Much to my surprise, I discovered today that Senator Barbara Boxer, the esteemed junior member of the California delegation to the United States Senate, is a co-sponsor of S.2590, the Porkbusters Bill that would create an online database showing where the money goes in the federal government.

Senator Boxer gets a gold star.

Check in with Mark Tapscott for an update on the status of the secret hold placed on the bill.

Then email each of your Senators to ask if he or she is responsible for the hold. I have already emailed Senator Dianne Feinstein.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about many things other than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

According to The Blogging Caesar at Election Project, Dianne Feinstein's approval rating may be down but she will still win re-election. The August 31st Rasmussen poll showed Senator Feinstein receiving 56%,  her opponent Mr. Mountjoy 34%. SurveyUSA and the Field Poll show similar percentages.

Mr. Mountjoy is electoral toast.

But he does have a campaign store. I may order myself an official Mountjoy for Senate trucker's cap. I can wear it while looking to see if Senator Kyl (R-AZ) has a campaign store.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Congress has reconvened following the August break, and will work until the Fall campaign break on September 29th. Today's deadtree edition of the Wall Street Journal lists these topics as doable before the next break:

• defense appropriation (supposed to be taken up today)
• homeland/port security
• military tribunals
• warrantless wiretapping

Here's the WSJ's maybe list:

• tax breaks
• offshore drilling

And here are the topics that the WSJ thinks are no-way:

• budget resolution
• immigration

A couple of topics in the doable category, namely military tribunals and warrantless wiretapping, are on the agenda more for showboating than anything else. The time spent preening to the media will prevent action on more important topics in the maybe and no-way categories, namely tax breaks and immigration.

Another arm of the WSJ, the Political Diary, warns about the possible consequences if nothing is done about immigration:


If you would like to see Congress take up the immigration topic in particular, let your Senators and Representatives hear from you.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

The latest projection of Blogging Caesar for the outcome of this year's California Senate race is no surprise:

California:  Diane Feinstein is an institution in California.  She has job security most of us can only dream of.  Richard Mountjoy is running for the GOP, but that really doesn't matter.  California still has enough Republicans to give him a decent shot at 40%.  Unfortunately, it takes more like 50% to win.
Current Projection:  Feinstein by 19.7%

So, plan on voting for Richard Mountjoy but don't waste any time or treasure between now and November in a foregone conclusion. Instead, pick a race you can make a difference in, such as the re-election of Senator Kyl in Arizona:

Arizona:  In 2000, Jon Kyl won this seat with 79% of the vote.  While that may be an overwhelming majority, it is not too hard to attain without any major party opposition.  The Democrats did not field a candidate that year.  This year, they have picked their state party chairman, Jim Pedersen.  Pedersen is a solid challenger to Kyl, one that some Dems feel can unseat the incumbent, but Kyl is not nearly as vulnerable as he might seem.  His approval is strong if not superlative, and Arizona is leans comfortably red.  Some polls may show this race to be within reach for Pedersen between now and November, but look for Kyl to prevail by a dozen points.
Current Projection:  Kyl by 14.3%

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many things other than the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

When the Senate reconvenes tomorrow, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have two bills (among others) to consider:

• S.3787, sponsored by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), to establish a Congressional commission on modern-day slavery;
• S.3801, sponsored by Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), to support the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement and to protect the lives and address the humanitarian needs of the people of Darfur.

Please note that modern-day Muslims are intimately connected with both these modern-day problems.

Senator Barbara Boxer is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. What is her opinion on these two bills? I don't know, so I've emailed her office to find out. I'll post any received response here.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about much more than the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Reminder: Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) is likely to easily win re-election in November no matter the effort put out to defeat her. I am therefore encouraging California conservatives to apply their efforts to better effect elsewhere, and have personally chosen the Arizona Senate race of Kyl v. Pederson.

The latest email from the National Republican Senatorial Committee linked to a short post claiming that incument Republican Senator Kyl is winning the "crossover battle":

The linked news article at All Headline News doesn't go into details on the reasons that people are crossing over.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about other topics than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Just in time for the post-Labor-Day launch of the Fall Election Season, a new go-to website appears: pollster.com, for all you political junkies out there.

I'm tuning and testing my engines to keep a sharp eye on the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate, especially Senator Feinstein because she's up for re-election.

Sadly, there is no polling information on the California Senate race at pollster.com — probably because it's a foregone conclusion that Senator Feinstain will be re-elected. Why waste the effort?

On the other hand, the alternate race that I've chosen personally to promote — Senator Kyl in Arizona — is represented. Current data has Republican Senator Kyl beating his Democratic opponent Jim Pedersen 48 to 37.

So, while I will be commenting on the positions of Senator Feinstein knowing all along that such activity is futile to disrailing her re-election, I will be throwing in an occasional mention of Arizona and urging frustrated California Republicans to send monetary support next door.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about much more than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

This just in from Patrick Ruffini, the RNC eCampaign Director:


[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about many other topics than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

In a previous post, I suggested that you find a worthy candidate outside California to support, as it is highly unlikely that the esteemed senior senator from California will fail in her re-election bid this year.

Events over the last couple of days -- in particular, the foiled airplane-bombing plot, my daughter's trip to London, the missing Egyptian students, the Dearborn arrests -- plus a post by Andy McCarty at NRO's The Corner, have narrowed my choice to Senator Jon Kyl, the junior member of the Arizona delegation. (I forgive him for having to associate with John McCain.) Along with his other plusses, he's a neighbor.

You can contribute through Senator Kyl's campaign website.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about many topics other than the esteemed members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

The focus here remains on the esteemed members of the California delegation to the United States Senate, but something must be said regardng the trouncing taken by Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary yesterday in Connecticut.

Hugh Hewitt is right. The election this fall will be a referendum on the global war on terror.

The national Democratic Party does not take seriously the threat by Islamists (call 'em mufsidun not jihadi).

The extreme left wing of the Democratic Party, the wing that won in the Connecticut primary, sees the world through its own distortions, is welded to emotional argument and exultant in wielding power.

Allowing a Democratic Party in such collapse to take control of Congress this Fall would be irresponsible. Permitting a Democratic Party candidate to take office as President in 2008 would be disastrous.

I cannot endorse Dianne Feinstein for many reasons, but the biggest would be that her vote is reliably Democratic. She is not as far left as her junior colleague, Barbara Boxer. She will likely get re-elected this Fall, especially given the weak candidate fielded by the California Republican Party.

So don't waste your money or effort opposing her re-election. Help candidates in closely-contested states, with a chance of saving a Republican seat or unseating a Democrat.

Watch the rhetoric as the election gets closer. Will Democrats stand by our soldiers by pulling the rug out from underneath them? Will Democrats demonstrate fortitude in a longterm struggle against a foe that sees the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction in a nuclear exchange as an invitation to martyrdom?

Any reading of the history and doctrine of Islam will show that diplomacy only provides cover for the regrouping and strengthening of mufsidun to renew the attack.

Don't throw your vote away. Don't throw your money away.  Don't throw the world away. Remain engaged, and vote for victory.

UPDATE: National Review endorses the independent candidacy of Joe Lieberman.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the esteemed members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

The August edition of Senator Feinstein's newsletter to constituents landed in my inbox today.

Topics:

• Shortchanging American Workers
  
• The Impact of Global Warming: The Increased Risk of Catastrophic Wildfires
• Filling the Medicare Part D “Doughnut Hole”
• The President's Stem Cell Veto: The Wrong Choice for America

I'll address each issue in a separate post as the week goes by.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the esteemed members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Both houses of Congress have now recessed for the remainder of the month, so that members can travel home and meet with constituents. I have not yet found a schedule of meetings for either Senator Feinstein or Senator Boxer, but will post as soon as I do.

When September rolls around, the fall campaign season will open. Inbetween preparing for a new school year, you might hop over to the NRSC or DSCC website, for fresh parisan perspective.

Recall that only Senator Feinstein is up for re-election this year. Senator Boxer will next face a decision on whether to run for re-election in 2010.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the esteemed members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Today's deadtree edition of the Wall Street Journal has an article on the op-ed page about the pilot school-voucher program in Washington, D.C. The condensed version: the program is looking successful; supporters want to raise a tad the income-cap for already participating households so kids don't get bounced; opponents are trying to kill the adjustment. Here's the concluding paragraph:


The esteemed senior member of the California delegation to the United States Senate is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, but not of its subcommittee responsible for Washington, D.C. Any proposed legislation would be drafted by the subcommittee, then passed along to the full committee for a vote before being scheduled for debate and a vote on the Senate floor.

I support school vouchers, as a disagreeable alternative to killing public funding of schools entirely. This piece of legislation will provide an interesting window through which to watch both members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write on many topics other than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]

Ed Whelan at Bench Memos provides a couple of useful reminders concerning the foot-dragging by the Senate to confirm nominees to the federal judiciary.

First, a status report on courts of appeals nominees (with an update).

Second, spotlighting the ABA's atrocious stonewalling on nominees they don't like but cannot find a good reason to blackball. (The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary is supposed to routinely provide an evaluation of nominees in regards to the nominee's professional qualifications. Political views aren't supposed to enter into the evaluation, but frequently do. Infrequently the Standing Committee provides a written statement to the Senate Judiciary Committe that becomes part of the formal testimony during the nomination process.)

Third, a handy comparison of the rate of approval of Clinton Administration judicial nominees with those of Bush Administration judicial nominees.

All this interests Red-Flagged because the esteemed senior senator from California is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and frequently votes against qualified candidates whose politics she disagrees with, regardless of the candidates' qualifications.

Currently on the Senate floor for debate: the nomination of Jerome A. Holmes for a seat on the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which was approved by the Judiciary Committee last week.

Senator Feinstein has no statement attached to the committee hearings, but her fellow Democrat, Patrick Leahy, does. He raises questions concerning letters written by Holmes in response to earlier civil rights decisions, and says that "grave concern" over the nomination has been expressed by such civil rights organizations as the NAACP and MALDEF.

As the ranking Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Leahy provides cover with this statement for his fellow Democrats to vote against an otherwise-qualified nominee.

Debate on the nomination of Jerome A. Holmes will conclude tomorrow, followed by a vote. (C-Span will cover it.)

I will be watching the Senate's own website for the roll-call vote results, to see how Senator Feinstein votes.

At the end of the day yesterday, the Senate managed to squeeze in time to vote on S. RES. 534, condemning Hezbollah and Hamas while supporting Israel. After all the whereases, the resolved points were:

(1) reaffirms its steadfast support for the State of Israel;

(2) supports Israel's right of self-defense and Israel's right to take appropriate action to deter aggression by terrorist groups and their state sponsors;

(3) urges the President to continue fully supporting Israel as Israel exercises its right of self-defense in Lebanon and Gaza;

(4) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldiers who are being held captive by Hezbollah or Hamas;

(5) condemns the Governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas, and holds the Governments of Syria and Iran responsible for the acts of aggression carried out by Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel;

(6) condemns Hamas and Hezbollah for exploiting civilian populations as shields and locating their military activities in civilian areas;

(7) urges the President to use all available political and diplomatic means, including sanctions, to persuade the governments of Syria and Iran to end their support of Hezbollah and Hamas;

(8) calls on the Government of Lebanon to do everything in its power to find and free the kidnapped Israeli soldiers being held in its territory, and to fulfill its responsibility under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 (adopted September 2, 2004) to disband and disarm Hezbollah;

(9) calls on the United Nations Security Council to condemn these unprovoked acts and to demand compliance with Resolution 1559, which requires that Hezbollah and other militias be disbanded and disarmed, and that all foreign forces be withdrawn from Lebanon;

(10) urges all sides to protect innocent civilian life and infrastructure and strongly supports the use of all diplomatic means available to free the captured Israeli soldiers; and

(11) recognizes that thousands of American nationals reside peacefully in Lebanon, and that those American nationals in Lebanon concerned for their safety should receive the full support and assistance of the United States government.

It was a voice vote by acclamation.

The California delegation to the United States Senate appears to have joined with the rest of the Senate. Good for them!

You can find the full text of the resolution online through Thomas.

[You are invited to visit www.cehwiedel.com, where I write about many topics other than the members of the California delegation to the United States Senate.]