Free Republic

OBAMA BOOM ECONOMY: RECORD BANK IN BEV HILLS, $28,500 A PLATE! Tue Sep 16 2008 06:25:55 ET The nation's financials may be in a spiral, but cash is flowing into the Obama campaign faster than Marvin Hamlisch can play "Niagara"! Yesterday, Obama declared how we are in "the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression." Today he will host a dinner in Beverly Hills --- costing attendees $28,500 dollars each! Hundreds of high rollers, including some of the biggest executives in film, television and music, will munch gourmet chow and hang out with the candidate. Streisand will then sing...

Republican fortunes are down, but Democrat ones are downer. The Republican plan ain't got traction and the Democrats can't even spell the word. Is this good news for Republicans in 2006? The President is optimistic. Ken Mehlman says he has a yet unrevealed plan to maintain control of Congress in 2006. The fact that Democrats are doing worse in the polls than Republicans is a good sign for the Prez and the Chairman, but the risk of campaign failure is always high when the candidate(s) rely solely on such default realities. By doing so, they misinterpret public sentiment which always...

Mark Tapscott of the Heritage Foundation asks the question first asked by James Dobson four years ago: is the Republican Party addressing the issues of its conservative base in the policies it advances in Congress?" He notes: Thanks to the incredible expansion of federal entitlements, regulations and pork spending sanctioned by the GOP leadership in Congress since 2001, there is virtually no chance that Big Government is going to be shrunk even a little any time soon. And since there is no sign the folks running Congress are willing to change course, why shouldn’t conservatives dump the GOP? Incredibly, after...

The Washington Times reports that Gov. Bill Richardson, D-NM, has successfully called for the destruction of a "staging area" across the New Mexico border with Mexico. These are shelters which provide water and some other humanitarian benefits to Mexican nationals seeking to cross the border to the U.S. Another interesting use of these facilities is to provide a bartering point for "coyotes" who charge a fee to help Mexicans cross the border. These sites are maintained by Groupo Beta, a humanitarian organization funded by the Mexican government. According to the Washington Times report, they drive around in orange trucks stocking...

Those who make brutalizing statements about others typically give them in terms which indict themselves. The New York Times is calling Clinton and Murdoch "An Unlikely Alliance" by pointing to the way it's nemisis, the New York Post, blasted newly announced Senate candidate Jannine Pirro and her criminal husband. Strange for the conservative Standard Bearer in The City. But this is not half as interesting to me as this: The Post has long been a red-meat smorgasbord for conservatives, even as its tangy gossip columns and relentless media coverage have found a market among the Manhattan elite of all persuasions....

"When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest. " --Proverbs 29:9"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. " --Proverbs 12:15 (Pulling out my best Andy Rooney impression) Did you ever wonder why scientests with a political agenda consistently scoff at scientific evidence with evidential hubris? If you're wondering what in the world I am trying to say (and many do wonder--believe me!), it's this: there is no more amazing proof of...

Well stated review of the new 'Dukes of Hazzard' movie by the Denver Post:Once upon a time, the Box Office Fairy sewed together a form-fitting pair of denim cutoffs. No one knows if the Box Office Fairy is good or evil; she merely casts her spells and lets the market sort out the details, sordid or sublime. Hollywood mortals discovered the denim shorts and asked Jessica Simpson to try them on. They were wicked pleased with what they saw, and commissioned a script. Two bikinis, a halter top and assorted pairs of 4-inch heels later, we have "The Dukes of...

According to the Indianapolis Star, Sen. Evan Bayh, Democrat and son of former Democrat Senator and Presidential candidate Birch Bayh, has raised more money for his Political Action Committee (used by many candidates to boost Presidential aspirations) than assumed Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton (Democrat Senator supposedly from New York). Bayh raised $1.17 million this year through a fundraising arm that will help him raise his profile and build a campaign team, according to recent disclosure reports. Some of that money paid for a public speaking consultant whose former clients include Princess Diana.This is impressive, but he still has a long...

Here's remarkable statement by U2 lead singer, Bono, in which he discusses the difference between Karma and Grace in his new book Bono on Conversion. It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma. . . . You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in...

In the realm of vacuuous reasoning, hollow arguments become sensible. Such is the case when it comes to embryonic stem cell research, and Bill Frist is feeling rather "sensible" these days.The New York Times reports that Senate Majority Leader Frist will be giving a long speech on the Senate floor today in support of expanding research in certain embryonic stem cells. Mr. Frist, a heart-lung transplant surgeon who said last month that he did not back expanding financing "at this juncture," is expected to announce his decision Friday morning in a lengthy Senate speech. In it, he says that while...

In the realm of vacuuous reasoning, hollow arguments become sensible. Such is the case when it comes to embryonic stem cell research, and Bill Frist is feeling rather "sensible" these days.The New York Times reports that Senate Majority Leader Frist will be giving a long speech on the Senate floor today in support of expanding research in certain embryonic stem cells. Mr. Frist, a heart-lung transplant surgeon who said last month that he did not back expanding financing "at this juncture," is expected to announce his decision Friday morning in a lengthy Senate speech. In it, he says that while...

Instapundit opines on the increasing tension between Sunnis and Shi'ites in Iraq. The latter are growing increasingly frustrated with the former's support of Zarqawi led resistance, and some speculate that a brief civil war between the two might actually be good for the country. I can't see how that is an acceptable stop on the road to stability. But Sunni supported resistance is steadily leading to a point of retaliation by other factions. Glenn Reynolds says: The Sunnis, I suspect, realize this, and old Ba'athist fantasies of omnipotence seem to be fading (Chemical Ali is said to be singing like...

In an amazing turn of events. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-WV, is praising President Bush. Washington Times: Sen. Robert C. Byrd, one of President Bush's harshest critics, has become an unlikely ally on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr. "I said to him, 'I am shouting your name from the steeple tops for reaching out, reaching across the aisle,'?" the West Virginia Democrat reported after taking a phone call from Mr. Bush to discuss a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. After Mr. Bush nominated federal Judge Roberts this week, Mr. Byrd again...

Having the last name "Pfaff", I ought to be quite offended by this. But it's not "Schroeder", and I have no patience for the political anti-war pablum of France and Germany which is increasingly turning into negotiation with Islamo-fascist terrorists. And I am further embarrassed by the elite left in this country who are rhetorically putting our soldiers in harm's way. And I'm even more embarrased by the namby-pamby attitude of said American leftist elites in this country in light of the story below. Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin et. al. What an excellent example of timely civil disobediance. TBO.com: A...

Looks like John McCain may have come to his senses about Supreme Court nominees: DrudgeReport: Sen. McCain [R-AZ] Strong Words On Supreme Ct Nomination at Dallas Fundraiser: 'During the campaign, President Bush said he will appoint judges who will strictly interpret the constitution... thinking anything else is either amnesia or ignorance... elections have consequences... whomever he nominates deserves an up or down vote and no filibuster... and an up or down vote is what we will have'Strong words indeed. But they were given out of the mouth of one of the ringleaders of the Gang of 14. This gives me...

With all due respect to the political insight of Dick Morris (and he deserves much), he is quite wrong about his belief that Cong. Shelley Moore Capito--D-WV has a chance to defeat Sen. Robert Byrd--D-WV. It is unlikely that he will come down to defeat when otherwise Republican business owners won't cough up the money to make the Republican machine work. The WV GOP was severly choked in 2004 because these businesses were unwilling to buck Democrats who held and wielded a serious threat of reprisal. In the aftermath, the GOP there is in shambles. More of that later. Morris...

With all due respect to the political insight of Dick Morris (and he deserves much), he is quite wrong about his belief that Cong. Shelley Moore Capito--D-WV has a chance to defeat Sen. Robert Byrd--D-WV. It is unlikely that he will come down to defeat when otherwise Republican business owners won't cough up the money to make the Republican machine work. The WV GOP was severly choked in 2004 because these businesses were unwilling to buck Democrats who held and wielded a serious threat of reprisal. In the aftermath, the GOP there is in shambles. More of that later. Morris...

We have evidence that Democrats want to get Howard Dean out of the spotlight and don't want to allow Bush/Blair cooperation to show the President in a positive light. Proof? THIS: NEW YORK Jun 7, 2005--'We are living in a time when the other side doesn't want us to see the facts. Facts are inconvenient facts about global warming, facts about mercury in the air, facts about people staying unemployed longer,' said Clinton, considered a Democratic contender for the presidency in 2008.Plus THIS:DRUDGE REPORT Tue Jun 07 2005 19:07:22 ET--A White House official who once led the oil industry's fight...

Congressman John Hostettler, R-IN, wants to remove the financial incentive organizations like the ACLU have to attack religious expression in the public square.CitizenLink--Representative John Hostettler, R-Ind., has teamed with the American Legion to prevent the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others like them, from strong arming defendants. The Public Expression of Religion Act of 2005 (PERA) would prohibit attorneys' fees from being collected in cases against the establishment of religion clause. . . . The legislation comes at a time when the ACLU is challenging the mention of "Jesus" in the Indiana legislature, the cross on the California state...

RightMarch.com documents liberal bias of which it has been the victim in ads it attempted to place with search engine Google.com. It turns out that Democrat groups which are advertising in opposition to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay are allowed to run their ads, but with RightMarch.com attempted to run ads in opposition to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, they were denied because, "Google policy does not permit ad text that advocates against an individual, group or organization." This is all well documented here. Fascinating example of liberal control of some parts of the internet (and Google is no small...