Free Republic

In a strange twist to an already complicated legal situation, artist Shepard Fairey admitted today to legal wrongdoing in his ongoing battle with the Associated Press. Fairey said in a statement issued late Friday that he knowingly submitted false images and deleted others in the legal proceedings, in an attempt to conceal the fact that the AP had correctly identified the photo that Fairey had used as a reference for his “Hope” poster of then-Sen. Barack Obama.

Deep down, national-security conservatives know President Obama will not wage a decisive war against America’s enemies in Afghanistan. They also know that the young men and women we already have there are sitting ducks. Ralph Peters notes that our commanders, obsessed with avoiding civilian casualties, have imposed mind-boggling rules of engagement (ROE) on our forces, compelling them to retreat from contact with the enemy and denying them resort to overwhelming force — including the denial of artillery and air cover when they are under siege. As the Washington Examiner’s Byron York recently reported, even some Afghans are telling our commanders...

EUROPE, where the so-called population explosion got under way in the 18th century, is once again playing a pioneering role in demographic development. The continent has the lowest fertility rate and the most elderly population in the world, and this population will soon start to shrink. All this makes it a front runner in a demographic trend that sooner or later will reach most of the world. Pioneers have to advance through difficult terrain. Economists are already fretting over the problem of how social security systems will cope when the post-war baby boomers start collecting their pensions in 2015. In...

‘HELP!’ by Victoria Jackson I remember three images from September 11, 2001: 1) People jumping from burning buildings. 2) Congress standing outside, humbly bowing their heads, and praying. This was a shocking sight. 3) The pews of my church completely full of people…and for several months after. congress praying[1] It’s human nature to remember God when we’re in big trouble. Even agnostics offered up a prayer that day. We needed super human help from a higher power to defeat the Enemy Without. God answered our prayers, and along with the excellent leadership of Bush, Cheney, our fantastic military, and superb...

The end of welfare reform as we knew it. By Stephen Spruiell When Barack Obama said he wanted to “spread the wealth around,” he meant it. A new study from Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation estimates that Obama’s policies would spend $10.3 trillion on welfare programs over the next decade. Obama started increasing welfare spending immediately after assuming office. The stimulus bill included $220 billion in new means-tested spending, including a little-noticed provision that repealed one of the key welfare reforms of the Clinton era. The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act capped welfare dollars to states, ending...

Sunday, September 13, 2009 Leading Dem Says Immigration Reform Is Coming Up Next Before Year's End After the Alinsky democrats in Congress and the White House stun the country by ramming through nationalized health care it looks like immigration will be one of the next items on this year's agenda. Obama promised to reshape America. That's one promise he's keeping. The radical Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) told Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (I.C.I.R.R.) supporters at a press conference in Chicago that soon the democrats will begin work on immigration "reform." If they haven't destroyed the economy by Christmas this...

Our National 9/11 Schizophrenia The great debate over 9/11 and the American response — is it coming to an end? By Victor Davis Hanson Ninety-six months ago, 19 Islamic terrorists — led by Mohamed Atta, organized by Khalid Sheik Mohammed, and ordered by Osama bin Laden — hijacked four American airliners. They destroyed the World Trade Center, damaged the Pentagon, and murdered 2,974 people. The al-Qaeda–planned attack was the most lethal on the American homeland in our history. In response, the United States quickly attacked and removed the Taliban government that had offered sanctuary to the killers. About 15 months...

Journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 302 No. 1, July 1, 2009 The Obligation to Participate in Biomedical Research G. Owen Schaefer, BA; Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD; Alan Wertheimer, PhD JAMA. 2009;302(1):67-72. Abstract: The current prevailing view is that participation in biomedical research is above and beyond the call of duty. While some commentators have offered reasons against this, we propose a novel public goods argument for an obligation to participate in biomedical research. Biomedical knowledge is a public good, available to any individual even if that individual does not contribute to it. Participation in research is a...

The Washington Post on Wednesday increased its frenzied attack on Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, featuring two stories in the paper’s Metro section, an op-ed and a cartoon. Including opinion pieces, the Post has delivered six articles in four days on the Republican's 1989 master’s thesis about families and government policy. In an article with the loaded title "McDonnell Tries to Salvage Women’s Votes," Rosalind S. Helderman and Sandhya Somashekhar described how the candidate is trying to "help rebuild his relationship with the key voting bloc, damaged in recent days by the publication of his 1989 master's thesis." Helderman and...

I'm not sure that I've ever posted a chat/vanity, so here goes: I've seen a lot of news articles and posts recently that refer to "socialized" health care. Maybe I've been missing something, but I don't recall hearing this term "socialized" (anything) used too often before. In fact I don't recall hearing the term "socialized" used in any other context except maybe for pet animals. "Socialized" health care? What's that mean? It means nothing, it's an MSM term used to obscure reality. And the reality is that our Socialist President and our Socialist U.S. Congress and their MSM enablers are...

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Nick Rahall (D., W.Va.) is island-hopping this week in the Pacific. Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.) is tweeting from Kenya. Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) is preparing for a three-week trip to Europe with his wife. More * Congress Retreats Over Jet Purchase 8/11/09 * Opposition Emerges to House's Jet Spree 8/10/2009 * Lawmakers' Global-Warming Trip Hit Tourist Hot Spots 8/8/2009 * Pentagon Takes Aim at Jets for Congressional Travel 8/8/2009 * Congress Gets a Plane Upgrade 8/7/2009 Journal Community * Discuss: How much of the official travel by members of Congress is justified? These are among...

If I get to one of the town halls or other meetings in the next two weeks, I might like to have one of these in my pocket, and you might too: http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-654.pdf Print it, trim it, staple it, read it. "The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their Constitutions of Government. But the Constitution which at any time exists, ‘till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole People is sacredly obligatory upon all." — George Washington, 1796

August 5, 2009 - Scrap Health Care Reform If It Adds To Deficit, U.S. Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll; Voters Disapprove Of Obama's Handling Of Health Care Word format American voters, by a 55 - 35 percent margin, are more worried that Congress will spend too much money and add to the deficit than it will not act to overhaul the health care system, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. By a similar 57 - 37 percent margin, voters say health care reform should be dropped if it adds "significantly" to the deficit. By a 72...

Drug Control: U.S. Counternarcotics Cooperation with Venezuela Has Declined GAO-09-806 July 20, 2009 Highlights Page (PDF) http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09806high.pdf Full Report (PDF, 39 pages) http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09806.pdf Summary In Process Every year since 1996, the President has determined that Venezuela was one of the major drug transit countries in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela's extensive border with Colombia, covering large swaths of jungle and mountainous terrain, enables the flow of cocaine from Colombia over land and river routes and by air. After entering Venezuela, the cocaine usually leaves aboard maritime vessels that depart from Venezuela's long coastline or aboard suspicious aircraft that take off and...

Rich Man, Poor Plan: Allen Andersson Made a Bundle, Then Made Things Happen -- for a While -- in Honduras By Manuel Roig-Franzia Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Allen Andersson made a fortune. Three times. Richer each time, and ever less interested in being rich. [snip] And then, there's one of his all-time favorite multimillion-dollar gambits, the time he played presidential kingmaker in Honduras . . . and won. Barely noticed outside Tegucigalpa, Andersson assumed a key -- many say decisive -- offstage role in the 2005 election of Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, the recently deposed president of...

In order that Freepers have direct access to it, I am re-posting this link to yesterday's report "The Role of Government Affordable Housing Policy in Creating the Global Financial Crisis of 2008" from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The link has been noted in at least two other threads today, however I believe that because it's (a) timely, (b) important, and (c) comprehensive, that it warrants its own thread. And this version will get you straight to the report without having to wade through the snark of those other threads. By the way, this...

Utilities: Smart Billing By Staff Reports Published: July 6, 2009 A little more than a year ago, the Wilder administration and the City Council backed off a proposed stormwater fee to underwrite infrastructure projects, many of which the council killed off for financial reasons. This year the council decided it could put matters off no longer, and adopted a budget that included a stormwater fee. City residents have received brochures. In a few weeks, they'll receive the bills, which typically will run in the neigbhorhood of $50 for the year. Businesses will have to shell out, too. Although we're not...

Palin Announces No Second Term No Lame Duck Session Either Hi Alaska, I appreciate speaking directly TO you, the people I serve, as your Governor. People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing's more important to me than our beloved Alaska. Serving her people is the greatest honor I could imagine. I want Alaskans to grasp what can be in store for our state. We were purchased as a territory because a member of President Abe Lincoln's cabinet, William Seward, providentially saw in this great land, vast riches, beauty, strategic placement on the globe, and opportunity. He...

Here's an interesting and surprisingly realistic take on Zelaya and his good buddy Chavez from the Voice Of America, of all things! By Carolyn Presutti Washington 02 July 2009 The coup in Honduras that ousted President Manuel Zelaya has been widely condemned by the international community. The United States and other countries around the world are calling for his reinstatement. Among the most vocal advocates of the ousted president is Venezuela's populist firebrand leader, Hugo Chavez. Hondurans continue to protest in the streets. Pitting supporters of exiled president Manuel Zelaya, against those favoring interim president Roberto Micheletti. Soldiers forcibly expelled...

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 2 -- Honduran leaders who supported the coup against President Manuel Zelaya maintained a defiant stance Thursday in the face of international pressure, as diplomats conceded that a quick, painless resolution to the regional crisis might not be possible. Officials in the new Honduran government led by interim President Roberto Micheletti said that they were prepared to hunker down for weeks or months and that they could survive economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation and even the condemnation of their closest ally, the United States, which has played an outsize role in the history of Honduras for a century....