Free Republic

http://www.freemumia.com/?p=627 OUR National Constitution Center has rented a room this Friday in Philadelphia, to a group that advocates for the VIOLENT overthrow of the U.S. Constitution for the purposes of giving a convicted cop killer, Mumia Abu Jamal a forum to call in from his prison cell. Not only is this yet another insult to widow Maureen Faulkner, but the fact that the staff at the NCC doesn't realize that it is not obligated to rent space to an organization that actively advocates for the overthrow of our society, shows you just how far we have fallen. The National Lawyers...

This is the second in a series that exposes the corrupt and contented relationship betwwen the Democrat machine and lackey GOP establishment in Philly. Vote for Featherman and turn Philadelphia around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ySYFw8fdes

The Great School Choice Debate, hosted by The Independence Hall Tea Party Association on March 6, was a passionate discussion of Senate Bill 1, the school choice bill currently in the state senate. At issue was whether SB 1, a limited-scope bill granting a voucher to low-income families (in which the state subsidy would follow the child, not the school), is the only legislation achievable at this time, or whether a broader, more comprehensive bill can be passed. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the healthy debate that it should have been because Senator Anthony Williams, one of the bill’s prime sponsors and...

A changing of the guard occurred this week at the scandal-plagued Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), as Governor Corbett appointed himself the new chairman, and replaced five board commissioners. The law-and-order Corbett has pledged to clean up the authority through openness and transparency, vowing to oversee an entity free of the conflicts that plagued the prior board. But his appointments — all political insiders — have left many wondering if anything has really changed. As chairman, the Governor sets the DRPA agenda, and he deserves the benefit of the doubt that he will live up to his promises. That said,...

The nation’s largest, most influential gathering of conservatives — the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) — was recently held in Washington. Based on the sheer number of attendees (more than 11,000, up from just over 100 when CPAC started in 1973) and the level of palpable energy exuding from the ranks, the conference was a huge success. Speakers ranged from media pundits to elected officials, including most of the Republicans mentioned as Presidential candidates. The attendees had every right to feel proud: their side had just re-taken control of the U.S. House, made significant gains in the Senate, and added...

Freindly Fire Note: On February 17, Governor Tom Corbett authorized the $42 million shipyard bailout. Two ships will now be constructed --- even though there are no buyers, nor any in the foreseeable future --- and hundreds of union jobs will now be subsidized. So much for the pledge of responsible government and fiscal restraint, especially in light of the $5 billion budget deficit. The wildly successful model that Gov. Christie has given his colleagues --- popularity will rise if you stick to your campaign promises --- is, incomprehensibly, falling on deaf ears. It is bad enough Corbett is being...

It is incomprehensible that in light of those crises, the Catholic Church would respond by fast-tracking the late Pope John Paul II for sainthood, since so many sins occurred under his watch. If John Paul’s beatification --- part of the path to sainthood--- takes place as scheduled on May 1, it will have been the fastest in history, thanks to Pope Benedict XVI, who waived the requirement of a five-year waiting period after a person’s death for that process to begin. I’m sorry, but what planet are these folks living on…Uranus? One way or another, Pope John Paul is complicit...

Since 1995 the average mathematics score for fourth-graders jumped 11 points. At this rate we catch up with Singapore in a little over 80 years . . . assuming they don’t improve.” – Norman R. Augustine, retired CEO of Lockheed Martin Let’s keep that quote from a recent George Will column in mind as the school choice debate unfolds. ***** Even in a bad housing market, if someone were to initially offer his home at the lowest acceptable price, he would be called an idiot. And rightly so. Likewise, negotiators never come to the table with their bottom line proposal....

After eight disastrous years as Pennsylvania’s Governor, Ed Rendell being viewed as a “good guy” is as likely as the Eagles’ winning this year’s Super Bowl: nonexistent. Up to this point, his legacy was known for three things: the introduction of gambling, which did not live up to the promise of tax-relief; huge tax hikes, coupled with a 40 per cent increase in state spending; and a perception of widespread pay-to-play within his Administration. Of lesser note but still sore subjects were his signing an unconstitutional legislative pay raise and not getting a single budget passed on time --- budgets...

In the movie Dave, Kevin Kline plays a presidential lookalike who finds himself running the country after the real President falls into a coma. Convening a Cabinet meeting, this political novice uses common sense to expose the ludicrous mentality of the entrenched Business As Usual crowd. Kline asks the Commerce Secretary about an ad campaign his Department has implemented to boost consumer confidence in the American auto industry. “It’s designed to bolster individual confidence in a previous domestic automotive purchase,” the Secretary proudly explained. Speechless at first, Kline fires back, “We're spending millions for somebody to feel good about a...

It’s that time of year again when Freindly Fire heaps praise upon those most deserving. You probably aren’t going to find these winners on the lists of typical media outlets, most of which bow at the altar of political correctness. The Biggest Winner of 2010, as is the case every year, goes to none other than illegal invaders, all 20 million of them. Year after year, they continue to win everything. They are handed driver’s licenses, free education — in some cases all the way to college — and free first-rate health care. Most appallingly, their freedom exists because of...

Throughout history, there have always been makers and takers. Makers create things: jobs, products and wealth. Takers produce nothing. Instead, they leech off the makers. And the biggest taker of all is government. Oppressive, “taking” governments hold center stage in most foreign countries, where taxpayer rights and the rule of law are cocktail party jokes. But increasingly, the takers are also making their mark in America, squeezing the economic lifeblood out of business and zapping citizens’ creativity and hope. Usually, the take comes in increments, with public officials saying it’s our duty to accept such small sacrifices. But once the...

You would think that with Pennsylvania’s Republican roots, which have run especially deep over the last several decades, freshman Democratic senator Bob Casey would be vulnerable in 2012. You would be wrong, and the reason is simple civics. Incumbents don’t lose unless they’re challenged by viable, first-tier candidates, as the Senate elections in Nevada and Alaska proved. And, as of now, there are none to challenge Casey. Whether that changes in the next year is anyone’s guess, but the mere fact that the GOP finds itself in this position speaks volumes about how it builds its “bench.” Translation: it doesn’t....

Stories keep rolling in about the booming economy in a faraway land. Tales of jobs, new construction on every corner, more jobs, hotels booked for a year, office space — long vacant — now renting for the highest prices ever fetched, and even more jobs. Yet despite years of growth, the influx of foreign capital hasn’t subsided, but in fact, continues to exponentially increase. Combined, all these things have created a climate so healthy that taxes haven’t risen in eight years. As with Doubting Thomas, something this good must be seen to be believed. So as my trip was being...

While the WikiLeaks story is rocking the world on an international scale, another troubling story rocks the Republican Party. We've covered the subject of the Philadelphia Republican Party's acts of downright corruption in the past few weeks. The person who spear-headed the dishonesty and formed his own group of loyal but dissident Conservatives is a man named Kevin Kelly. Kelly says he's just a "regular Philly guy who is lucky enough" to be the Chairman and founder of Loyal Opposition. After Kelly had an arranged meeting with the leadership of Republican City Committee in 2003, it became obvious the mainstream...

Just recently, the nation was abuzz regarding a mysterious smoke plume 35 miles off the coast of California. Since the U.S. military denied any involvement, several other possibilities come to mind. Was it: 1) The California economy going up in smoke now that Jerry Brown is once again Governor --- as he was four decades ago; 2) A smoke-and-mirrors trick of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, magically creating $600 billion in new funny money --- the smoke trail being inflation “taking off;” 3) China flexing its military muscle by test-firing a ballistic missile in America’s backyard If you voted for...

Stupidity isn’t a crime. But neither is it a particularly endearing trait. Just look at some voter stupidity displayed this past election: • In Nevada, the people returned Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to Washington for six more years. Despite being the second most powerful elected official in the country, with sizable Democratic majorities in his chamber and the House, as well as an ally in the White House, Reid has presided over — and directly contributed to — the worst recession in 80 years. What happens in Nevada stays in Nevada — and given the voters’ choice, they should...

Hours after the polls closed, the nation still didn’t know who would become Pennsylvania’s junior senator, as Republican Pat Toomey and Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak were locked in a back-and-forth duel, a race too close to call. Finally victorious, Toomey thanked his supporters, of course, but he should have also thanked those most responsible for his success: Philadelphia Democrats. It was the relatively light turnout in the city that killed Sestak’s candidacy. Based on the 77,000 vote statewide margin — out of 3.9 million cast — if just one of ten more Philadelphians voted, Sestak’s election would have been a...

Vice President Joe Biden visited Delaware County this week, stumping for Democratic congressional candidate Bryan Lentz. In his remarks, Biden blamed the Bush Administration for the nations’ economic woes, further chastising the GOP for not “getting it.” As far as not getting it, it remained unclear as to which Bush Administration Biden was referring. But why stop at Bush I? Why not blame Nixon and Cal Coolidge, too? The Veep, in an attempt to rally his troops, emphatically stated that those reports (READ: every single poll) predicting the death of the Democratic Party are “greatly exaggerated,” and that his arty...

Let’s get something straight this campaign season. There are no “undecideds.” Or at least there shouldn’t be. If there are, they should be banned from voting. As Dean Wormer said in Animal House, “Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life.” And if you’re truly undecided, that’s exactly what you’re doing. So for those wannabes who think it’s desirable and politically correct to seem overly “deliberative” during a poll, do us all a favor: pick a side. The choices have never been clearer.