Free Republic

I came to Washington in 2001 to take a career job at the Department of Justice after spending many years in the private sector. I thought I could make a small difference in my particular corner of the executive branch, just like Jimmy Stewart’s character did in Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, one of my favorite movies. After I arrived in Washington, I developed a circle of conservative friends (both career employees and political appointees) who work in other federal departments. We all shared the same frustrations at the inability to get liberal policies changed in the government....

Chase Kear after his accident / Fr. Emil Kapaun Wichita, Kan., Jul 3, 2009 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- Considering the beatification of the Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun, a Vatican investigation has found enough evidence of a miracle in the unexplained recovery of a young man who broke his skull in a near-fatal athletic accident. The man’s mother and her family had prayed for the intercession of the heroic U.S. Army chaplain.Andrea Ambrosi, a lawyer and investigator for the Vatican, on Friday visited family members and the doctors of two Wichita-area families who believe the survival of their...

Guys think Sarah Palin is hot. Chicks think she's hot, too. And she's not just hot, she has an appealing personality, and can make a good speech. I cried when she spoke at the Republican National Convention. Remember that? She's lives a conservative values lifestyle. But she was easily torn down by critics on both the right and left because she couldn't back up her physical appeal with experience, knowledge, and media saavy. If she looked like Helen Thomas no one would be talking about her for President. And there's nothing wrong with that. We need more young, hot Republicans....

America's health care system certainly has its share of problems — of which most emanate from politicians' tinkering, tempting frustrated consumers with promises of better benefits at someone else's expense. So the prospect of President Obama and Congress remaking American health care in their own image should scare the pants off anyone who looks not merely at the existing problems but at government's abysmal record as a problem-solver. Since last November, Obama and Congress have operated in crisis mode. They hastily passed a stimulus bill that still hasn't stimulated — only to be subsequently embarrassed by provisions that no one,...

A couple of months ago, I was doing an on-air interview with KPFA radio about the state budget and found myself saying out loud "I never thought I'd ever say this, but I want Pete Wilson back." The interviewer burst out laughing. Yes, Governor Pete Wilson did things I strongly disagreed with when he vetoed a bill on employment discrimination against gay people and when he frequently chose business over environmental protection - but he knew how to be Governor. If you have to have a Republican Governor, it would at least be nice to have one who didn't have...

Colin Powell, one of President Obama's most prominent Republican supporters, expressed concern Friday that the president's ambitious blitz of costly initiatives may be enlarging the size of government and the federal debt too much. "I'm concerned at the number of programs that are being presented, the bills associated with these programs and the additional government that will be needed to execute them," Mr. Powell said in an excerpt of an interview with CNN's John King, released by the network Friday morning. Mr. Powell, a retired U.S. army general who rose to political prominence after a long and accomplished military career,...

Who are the richest people in town? Here's a hint: Every dime they have is disposable income. The answer is tourists. And they increasingly are the victims of the soak-the-rich mentality that has resurfaced with a vengeance in a time in which politicians are looking for ways to accomplish the paradoxical tasks of raising revenues, expanding government services and keeping voters from taking to the streets in rage. Taxing tourists looks like the fabled silver bullet to elected officials. The latest episode is in New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just signed into law a new measure that...

Posture is and must be absolute before me now in that as I am your pinnacle of attention all things fall away that are not of me or come through me alone , for I AM THAT I AM in you " predestined " and " Absolute " , so allow me to be and come to you in an absolution and I then shall become your filter to which all your words and life's song shall become " YES AND AMEN " in accordance to The Word of My Will That IS " JESUS " for he IS True...

ELCA NEWS SERVICE July 2, 2009 Worship, Bible Study Leaders for ELCA Churchwide Assembly Named 09-147-CD* CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Preachers, presiding ministers and Bible study leaders chosen for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ECLA) Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis this August come from diverse backgrounds. The preachers, presiders and Bible study leaders were chosen by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop. The Rev. Jennifer P. Ollikainen, associate for worship resources, said the goal with this group was to have "broad representation" of the church body. The presiding and preaching ministers include four pastors who are bilingual, a first-year...

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has urged the US to move relations forward by shelving plans for a missile defence shield in Europe. His comments come ahead of a summit between US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dimitry Medvedev. They serve, correspondents say, as a clear sign that the powerful former president will have to be taken into account during the negotiations. Mr Obama is preparing to visit Moscow between 6 and 8 July. Reducing both countries' nuclear stockpiles, as well as Iran and North Korea, will be on the agenda when he meets Mr Medvedev. 'Two feet'Mr Obama...

The Government has been accused of fixing the outcome of public consultations on health policy after it emerged that reviews were flooded with block votes from groups funded entirely by the taxpayer. Earlier this month the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, announced that the display of cigarettes and tobacco in shops would be banned in England and Wales from 2011. He added that people wanting to buy cigarettes from vending machines would in future have to show proof of age to obtain a token to activate the machine, and machines could be banned altogether in the future. Mr Johnson boasted that...

(07-02) 22:16 PDT San Diego, CA (AP) -- Authorities say they have found another secret tunnel near a San Diego border crossing. The 53-foot passageway, reinforced with plywood and equipped with battery-powered lights, was discovered Thursday as law enforcement officials were investigating an incomplete cross-border tunnel west of the San Ysidro crossing.

Recently, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin traveled to Auburn, New York, and led a parade to celebrate Founder’s Day and help raise money to build a museum to honor William Seward, the secretary of state who was instrumental in acquiring Alaska for the country. Twenty thousand people attended the event chanting, “Run, Sarah, run!” Would Sen. John Kerry attract that many people in Massachusetts for a similar event? Not likely. That’s the rub with Democrats. They see Gov. Palin as a unifying force within the Republican Party who will bring a credible challenge to its power base. Her rock solid conservative...

As Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, Iran enters limbo, an uncertain yet perilous period of time separating anger-driven demonstrations from either bloody tyrannical repression or sustained popular struggle producing a liberalizing revolution. Frustration, righteous anger and bitterness powered Iran’s post-election demonstrations. These emotions are also fuel for revolution. Toppling Iran’s corrupt Khomeinist regime, however, requires leadership, organization and time — in other words, calculated assessments and cool political war-fighting skills. American independence required a field army, ragtag force though it was. Anger may lead to enlistments, but it doesn’t solve supply problems. Anger fades when you freeze at Valley...

Late term abortionist James Pendergraft has lost his appeal to the 5th District Court of Appeals (Florida). In 2001, he was convicted of Federal extortion and spent 7 months in jail before winning an appeal releasing because of "lack of evidence" per Operation Rescue. He has served jail time for being convicted of Federal extortion, but one cannot call him a convicted felon since the conviction was overturned on appeal. Information about his Federal extortion conviction (and subsequent reversal on appeal) from from Operation Rescue. Link to Operation Rescue article about this: Florida Closes Two Orlando Abortion Mills, Suspends Abortionist...

PICKENS COUNTY, AL (WVUA) - Authorities in Pickens County are trying to track a pack of wild dogs they believe may have killed a 96-year-old man and consumed his remains. Israel Pope, Jr. was reported missing Monday night and police found his remains in a field on his property, about a quarter of a mile from his house. Police believe Pope had been consumed by a pack of dogs authorities tracked to a den under an abandoned mobile home. Investigators found pieces of Pope's clothing and what may have been human remains at the mobile home. He said it was...

Barack Obama said that he didn’t want to “meddle” in the Iranian crisis, but now it looks like he’s finally taking sides. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong side. Haaretz reports that Obama has attempted to block an expansion of sanctions on the Iranian mullahs among the G-8 nations (via Yid with Lid): The United States is opposed to enacting a new set of financial sanctions against Iran that are due to be discussed in the G8 summit next week, diplomatic officials in New York reported Friday. According to officials, sanctions against Iran are expected to top the G8’s agenda. Sources are...

Pair Try to Force Naming of More Commissioners. BY DAN EGGEN Seven years after their landmark campaign finance legislation became law, Sens. John McCain and Russell Feingold are reuniting under the banner of spending reform at a time when restrictions have come under fire both in the courts and at the embattled Federal Election Commission. McCain (R-Ariz.) and Feingold (D-Wis.) announced this week that they were blocking the appointment of Democratic union lawyer John Sullivan to the FEC until President Obama agrees to fill two other open panel seats. The two senators, who co-sponsored legislation in 2002 that banned "soft...

Has anyone on FR put together a comparison between Obama's promises/reality and the current reality in terms of things like tax cuts, tax increases, unemployment figures, etc? The Obama Recession is getting worse and I want to track his promises vs. reality. Thanks for your help.

Posted: 9:02 am PDT July 3, 2009 Updated: 9:16 am PDT July 3, 2009 SEATTLE -- A fire at Fisher Plaza has disrupted stations that broadcast from the building near the Seattle Center and many Seattle-based Internet sites. KOMO Radio said the fire in an electrical vault about 11 p.m. Thursday forced the evacuation of the building and caused the sprinkler system to activate. The fire and water damage knocked out a large data center in the building that handles many Seattle-based web sites. Authorize.net, which handles credit card transactions for tens of thousands of e-commerce vendors, is one of...