First and foremost, NPR gets about 2% of its budget from the federal government so the very premise of this piece is questionable. Two things need to be understood with regard to the firing of Juan Williams. First NPR has a policy in place that its commentators are prohibited from saying in other venues what they are not allowed to say on NPR. That is a term and condition of employment with the network and when Williams violated that, he was dismissed. Second, labor law holdings going back at least forty or fifty years have held that employers are free to discharge employees who, in the community and outside of work, embarrass an organization or behave in ways that could negatively impact that organization’s public image or...

Two things need to be understood with regard to the firing of Juan Williams. First NPR has a policy in place that its commentators are prohibited from saying in other venues what they are not allowed to say on NPR. That is a term and condition of employment with the network and when Williams violated that, he was dismissed. Second, labor law holdings going back at least forty or fifty years have held that employers are free to discharge employees who, in the community and outside of work, embarrass an organization or behave in ways that could negatively impact that organization’s public image or economically. This was usually enforced by sole or major employers in “company towns” against employees with drinking problems who were public...

Two things need to be understood with regard to the firing of Juan Williams. First NPR has a policy in place that its commentators are prohibited from saying in other venues what they are not allowed to say on NPR. That is a term and condition of employment with the network and when Williams violated that, he was dismissed. Second, labor law holdings going back at least forty or fifty years have held that employers are free to discharge employees who, in the community and outside of work, embarrass an organization or behave in ways that could negatively impact that organization’s public image or economically. This was usually enforced by sole or major employers in “company towns” against employees with drinking problems who were public...

Judge Walker has been accused of being liberal and unscrupulous. Just a few facts. He was first appointed by Ronald Reagan; the Democratic Senate refused to approve him. Later George Bush re-appointed him to the bench; the Senate eventually went along. His nomination was opposed by all those arch conservative groups - such as Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, and other gay rights groups. So Judge Walker was supported by Reagan and both Bushs, but opposed by Nancy Pelosi and the gay rights people. Liberal? Hardly... (Interestingly enough, the federal judge in Boston who ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional was appointed by that other flaming liberal, Richard Nixon.) So much of the support for freedom for gay...

NP: The present “enthusiasm advantage” could well have dissipated by November due to the fact that the G.O.P. is beset by several challenges. For one, Opposition on Capital Hill to financial reform is a net loser. Please see the following: Financial reform: why the GOP strategy is risky: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0426/Financial- reform-why-the-GOP-strategy-is-risky:” Politically, though, Republicans could find themselves on the losing side of this vote, if they appear to be obstructing legislation more than shaping it. The fear of such an outcome – with hotly contested congressional elections...

Republican attitudes on immigration will energiize the minority community that overwhelmingly votes for the Democrats as well as the more liberal whites on the far-left.
Even a prominet Republican like Jeb Bush, who has endorses Rubio also came out against the Arizona Immigration law as did Rubio himself.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is speaking out against the new hard-line immigration law in Arizona, becoming the first prominent national Republican to do so.
"I think it creates unintended consequences," he said in a telephone interview with POLITICO Tuesday. "It's difficult for me to imagine how you're going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues...

Republican attitudes on immigration will energiize the minority community that overwhelmingly votes for the Democrats as well as the more liberal whites on the far-left.
Even a prominet Republican like Jeb Bush, who has endorses Rubio also came out against the Arizona Immigration law as did Rubio himself.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is speaking out against the new hard-line immigration law in Arizona, becoming the first prominent national Republican to do so.
"I think it creates unintended consequences," he said in a telephone interview with POLITICO Tuesday. "It's difficult for me to imagine how you're going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues...

The G.O.P. continues to show lagging favorability ratings vs. the Democrats as per an analysis of results found in PollingReport.com. Republican favorability ratings range from 12% to 36% vice 28% to 50% for the Democrats.
http://www.pollingreport.com/cong_dem.htm

Next, Obama is on the upswing going from a 45% approval rating on 4/09/10 to 51% by the end of April. Then there is the question of who actually wins the Republican primaries? If it is heavly far-right candidates, then the moderate Republican voters and independents will not vote for the G.O.P. Don’t believe that? Well consider that the only Republicans to win since 2008 were moderates and where the far right spent loads of cash backing a ultra-conservative...

Republican attitudes on immigration will energiize the minority community that overwhelmingly votes for the Democrats as well as the more liberal whites on the far-left.
Even a prominet Republican like Jeb Bush, who has endorses Rubio also came out against the Arizona Immigration law as did Rubio himself.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is speaking out against the new hard-line immigration law in Arizona, becoming the first prominent national Republican to do so.
"I think it creates unintended consequences," he said in a telephone interview with POLITICO Tuesday. "It's difficult for me to imagine how you're going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues...

"Republicans are being out-fundraised on the national level as the November mid-terms approach. But they’ve got a significant “enthusiasm advantage” that could prove to be more important."

NP: The present “enthusiasm advantage” could well have dissipated by November due to the fact that the G.O.P. is beset by several challenges. For one, Opposition on Capital Hill to financial reform is a net loser. Please see the following: Financial reform: why the GOP strategy is risky: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0426/Financial- reform-why-the-GOP-strategy-is-risky:” Politically, though, Republicans...