We are on the ground at the Sheraton and the place is a hive of activity. Tables are rolling in, and things are exciting. Look for more updates soon.

House Speaker Jim Amann prevented a vote on cutting taxes on gasoline yesterday. And in his amazing, told reporters that drivers who fill up their tanks are helping terrorists, who you see, are supported by the countries that produce our oil.

He also said the Legislature had no control of over “world economics,” meaning the laws of supply and demand. Fair enough, but the one issue they do control is state taxes - both retail and wholesale. When Republicans tried to force a vote through an amendment Wednesday, Amann shut it down saying:

“We do not debate issues on the floor of the House when we’ve got two weeks left that basically is a grandstanding move to try to put Democrats in jeopardy,” Amann said.

You can’t make this stuff up.

Now the voters who decided to throw out two patriots last fall - Nancy Johnson and Rob Simmons - are seeing what they got in the deal to “send a message.”

A new vote is scheduled shortly in the House to authorize funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan - one without a deadline for withdrawal and votes failed to materialize in the U.S. Senate to accommodate the surrender lobby led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV.

Now Chris Murphy is fumbling with his cue cards, looking for the one that deals with courage. Joe Courtney, who had an opportunity to stand up like and man and tell President Bush what he really thought of him, face to face, took a powder yesterday and stayed in Washington to vote on a bill that would go after the big bad oil companies.

Dave Lightman said that Murphy and Courtney are “anguished” over this vote. Anguished? How about the men and women on point in the streets of Baghdad? Are they anguished or just ashamed?

Had he been able to talk to Bush, Courtney said, “I would have conveyed to him how I was one of those challengers who argued against the war and was successful.”

Lightman wrote this about Courtney and Murphy’s machinations:”

Asked how much Bush would be moved by such conversation, Courtney said, “not much.”

“I just want time to study this,” Murphy said. “I’m willing to read the thing before making a decision on something so important.”

Memorial Day is upon us. It is disgraceful to think Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy will be marching in parades to honor the sacrifices of our men and women while pondering support for our new heroes in the war on terror.

• 2pm LIVE BLOG begins - Join us starting at 2pm for the start of the 2007 Prescott Bush Awards Dinner Live Blog; follow along as the CTGOP staff and friends prepare to make the 2007 Bush Dinner the best event of the season
• 5:30pm - Republicans from across Connecticut will begin to assemble at the Stamford Sheraton to honor the 2007 recipients of the Prescott Bush Award, the Fenton P. Futtner Award, and the Frederick K. Biebel Lifetime Achievement Award
• 6pm - The cocktail reception preceding the Bush Dinner begins
• 7pm - 2007 Prescott Bush Awards Dinner begins
• 10pm (est) - Wrap up and conclusion of the 2007 Prescott Bush Awards Dinner
• 11pm (est) - Conclusion of the Prescott Bush Awards Dinner Live Blog

Stay here at The Everyday Republican throughout the day as we cover the Bush Dinner live and behind the scenes!

HARTFORD – House Democrats Wednesday refused to cut gasoline prices by 25 cents per gallon today when they resorted to legislative antics and blocked the Republicans’ proposed Gas Tax Holiday that would provide millions of motorists much needed relief at the pump.

“When the Democrats had the chance to finally do something for taxpayers and anyone who drives in Connecticut they said ‘No.’ The Democrats are now on record as saying they don’t care about lowering the price of gasoline, even if its just for three months,” House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., of Norwalk said following the vote.

As promised, House Republicans presented an amendment to impose a three-month Gas Tax Holiday for the peak summer driving season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 25 cents per gallon that the state charges would be rolled back to zero and save motorists a total of $120 million for the Holiday. Republicans proposed the plan May 14 and said it could easily be paid for out of the newly discovered $846 million budget surplus.

As soon as Cafero finished introducing his amendment to a bill, the Democratic leadership immediately took the legislation off the floor of the House thereby preventing debate and sparing Democrats from casting a vote that will come back to haunt them

No transportation programs would be affected and the lost revenue that is used to back highway construction bonds would simply be replaced by the surplus money. Governor M. Jodi Rell also supported the idea. She has repeatedly said that if the legislature does not go along, she and her fellow Republicans will use gas tax proposal in the budget negotiations that have just begun.

“The Democrats have temporarily thwarted the will of the people by denying them a much-needed break at the pumps. I’m still hopeful that we can push this through if there is public pressure applied from outside the Capitol and through budget negotiations within,” Cafero said

“Tax cut talk is cheap but gasoline is not. That’s why the Democrats should have voted to do for this immediate 25-cent per gallon tax cut,” Cafero added.

• L. Scott Frantz of Greenwich, recipient of the 2007 Prescott Bush Award
• Ann Giannattasio of Torrington, recipient of the Fenton P. Futtner Award
• Rae Tramontano of New Haven, receiving the Frederick K. Biebel Lifetime Achievement Award

The Senate Democrats announced today that they are dropping their requirement that troops in Iraq be withdrawn by a date certain. This is certainly a victory in the war on terror and a boost to our troops in the field. It is finally occurring to these Vichy Democrats that their plan is a surrender plan and that most Americans, while frustrated with the progress in Iraq, realize the stakes are too high to simply cut and run.

That still doesn’t excuse the votes of Chris Dodd, Rosa DeLauro, Joe Courtney, Chris Murphy and the Captain of the Retreat Brigade, John Larson - all of whom are oblivious to what is going on in the new world we live. Their defeatist position, guided by a misreading of the 2006 Election, is a frightening reminder of what lies head unless we are diligent in our opinions and express them.

Todd Cusano of Rocky Hill sent us this powerful video to remind us of the brave men and women who volunteer their lives everyday to protect our freedoms. the video was put together by 15-year-old Lizzie Palmer, and clip has already received 3 million hits. If she understands the issue, why can’t our Congressman get it?