Free Republic

Few people lie awake at night worried about the federal debt. So the Republicans' plan to allow "temporary" COVID-19-era enhanced subsidies for Obamacare to expire because of their exorbitant cost won't win many votes. It will save Uncle Sam money. A staggering 93% of premiums are currently paid directly by the federal government to the insurance companies, reports the Paragon Health Institute. But will it win votes in the coming midterm elections? No. Democrats are gloating that reducing the subsidies will mean higher costs for enrollees and an increase in the number of people who go without insurance. Sen. Chris...

“We did talk about the Epstein files and he was extremely angry at me that I signed the discharge petition to release the files,” Greene told CBS News in a “60 Minutes” interview that is set to air on Sunday. “I fully believe those women deserve everything they’re asking. They’re asking for it to come out. They deserve it.” “He was furious with me. He said it was going to hurt people,” she added, referencing the president’s comments about the release of the files. Trump originally indicated during his presidential campaign that he supported releasing the Epstein files, but reversed...

Border Czar Tom Homan has been given a tough job to do. His part in fixing four years of incompetence and outright refusal to enforce immigration law would be enough to make Hercules take pause. But Mr. Homan and those working with him are getting it done. In his latest, Mr. Homan, in an interview on Fox News, added another statistic to his growing list: Over 62,000 children redeemed from captivity..@RealTomHoman: "Over 62,000 children found by the Trump Admin — children that weren't even being looked for under the Biden Admin... Some of these children were in sex trafficking when...

Beijing — A private Chinese space firm successfully sent its Zhuque-3 rocket to orbit but failed in its historic attempt to re-land the rocket booster Wednesday – the first such trial by a Chinese firm as the country’s growing commercial space sector races to catch up with American rivals like SpaceX. Beijing-based LandSpace, one of the sector’s leading firms, launched its Zhuque-3 rocket into space from a remote, desert launch site in northwestern China. The rocket entered orbit as planned, but its first stage – the portion of the vehicle that propels it at liftoff – did not successfully return...

Post See new posts Conversation Wall Street Apes @WallStreetApes A man from Somalia came to America, started a nonprofit and opened a “multimillion dollar migrant care service agency” He’s getting over $5 million per year from American taxpayers, being given no-bid contracts from Maine Governor Janet Mills, and is building a military in Somalia He has been funneling money back to Somalia to build a military in Somalia “The guy is running a migrant services agency that bills MaineCare, which is what we call Medicaid, about $5 million a year” “He said he raised money in the US to buy...

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Elected to baseball's Hall of Fame more than 17 years after his final game, Jeff Kent couldn't control his emotions. “Absolutely unprepared. Emotionally unstable,” he said after Sunday's vote announcement. “Thoughts are so far clouded." Kent received 14 of 16 votes from the contemporary era committee, two more than the 12 ballots needed for the 75% minimum. Steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were among seven players who fell short once again. Kent will be inducted in Cooperstown, New York, on July 26 along with anyone chosen by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose...

California officials are warning foragers after an outbreak of poisoning linked to wild mushrooms that has killed one adult and caused severe liver damage in several patients, including children. The state poison control system has identified 21 cases of amatoxin poisoning, likely caused by death cap mushrooms, the health department said Friday. The toxic wild mushrooms are often mistaken for edible ones because of their appearance and taste. “Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure," Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “Because the death cap can...

Notre Dame Withdraws from Bowl Game Consideration After CFP Committee Snub 5 PALO ALTO, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Head Coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish lDavid Madison/Getty Images Dylan Gwinn7 Dec 2025296 2:55 On Sunday, the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee told Notre Dame that its presence in this year’s playoff was not needed. A couple of hours later, Notre Dame informed college football that if they weren’t competing for a national championship, they weren’t interested in playing at all. “We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th...

Jasmine Crockett: "Violence doesn’t come from Democrats. It’s MAGA. The assassination attempts with Donald Trump were Trump supporters. It’s only MAGA that does this."

The House of Representatives passed multiple bills targeting the Social Security Administration’s services for potential retirees, for victims of identity theft, and for children whose cards were stolen or lost. On Monday, the House passed the Claiming Age Clarity Act, which will change “certain terms that are used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to describe the ages at which a worker may claim Social Security retirement benefits,” according to the bill. The SSA under the measure will have to use the term “minimum monthly benefit age” instead of “early eligibility age,” the text of the measure said. “This refers...

More than 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese sold at retailers including Walmart and Target have been recalled after the Ohio-based manufacturer warned the products may contain metal fragments. Great Lakes Cheese Co., the Hiram, Ohio-based firm, initiated the voluntary action affecting multiple brands sold at major retailers. The recall, which began on Oct. 3, stems from potential metal fragments in supplier raw material — prompting what regulators describe as a downstream recall across several product lines. The FDA classified the action on Dec. 1, and the recall remains active. The affected cheese — including mozzarella, Italian-style blends, pizza blends...

Manhattan-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert told Fox News on Friday that "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS) is a real psychological issue he has seen firsthand in his practice, with three-quarters of his patients exhibiting symptoms. During an interview with "The Faulkner Focus," Alpert said patients have come into his office exhibiting symptoms of mental distress stemming from their fear or anger toward President Donald Trump. "This is a profound pathology, and I would even go so far to call it the defining pathology of our time," Alpert said. TDS is a term generally used by Trump supporters to disparage what they view...

Once again, the United States is using lethal force off its shores. In recent weeks, American drones and warships have sunk or disabled a string of speedboats in international waters off Venezuela. Washington says the vessels belonged to narcoterrorist networks tied to the Maduro regime and Tren de Aragua and that they were carrying cocaine and fentanyl precursors bound for the United States. At least 83 alleged traffickers and others are dead. Caracas calls this extrajudicial murder. Human-rights groups call it assassination. Cable-news panels and UN press releases are already rehearsing the same ritual question: Is this legal under international...

Doing the rounds on social media is the most disturbing ad I’ve ever seen. And I’m telling you about it because you need to be forewarned, just in case this Christmas a child or a grandchild happens to mention that it might be an idea to record a video for posterity, and opens the 2wai app. 2wai is the company responsible for the ad, and the service it offers is the creation of AI versions of family members so that relatives can talk to them after they’re dead. Catch ’em while they’re still alive, says 2wai; film a three-minute interview...

An emotional parody tribute for our favourite American congress woman: Ilhan Omar!

I'm opening this thread as a tribute to a imperfect man with a genius set of pipes and sense of melody. It was 45 years ago when I was walking through the gate at Subic Bay to get a cold San Miguel and some pizza at Shakey's. I heard Beatles songs playing from every venue and the girls were out on the sidewalk and in the street, sobbing and hugging. That's when I heard what was surely a lightning bolt from the heavens: John Lennon is dead!

Their record isn’t just spotty; it is downright awful. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 was designed to prevent “patient dumping” by hospitals of emergent patients without insurance. The unintended consequences of that law are hotly debated. What is not in controversy is the hospital lobby’s insistence that the law drives up their operating costs.That argument has done decades of service to protectionist policies that limit competition and protect prices.Then there is the Affordable Care Act. It was a compromise between advocates of “universal health care” and the “Third Way” or “New Democrats” who viewed big...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), Community Capital Partners (CCP), and several of their leaders, alleging that they engaged in an illegal land development scheme that violated Texas securities laws.Promotional materials allegedly described the development as the “epicenter of Islam in North America” and implied it would be reserved for Muslims, despite assurances to the contrary.According to the lawsuit, CCP—formed by EPIC as a vehicle to purchase and develop more than 400 acres in Hunt and Collin counties—engaged in fraudulent practices while soliciting investments for the EPIC City project. Promotional...

Rocky thinks Trump is a really great guy. From the Kennedy Center.

“Cooked.” “Low-key.” “Sus.” And now, the cryptic “6-7.” In her recent article, “What Does ‘6-7’ Mean? Maybe Tweens Don’t Want You to Know,” Callie Holtermann explores the latest slang trends baffling adults and taking over classrooms. She highlights the phenomenon of “6-7,” a phrase as ubiquitous as it is meaningless. “‘Six-seven’ feels a bit like a nonsense grenade,” Ms. Holtermann writes. She asks if today’s slang is simply “brain rot” or rather a “gleeful obfuscation” designed to keep older generations in the dark. We asked students to weigh in. Is “6-7” actually funny? Is it annoying? And what does it...