Free Republic

~snip~ Other downtown employees saw the new details as a political move by Bush to "keep us living in fear" and garner support for the war on terrorism. "It's a travesty.... I mean, we've caught him lying so many times," said Mark Lea, who works at a major law firm in the Wells Fargo building next door. "He's only doing this to draw up support for his domestic spying." Patrick Grover, who works on the tower's 2nd floor, agreed. "I'm not alarmed [by the threats]," Grover said. "I'm alarmed that they're exploiting it years later." Grover called Bush's announcement "malarkey,"...

Los Angeles -- THE LOS Angeles mayor's race has a haggard, been-there-done-that feel -- as if the City of Angels were approaching the end of politics. The March 8 primary pitted Mayor Jimmy Hahn against two former Assembly speakers -- Antonio Villaraigosa and Bob Hertzberg -- as well as the police chief Hahn fired, Bernie Parks, a prominent African American who was replaced by the popular Bill Bratton. The top candidates were all Democrats, with some lesser-known hopefuls added in. All that talent and yet the turnout was a measly 26 percent of registered voters. The end of politics? It's...

Gore blimey In Kirstin Gore's first novel, the ditzy young heroine helps win the US election in what has been described as Bridget Jones meets the West Wing. Wishful thinking from the daughter of Al Gore? She talks to Dan Glaister Thursday March 17, 2005The Guardian Samantha Joyce is one of the most irritating people you might ever have the misfortune to meet. She wears non-matching shoes to work. What a hoot! She imagines that she only has one arm and must perform her daily tasks with just one hand. Hilarious! But it's all right because Samantha has a cause....

LOST IN TRANSLATION FOR REALLA LA LAND + MoveOn.org PLUMP FOR KERRY (SWIFTLY) Celebs Join MoveOn in Making Anti-Bush Ads Tuesday, August 24, 2004 SAN FRANCISCO--AP-- "Bourne Supremacy" star Matt Damon, "Lost in Translation" actress Scarlett Johansson  and other celebrity artists are donating their talents -- not just their cash -- to an online effort to unseat President Bush. The Internet political group MoveOn.org on Tuesday premieres 10 new anti-Bush ads created by award-winning directors and starring popular Hollywood actors. An independent group not connected directly to Democratic candidate John Kerry, MoveOn has promised an unconventional approach to the election. "It makes a...

The Republican Party and the Bush administration like to keep the public uninformed and in the dark as to what they are doing. This president has had fewer press conferences than any other president in recent history. It is difficult for the country to stay properly informed when we are constantly being fed half truths and lies of omission by the current administration. Every time they send a representative out to speak to the public, he is armed with the same set of message points and catch phrases creating an echo effect. more...

Nineteen Neglected Consequences of Income Redistribution Robert Higgs Virtually every government action changes the personal distribution of income, but some government programs, which give money, goods, or services to individuals who give nothing in exchange, represent income redistribution in its starkest form. Until the twentieth century, American governments steered pretty clear of such "transfer payments." The national government gave pensions and land grants to veterans, and local governments provided food and shelter to the destitute. But the transfers to veterans can be viewed as deferred payments for military services, and local relief never amounted to much. Since the creation of...

60 Minutes is at it again, trying to sway public opinion against the war, and against President Bush. Andy Rooney's segment (old senile fart that he is) showed a photo of every single soldier that died. 60 Minutes, and CBS, is beyond disgraceful... They're doing SKerry's dirty work, at no cost.

With more than 40 percent of Los Angeles residents having come from foreign countries, the city on Tuesday created an Office of Immigrant Affairs to help newcomers adjust to their new home. The City Council voted unanimously to create the office under Mayor James Hahn's jurisdiction. The office will be staffed with two employees who will help put immigrants in contact with existing community service and support organizations. The $125,000 cost to operate the office will be covered by federal grants during the first year and included as part of the mayor's operating budget in future years. "This is not...

<p>A political science instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College is being investigated by the Secret Service for telling his students to compose an e- mail to an elected official that included the words "kill the president, kill the president," a school administrator said Wednesday.</p>

LOS ANGELES -- A day after signing a students' petition labeling the war in Iraq "unjust," Mayor James Hahn backtracked and said he doesn't believe the conflict is unjust after all. "Yesterday I signed a petition prepared and presented to me by sixth graders at Florence Nightingale Middle School," Hahn said in a statement Tuesday. "I regret that I did not read it word for word before I signed. "I do not agree that this is an 'unjust' war. This is the time to support our troops and pray for their swift and safe return." Area veterans had criticized the...

Los Angeles is heating up. It was just reported by a reporter from KFI, who was undercover observing yesterday, that there were several young militant protestors in all black with masks. They had slingshots and ball bearings and were prepared to use them if the police were too aggressive pushing back the crowd. Tomorrow, they plan to storm and shut down the CNN building in Los Angeles. At least we have some common ground there as well as common ground in wanting to shut down the Oscars on Sunday. Grey-out Davis has authorized the National Guard to protect the stars...

My Thoughts Today Posted on Feb. 20, 2003 A few things caught my eye this past weekend...among them: Condoleezza Rice on Meet the Press: Condoleezza Rice wants us to believe that one of the reasons for invading Iraq is to save the poor Iraqi people who are being persecuted by Saddam Hussein. But what about our own soldiers and Iraqi civilians who will be killed in the process? Ms. Rice knows the real reason we are invading Iraq right now, she just doesn't want to say it because it doesn't sound quite as noble as saving the Iraqi people. The...

The NRA Members' Council of Westside Los Angeles will meet this Thursday, September 12th, 7pm, for its regular monthly meeting (2nd Thursday of every month.) As usual, the meeting will be held at the American Legion Hall, 5309 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City. Our featured speaker this month is Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine. The newly elected councilman, a former police sergeant, is probably the 2nd Amendment's best friend on the City Council. With the Council again threatening an ammunition ban, we are looking to Councilman Zine for guidance in how best to fight this ludicrous travesty. Come...