its just a thought, but if he reversed course and dropped the cases, they would end and therefore its legality wouldnt have to be held up in court. if he keeps the cases going, and he loses, they will establish a strong legal precedent

just throwing ideas around, seeing if this holds any water or not with anyone here.

Has anyone ever heard of an effort to make something like this happen?

Make it mandatory in Congress' rules to have at least one town hall style meeting a month in their homestate where anyone can come in and ask a question, and force greater accountability to the people on your representative.

Thoughts on this idea?

The Republican Party was born in the early 1850's by anti-slavery activists and individuals who believed that government should grant western lands to settlers free of charge. The first informal meeting of the party took place in Ripon, Wisconsin, a small town northwest of Milwaukee. The first official Republican meeting took place on July 6th, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan. The name "Republican" was chosen because it alluded to equality and reminded individuals of Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party. At the Jackson convention, the new party adopted a platform and nominated candidates for office in Michigan.

In 1856, the Republicans became a national party when John C. Fremont was nominated for President under the slogan: "Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men, Fremont." Even though they were considered a "third party" because the Democrats and Whigs represented the two-party system at the time, Fremont received 33% of the vote. Four years later, Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican to win the White House.

The Civil War erupted in 1861 and lasted four grueling years. During the war, against the advice of his cabinet, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves. The Republicans of the day worked to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which outlawed slavery, the Fourteenth, which guaranteed equal protection under the laws, and the Fifteenth, which helped secure voting rights for African-Americans.

The Republican Party also played a leading role in securing women the right to vote. In 1896, Republicans were the first major party to favor women's suffrage. When the 19th Amendment finally was added to the Constitution, 26 of 36 state legislatures that had voted to ratify it were under Republican control. The first woman elected to Congress was a Republican, Jeanette Rankin from Montana in 1917.

Presidents during most of the late nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century were Republicans. The White House was in Republican hands under Presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bush. Under the last two, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, the United States became the world's only superpower, winning the Cold War from the old Soviet Union and releasing millions from Communist oppression.

Behind all the elected officials and the candidates of any political party are thousands of hard-working staff and volunteers who raise money, lick the envelopes, and make the phone calls that every winning campaign must have. The national structure of our party starts with the Republican National Committee. Each state has its own Republican State Committee with a Chairman and staff. The Republican structure goes right down to the neighborhoods, where a Republican precinct captain every Election Day organizes Republican workers to get out the vote.

Most states ask voters when they register to express party preference. Voters don't have to do so, but registration lists let the parties know exactly which voters they want to be sure vote on Election Day. Just because voters register as a Republican, they don't need to vote that way - many voters split their tickets, voting for candidates in both parties. But the national party is made up of all registered Republicans in all 50 states. They are the heart and soul of the party. Republicans have a long and rich history with basic principles: Individuals, not government, can make the best decisions; all people are entitled to equal rights; and decisions are best made close to home.

The symbol of the Republican Party is the elephant. During the mid term elections way back in 1874, Democrats tried to scare voters into thinking President Grant would seek to run for an unprecedented third term. Thomas Nast, a cartoonist for Harper's Weekly, depicted a Democratic jackass trying to scare a Republican elephant - and both symbols stuck. For a long time Republicans have been known as the "G.O.P." And party faithfuls thought it meant the "Grand Old Party." But apparently the original meaning (in 1875) was "gallant old party." And when automobiles were invented it also came to mean, "get out and push." That's still a pretty good slogan for Republicans who depend every campaign year on the hard work of hundreds of thousands of volunteers to get out and vote and push people to support the causes of the Republican Party.
From the Beginning
Abolishing slavery. Free speech. Women's suffrage. These are all stances the Republican Party, in opposition to the Democratic Party, adopted early on.
The First Republican
With the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, the Republicans firmly established themselves as a major party capable of holding onto the White House for 60 of the next 100 years.
The Bull Moose
Assuming the presidency when McKinley was assassinated in 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt busied himself with what he considered to be the most pressing issue, ensuring the Republican principle of competition in a free market.
Leading The Way On the Issues
Republicans fought to abolish slavery, give blacks equal rights and then the vote. Many Republican politicians risked their careers on that period's "third rail" of politics.
Republican Women
Once again the Republican Party was the vanguard in relation to women. In 1917, Jeannette Rankin, a Montana Republican, became the first woman to serve in the House.
Republican Principles
I'm a Republican Because…


http://www.gop.com/About/AboutRead.aspx?Gu...

what is a good website for getting the info about who is behind propositions, specifically in california, finding out what interest groups funded them, how much they gave, all that?


if anyone has any suggestions that would be amazing.

Thanks

do you have pictures?

When he brings up the Enquirer/Cindy McCain story, someone yells at him and he said "uh oh ive heard this before"

i listened over and over and couldn't get it.

that black republican strategist was arguing with pat buchanan and pat told him to "examine yourself" when the strategist suggested that the republican party needs to examine itself, and i thought, for the rest of the interview, when the strategist was talking about the personal attack buchanan used on him i thought thats what he was talking about, but all of a sudden at the end, matthews and buchanan ask him what the attack was, he said buchanan told him to move to canada.

just lettin everone know.

plus oregon, california, and washington, he has 272 electoral votes

not surprising at all, just nice.

help me out here, im torn, i need to hear some alternate positions.

im leaning towards it, but i am not to clear on the details.

who appoints the council that redistricts the state?

what do you guys think?

In 2002, Cleland lost his bid for a second Senate term to Representative Saxby Chambliss. Supporters blamed a Chambliss TV ad featuring the likenesses of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, while criticizing Cleland's votes against homeland security measures.<8> The ad, which Cleland supporters claimed questioned the senator's patriotism<9>, was removed after protests from prominent politicians including Republicans like John McCain and Chuck Hagel.<10> Chambliss supporters claimed the ad didn't question Cleland's patriotism, but rather his judgment.<11>

looks like john mccain is pulling a Chambliss now.