Free Republic

President Obama has limited pay rises for tens of thousands of federal employees in the US next year to 2 per cent, blocking planned rises of more than 18.9 per cent. The President said in a letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, that pay formulas set in 1990 would indicate a 16.5 per cent pay increase, on top of a 2.4 per cent cost-of-living increase for federal employees. This would cost $22.4 billion, and place too much strain on the already stretched federal budget, the President said. “With unemployment at 9.5 per cent in June, to...

President Obama's Middle East policy is in ruins. While the US continues to press Israel for a settlement freeze (and now a freeze on Jerusalem) his strategy is falling apart piece by piece. He has turned the Israeli populace against him and strengthened the hand of Prime Minister Netanyahu. At the same time he has eroded his own support among American Jews and other US friends of Israel. The Arab League nations answered no to the Presidents request for a peace gesture and the President of the Palestinian Authority uses Obama's settlement pressure as his "out" from re-entering negotiations. What...

Illinois Supreme Court Urged to, Without Delay, Enforce Federal Law Requiring Physicians to Notify Minor’s Parents before Performing an Abortion (08/31/09 – Chicago, IL) Today, the Thomas More Society, a public interest law firm based in Chicago, has filed in the lllinois Supreme Court an original action for “writ of mandamus,” asking the Justices to order the immediate enforcement, without further delay, of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 (“Parental Notice Act” or “the Act”), and directing the members of the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board, the Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation,...

So is this guy a terrifying threat to democracy? Or just a civic-minded citizen? If you think that his position on healthcare changes the likelihood that he will discharge that weapon, is this a rational belief? I think carrying guns to protests is entirely counterproductive. Indeed, I'm not sold on the general virtues of protesting, which worked for Gandhi and the civil rights marcher, but has a dismal track record on other concerns. But I think people have a perfect right to do it, including with guns, though I also think the secret service is within its rights to ensure...

The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts today decried the scandal which occurred this morning at Boston's most historic Catholic shrine --- the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, known as Mission Church --- where a Mass of Christian Burial was used to “celebrate the life” of one of America's most notorious opponents of Catholic morality, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy fought for more than three decades to keep the killing of pre-born children legal and unrestricted in the United States. Surgical abortion has claimed more than fifty-one million human lives since 1973. The Catholic religion...

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From Yahoo News: Pentagon worried about Obama's commitment to AfghanistanThe prospect that U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal may ask for as many as 45,000 additional American troops in Afghanistan is fueling growing tension within President Barack Obama's administration over the U.S. commitment to the war there. On Monday, McChrystal sent his assessment of the situation in Afghanistan to the Pentagon... Although the assessment didn't include any request for more troops, senior military officials said they expect McChrystal later in September to seek between 21,000 and 45,000 more troops... With tough battles ahead on health care, the budget and other issues,...

UPDATE: AFTER A SHORT DELAY, THE L/B KAYD LAUNCHED AT APPROXIMATELY 10:30 DST, APRIL 30. April 30, 2009, Atlantic City, NJ—An international team of researchers working under the auspices of the Integrated Ocean Drilling program launched the New Jersey Shallow Shelf Expedition this morning in the early hours, taking advantage of the high tide to sail to the continental shelf just off the New Jersey shore. There, they will conduct coring operations to collect geological sediments that will inform them about Earth cycles that relate to sea level change, the mechanisms that force it, and that have impacted the geography...

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Proponents of a government-run health system would like us to believe that universal health care is a right owed to every citizen of the United States of America (and illegal aliens). However, this assertion is plagued with the typical liberal-logic, which is almost always completely devoid of any actual logic and common sense. Let’s examine their notion in greater detail.

Tampa, Florida -- While most banks require a thumbprint to cash a check from someone who doesn't have an account, a Tampa man says that policy was impossible to comply with. Steve Valdez says he was shocked when he was told he had to put his thumbprint on a check written on his wife's Bank of America check. Valdez says the check was written to him with the same address he has on his driver's license. Although he had two forms of identification both with pictures, the bank still required Valdez to give a thumbprint before it would cash the...

Capitalism the villain as Moore movie hits Venice Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:59pm EDT By Mike Collett-White LONDON (Reuters) - The Venice film festival has capitalism in its sights this year, with premieres of Michael Moore's documentary on the U.S. economic meltdown and a drama starring Matt Damon as a corrupt corporate whistleblower. "Capitalism: A Love Story," in competition at the annual cinema showcase, sees Moore take on the corporate bosses with his trademark combative style, bringing the hot topic of recession to the picturesque Lido waterfront. And "The Informant!," directed by Steven Soderbergh and featuring Damon as a real-life...

Who is Roy Masters? In 1960 Roy Masters started America’s first conservative talk radio show on KTYM in Los Angeles, California. Roy Masters and his “Advice Line” radio program continue today as an institution on radio. “Advice Line” is currently broadcast nationwide on a 130 radio stations and available via the internet. For more about Roy see: http://www.fhu.com/aboutroy.htmlhttp://roymasters.blogspot.comhttp://fhumeditation.blogspot.comTheRoyMastersChannel

Sweden's fervent defence of free speech has sparked a diplomatic storm with Israel over the government's refusal to condemn an article accusing Israeli soldiers of smuggling dead Palestinians' organs. The row is likely to overshadow a visit to Israel by Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt next month, right in the midst of Sweden's presidency of the rotating European Union, a key player in the Middle East peace process. Many ordinary Swedes back the government's stance of not condemning the piece by Aftonbladet, the country's top-selling daily, according to a survey released on Wednesday. In an online poll answered by 24,000...

The United States cannot win the war in Afghanistan in the next three months -- any form of even limited victory will take years of further effort. It can, however, easily lose the war. I did not see any simple paths to victory while serving on the assessment group that advised the new U.S. commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, on strategy, but I did see all too clearly why the war is being lost... --snip-- The appointments this summer of Karl Eikenberry as ambassador to Afghanistan and McChrystal as commander of U.S. and allied forces have created a team that...

U.S. charges three men with molesting children in Cambodia They are the first to be charged under an international law-enforcement operation that targets U.S. citizens who travel to Cambodia for illicit sex. They could face 30 years in jail for each victim. Raja Abdulrahim September 1, 2009 Three American men who are suspected of traveling to Cambodia to molest children have been charged in federal court as part of a new initiative aimed at cracking down on the child sex tourism business there, authorities said Monday. Ronald Gerard Boyajian, 49, of Menlo Park, Calif.; Erik Leonardus Peeters, 41, of Norwalk;...

The Republican alternative to Democrat-care, which liberals don't want you to know about, has been hijacked. They don't want people to know about it because the Astroturf, un-American crazies might like it. The "Empowering Patients First Act," or H.R. 3400, was introduced by Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and 27 co-sponsors on July 30, 2009, prior to the congressional recess. It was then referred to eight House committees. The head hijacker is Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As Rep. Price pointed out during a radio interview with me last week, the rules in the House assert that bills will remain in committees "for...

The Araby Youth Center formally opened during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Aug. 30. The center is a result of the efforts of the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, and its partnership with the local Iraqi government. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo. BAGHDAD — The conflict in Iraq has had a dramatic effect on many Iraqi children, but the children of Shaab now have a fun, safe place to play with the recent opening of the Araby Youth Center here.The center is a result of the efforts of the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of...

ANN ARBOR, MI – Nearly four years after the so-called “Haditha Massacre,” an investigation conducted by over 65 NCIS agents (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) ─ the largest investigation in that agency’s history ─ with the expenditure of millions of taxpayer dollars, and prosecution losses at every stage of the criminal process, the government has decided to give up on the criminal prosecution against Marine LtCol Jeffrey Chessani.  Nonetheless, the battle for this loyal Marine officer continues. On Friday, August 28, 2009,  the new general in charge of LtCol Chessani’s case, Marine LtGen George Flynn, Commanding General of the Marine Corps...

Republicans will repeal healthcare reform legislation if they win control of Congress because of that bill, a key Republican pledged late Sunday. The health bill is "dead on arrival" in Congress, said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce committee, said during an interview on Fox News. "If they somehow manage to get the votes and get enough Democrats to walk the plank and commit suicide, in the next Congress, I'll be chairman Joe Barton of the Energy and Commerce committee, and we'll repeal it," Barton said. Republicans have shown optimism at picking up...