Free Republic

The latest numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show that the U.S. economy grew by 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, and 2.1 percent for 2022. While the White House was quick to take credit for the state of the nation’s economy, they might want to think twice. This latest report should have alarm bells ringing, not trumpets sounding. That’s because economic growth is slowing down. Even the areas which contributed positively to gross domestic product (GDP) are not necessarily signs of prosperity. For example, business investment grew at only 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter,...

The engine of the U.S. economy—consumer spending—is starting to sputter. Retail purchases have fallen in three of the past four months. Spending on services, including rent, haircuts and the bulk of bills, was flat in December, after adjusting for inflation, the worst monthly reading in nearly a year. Sales of existing homes in the U.S. fell last year to their lowest level since 2014 as mortgage rates rose. The auto industry posted its worst sales year in more than a decade.

Inland border patrol checkpoints vital for stemming the tide of drugs and illegal migrants into the country have been closed for months as officers are diverted to admin duties, sources told The Post. The checkpoints are stationed 25 to 100 miles north of the US-Mexico border and act as a second line of defense. Sources explained how once people smugglers or drug runners make it past the international border they start to let their guard slip and an extra checkpoint can often catch them out. Drugs are flowing through Arizona. In October 2022, an Arizona Department of Public Safety traffic...

Space issues have become so acute at the Seattle-King County morgue in Washington state that local officials are considering keeping bodies on gurneys and partnering with local funeral homes for storage as emergency stop-gap measures. “A key indication of just how bad things are … the medical examiner’s office is now struggling with the issue of storing bodies because the fentanyl-related death toll continues to climb,” Seattle-King County Public Health Director Dr. Faisal Khan said at a Board of Health meeting last week, according to KTTH radio. “Obviously, they have finite space in the coolers they use, and that space...

The bloodbath early Monday unfolded in the small town of Goshen at a property well-known to cops as a base for gang and drug activity, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said while announcing a $10,000 reward. At least one of the victims was a member of the Sureño gang who’d been busted days earlier for an illegal stash of drugs and high-powered weapons — but quickly released because of soft bail laws. “It is very clear that this family was a target and that there are gang associations involved as well as drug investigations,” the sheriff said a day after...

At least six people, including a mother and her 6-month-old baby, are dead after an “early morning massacre” Monday that authorities in Goshen, California, said may be related to cartel activity. Deputies who responded to reports of gunfire after 3:30 a.m. Monday found six victims, including two who were in the street and one who was in the doorway of the home where the gunfire erupted, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux told reporters at the scene. The mother, who was 17, and the child were both shot in the head, he said. Among the other victims was at least one man who...

Eversource: On Jan. 1, a residential customer using an average of 600 kWh will see an increase in their bill of approximately 26% compared to December.....The supply portion of your bill, or the cost of electricity (Basic Service), is significantly higher this winter because of record high natural gas prices, which are having the biggest impact on bills. This is especially true in New England where natural gas is used to generate much of the region’s electricity. [see comment]

Buffalo has been plunged into chaos as brazen looters wreak havoc on storefronts amid a historic blizzard that dumped six feet of snow on the northern New York city. It has become the deadliest storm to hit the western part of the state in 50 years, with at least 27 people reported dead as scores of others remain trapped in their houses and cars. Roads in the city remain impassable under several feet of heavy snow, as first responders struggle to reach those who remain trapped days after the storm hit.

A nationwide shoplifting epidemic is crippling the finances of brick-and-mortar retailers, who warn that they may be forced to raise prices or even shutter stores in order to offset tens of billions of dollars in lost inventory. The National Retail Foundation is estimating that it lost $94.5 billion last year due to “shrink” — an industry term that means lost inventory — which is being blamed primarily on shoplifting, according to The Wall Street Journal.

No running water in Jackson. The heat index is 102 degrees. Schools and universities are closed. No way to cook, clean, bathe. This is capital city, and the biggest city in Mississippi. #jxnwatercrisis — Brittany Brown (@isthatbritt) August 30, 2022 Keep voting for republicans and eventually MS can be last in everything. Or at least be proudly neck and neck with KY for the bottom spot. — Michael Cush (@MichaelCush8) August 30, 2022 The city of Jackson is Democrat controlled and has been for many years. They own/operate/maintain the water system. I’m not saying that matters, but the facts matter....

America's fentanyl epidemic has gotten so bad that some morgues are running out of room. From 6,000 synthetic opioid deaths in 2015, to a major jump to more than 63,0000 in 2021, fentanyl is the biggest factor.

Nearly two years after Seattle led the way in defunding the police, the Washington city’s force is so understaffed it did not assign a detective to investigate a single case of a sex assault on an adult last month, according to a report. The depleted department now only has four detectives in the squad handling sex assaults, nearly all dedicated to child abuse cases, local NPR station KUOW revealed.

The sicko who smashed his own feces in a Bronx straphanger’s face joked with cops that “s–t happens” before sneering to a Bronx judge, “F–k you, bitch.” Frank Abrokwa, 37, was busted Monday at his homeless shelter in connection to the Feb. 21 attack. Upon arrest, he made light of the attack, quipping to cops, “S–t happens. Haha. This is a s–tty situation. Haha,” Bronx Assistant District Attorney Grace Phillips said during Abrokwa’s arraignment late Tuesday. Abrokwa — apparently impatient because Brooklyn detectives showed up to arrest him for an unrelated hate crime from September — also made a scene...

Under one party rule, ‘Criminals know how to exploit California’s policies for their gain’. Californians have recently been treated to images of mountains of trash along the Union Pacific rail line in Los Angeles. CBS-LA reporter John Schreiber went to the site and took video of looted packages from Amazon and UPS, prescription drugs, Amazon packages, “unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains.” His videos went viral on social media, and many news reports followed. California Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the site Thursday and helped perform clean up for the cameras. “What has...