Free Republic

National Tea Party leaders in California were thrilled about one by-product of the political bloodbath over raising the federal debt ceiling: The fight showed that after two years of rabble-rousing from outside the Capitol, the Tea Party has real power to shape the debate in Washington. Their challenge now that President Obama has signed the debt limit law: Can the Tea Party transform its government-shrinking mantra into long-term power, or will it be a one-hit wonder? They're not stopping to think about it. This month, Tea Partiers will storm town hall meetings of Republican and Democratic members of Congress and...

SAN ANTONIO -- Part of the huge medical center at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. -- closed by Hurricane Katrina damage -- could open sooner than base officials estimated less than a week ago. The section, on the hospital’s first floor, could open in as little as two months, said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) James J. Dougherty, 81st Medical Group commander. But it will still take at least six months to completely reopen the Air Force’s second largest medical center, he said. The hurricane knocked out the center’s ability to provide tertiary care -- highly specialized skills, technology and support services....