Two events last week give me some further hope that the Republican party is realizing that GOP voters will not stand for their big-spending ways, their trashing of liberty, and the Senate's outrageously generous illegal immigration bill.

First, Texas Congressman John Culberson added two amendments to the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill (yes, that's one bill). The first amendment prohibits state universities from giving illegal aliens in-state tuition rates. Currently, several states offer in-state tuition rates to a Mexican illegal but charge a much higher tuition for an American citizen from the next state over. No part of that policy makes sense to me.

Culberson's second amendment prohibits illegal aliens from receiving Social Security benefits, something I found to be one of the most reprehensible provisions in the Senate bill.

[My article about illegals getting Social Security benefits is here:
http://rossputin.com/blog/index.php/a/2006/05/20/illegals_get_social_security_expanded_ve
and in-state tuition here:
http://rossputin.com/blog/index.php/a/2006/04/10/senate_stupidity_on_illegal_aliens_and_c
]

It is hard to guess at this point whether Culberson's amendments will make it through any House-Senate conference. Indeed, I believe it is unlikely there will even be a conference on the immigration bills, much less a successful one, before next year. Nevertheless, the fact that these amendments will be part of a conference is a good sign.

The other hopeful sign last week was a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist from Senator George Allen (R-VA) and six other GOP senators opposing HR 513, a bill supposedly to reform lobbying but really a frontal assault on 527 groups and our First Amendment free speech rights.

This letter is well worth reading, and you can do so here:
http://www.clubforgrowth.org/blog/archives/527-allen-letter.pdf

Essentially, Allen and his colleagues say that the Senate should have no part in muzzling free speech with this bill that the Founders would find horrifying, and that they would likely support a filibuster to prevent the bill's passage.

Congratulations to George Allen (whom I think is the most likely GOP nominee for President next year and thus can win political points with freedom-loving Americans with this letter) for taking a strong stand when almost all his Senate colleagues took the easy (and unconstitutional) way out of political competition. [Update from much later: Boy did I get that wrong...Allen "macaca"ed himself right out of higher office.]

As the Club for Growth puts it, "Our heartfelt thanks go to Senators Allen, Sam Brownback, Tom Coburn, Jim DeMint, Michael Enzi, John Sununu and David Vitter for their outstanding work in defending the First Amendment."

Next, we just need to get McCain-Feingold overturned....