RNC Research Responds Live to the Elena Kagan Confirmation Hearings: Give Your Live Response!

TODAY:
RNC Research Responds Live To
The Elena Kagan Confirmation Hearings
www.GOP.com/LiveResponse


View This Research Briefing At GOP.com
Follow RNC Research on Twitter
Learn More in our "Stomping Grounds" Blog

The RNC Research Department will be following the Elena Kagan confirmation hearings live.

We will be following the questions that are asked and the responses that Kagan gives. After all, it was Kagan who wrote that these hearings must focus "on a nominee's legal views." We will be addressing the substance of her responses- as she engages, in what we hope is a "meaningful discussion of legal issues" and her record as a political advisor, academic and activist...

Please Tune-In At: GOP.com/liveresponse


Republican National Committee | 310 First Street, SE | Washington, D.C. 20003
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White House in Secret Talks with Terrorist Leaders in Hamas: U.S. Gary Peters Silent on this Outrage

Hamas says asked by US to keep silent on talks


Islamist group source says senior American officials request contacts remain secret 'so as not to rouse Jewish lobby'

Roee Nahmias Published: 06.25.10, 19:04 / Israel News





A senior Hamas figure said Friday that official and unofficial US sources have asked the Islamist group to refrain from making any statements regarding contacts with Washington, this following reports that a senior American official is due to arrive in an Arab country in the coming days to relay a telegram from the Obama Administration.




The Hamas figure told the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper that the Americans fear discussing the talks publicly would "rouse the Jewish lobby and other pressure groups in the US and cause them to pressure the administration to suspend all talks with Hamas."



The Hamas figure, who is close to Ismail Haniyeh, the prime minister of the government in Gaza, added, "This is a sensitive subject. The Americans don't want anyone to comment on it because this would catch the attention of pressure groups (in the US) and cause problems."



He said Hamas' exiled leadership in Damascus is overseeing the contacts behind closed doors.




On Wednesday a Washington-based Arabic newspaper quoted a senior official as saying that an American envoy is scheduled to meet with Hamas representatives in an Arab country and hand them a letter from the Obama Administration.



According to the report, the official said Washington has no choice but to work with Hamas due to its influence in the Arab and Islamic world.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3910714,00.html

Healthcare petitions now due - please return immediately!

Opt Out of Obamacare Petition Drive Now Concluded - Return Your Petitions Immediately!

Healthcare Freedom petitions now due!

Drop your petitions off at (or call):

BLOOMFIELD HILLS: Oakland Fix Michigan Center/Oakland County Republican Party, 42611 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills. You can just drop in or you may call Jessica Corbett at 517-977-7752.

ORION TOWNSHIP: Jacobsen’s Flowers, Inc., 545 S. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion (open Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM).

ROCHESTER HILLS: Call Jim Duistermars at 248-853-0172.

TROY: Knollenberg Agency – Allstate Insurance, 198 East Big Beaver Road, Troy (open Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5 PM).

WATERFORD: Call Dennis Pittman at 248-866-2562.

***DEADLINE: Now Due!***

Gallup & NBC/Wall Street Journal polls confirm U.S. is center-right nation; in other news U.S. Rep. Gary Peters can't hide from his far-left record

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire
CQ Politics

Conservatives Outnumber Moderates, Liberals
A new Gallup poll finds 42% of Americans describe themselves as conservative while 35% say they are moderates and 20% call themselves liberals.

For comparison, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey finds 38% say they're conservative, 36% say they were moderates and 23% call themselves liberals.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/06/25/conservatives_outnumber_moderates_liberals.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=political-wire

Individual health insur. premiums soar by 20% since passage of Obama-Pelosi-Peterscare: Thanks U.S. Rep. Gary Peters for wrecking our family budgets

Survey: Individual Health Insurance Premiums Jump
Kaiser foundation survey finds steep jump in individual health insurance premiums
The Associated Press

By TOM MURPHY AP Business Writer
INDIANAPOLIS June 21, 2010 (AP)

People who buy their own health insurance have been hit lately with premium hikes that far exceed increases in premiums for employer-sponsored coverage, according to a new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The nonprofit foundation, which is separate from health insurer Kaiser Permanente, said recent premium hikes requested by insurers for individual coverage averaged 20 percent. Some customers were able to switch plans and pay less, so people paying on their own actually wound up paying 13 percent more on average.

That tops last year's average 5 percent annual increase for employer-sponsored family coverage and almost unchanged premiums for employer-sponsored single coverage, though foundation Vice President Gary Claxton said the comparisons come with qualifications.

The individual insurance survey asked respondents for their most recent premium increases, and those can happen more or less frequently than the annual increases mostly seen in the group market, he noted.

In the online poll, Kaiser queried 1,038 randomly selected people who pay for their own coverage.

Individual health insurance premiums generally rise faster than group coverage rates. They can be affected by variables like a person's age. They also can be affected by rising medical and drug costs and are more vulnerable when a bad economy makes healthy people drop coverage.

That can leave an insurer with a higher concentration of sick people who keep coverage because they need it more and thus generate more claims.

The market also appears to be cyclical, with a big increase following a couple years of smaller ones, said Robert Laszewski, a health care consultant and former insurance executive who wasn't involved with the Kaiser study.

But even with a sizable average increase, individual premiums still span a wide range from no increases to huge hikes.

"There is no real consistency," Laszewski said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10971283

Join us as we work toward victory! Super Summer BBQ Blast - 9th. Congressional District Republican Party!

9th Congressional District Republican Party

Presents

SUPER SUMMER BBQ BLAST ‘10

Meet other Republican activists as we prepare for victory in November!

Saturday, July 17th
1:00 – 4:00 PM

The German American Marksmanship Club of Auburn Hills
2650 Auburn Road (between Opdyke & Squirrel Roads), Auburn Hills

Covered pavilion so the event will be held rain or shine! Catered BBQ chicken, hot dogs, salads, dessert and beverages, all for the low price of…

Prepaid price: $10/person or $30/family of four (list # & names of people attending)
At event: $15/person or $45/family of four

Mail payment: 9th District Republican Administrative Account, P.O. Box 4553, Troy, Michigan 48099
Mail by: To qualify for prepaid pricing, postmark your envelope by Wednesday, July 14th

RSVP: RSVP by mailing your check
More info: Visit www.mi9thgop.com or call 248-410-8651

Paid for by: 9th District Republican Administrative Account, P.O. Box 4553, Troy, MI 48099

Opt Out of Obamacare Petition Drive Nearing End - Get Your Petitions & Return by June 25th

Big Momentum: Healthcare Freedom Petition Drive Expands - Get Yours Today!
'Opt Out' of Obamacare Healthcare Freedom Petition Drive Launched, Get Your Petition to Circulate Today! STAND UP TO THE OBAMA-PELOSI-PETERS HEALTHCARE TAKEOVER SCHEME
Petition Referendum Launched to Allow Citizens to ‘Opt Out’ of Obamacare

Healthcare Freedom petition drive has launched! We need 500,000 valid signatures by June 25, 2010. If we receive enough signatures the issue will be placed on the ballot in November. If voters approve the referendum, citizens of Michigan will be allowed to ‘opt out’ of Obamacare thereby guaranteeing their healthcare freedoms and options ---without government interference.

Pick up your petitions to circulate to friends/family/neighbors at:

BLOOMFIELD HILLS: Oakland Fix Michigan Center/Oakland County Republican Party, 42611 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills. You can just drop in or you may call Jessica Corbett at 517-977-7752.

ORION TOWNSHIP: Jacobsen’s Flowers, Inc., 545 S. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion (open Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM).

ROCHESTER HILLS: Call Jim Duistermars at 248-853-0172.

TROY: Knollenberg Agency – Allstate Insurance, 198 East Big Beaver Road, Troy (open Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5 PM).

WATERFORD: Call Dennis Pittman at 248-866-2562.

***DEADLINE: Friday, June 25th!***

Gallup Poll: Americans View U.S. Rep. Gary Peters & Democrats as 'Too Liberal'

Poll: More Americans Believe Dems 'Too Liberal'

CBNNEWS.COM

The number of Americans who describe the Democratic Party as being 'too liberal' has risen to the highest level since the 1994 elections, according to a recent Gallup Poll.

The poll showed that 49 percent of Americans are more likely to describe Democrats as "too liberal." Only 38 percent said the party's views are 'about right.'

The Gallup report linked the increase to the rise in government spending that's taken place since President Barack Obama took office, specifically with regard to the administration's economic stimulus and healthcare legislation.

Meanwhile, only about 40 percent of Americans said they believe Republicans are "too conservative." That's down three points from last year.

Forty-one percent of respondents said Republicans are 'about right' on the issues - an increase of seven points from 2009.

In order to garner the most widespread voter support, political parties tend to try to avoid being perceived as too ideologically extreme.

The poll's results are based on phone interviews conducted May 24-25, 2010 with a random sample of 1,049 U.S. adults aged 18 and older.

http://www.cc.org/news/poll_more_americans_believe_dems_039too_liberal039

Health Care Law 58% Favor Repeal of the Health Care Bill - U.S. Rep. Gary Peters' vote in favor of government takeover of healthcare is a drag on him

Health Care Law
58% Favor Repeal of the Health Care Bill
Monday, June 14, 2010

For the second week in a row, 58% of Likely U.S. Voters favor repeal of the national health care plan adopted into law by Congress in late March. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 36% oppose repeal.

These findings include 47% who Strongly Favor repeal and 28% who are Strongly Opposed.

Rasmussen Reports has been tracking sentiments about repeal since the plan’s passage, and opposition to the legislation remains as strong since its adoption as it was beforehand. Support for repeal since March has ranged from a low of 54% to a high of 63% in mid-May. Opposition has ranged from 32% to 42%.

The Obama White House last week began a public relations initiative to sell the plan to voters as the mid-term elections near. Right now, a number of Democratic candidates – and incumbents, in general – are hurting in part because of the voter backlash against the health care plan.

Most voters (50%) continue to believe that the health care plan is bad for America and that it will hurt the quality of care while driving up costs and the budget deficit. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say the plan is good for the country. Just three percent (3%) think it will have no impact.

While virtually the entire Political Class sees the health care plan as good for America, 64% of Mainstream voters disagree and see it as bad.

The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on June 11-12, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95%level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Just 24% of voters say the quality of health care will get better under the new plan. Fifty percent (50%) say quality will get worse, while 20% think it will stay about the same.

Fifty-four percent (54%) believe health care costs will go up under the newly adopted plan, and only 19% disagree and say costs will decrease. Another 19% expect little, if any change.

Three-out-of-five voters (60%) predict that the health care plan will increase the federal budget deficit. Fifteen percent (15%) think the plan will reduce the deficit, and 15% more say it will have no impact.

Democrats remain more supportive of the plan and more confident that it will have positive benefits than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party.

While 83% of GOP voters and 62% of unaffiliated support repeal, 59% of voters in the president’s party oppose it.

The Political Class is even more adamant. Seventy-three percent (73%) of Mainstream voters favor repeal of the plan, but 83% of the Political Class are opposed.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Mainstream voters think the plan will increase the deficit. Among the Political Class, 37% say the plan will make the deficit go down, while 48% say it will have no impact.

Democrats are less confident than the Political Class about the plan’s impact on the deficit, costs and quality.

Democrats in Congress consider passage of the health care plan their major legislative achievement so far this year. Most voters believe it would be better for the country if the majority of Congress is thrown out this November. However, they also remain unconvinced that a Republican takeover will make a noticeable difference

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/health_care_law

RNC Conference Call Today With Tony Perkins To Discuss Abortion In The Defense Authorization Bill And ObamaCare Bill

CONFERENCE CALL

Please Join
Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council
And
Angela Sailor, RNC Coalitions Director

What: Discussion on Senate Democrats' Defense Authorization Bill that would allow elective abortions to be performed in military hospitals and the issue of federally funded abortions in the recently passed ObamaCare Bill.

When: Today at 4:00 PM EDT

Where: Dial-In Number: 888-566-2143 Code: 4743829



Republican National Committee | 310 First Street, SE | Washington, D.C.20003
p: 202.863.8500 | f: 202.863.8820 | e: info@gop.com
Paid for by the Republican National Committee.
310 First Street, SE - Washington, D.C.20003 - (202) 863-8500
www.gop.com
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee

One of the largest changes in the partisan makeup of the House ever: U.S. Rep. Gary Peters will be pink slipped!!

Swingometer on the Rasmussen Generic Ballot

Posted by Neil Stevens (Profile)

Monday, June 7th at 9:00PM EDT

Rasmussen has a new generic ballot out, and that means it’s time to see how the Swingometer projects the election to go based on that result.


Since last week the Democrats have lost two points in the poll, but the Republicans held steady, resulting in a R 44-D 35 reading. If we subtract out the independents, third parties, and undecideds to get a two party vote, that turns out to be R 56-D 44 (R+12). In 2008 the two party vote was R 45-D 55 (D+10). Net that’s a R+22 swing from 2008. Plug 22 into the swingometer and we get a 60 seat Republican gain (40 need for majority).

That would be one of the largest changes in the partisan makeup of the House ever, if this poll is to be believed. Even 1994 saw Republicans gain only 54 seats in Bill Clinton’s first midterm. To find a bigger change we have to go back to 1948 when Democrats won 75 seats on Harry Truman’s coattails. The largest midterm I find going back would be Franklin Roosevelt’s second midterm, losing Democrats 72 seats and gaining Republicans 81 in 1938.

2010 will be Barack Obama’s first midterm. Will he really lose 60 seats? If the situation doesn’t change, and Rasmussen is accurate, he probably will. But if nothing ever changed between June and November then we wouldn’t need to take many polls, would we?

http://www.redstate.com/neil_stevens/2010/06/07/swingometer-on-the-rasmussen-generic-ballot/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Join us for our annual Super Summer BBQ Blast - Saturday, July 17th. in Auburn Hills

9th Congressional District Republican Party

Presents

SUPER SUMMER BBQ BLAST ‘10

Meet other Republican activists as we prepare for victory in November!

Saturday, July 17th
1:00 – 4:00 PM

The German American Marksmanship Club of Auburn Hills
2650 Auburn Road (between Opdyke & Squirrel Roads), Auburn Hills

Covered pavilion so the event will be held rain or shine! Catered BBQ chicken, hot dogs, salads, dessert and beverages, all for the low price of…

Prepaid price: $10/person or $30/family of four (list # & names of people attending)
At event: $15/person or $45/family of four

Mail payment: 9th District Republican Administrative Account, P.O. Box 4553, Troy, Michigan 48099
Mail by: To qualify for prepaid pricing, postmark your envelope by Wednesday, July 14th

RSVP: RSVP by mailing your check
More info: Visit www.mi9thgop.com or call 248-410-8651

Paid for by: 9th District Republican Administrative Account, P.O. Box 4553, Troy, MI 48099

Gallup Poll Shows Pro-Abortion Democrats May Face Massive November Losses: U.S. Rep. Gary Peters - Start Packing Your Liberal Bags

Gallup Poll Shows Pro-Abortion Democrats May Face Massive November Losses

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 2, 2010

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new Gallup poll shows the pro-abortion Democrats who currently control Congress and worked with President Barack Obama for a massive pro-abortion health care bill could face tremendous losses come November. The poll historically shows Democrats with more support than Republicans.

That's why the large GOP advantage and the way in which Gallup shows independent voters leaning towards voting for Republicans, most of whom are pro-life, spells trouble for Obama and his abortion advocates in Congress.

Gallup tracking of 2010 congressional voting preferences shows Republicans moving back ahead of Democrats, 49% to 43%, by two points their largest lead of the campaign to date. Registered voters' preferences had been closely divided for the last several weeks.

The respected polling firm noted the new Republican lead came as Obama averaged a 46% job approval rating, his lowest weekly average to date.

"Two structural changes in the data help explain the shift. First, while the percentage of registered voters identifying as Republicans has been consistent over the past several weeks, during the last week there was a decline in the percentage of voters identifying as Democrats and an increase in independent identifiers," Gallup noted.

Also, Republicans continue to enjoy a healthy advantage in reported enthusiasm over Democrats -- 39% to 24% in the latest update. For the last four weeks, Democrats' voting enthusiasm has been at or below that of independents.

Conservative writer Ed Morrissey of HotAir noticed the new Gallup poll and said it is "a bad sign for Democrats heading into primary season in many states, and a welcome trend for Republicans."

"As far as enthusiasm goes, the end of the ObamaCare debate did take the wind out of the sails of Republicans but also Democrats and independents. Republican voters still have a lead of 15 points on enthusiasm over Democrats ," he noted.

The polling data comes after pro-abortion leaders of the Democratic party, sensing pro-life advocates who head up the Republican Party in the House and Senate could find themselves in charge of the legislative agenda if Americans give them big election victories in November, are preparing for battle.

As they headed home for the Memorial Day recess, Democrats in Congress asked their rank and file to tell voters there will be disastrous consequences if they elect a GOP majority in November.

Democratic leaders gave party members a Memorial Day packet filled with instructions on what to say.
“Plan your public events, communications, and editorial board visits at home to highlight what Republican control of Congress would mean, and your hard work for the middle class on issues," the packet papers read. "Democrats have a strong story to tell, and we hope you'll highlight this contrast with Republicans back home.”

For the pro-life movement, the only story House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid have told is one of promoting abortion.

They shepherded the pro-abortion health care bill through Congress and to President Barack Obama, who signed it into law and will force Americans to pay for abortions unless the measure is overturned by the courts. Already, several states have either signed bills to opt out of some abortion funding into law or have passed them through the state legislature.

Congressional Democrats also allowed taxpayer financing of abortions in the nation's capital -- making it so abortions are paid for with federal funds in the District of Columbia for the first time in more than a decade.

http://www.lifenews.com/nat6385.html

RNC Conference Call Today To Discuss Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) Resolution to Prevent New, Job-killing EPA Regulations

Republican National Committee - Coalitions Office

CONFERENCE CALL

Please Join
Scott Kamins, RNC Deputy Chief of Staff for Government Affairs
And
Angela Sailor, RNC Coalitions Director

What: Discussion on Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) Resolution to Prevent New, Job-killing EPA Regulations

When: Today at 4:00 PM EDT

Where: Dial-In Number: 888-566-2143 Code: 4743829

Republicans Jump Out To Historic Lead In Gallup Generic Ballot, U.S. Rep. Gary Peters' Re-Election Chances Sink

Republicans Jump Out To Historic Lead In Gallup Generic Ballot
Posted by Sean Trende | Email This | Permalink | Email Author
Gallup's generic polling shows the number of voters saying that they would vote for Republicans rising three points from last week, while the number saying they will vote for Democrats dropped four points. The 49%-43% lead for the Republicans is the largest that the pollster has ever recorded for the party. Moreover, Democratic enthusiasm for voting this fall fell a point, while enthusiasm among Republicans stayed about fifteen points higher. This indicates an even wider lead for Republicans once Gallup imposes a likely voter screen this fall.

There's any number of reasons for this: the public's perception of Obama's response to the oil spill, the shaky stock market performance last week, continued concern about the economy and spending. The bottom line is that, despite what is perceived as an underperformance for the Republicans in PA-12 a couple of weeks ago, there are still plenty of Democrats in trouble for this November.

http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2010/06/01/republicans-jump-out-to-historic-lead-in-gallup-generic-ballot/

Thomas More Law Center Files Detailed Reply to Government’s Defense of Obamacare

ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, filed a reply brief this past Friday in support of their motion for a preliminary injunction against President Obama’s health care legislation. [Click here to read Brief].
The reply brief was drafted by Robert Muise, TMLC Senior Trial Counsel, and David Yerushalmi, an associated private attorney with law offices in New York, Washington D.C., and Arizona. The brief was filed in support of TMLC’s previously filed motion for a preliminary injunction, in which TMLC is requesting the court to immediately enjoin the enforcement of the individual mandate provision of the health care law.
Muise commented: “Our lengthy and detailed reply to the government’s defense of the Health Care Reform Act demonstrates the weakness of the government’s superficial arguments. As evidenced in our brief, we certainly like our chances that the court will strike down this unconstitutional act of Congress.”
The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America’s Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org.