Free Republic

All three of the people featured in this column have engaged in some form of sleazy politics in the last week. All of them need to be put down, fast and hard, not just because they earned it but as a lesson to others. We begin with the one that everyone who has a TV knows about, Kobe Bryant's lawyer in the preliminary hearing in Colorado. Bryant's attorney, Pamela Mackey, asked a question about prior sexual conduct of the complaining witness in this rape case. She asked it of Detective Doug Winters, who was the only witness in the first...

The latest interview in the Freeper Interview Series is now online at Patriot Paradox. The interview is with Congressman BillyBob, and here are some highlights: How do you feel we should stop jobs from leaving the country? Alter NAFTA. Control our borders. For instance, if we put a "transit tax" on all Mexican goods coming into the US, enough to cover the entire cost of rounding up and returning Mexican illegals, suddenly it becomes in Mexico's financial interest to control the border from THEIR side. Now that's an idea you haven't heard elsewhere. Who would you say is the most...

FRN Columnists' Corner An Open Letter to Howard Dean by Congressman Billybob (a.k.a. John Armor) Dear Sawbones (may I call you Sawbones?), You've made a lot of statements on the campaign trail of late that lead me to question whether you've decided that truth is a terrible impediment to getting elected. I don't have the knowledge to analyze everything you've said. But there are four points you've repeated as a Democratic mantra that I do know, nine ways from Sunday. On those four I conclude you have the honesty of a five-year-old who's just gotten into the chocolate chip cookies...

FRN Columnists' Corner "Paying the Wrong Piper " By Congressman Billybob & John ArmorSchool vouchers are now back on the front burner because the House of Representatives has just passed and sent to the Senate a $10 million program for the poorest students in the D.C. public school system. The plan gives them an opportunity to escape failing public schools and switch to any other school their parents believe will provide a better education. This is an idea whose time has come – actually, it came a generation ago. But most Senate Democrats are gearing up to kill this opportunity...

Congressman Billybob Sez:[posted 2 September 2003] This here's the 366th Report ta the Folks Back Home from the (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, cyberCongressman from Western Carolina. For reasons that will shortly become quite clear, I'm not gonna turn this over ta ma able assistant, J. Armor, Esq. Instead, fer the firs time ever in seven years of rattin, this column has a shared byline tween yer Congresscritter n his assistant. We Are Running for Congress – Maybeby John Armor and Congressman Billybob Ballot issues always begin with a summary, to assist the voters. Here's my summary: My District needs...

FRN Columnists' Corner "Texans for Sale or Rent" by John ArmorThe title, of course, should be sung to the tune of Roger Miller's classic that begins with “trailers” rather than “Texans.” The subject is the eleven State Senators from Texas who are holed up in a plush resort in New Mexico, afraid to return to their state for fear they would be arrested, dragged to the state Capitol, and forced to vote. Oh, the humanity. For those who might have missed this French farce played as cowboy comedy, here's a brief recap: Texas, like every other state in the Union,...

FRN Columnists' Corner "Nuts and Bolts in California" by Congressman BillybobNo, this isn't a cheap shot based on breakfast cereal, about folks in California being ''fruits and nuts.'' Instead, it is a discussion of the mechanics of the recall election in that state. The media hasn't picked up this story yet, but process of any election has an impact on its results. This is especially true for this election there. Policy wonks in Ph.D. programs, which I was until a few years ago, study such things as the effect of ballot placement on the number of votes received. It has...

FR Columnists' Corner "Sixteen Little Words" by Congressman BillybobNo, the sixteen little words are not “I love you” repeated five times, followed by “maybe.” They are a single sentence in President Bush's State of the Union Address in January of this year. There is now a carefully generated flap about that sentence in which the President said that “British intelligence” had reported that “Iraq is trying to purchase uranium from Africa.” Let's put that in context, take it apart brick by brick, and see what we have. Niger is the leading producer of uranium in Africa and also has very...

Tuesaday at 6pm pst and 9pm est, Congressman Billybob will interview UCLA Law Professor Eugene Volokh! Eugene Volokh teaches free speech law, copyright law, the law of government and religion, and a seminar on firearms regulation policy at UCLA Law School. Before coming to UCLA, he clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court and for Judge Alex Kozinski on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Volokh also worked for 12 years as a computer programmer, and is still partner in a small software company which sells HP 3000 software that he wrote. He...

I've been talking with Bob J, the impresario of Radio Free Republic, and in response to an overwhelming demand (Bob asked nicely), I'll be back on the air with RFR. The dates we're looking at are 18 February for sure, and perhaps 28 January as a "pre-CPAC" show. I know, better'n most, that constitutional law is stupefyingly dull for most folks. It can be made lively, as I'm now doing with Jerry Agar, 50,000 watts out of Raleigh, North Carolina, every Monday at 5 p.m. We'll do a similar work nationally on RFR, again, and I'm delighted to have the...

North Carolina Freepers,Our own "Congressman Billybob" will be doing the first of a ten-part weekly series on constitutional law.He will be appearing every Monday from 5 to 6 pm Eastern on the Jerry Agar Show.This airs on 680 WPTF in Raleigh.Today's show will be on the First Amendment.I encourage all NC Freepers to listen, and to call in if they can!Local number for WPTF is 919-860-WPTF, outside the Raleigh area call toll free: 800-662-7979FRegards,Constitution Day

Congressman Billybob Sez: [posted 5 December 2002] This here's the 327th Report ta the Folks Back Home from the (More er Less) Honorable Billybob, cyberCongressman from Western Carolina. Ma sainted Mama offen sed, "Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win." From an early age I knew she was wrong. Sometimes, cheaters do win. I firs saw that onna playground ov the elementary school at the State Teachers College in Salisbury, Maryland, where I growed up. But I unnerstood what she meant. Thangs don allas work this way. But that's how thangs oughta be. N, that's how I oughta conduct maself....

This will be an open-mike night. I will also be running the live thread at the same time. We are cranking up for a thunderstorm as this is posted, on Kettle Rock Mountain in the Blue Ridge. From experience, lightning strikes will cause power surges that reboot my computer, but that do not affect telephone connections. So you are especially invited to call in, rather than just post to the thread, tonight. Bob J will post the RFR Banner with the call in number(s) and the click link for the Show, on this thread for your convenience. I look forward...

Tonight (Tuesday, 7 May) Radio Free Republic will be open-mike and open-thread. Your host will be Congressman Billybob (J. Armor, Esq.). Show starts at 6 pm EST, 9 pm PST. Preferred call-in number will be posted just before airtime. For those reluctant to call, post away -- thread will be live during show, and all subjects are welcome. (No pictures or graphics, please.) Bob J will put up the click link to hear the Show live, just before airtime. To all FReepers, Y'ALL COME ON DOWN, YA HEAR?