Free Republic

How long will this country remain free? Probably only as long as the American people value their freedom enough to defend it. But how many people today can stop looking at their electronic devices long enough to even think about such things? Meanwhile, attempts to shut down people whose free speech interferes with other people's political agendas go on, with remarkably little notice, much less outrage. The Internal Revenue Service's targeting the tax-exempt status of conservative groups is just one of these attempts to fight political battles by shutting up the opposition, rather than answering them. Another insidious attempt to...

It's a question that naturally springs to mind when tax season rolls around: Where are all those tax dollars being spent? In total, Washington will spend $12,304 per citizen. Unfortunately, the government will collect only $10,878 in tax revenue per person. That means that, you, the American citizen, will be left with an additional tab of $1,426, on average. The $1,426-per-person represents this year's deficit of $455 billion. Perspective: Adjusting for inflation, the government spent $894 per person in 1940, $7,319 per person during the peak of World War II (1945), $6,026 per person in 1980 and slightly more than...

The union said its organizers encountered a “toxic environment” in South Carolina. Two organizers were threatened at gunpoint during home visits to gauge support and urge votes for unionization, and others reported “near-violent confrontations,” it said

Looking over past threads and several articles I about the stock market I was wondering if anyone has any definite information on when the next stock market crash would come and how bad will it be?

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The first woman to serve as both governor and U.S. senator is backing a campaign to put a female face on the $20 bill. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen filed legislation this week that would create a citizens panel to recommend an appropriate choice to the treasury secretary. She is hoping to build on the work of Women on 20s, a national campaign pushing for new $20 bills by 2020, the 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. "I think there are a lot of opportunities that we sometimes don't think about to...

President Obama's nominee for Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, received a vote of support from both media star Al Sharpton and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush this week. Her confirmation has been held up by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken) in protest over Obama's executive grant of amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. Sharpton labeled McConnell's actions "racist. Keeping a Black woman from rising up to take her rightful place is a continuation of the hundreds of years of oppression of African Americans in this country. They let a white woman hold this job when Bill Clinton was president. For...

The budding “revolutionary guards” among WalMart employees may be learning a lesson about economics in the real world; a course they were never offered during their substandard public educations. The pressure from militant employees and union thugs has brought about a series of raises for WalMart workers, which is supposed to be good news. But is it? Some of these raises will start immediately and others will follow until all REMAINING workers will see remarkable increases in their salaries; some will be getting $80 per week raises. Nevertheless, WalMart has not become the largest retailer in the world by voluntarily...

A middle school teacher at Hempstead's Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School was in a classroom Wednesday afternoon when a parent went past a security checkpoint and waited outside her door to confront her, police and union officials said. The parent, later identified as Annika McKenzie, 34, insisted in engaging the teacher for reasons that haven't been disclosed. The teacher was heard asking the woman to get a security pass and then calling for security before things got worse, police said.

A generation of liberal indoctrination on campus has led to the widespread acceptance of thought-crime, a monster that says it’s okay to shun those with “unacceptable” views.  Liberals think they can control the monsters they release, but they can’t. Where does it lead?  Straight to the ovens, Rabbi Shmuley Bioteach warned Friday, Fortunately, we have not seen an outbreak of violence in the United States as we have in Europe. Nevertheless, the anti-Semitic acts on college campuses are alarming. No one should be surprised, however, given the nationwide campaign to delegitimize Israel by calling on universities to boycott and divest from the Jewish...

Prosecutors can use YouTube music videos made by the leaders of a Brooklyn drug gang called Together Forever Mafia against them at their upcoming racketeering trial, a federal judge ruled Friday. The TF Mafia videos on YouTube include titles such as “Smell Murder,” “Hustler Anthem,” “TF Mafia — My Mobb” and “Brooklyn Zoo — Boo,” according to court papers. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto’s decision to allow the video evidence to be used against defendants Michael (Rab) Garrett and Paul Rivera is the latest in a growing body of cases nationwide in which defendants who rap about criminal conduct on video see...

Fool me once. We were told that the health care system was broken. As a result, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law with the promise that premiums would be lower, we could keep our doctors and our insurance. Fool me twice. When the IRS was accused of targeting conservative groups, the president said there was not even a "smidgen" of corruption. Of course the Department of Justice declined to investigate. Fool me thrice. When four Americans were killed in Benghazi, it was said the cause was an offensive video. Susan Rice went out on a Sunday morning and...

A disturbing story flagged by The Washington Free Beacon’s Lachlan Markay out of West Virginia indicates that a man, enraged by the drilling taking place in his state, shot an employee of an energy exploitation company on Monday.

The Minnesota Senate will keep its rule forbidding members from looking at one another during floor debate and will continue to ban everyone from having drinks on the Senate floor. The issues arose Monday during the passage of the rules to govern the Senate. On a 15-44 vote, the Senate decided to keep its current requirement that all speakers must gaze at the Senate president. "I find this particular rule of the Senate, dare I say, antiquated," said Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove. But Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, disagreed. When you can look at the senator speaking, he...

When humans and their four-legged, furry best friends look into one another's eyes, there is biological evidence that their bond strengthens, researchers report. Oxytocin -- the same hormone responsible for helping mothers bond to their infants -- increases in both dogs and their owners when they maintain eye contact, the Japanese scientists found. "Certainly, people who suggest their dog is part of the family are probably quite right,

Senior Republican Sen. John McCain blasted Pentagon officials on Friday for dramatically downplaying the role of Ramadi as the key Iraqi city stood on the brink of being taken over by ISIS. "Disregarding the strategic importance of Ramadi is a denial of reality and an insult to the families of hundreds of brave young Americans who were killed and wounded during the Surge fighting to free Ramadi from the grip of Al-Qaeda," McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a written statement released by his office, which was later joined onto by Repbulican Sen. Lindsey Graham. McCain,...

Commander of Iran's Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan on Saturday firmly rejected allegations about the presence of Iranian military forces in Yemen and Iraq.

As one begins to dissect and find meaning in Hillary Clinton's campaign announcement video, Getting Started, once striking message is that she sends to parents whose kids are trapped in failing schools, move to a better area. While much of the video is merely a fluff piece designed to pander to every conceivable demographic her campaign can target in its 2 minutes and 18 seconds, there are a few striking observations, none as disturbing as her apparent solution for addressing the problems of under-performing public schools. After introducing us to a woman whose home-grown tomatoes are apparently "legendary" the Hillary campaign...

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) — Ties between Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, political allies for more than a decade, are fraying as the Republican presidential campaign picks up. In public, mentor Bush and protege Rubio have avoided criticizing each other since Rubio announced his candidacy. But Bush allies have started quietly spreading negative information about Rubio's record. Also, supporters of the two Miami politicians are drawing contrasts between Rubio, a 43-year-old son of Cuban immigrants, and 62-year-old Bush, a member of one of the nation's most powerful political dynasties. "Sparks are going to fly," said Al...

A lorry carrying 14 million honeybees scattered hundreds of hives when it overturned on a highway north of Seattle in the US state of Washington early on Friday. The lorry had just merged onto the Interstate 5 when it tipped on its side, dumping its load of 448 hives, officials said. The driver was not hurt, and authorities are investigating whether or not speed was the cause of the crash. The company that owns the insects, Belleville Honey and Beekeeping Supply of Burlington, sent beekeepers to recover as many as possible. It is believed that the total value of the...

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has a small lead over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in a new national poll on the possible 2016 GOP presidential field. Mr. Bush is the choice of 13 percent of Republican voters in the Monmouth University poll, followed by Mr. Cruz and Mr. Walker at 11 percent apiece. Mr. Cruz officially launched a bid for the White House last month.