Free Republic

For decades the U.S Ninth Circuit Court, which embodies Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Guam, and Hawaii, has been populated with Left-wing judicial activists who rule not in accordance with existing law or the Constitution but in alliance with their liberal principles. In the process, the Ninth Circuit has become one of the most overturned of all federal judiciaries by the U.S. Supreme Court. But thanks to POTUS Donald Trump and his dedication to appointing constitutionalists to the federal judiciary, things are about to change for the Ninth Circuit, much to the chagrin of the Marxist Democrats...

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is touting a new Climate Action Plan, and recently joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of 24 states committed to implementing policies that support the Paris Agreement — which the Trump administration rejected. According to the governor, “states like Pennsylvania must take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our communities, economies, infrastructures, and environments from the risks of a warming climate.” The best way to protect our economy and infrastructure? Raising taxes, increasing regulation, and increasing spending, Governor Wolf argues. His plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80 percent by...

[Catholic Caucus] German bishops back women refusing to go to Sunday mass to protest abuse crisis GERMANY, May 16, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – The German Bishops' Conference has surprisingly thrown its support behind a women’s strike run by feminists that calls on women to refuse to enter Catholic churches for one week, including on Sunday, to protest sex abuse in the priesthood.  The women’s strike, called “Maria 2.0”, is taking place in Germany from May 11 until 18. It is organized by a group of women around the psychologist Andrea Voß-Frick from Münster, Diocese of Münster. Along with protesting against...

A Darwinist Deconstructs the Declaration of Independence David Klinghoffer | @d_klinghoffer May 14, 2019 Stephen Meyer has written here about how the ideas framed by the Declaration of Independence, the “sources of our rights as citizens,” are rooted in design thinking. There is one source that is more basic than any other, yet that receives less than the attention it deserves. I refer to the idea that there is an intelligent creator who can be known by reason from nature, a key tenet underlying the Declaration of Independence — as well as, curiously, the modern theory of intelligent design. As...

Some of my international university students just returned from Ethiopia. The trip is optional for gap year students learning about the Jewish people. There is a backstory to the Ethiopian Jews returning home to Zion that is more exciting and fraught with Israel's good intentions that continues decades later. Their travel guide was one of my Ethiopian Jewish former students who is now a serial entrepreneur living back in Ethiopia. "It's not like anything in any country I've seen before," one young woman from South Africa told our class in Middle East politics. The students joined Ethiopians still living there...

Another week, another school shooting — this time, at a Colorado middle school, where an 18-year-old alleged shooter, and an alleged juvenile accomplice, killed one student. Does anyone think it a coincidence that the more Democrats have infiltrated and infested our culture and our industries, the more our youths commit cold-blooded murder? America is now witnessing what unchecked and unfettered Democrat influence and indoctrination begat. Death, violence, injury, and destruction are all inherent in the political terrorism of "it takes a village," "democratic socialism," and "fundamental transformation." Why do kids kill kids?The poisoning of our youth's hearts, souls, and minds...

Taiwan's parliament has become the first in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage following a vote on Friday. In 2017, the island's constitutional court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry. Parliament was given a two-year deadline and was required to pass the changes by 24 May. Lawmakers debated three different bills to legalise same-sex unions and the government's bill, the most progressive of the three, was passed. Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered in the rain outside the parliament building in the capital, Taipei, to await the landmark ruling. There were shouts of joy and some tearful...

And there they go again. Facebook has censored Michelle Malkin — for protesting censorship. Meanwhile, as noted in this space just last week, Facebook has no problem with the pro-fascist and deliberately misnamed “Antifa” — the pro-fascist group that pretends its use of hooded faces and clubs is somehow “anti-fascist.” Here is the link to AntifaUSA and their masked faces as they appear on Facebook. Take a good look at Antifa’s favored appearance of black ski masks and recall another leftist group — this one that historians describe as the “terrorist arm of the Democratic Party.” Ahh, the more things...

“It is a maxim among these lawyers, that whatever hath been done before may legally be done again: and therefore they take special care to record all the decisions formerly made against common justice and the general reason of mankind. These, under the name of precedents, they produce as authorities, to justify the most iniquitous opinions; and the judges never fail of decreeing accordingly.” So said Anglo-Irish essayist Jonathan Swift in Gulliver’s Travels in 1726. Unfortunately, something has changed almost three centuries later: Swift was rightly mocking the notion of “judicial precedent.” Yet it’s even more preposterous in our time...

BREAKING: The Horowitz IG report is now in staff review and is being briefed to principals – @OANN May explain why Comey et al are now front and center setting their narratives — Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) May 17, 2019 Hannity reported the same last night with Lindsey Graham Sean Hannity says he is hearing that the Justice Department inspector general’s investigation into alleged Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuse is “done and it’s devastating.” “I have sources telling me that Horowitz perhaps is even finished with his report and certainly the attorney general has been briefed on what is coming,”...

“In Rome, everybody knows it’s all about SpyGate and Trump sabotage…” The Italian prime minister has suddenly requested resignations from 6 deputy directors of Italian intelligence agencies: DIS, AISI and AISE. This was all after I outed Mifsud in Rome and the president called the Italian prime minister. Italy has flipped and are giving up Brennan. — George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) May 16, 2019 The Italian prime minister has suddenly requested resignations from 6 deputy directors of Italian intelligence agencies: DIS, AISI and AISE. This was all after I outed Mifsud in Rome and the president called the Italian prime minister....

The trade negotiations between the Trump administration and the People's Republic of China (PRC) are not rooted in commercial disputes. Though media discussions are dominated by issues about opening markets for U.S. exports limited by Chinese policy, the real issue is national security and the need to keep the balance of power tilted in America's favor. Business is the means, not the end. Comparative national capabilities in industry and technology determine military potential, and financial strength supports economic development and diplomatic influence. China's rapid growth has moved the country from the seventh largest GDP in 1980 to the second largest...

The public relies on journalists to learn about and share academic research. Public knowledge can be undermined, however, when academics try to influence what research journalists cover or limit the “acceptable debate” about an issue. This influence can be achieved through “citation cartels,” where sympathetic researchers cite and reference one another and ignore or dismiss the high-quality research of others that reach different conclusions. Citation cartels belittle research they disagree with, rather than refute it. Citation cartels can advance researchers’ careers substantially: Cartel members receive more media exposure and get more academic citations. Universities consider citation numbers as evidence of...

TGIFF! Its Fiddle Friday and we have Chubby Wise and his 1973 recording of Blues On My Mind. THE WESTERNER https://thewesterner.blogspot.com/

“Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished” (Proverbs 17:5).

For nearly 20 years, the nursing profession has resided atop Gallup’s most trusted professionals list. Hardly anyone would dispute the high ratings, and most are contented to think that number means all is well with those operating in the profession. It’s not. Nurse practitioners (NPs) in particular, the unsung heroes of America’s healthcare workforce, routinely face unnecessary barriers to carrying out their jobs by one of the most notoriously cumbersome of all government functions: regulation.In 28 states these outdated regulations have exacerbated the healthcare provider shortage and needlessly put patients at a severe disadvantage when it comes to accessing care....

May 3 2019 « May 2 | May 4 » Feast of Saints Philip and James, ApostlesLectionary: 561 Reading 1 1 Cor 15:1-8 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sinsin accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third dayin accordance with the...

Two men in fencing masks circle warily in the center of a gym. Each holds a three-foot long rattan stick in one hand. A sudden rush and both are engaged in a swirl of weapons. The air rings to the sound and smell of rattan sticks striking each other and the duller whomp of sticks striking legs, arms and bodies. This melee is engaged at full speed and full power. Punches aren't pulled. When the grueling two-minute bout is over, both combatants display an array of bumps, bruises and welts. The fighters embrace and depart the battlefield as friends. Neither...

May 17 2019 « May 16 | May 18 » Friday of the Fourth Week of EasterLectionary: 283 Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33 When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,and those others among you who are God-fearing,to us this word of salvation has been sent. The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophetsthat are read sabbath after sabbath. For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,they asked Pilate to have him put to...

Today’s Cryptogram EUFLMQAW QD MRUVQGQAW YBT EUAH FYQAWD CBA’F MRILQMR HBLM SBEERAF.---MUSYRV TBVSYQA A big welcome today to: “notaliberal” You can find this little fun word game, to combat early dementia and senility in us baby boomers, in several daily publications, unfortunately they are copyrighted so we can't use them here. So, we're just going to make up our own. The way it works is a letter stands for another letter. For example: AXYDLBAAXR is LONGFELLOW (does not apply to today's cryptogram). Beware, the game is very addictive. If this is your first time, don't be intimidated. PLEASE DO NOT...