Free Republic

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was roasted on social media for creating a fictional Long Island couple called Joe and Eileen Bailey, whom he has based his entire political career on. During an episode of Last Week Tonight, British-born HBO talk show host John Oliver shared several clips of Schumer talking about the fictional couple, describing them as being “middle-class” and having “bought into Reagan Republicanism in 1980.” Schumer has explained that he has “guided” his political career “through the Baileys.” “They’re a middle-class couple in Massapequa, which is a suburb on Long Island,” Schumer said in one clip from an...

These companies pulled out of the St. Patrick's day parade because gay advocacy groups were not allowed to march under their own banner. Here is a list of all the brands involved: Beer: GUINESS, SAM ADAMS, Tusker, Smithwick’s, Red Stripe, Harp Lager, Kilkenny, Kaliber, Windhoek, HEINEKEN, Amstel, Buckler, Beamish & Crawford, Murphy’s, Tui Scotch whisky: Johnnie Walker, Buchanan’s, Cardhu, Justerini & Brooks (J&B), Bell’s, Black & White, White Horse, Logan, Caol Ila, Vat 69, Oban, Talisker, Lagavulin, Glen Ord, Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Cragganmore, Clynelish, Singleton, Haig, Royal Lochnagar, Glen Elgin, Knockando, The Dimple Pinch Vodka: Smirnoff, Cîroc, Silent Sam, Popov, Ketel...

...Bottom line: The industry's shareholders long ago were reduced to the role of cutouts, allowed to keep collecting a small piece of the pie so politicians can go on posing as scourges of "Big Tobacco" even as government has become, effectively, the "beneficial owner" of the major tobacco companies.... New York State has a court fight on its hands over its punitive exactions from such companies, which were not party to any lawsuit and never did anything wrong. Georgia has cracked down too, whacking innocent brands for benefit of local employer Brown & Williamson. And the state of Wisconsin even...