Free Republic

In late April 2026, Maine Governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, effectively handing the race to Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine veteran and purported oyster farmer.Platner now stands as the presumptive Democrat nominee against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.The development itself is unremarkable in the rough-and-tumble of primary politics.What demands scrutiny is not the candidate’s past, but the cognitive mechanism by which that past has been processed, reframed, and ultimately laundered by his party. Platner acquired a prominent chest tattoo in 2007 while on leave in Croatia with fellow Marines. The image, a skull...

For months, I’ve been a bit confused about “affordability,” the latest Democrat meme. Then, early last week, I read a piece about “affordability” and realized: “of course.” Affordability is just the Democrats’ latest excuse for giving out free stuff to their supporters, paid for by you and me. Even though I can’t find the article that I read, I wrote about “affordability” on my Substack.AdvertisementIf you look at the Congressional Progressive Caucus “New Affordability Agenda” you realize that Affordability is not just about free stuff, but something else. “Affordability” is about politicians trying to fix things they screwed up already....

This week in a 6-3 ruling, the US Supreme Court struck down a race-based Congressional district map in Louisiana. Former Vice-President Kamala Harris sharply criticized the Court "for gutting the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The Louisiana gerrymander was crucial for ensuring the election of Black Democrats in at least two of the state's Congressional Districts." Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, called the current Louisiana Congressional District map "an unconstitutional gerrymander. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was designed to enforce the Constitution — not collide with it. Unfortunately, lower courts have sometimes applied this Court's...

U.S. Forces sank six Iranian small boats near the Strait of Hormuz amid President Donald Trump's "Project Freedom" on Monday. U.S. Central Command announced the engagement in a press call with reporters, saying Iran's military capability has been "dramatically degraded." CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said on the call that Iran historically has deployed "between 20 and 40 small boats" when harassing vessels in the strait. "Today, we saw just six, and eliminated them quickly," Cooper said. "We have an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the Strait, including 864 Apache and MH 60 Seahawk helicopters...

Omar explains how New York City's newly elected leadership is confronting a multi-billion dollar budget hole that threatens the very affordability programs that fueled their historic campaign. From free childcare and rent freezes to universal transit, Omar argues that these ambitious policies are colliding with a structural reality: a city budget dependent on state intervention and a foundation already showing dangerous stress fractures... also highlights the growing political tension between the city's executive branch and the state leadership in Albany, including figures like Governor Kathy Hochul and Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. Mamdani LOSES ITAfter Hochul OFFICIALLY REJECTS$5.4B NYC Bailout For...

The United Arab Emirates said Monday that Iran launched missile and drone attacks against the country, putting at risk the already shaky ceasefire between the United States and Tehran. The White House did not immediately respond when asked whether the reported attacks, which led the UAE to activate its missile alert system for the first time since the ceasefire began on April 8, would violate that truce. Stock market indices fell, and oil prices rose on news of the attack, raising investors’ fears that the war’s impact on the global economy could be exacerbated or prolonged. “The UAE’s air defenses...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — In a touching tribute to one of America's most formative chapters in air travel, dozens of emotional passengers gathered at the gate to board the final scheduled flight of Spirit Airlines, preparing themselves for one last, glorious, no-holds-barred midair brawl. Witnesses described a reverent atmosphere at the terminal, as longtime customers embraced, wiped away tears, and quietly slipped brass knuckles on before boarding began. "We wanted to honor the legacy," said gate agent Melissa Rios, who was seen handing out commemorative mouthguards at the check-in counter. "One last time, we all want to feel that electric...

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is falling slightly behind his GOP challengers ahead of Louisiana’s Republican primary, according to a new poll. The incumbent senator is currently in third place among likely Republican primary voters in the state, according to an Emerson College poll released Thursday. Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming (R) received 28 percent of respondents’ support, and Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) received 27 percent while Cassidy garnered 21 percent. Twenty-two percent of the poll’s respondents said they are currently undecided on their vote in the state’s May 16 Republican primary election, which is now less than three weeks away....

The luxury MV Hondius cruise ship at the center of a deadly suspected hantavirus outbreak has been refused permission to dock in the West African island nation of Cape Verde, officials said Monday. Roughly 150 people are currently trapped on the Dutch cruise liner off the African coast after three passengers died and others became seriously sick with symptoms. The ship, which was on a weekslong polar cruise from Argentina to Antarctica, had requested help from local health authorities on Sunday following the latest death. So far, no one has yet been allowed to disembark, the company operating the cruise...

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced legislation last week that would significantly expand rights for the homeless and overhaul how the government treats Americans living on the streets by siphoning billions from defense spending. The "Unhoused Persons Bill of Rights" calls for government-led intervention to end homelessness over the next three years and introduces more than a dozen protections for homeless people. If passed, Tlaib's legislation would include freedom of movement for homeless people in public spaces, affordable housing, "livable" wages, universal healthcare and panhandling. Under the resolution, homeless individuals would have the "right to uninhibited access" to public parks, transportation,...

I’m not normally a fan of the New York Times. But I find myself being amazed by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, who yesterday published an exhausting, two-hour long interview with Tucker Carlson. She’s the co-host of a Times’ column called “The Interview.” IMHO, her interview with Tucker Carlson was disturbingly revealing. Richard’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Put together, it is a searing indictment of a man who presumably is super-intelligent and who has gone down the rabbit hole of delusion and hate. And I take it...

Video at link.

The Supreme Court on Monday restored nationwide access to a widely used abortion medication in a temporary order that will, for now, allow women to once again obtain the pill mifepristone by mail. In a brief order, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. paused a lower-court ruling from Friday that had prevented abortion providers from prescribing the pills by telemedicine and shipping them to patients, causing confusion for providers and patients. The one-sentence order imposes a pause until at least May 11. He requested that the parties file briefs by Thursday, and then the full court will determine how to proceed....

Washington — Justice Samuel Alito on Monday temporarily halted an appellate court order that blocked a Food and Drug Administration rule allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be prescribed online and dispensed through the mail.Alito granted temporary relief to the maker of mifepristone, Danco Laboratories, and the manufacturer of a generic version of the drug, GenBioPro. His administrative stay will remain in place until 5 p.m. on May 11. The move gives the Supreme Court more time to consider the drug companies' requests to set aside the appellate court's order while litigation proceeds.Danco and GenBioPro also asked the high court...

Asian economies are dramatically increasing imports of discounted Russian crude amid global supply disruptions. A temporary U.S. sanctions waiver is enabling more Russian oil to flow into global markets. The shift risks boosting Moscow’s war revenues while exposing the limits of Western energy sanctions. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several major world powers introduced strict sanctions on trade with Moscow. .. However, some countries, such as India and China, have used these sanctions as an excuse to buy discounted crude and gas from Russia, in a bid to reduce costs and boost energy security. Imports of Russian...

@Nigel_Farage If you vote Reform you will not have an illegal migrant deportation facility in your area. We will hold migrants awaiting deportation in constituencies that vote Green instead. You get what you vote for.

Director Andy Serkis took the anti-communist classic Animal Farm and turned it into an anti-capitalist children’s movie complete with fart jokes. The result? Well, God bless America, it was humiliated at the box office with a catastrophic $3.4 million debut weekend, even though it opened on 2,600 screens. Woke fails again. Not even an all-star voice cast could save it. Seth Rogen, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, and Kathleen Turner all contributed to this $35 million humiliation, and that doesn’t include promotion costs. Serkis attended the Animal Farm premiere, attacking President Trump with a red hat that...

A Panama-flagged cargo vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company caught fire following an explosion while anchored in the Strait of Hormuz late Monday, according to government officials. No casualties were reported. The vessel, identified as HMM Namu, was anchored outside the port limits of Umm Al Quwain when the incident occurred at around 8:40 p.m., authorities said. The ship had 24 crew members on board, including six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said an explosion was observed on the port side of the engine room, with information relayed from a nearby...

A rageful woman wearing a 'Make America Kind Again' t-shirt was filmed unleashing a barrage of strikes on pinata make to look like the president with a metal pipe, as a cheering crowd egged her on. Resurfaced footage uploaded on Saturday captured an older gray-haired protester at a roadside demonstration sporting a 'MAKA' shirt that read 'Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You'. It is unclear when or where the woman's violent demonstration took place, however the footage was previously uploaded in September. While sporting the golden rule on her back, she ferociously beat a pinata...

It’s a few days after the election this November, and the results have become clear: Democrats have netted the four seats they need to claim a Senate majority. But then there’s a disturbance in the force: Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump persuade Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) to switch parties or at least become an independent to ensure Republicans retain power in the chamber. It’s a scenario that’s becoming less fantastical by the day. The political environment is curdling for Republicans, and the quiet campaign to lure Fetterman across the aisle is underway. Trump has made the sell, offering his...