Jason Lefkowitz has also been following the story about how the Bush administration outmaneuvered opponents of the Patriot Act II by incorporating some of its elements into Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal 2004 and so avoid public debate about its controversial changes. Jason hasn't just got angry about it - he's set up a fund to reward the 15 House Republicans who crossed the floor and voted against this legislation. He is using PayDemocracy host the $15 for Fifteen campaign.
With Republicans in control of the Presidency, Congress and Supreme Court (most of the time), it is important to realize that they are not a monolithic group and that not all Republican members of Congress are like Tom DeLay.
It was interesting to visit Montana in October where almost everybody is a Republican - in a nice kind of way. The question of whether one is a Republican or not just didn't seem to be an issue worth thinking about.
There is a big difference between the true Conservatives whom I met in rural Montana and the radicals (also called Neocons) in the White House and other leadership positions of the Party. The Neocons want to remake America and the World in their image, entrench themselves into power by any means necessary - the Constitution and the rules be damned.
If Ann Coulter has her way and all Democrats and other liberals are found guilty of Treason, the US will become a one party state. Then the divisions between Moderate, Conservative and Neocon Republicans will really matter. I don't think that this will happen, but while the Republicans in control now, the differences do matter.
