Free Republic

In assessing the Israeli election of 2019, it is essential to focus on two aspects: First, although they did not win majority control of the 120-seat parliament (“Knesset” in Hebrew), the center-left parties, of which Blue and White was the largest, made by far the largest gain in seats from their 2015 post-election status, increasing from 35 to 41 seats. There was a perception in both the media and academia that this election constituted a major decline in power and influence of the Israeli center-left. The numbers tell an entirely different story. The entire left-of-center coalition in opposition to Prime...

By Alan J. Steinberg As a "Never Trump" author and governmental veteran, I feel that the most concise and accurate summary of the nightmare of Trumpism was given recently by the renowned conservative historian Max Boot in the Washington Post: "The current GOP still has a few resemblances to the party of old -- it still cuts taxes and supports conservative judges. But a vote for the GOP in November is also a vote for egregious obstruction of justice, rampant conflicts of interest, the demonization of minorities, the debasement of political discourse, the alienation of America's allies, the end of...

The catastrophe of the mass murder in Parkland, Florida has elevated the issue of assault weapons to the forefront in the forthcoming November, 2018 elections.  There is now an overwhelming national consensus developing for the enactment of a national ban on assault weapons. The National Rifle Association (NRA) will be very much in the forefront of opposition to such a measure.  Because of their controlling influence with both President Donald Trump and the Republican majority leadership in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, the enactment of such a ban will be impossible unless the Democrats win control...

I need not dwell on the catastrophe of the Parkland, Florida mass murder last week. Such killings have become the new normal in America. In five of the six deadliest mass shootings of the past six years in the United States (Newtown, San Bernardino. Las Vegas. Sutherland Springs, and Parkland) the gunman used an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. This is a weapon that was banned for individual ownership and usage by the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. This 10-year ban was legislatively enacted by a Democratic President, Bill Clinton and a Democratic Congress.

Endorsement of Former Bush Regional Administration Official for the United States EPAHOUSTON, Texas – Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced the endorsement of Alan Steinberg, former Regional Administrator for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the administration of former President George W. Bush. During his time at the EPA, Steinberg made history by having a formerly delisted Superfund site in New Jersey restored to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) – the first time a previously delisted site had been restored."I am thankful to have the support of Mr. Steinberg," said Cruz. "He is a public servant with...