Free Republic

"We're asking questions progressives like but we're giving answers that conservatives should like," he said at last month's National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas. "We're not talking about expanding welfare, we're talking about expanding work. We're not talking about expanding entitlements, we're talking about expanding enterprise and investments. . . . We should be able to stand together and be one country on this." Yes, we should. But while Jones was calling for "one country," Beck and Co. were digging into his background like a political campaign's hit squad to smear Jones as a "communist-anarchist radical." Yes, Jones dabbled...

Right before the Senate adjourned for the August recess today, Senate Majority Leader Reid filed for cloture on the nomination of Chicago/Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The motion means a Senate floor debate will take place in September, with confirmation expected. Senate Republicans have apparently lifted their holds against Sunstein, but several want an opportunity to speak about the nomination on the floor (and about regulatory policy, one hopes). Objections to Sunstein over animals rights and the Second Amendment still turn up in the blogosphere, but in his confirmation hearing and...

Pelosi signed two Official Certifications of Nomination for Obama and Biden at the DNC Convention last August. Read the language carefully and note the difference between them: Second one without any reference to the constitution.

They have the sheer numbers to put through any bill they want. They know they are in VERY SERIOUS trouble now in the upcoming elections, in fact, it could be devastating for them. So, in order to ensure their planned agenda of socialism moves forward regardless of upcoming election outcomes they must pass a Government Health care plan that can undercut and eventually eliminate all private insurance. Even if they lose the presidency next go around, they will have won the war. And they can continue to rule from that point forward without even winning the White House. The stakes...

I'm not kidding. As you may have heard, Fox News star Glenn Beck has been ranting about the "communist" and "fascist" art woven into the designs of Rockefeller Center. You don't need me to point you to the video of Beck's jaw-dropping madness, or to Keith Olbermann's hilarious dissection of Beck's claims. They're everywhere. Suffice to say when you watch Beck's presentation, it plays like a pitch-perfect parody of the kind of fringe-lunatic conspiracy theorist who gets lampooned on Penn & Teller's "Bull----!" show. You're thinking: There's no way in the world this guy can be serious. But he is....

The effect of the Obama administration’s economic policies have already had an impact on our international standing — and that is bad news. Financial Times reports that the US has dropped out of its customary position as the most competitive economic environment, allowing Switzerland to capture the top spot. Why? Three guesses (via Katie Favazza): "The US government’s sweeping intervention in the private sector has taken its toll on the country’s competitiveness, according to an annual survey by the World Economic Forum. The country lost its number one spot to Switzerland in the WEF report on global competitiveness, partly because...

WASHINGTON -- Whether it's a motorcade or a security perimeter, D.C. drivers are pretty accustomed to road blocks and disruptions, but even the most seasoned D.C. road warrior might be a little upset to find his commute may have to change because of a farmers' market. The Office of First Lady Michelle Obama is supporting a request to periodically close a section of Vermont Avenue, not far from the White House, for a farmers' market. "You know Michelle set up that garden in the White House," Obama said. "One of the things we're trying to do now is to figure...

The resignation over the Labor Day weekend of White House "green jobs" czar Van Jones tells you some interesting things about the Obama administration. One of them is that a man who proclaimed himself a "communist" in the 1990s and signed 9/11 "truther" petitions suggesting Bush administration complicity in the Sept. 11 attacks was considered fit for a White House appointment. Liberal columnists have been attacking Republicans because some of their voters are "birthers," believers in the absurd charge that President Obama was not born in Hawaii and thus is not a natural-born U.S. citizen. But they have failed to...

What is it about Americans? Change terrifies us. Even little changes. We fought the introduction of ZIP codes. We resisted direct dial telephony. We battled fluoridated water -- some fight still -- as a communist plot. What's our problem? Just plain crazy? Or are we so self-satisfied, do we really believe our present reality, whatever it happens to be, so wonderful that any conceivable derivation from the status quo would be, by definition, a decline? Do we really believe that? We are able to adopt certain new things. Everyone in America picked up a cell phone easily enough. There was...

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Fitzgerald blasted lawmakers in a letter to Governor Quinn this week, calling state funding for probation services "dangerously inadequate". In a letter written to the Illinois Governor on September 1st, Fitzgerald wrote, "“The practical effect of diminishing appropriations is that probation officers must be laid off, criminal offenders sentenced to probation receive inadequate or no supervision, and the public safety is thereby severely compromised." As part of Governor Quinn's approved budget signed into law in July, appropriations to the Supreme Court for probation services were slashed by...

WASHINGTON – European support for the U.S. president's handling of foreign policy has soared since President Barack Obama took over from former President George W. Bush, but Europeans continue to view major issues including Afghanistan, Iran and global warming differently than Americans view them, a poll released Wednesday found. Among those polled in the European Union and Turkey, about three-fourths, on average, said they supported Obama's handling of foreign policy compared with about a fifth who said the same for Bush last year, according to the survey. It was conducted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a...

This is BEFORE paying for ObamaCare.

Cong Yvette Clarke broke the law prohibiting foreign govt's from paying for US legislators' travel. "This is a fundamental rule," said LegiStorm which publishes info about members' pay, perks and pork. The Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act prohibits foreign govt's or their representatives from paying a member's travel costs.....in order to prevent undue influence over US legislators. Gifts of $335 are to be reported to the House Ethics Committee, which decides if a special waiver should be granted. Clarke's 3-day trip cost over $1,700.....paid for by Portfolio Marketing Group lobbyists.....clients include Antigua and Barbuda govt's.

Per Fox News Channel, Senate Dems ready to use "budget reconciliation" -- 51 votes -- to pass ObamaCare with "public option." Dems now say they will seek no Republican support, but Sen Olymbia Snowe is siding with the Dems anyway. Repubs hiding in closets. Developing. Looking like a done deal.

Most of my regular readers will obviously remember the articles posted here about the Dove World Outreach Center, which had posted anti-Islamic signs in the Church's front yard. Most recently some members of the Church were even sent home from school for wearing "Islam is of the Devil" tee shirts. Here is an exclusive interview with Dove's Dr. Terry Jones - Senior Pastor. Christopher Logan: Good morning Pastor Jones. Pastor, recently your Church has made headlines by placing Islam is of the Devil signs on the front lawn of the Church. What was your reasoning for this, what threat do...

Speaker Gingrich provides us with an excellent litmus test to see how well Obama has been listening to the American people. Check it out: Grading The Big Health Care Speech 84rules September 9, 2009

Count on it: If liberals lose on health care — either because no major legislation passes or because they consider whatever legislation does pass inadequate — they are going to blame the loss on a campaign of deception by their critics. While liberals have more political power now than at any point in at least three decades, they also have a generation of experience at being sore losers. So the town-hall protesters are going to be 2009’s version of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Bush v. Gore, or the people who ran the Willie Horton ads: a way for...

Here is video from NBC last night where Brian Williams reported that the Obama Administration's "Cash for Clunkers" program was underwhelming in helping Chrysler and General Motors. Of the big three American car makers, only Ford was up in August sales over August 2008, with a 17% gain. Chrysler was down 15%, and General Motors was down 20% - even with the "Cash for Clunkers" incentive. Toyota was up 6%. NOTE: What happens in the coming months with no government boondoggle incentive? . . . .(VIDEO)

Why I Like to Hire Ugly People How the unattractive suffer ... and can end up sitting pretty By Marty Nemko September 2009 Like beauty, “ugly” is in the eyes of the beholder. What I’m talking about here is anything in a person’s physical appearance that’s likely to keep him or her off a “most attractive” list. For me it’s my hair, or lack thereof. Many years ago, I was all set to appear six times on a daytime-TV talk show. But the producers first had one suggestion: Get a hairpiece. “Market research indicates that a man with a full...

The Tea Party Express will be rallying in Canton, OH at 10:00 am this morning, Pittsburgh/Cranberry Township, PA at 2:30 pm and Johnstown, PA at 6:00 pm tonight!! Next rally stop: Scranton, PA tomorrow morning!! Woo hoo!! Thirty-five cities, thirty-five tea parties in sixteen days!! Be sure to check the tour schedule and join us when we get to a city near you: TeaPartyExpress.org!! And if you are going to DC for the big March on Washington and National Tea Party on 9/12, you won't want to miss our National Freeper Convention!! Click here to order your tickets today!! If...