Free Republic

The Republican National Committee is expected to debate a proposal next week that would dramatically shift the balance of power at this summer’s convention — and impose a new rulebook for selecting the party's nominee. The proposal, which will top the agenda during a meeting of the Rules panel at the RNC’s annual spring meeting in Hollywood Beach, Fla., would fundamentally alter how the convention is conducted, further empowering the delegates to determine the course of the proceedings. It amounts to not just a changing of the rules but of the rulebook itself, with far-reaching implications, potentially impacting whether party...

In 1980, Ronald Reagan campaigned on a four point economic recovery plan. First, reduce tax rates, to increase incentives for job creation, investment, business start-ups and expansion, and wage growth due to the resulting increased demand for labor and increased productivity. Even liberal Keynesian economics holds that tax cuts are pro-growth. Two, reduce regulatory costs and barriers to business, which can act as further tax cuts. Three, reduce federal spending, to reduce the government’s drain on the private sector. And four, restrain monetary policy to restore a stable value for the dollar. After Reagan led adoption of those policies in...

The Heritage Foundation published a special report with essays from several education experts, detailing the background and the effects of Common Core. Stanley Kurtz, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and William Estrada, director of federal relations at the Home School Legal Defense Association, highlighted the problems with Common Core. Estrada wrote, "Common Core is good for homeschooling.” He pointed out in 2009, there were 850,000 homeschooled students in the U.S. By 2012, the Department of Education found that there were 1.8 million homeschooled students. As you can see, the growth in homeschooling tracks nicely with...

(CNSNews.com) - The Open Society Institute, a private foundation controlled by liberal billionaire and political activist George Soros, received more than $30 million from U.S. government agencies between 1998 and 2003. Last year, Soros donated at least $20 million of his own money to such liberal groups as Moveon.org, in a failed attempt to block the re-election of President George W. Bush. Tax records the Open Society Institute (OSI) is required to file with the Internal Revenue Service list "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES" as "Contributors" of amounts between $4.6 million and $8.9 million over a six year period: * 1998 -...

The six-year fight against Gov. Chris Christie's attempt to remake the state Supreme Court has finally ended, thanks to a full retreat by the governor. This is a huge win for New Jersey and for Senate President Steve Sweeney, who has fought hard against Christie's crude efforts to bend the court to his will. On Monday Christie nominated a Democrat, Walter Timpone, to fill the court's lone vacancy. The governor had long insisted that the seat should go to a Republican, and he threatened just last month to escalate the fight unless Democrats approved his nominee, Judge David Bauman. But...

New York victims of the 2012 storm object to Ted Cruz's vote against relief funds. MINEOLA, N.Y.—Heidi Cruz, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, was met at a campaign event by victims of Superstorm Sandy who protested his opposition to a 2013 bill doling out billions in aid for storm relief and clean-up. People from Long Island and southeast Queens, which were devastated by the October 2012 storm, said the Texas senator’s vote against a $51 billion aid package targeted to New York and New Jersey to recover from the damages disqualified him from the presidency. The 2013...

<p>A New Jersey judge has ruled that Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz meets the constitutional requirements to be president and may appear on the state's presidential primary ballot.</p> <p>Judge Jeff Masin ruled Tuesday that a child of a citizen-father or citizen-mother is "indeed a natural born Citizen within the contemplation of the Constitution."</p>

A judge in New Jersey has ruled that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is indeed a natural-born citizen and is therefore eligible to be on the New Jersey ballot. Cruz, who was born in Calgary while his father was working there, is an American citizen via his mother's American citizenship.

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie is "in his own private hell" over his February endorsement of GOP front-runner Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Tuesday. Appearing on "The Glenn Beck Show," Cruz told the conservative host that Trump seemed to insist on behaving like the famous fictional Mafia don depicted in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather," Michael Corleone. "The presidency should not be La Cosa Nostra," said Cruz, adding that the real estate tycoon seemed to demand a similar level of "Godfather"-like deference and respect from the governor. "You know what gets me," Cruz said. "The servility...

Governor Christie of New Jersey is pushing to make some incremental changes to improve the arcane and inconsistent New Jersey firearms licensing system. From capemaycountyherald:TRENTON — Acting on Governor Chris Christie’s commitment to ensure fair and consistent application of the state’s gun laws that respects individual’s Second Amendment rights and protects public safety, the Office of Attorney General announced a directive and guideline issued by Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy, and a regulatory change to align the regulations governing the issuance of a carry permit with New Jersey Supreme Court precedent interpreting the statutory standard of justifiable need. Taken...

A northern New Jersey school district has voted to adopt a policy allowing transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity. The Pascack Valley Regional High School District voted 6-1 to pass a policy they say is designed to protect transgender students' rights. The district said the policy is needed to comply with anti-discrimination laws.

The state Board of Education this week approved a list of religous holidays in the upcoming school year on which schools must allow excused absences. The list, updated annually, includes more than 100 holidays for the 2016-17. Students celebrating those holidays must present a written excuse signed by a parent or guardian. Schools are required to provide students the opportunity to make up any tests or other assessments that they missed. Here is the list of religious holidays for 2016-17:

A New Jersey administrative law judge on Monday heard two challenges to GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz's eligibility to appear on the New Jersey ballot, based upon the Texas senator's birthplace in Canada. The judge, Jeff Masin, didn't decide the challenges to Cruz's eligibility to appear on the June 7 primary ballot, but said he would issue a decision Tuesday. The decision is expected to be reviewed by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who is New Jersey's secretary of state. One of the challenges was brought by three South Jersey citizens, and the other by a law professor who lives in...

Ted Cruz risks primary disqualification in New Jersey resulting from charges of ballot access fraud. A primary ballot disqualification hearing is scheduled by the Secretary of State for Monday, April 11 at 9:00 a.m. in Mercerville, New Jersey. Washington D.C. Law Professor Victor Williams charges that Ted Cruz fraudulently certified his constitutional eligibility for office to gain ballot access. Williams demands that Cruz be disqualified from several late-primary ballots: "Cruz committed ballot access fraud in each state when he falsely swore that he was a 'natural born' American citizen." Cruz was born in Calgary, Canada and held his resulting Canadian...

One man could cause a budget crisis in New Jersey — by moving out of the state. Billionaire David Tepper has moved from New Jersey to Florida, and the loss of his income tax could leave a $140 million hole. The 58-year-old founder of the hedge fund Appaloosa Management — who Forbes estimates is worth $11.4 billion — registered to vote in Florida in October, listing a Miami Beach condo as his permanent address, and he filed a court document in December declaring himself a resident of the tax-friendly state. He also opened a branch of ­Appaloosa in South Beach,...

Trump supporters frequently comment on how it can be dangerous to publicly support their candidate, with threats of retaliation and public harassment following such proclamations. But the one thing you don’t generally hear about is people being tossed in jail for it. That may wind up being the case in New Jersey, however, where one man has been issued a summons for flying a “Make America Great Again” flag over his home. Failure to remove it could result in a hefty fine or a stretch in the hoosegow. (Reuters) Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump appears to have a passionate supporter...

"You can't start a fire. You can't start a fire without a spark!" Bruce Springsteen fans in Greensboro, North Carolina, won't be dancing in the dark anytime soon, because The Boss canceled an upcoming concert. And you can blame the governor and state lawmakers. Springsteen moved the concert in protest of the state's so-called "bathroom" law, which, among other things, forces transgender people to use the restroom associated with the gender on their birth certificates, not their gender identity. Springsteen released a statement saying, "Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and...

A New Jersey man who's been flying Donald Trump's campaign flag in front of his home since February could face up to a $2,000 fine or jail time when he faces a judge in the case. Joe Hornick has been flying Trump's "Make America Great Again" flag outside his West Long Branch home on a busy corner near the Monmouth University campus for months. But he got a ticket recently citing him for illegally posting political signage more than 30 days before an election. The New Jersey presidential primary isn't until June 7. "I'm not a football fan, I'm not...

A New Jersey township is seeking to dismiss a federal lawsuit accusing it of creating bogus barriers for years before ultimately rejecting a group’s plan to build a mosque. The Islamic Society of Basking Ridge filed the complaint last month, seeking permission to build the mosque. Its application to build the mosque was denied in December after four years and 39 public hearings. Its lawsuit alleges a delayed and drawn-out process during which town residents made references to terrorism and questioned what children would learn in the mosque. …

New Jersey's wealthiest man may be making a common Northeast move: a relocation to the tax-friendly state of Florida, a report says. According to Bloomberg, David Tepper has shifted the base of his Appaloosa Management to the Sunshine State as of Jan. 1 after registering to vote and declaring citizenship in Miami at the end of 2015. Taxes were reportedly an important part of the 58-year-old's decision, but also, quality-of-life played big part in his choice to move, according to the article. Tepper has been a resident of the Garden State for more than two decades and has continually appeared...