Free Republic

FOR the first time in 40 years, the government sector of the American economy has shrunk during the first three years of a presidential administration. Spending by the federal government, adjusted for inflation, has risen at a slow rate under President Obama. But that increase has been more than offset by a fall in spending by state and local governments, which have been squeezed by weak tax receipts.

For those of us in the Atlanta Metro area who used to love to listen to The Kimmer on WGST/640 AM until he was fired just before Thanksgiving 2006, I've found him. In case you didn't know, he is now doing a podcast for this site: http://www.theconservativebeacon.net

US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may be struggling to nudge ahead of his Republican rival in polls at home, but people across the world want him in the White House, a BBC poll said. All 22 countries covered in the poll would prefer to see Senator Obama elected US president ahead of Republican John McCain. In 17 of the 22 nations, people expect relations between the US and the rest of the world to improve if Senator Obama wins. More than 22,000 people were questioned by pollster GlobeScan in countries ranging from Australia to India and across Africa, Europe...

Call Congress back to have an up-or-down vote on a comprehensive energy bill which includes expanded drilling for oil. There is a petition here: http://www.callbackcongress.com/

Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney has given the red light to the Green Party, ending speculation that she would run for president on the ticket and leaving party leaders wondering where their months-long public courtship went sour. McKinney, who as recently as Aug. 31 made an appearance at a Green Party event, said she wanted her name withdrawn from consideration in a letter delivered to the party Monday. She did not say specifically why she is withdrawing from consideration. On Wednesday, stunned party officials said they had not spoken to McKinney since receiving the letter, which is posted on her...

A well-known anti-war leader has gone public with the transcript of a private conference call that shows peace activists are exasperated with the Democratic congressional leadership and at a loss for a long-term strategy. The Aug. 29 call highlights divisions in the Democratic Party that Republicans are gearing up to try to exploit as Congress debates its response to the report on Iraq this week by Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. ...etc. The article also contains a link to the transcript of the Aug. 29 phone call, which includes Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Rep. Jim Moran...

Another FReeper made a reply to one of my posts a few months ago, where I was complaining that no matter what happened, everyone seemed to be blaming it all on Bush. That reply was in the form of a great picture that the FReeper had either made, or received from someone. It had the head of President Bush, with fingers all around the picture pointing to him. The caption was "Everything is the fault of George W. Bush". I really want to save a copy of that so I can use it. Anyone know where I can get it?...

Please FReep this poll! "Do you believe that the President's actions justify impeachment?"

STAR JONES: TERROR WAR BATTLE OF BUSH, BIN LADEN EGOS Fri Jan 20 2006 09:38:00 ET Star Jones has told viewers that the war on terror is nothing more than a clash of male egos between President Bush and Osama bin Laden, the NEW YORK POST reports. Yesterday, the co-host of ABC's THE VIEW told viewers during a discussion of bin Laden's latest audio tape: "You know what? At some point, one of these men has to put it back in his pants and zip up the zipper." She even suggested that Bush hold some kind of talk with the...

Support Representative Wilson's Call for a Full Congressional Inquiry on Wiretapping http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=20338&afccode=n26lk2 Contributed by Working Assets Congresswoman Heather Wilson, a New Mexico Republican who chairs the House Subcommittee overseeing the National Security Agency, has just broken ranks with her party, defied Karl Rove, and called for a full Congressional inquiry into the recently-disclosed domestic wiretapping program. We couldn't agree more. Attorney General Gonzales appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee this past Monday and attempted to justify the legality and constitutionality of the eavesdropping program; most observers agreed that he failed to do so. In an unprecedented move, that Committee voted...

President Bush has been through so much garbage in the past year -- well, in the past FIVE years, but especially the past year. His enemies are very busy, looking for ways to impeach him, parsing every word he says, criticizing everything he does, all while he is trying to lead a nation during wartime and protect us from terrorist attacks, among other things. Let's lift him up in prayer especially as he prepares for, and delivers, his SOTU address. Note that there are some anti-Bush groups trying to get Democrats to walk out on him during the SOTU. I...

Hey, FReepers, wanna have some fun? The DUmmies have posted a link to a site sponsored by People for the American way, to submit FREE faxes to multiple Senators, urging them to filibuster the Alito confirmation. I took advantage of it -- only I changed the subject from "Filibuster Alito" to "DO NOT Filibuster Alito!!", and I deleted their canned message and replaced it with one of my own. FREE fax, on them! http://www.savethecourt.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=mwK0JbNTJrF&b=1387741&action=5400&template=x.ascx

Well, my husband told me that we got a recorded call from the Democratic National Committee today, saying that Phil Gingrey (Representative for our district - a Republican) <*gasp*> SUPPORTS Social Security reform. They wanted us to contact Congressman Gingrey and tell him that we don't want reform. I think it's time for us to send him an "attaboy". Is anyone else getting these calls?

Just a new kid on the block, saying Hi.