Free Republic

U.S. employers posted the most jobs in two decades in August, and hiring also reached a record high, fresh evidence that companies are desperate to staff up amid solid economic growth. Job openings rose a slight 0.8 percent to 7.14 million, the highest on records dating back to December 2000, the Labor Department said Tuesday. That is also far more than the 6.2 million of people who were unemployed that month. The number of available jobs has swamped the number of unemployed for five straight months. Hiring has been solid, which has pushed down the unemployment rate to a nearly...

The Trump era of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System  (NICS) checks has had eight months of high sales.  The record for NICS checks was set in 2017, with over 27 million NICS checks for the year. 2015 was the second highest year for NICS Checks with over 23 million checks done.The National Instant Background Check System (NICS) checks were 1,925,146 in August of 2017.  There were 16,268,794 since January 1, more checks than all of 2010. In 2016 the number was 17,880,475 at the end of August. Through August 2015, they were 13,812,485.  The 2017 August figure...

It’s another “you’re on your own, just make sure you behave yourself” days as I’ve got appointments all day.Summer Rhapsody by Alice PopkornJust bear in mind that it’s already July August, and behave accordingly.Posted from: MOTUS A.D.

Ten Republican Senators called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to Cancel the August recess The list includes:   Senator Perdue (Georgia) Senator Daines (Montana) Senator Ernst (Iowa) Senator Kennedy (Louisiana) Senator Lankford (Oklahoma) Senator Lee (Utah) Senator Rounds (South Dakota) Senator Strange (Alabama) Senator Sullivan (Arkansas) Senator Tillis (North Carolina) Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan have squandered their majorities. So far Congress has refused to pass legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare, pass tax cuts and build a border wall.Weekend after weekend American workers work overtime to complete their unfinished work. Why should the elites in...

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that he wants to see "very significant" tax reform passed before Congress' August recess, in what could prove a tough task as lawmakers work through a complex agenda. "We want to get this done by the August recess. We've been working closely with the leadership in the House and the Senate and we're looking at a combined plan," he told CNBC in his first television interview since assuming office. President Donald Trump has repeatedly made pledges for tax reform and regulatory cuts since he took office, creating optimism among business executives and investors. So...

In Los Angeles County, 22 school districts started school this week, and only four of the county’s 80 districts do not have an August start date, according to the Los Angeles County Office of Education.For some children in Los Angeles County, the first day of school has seemed to move earlier and earlier into August. That change has left some parents wondering what happened to school typically starting after Labor Day? In Los Angeles County, 22 school districts started school this week, and only four of the county’s 80 districts do not have an August start date, according to the...

(SACRAMENTO, CA, 7/29/16) – On Monday, August 1, the California chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) will join Assembly member Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) in the presentation of House Resolution 59, which recognizes the month of August 2016 as “Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month.”~~SNIP~~“I am proud to celebrate the first ever Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month by honoring generations of Muslim Americans for their many social, cultural, and economic contributions to California,” Assembly member Quirk stated. “The rhetoric surrounding this election makes the presentation of this resolution more important for me,” he said. “It is appropriate to acknowledge...

The White House learned in August that House Republicans knew Hillary Clinton had been using her personal email to conduct official business as Secretary of State, Politico reported Friday. It was then that officials at the State Department first noticed the personal email appeared in a document being provided to Republicans has part of their investigation of the Benghazi attacks, according to the report. Administration officials reportedly deferred to Clinton’s personal staff, who decided not to tackle the issue publicly until it was made public this week by The New York Times. According to the Politico report, White House and

It’s been a cool summer so far for many across the U.S. as 1,097 record low temperatures were set in August, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) temperature data. NOAA reports that 1,097 “low maximum” temperature records were broken between Aug. 1 and Aug. 23 at locations across the country this year. This means that these temperatures on the day they were recorded were the coolest on record. After a particularly long and frigid winter, summer for much of the U.S. has been cooler than normal, according to NOAA data. The average temperature for July was just 73.3...

MSNBC continued its rough 2013 in the ratings, continuing to lose significant audience from 2012. The problems were particularly prevalent in primetime, with some shows losing close to -50% of viewer“Morning Joe” was down -9% in total viewers and -17% in the A25-54 demographic compared to the same month last year, which actually was a better result than many of the programs that came later in the day. In primetime, “The Rachel Maddow Show” posted all-time low ratings in total and demo viewers, down -43% and -47%, respectively. “The Last Word” posted a low in total viewers, losing -40% of...

A progressive group will coordinate with liberal activists to disrupt Republican town halls during the August recess, when lawmakers will face questions about Obamacare and comprehensive immigration reform.

Organizing for Action, the nonprofit organization assembled from the remnants of President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, is pushing for the president’s second-term agenda during a month-long “Action August” of advocacy and fundraising — but don’t expect to hear about the economy. Beginning on Obama’s birthday, August 4, OFA will spend the month promoting the administration’s top issues ahead of the 2014 midterm elections: the benefits of enrolling early in Obamacare (August 4), immigration reform (August 5), climate change (August 13), gun control (August 21), and immigration reform again (August 31). “I’ve always said that running for office is not just...

Mitt Romney raised $100 million in August, his campaign told bundlers last week in Tampa. Romney campaign finance director Spencer Zwick revealed the tally during an event with top fundraisers on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention, according to a source who was present.

Children born in the summer in England are at an academic disadvantage throughout school, says a report from the IFS. The study says that among seven-year-olds, August-born children are more than three times as likely to be "below average" as September-born children. August children are also 20% less likely to attend a top university. The IFS says the economic consequences facing summer babies will last "throughout their working lives". The report from the independent financial researchers shows the sharp difference in outcomes between the youngest children in a year group - those born in August - and the oldest, born...

Democratic Party fundraising slumps in AugustREUTERS/Kevin Lamarque updated 9/11/2011 12:17:41 AM ET **SNIP** Both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and President Barack Obama's re-election campaign were forced to curtail fundraising during the summer because of the negotiations with congressional Republicans over raising the debt limit, which led Obama to cancel fundraisers around the country. **SNIP** Democratic Party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who led her first full committee meeting, said the party needs to rally behind Obama's $447 billion jobs plan aimed at jump-starting the economy and hiring, as well as his own re-election prospects. "There is only one job the...

Welcome To.... 'Amy's Place' welcomes all poets and those who enjoy poetry.'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepersyour thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*. Enjoy! :) Never Forget! Bad Penny Amy's personal guardian ~ the ever charming, lovable, huggable, LouieWolf Many thanks for stopping by. : )

Charles Krauthammer: "I think Obama and the Democratic Leadership have made a bet. The only way to get out of the November election next year alive is to run against Republicans as the 'granny-killers' who want to destroy entitlements. Medicare and Social Security. The only way to reduce the debt is to do something on entitlements. The Democrats will refuse and I think this is all headed for a train-wreck on August 2nd." Chris Wallace, host: "Really?" Krauthammer: "Yes, really. I wouldn't say it otherwise."

The Obama Administration will be proposing a "Mini Stimulus" plan next week as left-wing economists like Paul Krugman charge that last year's $864 brillion stimulus spending bill was too small.

Date Debt Held by the Public Intragovernmental Holdings Total Public Debt Outstanding 01/20/2009 6,307,310,739,681.66 4,319,566,309,231.42 10,626,877,048,913.08 10/01/2009 7,505,894,097,177.82 4,414,625,067,141.60 11,920,519,164,319.42 08/31/2010 8,927,061,238,060.48 4,522,591,298,974.57 13,449,652,537,035.05

Last week, a journalist who writes for the North Country Times, a small newspaper in Southern California, sent us an e-mail titled "Help." He couldn't understand why an Islamic Centre in an area where Adam Gadahn, Osama bin Laden's American spokesman came from, and that was home to three of the 911 terrorists, was looking to expand. The man has a very valid point, which leads to the ongoing debate about building a Mosque at Ground Zero in New York. When we try to understand the reasoning behind building a mosque at the epicentre of the worst-ever attack on the...