Free Republic

'We're raising young people who are, by and large, historically illiterate," David McCullough tells me on a recent afternoon in a quiet meeting room at the Boston Public Library. Having lectured at more than 100 colleges and universities over the past 25 years, he says, "I know how much these young people—even at the most esteemed institutions of higher learning—don't know." Slowly, he shakes his head in dismay. "It's shocking."

Newt Gingrich is demanding an apology from NBC News after it aired a report citing complaints from unnamed former advisers blaming his wife, Callista, for many of the problems that led to his campaign's staff shake-up last week. "I believe NBC owes Callista an apology, because the fact is my campaign is my campaign," Gingrich said in an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren. "Yes, we make decisions as a couple, but in the end, I take full responsibility. And I think the program this morning was totally irresponsible, and personally reprehensible, and the kind of thing that makes...

After 34 years of teaching sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I recently retired at age 64 at 80 percent of my pay for life. This calculation was based on a salary spiked by summer teaching, and since I no longer pay into the retirement fund, I now receive significantly more than when I "worked." But that's not all: There's a generous health insurance plan, a guaranteed 3 percent annual cost of living increase and a few other perquisites. Having overinvested in my retirement annuity, I received a fat refund and — when it rains, it pours —...

The news of Herb Kohl's retirement plans immediately had the Democrats in Wisconsin thrilling all over to the idea that they could get their beloved Rusty (Feingold) back in office. I have decided to have a little fun with those wascally Democrats - seeing as how they have made our lives so miserable since February. I invite fellow Wisconsinites to do the same. All it takes is an old yard sign and a home printer. Just type these big letters (in your favorite word processing software): Kloppenburg for Senate Print, apply to yard sign and install sign in your front...

President Obama launched a task force last week to look into oil and gas price manipulation, but a spending bill he signed into law earlier this month would prevent the government’s top statistical agency from analyzing that very issue. The fiscal year 2011 spending legislation – a product of tense negotiations between Republicans and Democrats – cuts the Energy Information Administration’s budget by 14 percent.

For anyone who believes that the hard-won rights of organized labor constitute an American birthright, who would as soon see the flag burned as a picket line crossed (both acts disrespectful of blood shed in our "country's cause"), the decision of the Wisconsin Legislature to end most collective bargaining rights for most public employees amounts to sacrilege. In effect, Wisconsin has become a pariah state. It ought to be treated as such. Anyone with a credit card or a grocery cart is equipped to do so. Anyone with a dollar in his or her hand is capable of casting a...

State Sen. Joe Leibham has filed an open records request with the Sheboygan Area School District for details about an ominous phone call received Tuesday by Dick Hiers Northeast Standard. Leibham believes the caller, who told a station clerk it was a bad idea for the station to do business with the senator, made the call from a phone registered to the school district.

Kemba Walker has read a book. You read that right: Walker, the University of Connecticut (UConn) star guard and NCAA Men's Basketball National Champion, Walker has just admitted to finishing his first book "cover-to-cover," in an interview for Sports Illustrated. While for many that is in fact an achievement, for a junior in college who will be graduating this May, who undoubtedly should have read quite a few texts over the years, it is an embarrassment. The incident once again illustrates the fantasy that is the life of a superstar Division I student-athlete.

Madison — Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg requested Wednesday a statewide recount - the first in 22 years - to check the results in the April 5 election for state Supreme Court race she lost to Justice David Prosser, the Government Accountability Board said. The official tally shows Kloppenburg lost to Prosser by 7,316 votes - less than 0.5% of the 1.5 million votes cast. Kloppenburg also called on the board to appoint a special investigator to probe the "actions and words" of Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus.

Traditionally frowned upon and grudgingly tolerated by Islamic leaders, having a dog would become a crime if the bill is passed by Parliament, punishable by fines and confiscation of dogs. According to a Time magazine report, backers of the bill warn that dogs pose health hazards, and their increasing popularity as pets is “a blind imitation of the vulgar culture of the West.”

We'll be the first to admit that the oh-so-serious nature of the Royal Wedding can be a bit much. Credit T-Mobile for finding a fun way to poke fun at the hype. The impending nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton get spoofed in this two-minute ad featuring look-alikes for Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth, Camilla, and, of course, the happy couple. (Video at link)

26 year-old Katherine R. Windels has been arrested for sending emails containing death threats to Wisconsin state senators during the budget battles last month.

You don’t just walk up to the local bully and slap him across the face. If you are determined to confront him, then you try to knock the living daylights out of him. Otherwise, you are better off to leave him alone. Anyone who grew up in my old neighborhood in Harlem could have told you that. But Barack Obama didn’t grow up in my old neighborhood. He had a much more genteel upbringing, including a fancy private school, in Hawaii. Maybe that is why he thinks he can launch military operations against Moammar Qaddafi, while promising not to kill...

Donald Trump now sees himself as something of a patron saint for the birthers – and he's even released his own birth certificate as he steps up criticism of the president. Continue Reading Seeking to pump more energy into the birther movement and quirky chase for the White House, Trump on Monday provided a copy of his birth certificate to the conservative website Newsmax – which has played a leading role in trumpeting birther mythology. And in an interview on Fox News, Trump cast himself as something akin to the rebel leader of the birther movement.

Coalition air raids have hit the town of Sirte, Col Muammar Gaddafi's hometown and the next target of rebel forces advancing westwards. A Libyan government spokesman said three Libyan civilians had been killed in the city's port. Heavy explosions were also heard in the capital, Tripoli, late on Sunday. The raids came as Nato took full command of the whole military operation in Libya, intended to enforce a UN resolution to protect civilians. <----snip----> "We are already enforcing the arms embargo and the no-fly zone, and with today's decision we are going beyond. We will be acting in close co-ordination...

Yesterday, I decided to take my relatively new car out for a spin. Due to a combination of ugly winter weather and health issues, I hadn't driven the car in a couple of months and wanted to give it a spin to keep its "juices" flowing. I got in the car and tried to start it. Nothing. All the symbols lit up and went nuts, but no sound of cranking. Fortunately, Ford gives new owners 5 years of Roadside Assistance. Ford's service responded quickly and professionally. The technician came prepared with a "box" to start the car in my garage....

Working people are under assault and the assault will continue until we put an end to it. The protests at the Capitol are showing what working people are made of. That’s the idea behind the Madison Labor Notes Troublemakers School. How do we build on the protests, protect what we have--and lay the foundation to fight for more? Led by experienced labor activists, our workshops will explore strategies to fight back and give you the hands-on skills to make it happen. The idea is not just to talk about problems for a day and then go home, but to come...

On Wednesday night, however, the protesters got some sympathy from Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, who oversees Madison's county and who recently proclaimed that his deputies weren't "palace guards." Mahoney had the capitol doors opened Wednesday night to allow the protesters inside. However, within the capitol, state troopers from other counties were standing guard — the governor and the Republican senators well aware that Dane County police were sympathetic to the protesters' cause. <---- snip ----> But by Thursday, the rotunda of the capital was once again closed to protesters, some of whom were dragged out by state troopers —...

The bill would take away the ability of unions to bargain over pensions and health care. It would limit pay raises, which can still be negotiated by unions, to inflation. It eliminates automatic collection of dues by the state and requires each public union in the state to get recertified every year by vote. The bill also requires public-employee union members to contribute 5.8% of their pay to pensions and to pay 12.6% of health-care premiums out of their wages, up from 6% on average.

Good Grief. See link.