Free Republic

President Obama has had, by general consent, a torrid First Fortnight. To put it another way, it has taken precisely two weeks for the illusion that brought him to power to be exposed for the nonsense that it so obviously was. The transformational candidate who was going to sweep away pork-barrel politics, lobbyists and corruption has been up to his neck in sleaze, as eviscerated here by Charles Krauthammer. Despite the fact that he came to power promising to ‘ban all earmarks’, his ‘stimulus’ bill represents billions of dollars of special-interest tax breaks, giveaways and protections -- which have nothing...

Barack Obama takes first ride as US President on Air Force One From correspiondents in Washington Agence France-Presse February 06, 2009 11:31am BARACK Obama has taken his debut flight as president on his new "spiffy ride" - the blue and white Boeing 747 which serves as Air Force One. Mr Obama also took his first trip aboard Marine One - the helicopter which ferries the president around on shorter trips - this time from the White House to Andrews air force base outside Washington. The President walked to the press cabin at the back of his new plane before taking...

A $59 million jail featuring art and flat screen TVs in Portland, Ore., has been sitting unused for more than a year as the city can't afford to open it. The Wapato Facility took two years to construct and can house 525 inmates at a cost of $20 million per year, .... The county spent more than $600,000 on art for the jail, including a sculpture out front by the circular driveway. There are 30-foot vaulted ceilings and private showers. "I love coming to an empty $59-million jail," Giusto told the Los Angeles Times. "I get tired of telling people...

Hi everybody! I'm new to Free Republic and I really love the site!! Its so refreshing to find like minded people on the internet. I am from rural Oregon. Anyway, I just want to say " I love Bush!" He is incredible. I can't wait to get my next tax cut in the mail... I only got 150 or so dollars back the first time, but its nice to know I'm getting money back AND we've got the BIGGEST military machine in the history of the planet! I am excited about the next six years. Hopefully we can end this...