Free Republic

On Election Night, with characteristic modesty, Donald Trump claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.” He certainly won the contest legitimately, if more narrowly than many observers initially thought. His popular-vote margin over Kamala Harris has dropped from around 3 percent on the evening of November 5 (or about two-thirds of Joe Biden’s margin in 2020) to 1.62 percent today. That’s about a half-percent smaller than Hillary Clinton’s national popular-vote margin over Trump in 2016. To make some other comparisons: Barack Obama won the popular vote by 3.9 percent in 2012 and 7.2 percent in 2016, and George W. Bush won...

Explanation: Like an illustration in a galactic Just So Story, the Elephant's Trunk Nebula winds through the emission region and young star cluster complex IC 1396, in the high and far off constellation of Cepheus. Also known as vdB 142, this cosmic elephant's trunk is over 20 light-years long. The detailed telescopic view features the bright swept-back ridges and pockets of cool interstellar dust and gas that abound in the region. But the dark, tendril-shaped clouds contain the raw material for star formation and hide protostars within. Nearly 3,000 light-years distant, the relatively faint IC 1396 complex covers a large...

A senior North Korean general was wounded in a recent Ukrainian strike in the Kursk area, a Western official said Thursday. It is the first time that Western officials have confirmed that a high-ranking North Korean military officer has become a casualty in the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Jesus is Lord!” somebody shouted at a Kamala Harris political rally before the election. She paused her speech, looked over at whomever had spoken the words, and replied, “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally.” Those are probably the only true words Kamala Harris spoke during the entire campaign. No believer in true Christianity is welcome at a Democratic Party rally, or as a member of that party, unless, of course, they are willing to give up Jesus as their Lord and replaced Him with the Democratic Party, as every “Christian” Democrat has done.

... Dems call Allan Lichtman an “Election Nostradamus.” He came up with this surefire way to predict elections. Although, it’s not so sure-fire because he hasn’t been right every time, and he got 2024 wrong in a big way, which is a big sore spot for him, as you’ll see later. ... https://twitter.com/i/status/1859010089426055263

WORLD — In the most significant escalation yet of America's involvement, President Biden has authorized Ukraine to use the Holy Hand Grenade in battle against the Russians. With time in his presidency running short, Biden has announced authorization for Ukraine to use long-range American missile, anti-personnel mines, and now the Holy Hand Grenade. "Just remember to count to three, Jack," said Biden as he called President Zelenskyy to share the news. "Yes, you pull the Holy Pin, and start counting. Not two, not four. Oh, and five is right out, bub. Not a joke. Lob that grenade of Anti,...

One of Donald Trump's more controversial picks for his upcoming cabinet has withdrawn his name from consideration. Former congressman Matt Gaetz announced on X that he will no longer seek the nomination for attorney general. I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback - and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to...

Multiple U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, have been breached by a Chinese hacking group tracked as Salt Typhoon, the Wall Street Journal reports. The purpose of the attack appears to be intelligence collection as the hackers might have had access to systems used by the U.S. federal government for court-authorized network wiretapping requests. It is unclear when the intrusion occurred, but WSJ cites people familiar with the matter, saying that "for months or longer, the hackers might have held access to network infrastructure used to cooperate with lawful U.S. requests for communications data." Salt Typhoon is...

A Venezuelan migrant with links to Tren de Aragua has been arrested for allegedly robbing one of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors in her apartment building after she busted him masturbating, police sources told The Post Wednesday. Brandon Simosa, 25, who has apparent ties to the vicious prison gang, was nabbed outside the Row Hotel migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan Tuesday night over the sick ordeal, the sources said. He is accused of robbing the 38-year-old assistant district attorney when she arrived home to her 44th Street pad at about 2 a.m. Sunday and busted him midway through the...

The election was not the end of the battle but just the beginning. For decades, the Marxist agenda has been gaining power in our nation–it has been a slow and steady infiltration into our culture, government–even our churches. But the election brought prayer and action to a heightened level, and we saw the results. But, don’t rest–our work as intercessors and action-takers is really just beginning. The Enemy of our souls will not go quietly, and as we saw in previous terms, there will be a full-court press to come against the plans and purposes of God through our government....

If you thought the leftist media couldn’t get any dumber with their pro-Bidenomics propaganda following President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping electoral victory, TIME magazine just took a shot at one-upping everybody.

I am a woman living alone near Philadelphia with a cat, so I guess you could call me a “childless cat lady.” I never wanted children, so I never had any. Since I have dedicated my life to helping other people, for many years I subscribed to all of the social justice causes. That began to change when the neighborhood I live in became a hotbed of crime and leftist intolerance. Recently, I witnessed a woman throw a large object at a man’s car, break the passenger window, and then casually walk across the street. The man got out of...

A Democratic official in Bucks County, Pennsylvania is facing calls for her arrest following a brazen defense of her vote to defy a court order and count questionable mail-in ballots in the contested U.S. Senate race. Diane Ellis-Marseglia, one of three commissioners who oversee election proceedings for the suburban county north of Philadelphia, told reporters last week that a ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court invalidating certain absentee ballots “doesn’t matter” and that local election officials should count them anyway. The defiant stance comes as Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) is grappling with a last-ditch recount effort despite trailing Republican Dave...

Donald Trump Jr. has mocked Nikki Haley after she criticized his father's choice of former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be the next director of national intelligence. The eldest son of President-elect Donald Trump called out Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, for comments she made on her SiriusXM show, accusing Gabbard of being a "Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer." Haley listed several reasons why she does not believe Gabbard is suitable for the position. These include allegations that Gabbard spread Russian propaganda, spoke out against issuing sanctions against Iran, and expressed skepticism that...

Collins told Axios that the Senate’s constitutional “advice and consent” duty for Trump’s appointees “means a background check, it means extensive committee investigations and questionnaires and public hearings.” The moderate GOP senator also said that she would be against Trump making recess appointments asserting it would be a way to “avoid and evade the Senate’s constitutional duty to do advice and consent

Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz says he's withdrawing

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person who helped get Donald Trump reelected and has been tapped to run a government efficiency office in the incoming administration, took to his social media platform Wednesday to note the arrests of three undocumented migrants in Massachusetts who were either convicted or charged with sex offenses against children. “Why are ‘sanctuary’ cities protecting child rapists? Unconscionable,” Musk wrote on X, the platform that he owns, above a Fox News reporter’s post detailing the arrests in Great Barrington and Methuen. “Any politician who does so should be recalled immediately.” https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1859369148159033619? The arrests Musk was referring...

"While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition." "There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General."

Daily Readings from the USCCB“For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:43–44Jesus spoke these words as He looked at Jerusalem from a distance, preparing to enter that holy city for the last time in preparation for His passion and death. As He spoke these words, the...

NATIONAL STUFFING DAY November 21st is an ideal day for National Stuffing Day with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Since we are already thinking about the delicious turkey stuffing that is a traditional part of Thanksgiving dinner. Some cooks choose to stuff the bird with crusts of bread, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Others prefer to prepare a similar dish alongside the turkey using the drippings to moisten the dish. Either way, each preparation is a personal preference or family tradition. The difference is the first is called a stuffing, but the latter is referred to as a dressing. The usual...