GOP state Senators Abel Maldonado, of Santa Maria, left, and Roy Ashburn, of Bakersfield, confer during the debate over the state budget at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. , Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Lawmakers have until midnight Tuesday to approve a budget plan to avoid the state from having to issue IOUs to venders. Both Maldonado and Ashburn broke ranks in February to help Democrats pass a revised budget plan. AP Photo logo AP Photo 4 months ago

GOP state Senators Abel Maldonado, of Santa Maria, left, and Roy Ashburn, of Bakersfield, confer during the debate over the state budget at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. , Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Lawmakers have until midnight Tuesday to approve a budget plan to avoid the state from having to issue IOUs to venders. Both Maldonado and Ashburn broke ranks in February to help Democrats pass a revised budget plan.

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  1. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  2. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has a microphone attached to his tie before addressing a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  3. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  4. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  5. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  6. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  7. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  8. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  9. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  10. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  11. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  12. US Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) rehearses for tonight's GOP rebuttal to President Obama's health care speech on September 9, 2009 in Washington, DC.
  13. In this April 29, 2009 file photo, Veteran GOP Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania discusses his conversion to the Democratic Party at the White House with President Barack Obama, left, in Washington. The Federal Election Commission said Thursday a conservative political group can use Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter's campaign donor list to inform givers of the senator's promise to return money to those upset by his switch.
  14. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 05: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) leads a news conference and rally on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol November 5, 2009 in Washington, DC. Thousands of people, including many Republican members of the House of Representatives, attended the rally to voice their opposition to the House version of the health care reform legislation moving through Congress.
  15. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 05: Thousands of people from across the country attend rally to protest the health care bill on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol November 5, 2009 in Washington, DC. Many Republican members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), attended the rally to voice their opposition to the House version of the health care reform legislation moving through Congress.
  16. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 05: Republican members of the House of Representatives hold a news conference and rally on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol November 5, 2009 in Washington, DC. Thousands of people from around the country joined the Republicans to voice opposition to the House version of the health care reform legislation.

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