Free Republic

As Ted Cruz tells it, the story of how he financed his upstart campaign for the United States Senate four years ago is an endearing example of loyalty and shared sacrifice between a married couple. "Sweetheart, I’d like us to liquidate our entire net worth, liquid net worth, and put it into the campaign," he says he told his wife, Heidi, who readily agreed. But the couple’s decision to pump more than $1 million into Mr. Cruz’s successful Tea Party-darling Senate bid in Texas was made easier by a large loan from Goldman Sachs, where Mrs. Cruz works. That loan...

The Christian persecution watchdog group Open Doors has released its annual list of countries where Christians face the greatest persecution and found that it has reached unprecedented levels worldwide as over 7,000 Christians were killed for their faith between Nov. 1, 2014, and Oct. 31, 2015. Although the California-based ministry, which works in over 60 countries, stated last January that 2014 was the worst year for Christian persecution than any other time in modern history, the organization said during the rollout of its 2016 World Watch List that 2015 surpassed 2014 as the deadliest year for Christians worldwide.

<p>Who was Aldo Mario Bellei, and why should Donald Trump care and Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe know? Because Mr. Bellei puts the lie to Donald Trump's attack on the eligibility of Senator Ted Cruz to be president backed up by Professor Tribe's claim that "[t]he Supreme Court has never addressed the issue.</p>

At Pennsylvania State University, no hurt feeling is too small, no slight too inconsequential, no unintentionally biased statement too unimportant. Administrators want to know it all. The public university is in the midst of a massive campaign that encourages students not only to watch what they say, lest they offend someone, but also to report any and all biased statements to campus officials. “There is no place for hate, overt or subtle, at Penn State – such actions do not represent our mutually held values,” Eric Barron, president of Penn State, stated in a recent message to the campus community....

The other day, Steve Hayes had this piece up at the Weekly Standard. In it, he noted that Cruz was running a video positing himself as the heir to the Ron Paul Revolution. You'd never even know Rand was running. Rand Paul, after all, was the fusion candidate who was going to bring libertarians and conservatives together along for a ride against the left. It has not happened. Rand Paul's campaign has imploded. And now, if you scroll down in this article towards the end you will find this blurb: "Former Georgia congressman and Libertarian candidate for president Bob Barr...

Some answers from St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus, St. Hippolytus, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Ephrem Readings for Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016: • Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Is 40:1-5, 9-11 • Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 or Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30 • Acts 10:34-38 or Or Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7  • Lk 3:15-16, 21-22 If baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins, why did Jesus insist on being baptized by his cousin, John? And if baptism, as St. Peter wrote, “now saves you … through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 3:21), why would the Messiah...

In full disclosure, I wrote this last night before the State of the Union address. I guessed then and I was right - none of this was addressed by Obama in his speech. Last week we shared how horrific January 2016 began in its first week. Week two doesn't look much better. President Obama tried to present a world of rainbows and unicorns in his final State of the Union address, but that's about as real as the Land of Oz. Barack Obama and his minions can attempt to create an alternative universe in which they live, but the truth...

CSX Corp. executives said on Wednesday that current pressures on rail cargo volumes are at levels not seen outside a recession. “You have multiple aspects working against you: the low [natural] gas prices, the low commodity prices, the strength of the dollar,” Chief Executive Michael Ward said during an earnings call with analysts. “Except for markets like automotive and housing related, you’re seeing pressure on most of the markets.”

* In the video produced by the pro-ISIS Palestinian Islamic Army (PIA), Hamas leaders are denounced for aligning themselves with moderate Arab leaders in the Gulf, who are described as "criminals and enemies of Islam." * Apparently, Hamas has been too kind to Christians living in the Gaza Strip. The narrator blasts Hamas leaders for offering greetings to Christians on their holidays. * It seems that there may be valid reasons for Egypt's reluctance to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, as well as to Israel's opposition to lifting the naval blockade on Gaza -- initiated to prevent weapons...

<p>After Rose Hamid’s horrifying experience at Trump’s rally on Friday in South Carolina, many people might wonder how I survived a Trump rally wearing a bright-orange headscarf while holding a giant Qur’an – or why I went at all.</p> <p>I went because I firmly believe that Hamid was on the right path: it is important for people to stand up peacefully for the right things, even if we are confronted with physical and verbal intimidation. It is important to give people that may not have ever met or interacted with a Muslim an opportunity to meet her and learn about Islam from someone that actually practices it. And it it important, at a time when people like me too often face discrimination and hatred living our daily lives, to be polite, and yet be visible and present when we are the subject of political speeches.</p>

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas speaks to potential supporters at the Londonderry Fish and Game club in Litchfield, N.H., Sunday, April 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm) This Ted Cruz ad featuring Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson is what I like to see in a primary ad. Which is to say, it presents the candidate in a positive and entertaining light, while doing nothing that could turn around and bite another candidate in the rear in the general election. The short version: Phil Roberston lists his criteria for a good Presidential candidate. He then tells you that Ted Cruz fits...

HUNDREDS OF students packed the library of the Academy at Palumbo High School in South Philly for yesterday's forum on Islamophobia, and supported their Muslim classmates with an outpouring of fervent finger snaps. Speaking against irrational fear of Muslims, Sofia Ali-Khan, a public-interest lawyer and a second-generation Pakistani American, described her open letter on Facebook, "Dear non-Muslim Allies," that went viral because, she said, "I think people were relieved to see other people saying, 'It's really gone too far. ' " The guest speaker for the event, Ali-Khan said it was clear decades ago that "the next boogie man after...

Man alive. I would have bet cash money, and not a small amount, that Haley would eventually endorse Rubio in South Carolina. I've operated under the assumption for months that she’d be his VP if he wins the nomination. Sure, there's bad blood between Haley and some of Rubio's advisors, but bygones will be bygones when there's a place on a national ticket at stake. Haley's political persona has always seemed to me much more like Rubio's than Ted Cruz’s - sunny, disinclined to bomb-throw, self-conscious about being a "next generation Republican," willing to make common cause with the left...

Explanation: The 1970s are sometimes ignored by astronomers, like this beautiful grouping of reflection nebulae in Orion - NGC 1977, NGC 1975, and NGC 1973 - usually overlooked in favor of the substantial glow from the nearby stellar nursery better known as the Orion Nebula. Found along Orion's sword just north of the bright Orion Nebula complex, these reflection nebulae are also associated with Orion's giant molecular cloud about 1,500 light-years away, but are dominated by the characteristic blue color of interstellar dust reflecting light from hot young stars. In this sharp color image a portion of the Orion Nebula...

WASHINGTON -- This week, three weeks before the Iowa caucuses, Hillary Clinton spent valuable time during an appearance on "Face the Nation" swatting down stories that surfaced Friday. Early on Friday morning when most Americans are asleep, save second-story men, the State Department released thousands of Clinton's emails. In one she seemed to be asking her aide, Jake Sullivan, to send her classified information across a "nonsecure" line. That is to say, across her personal server. She was impatient to read the email's contents and could not wait for it to be sent on a secure line. That strikes a...

The national organization—GSUSA—maintains memberships, alongside abortion providers, in pro-abortion organizations; and confirms that its local councils and troops may collaborate with Planned Parenthood. Additionally, GSUSA honors Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Barbara Lee, all ardent advocates of abortion who even support partial birth abortion. The international organization—World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)—which is funded by GSUSA, demands “non-judgmental sexual and reproductive-health information and services to all,” in its campaign The World We Want For Girls 2015. At the local level, every Girl Scout council promotes pro-abortion organizations and women to girls in your community via...

During his State of the Union address, the President said that the United States has “the strongest, most durable economy in the world.” It was a clear shot across the bow at those who might not be feeling the love at the moment and critics who don’t see things through rose colored glasses. So how is the recovery going? The unemployment rate as defined by the Department of Labor is certainly back down to a manageable number, but that doesn’t really speak to the factors which affect people in their day to day lives.The Wall Street Journal took at...

Dramatic video shows ten American sailors on their knees as they surrendered to Iranian troops in the Persian Gulf while a U.S. 'commander' is filmed apologizing to the revolutionary guard Footage of sailors on the floor, with hands behind their heads surrounded by Iranian guards has been released It was aired on the Islamic republic's state television after the Navy personnel were freed following a standoff When the sailors were taken off of the boats in the Persian Gulf, they were questioned by the IRGC Later the captives were pictured looking relaxed while sitting on a big carpet sharing plates...

Europeans — especially women and cops — are stocking up on guns for personal protection in the wake of the New Year’s Eve refugee sex attacks. The number of gun permits issued has recently quadrupled in Germany and Austria after the attacks in Cologne and Salzburg, according to the weapons industry.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition Monday to hear an appeal by the Talk Radio Network in a lawsuit brought by host Michael Savage. The denial of the petition leaves in place the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in July upholding a federal judge’s decision to release Savage from a contract with his former syndicator. “After many, many years and over a million dollars of legal fees, justice has prevailed, Savage told WND. “TRN has never paid me one dime of the money they were supposed to pay me.” WND requested comment from TRN but did not receive...