Free Republic

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) continued his mission to further divide Republicans when he mockingly endorsed Ronna McDaniel for RNC chair on Wednesday. “I don’t know about you but I think Ronna McDaniel is doing an outstanding job running the RNC … 4 more years! 4 more years!” Swalwell tweeted on Wednesday.

SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Luke 1:26–38 Friends, today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.In 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception—the truth that Mary, through a special grace, was preserved free from original sin from the first moment of her conception.Were this not the case, the angel would not have referred to her at the Annunciation as Kecharitomene (full of grace). Why would God do such a thing? And wouldn’t this imply that Mary does not need to be redeemed?The traditional answer is...

(Free link) The battle for Bakhmut has become a bloodbath for both sides as Russia steps up its attempts to take what used to be a quaint, tree-lined city. Ukrainian defense officials said Moscow is losing around 50 soldiers a day to maintain a slow, bruising advance to reach the city’s easternmost gates. Snip If the Russians break through to take control of Bakhmut, it would open a path to the political and economic centers of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk in the Ukrainian-held portions of the Donbas area, once one of the country’s main industrial regions. Moscow tried to seize the...

MOSCOW, Russia — Houston native and WNBA star Brittney Griner has been freed as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia, according to the White House. Griner was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, labeled the “Merchant of Death.” This was a one-for-one swap. American and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan was not part of the exchange. [Snip]

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre embarrassed herself again this week when she accidentally read the wrong scripted response to a question during Monday’s White House press briefing. A reporter pointed out that Sen. Jean Shaheen (D-N.H.) is upset with Joe Biden for supporting a proposal that would put South Carolina ahead of New Hampshire in the primary schedule, and that Shaheen believes that New Hampshire “is now vulnerable for her party” because of that. “Does the president have a response to that?” the reporter asked. “So, look, we honor — we honor the Hatch Act, as I mentioned many...

We describe the autopsy findings and common characteristics of myocarditis in untreated persons who received anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Standardized autopsies were performed on 25 persons who had died unexpectedly and within 20 days after anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In four patients who received a mRNA vaccination, we identified acute (epi-)myocarditis without detection of another significant disease or health constellation that may have caused an unexpected death.

A 38-year-old Border Patrol agent was killed in Texas Wednesday morning during a high speed chase with illegal immigrants. "On December 7, 2022, at approximately 1:00 am, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the McAllen Station patrolling the international boundary on an all-terrain vehicle was tracking a group of subjects that illegally crossed the border when he was involved in a crash near Mission, Texas. He was found unresponsive by fellow agents who immediately initiated life-saving efforts and requested EMS. The agent was taken to an area hospital by ambulance where he later passed away. Further information to follow," U.S....

More than three million low-income households cannot afford to heat their homes during the current spell of cold weather - putting their health at risk, according to new research. It comes as the Met Office warns of the Arctic blast hitting the UK, which could cause overnight temperatures as low as -10C by the end of the week. The UK Health and Security Agency has issued a Level 3 cold weather alert - and says vulnerable people should heat their homes to at least 18C, wear extra layers of clothing, and eat hot food to protect themselves. But about 710,000...

Given events since Trump’s departure, he should be in the driver’s seat. But he is not. Team Trump has sometimes compared Donald Trump’s current quest for a nonsequential second term to two-term President Grover Cleveland’s similar three election bids. Cleveland remains our only elected (1884) president to have lost a reelection bid (1888)—in a disputed vote—only to be reelected four years later (1892). Yet Trump seems determined instead to follow a different, and bullheaded, Teddy Roosevelt model. Roosevelt left the presidency (1908), sat out four years, and then lost a reelection bid in 1912, split and alienated the Republican Party,...

Sunday, Dec. 7, 1862. There has been no field movements to-day. Officers, well informed, state that JACKSON has arrived near Fredericksburgh and joined his forces with those already there. They also report that the enemy have extended their lines several miles further down the Rappahannock. Last night was intensely cold, and some of the soldiers suffered for want of blankets. Ice formed in Potomac and Aquia Creeks from one and a half to two inches thick. To-day the sun came out fair and cheering, but the air continued piercing cold. The roads are hard, and very rough. The report that...

Forget EVM. Forget Mail-in Voting.

Actor and Christian activist Kirk Cameron is claiming that more than 50 public libraries have rejected his applications to hold a “story hour” to promote his new faith-based children’s book, accusing them of indulging the “woke left.” The “Growing Pains” star says he hasn’t been given a story hour slot in public libraries, claiming that his publisher, Brave Books, has been told the messaging of his faith-based book, “As You Grow,” “does not align” with the LGBTQ-welcoming institutions. Dozens of public libraries in the US have reportedly rejected or not responded to his publisher’s request for the former child star...

Has our society transitioned to a period of “post-truth”? And, if so, what does it mean, where is it taking us, is it permanent, and can we fight it? The online Cambridge dictionary defines “post-truth” to mean “relating to a situation in which people are more likely to accept an argument based on their emotions and beliefs, rather than one based on facts.” Given this definition, I personally believe much of the United States has transitioned to a “post-truth” society, and many of us will become casualties of this new paradigm before harsh reality steers our nation back to an...

group of 1,200 university students in Iran were struck down by food poisoning the night before a wave of anti-regime protests were set to be held throughout the country. Students at Kharazmi and Ark universities experienced vomiting, severe body aches, and hallucinations, the national student union claimed Thursday. At least four other universities reported similar outbreaks.

Nearly 10 months after his invasion of Ukraine began, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday acknowledged that the conflict is “going to take a while,” as he also warned of the “increasing” threat of nuclear war. Speaking at a meeting of Russia’s Human Rights Council at the Kremlin, Putin said Moscow will fight by “all available means at our disposal,” in what he insists on calling a “special military operation,” but also said he saw no immediate need to mobilize more troops. “With regard to the protracted nature of the special military operation and its results, of course, it’s going...

The White House said the Central States bailout would help 40,000 workers and retirees in Michigan, 40,000 in Ohio and 22,000 in Wisconsin...

The news clip showed a towering blaze in a residential neighborhood in Germany, followed by a weeping homeowner giving an interview from the rubble of her burned-down house. A chyron at the bottom of the screen explained that Ukrainian refugees had set the fire, accidentally ravaging the home of their German hosts. The video, which bore the logo of the German tabloid Bild, spread from a small YouTube account through the messaging app Telegram to Russian state media, until it could be found on nearly every major social platform, a forensic analysis later showed. But it was a fake, with...

The Democrats’ habit of encouraging criminal lawlessness is not merely intended to terrorize the population. Instead, by removing any accountability for lawless or destructive acts, leftists are making it possible for them to erase both the First and Second Amendments. Thus, by creating an environment in which it appears that the First and Second Amendments are destructive, they can justify prohibiting those rights. Elon Musk’s recent disclosure of the “Twitter papers” reveals little that we didn’t already know to be true about Twitter censoring conservatives and undermining elections at the behest of government agencies and officials. This behavior reveals unequivocally...

At about 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 20, 2022, an enraged, estranged husband (38-year-old Kenneth Krainski) attacked a man who was romantically involved with his estranged wife. According to the police, the situation was a domestic dispute, where the estranged husband went to the defender’s apartment, in Dublin, California, in the 7100 block of San Ramon Road. From SFChronicle.com: Krainski — described by police as an “estranged husband” — got into an altercation with his wife at the apartment complex and was shot by a second man, according to the initial release.The woman and the second man were involved in...

Why do Republicans lose elections? What is the position of Senate Republicans? What is the GOP agenda? Mark asks these same questions on Hannity and his answers will shock you. Video.. [5 mins]