Free Republic

Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. CST the oral arguments will commence in the second significant challenge to come before the Supreme Court concerning the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In one of the most consequential cases of the year there are two sweeping questions that potentially will be answered by the Court. Are private, for-profit corporations afforded the right to “freely exercise” religion? If so, to what extent does that prevent government intrusion? The two cases being heard, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius, raise issues concerning the First Amendment’s free exercise clause and whether the...

“[A]round the world[,] freedom of religion is under threat. … We see governments engaging in discrimination … against the faithful. … We, therefore, believe in the inherent dignity of every human being — dignity that no earthly power can take away. And central to that dignity is freedom of religion — the right of every person to practice their faith how they choose … and to do this free from persecution and fear. … [H]istory shows that nations that uphold the rights of their people — including the freedom of religion — are ultimately more just and more peaceful and...

Everywhere one looks today, signs of a resurgent Russia are omnipresent. Although Vladimir Putin has undoubtedly worked hard to craft this image, it is a mirage. Russia is doomed over the long-term, and its short-term maneuvers aren’t enough to compensate for this fact. Traditionally, Russian power has rested on four pillars: population, energy, weaponry and geography. Three of these are diminishing. The backbone of modern Russian power has been its massive population. Nowhere was this better demonstrated than in WWII. Russia no doubt played a leading role in orchestrating Hitler’s demise, starting with its legendary stands in Leningrad and Stalingrad....

As we close out 2013, here's a look at the senators at risk of losing their primaries. It's worth noting that it's a relatively rare event for senators to fall in a primary—in 2012, only former Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., lost to a primary challenger, and the previous cycle just Sens. Robert Bennet, R-Utah, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, did—though Murkowski came back and won reelection as a write-in candidate. So, keeping in mind that we predicted in our final Hotline Spotlight of the year that no Senate incumbent will lose a primary next year, here are the candidates who should...