Free Republic

mistrust of government is as old as America itself. America was born out of mistrust of government. The revolution that was fought in the 1770s and 1780s was won in the minds of Colonists in the mid-1760s when the British imposed the Stamp Act and used writs of assistance to enforce it. The Stamp Act required all people in the Colonies to have government-sold stamps on all documents in their possession, and writs of assistance permitted search warrants written by British troops in which they authorized themselves to enter private homes ostensibly to look for the stamps. These two pieces...

"The enemy is the United States of America and everyone who supports it." That's taught to University of Hawaii students by Professor Haunani-Kay Trask. Richard Falk, professor emeritus at Princeton University and the U.N. Human Rights Council's Palestine monitor, explained the Boston bombings by saying, "The American global domination project is bound to generate all kinds of resistance in the post-colonial world." Professor Falk has also stated that President George W. Bush ordered the destruction of the twin towers. University of Southern California professor Darry Sragow preaches hate to his students in his regulation of elections and political finance class,...

hey do not like conservatives very much. In fact, they come to an immediate boil when we enter their admittedly limited range of perception. It all began back in the 1960s when radical thought gained a footing with American liberals. By 2012, the left, led by their leader, the improbable president Barack Obama, completely took over the Democratic Party. These people are not like the liberals, who, while condescending to conservatives, did not hate us. These left-wingers really do hate us. That is why not much in the way of compromise can be achieved in Congress. I know we are...

Keeping straight all the scandals, cover-ups, obfuscations and excuses for massive DOJ document seizures that are occurring during the watch of the administration that replaced the Bush era with unprecedented levels of transparency and rule of law does tend to be confusing. However, if these guys aren’t careful, at some point they might accidentally start talking about a scandal that the public doesn’t yet know about: At Rep. Steny Hoyer’s weekly meeting with reporters on Tuesday, the Maryland Democrat was asked if he was concerned about the DOJ seizing phone records from Associated Press journalists working in the House press...

In 2003, American soldiers stepped into a bunker in Iraq that was filled with drums, each of which was labeled with a chemical warning in Arabic, along with the international chemical-warning symbol. In May 2004, American soldiers in Iraq, as publicly reported by multiple news agencies, including NBC, were attacked using an improvised explosive device that contained the nerve agent sarin. Artillery shells containing a mustard agent were also found in Iraq in 2004. These are easily discoverable facts, not fantasy. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both define the sarin nerve agent as...

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY is being redefined in America, or at least many would like it to be. Our secular establishment wants to reduce the autonomy of religious institutions and limit the influence of faith in the public square. The reason is not hard to grasp. In America, “religion” largely means Christianity, and today our secular culture views orthodox Christian churches as troublesome, retrograde, and reactionary forces. They’re seen as anti-science, anti-gay, and anti-women—which is to say anti-progress as the Left defines progress. Not surprisingly, then, the Left believes society will be best served if Christians are limited in their influence on...

During World War II, the U.S. government needed to raise cash — and fast. A team of experts that included an obscure young economist named Milton Friedman came up with income tax withholding. It was, as one senator put it, the best way to “get the greatest amount of money with the least amount of squawks.” Friedman, who would go on to become the high priest of the free market and small government, eventually appreciated the irony of that statement. He didn’t regret suggesting withholding as a wartime measure, but he spent the rest of his life lamenting its longevity...

The Rush Limbaugh Program is considering ending its affiliation agreement with Cumulus Media at the end of this year, a move that would bring about one of the biggest shakeups in talk radio history, a source close to the show tells POLITICO. Should the move take place, 40 Cumulus-owned radio stations would lose the rights to the most popular talk radio program in the country. In addition, the show might be picked up by competing regional radio stations in Washington, New York, Chicago, Dallas and other major markets. According to the source, Limbaugh is considering the move because Cumulus CEO...

For years, I’ve warned about the GOP’s Grover Norquist problem. Just last week, he was front and center at the Gang of 8′s amnesty press conference — despite longtime concerns expressed on this blog and by national security advocates and activists about his dangerous Islamist alliances and progressive proclivities. Now we learn that Norquist’s convicted terrorist pal and former funder, Abdurahman Alamoudi, was the first president of the radical mosque attended by the Boston bomber brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Alamoudi, as I’ve documented repeatedly here, provided seed money to Norquist’s Muslim outreach effort during the Bush years.

The first time? I remember that as if it were yesterday, even if it’s now 33 years’ worth of yesterdays ago. That was the evening of Friday, Feb. 22, 1980, and I was 13 years old, in the seventh grade, and I was working the scoreboard at West Hempstead High School for an evening filled with CYO basketball games. You could hear the buzz first, and it moved slowly around the old gym on Nassau Boulevard, because there was no texting and no tweeting and no email and no cell phones, just old-fashioned word of mouth, person to person, row...

World religions differ greatly in their individual beliefs, practices and traditions. But the one thing that they all share is the Ethic of Reciprocity, or the Golden rule as it is commonly known. Here is a list of several religious traditions’ version of the universal rule. Bahá’í Faith: "Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not." "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." Baha’u'llah "And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself." Epistle...

Religious affiliation in the United States is at its lowest point since it began to be tracked in the 1930s, according to analysis of newly released survey data by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Duke University. Last year, one in five Americans claimed they had no religious preference, more than double the number reported in 1990. Fewer Americans affiliated with an organized religion, survey shows UC Berkeley sociologists Mike Hout and Claude Fischer , along with Mark Chaves of Duke University, analyzed data on religious attitudes as part of the General Social Survey, a highly cited biannual...

I remember that early in the Iraq war, the New York Times tried to embarrass the Bush Administration by publishing an article saying that our troops had lost some WMDs they were guarding. I've been looking for that article and several searches have not located it. Does anyone else remember that? Why can't I find it? Has the Times stricken it? Does anyone know where I might locate it?

LA Weekly on Tuesday published a story about a rumored purchase of the Tribune Company by the Koch Brothers. As you might imagine, this has gotten great attention in the media world: The latest rumor about the next owner of the L.A. Times, which is for sale, is a doozy. A bombshell. It's a doozy wrapped in a bombshell exploding inside a Drudge siren. Multiple sources tell L.A. Weekly that Charles and David Koch -- the infamous right-wing billionaire brothers -- are considering an offer on either the Tribune Co. newspaper group, which includes the L.A. Times, the Chicago Tribune...

Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly, who is writing an upcoming book titled “Killing Jesus,” proclaimed on his program Wednesday night that “a lot of the Bible is allegorical,” and the New Testament Gospels contradict themselves. O’Reilly made the remarks during an interview with “Touched by an Angel” star Roma Downey and her husband Mark Burnett, executive producers of “The Bible” TV miniseries which begins this Sunday night on the History Channel.

Memo to the Republican Establishment: the phrase "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight" does not mean "come unarmed."

The recent leak of a Department of Justice white paper on the legal justification for the use of drones to execute American citizens abroad accused of terrorism raises some very important constitutional and moral issues. Politicians should not decide the crime and the punishment for American citizens here or abroad. A trial by jury with a judge is a right to be prized by American citizens. Now, if you join al Qaeda, bear arms and attack U.S. forces, no one will argue that you still have a right to a trial. In the heat of battle, everyone understands that those...

During Rush's program in a commercial break, I heard an ad for Shari's Berries. I thought that they were one of the sponsors who dropped Rush during the Sandra Fluke controversy and he was not letting those sponsors come back. (I am under the impression that Carbonite is another.) Has Rush let them sponsor him again or was that a local ad trying to circumvent him?

Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling’s decision Wednesday to drop his bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination paves the way for a battle royale between Republican state Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe — a campaign that could be radically altered if Mr. Bolling follows through on hints he might pursue an independent run. Such a move would turn on its head a race that’s already ensured a national audience thanks to Virginia’s tradition of holding gubernatorial elections in odd years and would also test the loyalties of many within the party hungry...

Given Tuesday's results, why don't we just be honest about this and make this song the National Anthem? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEEy615Jzg4

Is anyone else having trouble with the search mechanism? I can't get it to work.

Nearing Election Day, the presidential race is tight. A strong performance in debate has eased concerns about the challenger’s fitness, and the incumbent is hobbled by a weak economy. But the public still seems split. That’s the story now — but it was the story in 1980, too, when Ronald Reagan went on to win 44 states and President Jimmy Carter carried just 41 percent of the popular vote. In other words, this seeming tie is what it looks like when an incumbent president is heading for defeat. President Obama’s strategy also resembles that of Carter, who sought to discredit...

“The Savage Nation” will return to the air via Cumulus Media Networks Oct. 23, Michael Savage’s new syndicator announced today. The show, formerly in the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time slot, now will air from 9 p.m. to midnight Eastern, Monday through Friday, Cumulus said.

Apparently, Facebook approved a “Kill Mitt Romney” page that was put up and left up over 17 days. I pointed out that Twitter followed a similar example in the George Zimmerman case a few months ago. The description for the page indicates its purpose, which is a directly threat on the life of Mitt Romney stating, “This is a page advocating the murder of Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.” What’s even more disturbing is the page had 30 likes!

On his way out to commercial break at 3:24 p.m. Eastern, Studio B host Shep Smith noted that August 1 is "National Badminton Day," and quipped "Forget National Day of Intolerance, let's just stay with badminton."

When Rep. Tim Ryan recently published a book touting the benefits of a meditative practice known as mindfulness, the Ohio Democrat had a target audience: anyone and everyone suffering from chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, information overload. In other words, himself. His co-workers. Oh, and pretty much the rest of America, too.

In the Palestinian village of Beit Jala, an older generation of Aramaic speakers is trying to share the language with their grandchildren. Beit Jala sits next to Bethlehem, where the New Testament says Jesus was born. And in the Arab-Israeli village of Jish, nestled in the Galilean hills where Jesus lived and preached, elementary school children now are being instructed in Aramaic. The children belong mostly to the Maronite Christian community, where members still chant their liturgy in Aramaic, though few understand the prayers. “We want to speak the language that Jesus spoke,” said Carla Hadad, a 10-year-old Jish girl...

If there's anyone who should be familiar with the kind of throwback, old-school baseball Cole Hamels discussed after intentionally hitting Nationals rookie Bryce Harper with a pitch Sunday night, it's Tigers manager Jim Leyland. Leyland, a baseball lifer, has managed in 3,203 games since 1986 -- when Hamels was just 3. But even Leyland's joining the chorus of critics displeased by Hamels' actions. During his regular pregame radio show Monday night, he characterized Hamels' five-game suspension as being "way too light," and, according to MLB.com, suggested 15 games would have been more appropriate.

Josh Hamilton tied a Major League record when he hit four home runs against the Orioles on Tuesday night, and Netali Feliz allowed one run over six innings as the Rangers won their second straight with a 10-3 victory at Camden Yards. Hamilton is the 16th Major League player to hit four in one game and the first since Carlos Delgado did it on Sept. 25, 2003, for the Toronto Blue Jays. He also set an American League record with 18 total bases. He had a double in his other at-bat to tie a Major League record for extra-base hits....

Great expose of Etch a Sketch's record.

An excellent organization helping to preserve our founding principles, particularly appropriate on this anniversary.

Listen my children and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend, "If the British march By land or sea from the town to-night, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light,-- One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the...

As I anticipated, “the elitist machinations of the sham party system are predictably moving America toward another false choice between an avowed socialist Democrat and a prevaricating socialist Republican.” The “lesser evil” approach guarantees the triumph of wrong. So in choosing between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama we are like the cornered target of the hit man who says, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” The fatal outcome is inevitable in either case. Obama’s way takes us to domineering socialism along a path that moves more openly and harshly against right, conscience and property. Romney’s...

It’s interesting how things work. Recently, I got a link across the transom to the story of Ken Kirby, a 52-year-old police officer who had a massive heart attack and rushed to the hospital. When he got there, he had no heart beat. He was dead. Apparently, Officer Kirby and his wife had been fighting a lot in the time just before that. She was distraught, of course. Having no other treatments to offer, the emergency room staff turned to prayer. Well, 45 minutes after his arrival, Ken Kirby recovered. He was back from the dead. This police officer, a...

For years, Alexis Beery, 15, relied on daily doses of an incredibly potent inhalant and injections of adrenaline just to stay alive. Now she and her similarly sick twin brother, Noah, have gone from racing to the ER on a regular basis to racing to high-school track and volleyball practice — thanks to treatment designed specifically for their unique genetic makeup. Gene-specific treatments have been used for years for a handful of diseases. Women with breast cancer who are found to carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, for instance, can undergo a regimen tailored for that specific gene mutation....

There is a war against women. It is something comparatively new in our national life, and we have to start noticing it. It is not a "Republican war on women." It has nothing to do with White House attempts to paint conservative efforts to protect religious liberty as a war against women's rights to contraceptives. That is a mischievous fiction, and the president's polls this week suggest it isn't working. Good. But the real war is against women in American public life, in politics and media most obviously, but in other spheres as well. In this war, leaders who are...

Viewing an exhibition of children’s art in 1956, Pablo Picasso said, “When I was the age of these children, I could draw like Raphael. It took me many years to learn how to draw like these children.” These two factors — persistent hard work plus the liberating effect of a feeling of childhood — are among two critical ingredients scientists have discovered in creativity. In one experiment mentioned in Jonah Lehrer’s superb new book “Imagine,” a group of people were asked what they would do if they were 7 years old, had a day off and were free to do...

Major League Baseball has expanded its pool of postseason teams to 10 -- up from four just 19 years ago -- and next year will re-align into 15-team leagues that make for at least one interleague series all season long. But the biggest change of all may be around the next corner: the end of baseball as it was originally designed. "I would be shocked if 10 years from now there's not a DH in both leagues," said one influential baseball source.

When an individual passes away, regardless of his of her ideological positions, one would expect he or she would receive respect. In the case of new media mogul Andrew Breitbart, who died early in the morning on Thursday, there has been a surge of vile commentary spewing across the Twitterverse. From comparisons to Hitler to individuals tweeting that they are content the pundit has passed, the messages are disturbing at best.

A wonderful, inspirational speech from the newly elected Spiritual Leader of Centers for Spiritual Living, Dr. Kenn Gordon. This is very powerful. Enjoy!

Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and the super PAC accepting million-dollar contributions to support him are barred by law from coordinating, yet they share many of the same top-level workers, a fact both groups have helped mask by paying high-level aides through companies that appear to exist largely as conduits to avoid disclosure. Months before a top Romney aide, Steve C. Roche, stopped working for the campaign, a company controlled by Mr. Roche was established and has since been paid $2 million by the super PAC, with a million-dollar check coming just three days after the last money publicly disbursed to...

The Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the conservative movement.

A great Lenten resource.

Ron Paul treats conservatives the same way Romney does: ignore us, demean us, insult us, then demand that we support him.

Peter LaBarbera of "Americans for Truth About Homosexuality," designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-gay hate group, pondered on Twitter today whether Fred Phelps is a "gay plant," apparently staged by liberals trying to evoke sympathy for gays. "Was that serious question about Fred Phelps? Really?" asked "AllHeavens" in a reply Tweet. As of this writing, there's no answer from LaBarbera. Phelps is pastor and founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, known for its "protests" at military funerals and other events where church members parade their "God hates fags" and "God hates America" and "God hates Sweden"...

A wonderful song and video, and appropriate to the day.

As Ben Domenech notes in his Transom, Mitt Romney’s advisors have now advised him to support “a $2 gas tax, a VAT, and open Taliban talks.” Add to that list not repealing Obamacare. Norm Coleman, an advisor to Romney, went on record saying We’re not going to do repeal. You’re not going to repeal Obamacare… It’s not a total repeal… You will not repeal the act in its entirety, but you will see major changes, particularly if there is a Republican president… You can’t whole-cloth throw it out.

A. Mitt Romney has stated his chief political mentor was his father, George Romney. B. George Romney, a steadfast progressive, credited Saul Alinsky, met with him, and recommended his work. A+B = Mitt Romney’s chief political mentor was a steadfast progressive who credited Saul Alinsky, met with him, and recommended his work.

In fact, Romney increased taxes by $309 million, mainly on corporations. These tax hikes, described by Romney apologists as loophole closures, totaled $128 million in 2003, $95.5 in 2004, and $85 million in 2005. That final year, Romney proposed $170 million in higher business taxes, the Boston Globe reports. However, the Bay State's liberal, Democratic legislature balked and only approved an $85 million increase. Tax rates on many corporations almost doubled because of legislation supported by Romney, Boston Science Corporation chairman Peter Nicholas explained in Jan. 6, 2008's Boston Herald. Also, from 5.3 to 9.8 percent, Romney raised the tax...

Really? Well over half of Americans are angry enough to want the monstrosity repealed. I am beginning to wonder if Romney is trying to throw the race to Newt Gingrich.