Free Republic

I have fantastic news from The Peach State! Earlier this afternoon, Georgia become the first state in American history to pass the Convention of States application to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government. The House voted to approve the Senate’s version of the resolution by a vote of 107-58. “I am pleased that the Georgia legislature has given voice to the frustrations of millions of Georgians,” said State Sen. Cecil Staton (R-Macon), the resolution’s primary sponsor. “Enough is enough. It is time to impose fiscal and other restraints on our runaway federal government. We urge other states...

History is repeating itself with Russia's aggressive action to occupy Crimea in Ukraine. More than just Russia invading another nation, Barack Obama's conspicuously weak response is happening again. Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have been crystal clear in their response to Russia: they would "prefer" if Russia would please stop invading another country and "de-escalate" the situation. Putin, naturally, is not only ignoring what the White House is saying, but is also likely reminded of Barack Obama's initial, extremely weak-kneed response to Russia's incursion into Georgian territory in 2008. Then-candidate Obama, who had been slammed by conservatives...

ATLANTA, Mar. 3, 2014 – Today, the Georgia state house of representatives passed a bill which bans the state from participating in significant portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). House Bill 707 (HB707), introduced by Rep. Jason Spencer, pushes back against the ACA in five ways. It passed the house in a late-night vote of 115-59. Specifically, HB707: 1. Prohibits any state agencies, departments or political subdivisions from using resources or spending funds to advocate for the expansion of Medicaid. This provision works hand-in-hand with HB990 to make it more difficult to expand Medicaid. HB990 would require legislative approval...

The entire flap over SB 1062 in Arizona has left a lot of people scratching their heads, particularly given the virtual media explosion over the fate of the bill and what it means going forward. As it turns out, there is similar legislation pending in Georgia even as we speak, and even though public clamor has already led to the bill being taken off the calendar, the rampant hyperbole which marked the coverage of Jan Brewer’s decision is not in short supply. One of the leading shots across the bow was penned for CNN by the two person team of...

The familiar Washington narrative on the scrum for the U.S. Senate has been rinsed, recycled and delivered once again: Republicans are primed to pick up the six seats necessary to capture control of the upper chamber. The midterm atmosphere sure looks ripe, the polling appears favorable but, as it did in 2010 and 2012, the most competitive batch of races will likely come down to candidate quality. It’s the key component that stifled GOP chances before, and could very well again. .... .... A closer look at the most competitive contests demonstrates why a Senate majority in 2014 is again...

In October 2008, then-Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin warned that Putin, having been motivated by Obama's lack of response to the Russian invasion of Georgia, would proceed to invade Ukraine if then-Senator Obama was elected to the presidency. After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next. Foreign Policy dismissed this warning as "strange" and "far-fetched." As we've said before, this is an extremely far-fetched scenario. And given how Russia has been able to unsettle Ukraine's...

MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA: No, I'm not surprised. Actually, Georgia was invaded by a large-scale Russian army. I was warning prior to the invasion. Georgia will come and then the new Ukraine will come. Putin is following his blueprint all the way through and actually coincidentally it happened both times during the times of the Olympic. SAAKASHVILI: One thing should be known. In Georgia in 2008 after the reaction was quite late, Putin was stopped at the entrance of our capital by a huge unit who showed, but the international community outcry. George Bush sent...

One of my biggest pet peeves on the road is the left-lane highway cruiser. If you’re a compulsive reader of my articles (Why would you do that to yourself?), you may remember that I have written on this very issue before.I don’t care how fast you are going. The leftmost lane on the highway is for passing. That is basic road etiquette, but, not surprisingly, few people here in Georgia follow it. And it is frustrating.Well the Georgia State legislature is here to save the day. They are currently enacting a bill (dubbed the Slowpoke Bill) that would make lollygagging...

As you read the following, keep in mind that this happened three weeks ago. The only reason I know about it is because Glenn Reynolds linked to it this morning.WXIA in Atlanta, Feb. 5: The FBI says a Georgia Tech graduate student was burned by a Molotov cocktail at his apartment in the 200 block of 10th Street, not far from Piedmont Park. Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said Saamer Akhshabi suffered third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body. Lighter fluid and a charred pillow and mattress were found inside the apartment, along with the Molotov cocktail and several...

The recent approval of the Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Georgia State specialty car tag is a good thing and the polls show a high approval rating with the folks.

Dear parents, teachers, preachers and voters – we need your help to stop the GOP led Common Core (CC) march into Georgia! Friends, we must STOP this CC bill in the Georgia House. House education hearings will begin next week after the GOP led Senate passes SB 167 this week. As Georgia Senator William Ligon admits, his bill DOES NOT give Georgia anything resembling a CLEAN BREAK from the Common Core standards but, it instead gives all local school districts the authority to choose to continue using CC math and/or English and Language Arts (ELA) standards or return to using...

On February 18 the Georgia House overwhelmingly passed a bill to allow guns at schools, churches, bars, and certain government buildings. The measure passed by a margin of 119 to 56.Titled the "Safe Carry Protection Act," the legislation not only expands the number of places in which concealed carry permit holders can carry guns but also reduces the punishment permit holders face for carrying in a no-carry area unaware.According to the Associated Press, the bill "could allow teachers to carry firearms, while others with licenses could take their guns into houses of worship, more bars and government offices."The Georgia General...

Even if you are not shopping for a Glock 42, this is still an excellent comparison of many single stack pistols on the market. There are almost an overwhelming number of options for a .380 or 9mm concealed carry weapon. Hopefully this video helped you glean some information.

If what The Interpreter’s hearing is true, Yanukovych has left Kiev for the city of Kharkiv. Maybe that’s because he’s lost control of the capital or maybe, as the State Department claims, he’s gone to Kharkiv to, ahem, shore up support. Either way, though, there’s no scenario where the government simply abdicates and the opposition takes over. Russia won’t relinquish the country that easily. So either things are about to get even rougher in Kiev as Putin fills the power vacuum or Yanukovych is planning a new move. What does that mean? Naval War College prof John Schindler fears the...

A north Georgia woman who pleaded guilty to federal explosives charges was sentenced to serve six years on probation. U.S. District Judge Richard Story on Friday told Celia Savage he was taking a chance by not sending her to prison. He warned her that if she appeared before him again that he would do just that.

Republican congressional hopeful Bob Barr picked up the endorsement of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Thursday and criticized a key part of the House GOP blueprint for overhauling the nation’s immigration laws. “He was a great U.S. attorney, a great congressman,” Arpaio said. “That is why I am here to help him.” A former Libertarian presidential candidate, Barr is competing in a crowded Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey in Georgia’s 11th congressional district. Barr called Arpaio an “international spokesman for good, solid, tough law enforcement.”

Demographic changes are inevitably driving Texas and Arizona into purple — and eventually blue — territory. The growth of the Latino population is poised to overwhelm predominantly conservative white voters in both states, absent a genuine and successful rebranding by the Republican Party. But another red state will reach that status sooner: Georgia. After Mitt Romney’s 2-point victory in North Carolina during the 2012 race, Georgia was the second closest red state at the presidential level. President Obama lost it by 7.8 points in 2012, after losing it by just over 5 points in 2008. In raw vote totals, that...

A Georgia family is in shock following the death of their 17-year-old son, who was accidentally killed by a police officer who believed the video game controller he was holding was a gun, according to the family’s lawyer. Christopher Roupe of Euharlee, Georgia heard a knock at the door of the family’s home last Friday night. Upon opening the door, he was immediately shot by a female police officer. Roupe was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital. The officer broke down it tears upon realizing her mistake, according to The New York Daily News. She had been making...

The fourth Georgia hospital in two years is closing its doors due to severe financial difficulties caused by Obamacare’s payment cuts for emergency services. The Lower Oconee Community Hospital is, for now, a critical access hospital in southeastern Georgia that holds 25 beds. The hospital is suffering from serious cash-flow problems, largely due to the area’s 23 percent uninsured population, and hopes to reopen as “some kind of urgent care center

The Euharlee Police Department plans to release a statement today about the officer-involved shooting that left a 17-year-old Bartow County boy dead. Sherry Lang, spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, identified the dead teen as Christopher Roupe on Sunday. Lang said Roupe was shot when he opened the door with a handgun pointing at two officers who had gone to his residence to serve two probation violation arrest warrants. “The officer fired one shot, striking Roupe,” she said in an emailed statement. Euharlee Police Chief Terry Harget declined to name the officers Sunday, but said he expected to provide...