Free Republic

White House insiders say that the "vibe" inside the Obama Administration is that "Rahm is running" for mayor of Chicago, but that it is perhaps the least surprising turn of events in what is expected to be "a house cleaning" after the midterm elections."Maybe it's just me," says a longtime Obama aide, "but I think a lot of us feel that the President was ill-served by White House staff that did not have the pre-existing relationship or ties to him, and the result is the mess we're in right now. The President needs more of what I'd call the 'true...

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, practically every American understood and agreed with a powerful two-word sentiment that summed up the nation’s attitude during those traumatic days: “never forget.” Nine years later, it’s clear that great swathes of the populace have indeed forgotten and the leftist media’s coverage of the anniversary this weekend was symptomatic of the Left’s selective memory when it comes to Islamic terrorism. Oh sure, they remembered the victims of al-Qaeda’s barbarous attacks who fell in New York, Washington and Shanksville, but that’s the easy part. There’s nothing controversial or dangerous about mourning the murdered....

A majority of those polled by Gallup agree with President Obama that Bush-era tax cuts for the rich should be phased out.

Muslim disloyalty in the military is becoming commonplace, but how prevalent is it in society — not to mention in the U.S. government? Islamist enmity for infidels, regularly manifested in the jihad, is by now moderately well known. Lesser known, however, but of equal concern, is the mandate for Muslims to be loyal to fellow Muslims and Islam — a loyalty that all too often translates into disloyalty to all things non-Muslim, including the American people and their government.This dichotomy of loyalty to Muslims and enmity for infidels — which, incidentally, corresponds well with Islamic law’s division of the world...

In Flint, the city's transit authority bought a pair of $1.1 million electric buses that are zero-emission. In Lansing, the city's transit authority purchased a 60-foot $783,000 hybrid bus. Cities across Michigan are touting their new "green fleets" as good for the environment. Lansing's Capital Area Transit Authority claims its growing hybrid buses cut emissions by 90 percent. But some transit experts are saying it is poor public policy and that the costs far exceed any environmental gain. The "eco" buses can cost anywhere from 50 to 100 percent more than a regular diesel bus, and that doesn't include the...

...a state registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 329,000 to 179,000. Castle voting history suggests he will vote with conservatives 52 percent of the time. If Coons is elected and votes in a pattern similar to Delaware’s other senator, he will vote the conservative 12 percent; if he emulates current Democratic senator Ted Kaufman, he will vote the conservative position 4 percent. Over his 17 complete years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Castle has voted the conservative position, as defined by the American Conservative Union, about 52 percent of the time. In 2009, ACU scored Castle at 56. Castle opposed the...

The 60-day sprint to Election Day is underway, and many Republicans are making the familiar argument that the election should be about one thing and one thing only: the economy. With unemployment still rising and GDP growth still slowing in response to the Democrats’ failed economic policies, Republicans would be remiss not to focus on the economy. But they should reject the advice to focus only on pocketbook issues. Instead, Republicans should highlight the Democrats’ dreadful record in all policy areas, including on the values issues that continue to inspire and motivate millions of voters. At a recent event sponsored...

One thing for certain, our Vacationer in Chief sure does know how to live like a rock star. Oh baby! Whether it is expensive vacations for family and friends, or hours upon hours playing golf or basketball, or lavish parties at the White House, the Obama's party like it is their divine right to do so. Frankly, Obama should party even more. The lavish trips and fancy parties costs "We the People" much less money than his dystopian policies and misguided thinking. Up coming this week for the first couple is the black tie bash for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus....

Four people are dead and over 20 more injured after a double-decker Megabus crashed into a bridge near Syracuse. The bus driver, who was taking passengers from Philadelphia to Toronto, reportedly got lost and took a route with height restrictions. While on the Onondaga Lake Parkway, the 13-foot bus slammed into the 10-foot, 9-inch high CSX railroad bridge and flipped. Passenger Reena Rai told the Daily News, "The next thing I knew there was a lady on top of me and her blood was just dripping on top of me profusely. I yelled, 'Help, help!'" Three men and an 18-year-old...

The tea party has something in common with fine wine: it gets better with age. This year’s 9/12 rally came replete with the types of moveable signs that were clearly crafted with care and the types of activists who are quick on their feet with chants and chatter. It was all sponsored in large part by FreedomWorks, a non-profit organization that fights for limited government, and serves as a central force for a strictly volunteer tea-party army. “There is only one power on this earth big enough to destroy this country,” said FreedomWorks chairman and former House Majority Leader Dick...

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem The Book of PsalmsPsalm 80 To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Testimony[b] of Asaph. A Psalm. 1. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! 2. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us! 3. Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! 4. O LORD God of hosts, How long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people? 5. You have fed...

'That's how men talk,' GOP challenger West says as Democrat Rep. Klein slams his references to 'Gestapo,' 'butt-whoopin' * * * Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Klein says Republican challenger Allen West's campaign rhetoric is often "extreme" and "threatening" and "offensive." West says Klein needs to "man up." * * * . . . West recently called the taping "Gestapo-type intimidation tactics" by foes out to distort his positions. Klein said the reference to Hitler's secret police showed "appalling disrespect to Holocaust victims and survivors." Klein's campaign recently posted footage from March in which West calls Islam "a totalitarian theocratic political...

AMERICAN FORK -- Stetson Hallam, a former BYU student who used a Taser on a woman in an attempt to kidnap her as part of what he said was a prank, was sentenced to one to 15 years in prison on Wednesday. Fourth District Judge Christine Johnson said she agreed with Adult Probation and Parole's assessment that Hallam, 20, was a danger to the community given the disturbing nature of the offense and that if his victim had not screamed and fought back, what Hallam said was a prank could have turned into something far more serious. "It gravely concerns...

IMF urges stimulus to help "dire" job market By Walter Gibbs and Gwladys Fouche OSLO (Reuters) – The world's rich countries need to extend fiscal stimulus and job growth initiatives to fix a "dire" labor market that could threaten entire societies, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday. At a conference co-hosted by the IMF and the International Labor Organization, visiting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero said high unemployment may trigger a "crisis of confidence" in Europe. The IMF said more and more workers worldwide were unable to find jobs for longer periods, weakening social cohesion and raising...

Ground has been broken. A few surrounding buildings and a little placeholder replica of the Freedom Tower have been erected. Ceremonial beams of light have been displayed where the Twin Towers once loomed. But as the Bergen (NJ) Record put it: “We are supposed to be pleased that One World Trade Center is rising, that work on that national Sept. 11 memorial is well under way, as is the transportation hub and one of three additional commercial towers. And we are pleased that these projects are moving along. But it has been nine years. Nine years and nothing is completed.”...

Brainstorming the hottest episodes and zaniest plot twists to come from the star of the worldÂ’s most popular reality TV series. Hillary! Hillary! Hillary! What is her next move? Why do we care so much?Hillary is a two decades-long prime time reality TV series that keeps getting renewed as the ratings surge higher and higher, and the showÂ’s fascinating characters evolve and become even more fascinating year after year. The show revolves around two complicated multi-layered personalities who have a special knack for re-inventing themselves as they morph seamlessly into yet another phase of their lives. We watch as they...

President Barack Obama unleashed his October Surprise a little early, announcing last week his plan to get the Federal Reserve to print $50 billion more dollars and funnel it to the unions under the guise of improving America’s roads, railways and runways. Perhaps he wanted to get a head start in case this one fails, too. The plan will bring the total amount of stimulus dollars allocated for infrastructure to $280 billion. You remember those shovel-ready projects that were supposed to stimulate the economy? They apparently weren’t so ready after all. Only about a third of the original $230 million...

In a recent journey that connected two different times and two different continents, I’ve come to appreciate the impact that individuals can have when they struggle to find God’s will in their lives. One such individual was Martin Luther whose stand triggered the Reformation in 1517. The other was Glenn Beck whose recent Restoring Honor Rally touched hundreds of thousands in attendance and even more who were watching from afar. One took advantage of the printing press, the other the Internet and the media. Both took risks to take a stand for God, freedom and personal responsibility. On a recent...

This weekend there was a vid of a man who burned pages from the Koran at ground zero. It is gone. Cannot find it. When I checked Drudges archives it was pulled, I looked at it this morning prior to it being pulled and it had an advisory on it and only 7K hits. Both were lies. The LSM did not pick it up. But the internet is increasingly becoming a place of extreme government control. This is the place that history gets erased and retold. How do you have an uncontrolled internet? Jim?

Before the Six Day War in June of 1967, the Syrian army built fortified bunkers on the ridge of the Golan Heights and fired sniper rifles, mortars, and artillery cannons at Israeli civilians below. The cities, farms, and kibbutzim on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and in the wider region around it, were perilous places to live or even to visit when Syria commanded those heights. “If they saw tractors down there,” Hadar Sela said after leading me to one of the bunkers, “or anything moving at all—even a child walking to the store to get milk—they opened...