Free Republic

As headlines about the frosty relationship between China and the United States are dominated by spy balloons, Taiwan and botched attempts at diplomacy, commanders in the Pentagon are increasingly worried by a more insidious threat: Beijing's growing stronghold on Latin America. From tens of billions of dollars in funding for key infrastructure projects across the region to its own secretive, military-run space station in Argentina that could target American satellites, China's presence has grown. Some 21 countries in Latin America are signed up to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative - a defining policy introduced by President Xi Jinping in 2013...

The “HeGetsUs” Christian campaign does not want to take a stance on abortion, claiming the issue has proven too divisive and loses sight of Jesus. “The debate over abortion is a great example of how the real Jesus too often gets lost, overlooked or distorted in debates over political and social issues,” a spokesperson for HeGetsUs told Fox News. […] “HeGetsUs” saw a spike in interest after purchasing two advertisements during the 2023 Superbowl game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. […] The $20 million advertising campaign, funded in part by the family behind religious craft store chain...

Lithuania has extended the blockade on goods heading for Kaliningrad sanctioned by the EU to also include road transports and not just rail. The U.S. has announced that it is backing Lithuania in its spat with Russia over the blockade.

According to Mattel: “This meditation-themed doll celebrates one of her favorite ways to recharge using lights and sound — mindfulness meditation. The set comes with a Barbie doll, a puppy and four cloud emojis. Kids simply press the button in Barbie doll’s necklace to activate one of five guided meditation exercises that use light and sound effects to inspire their own practice. “Her puppy helps her visualize — insert one of the cloud emojis into its head to represent a meditative thought bubble, then switch it up for new meditation inspiration. The puppy helps Barbie doll focus with visualization: place...

BREAKING: Taiwan defense ministry says 9 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defense identification zone

Rep. Peter Meijer (R–Mich.), the Republican successor to the retiring Libertarian Justin Amash, has had quite the week. On Sunday, the 32-year-old Iraq/Afghanistan veteran and supermarket heir was sworn into office. On Tuesday, he joined a dozen GOP lawmakers, including such Amash-pals as Reps. Thomas Massie (R–Ky.) and Chip Roy (R–Texas), in objecting to Republican attempts to delay or oppose the certification of Joe Biden as president-elect. ("To unconstitutionally insert Congress into the center of the presidential election process — would amount to stealing power from the people and the states," they wrote.) And on Wednesday? "Definitely didn't expect to...

Pop star Taylor Swift said the Soros Family is driven by “shameless greed in the time of coronavirus” over their role in the digital release of an unapproved album composed of a live radio show performance she did in 2008. The left-wing singer shredded Soros and power manager Scooter Braun in a lengthy Instagram message. “Hey Guys – I want to thank my fans for making me aware that my former record label is putting out an “album” of live performances of mine tonight. This recording is from a 2008 radio show performance I did when I was 18. Big...

Apologize for such a short vanity, but I want to express a thought that is distressing me a lot: In the era of Obama, I worried about new and restrictive gun control laws, and none came. Yet... In the era of Trump, I was sure new and restrictive gun control laws would not come, but now I have to worry about them. It boggles the mind.

Mike Bost, a Republican member of the Illinois general assembly from Murphysboro, unleashed an explosive tirade on the Democratic-led legislative body for repeatedly bringing pension reform bills to a vote before giving lawmakers a chance to read them.

Adam Carolla is definitely not a fan of the government. Whether he’s sitting down with Reason Magazine to rant, or going off on Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), he’s made it clear that he wants to be left alone. Carolla, the host of the Adam Carolla Show (which is a podcast available on iTunes), and former host of “The Man Show,” “Crankyankers” and “Loveline,” showed his detest for unions with a profanity laced tirade, NSFW language after the jump.

I have been watching an interesting phenomenon on the right, which is beginning to cause me concern. I am referring to the over-the-top hysteria in response to the first months in office of our new president, which distinctly reminds me of the "Bush is Hitler" crowd on the left. Conservatives, please. Let's not duplicate the manias of the left as we figure out how to deal with President Obama. He is not exactly the antichrist, although a disturbing number of people on the right are convinced he is. I have recently received commentaries that claim that "Obama's speeches are unlike...

The Argentine Government’s move to take private pensions into “protective custody” comes at a time when the U.S. Congress is considering similar action with regard to Americans’ 401k and IRA retirement accounts. The 401k and IRA programs allow individuals to put a portion of their income into investments that could later be drawn upon to supplement pensions from Social Security and employers. U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee hailed the Argentine approach as a “beacon for us to follow. By socializing these funds, Argentina has overcome the key deficiencies of private pensions. And...

I've been asked to start you this week...those who normally do this..... can't...so you got me. I haven't even looked at the news ...but my coffee is very good this morning....so get a cup and lets get this show rolling.

President & Mrs. Bush are spending the weekend at Camp David. The President called the governors of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia this morning to discuss preparations for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Hanna. On the second day of his visit to the Ukraine Vice President Cheney met with President Viktor Yushchenko and other officials. (Transcript) President Yushchenko: Your Excellency, Mr. Vice President, and your colleagues, this is a great honor for me on behalf of Ukraine to welcome the U.S. Vice President Richard Cheney for the visit to Ukraine … Vice President Cheney: I appreciate your kind words and hospitality. And...

Let's let all the Freeper who are panicking use THIS thread so they won't be cluttering up the OTHER THREADS.