Free Republic

Even as suicide, drug abuse, sexual depravity, gender confusion, illiteracy, and violence reach record levels among children in Illinois government schools, leftist lawmakers and far-left media propagandists are painting a giant target on the backs of homeschool families in the state. Homeschoolers, who on average perform better than their government-educated peers on every metric, are preparing to fight back. But in a deep blue state like Illinois, concerns are growing as policymakers consider a bill to impose more government control over homeschooling families after about 75 years of relative freedom in the state. The latest assault on the homeschool community...

...The RV industry saw it coming. Since 2020 it’s been working with CARB (the California Air Resources Board—creator of ACT) on how these regulations would affect the industry and RVers. Industry had hoped CARB would work in an exemption for recreational vehicles. That didn’t happen. The situation is further complicated by more than just the ACT regulation. It also involves a trio of regulations passed in the last two to three years: the ACT, the Omnibus Low NOx rule, and the Advanced Clean Fleets rule. Together, these regulations are designed to transition medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs)...

P’Nut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon did not have rabies, officials announced — as it was revealed the animals were marked for death and decapitation days before they were seized by the state. The internet famous P’Nut and his raccoon pal were taken from an Upstate New York home by force in a raid by state agents on Oct. 30 that sparked outrage and accusations of government overreach as the pets were euthanized to test for rabies. “Results are negative,” Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss told The Post Tuesday. A newly revealed timeline shows state officials advised the county...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered the recall of nearly 80,000 pounds of butter produced in Texas for Costco. The agency ordered the recall because the product packaging contained no “Contains Milk” allergy statement. Food & Wine reported that the FDA issued a Class II recall on November 7 for 79,200 pounds of Kirkland Signature Sweet Cream Butter (salted and unsalted). The FDA claimed the butter packaging lists “cream” as an ingredient but does not bear the “Contains Milk” allergy statement. The New York Post posted on social media that the recall was based on the “dumbest possible...

State investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of the beloved Instagram famous P'Nut the squirrel. The DEC is conducting an internal investigation into the controversial raid on Mark Longo's home, where both P'Nut and Fred the raccoon were seized and euthanized. Despite Longo's claims that officers wore protective gloves, the animals were killed and decapitated for rabies testing after P'Nut allegedly bit an agent's hand. 'An internal investigation into the matter is ongoing, and we are reviewing internal policies and procedures to ensure we continue serving this core mission,' a DEC spokesperson told The New York Post on...

A squirrel was seen dashing across a Washington DC stage just moments before Kamala was set to make her concession speech, prompting comical claims it was the ghost of internet-famous Peanut. Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the 2024 presidential election on the campus of Howard University late Wednesday afternoon following Donald Trump's victory. But a bushy-tailed guest stole the stage just moments before Harris took the spotlight. In a video posted to X, the squirrel was seen running under American flags before scurrying across the empty stage and disappearing from eyesight. The post has accumulated more than 1,500 comments -...

The title of the classic book “To Kill a Mockingbird” means to destroy innocence. The Biden-Harris administration has certainly done that, and many a Blue State government has done the same. Take New York’s government—please. The Empire State’s Department of Environmental Conservation actually sent multiple agents into a couple’s home to abduct their pet squirrel, Peanut, and subsequently murder him. I know that sounds preposterous, but does it really…in a post COVID-1984 world? One wouldn’t think the NYDEC would be in the business of aborting squirrels after birth, but who knows anymore. NYDEC also confiscated and offed Fred the raccoon,...

PINE CITY, N.Y. (WETM) — A New York Assemblyman from Long Island has proposed an amendment to a New York State Environmental Conservation Law aimed at reforming animal seizure protocols following the euthanization of ‘P’Nut the Squirrel’ after he was taken from his home in Pine City by DEC agents on Wednesday. Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz of the 15th Assembly District in Long Island announced on Saturday, Nov. 2, a proposal for an amendment called “Peanut’s Law: Humane Animal Protection Act.” This proposed law would amend Section 11-0512 of New York’s Environmental Conservation Law to prevent incidents like what happened to...

Following the public outcry about the state's Department of Environmental Conservation raiding a local man's home and euthanizing his pet squirrel who had hundreds of thousands of social media followers, New York authorities announced Peanut the squirrel had died of COVID-19. Officials revealed Peanut's cause of death in an effort to calm the backlash that resulted from what many people have labeled a blatant example of government overreach and misaligned priorities. "We're saddened to announce that COVID-19 has claimed yet another victim," Governor Kathy Hochul told reporters. "An autopsy conducted yesterday revealed Peanut's caretakers had evidently failed to administer the...

Peanut the Squirrel, and an Election Brought into Focus at Last by John F. Di Leo As the 2024 election approached, many voters found themselves with a dilemma. They’ve been told for a decade that they must dislike President Trump, though he did a good job as president. They’ve been told that they should like Kamala Harris, though everything about her from policies to behavior seems weird. So, while many have been able to comfortably cast early votes with confidence, others put it off until the last minute, hoping perhaps for a flash of clarity, a winning argument, or maybe...

Donald Trump Jr. and J.D. Vance discussed the internet-famous squirrel Peanut, killed by the New York State department of environmental conservation this week, during a rally Sunday in Sanford, North Carolina. The candidate Donald Trump has yet to comment on the martyrdom of the squirrel. "Justice for Peanut!" declared the younger Trump. "Our government will let in 16,000 rapists, 13,000 murderers, 600,000 criminals across our border, but if someone has a pet squirrel without a permit, they'll go in there and kill the squirrel." "They'll allow all that to happen, but if someone adopts a baby pet squirrel... That's the...

Elon Musk has sparked a social media storm after expressing outrage over the state-mandated euthanisation of Peanut, a beloved pet squirrel and internet sensation. In a string of fiery posts on his X account, the tech mogul criticised the decision, which saw New York state officials seize Peanut from his owner’s home before euthanising the animal. Referring to the incident as a case of “government overreach,” Musk didn’t hold back, describing Peanut’s seizure as a "kidnapping" and his death as an "execution." Musk’s indignation on the matter has quickly drawn attention from his followers and sparked passionate discussions online, with...

For years, conservatives have railed against what they call the “administrative state” and denounced regulations. But let’s be clear. When they speak of the “administrative state,” they’re talking about agencies tasked with protecting the public from corporations that seek profits at the expense of the health, safety, and pocketbooks of average Americans. Regulations are the means by which agencies translate broad legal mandates into practical guardrails. Substitute the word “protection” for “regulation” and you get a more accurate picture of who has benefited — consumers, workers, and average people needing clean air and clean water..... Make no mistake: Consumers, workers,...

The Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to discard the 40-year-old precedent established by Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council is a truly harsh blow against environmental protection and climate justice. By overruling the Chevron doctrine that required courts to defer to federal agencies when it came to implementing broadly written laws, the Supreme Court will make it much more difficult for the federal government to regulate pollution — including, but by no means limited to greenhouse gas emissions — among many other issues related to health, labor, consumer welfare, taxation, and on and on. I am profoundly upset at the...

After January 6, 2021, United States Capitol Police opened 2 satellite offices outside of Washington D.C.. One of those offices was opened in former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s area and another was opened in Tampa, Florida.

Abigail Martinez, a mother who lost her daughter to suicide, is seeking justice and protection for families facing similar situations. First Liberty Institute has submitted a brief to the Supreme Court on her behalf, urging the court to uphold parental rights in a case involving the removal of a child from Christian parents due to their religious beliefs about sexuality. Abigail’s daughter, Yaeli, struggled with depression and sexuality, and was ultimately taken from her home and given gender-transition treatments without parental consent. (Trending: Top Democrat Loses In Historic Landslide) “My child was a number in the system. I don’t want...

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” ― Ronald Reagan. Government-controlled education has no intention of giving parents control of their children’s education. School districts have unprecedented funds to teach Critical Race Theory and Social-Emotional Learning. After decades of being told big brother knows best, “big brother” received the ultimate test during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Most schools were entirely unprepared for virtual learning. Very few studies are available to know how the loss of instructional time has affected students. When schools reopened, they mandated masks and vaccines for...

Biden unveiled a plan on Friday to mitigate the economic risks the climate crisis poses. The report outlines strategies to protect Americans' savings and retirements from climate-related risks. This follows a May executive order analyzing how the climate crisis impacts the US financial systems. President Joe Biden has made clear that acting on the climate crisis is a top priority for his administration - and he also wants to ensure Americans' wallets aren't being hurt in the process. On Friday, Biden unveiled a 40-page report, entitled "A Roadmap to Build a Climate-Resilient Economy," which focuses on mitigating the financial risks...

Joe Biden keeps saying "America is back." But what he really means is Barack Obama is back. From the military and abortion to transgenderism and education, everything feels like a regurgitation of the 44th president's worst policies. The shades of Obama run deep, right down to the IRS -- the former president's favorite weapon for crushing the opposition. Under Biden, the tax agency's campaign of intimidation is back, and Christian organizations everywhere should brace themselves. It was like a recycled headline from Lois Lerner's heyday: "IRS Denies Tax Exempt Status to Christian Group." Lerner, who used to head up the...

n my lifetime, there was another deadly flu epidemic in the United States. The flu spread from Hong Kong to the United States, arriving December 1968 and peaking a year later. It ultimately killed 100,000 people in the U.S., mostly over the age of 65, and one million worldwide. Lifespan in the US in those days was 70 whereas it is 78 today. Population was 200 million as compared with 328 million today. It was also a healthier population with low obesity. If it would be possible to extrapolate the death data based on population and demographics, we might be...