesson, ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/11/11/the-stupak-amendment-and-the-real-problem-with-nationalized-health-care/ The more one digs into Tuesday’s election results, the worse they look for Democrats.  Let’s start by reviewing once again the three high profile races: New York’s 23rd Congressional District special election, and the gubernatorial in New Jersey and Virginia.   The Democrats have to know that NY-23 was a fluke – ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/11/07/tuesdays-results-on-top-and-down-ballot-the-closer-you-look-the-worse-it-was-for-democrats/ If you live out in California's 10th Congressional District, east of the Bay, remember there is a special election today for Congress.  Democratic nominee John Garamendi has run an all out, down the line liberal campaign, including a hearty embrace of the most liberal health care reforms.  The district has been ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/11/03/dont-forget-cal-10/ I understand that for many conservatives, Chris Christie wasn't the first choice for New Jersey Governor.  I understand that a lot of people have problems with the fact that Christie used to be pro-choice, and has only recently converted to a pro-life stance.  Doesn't matter - if you live in ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/10/07/alright-people-its-time-to-get-to-work-for-chris-christie/ Granville High Schools gave students a choice of watching the President's speech or attending their regular classes.  We have a 17 year old, V, living with us this year: Me:  Did you go to the speech? V: No, I decided I did not want to hear Obama. Me: How many kids went? V: I would ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/09/09/have-confidence-in-our-kids-an-anecdotal-report-on-obamas-school-speech/ Marty Peretz of the New Republic is usually a thoughtful liberal.  I enjoy the New Republic.  That's why I was rather stunned by this article. Some parents don't like the idea of the President beeming his image into every school in the country on Tuesday.  I think a lot of people have gotten ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/09/07/new-republic-editor-parents-disloyal-for-not-having-kids-listen-to-president-obama/ Thanks to the glories of YouTube, we can watch as the government mandates the destruction of perfectly good automobiles to "help the economy."  Here is a very nice 1990s Dodge Dakota 4X4 being destroyed.  It is a much better vehicle than my pick up truck.  This is a Corvette that looks to be ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/08/25/can-the-economy-be-restored-by-destroying-perfectly-good-cars-obama-thinks-so-cash-for-clunkers-in-action/ One element of the economy hit particularly hard by the recession has been the restaurant industry.  Superchef Gordon Ramsey's restaurants are in a "free fall."  The industry as a whole is facing especially lean times as people eat more at home. Following up on the popular "cash for clunkers," the government has ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/08/11/government-announces-rebates-for-recipes-plan-to-save-restaurant-industry/ Earlier this year, at Supreme Court oral argument in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the government raised eyebrows by arguing that it believed that it can constitutionally ban the publication of books (if, as is always the case, the publisher is a corporation) that contain even ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/07/28/citizens-united-the-government-presses-its-case-to-regulate-political-speech/ The Supreme Court has long recognized that Campaign finance regulation (“reform”) limits the ability of citizens to speak on political matters, in apparent contravention of the First Amendment rights of speech, press, and assembly.  The only justification that the Supreme Court has recognized for upholding campaign finance regulation despite the ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/07/14/and-here-we-thought-campaign-finance-reform-wasnt-about-silencing-opposing-views/ The Connecticut Office of State Ethics (OSE) is poised to investigate and penalize the Diocese of Bridgeport for having the temerity to exercise at least four of the five sections of the First Amendment (religion, speech, assembly, petition). The story begins earlier this year when Connecticut State Senator Andrew McDonald proposed ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/06/05/can-connecticut-forcibly-order-the-church-to-reorganize-is-the-church-a-lobbyist-for-opposing-such-interference/ I stopped briefly by the Columbus Tea Party, which began on the State House lawn at 6:00.  I'd estimate the crowd at about 1500 to 2000 and still growing, albeit slowly, at 6:45.  It was pretty easy to calculate that there were 400 to 500 on the State House steps, and from ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/04/15/columbus-tea-party-early-report/ Why has Tom Daschle been paid over $4.5 million in the four years since losing his Senate seat (not to mention his wife's lucrative career as a lobbyist)? Because it is believed - correctly - that Tom Daschle can get you government contracts; or spare you from government regulation; ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2009/02/02/confirm-tom-daschle/ Richard Winger's <a href=http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/12/09/republican-share-of-us-house-vote-is-lowest-for-either-major-party-since-1976/>Ballot Access News</a> has tallied up the total vote for the U.S. House.  The Democrats received 53.9%, the Republicans just 43.0%.  This is the lowest total for either party since 1976, when the Republicans won just 42.0% of the popular vote.  The last time the Democrats polled ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2008/12/13/republican-congressional-vote-percentage-lowest-since-1976/ Voters across the nation were asked to decide 153 state ballot measures on Tuesday. On balance, these results actually indicate an electorate that did not want a lot of "change." Lots of info on what passed and what did not below the fold. Here are a few highlights: Tax cut ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2008/11/06/ballot-measure-summary/ Not surprisingly, the GOP also lost ground in state legislatures on Tuesday. However, given the circumstances, the losses were relatively modest: we lost 76 state senators and representatives, out of a grand total of 7380 nationwide. Speaking simply in terms of our own, we lost a net of 8 of ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2008/11/06/meanwhile-down-in-the-states-tuesdays-resu/ There seems to be broad though not unanimous agreement that Sarah Palin will eventually make a play for the White House. Dan McLaughlin lists her as a darling of the "culturally conservative" wing of the party for a possible run in four years. And certainly during the campaign, ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2008/11/06/sarah-palin-socon-libertarian/ Well, before we start all the recriminations and the strategerizing, or even the post-mortems, lets just look at what we're left with; what do we hold from which to plan a return? The picture here this morning looks surprisingly like the picture in the aftermath of the 1992 election. Senator Obama appears ... http://www.redstate.com/brad_smith/2008/11/05/taking-stock/