Free Republic

During Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s incapacity, we learned that her office was running as usual. So was Sen. Fetterman’s office. Staffers went on issuing press releases, taking positions and co-sponsoring bills on their behalf. Senator Feinstein just introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 to mandate abortion nationwide while outlawing state restrictions on late-term abortion when babies can feel pain… but Feinstein isn’t really introducing or sponsoring bills, her staffers, who announced her retirement without her knowing about it, are legislating in her name.This is routine. Our government isn’t run by elected officials. And sometimes the elected officials aren’t even...

Conservative MP Martin Shields is ringing the alarm bells after it was revealed that the RCMP and Trudeau’s other intelligence agencies are using spyware to spy on elected officials. ... Shields said that the Ethics Committee has been meeting over the last two days to discuss the recent revelation that the RCMP uses spyware to monitor Canadians — even elected Members of Parliament — through their devices. “What is spyware? Spyware is a technology that’s recently been developed in the last few years; even Canadian companies are developing it. It allows someone who’s using spyware to be able to turn...

Oh no they didn’t, oh YES THEY DID! What a novel idea, standing up for the constitution and giving the finger to elected officials that are trampling it. For example, closing my Fing business or telling me I can’t go to church UNCONSTITUTIONAL! https://twitter.com/Godwins1234/status/1328460873208393740

Most world governments have historically given way to tyranny when allowed to seize too much control over their people. However, American citizens, accustomed to unprecedented freedom, will only endure a “long train of abuses” for so long. When the federal government behaves more like a king and master than a servant by plundering fundamental rights through unjust laws, decrees, or bureaucratic policies, it is the duty of state and local officials to stand against it. For this very reason, America’s Framers established the essential principle of “dual jurisdiction.” According to the 10th Amendment, the bulk of governmental authority is retained...

If you've been paying attention to politics for any length of time you've probably noticed that there are several different types of elected officials. Not just in terms of partisanship or ideology, but in the sense of how active or vocal they are. If you've ever done any lobbying, you've noticed a difference in how reliable they are in terms of their vote and how hard you have to work to nail them down. Here's a shorthand way to categorize elected officials: Hopeless: These are the guys (and gals) that are so far on the other side of the street...

LAWBREAKERS, LAWMAKERS: In some parts of Chicago, violent street gangs and pols quietly trade money and favors for mutual gain. The thugs flourish, the elected officials thrive—and you lose. ... both law enforcement and gang sources say, is that some politicians ignore the gangs’ criminal activities. Some go so far as to protect gangs from the police, tipping them off to impending raids or to surveillance activities—in effect, creating safe havens in their political districts. And often they chafe at backing tough measures to stem gang activities, advocating instead for superficial solutions that may garner good press but have little...

In her latest run-in with Houston firefighters, Councilwoman Jolanda Jones drew a flurry of criticism over the weekend after she allegedly used obscene language and suggested that firefighters were lazy during a fire station visit on Friday. Jeff Caynon, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, said Jones made offensive remarks to firefighters while visiting Station 8 downtown Friday. Caynon was told Jones also commented on the facility, suggesting that it was too nice. Jones did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but a spokesman said the allegations were false, although he did not comment on whether profanity...

First, time for prayers for all who were killed and injured today, and their families and loved ones. The cost of providing 7 x 24 US Marshall protection on a per Elected Official basis with training, insurance, retirement contribution, cars, OT etc. is unlikely to exceed $400k/yr for each officer.Assuming it take a crew of 5 (1 Armed and awake officer at all times, 2 or 3 for special events) to protect each ELECTED US Office Holder that would add up to about $2mil/yr for each of them.Total cost to the taxpayer inclusive of admin, offices, training ground etc would...

In a day and age when elected officials in Washington, D.C., seem to be treating the American people more like turkeys than bosses, I offer this Thanksgiving Day cartoon as representative of how many Americans feel on this special day.

WE’RE NOT LED BY THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST: US elected officials scored abysmally on a test measuring their civic knowledge, with an average grade of just 44 percent, the group that organized the exam said Thursday. Ordinary citizens did not fare much better, scoring just 49 percent correct on the 33 exam questions compiled by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI). “It is disturbing enough that the general public failed ISI’s civic literacy test, but when you consider the even more dismal scores of elected officials, you have to be concerned,” said Josiah Bunting, chairman of the National Civic Literacy...

Face Off: Putting name and face on official material amounts to back-door electioneering Clint Bolick, Goldwater Institute Daily Email January 22, 2008 The Arizona Republic quotes Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas as saying criticisms of his office spending millions of taxpayer dollars on publications and advertising bearing his name and photo are the product of “an alliance of politicians and critics in the media who oppose my policies on illegal immigration.” Not true. Thomas has done some great things as County Attorney. But when I go to the movies, I don’t want to see his face on the screen, knowing...

THE LAW IS THE LAW So if the US government determines that it is against the law for the words 'under God' to be on our money, then, so be it. And if that same government decides that the Ten Commandments are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be it. I say, so be it, because I would like to be a law abiding US citizen. I say, so be it, because I would like to think that smarter people than me are in positions to make good decisions. I would like to think...

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/NEWS01/71012022/1002 Cannot be posted due to copyright issues.

A Vallejo woman indicted for allegedly running a prostitution ring in the nation's capital has turned over phone records of thousands of clients to ABC News as part of an interview that is to air next month, her civil attorney said Monday. Deborah Jeane Palfrey, 50, was interviewed by ABC News several weeks ago, the network confirmed Monday. The network did not pay Palfrey for the interview, which is to run on "20/20" beginning May 4, according to ABC News and Palfrey's attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley. Palfrey has hinted that well-known people in Washington were among her clients from 1993...

Top elected officials in California who leave office in January could be eligible for lifetime pension benefits based on a salary they had earned for only about four weeks. The oddity would apply to Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, for example, if he loses to Republican Steve Poizner in his current campaign to become insurance commissioner. Claude Parrish, currently a Board of Equalization member, also could benefit from the pension sweetener if he is defeated in the Nov. 7 election for state treasurer, state records show. --snip-- The potential windfall stems from a little-known provision in state law coupled with...

Marie St. Fleur was a candidate for lieutenant governor for less than 24 hours before she had to drop out over unpaid taxes...leaving voters to ask how a key player in crafting the state budget could make such a mess of her own checkbook. It is a question Massachusetts voters have asked themselves before. Massachusetts, dubbed "Taxachusetts" years ago for its tax-happy ways, seems to churn out scofflaw lawmakers unable or unwilling to pay their own taxes on time. It did not take long for another candidate to reveal that he, too, has had tax problems. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval...

After Rep. David Graves was charged with drunken driving for a second time, he and his lawyer offered a surprising defense: As a lawmaker, Graves cannot break the law — at least not while the Legislature is at work. The Macon Republican is using an obscure provision in the state constitution to argue that he should not be prosecuted for a DUI he received in Cobb County in February, during the 2005 session of the General Assembly. The centuries-old provision holds that a lawmaker cannot be arrested during sessions of the General Assembly, legislative committee meetings or while they're "in...

<p>FBI agents leave Cheetah's in Las Vegas after the raid Wednesday.</p> <p>LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- Dozens of FBI agents conducted raids in two states as part of a public corruption probe seeking information about strip club owners and their possible involvement with elected officials.</p>

Shutdown and Shakedown Every so often, a true politician is born; someone with natural verbal finesse and a brilliant ability to manipulate minds with elaborate speech. These people effortlessly gain blind followers who remain loyal and trusting, even if they don't understand all the facts. With dedication and hard work, a person of this caliber is a sure success as a supposed leader. Although a person such as this is clearly a natural in politics, this description doesn't evaluate character, simply ability. Two names that come to mind are Senator Tom Daschle (D, South Dakota) and Jesse Jackson. Senator Daschle...