In case you missed it—and the Bush administration was certainly hoping that you would—the federal government’s operating deficit for 2005 was $760 billion, or a whopping 138 percent higher than the much more widely reported budget deficit of $319 billion. The Bush administration hailed the lesser amount when it was announced last October by the […]

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Since the 2000 presidential election mess, we’ve checked in periodically on the vital issues of voter fraud, election reform and the rapid spread of electronic voting machines (see, most recently, our June 15, 2005, and April 15, 2005 issues). Critics have raised serious concerns about the safety of electronic voting; yet more and more states seem to be […]

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No one who closely watches the Interior Department foresees any dramatic shifts in policy once Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne replaces Gale Norton as secretary later this spring. As a former senator, Kempthorne is expected to breeze through the confirmation process, scheduled to begin in early May. But now is a good time to take stock […]

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Abandoning Bush—To Bush or not to Bush? That is the question conservative Arizona Congressman J.D. Heyworth pondered when asked by radio host Don Imus last November if he wanted the president to campaign with him. “In a word, no,” Heyworth answered. “Not at this time.” Turns out, Heyworth was relating a common sentiment. These days, […]

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Post-DeLay Disarray—Tom DeLay is out, but the race in Texas to replace him has only just begun. There are more possible successors than there are indicted DeLay aides. The list of candidates includes a local county judge; the mayor of Sugar Land, Texas; a state representative and a state senator; a tax assessor; and a […]

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