Free Republic

Earlier this week, after the news of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's (R) disappearance to Argentina and his adulterous relationship came out, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (D), took a shot at Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R): Too bad," Kerry said, "if a governor had to go missing, it couldn't have been the governor of Alaska. You know, Sarah Palin." Palin jabbed at Kerry in return, as you can see the video at my posting "Video Of Governor Palin Speaking To Troops In Kosovo" (She is great, so go watch it.)

A Janesville, WI civic leader says he’s ready to give up on the possibility that his community will be a General Motors town again."It’s time to move on; that’s my view," John Beckord, president of Forward Janesville, said Friday after Janesville was passed over for production of a new GM car.Troy Clarke, president of General Motors North America, confirmed Friday that a next-generation subcompact car — as yet unnamed — will be built in Orion Township, Mich., assuming ongoing talks over economic incentives are successful. Janesville, whose GM factory saw the last of its vehicles roll off the assembly line...

One of the principal allegations against the climate-change legislation the House could consider as soon as June 26 is the charge that it would compel a transfer of wealth from Midwestern states that burn large quantities of coal to coastal states that don't. But it is more accurate to say that the bill reduces a regional disparity that allows Midwestern and other coal-dependent states to enjoy artificially low electricity prices at the expense of states elsewhere, particularly along the coasts. Rather than create a new regional inequality, the global-warming bill would lessen an existing one. The perverse pattern of today's...

I thought I would share this video. In a time of no faith in Government, I thought this speech was uplifting. Not all politicians are bad. If you have the time, I think it's worth watching again.

After Gov. Mark Sanford disappeared on a seven-day trip to see a woman in Argentina with whom he was having an affair, Associated Press reporters in 40 states contacted their governors' offices to ask: What's the governor doing right now? The AP also asked for a copy of each governor's complete schedule for the day, not just public events. Here's a glance at each state's response: ALABAMA: Gov. Bob Riley's spokesman said he was landing in Seattle after an overseas economic development trip. He also released the governor's Friday schedule, mostly blocked out so he could rest from the trip....

Living at the legendary Playboy Mansion in California, becoming big-time models and being the girlfriends of Hugh Hefner has been a blast, even more so than Karissa and Kristina Shannon could have imagined. Yet the 19-year-old twins admit they sometimes get a little homesick. In particular, the onetime Clearwater residents miss Clearwater Beach, Ybor City's nightlife, their favorite radio station (WLLD-FM 98.7), their friends, and of course, their family. "We try as much as we can to visit," Kristina Shannon said in a phone interview this week. Every time they do, they're a little more famous. A year ago, the...

Even if the Iranian authorities succeed in suppressing the large demonstrations, the opposition might adopt other forms of protest - such as manifestos, strikes and mass resignations by university professors. That is the assessment of Ervand Abrahamian, a professor of history at the City University of New York and author of several books about Iran, most recently "A History of Modern Iran" (Cambridge University Press, 2008). "There is talk about the opposition trying to encourage its supporters to go out into the market places and prevent commercial activity," he told Haaretz last Wednesday in a phone conversation from New York....

As WND reported, colmado_naranja's original listing claimed, "President Barack Hussein Obama II was born in The Coast Provincial Hospital at Mombasa in Kenya at 7:24 p.m. on August 4, 1961." The seller, who according to the eBay rankings has completed dozens of transactions on the behemoth auction site without difficulties, further said this birth certificate is the real deal, obtained while he was traveling in Kenya. "Kenyans were amused at how gullible Americans could be when it came to obvious things like the fact that Kenyans overtly admit to Barack Jr.'s Kenyan birth, yet the Americans continue to believe that...

You wanted the BIG time Obama — well, you got your wish from the Patriots at American Grand Jury. 172 Grand Jury members worked night and day for 10 days in session to hand down the presentments against our arrogant Usurper. It’s defintely a world’s record and Obama now owns it — the biggest Grand Jury vote in history charging “the ONE” with Fraud and Treason. Many Obots out there think we are crazy. The Patriots will say, “so who cares what the followers of deception think?” The people that truly believe and “can read” the United States Constitution know...

Here is how our suburban Congress members voted on the cap and trade bill: Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park: YES Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Barrington: YES Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston: YES Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton: NO Rep. Bill Foster, D-Batavia Democrat: NO Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Hinsdale Republican: NO Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Rockford: NO

This is one battle that will probably be decided by whichever side is most "distressed" -- officials of the VA Medical Center in West Los Angeles, or a group of protesting veterans. On Sunday, demonstrators plan to gather by the VA grounds and display an upside-down American flag "as a signal of dire distress." They contend that agency policies have placed the VA property in "extreme danger." But if that act upsets VA officials, protesters could find themselves facing off with federal police, who view the upended banner as a sign of disrespect to Old Glory.

          LIFEBOAT One of the great World War II films was LIFEBOAT, about the ordeal faced by survivors of a passenger ship that was sunk by a Nazi U-Boat in the middle of the Atlantic. The film details their struggle for survival in a small lifeboat, fighting the elements, thirst and then fighting against each other. Each person has their own ideas about how to navigate the little boat: they argue about who should be in charge; and they find little things to fight over even when they run out of things to fight over....

I have a couple dirty little secrets for you. The government does not care about you. Politicians don't care about you. Paying taxes isn't charity. You cannot have more government and more freedom. “The government giveth, and the government taketh away.” Let’s chose more freedom and less government. Socialism Sucks!

OK a little early but at least I'll get it started. Hope to post Howie's Sun column later tonight. After that it's mostly GQuagmire (thanks!) doing the pings for the next 2 weeks

The powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense panel said Wednesday that the services are likely to have to shed personnel starting in 2013, given the increasing costs of equipment and other programs the Pentagon needs to win future fights. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., told reporters at a wide-ranging breakfast meeting in Washington that the Army’s chief of staff, Gen. George Casey, and Pentagon chief Robert Gates wanted to increase end strength for two years to stabilize a force stretched by frequent deployments with little time home for training and family life.

A critically ill Hamilton preemie turned away from McMaster Children's Hospital is all alone in a Buffalo intensive care unit because her parents don't have passports to get across the border. Hamilton's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was full when Ava Isabella Stinson was born 14 weeks premature at St. Joseph's Hospital Thursday at 12:24 p.m.

Michelle Obama raises fears over Hillary Clinton-style debacle Democrats are fretting as the first lady seeks a wider role in the White House Michelle Obama (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) Michelle Obama has sparked fears that she is suffering from 'Hillary-itis' and wants to influence politics on healthcare Tony Allen-Mills Over the past five months Michelle Obama has basked in some of the most flattering reviews ever earned by an American first lady. Yet the first stirrings of discontent are beginning to surface as President Barack Obama’s wife emerges from her newly installed White House vegetable garden in search of a meatier political...

A Roman tomb believed to be that of St Paul may be opened for the first time in 2000 years, the archpriest of the cathedral where it is located said Friday. ''We've been thinking of opening St Paul's sarcophagus for a while and Pope Benedict XVI has not ruled out ordering a thorough analysis of the tomb,'' said Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo of St Paul's Outside the Walls. ''We've also studied how we could do it. You have to bear in mind that this sarcophagus has been there for 20 centuries and has never been opened,'' he said....

Congressman Mark Kirk was an up and comer in the state of Illinois. He represents the well to do area of the North Shore of Chicago. (for full disclosure he's the rep to my parents) In 2008, Kirk, while targeted by Democrats, won fairly easily in his re election campaign. He's been on the short list as potential GOP candidates for both the U.S. Senate campaign and even the Governorship. All that talk may have ended yesterday when Kirk crossed the line and voted in favor of cap and trade. He has now done something sacreligious in Republican circles.

Sotheby's might want to send a bidding paddle to Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown. In its July 7 London manuscripts sale, the auction house is offering a 1,500-year-old biblical document that includes layers of text and meaning--in three languages. Known as the Codex Climaci Rescriptus, the piece was written over the span of three centuries and stowed in a sacred monastery until landing in the hands of a pair of British twins by way of local Egyptian dealers. Now an English college is cannibalizing its library and cashing out, to pay for some building renovations. The ancient manuscript could...