Specter hints Kemp died of GOP agenda - Washington Times

Specter hints Kemp died of GOP agenda - Washington Times

Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Democrat, said part of the reason that he left the Republican Party last week was disillusionment with its health-care priorities, and suggested that had the Republicans taken a more moderate track, Jack Kemp may have won his battle with cancer.

Mr. Specter, responding to a question from CBS' Bob Schieffer over whether he had let down Pennsylvanians who wanted a Republican to represent them, said he thought his priorities were more in line with those of the Democrats.

You have got to be kidding!!! I can't believe Specter would say that. I guess he is now a Joe Biden Democrat. Open mouth. Insert foot.

Stop Living By Christian Principles

I subscribe to several daily devotionals via e-mail. They are a good way to discipline myself to make sure I take at least a little study time at various times of the day. This one by Os Hillman is one of the best I have read in quite some time:

..."having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Tim 3:5).

God never called you to live by Christian principles. He calls you to live in relationship with the living God, Jesus Christ. One of the weaknesses of the Church today is that we teach people principles without the relationship.

The western church is big on ten step programs, "how-to" methods and acrostics to illustrate memorable ideas. There is a place for establishing principles to change negative behavior. However, we are not called to have a relationship with principles, but a living God.

Living by principles is the equivalent to living by the law in the Old Testament. It is rooted in the Greek system of learning and is dependent upon our strength instead of being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Principle-based living is powerless living. This makes our Christian experience a religion instead of a relationship. "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law" (Gal 5:18).

We read about principle-based followers in the book of Acts, "The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people" (Acts 5:12-14). There was a group of followers who liked being taught but never entered the game.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us about the nature of God and His desire for every believer.

This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Friend, have you been guilty of living a life based on principles instead of knowing the One who authored the principles? Invite Jesus to be Lord over your life and begin to spend time with Him every day. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you through every moment of your day.

Need I say more?

Partisan Difference May Delay Kan. Legislatures

Partisan Difference May Delay Kan. Legislatures

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ A partisan disagreement over business taxes
threatens to delay legislators as they try to wrap up their
business for the year.

Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson and the Republican-controlled
Legislature must eliminate a projected $328 million deficit in the
budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

You cannot convince me that there isn't a bunch of fat in the state budget which can be cut before you do "revenue enhancements." But I am not sure there is the political will to get the job done. This may be a long, painful wrap up session.

White House Denies Charge By Attorney that Administration Threatened to Destroy Investment Firm's Reputation* - Political Punch

White House Denies Charge By Attorney that Administration Threatened to Destroy Investment Firm's Reputation* - Political Punch

A leading bankruptcy attorney representing hedge funds and money managers told ABC News Saturday that Steve Rattner, the leader of the Obama administration's Auto Industry Task Force, threatened one of the firms, an investment bank, that if it continued to oppose the administration's Chrysler bankruptcy plan, the White House would use the White House press corps to destroy its reputation.

The White House and a spokesperson for the investment bank in question challenged the accuracy of the story.

"The charge is completely untrue," said White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton, "and there's obviously no evidence to suggest that this happened in any way."

I sure hope there is no truth to this story. But I have a sneaking suspicion there might be at least a few nuggets here. And that wouldn't bode well for our economy in the long run.

Doles encourage political passion | CJOnline.com

Doles encourage political passion CJOnline.com

LAWRENCE — Former Sens. Bob and Elizabeth Dole called for more passion and cooperation from future politicians and public servants Sunday during a lecture to more than 500 students and community members at the Lied Center on The University of Kansas campus.

In everything from honoring their longtime friend Jack Kemp, who died Saturday from cancer, to encouraging young adults to become more involved in the political system, the Doles stressed the need for people to find something they love to do in life.

“Jack believed in what he was doing with all his heart,” Elizabeth Dole said about Kemp, who helped her campaign in North Carolina for a seat in the U.S. Senate and was her husband’s presidential running mate in 1996. “He will be truly missed.”

As they answered questions from commentator Bill Lacy and the community for about 90 minutes Sunday afternoon, the Doles made it apparent that they, too, loved what they chose to do with their lives.

Bob Dole is something very few politicians are these days. He is a statesman. He was able to rise above the partisan fray to get things done in Washington. That skill is sorely lacking today.

Reagan was right, conservatives win with addition, not subtraction

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/OpEd-Contributor/Reagan-was-right-conservatives-win-with-addition-not-subtraction-43167192.html

When discussing a possible Republican revival, most conservative commentators let their ideological bias obscure the obvious. They miss the forest for the trees.

Some say the party must jettison the social conservative agenda, which appeals only to an aging, shrinking demographic, and recast itself as a modern, big-tent party united only by its opposition to the socialization of the economy and the explosive growth of government.

The opposing view insists that after neglecting the GOP base of values voters for too long, the party need only follow through on its election year rhetoric by actually making family-values issues a priority once in power.

Both seem to have forgotten about one of Ronald Reagan’s central insights: a winning Republican coalition must include both economic and social conservatives. Neither agenda can be successfully pursued without the other; they fit hand in glove.

I think Wassinger makes some very good points in this column. I would love to get your thoughts on this.

Kansas House Rejects Budget-Balancing Bill

Kansas House Rejects Budget-Balancing Bill

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Kansas House has rejected a bill to balance the state budget, with some members complaining it cut spending too much.

The vote Friday night was 62-53 against giving the bill first-round approval.

The action means members will have to try again to draft a plan for covering the projected $328 million deficit in the budget that takes effect July 1.

Some House members want to look more at boosting state revenues to help eliminate the shortfall.

This is a scary vote. I would expect this type of result in the Senate, but the House is usually more fiscally conservative. This doesn't bode well for the prospects for avoiding massive tax increases.