Several of you have emailed me with thoughts concerning recent news and blogs. Here are three of the most interesting...

G. in California disagrees with my support of Tom DeLay:

I just read an article about Tom Delay in the Times. The truth is too many on both sides of the aisle continue in the practices of taking money and gifts from lobbyists in creative ways. (i.e. Through non-profits with for profits donating to cover expenses of trips, etc.)

I do not support this practice as I feel it is very, very harmful to the democratic process. This is how congressman and senators start getting to powerful for their own good and start taking their jobs and positions out of context.

They are elected to represent the American people, not rally for the highest bidder. Although Tom Delay is not the only one engaged in this practice, the practice MUST BE stopped.

G, The Times article also mentions a Jewish lady who immigrated from the former Soviet Union (she also introduced Rep. DeLay at the dinner the other night). Because she was Jewish, her family was persecuted. One of the trips Tom DeLay took to the Soviet Union was to meet with her. As a result, she was able to immigrate to America. The truth is that these trips aren't all glamorous (as they are portrayed to be). The vast majority of them fulfill an important function (and I believe that to be true for Democrats and Republicans).

Regarding our blog titled: "Where do you fit" which featured a Pew Research political test , Bill in Illinois writes:

Your little test does not distinguish the real separation in the GOP and in our coalition. Half of pro-private enterprise (poorly labeled pro-business) are MERCANTILISTS and half are CAPITALISTS. The current debate over base closings illustrates that. The mercantilists who have had a "subsidy" of their local economy now demand that the "subsidy" continue even after the base closes by putting some other taxpayer financed program in that location.... or keep the military there and give it a domestic mission like "remedial public education for adults to compensate for the failure of public education when those adults were kids."

You're right, Bill. I didn't invent the test, but I did find it interesting to take. The truth is that each of us is unique. There is no "cookie-cutter" conservative.

And our good friend Rich Coolidge from Colorado sounds off on the Social Security issue:

As the Social Security debate continues to intensify, it's time for the "youth-vote" to get involved. AARP has controlled the debate thus far by claiming that benefits will go down drastically and citizens 55 and older will be forced back into the workplace or out on the streets. If this is such a huge concern, why isn't AARP going after public employees who don't pay social security? That's right, public employees pay a portion of their income to a protected retirement account with greater returns than Social Security. Once that employee leaves the public payroll, she has the option on how to invest her retirement accumulation by rolling it into a 401k or other account. No other employees in the private sector have that option from Social Security.

As a twenty-something myself, part of my paycheck goes to social security that may be bankrupt by the time I retire, so I need to also save in a 401k and an IRA. My employer can only contribute in profitable years. In my mind, this is a double retirement tax. In a smaller paycheck because of my age, a higher percentage is going to my retirement.

Now, when AARP says there isn't a crisis, its solution only involves a couple of tweaks. By tweaks, it means raising the retirement age for us twenty-somethings and lowering benefits because we should be saving in other accounts as well. Thanks, a lot.

Rich, I couldn't agree with you more. Keep fighting for the conservative cause!

Thanks for your emails. Keep them coming!