Free Republic

<p>WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s decision to sit out the legal battle over same-sex marriage will — for now, at least — leave the future of laws prohibiting gays and lesbians from marrying in the hands of lower state and federal court judges. But it also almost certainly means the couples challenging those laws are more likely to win in the end.</p>

Finding that Nevada’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage imposes “profound legal, financial, social and psychic harms” on many of its citizens, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday overturned the prohibition, paving the way for gay unions in the Silver State. The court reversed a U.S. District Court ruling in favor of the state’s voter-approved ban and remanded it back to District Court “for the prompt issuance of an injunction permanently enjoining the state, its political subdivisions, and its officers, employees, and agents” from enforcing the constitutional provision. The ruling also overturned Idaho’s ban on same-sex marriage. Clark...

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Monday slammed the Supreme Court for declining to hear appeals on lower court rulings that overturn same-sex marriage bans, calling the justices’ move “tragic and indefensible.” “By refusing to rule if the States can define marriage, the Supreme Court is abdicating its duty to uphold the Constitution,” he said in a statement. “The fact that the Supreme Court Justices, without providing any explanation whatsoever, have permitted lower courts to strike down so many state marriage laws is astonishing.” On Monday, the Supreme Court decided not to hear challenges to lower court rulings on same-sex marriage...

Wyoming Considers Steps to Assist Its New Refugees State Weighs Creating a Resettlement Program Dan Frosch Sept. 21, CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Draped in a brightly hued robe and veil, Amal Hassan certainly stands out from the locals as she walks along the outskirts of this high-plains city, pickup trucks rumbling by. Somali refugees such as Ms. Hassan are becoming a more common sight here in the nation's least populous state, the only one without a refugee-resettlement program. Such initiatives provide social and financial services to refugees such as Ms. Hassan, 29 years old, who were admitted legally into the U.S. Now, with...

State transportation officials are refuting rancher Cliven Bundy’s claim that they are ultimately responsible for keeping his cattle off Interstate 15 in northeastern Clark County. In a statement Thursday, Mary Martini, district engineer for the Nevada Department of Transportation in Las Vegas, said that while the state maintains the fences along I-15 to “designate the right of way” and control access, “it is always the responsibility and liability of the owners to control their animals.” The dispute could be headed for court. Bundy was sued for negligence this week by a 34-year-old Las Vegas woman injured when her car hit...

Attorney Gen. Eric Holder on Thursday announced a review of racial bias within the nation’s law enforcement agencies, further expanding the federal response to last month’s fatal police shooting of an unarmed black teen in Missouri. The three-year initiative will include five "major activities" in yet unidentified U.S. cities, undertaken by a consortium of criminal justice experts funded through a $4.75 million grant. The effort, which will also involve testing policing strategies and providing training, is meant to develop a strategy to combat bias within police forces around the country. Holder said the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown highlighted the...

Attorney General Holder visits Ferguson as grand jury probes Michael Brown shooting; demonstrators detained in NYC WARNING GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN VIDEO: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke with students near the strife-filled Missouri town, and also talked with police boss state Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson — even as one law officer brought in from out of town was videotaped threatening protesters. In New York, demonstrators took to the streets early Thursday. BY Meg Wagner , Corky Siemaszko NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Updated: Thursday, August 21, 2014, 3:50 AM Declaring “change is coming,” the nation’s top law enforcement officer arrived...

With the usual fanfare and self-regard we have come to expect from the New York Times editorial board, the prestigious paper has changed its mind about pot. It now believes that the federal ban on the substance should be lifted and that the whole issue should be sent back to the states to handle. Not only did it issue a big Sunday editorial (the equivalent of a secular fatwa in my native Upper West Side of Manhattan), but it has since been flooding the zone on the issue with essays from members of the editorial board. It is a...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder sent a scathing letter to Gov. Rick Scott over voting changes in Florida and issued a warning that the Justice Department is "carefully monitoring" the state. "Whenever warranted by the facts and the law, we will not hesitate to use all tools and legal authorities at our disposal to fight against racial discrimination, to stand against disenfranchisement and to safeguard the right of every eligible American to cast a ballot," Holder wrote. Scott's office dismissed it as a "bizarre attempt to help Charlie Crist." The letter, dotted with pointed language and examples of...

In reaction to a proposed amendment to block decriminalization of marijuana in D.C., the White House Office of Management and Budget took a strong stance in favor of states’ rights. Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland introduced an amendment that would prevent the D.C. Council from using any federal funds to enact pot policy changes, calling marijuana “poison to a teenager’s brain.” The D.C. Council has also released a statement condemning interference from Congress. The current legislation adopted by the Council replaces criminal penalties for marijuana usage with fines. The marijuana amendment in the Financial Services and General Government appropriations...

Black American from Gang-Besieged Baltimore: 'Where Can I Get Asylum?' by Tony Lee 11 Jul 2014 1612 post a comment As the White House plans to spend billions of taxpayer funds to take care of illegal immigrant children who are unlawfully entering the country, some black Americans who live in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods are wondering where they and their children can get refugee status and aid. On Friday's Laura Ingraham Show, Elaine, a black woman from Baltimore, expressed her outrage that President Barack Obama is putting the interests of illegal immigrant children above those of American citizens....

Vice President Joe Biden on Friday condemned the political gridlock crippling Washington, calling on Republican and Democratic governors alike to lead the nation “out of this mess” while insisting that Congress approve billions of dollars to repair the country’s aging infrastructure. “The way things have gotten today, and I’m not singling out any party or any group of people—the politics, the culture in Washington, it’s become too personal, it’s too corrosive,” Biden said during a meeting of the National Governors Association. “I think you’ve got to lead us out of this mess we’re in.” …

Border Crisis: What Glenn Beck Did Wrong by John Nolte 10 Jul 2014, 8:15 AM PDT Wednesday morning The Blaze's Glenn Beck announced it was "deadly to my career" for him to provide truckloads of meals and soccer balls as a way to "help care for some of the roughly 60,000 underage refugees who have crossed into America illegally in 2014." Early Thursday morning on "Morning Joe," the left-wing Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski did exactly what I feared the media would do after Beck's announcement: they trashed conservatives who disagreed with Beck as lacking in compassion. Scarborough even mocked...

Illegal Immigration: Texas Gov. Rick Perry states the obvious when he suggests that the flood of alien children coming to the U.S. from Latin America just might be a result of "ulterior motives" on the part of President Obama. Obama is like an arsonist who sets fires to help rescue people from burning buildings. He's asked Congress for $2 billion to deal with a child refugee crisis of his own making, money that could have gone to seal the border instead of having Border Patrol agents acting as glorified baby-sitters by cooking, cleaning and even doing laundry. A little-noted University...

Calling the state policy motivated by animosity, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ordered that “dreamers” who the federal government allow to work in this country also be issued Arizona driver's licenses,

VIDEO: WESLACO - The spread of scabies, chicken pox and other diseases within Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol facilities may be getting out of control, a leader with the agents' union said. National Border Patrol Council Local 3307 Vice President Christopher Cabrera said the federal government is not serious about solving the problem. Cabrera said agents have to deal with health issues affecting the immigrants. He said agents are encountering many sick immigrants, including women and children. Cabrera said the agents are beginning to contract some of those diseases. "I see it as a big mess. Unless we get serious...

In a rare gesture, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) applauded Tea Party favorite Rand Paul on the Senate floor Tuesday to express his approval for Paul’s proposal to restore voting rights to ex-felons. Paul, the junior Republican from Kentucky, plans to introduce legislation to restore voting rights to people convicted of nonviolent felonies. Reid beamed over the development and noted that he introduced similar legislation earlier in this career. “I want to congratulate Rand Paul,” Reid said. “About 15 years ago … I offered an amendment here on the Senate floor that said if someone has been convicted of...

AUSTIN — Texas’ top three lawmakers agreed Wednesday to spend tens of millions dollars to fund a surge operation along the border to deal with the influx of Central American children pouring into Texas. Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus authorized a deal for emergency funding of $1.3 million per week for DPS surge operations that will run through at the least the end of the year. “Texas can’t afford to wait for Washington to act on this crisis and we will not sit idly by while the safety and security of our citizens...

U.S. pushing local cops to stay mum on cellular surveillance Thu, 06/12/2014 Sun-Times wires WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has been quietly advising local police not to disclose details about surveillance technology they are using to sweep up basic cellphone data from entire neighborhoods, The Associated Press has learned. Citing security reasons, the U.S. has intervened in routine state public records cases and criminal trials regarding use of the technology. This has resulted in police departments withholding materials or heavily censoring documents in rare instances when they disclose any about the purchase and use of such powerful surveillance equipment. Federal...

It is no secret that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English will change dramatically what and how students are taught. There will be less emphasis on reading books that are fiction (the classics) and more emphasis on reading informational texts. In early grades, even elementary grades, 50 percent of reading material will now be informational text that can be anything from instruction manuals, Environmental Protection Agency announcements and Executive Orders to historical documents. In the junior and senior year of high school, that figure increases to 70 percent. How can reading instruction manuals promote a love of reading?...