Free Republic

Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) preferred plan for Ukraine: let the market fix it. The Texas Republican wouldn’t commit to voting for aid for the country fending off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s army — or say whether there would need to be a financial offset to get his support — but argued that neither this nor conservative calls for military exercises are the right approach. Instead, Cruz argued for immediately passing a new free trade treaty with Ukraine and “looking at existing treaties between the United States and Russia, and considering abrogating those treaties.” “More important than aid is expanding economic...

President Obama promised Friday there would be “costs” if Russia moved troops into Ukraine, but he didn’t specify what those costs might be. Sen. John McCain has several suggestions for Obama, including the sanctioning of high-level Russian officials; restarting missile defense plans in Eastern Europe; and bringing Georgia, a former Soviet republic, into NATO. McCain said he plans to push from the Congressional side, he told The Daily Beast in an exclusive interview Saturday evening. McCain wants the administration to expand its threat to pull out of the G8 Summit in Sochi scheduled for June. That limited move is unlikely...

Tancred has really done some good work today, digging up some very relevant info for all Catholics to consider and pray about. The latest involves the Indian Supreme Court vacating a lower court judgment making homosexual acts legal in India. The court’s decision means homosexual acts remain illegal, as they have been throughout the world for hundreds of years, until recently. This decision should be seen by Catholics as something of a small victory. But, a member of the group of 8 “super” cardinals advising Pope Francis, a Cardinal Gracias, was not pleased. According to Asianews and the German site...

While many waited for Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke to take the weight of the world markets on his Ivy League shoulders by declaring QE-4EVR-LOL!, the real economists at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco came up with a more detailed explanation for the poor, dragging, sluggish U.S. economy. What they found will astonish you. And yes, this is a true story. “[D]espite all the attention federal spending cuts and sequestration have received,” wrote Brian Lucking and Daniel Wilson in the FRBSF Economic Letter, “our calculations suggest they are not the main contributors to this projected drag [on U.S....

While many waited for Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke to take the weight of the world markets on his Ivy League shoulders by declaring QE-4EVR-LOL!, the real economists at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco came up with a more detailed explanation for the poor, dragging, sluggish U.S. economy. What they found will astonish you. And yes, this is a true story. “[D]espite all the attention federal spending cuts and sequestration have received,” wrote Brian Lucking and Daniel Wilson in the FRBSF Economic Letter, “our calculations suggest they are not the main contributors to this projected drag [on U.S....

The president, it seems, committed a minor gaffe during this week's G-8 meetings in Northern Ireland. According to the Financial Times, the stumble came during a discussion of tax avoidance issues, when Barack Obama thrice interrupted the British chancellor of the exchequer in order to say he agreed with "Jeffrey." The chancellor's name is George Osborne. Obama later apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favorite R&B singer." The U.S. leader was referring to Jeffrey Osborne, the soulful crooner responsible for "On the Wings of Love." But is Osborne really the favorite that Obama claims?...

“You’re their proof of what is possible — because hope is contagious.” Boy, tell me about it. Do you know what else is contagious? Bubonic plague, cholera, leprosy, small pox…as a rule, it’s best to stay away from contagious things. It’s unclear at this point if Bitchy Resting Face is classified as a contagious disease. Anyway, Big Guy and TOTUS gave one of their signature, rousing reads in Belfast before moving on to the G8 meeting where he continued his charm offensive, which may be losing its edge a bit: “I said you could keep the damn ring.” Meanwhile,...

(Vatican Radio) Money, politics and economics must serve, not rule. They must serve people and promote an ethics of truth. This was the thread running through Pope Francis Letter to the British Prime Minister on the eve of the G8 Summit.The Holy Father's Letter was in response to one sent by David Cameron ahead of the Northern Ireland summit which gathers togther the leaders of the 8 most powerful nations in the world to the banks of Lough Erne. Listen: In his letter, Pope Francis praises the priorities on the agenda of the British G8 Presidency: the free international...

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama will meet British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House on Monday to discuss Syria and the G8 summit next month in Northern Ireland, officials said. "The prime minister's visit underscores the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom that has been crucial in advancing our shared security and prosperity," a White House statement said. The statement said that in addition to Syria and the G8, the talks would include discussion on trade and economic cooperation and counterterrorism measures. The Cameron visit will take place as Washington seeks to build momentum...

Four words: it’s all about me They came from all over the world, Norway, Turkey, Croatia France and Albania, to accompany Lady M on a tour of a youth center on the South Side side of Chicago (where Lady M herself grew up, in case you’re from Croatia or somewhere). MO wanted to show the NATO spouses that - just like in their countries - America has poor, underprivileged children too. The only difference is that here, since the Wons took over, we take care of our underprivileged youths. matchy, matchy; matchy, matchy

- FrontPage Magazine - http://frontpagemag.com - ‘Nonviolence’ Explodes in ChicagoPosted By Matthew Vadum On May 21, 2012 @ 12:55 am In Daily Mailer,FrontPage | No Comments The NATO summit in Chicago has produced an impressive list of arrests for demonstrations officially billed by the Left and the compliant mainstream media as “nonviolent.” Some of the alleged pacifists conspired to maim and kill Americans.The wave of violence unleashed by the Obama-endorsed Occupy Wall Street movement and other elements of the activist Left in recent weeks is part of what left-wingers are calling the “99% Spring.” The actions, which are being cheered...

CAMP DAVID, Md. — Leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations opened the door Saturday to more government spending in Europe as way to revive the continent’s struggling economy, shifting away from the idea that the surest way to recovery was through strict fiscal austerity. Meeting at the Group of Eight summit at Camp David, President Obama and his fellow leaders said they were committed foremost to creating jobs and growth, a shift, at least in emphasis, from previous gatherings dominated by German efforts to reduce high government debt through drastic fiscal reform. In a joint statement, the leaders of eight...

Four words: Champagne socialists, caviar dreams Who is that little man at the “head” of the round table? King Arthur? Gatsby? Dmitry? Maybe it’s Angie – who followed his advice and fought not just for a “seat at the table” butt “the head seat” – as BO instructed the Barnard graduates to do. No, silly, that’s Big Guy! The leader of the free world! You can tell that he’s the one holding court because he has his elbows on the table, with his hands clasped together in that imperialist stately way of his. This is the dinner party on Friday...

Leaders of eight of the world's largest economies are meeting at Camp David this evening for the G-8 Summit, marking the biggest gathering of heads of state at the president's country retreat in history. The rustic estate in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, however, presents something of a logistical challenge for the White House as it seeks to accommodate all of the leaders and their staffs. Before your mind wanders to those summer camp memories of bunk bed-filled cabins, the Obama administration assures there are "adequate facilities" for each delegation. But who sleeps where? And how were the arrangements decided? "The allocation...

WASHINGTON — The White House abruptly announced Monday that it had scuttled plans to hold the upcoming G-8 economic summit in Chicago, and would instead host world leaders at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland. ....snip..... The White House said the G-8 summit would take place May 18-19. The White House announced plans last summer to hold both summits back-to-back in Chicago, giving the president a high-profile opportunity to tout his foreign policy and diplomatic credentials on his home turf in an election year. The idea of moving the G-8 to Camp David was raised to the president...

In a surprise turnaround, the White House announced Monday afternoon that Chicago won’t be hosting the controversial G-8 summit after all. It will be held at Camp David instead of Chicago. The NATO summit will proceed here May 20-21. City Hall insisted that it was President Barack Obama’s decision — that Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not ask the White House to take the more controversial of the two summits off Chicago’s hands. One leading demonstrator pledged the protests “will go forward” here despite the switch. The White House issued a terse statement dropping the bombshell shortly before 3 p.m. “In...

CHICAGO (CBS) – This spring’s G-8 summit has been moved from Chicago to Camp David, though the NATO summit scheduled for the same weekend is staying in Chicago.

I have never been to Illinois before, but NATO and G8 summits, to take place between May 15-22 are calling my name. My blog is totally self-funded, and I don't have a real job, and not collecting any government anything needless to say, so I need to do all my work on a limited budget. All I really need is internet access and a place to work quietly, and since I'm not a grungy liberal, to shower and sleep (a couch would do in a pinch.) A place with easy access to where these events will take place is strongly...

(CNN) -- Leaders at the Group of Eight summit in France expressed their support for democracy activists in the Middle East and North Africa on Friday but stopped short of pledging money to support them. The G8 leaders raised the possibility that multilateral development banks could provide more than $20 billion to support reforms in Egypt and Tunisia, where popular uprisings dislodged authoritarian rulers. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the amount of aid could reach $40 billion. In addition to the possible $20 billion, he cites about $10 billion in bilateral commitments not mentioned in the G8 summit's communique and...

DEAUVILLE, France – Rich countries and international lenders are aiming to provide $40 billion in funding for Arab nations trying to establish true democracies, officials said at a Group of Eight summit Friday. Officials didn't fully detail the sources of the money, or how it would be used, but the thrust was clearly to underpin democracy in Egypt and Tunisia — where huge public uprisings ousted autocratic regimes this year — and put pressure on repressive rulers in Syria and Libya. The overall message from President Barack Obama and the other G-8 leaders meeting in this Normandy resort appeared to...