Free Republic

Skyrocketing property taxes, a sluggish state economy and Illinois’ outmigration crisis could spell trouble for the housing market. Most people view their decision to buy a home at least in part as an investment. For most households, the net equity in their home represents the bulk of their net worth. But it’s more than just a financial decision – it’s a sign of trust and certainty in the future of a given community. Unfortunately, government data suggest home prices in Illinois are still down 10 percent compared with 2006. And over the same time, property tax bills have gone up...

California’s drought is serious and the state’s uber-thirsty beef industry is taking a huge hit. Now, the Grammy Award-winning DJ, musician and very vegan artist Moby is the face of a new campaign that let’s folks ‘have their steak and eat it, too,’ even in these drought-shaming times. Just skip showers. Skip Showers For Beef is a grassroots movement borne from the premise that every four ounces of beef takes about 450 gallons to produce, the equivalent of 26 showers. The organization reached out to eco-conscious Moby to help get their message across: stop showering. In a new black and...

George Washington, a soldier's soldier - a leader with impeccable and unquestionable loyalty to the United States and its citizens - once said that "few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." That sums up the problem with many of our so-called leaders, from inside the Beltway to the smallest towns of California. They can be bought, swayed and led by the highest bidder or the special interest with the deepest pockets. The American soldier has protected all of the God-given gifts the United States enjoys: freedom, safety and hope. American troops have fought in mud, dirt and sand...