Free Republic

What is in a word definition? For example, when you say you love your country, what's embedded in that? What does that mean? For me, the 51 constitutions of the states and the U.S. Constitution come to mind. That's not at all what comes to mind to a progressive. If you actually listen to the progressives, they'll tell you. In May of 1918, Theodore Roosevelt wrote the following: Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public officialYou've seen this quote before. You may have even used it yourself....

As I have written before, Critical Race Theory has become the central doctrine in the Democrats’ push to fundamentally transform the United States from a constitutional republic dedicated to protected the rights and liberties of Americans into a despotic fascist state where the government uses its coercive powers to distribute benefits and privileges among officially favored and disfavored social groups. The far left disguises this toxic doctrine as an outgrowth of the civil rights movement by using words such as “equity” (i.e. equality of outcomes rather instead of equality before the law and equality of opportunity) and “diversity and inclusiveness”...

When I worked as a consultant, I would occasionally speak with employees who were frustrated at the lack of guidance they would get from supervisors and managers. The remark uttered by their superiors, when employees would ask about benchmarks, goals, end results, and other factors was maddening: “I’ll know it when I see it.” This comment angered me on the employees’ behalf. It is unfair and manipulative in so many ways. It was impossible to tell whether the manager had no clue about how to do the work, was unwilling or unable to be specific, or whether the manager was...

Last summer I read an engrossing book entitled "1421: The Year China Discovered America" by Gavin Menzies, a retired British submarine lieutenant commander turned amateur archeologist. The book documented his efforts to demonstrate how a Chinese fleet of hundreds (perhaps thousands) of ships set sail in 1421 and circumnavigated the world, touching base everywhere from the Americas (North and South), Australia, Africa, Greenland, Europe, and all points between. The purpose of the expeditions, according to Menzies, was to chart the waters of the globe, impress and intimidate foreign rulers, and bring the entire world into China's "tribute system." ...during the...

OUR WASHINGTON DISPATCHES. WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Feb. 12. The Peace Conference adjourned over to-day awaiting the report from the Committee on propositions for adjustment. It is expected that they will submit something to-morrow. A very general feeling continues to prevail that something will be agreed upon satisfactory to a large majority of the Convention, though the delegations are so divided in opinion that it is impossible to form any definite idea as to what form the measures will take. A prominent Northern anti-compromise member says to-night that he should not be surprised if the Convention finally agreed upon a National Constitutional...

Currently residential real estate is predominantly taxed based on its estimated market value. Ad valorum taxation stems from the colonial era when an acre of land far from the Atlantic Ocean was worth less than an acre of land near the Atlantic Ocean. Ad valorum taxation made sense when getting agricultural goods from the hinterlands to coastal city markets was very difficult and expensive. In 2021, ad valorum taxation creates a great incentive for local governments and others to make residential real estate very expensive. This is clearest in California, where it may cost $700,000 to add a new apartment...

The Democratic House impeachment managers are charging that President Trump incited violence by urging supporters to "fight like hell." In response, Trump defense lawyers on Friday played a video montage of dozens of Democratic leaders using the same words. For example, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who launched both impeachment campaigns, said: "I just don't even know why there aren't uprisings all over the country. Maybe there will be." And she said, "You've got to be ready to throw a punch." Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said, 'I think you need to go back and punch him in the face." Joe Biden...

I could find another thread on today's events in the Senate Chamber.

Biden has abandoned bipartisan compromise and pushed full-steam-ahead to pass his entire sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 spending package. The president’s proposal includes $1,400 “stimulus” checks for more Americans, $350 billion to bail out state and local governments, a renewal of super-charged unemployment benefits through September, money for vaccine distribution, a federal $15 minimum wage, and much, much more. Democrats in Congress are determined to mark up the bill over the next few weeks and pass it by early March. But the state of the economy doesn’t support this spending bonanza—not even close. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is projecting a...

7.1 earthquake off coast of Japan. Two counties in Japan are without power.

Old video of Maravich explaining his passing for Auerbach. youtube link here

Dear MLB.TV Subscriber, MLB.TV is back for the 2021 season! With the first games of Spring Training just around the corner, we are pleased to notify you of the annual automatic renewal of your MLB.TV Yearly subscription for 2021. Your subscription is priced at the 2021 Yearly price of $129.99.

Shouldn't the Democrats be in the catbird seat? After all, they've "won" the election, including the House, the Senate and the White House. Apparently, the country was just itching to become another California. And the courts, the big state, Hollywood, and the press are all on their side. But somehow, even with President Trump silenced, impeached, and out of power, things aren't going so good for Democrats. Impeachment is failing. The verdict will likely come today. Their aim was "political vengeance" as Trump's attorney said Friday, and the bid fell flat. Their spin, and lies, and low-grade informercial for themselves...

Closing arguments at former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial were expected to get underway Saturday morning — with each side granted two hours to make their final case to the US Senate before an expected vote on the verdict later in the day. But Day 5 started instead with House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) asking to subpoena records and call a witness sparking fierce debate with Trump defense lawyer Michael van der Venn.

Washington (CNN) In an expletive-laced phone call with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy while the Capitol was under attack, then-President Donald Trump said the rioters cared more about the election results than McCarthy did. "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are," Trump said, according to lawmakers who were briefed on the call afterward by McCarthy. McCarthy insisted that the rioters were Trump's supporters and begged Trump to call them off. Trump's comment set off what Republican lawmakers familiar with the call described as a shouting match between the two men. A furious...

1:49 Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed legislation Friday to abolish the requirement that law-abiding citizens acquire a concealed carry permit in order to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense. The NRA-ILA reports that Cox signed House Bill 60 into law. They noted that HB60 allows “a law-abiding adult to carry a concealed firearm in the State of Utah, without first needing to obtain government permission.”

One of the easiest things to predict about the end of Donald Trump’s presidency was that anti-Trump journalists would eventually feel a heated rush of nostalgia about their heroic crusade to keep democracy from dying. But it came earlier than expected.

The house of cards is crashing down, it seems, at the Lincoln Project. One week after co-founder Jennifer Horn resigned, two more high-profile resignations have taken place: co-founder Steve Schmidt and Kurt Bardella. Unpaid advisor “Expert” Tom Nichols also announced his resignation Friday. Axios first reported that Schmidt announced his resignation during an all-hands call Friday evening. Then, because it seems Schmidt cannot leave anything left unsaid, he posted a long resignation letter on Twitter. In the letter he described sexual abuse he suffered as a boy at Boy Scout camp and says that he would have never covered up...

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This article anticipates the end of the fiat currency regime and argues why its replacement can only be gold and silver, most likely in the form of fiat money turned into gold substitutes. It explains why the current fashion for cryptocurrencies, led by bitcoin, are unsuited as future mediums of exchange, and why unsuppressed bitcoin has responded more immediately to the current situation than gold. Furthermore, the US authorities are likely to suppress the bitcoin movement because it is a threat to the dollar and monetary policy. This article explains why growth in GDP represents growth in the quantity of...