Free Republic

It was just a matter of time. Charlie Crist, Florida's former Republican governor who relished the tough-on-crime nickname "Chain Gang Charlie" and used to describe himself variously as a "Ronald Reagan Republican" and "Jeb Bush Republican," on Friday signed papers to become a registered Democrat. He did so Friday evening during a Christmas reception at the White House, where President Barack Obama greeted the news with a fist bump for the man who had a higher profile campaigning for Obama's re-election this year than any Florida Democrat.

A wireless company profiting from the so-called “Obama phone” giveaway program is run by a prominent Democratic donor whose wife has raised more than $1.5 million for the president since 2007. Last week a video of a President Barack Obama supporter in Ohio claiming to have received a free phone from the president—“[Obama] gave us a phone!”—went viral, prompting media outlets to investigate. Since 1985 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has operated a program called Lifeline, originally designed to provide free landline phone service for low-income individuals. The government subsidizes telecommunications firms providing the service, and those firms also pass...

The following signs have emerged that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)--chair of the House Budget Committee, and widely respected pro-life fiscal conservative leader--could be announced as Mitt Romney's choice for Vice President--and sooner rather than later: 1. Ryan has surged on InTrade's prediction market in the past two days, making him the #1 contender ahead of Ohio Senator Rob Portman. 2. Ryan was on vacation in Colorado this week, but appeared at a memorial service today near Milwaukee for victims of Sunday's shootings at a Sikh temple... 3. ...and a mysterious charter plane from Boston to Ryan's hometown of Janesville, WI...

ROMNEY NARROWS VP CHOICES; SURPRISE NAME EMERGES AS FRONTRUNNER

America has a 9% unemployment rate, but the Department of Homeland Security, instead of hiring US citizens to assist in rounding up undocumented aliens and shipping them home, has chosen to authorize employing people who shouldn't be here in the first place. The Department of Homeland Security, headed up Janet Napolitano and in cooperation with the White House, has chosen to reward illegals with paychecks that could otherwise be going to Americans who are unemployed. According to Napolitano, DHS apparently sanctions and authorizes hiring foreigners who flout the law, citing "prosecutorial discretion" as the excuse.

The body of a missing Midland man has been located. Family members of Seth Thompson have confirmed his body was recovered in Eaton County, that's about 20 miles from Lansing. The 83-year-old man was last seen in June leaving Midland for Lansing with a suspicious man who owed him money. We have put in several calls to Midland police and the Eaton County sheriff's department but they are not releasing any details.

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WASHINGTON—The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation today announced it will assume responsibility for the pension plans of 70,000 workers and retirees of Delphi Corp., the nation’s largest producer of automotive parts. The PBGC will initiate action to become trustee of the plans, a process that could last up to several months.

WASHINGTON—The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation today announced it will assume responsibility for the pension plans of 70,000 workers and retirees of Delphi Corp., the nation’s largest producer of automotive parts. The PBGC will initiate action to become trustee of the plans, a process that could last up to several months.

NEW YORK (AP) — A bankruptcy judge says Delphi can stop paying for health care and insurance benefits for its retired salaried workers. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain on Tuesday provisionally approved the auto supplier's request to cut off the benefits effective April 1. But he says the 15,000 affected retirees can form a committee to investigate if they have the right to negotiate with the company. The committee will present its findings at a March 11 hearing. Troy, Mich.-based Delphi Corp. has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since 2005. It says it needs to cut off the...

Cute Sarah WINK video. http://www.buzzfeed.com/jonah/sarah-palin-wink?w=1

Secretary Rumsfeld to Commemorate September 11 Attacks Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense will commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Cemetery on Saturday, September 11 at 9:30 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the cemetery's group memorial marker in memory of the 184 Pentagon and Flight 77 victims. The ceremony will include a moment of silence at 9:37 a.m. Registration is required by noon on September 10 for all reporters and photographers interested in covering the ceremony. For more details, call Sgt. 1st Class James Campbell at (202) 685-6112. Later in...

The last part of the article: It is more than a rumor that Bush will return to the state for the NASCAR race at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon on Sept. 19. He is scheduled to attend the start of the race — with its 100,000 spectators — before going to another event. And we can expect television advertising to intensify. The Kerry campaign just purchased $50 million in national ads, mostly for the 20 battleground states, and new ads begin airing this week. The Bush campaign will also begin a new round soon.

We currently home our internet homepage with Yahoo. It has lots of convenient news (stock market, sports, politics, etc) but we are sick and tired of the liberal stant on all of the news. Any recommendations? Thanks.