Free Republic

Congressional Republicans are poised to deal a sharp blow to their traditional allies in the business community by allowing the federal Export-Import Bank to go out of business at the end of the month. But it may only be temporary. The 81-year-old bank is a little-known federal agency created during the Depression that makes and guarantees loans to help overseas buyers purchase U.S. products, from airplanes to bridges to baby clothes. Over the past year it’s also become a surprising test of GOP purity, as tea party-backed lawmakers and outside conservative groups have denounced the bank as crony capitalism and...

A week ago I was at McDonald's ordering lunch. It was very busy and there was a large crowd present. I ordered the food and waited around for a few minutes. While I was doing so, a manager and another crewmemeber were getting ready to put the flags up on the pole. The manager showed him how to fold the flags up and they folded up old glory into a nice triangle with loving and patriotic care. While they were folding the McDonald's flag, a funny looking woman in her thirties with two tots in a carriage walked up to...

FairTax would free markets, individuals from income tax. In “The FairTax Book,” Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) and libertarian talk radio host Neal Boortz offer a witty and straightforward explanation of the political and economic consequences of making April 15 “just another day.” Published by Regan Books, it hits bookstores this week. And if tax reform is not a “hot” topic now, then give this book a month on the New York Times bestseller list for things to change. The FairTax is a bold idea to replace the income tax with a national sales tax. What’s so bold about it? Not...

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use. LISBON, Feb 19 (IPS) - Several transnational corporations that opened plants in Portugal with European Union (EU) subsidies have recently closed up shop to move to countries offering more advantageous conditions, triggering a heated debate on the use of the bloc's development funds. Trade unionists, economists and local politicians have issued warnings of the need to prevent a repeat of episodes like the closure of factories by German and British companies that simply decided to ''pack up their tent, like in some Bedouin camp, in search of cheaper labour,'' in the...