Free Republic

It appears that the Obama administration is violating the First Rule of Holes. Yesterday the administration looked awful when it “closed” and barricaded the World War II memorial on the Mall. The memorial is, by its nature, open. There is nothing to close. --SNIP-- ...these protesters were marching towards the press gaggle and I was asking them to show their federal IDs to prove they were in fact federal workers. No one wore their federal ID and none would provide it to prove their claim. Then, remarkably, a guy carrying a sign passed by wearing a McDonald’s employee shirt, which...

After about an hour, about 20 SEIU protesters arrived on the scene chanting “Boehner, get us back to work” and claiming they were federal employees furloughed because of the shutdown. In the video below these protesters were marching towards the press gaggle and I was asking them to show their federal IDs to prove they were in fact federal workers. No one wore their federal ID and none would provide it to prove their claim. Then, remarkably, a guy carrying a sign passed by wearing a McDonald’s employee shirt, which I noted. I then began asking them how much they...

Obama, IG Report refuse to touch powerful Treasury Employees Union headed by ex-IRS agent. “My question is who is going to jail?” — House Speaker John Boehner on the IRS Scandal The President couldn’t even bring himself to breathe a word of the truth. He could fire some hapless Acting Commissioner, but last night Mr. Obama never came close to discussing that which must never be discussed. The IRS? It’s about a union: the National Treasury Employees Union. The NTEU. A left-wing union representing 150,000 employees in 31 separate government agencies, including the IRS. A union that not only endorsed...

Long security lines, ever changing rules about what is and is not allowed, manhandling pat-downs... Thanks to the TSA, air travel is unpleasant enough as it is and now we have to worry about TSA agents stealing from us? And there's no way to NOT have them go through your luggage.They go through your checked baggage and rifle through your carry-on. You have no choice but to submit to this if you want to be able to board your flight.So what is a law abiding air traveler to do in order to protect his or her belongings from the very...

HERE WE GO. The game's afoot. In 2007, a critical factor which torpedoed illegal alien amnesty was the failure of labor unions and the business lobby to reach a deal on a "guest worker" program. Now, the New York Times is reporting that the sinister cabal of the AFL-CIO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have reached a "deal". That's right, just what America's 20 million unemployed and underemployed need - MORE foreign workers to take MORE jobs and undercut wages even further. The Chamber could not give a damn if illegal aliens destroy American jobs and bankrupt schools, hospitals and...

Travelers at Miami International Airport weren’t too happy this weekend after being caught in delays for hours due to cutbacks by the Transportation Security Adminstration. Passengers said they faced major frustration as they stood in long lines, desperate to get through customs. “Which is ridiculous for people to suffer like this,” said Sal Tricamo, a passenger who missed his flight...

There’s nothing more embarrassing for union bosses than their own unionized staff striking against them or, in this case, threatening to strike. In San Francisco, SEIU staff, represented by the left-wing Communications Workers of America, has been without a contract since their contract expired last September. SEIU boss Roxanne Sanchez, according to the San Francisco Bay Guardian, is trying to get her union staff to give concessions on their pensions and health care. Last week, after months without a contract, 94% of the SEIU’s own union staff voted to strike.

School Reform Commission Votes To Save Four Schools, 23 To CloseBy Chelsea KarnashPHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The School Reform Commission has voted to save four public schools from closure in Philadelphia. The four schools are Roosevelt Middle School, Taylor Elementary, Pierce Elementary and Robeson High School. Twenty-three other schools on the chopping block will close. "This was a difficult vote, but it focused on our goal to provide safe, high-quality seats while being fiscally responsible," said Pedro Ramos, Chairman of the School Reform Commission, in a release from the district. "By not taking action now, we would continue the deterioration...

No halftime show at Super Bowl 2014? That’s the word, according to planners who say the weather may prevent appearances at matchup XLVIII, set for New Jersey. “It’s because of the cold weather,” said one involved with next year’s Super Bowl planning, in a New York Post report. “It’s not only the acts and the singers, but also the crews that have to put the stage together. … You just can’t assemble the stage and break it down fast enough in the cold.”

The site where Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting is building a new meetinghouse was damaged by arsonists during Christmas week, and police are now "absolutely" sure the attack was the result of a dispute between members of a Philadelphia construction union and the project's nonunion contractor.

It’s not always fun and easy being a young Republican, let alone an enthusiastic Mitt Romney supporter. Whoa: The parents of the Charles Carroll High School student ridiculed and ordered by her teacher to remove a t-shirt supporting Mitt Romney sued the teacher and school district on Friday, claiming the act violated the girl's civil rights. Filed in federal court in Philadelphia, the suit says the district ignored Samantha Pawlucy's right to free speech, let other students threaten and harass her and subjected her "to emotional distress, simply because she exercised her First Amendment rights." Fernando Gallard, a spokesman for...

Early today Clint Tarver, known as “The Hot Dog Guy” here in Lansing had his business attacked and destroyed by out of line and out of control protesters near the Capitol. Everyone who has passed the hot dog cart knows what a kind and caring individual Clint is. He never fails to bestow a smile or friendly greeting. In no way [did] he provoke this attack, nor any of the behavior displayed toward him. Mr. Tarver has been operating his food businesses since 1990 in the Lansing area. He had been hired by Americans for Prosperity to cater their tent...

Former Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Mich.) was hit with pepper spray while protesting “right to work” legislation outside the Michigan state capitol on Wednesday. “I immediately began to retreat and began to cover my eyes and my mouth,” he told the Battle Creek Enquirer. “It was not good.” Meanwhile, Fox News contributor Steven Crowder was punched repeatedly in an altercation with one protester. Schauer served one term; he beat Rep. Tim Walberg (R) in 2008 only to lose to the former congressman two years later. Tear gas was sprayed at least once, according to the Detroit Free Press. At least two...

Tony carmago! You are a sorry excuse for an electrical worker! Word of Advice: When you decide to sucker punch someone and there are cameras around, don't wear a jacket with your name embroidered on it. Apparently your members don't belong to the Rocket Scientists Union.

SECAUCUS, New Jersey - Walmart workers hailed their wage protest Saturday, saying their walkout on ‘Black Friday’ had shown the world’s largest retailer their determination to fight against all odds. Hundreds of protesters targeted Walmart stores across the United States on Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, accusing the bargain superstore of ripping off its own employees. The protests were designed to disrupt the Black Friday shopping frenzy, after Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday, when deep discounts pull in waves of customers. “Today’s protests at Walmart stores across the country are a reminder of the enormous power of working people...

The Florida chapter of the AFL-CIO appears to be encouraging folks to break the law. In a message on the homepage of their website, the union writes, "There is a mantra that we --at the Florida AFL-CIO-- like to live by, 'Vote Early, Vote'. The mantra of the Florida AFL-CIO encourages illegal activity. There appears to be two federal laws this would violate: 42 USC 1973i(e) and 42 USC § 1973gg–10(2). "The former federal law makes it illegal to vote twice. The latter law prohibits fraudulent voting in a federal election. 18 USC 2 makes it illegal to aid and...

Forget zero tolerance. Bay City Public School teachers for years could be caught repeatedly under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol without being fired. Teachers in possession or under the influence of illegal drugs could be caught three times before they lost their job, and they got five strikes if they were drunk on school grounds before being fired. A school district official said the language in the union contract that protects teachers for those instances "was incorporated into the teacher Master Agreement in 1997." Those protections also were included in the Bay City Education Association teacher’s contract that...

SEIU Paid Protesters at Romney Cleveland Ohio Rally.

When James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, looks at the Tea Party today, he flashes back to 1964 and sees the John Birch Society. "The Tea Party, these right wingers are basically the modern-day John Birch Society," he told U.S. News. "They are being extremists." The John Birch Society gained traction in the earl 60s with its vehemently anti-communist rhetoric and distrust in government. Hoffa says just like in the early 60s when the John Birch Society pushed for Barry Goldwater, who was the more conservative candidate, to be the Republican presidential nominee, the Tea Party has...

COSTA MESA (CBSLA.com) — A Costa Mesa city councilman on Tuesday said a law firm involved in ongoing pension negotiations with the police department was behind an alleged plot to set him up with a false DUI report. KNX 1070′s Mike Landa reports Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer was joined at a media briefing by other local lawmakers who claim they have targeted by the same law firm. Fullerton Councilman Bruce Whitaker, Buena Park Councilman Fred Smith, Irvine Councilman Jeff Lalloway and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach all joined Righeimer at a news conference on Tuesday to call out the...