Free Republic

Barack Obama’s initial approach to the office of the presidency has been as grandiose as Bush’s was restrained. It’s not hard to recall that he ran as a transformative candidate, promising sweeping, though somewhat fuzzy, “change” during the campaign. For the first several months of his presidency, Obama has labored to deliver on that pledge. He pushed a controversial stimulus bill through Congress to help rev up the economy, turned Bush’s reluctant bailout of Chrysler and General Motors into a giant government auto buyout and appointed a record number of “czars” to help regulate bureaucracies in both public and formerly...

Sorry, CharlieLast Updated: 2:19 AM, September 15, 2009 Rep. Charlie Rangel is upset at The Post's reports of his various trans gressions. So here's a word of advice: Stop committing them, Congressman. Rangel lashed out at The Post last weekend for its role in exposing his shady finances, failure to pay taxes, dubious fund-raising, illegal use of a House garage and on and on. "I think it's totally unfair for the New York Post to send investigators to my family's home," he huffed. Obviously, he's miffed -- for starters -- by the paper's pictures and stories of his secret Caribbean...

It has become a familiar chain reaction: Talk-show hosts whip up a noisy controversy, which hits higher decibels as it spreads to the establishment media, which costs some unfortunate soul his job. But now the middleman -- the journalistic gatekeepers of yore -- may no longer be necessary. By the time White House environmental adviser Van Jones resigned over Labor Day weekend, the New York Times had not run a single story. Neither had USA Today, which also didn't cover the resignation. The Washington Post had done one piece, on the day before he quit. The Los Angeles Times had...

Now, you KNOW that had the roles been reversed the liberal media's race baiting journalists would be out there asking this very question. So, how about it? Was his motivation racial?

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, THIS HOUR AND THIS SECOND. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME YOUR SAINTS CAN GATHER BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAINTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED. LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TROOPS AND PATRIOTS WHO FAITHFULLY PLACE THERE PRAYERS FOR OUR HEROES AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE,AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD YOUR TRUTHS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS. LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED HAND OF GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION IN...

Sometimes wonder if you're listening. Please save me from despair. Yes, I know you don't bargain, But I can't say you don't care. At least, help me bear the outcome If your plan does not match mine. Give me strength to trust your wisdom, Help when nothing seems to shine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMv7N63W4uY

Peter Galbraith’s exit from Kabul, even if temporary, is a rebuff to Richard Holbrooke, his long-time ally and a fellow big American trying to cut through the Afghan fog. The absence of the United Nations’ second most senior official comes during a new frost in relations between Washington and President Karzai and raises the question of whether Holbrooke, the US troubleshooter in the region, still has a plausible job to do. For some weeks there has been a rumble of quiet questions about whether he might consider the end of the year the limit of his useful efforts — although...

Reposting this since it was posted late last night.

There's no doubt the so-called mainstream media turned their collective noses up at the Sept. 12 march on Washington, D.C. to protest the policies of Democratic-controlled federal government - whether in the form of denigration, downplay or outright ignoring the event. However, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has suggested a different tactic. On his Sept. 14 show, Limbaugh proposed a future round of these grassroots protests not take place at the seats of power in government, but instead the headquarters and outposts of the local and national media. "There have been hundreds and thousands of protests by conservative groups...

Spurgeon's Morning & Evening - September 15 -------------------------------- Morning Devotional "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings." - Psalm 112:7 Christian, you ought not to dread the arrival of evil tidings; because if you are distressed by them, what do you more than other men? Other men have not your God to fly to; they have never proved his faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear: but you profess to be of another spirit; you have been begotten again unto a lively hope, and your...

Today the President went to Wall Street where he laid out his vision of the countries economic future First, we're proposing new rules to protect consumers and a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency to enforce those rules. This crisis was not just the result of decisions made by the mightiest of financial firms. It was also the result of decisions made by ordinary Americans to open credit cards and take on mortgages. And while there were many who took out loans they knew they couldn't afford, there were also millions of Americans who signed contracts they didn't fully understand offered...

We waterboarded 3 terrorists. We've aborted 40 million babies. Those who were waterboarded were "tortured" by having water poured on them.Those who were aborted were not tortured; they were only torn limb from limb. Those who were waterboarded are guilty of some of the worst terrorist attacks in history.Those who were aborted are completely innocent. Those who were waterboarded are still alive.Those who were aborted are now dead. ...and guess whose side liberals are on????

At Obama's main celebrity inaugural ball, Kanye West was interviewed by a CNN anchor during "Anderson Cooper 360" about his feelings about the election. Rather than solely focusing on Obama's victory though, Kanye West ended up using the air time to DEFEND PRESIDENT BUSH. He wasn't even being asked about him. "At the end of the day, Bush, he was a human being...a real person with feelings and hurts too... and a lot of things got overshadowed...it's a shame." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bs22JsdA0 (Statement is made at the last 1 minute of the interview)

Philosophers and career-thinkers from academia have a place. I can appreciate their zeal and gift for boundless thought. I can even realize that some of their ideas may shape our future for the better. I draw the line however, at giving them stewardship or power over policies that directly affect the country. Policies should come from practical, time tested sources, not radical ideas from people whose purpose is to think of new ways of doing things. Thinkers are mostly just that -- thinkers, not doers. There is a huge gap of scrutiny and trial & error before an idea should...

the National Mall’s abundance of public monuments and museums inspire some 24 million people to visit each year

Liberals are having difficulty understanding the grass roots opposition to President Obama's plans for the government takeover of the health care industry, as well as the President's loss of support since his election. Equally disconcerting to liberals was the massive turnout on September 12th to protest a Federal government that is too big, too intrusive, and far too corrupt. As one who attended the September 12th rally at the Capitol, let me offer liberals the following explanation for what is happening. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards out of all of us." And what are the American...

The House Democratic leadership has decided to bring a "resolution of disapproval" Tuesday afternoon against Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) for his jeer last week at President Obama during a Joint Session of Congress. Wilson bellowed "You lie!" at Obama during his address. It's against House rules to call the president a "liar" or accuse him of "lying" when the House is in session. "We're not the British parliament for a reason," said Kristie Greco, spokeswoman for House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC)."Ignoring the issue sets a precedent for bad behavior."

I remember Eastern Europe in 1989. I was there when the streets were flooded with people, when we watched the Berlin Wall being brought down, when the police blocked the streets and attacked us, trying to disperse the protests. One after another, Communist governments found it impossible to contain the wrath of their own people. We were on the streets, blocking parliaments and government buildings, demanding our liberty. All the Eastern European countries had constitutions, and those constitutions started with Article I: “The Communist party is the leading political force...” We wanted just one thing: Repeal Article I. Destroy the...

A Government Accountability Office report says that privatizing the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could mitigate the systemic economic risk caused by the federal government’s guarantees to the now-defunct mortgage giants, but that the benefits of privatization could be reversed by government efforts to insure private-sector mortgages. “The extent to which privatizing or terminating the enterprises mitigates current safety and soundness and financial stability risks is difficult to determine,” said GAO. “Under one scenario, such risks would be mitigated because large and complex enterprises, which might engage in risky business practices due to the implied federal guarantee...

Kanye West seemed truly sorry Monday night on Jay Leno's opening show for bogarting Taylor Swift's moment in the MTV moonlight. Kanye seemed baffled by his own bad behavior. But after all it fits right in. He caught the rude bug in surly September - a week that started off with South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson calling President Obama a liar, sliding into Serena Williams' threat to a tennis judge that she'd shove a tennis ball down her throat. Yes, yes, like Kanye they apologized. Sort of. But we can't forgive them. Not so much because this tantrum-y behavior is...