Free Republic

In an August 1st opinion piece for the New York Times, David Brooks once again demonstrates that his grasp on basic American principles is shockingly weak. Mr. Brooks has built an entire career writing smooth words to draw adulation from the Manhattan cocktail set, while reciprocally assuring them that their modern liberal values -- vacillating and untethered though they may be -- are morally superior to any known alternatives. In “Marianne Williamson Knows How to Beat Trump,” Brooks, in his signature fashion, simply assumes the moral high ground -- not through the measured steps of rational argument -- but through...

My brother sent me this yesterday. I guess it is floating around the internet. It’s sort of funny. Check it out. IRRESISTIBLE (... but maybe the President may have to watch over the evangelical vote.) ******* When one tries to reason with a lefty Democrat, remember you're dealing with a person who believes that a man can be a woman and a woman can be a man, and that such a delusion should be encouraged not discouraged. Discouragement of the delusion is considered immoral and bigoted. Thus, our society has unnecessary dilemmas concerning bathrooms, athletic competition at all levels, and...

It is a dismal picture. In his 1993 book Inside American Education: The Decline, the Deception, the Dogmas, Thomas Sowell lamented that "when nearly one-third of American 17-year-olds do not know that Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, when nearly half do not know who Josef Stalin was, and when about 30 percent could not locate Britain on a map of Europe, then it is clear that American educational deficiencies extend far beyond mathematics." Yet a quarter of a century later, the 17-year-olds in my classrooms do not even know what the Emancipation Proclamation is, let alone who authored it!...

WASHINGTON — Allies of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and the other members of the so-called squad are expecting the progressive lawmakers to face potential primary challenges next year from more establishment-leaning forces, so they're working to shore them up politically now. The labor union-backed Working Families Party, which missed their chance to endorse Ocasio-Cortez during her primary last year, is now offering an unusually early endorsement for the New York Democratic congresswoman and the three other members of "the squad," pledging to back them in intra-party fights or try to dissuade challengers before they materialize. "They’re facing the combined institutional...

For the past two years, the left’s 'go to' words were “Russia,” “Mueller,” and “collusion.” Mueller’s investigation and report were a big swing and a miss and not surprisingly these words have quickly been erased from the vocabularies of cable news anchors and their panels. On a dime, coincident with a handful of mass shootings, the left’s new favorite words are “racist” and “white supremacist.” Since the three recent shooters were white, it can only mean they were all MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporters, NRA members, and of course, white supremacists. Never mind that their actual political proclivities are left or...

Scarlett Johansson is only half right. Even the best actors can’t credibly represent every character. Hardly a week goes by without attempts to police which actors can play certain roles. There is fierce debate over what kinds of parts should be played by what sort of person. Should Bryan Cranston play a disabled person? Can 007 be a black woman? The underlying question is always: can any actor play any role? A few weeks ago, Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson was interviewed by artist David Salle in As If magazine. In the interview, they discuss trends in acting and how art...

UTICA, N.Y. -- A homeowner who shot and killed two intruders who police said were burglarizing his home in May has been cleared of any crime, his lawyer said today.Ronald Stolarczyk, 64, had been facing a charge of criminal possession of a firearm, a felony, after he shot and killed Patricia Talerico and Nicholas Talerico as they were breaking into his Deerfield home. The homeowner’s handgun wasn’t registered as required by state law, authorities said. The charge against Stolarczyk was dropped in Deerfield town court Monday night after the Oneida County District Attorney’s office made a motion to dismiss the...

The 21st century is a return to the Age of Walls. As historian and archeologist David Frye writes in his important new book, Walls: A History of Civilization in Blood and Brick, few have noticed that a new era of wall building is now upon us, driven by mass migration and Islamic terrorism. While the populations of the West weren’t looking, walls began rising, as they had for thousands of years since prehistoric times. ... Frye describes how essential walls were to civilization: Few civilized people have ever lived outside them…. Everywhere farmers settled, they fortified their villages. They chose...

Earlier this week Rep. Joaquin Castro in Texas "named and shamed" San Antonio supporters of President Donald J. Trump in what he says was an effort to get these Americans to think twice before being "complicit in white supremacy." Anybody with common sense understood the move was dangerous, especially coming from a public official, as it could paint a target on these individuals' backs regardless if the information was already public or not. On MSNBC Thursday night, guest Elie Mystal took the hysteria over supporting President Trump one step further, saying that protesters should form literal mobs outside the SoulCycle...

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump Aug. 9 said he was not ready to strike a trade deal with Beijing, criticizing the Chinese regime for manipulating its currency and reneging on its pledges. “They would like to make a deal. I’m not ready to make a deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House before his departure for fundraising events in New York.“China wants to settle this deal. They’ve had the worst year that they’ve had in many, many decades and it’s getting only worse. Thousands of companies are leaving China,” he said.

This will be a weekly post. Count remains at 144 judges confirmed. 99 District Court judges 43 Circuit Court judges 2 Supreme Court justices

New information released in connection with the activities of accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislane Maxwell with many high profile names in the mix..... "intelligent background checks" A phrase used by President Trump facing the media at the White House Friday with the President indicating talks are underway with the Republican and Democrat leaders in Congress on new Second Amendment legislation.... A 20-year old man in custody in Springfield, Missouri after he walked into a Walmart Thursday with guns, wearing body armor and dressed in a military style.... Friday night KYTV in Springfield, Missouri reporting that...

National Guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed by elements of a Para-military extremist faction. Military and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw. Speaking after the clash, Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement. Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The governor, who described the group’s organizers as “criminals,” just issued an executive order...

Former FBI employees—Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and Special Agent Peter Strzok—are suing the federal government, alleging that they were improperly fired from their jobs. McCabe contends that his firing was politically motivated. "President Trump wrongfully ordered my dismissal solely on the grounds that my efforts to prevent his election and undermine his presidency were not appropriate actions for a man in my position to take," McCabe said. "The orders I received to undertake the actions I took came down from duly appointed authorities in the FBI and DOJ. This includes the specific instruction to illegally leak classified information intended to...

The British economy unexpectedly shrank in the second quarter for the first time since 2012 as Brexit uncertainties heaped pressure on firms, official figures showed Friday. The decline is set to raise alarm that the economy could experience its first recession in a decade. Traders in currency markets appeared to reflect that concern, sending the pound down across the board, including to another 2½-year low against the dollar of $1.2065.

Editor's note: This column was authored by Natalie Dowzicky. After the El Paso gunman took the lives of 22 people, it’s no surprise that he now faces the death penalty. He’s been charged with federal domestic terrorism by county officials, who have gathered mountains of evidence indicating he’d been planning the attack for some time. Of course, it’s an unspeakable tragedy, and the punishment for such a heavy crime is fitting. As El Paso District Attorney Jaime Esparza told reporters on Sunday, “I know the death penalty is something very powerful, but in this occasion it’s something that’s necessary.” Esparza is...

The energy industry is waging war against climate change - and winning. Last week, the Environmental Partnership, a group of oil and gas firms dedicated to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, released its first annual progress report. The results are impressive -- and showcase what happens when an industry unites to further the public good. The Environmental Partnership launched in late 2017 with 26 members. Within 12 months, it more than doubled in size to 58 members -- including 32 of America's top 40 oil and gas producers. Today, its members account for nearly half of America's oil and natural gas...

Several of the largest, most well known corporations in America also happen to be some of the most left-leaning. Indeed, in today’s hyper-partisan political era, intensified and arguably defined by the election and administration of President Donald Trump, left-wingers in positions of corporate power have used their leverage and political leanings to effectively add a whole new term to America’s political lingo - Woke Capitalism.Under the Woke Capitalist model, companies aren’t just producing and selling a product to create shareholder wealth and provide for employee livelihoods, they are also assuming the mantle of social justice, or fairness and equality as...

The Republican Federated Women of The Villages heard firsthand Thursday about President Trump’s 2020 campaign and passed a resolution to show their support for the commander in chief. Kevin Cabrera, who is serving as the Florida Trump 2020 political director, spoke to the group that is comprised of active women who have moved to Florida’s Friendliest Hometown from throughout the country. “We were very pleased to have him and listen to what he had to say about the plans to win in 2020,” said Marina Woolcock, who serves as president of the group. Woolcock said she told a story that...

"Taylor Swift wants to be a democrat because she wants to be in movies….period. And it looks like she will suck the door knob off Hollyweird to get there. Oldest move in the book. Good luck girl."