Free Republic

President Obama will likely enjoy a warm reception when he speaks at the AFL-CIO convention on Tuesday, but Big Labor isn't happy about his latest idea for how to pay for a health care overhaul.His speech to Congress last week left out House Democrats' plan to slap a surcharge on high earners. Instead, he embraced taxing insurers on high-cost health plans, which is part of Senate efforts to craft a centrist bill. Obama offered few specifics beyond a slimmer $900 billion price tag. But his financing idea is drawing fire from union allies, driving home how difficult it will be...

Rep. Tom Price, the Georgia Republican who heads the House GOP Study Committee, came to President Obama's speech Wednesday night itching to make a point. Price, who also happens to be an orthopedic surgeon, has often heard the president accuse Republicans of criticizing Democratic health care proposals while having no plans of their own. He expected Obama to do the same Wednesday night. "We knew the president would at some point say something like, 'and the other side has no ideas,' " Price says. So Price and his Republican colleagues brought with them copies of the more than 30 health...

Over the coming weeks, three teams will try to complete the second and final stage of the Lunar Lander ChallengeMovie Camera (LLC), sponsored by NASA and aerospace company Northrop Grumman. Last October, Armadillo Aerospace of Texas won level one of the challenge and $350,000 by building a rocket that made two 90-second flights, reaching an altitude of 50 metres, between flat concrete pads 100 metres apart. On Saturday, they will be aiming for the million-dollar prize for the more challenging level two.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has agreed the House should vote next week on scolding Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for his outburst during President Barack Obama's speech unless he apologies on the floor of the House. "There was a violation of the rules of the House," said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly. "It needs to be resolved by an apology or a resolution." A Democrat will introduce a "resolution of disapproval" Monday or Tuesday unless Wilson formally apologizes on the House floor. The House returns Monday. Wilson shouted "You lie!" Wednesday night during Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress, after Obama...

September 11, 2009 Illegal Immigrants Could Not Buy Insurance on New ‘Exchange,’ White House Says By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN The White House on Friday said it would bar illegal immigrants from purchasing health coverage through a proposed insurance marketplace. But the administration also said that the federal government would continue to require hospitals to provide emergency treatment to illegal immigrants at taxpayer expense. The question of how illegal immigrants would fare under a proposed overhaul of the health care system came into sharp focus on Wednesday during President Obama’s speech to Congress. Representative Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina, shouted...

A housekeeper ...discovered some "goody bags" when cleaning up a motel room. Not long after the discovery of various illegal drugs and paraphernalia in room 126 of the hotel, the Cortez Police Department was called in to investigate the incident. Items seized as evidence by police officers include up to 30 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 1.2 grams of methamphetamine, 10 glass pipes, four of which contained meth residue and Xanax, Carisoprodol 350 mg and two Fentaynyl Transdermal patches, all controlled substances... The manager ...said two men called his office later Tuesday "asking if they could have their friends' bags,"

Reliapundit alerts us to breaking news: Gertrude Baines, who lived to be the world's oldest person on a steady diet of crispy bacon, fried chicken and ice cream, died Friday at a nursing home. She was 115. Baines, who remarked last year that she enjoyed life so much she wouldn't mind living another 100 years, died in her sleep, said Emma Camanag, administrator at Western Convalescent Hospital. The centenarian likely suffered a heart attack, said her longtime physician, Dr. Charles Witt. An autopsy was scheduled to determine the cause of death. ...Staff at Baines' nursing home described her as a...

Key members of the Senate Finance Committee, who are expected to play a pivotal role in the final struggle over revamping healthcare, on Friday sought to extinguish the latest brush fire – a furor over possible benefits for illegal immigrants. Committee members ended their closed-door deliberations yesterday without reaching agreement on a response, but work is scheduled to continue into the weekend on the immigrant and other questions. "What we're trying to prevent is anybody who is here illegally from getting any federal benefit," said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-S.D., a member of the so-called "Gang of Six" that has been...

Critics of Obama Policies, Energized by Town-Hall Meetings, Will March SaturdayConservative activists from around the country are gathering in Washington on Saturday, seeking to continue their momentum in shaping the national debate on everything from health care to White House staffing.The demonstrators, who plan to march up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol, are drawing their passion not from Bush-era fights over terrorism or gay marriage, but rather from Reagan-era debates over big government programs. The event comes on the heels of antitax events, dubbed tea parties, in April, and a series of congressional town-hall meetings nationwide last month that elicited...

Nothing like a boycott to really hurt ratings. Glenn Beck had his highest viewership ever Thursday averaging 3.34M Total Viewers. His was the second-highest rated program in Total Viewers in cable news behind The O'Reilly Factor's 3.61M. And Beck was even bigger with the ad-friendly demo, putting up his second best numbers since the show premiered in January. In A25-54 viewers, Beck was #1 for the day, and remember, his show airs at 5pmET/2pmPT when viewers aren't in front of their TVs like they are at 8, 9 or 10pm. Although, last night many of those primetime viewers were siphoned...

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WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders are planning a House vote early next week to admonish Republican Rep. Joe Wilson if he does not apologize on the House floor for yelling "You lie!" during President Barack Obama's health care address to Congress. National attention from the heckling episode has money pouring into Wilson's campaign treasury and that of his 2010 Democratic challenger. Wilson had raised more than $700,000 since the incident as of Friday, according to the National Republican Congressional Committee. His opponent, Rob Miller, had received more than $1 million from 25,000 donors nationwide, said his campaign manager, Lindsay Zoeller. Democratic...

Former Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton will announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate in a series of visits to Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction next week. Norton has filed federal campaign papers and set up a campaign Web site. Norton will face a crowded pack of five other Republicans for the nomination to challenge freshman Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

Gold ends above $1,000 for first time since Feb By TIM PARADIS, AP Business Writer Fri Sep 11, 4:14 pm ET NEW YORK – Gold prices settled over the $1,000 mark Friday for the first time since February. The rise in gold came as the dollar hit new lows for the year against the euro. Investors buy into gold in part as a safeguard against inflation. Gold for December delivery rose $9.60 to settle $1,006.40 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the highest close for gold since Feb. 20. On Aug. 27, gold finished below the...

In his September 9 address to Congress and the nation on health insurance, President Obama said that under his plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance. There is no clause in Article I of the Constitution authorizing Congress to craft legislation forcing individuals to purchase insurance. Mr. Obama attempted to justify his intended federal intrusion on individual liberty by noting that states require drivers to carry auto insurance. Notwithstanding the difference between a requirement imposed on licensed individuals or machines as opposed to a mandate for everyone, he fails to recognize the distinction between federal and state...

A giant pet parrot attacked a policeman after its owner was pulled over for driving with the bird on her shoulder. The driver was arrested after the officer discovered she was banned from driving - but then had to drive her car to the pound with the pet parrot flying loose inside the car. The macaw, which was furious at being parted from its owner, launched wave after wave of attack on the officer - leaving him with bite and scratch marks to his hands and arms as he tried to drive the car to the pound. Chief officer Steve...

Politics: The senator who called the president a liar and never apologized may have worn out his welcome in his home state. Harry Reid may be riding the liberal agenda into political oblivion.In 2004, Republicans defeated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle largely on the theme that he neglected his home state in favor of national party interests. The GOP is hoping that in 2010 lightning will strike a second time, and Nevada polls indicate it may be more than wishful thinking. In 1998, Reid beat John Ensign by a hair-thin 428 votes. Ensign would go on to win Nevada's other...

President Barack Obama is sending his wife Michelle to Copenhagen next month to urge Olympics organisers to select Chicago to host the 2016 Games. The White House said Obama informed International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge on Friday he had to stay in the United States to push his campaign for health reform. But Obama, an enthusiastic supporter of his home town's campaign to stage the Games, promised to keep working to support the bid with his wife and his senior advisor Valerie Jarrett. Mrs Obama and Jarrett will join U.S. organisers at the IOC meeting in Copenhagen on...

A group of black newspaper publishers on Friday charged Republican Rep. Joe Wilson with racism for yelling, "You lie," at President Obama during his nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) has canceled a planned January conference in South Carolina, where Wilson is a representative, and joined an economic boycott of the Palmetto State started 10 years ago by the state NAACP in protest of the confederate flag waving from the Statehouse grounds. Wilson shouted his accusation Wednesday night in response to Obama saying that his health care reform plan would not...

WELCOME THE TEA PARTY EXPRESS AS IT ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON D.C. * BE ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL LIVE SHOT! * FRIDAY NIGHT - 8:15 PM or sooner WHEN: Friday Night , September 11th - Arrive by 8:15PM WHAT: Arrival of Tea Party Express tour - and filming of Fox News Channel's "Hannity" program. WHERE: City Central Parking lot across from the Grand Hyatt hotel, located at 10th and H Street - Washington, D.C. THE CHANCE TO BE ON FOX & FRIENDS ON SATURDAY! Fox & Friends will be in Washington D.C. on Saturday September 12th in the lot across from...