Free Republic

Feb. 4-17 is National Marriage Week. It may sound prosaic, but it couldn't be more important. As marriage goes, so goes the nation. Without marriage, we become a nation of increasingly isolated, self-absorbed individuals, which is why the decline of marriage is so ominous. In 1970, married couples were 71% of U.S. households. By 2022, they were 47%. In 1962, 90% of 30-year-olds were married. By 2019, that figure had fallen to 51%.

Almost a third of Russian families have been abandoned by their fathers, the Kremlin revealed yesterday, contradicting President Putin’s claims to have cultivated a society based on traditional Christian values. Anna Kuznetsova, Russia’s leading official for children’s rights, said that of 17 million families with at least one dependent child, single mothers were the sole breadwinner in five million. Ms Kuznetsova, an anti-abortion mother of six who was appointed by Mr Putin last year, also said that another 600,000 families had no mother at home. Russia has the second highest divorce rate in the world, with 4.8 for every 1,000...

Norm Eisen's ongoing lawsuits against Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are drawing scrutiny—and not just because of the high-profile figures involved. It turns out, Eisen’s own family ties are raising serious questions about conflict of interest. His daughter, Tamar Eisen, worked as a Program Officer for the National Democratic Institute (NDI)—a non-profit organization that has been on the receiving end of millions in USAID funding. It doesn’t stop there. The NDI has been the recipient of substantial USAID grants, including a hefty $32.3 million for the “Electoral Empowerment of CSO Project.” Now, just as Norm Eisen’s lawsuits against...

The White House slammed Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy as a "moron" on social media after the Connecticut lawmaker posted an expletive-riddled admonishment against a Lara Trump parody account he seemingly believed belonged to the president's daughter-in-law. "You are a moron, Chris. It is obvious this page is not affiliated with President Trump, his family, or the administration. We do, however, support your right to make such a statement, no matter how imbecilic it makes you look," the White House's X account, Rapid Response 47, said in a message posted on Friday. The rapid response account is a new White House...

A conservative influencer claimed she gave birth to a child fathered by Elon Musk in a shocking public declaration on social media. Author Ashley St. Clair, 31, alleged in an X post Friday night that she and Elon Musk share a 5-month-old child. “Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father,” read her statement, which was captioned “Alea lacta est,” Latin for “the die is cast.” “I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child’s privacy and safety, but in recent days it has become clear that tabloid media intends to...

Hunter Biden is once again embroiled in mor controversy as newly surfaced bank records and corporate documents link him to a fraudulent bond transaction involving Burnham Asset Management. The firm, tied to a multi-million-dollar securities fraud scheme, saw Biden’s business partners arrested and convicted while Hunter himself avoided accountability. The fraud centered on a scheme to defraud the Oglala Sioux Native American tribe out of tens of millions of dollars. Hunter’s former business partners, Devon Archer and Jason Galanis, were convicted for misappropriating funds meant for the tribe.

President Trump criticized former President Biden for pardoning several members of his family during his last moments as commander in chief, with Trump arguing the actions make “him look very guilty.” “That makes him look very guilty,” Trump said while speaking to reporters late Monday in the Oval Office as he signed a number of executive orders. “I could have pardoned my family. I could have pardoned myself and my family,” he said. “I said, ‘If I do that, it’s going to make me look very guilty’ – I don’t think I’d be sitting here, frankly.” Trump also said the...

Soon, open border advocates will step up their agitprop against the new Trump Administration for alleged migrant family separation at the U.S. border. A number of broader points about the family separation phenomenon are worth remembering. 1. The overwhelming majority of migrant family separation decisions are not made at U.S. border by DHS. They are made by parents or others — including cartel criminals — in home countries. 2. Daily, thousands of border violators abandon some or all of their children in their home countries to make the trek into the U.S. illegally to find work. Thousands of others send...

Ever since The Post broke the story of Hunter Biden’s laptop in October of 2020, it’s been obvious that Joe Biden was involved in his son’s influence peddling schemes. The president’s serial denials were as credible as Bill Clinton’s claim that “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” Biden’s most ridiculous lie was that he never even discussed Hunter’s foreign business with him. Laptop messages and photos showing Joe meeting with some of Hunter’s skeezy clients proved otherwise. Revelations that the son got millions from Ukraine energy company Burisma, despite knowing nothing about energy or Ukraine,...

In a media landscape where linear cable networks are battling a sharp decline in viewership, Great American Family is defying the odds: in just three short years, the network has become a Top 25 channel, with exponential growth fueled by its flagship franchise, Great American Christmas. In an interview with The Christian Post, President and CEO of Great American Media Bill Abbott attributed the platform's rapid rise to a singular focus on uplifting, family-friendly programming that celebrates faith, family and country — values he said are often underrepresented in today's mainstream entertainment. "As shown by recent events, the country is...

Democrat voters are more likely than Republicans to cut down on time spent with family members due to political differences, a post-election survey showed as the holidays ramp up. The Public Religion Research Institute’s (PRRI) survey posted on December 13 found that “As the holidays approach … Democratic voters (23%) are nearly five times as likely as Republican voters (5%) to say they will be spending less time with certain family members because of their political views.” PRRI President and Founder Robert P. Jones told Axios, “It may be tense around the Hanukkah and Christmas table. It’s not just that...

Nicholas Mangione Sr was born there in 1925, starting life in a poor immigrant family. He spent the first eight years of his life in a one-room flat with an outdoor privy toilet, according to the Baltimore Sun. During World War Two, he served in the Navy in the South Pacific before returning to his Maryland home where he built a series of enterprises as well as, according to local media, a combative - even aggressive – reputation when it came to his business interests. ... Within Baltimore's tight-knit Italian community, there's loyalty to Nick Mangione and his memory. Life-long...

The mother of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, wrote him an email in 2018 saying he had routinely mistreated women for years and displayed a lack of character. “On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself,” Penelope Hegseth wrote, stating that she still loved him.She also wrote: “I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that...

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law that prohibits the adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transition surgery is legal. Russian lower house Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who was one of the authors of the bill, in response to Putin signing the bill into law, shared, “It is extremely important to eliminate possible dangers in the form of gender reassignment that adopted children may face in these countries.” The adoption ban would apply to 15 countries, including Australia, Argentina, Canada, and several European countries. Russia previously banned citizens from the United States from...

In a time when so much of modern media feels disconnected from enduring values, Volvo’s latest ad for the EX90 SUV stands as a beacon of what truly matters: life and family. The nearly four-minute commercial tells a moving story that begins with a simple yet profound moment—a man learning he is about to become a father. From there, the ad follows the imagined journey of his child’s life, highlighting the pivotal role a parent plays in nurturing and protecting their family. With scenes of joy, curiosity, and togetherness, the commercial captures the universal beauty of family life. [embedded Volvo...

The farmers are also mad over the government changing farm subsidy schemes, such as a 40% tax on fertilizer.. Thousands of British farmers have been protesting in Westminster against changes to the inheritance tax rules. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the plans included adding a 20% inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million (around $1,264,718.16). It would start in April 2026. People are ticked off because the Labour Party promised to support farmers. Sky News spoke to one farmer: “It’s unfortunate, as Labour had originally said they would support farmers,” said fourth-generation farmer Will Weaver,...

We grew up in a home of strict Constitutionalists. I was writing pro-gun rights letters to congress by the time I was 12 years old. My father has now passed, but my mom and I are still firm in our beliefs on the Constitution and our Republic. My sibling, not so much, definitely suffering from TDS. This sibling wrote me off about a month before the election due to my political views. It was like a knife to the heart, and I am still struggling. I know if I extend the olive branch I will be rejected, and it just...

A Minnesota dad who ranted against President-elect Donald Trump online shot and killed his wife, ex-partner, and his two sons before turning the gun on himself, according to authorities. The shooter, 46-year-old Anthony Nephew, had a “pattern of mental health issues,” Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa said on Friday — one day after authorities found five people dead inside two homes in the city. Authorities found Anthony Nephew’s ex-partner Erin Abramson, 47, and their son, Jacob Nephew, 15, dead from apparent gunshot wounds inside their home Thursday afternoon, police said. .....

Yale University chief psychiatry resident Dr. Amanda Calhoun said Friday on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” that liberals who were devastated by Donald Trump’s presidential re-election should separate from family members who voted for him. Host Joy Reid said, “I wonder if also, are people challenged with the idea of how do you interact with people you know voted for this? If you’re an LGBTQ person and know someone in your family voted essentially against your rights or you’re a woman, knowing this man was calling people the B word. JD Vance was literally calling Kamala Harris the trash. And said we’re...

A Yale-affiliated psychiatrist encouraged LGBTQ+ people whose family members voted for Donald Trump to cut ties and shun their relatives over the upcoming holidays — as fallout from the election reached hysteria on left-leaning MSNBC. Yale University child psychiatry fellow Dr. Amanda Calhoun dug into the issue of the post-election crises in the LGBTQ+ community with MSNBC’s Joy Reid on Friday night. “There is a societal push that, if somebody is your family, they are entitled to your time. And I think the answer is absolutely not,” Calhoun said in a clip shared online. “So, if you are going through...