Gruters seeks re-election to Sarasota GOP

Right Turn: Liberal fixation with Palin continues
Ezra Klein glances at the Gallup Poll showing that there is no single Republican figure around whom the base has "coalesced." Yet he declares: The closest thing the GOP has to a Bob Dole or a Newt Gingrich -- both of whom were credible national voices in 1994 -- is Sarah Palin, whose interests and messages frequently diverge from those of the Republican Party and who polls very poorly among the broader populace. Ezra does not point to any empirical or anecdotal evidence to support ...

Ezra Klein: Who speaks for the Republicans?
When the inevitable showdown between the revived Republican Party and the Obama White House occurs, who will speak for the Republicans? In 1994, they had Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich, both of whom were nationally credible leaders, at least at the time. But looking through Gallup's "most admired" poll, Republicans haven't coalesced around any similarly serious names -- or really anyone at all. The most admired man in America, by a wide margin, is Barack Obama. Three of the four most-ad...

Lawyers: 7 Belarusian candidates charged
MINSK, Belarus -- The seven Belarusian Presidential Candidates who were arrested after this month's election have been formally charged with organizing a mass public disturbance and face up to 15 years in Prison, their lawyers said Wednesday. Tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched through the streets of Minsk after the Dec. 19 election to Protest fraudulent vote-counting. The demonstration was violently broken up by club-swinging Riot Police. The election handed a fourth term to aut...

Soros-Strong link found to Saguache election dispute
SAN LUIS VALLEY— The connection between two international left-wing financiers is being eyed as a possible contributing factor in the election Controversy still raging in a quiet farming and ranching county in south central Colorado. The Nov. 2 election in Saguache County was reportedly miscounted during a Voting Machine malfunction on election night and the Secretary of State’s office (SOS) ordered a retabulation using the same Voting Machine on Nov. 5. The new tally overturned the ...

2010 Jackass of the Year: #2
As he was leaving Independence Hall after hammering out the details of the new U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin was stopped by a woman who asked what sort of government emerged from the exhaustive session. “A Republic, ma’am,” Franklin replied. “If you can keep it” If Franklin had met the voters in South Carolina’s 2010 Democrat Primary, he would have just left out that second part. Or modified it to, “Until you dumbasses f*ck it up”. A lot of ...

San Bernardino County to have special primary election in February
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced a special Primary Election for February that would give Democrats the opportunity to pick up another State Senate seat should someone decide to run. Republican State Sen. George Runner Jr. resigned from his position after winning a seat on the State Board of Equalization in the 2010 Midterm Elections. Runner currently represents the 17th District, which cuts across portions of Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Runner’...

Christine O'Donnell, crook
By Michael J.W. Stickings Yes, she's back in the news. Not as a self-aggrandizing liar or an evolution-denying fool or an anti-sex fanatic or a self-aggrandizing liar or an anti-gay bigot or a clueless anti-American theocrat or a self-aggrandizing liar or an anti-Chinese warmonger or a shameless panderer or a moronic and supremely unqualified Candidate for Senate but as a criminal: Defeated Tea Party Candidate Christine...

Californias new primary system will eliminate Republican candidates from ballot
W hen the founders considered the form of government that would replace the English monarchy, two examples of representative government led the lists: Democracy and Republicanism. Reasoning that a representative republic led by informed citizens with a stake in the nation’s well being would be more stable than a direct Democracy subject to volatile emotions of a public fired up over the issue du jour, they opted for the republican form of government. California, in its state constitution, ...

Jim DeMint: Sarah Palin Akin to Ronald Reagan
South Carolina Republican Senator and Tea Party favorite Jim DeMint recently paid Sarah Palin the highest compliment in conservative America: Palin has "done more for the Republican Party than anyone since Ronald Reagan." Republicans, especially ambitions ones, usually clamor for the Reagan analogue. Palin has had it bestowed on her by a Senator with Tea Party credentials.  DeMint made his comment to Politico while assaying probable and potential Republican 2012 Presidential Candidates...

GOP presidential hopefuls paying attention to Nevada
Nevada was a political afterthought for Republicans in the 2008 Presidential Election. Caucus votes were nonbinding, meaning delegates could change their minds about whom to support, so Candidates focused on other more influential states rather than risk wasting time and money in Nevada. But that strategy seems to be changing, with the state GOP deciding to make caucus votes binding. Now that Nevada can boast real political juice, Republicans toying with the idea of presidential bids are scoping...

GOP sold out
In this past election the Democrats appeared to be more inclusive and the Republicans appeared to be more exclusive, driving away any group that might be associated with traditional social values (“State GOP chief pleads to keep job,” Dec. 28). Guess who stayed home? What is more worrisome than the election losses is that Republican Chairwoman Jennifer Nassour seems to have learned nothing from it. Now the Democrats will be emboldened to take back Scott Brown’s seat. - Thomas ...

State to certify Murkowski as Alaska Senate winner
Nearly two months after the election, Sen. Lisa Murkowski is about to be certified the winner of Alaska's U.S. Senate race. The certification papers, set to be signed by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor Thursday, are to be hand-delivered to Washington, D.C., to prevent any delays that would keep Murkowski from being sworn in next week. Legal Challenges to the state's handling of the race prevented certification earlier. A Federal Judge this week tossed a Lawsuit by Murkowski's rival Joe Mill...

Two candidates interviewed for Ogdensburg judge post
Two Candidates for the upcoming Ogdensburg special city judge opening have been interviewed and a number of others have expressed an interest in the job. Mayor William D. Nelson, who will make the appointment, said Wednesday, however, that he won't select anyone until mid-January. On Saturday, William R. Small, the current special city judge, will be sworn in as city judge. Mr. Small will succeed Judge George E. Silver, who will retire Friday. His Retirement will cap a 35-year tenure as ci...

Charges for Lukashenko opponents
Four Belarus opposition figures have been charged with organising riots after a Protest against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. The four men, who are being held along with a number of campaigners and Journalists, face up to 15 years in Prison if convicted. Three other opposition figures are also being investigated. The US and EU condemned the post-election crackdown and said the ballot itself had been flawed. Police made some 600 arrests when they broke up the Protest in the ...

Top 10 Political Gaffes Of 2010
It was a doozy of a political year, making it hard to narrow the gaffes down to 10. But here they are: The Top 10 Political Gaffes of 2010. (1) Pelosi on ObamaCare : When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of Obamacare: "We have to pass it, to know what’s in it," it was a gift to Republicans, many of whom used it against their Democratic opponents in their midterm-election campaigns. The remark reminded voters both of the arrogance of the Democratic leaders for ramming the unpopular health-c...

#rsrh Americas most technically skilled politician in danger?
I refer, of course, to Dennis Kuchinich; a man who has managed to spend the last fourteen years and two Presidential Elections as a household name and respected* figure in American politics, despite the fact that by any objective standard he is a dead ringer for a Keebler Elf having a midlife crisis. Seriously: Tell me that you don’t want to score some tollhouse cookies off of the guy.  Tell me.  Yet he thrives in our political environment, with power, money, and marriage levels…...

Latest on the Former Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell investigation story
Email from FNC colleague John Brandt working the Christine O'Donnell story.  You have as much information about this investigation as I do (I am on Vacation.)  I am simply posting the latest: “The anonymous source seems politically-motivated and may well be tied to the ultra-liberal, George Soros financed, former Sen. Biden Staffer-run CREW complaint. These charges are already being addressed with the FEC. We are confident that they will be resolved in the New Year, and put an en...

Bill Clintons Decision to Help Rahm Emanuel Irks Rivals
Yahoo! Buzz If one of the most popular Democrats in the country was campaigning for your opponent, you’d complain, too. Rahm Emanuel ’s rivals in the Chicago mayoral race argued today that former President Bill Clinton ’s decision to campaign for his former aide would only underscore that Mr. Emanuel is not a true Chicagoan. The pile-on came after Rep. Danny Davis , one of the mayoral hopefuls, said Tuesday that Mr. Clinton’s involvement would hurt his standing with the city&...

O'Donnell: "The plan was to crush me"
Former Delaware Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell issued a remarkable statement Wednesday night, accusing both political parties in Delaware and the Vice President of the United States of trying to destroy her Political Career through charges she misused campaign funds. O'Donnell, who the Associated Press first reported is now under federal investigation for allegedly using Campaign Contributions for personal expenses, is firing back at the establishment in both parties. Read the original P...

Courts Uphold Waiver For Black
Finally some good news for Mayor Bloomberg. A state Supreme Court has ruled against elected officials and education advocates who argue that Cathleen Black is not qualified to be the New York City Schools Chancellor, and should not get a special waiver. Black, the former chairman of Hearst Magazines, needed a waiver to become Chancellor because she doesn’t have a background in education. The state allows waivers when the Candidate has exceptional background. “This decision should ...

Christine O'Donnell, ex-Senate candidate, subject of federal campaign funds probe
The Justice Department is investigating whether former U.S. Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell violated federal law by diverting campaign funds for personal use, Law Enforcement sources said Wednesday. This Story Christine O'Donnell, ex-Senate candidate, subject of federal campaign funds Probe Despite record spending, politicians still have $400 million in campaign funds Big Bank Accounts In 2012, Democrats plan to fight cash with cash Christine O'Donnell Campaign Spending under investigati...

Youre Not Paranoid
They are out to get you: The state of Ohio will lose two Congressional Seats thanks to the latest U.S. Census figures, and liberal stalwart Dennis Kucinich is worried his seat is on the chopping block. In an e-mail to supporters Wednesday, the seven-term Democratic congressman and two-time Presidential Candidate says the Republican-controlled Ohio legislature is likely to eliminate his heavily Democratic Cleveland-area district. But Kucinich says he’s not just going to stand by while tha...

Former Republican Senate candidate O'Don
(NewsCore) - Former Delaware Republican Senate Candidate Christine O’Donnell is under federal investigation for misusing campaign funds, Politico reported Wednesday. O’Donnell had been accused by the Washington, D.C.-based Watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) of using Campaign Contributions to pay for her personal expenses, including rent for her home. The group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission. O’Donnell’s Campaign Manager sa...

Feud For Former Venezuelan President's Body Ends
Learn about the people, economy and history. (AP) Miami — Capping a series of events straight out of a telenovela, the mistress of charismatic and Controversial former Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez agreed Wednesday to honor his estranged wife's wishes and allow his body to be buried in his homeland. Perez's longtime partner, Cecilia Matos, and the couple's two adult daughters had planned to bury him in South Florida after a Mass on Wednesday. Fewer than 24 hours before the cere...

Vick setting a trend?
The Eagles got outVicked on Tuesday night. And by a guy who was drafted as a Wide Receiver no less. Minnesota Quarterback Joe Webb completed 17 of 26 passes for 195 yards and had a 9-yard touchdown scamper in which the rookie from UAB juked three Philadelphia tacklers on his way down the sideline into the end zone. Webb didn't turn the ball over as the Vikings shocked the Eagles 24-14 in the first Tuesday night NFL game in 64 years. Meanwhile, Michael Vick -- who was named the NFC Pro Bowl star...