Free Republic

After the victory of Donald Trump in 2016, the GOP held the Senate and House, two-thirds of the governorships, and 1,000 more state legislators than they had on the day Barack Obama took office. "The Republican Party has not been this dominant in 90 years," went the exultant claim. A year later, Republicans lost the governorship of Virginia and almost lost the legislature. Came then the loss of a U.S. Senate seat in ruby-red Alabama. Tuesday, Democrats captured a House seat in a Pennsylvania district Trump carried by 20 points, and where Democrats had not even fielded a candidate in...

Free Trade: Both political parties these days give short shrift to the idea of free trade. It's a pity, because, as a new report shows, it's the key to a better life for all. In its "2018 Index of Economic Freedom," the Heritage Foundation reminds us that not only is the idea of free trade appealing, but the evidence for its importance in raising standards of living is overwhelming. "Countries with the most trade freedom have higher per capita incomes, more secure food supplies, and cleaner environments," the report notes. Or, put even more simply, "Citizens of countries that embrace...

“For one salmonella case we know of in an outbreak, there are up to 30 others that we don’t know about,” CDC veterinarian Megin Nichols said. A “large contributing factor” to the surge, Nichols said, comes from natural food fanciers who have taken up the backyard chicken hobby but don’t understand the potential dangers. Some treat their birds like pets, kissing or snuggling them and letting them walk around the house. Poultry can carry salmonella bacteria in their intestines that can be shed in their feces. The bacteria can attach to feathers and dust and brush off on shoes or...