Free Republic

This just in, reported by The Washington Post: "Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, announced to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas". Yesterday we ran the article which follows and today Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson (Dem) has announced his support for Health Care Reform. Was he bribed? Look for earmarks for Nebraska on the bill. Was he threatened?

President Barack Hussein Obama hit his own record today with an approval index of -19%. The Rasmussen Poll shows that only 23% of voters strongly approve of the way he’s handling his job, while 42% of voters strongly disapprove. Let’s see how low his poll numbers will get. We the people are tired of socialism. I think they’ll listen to us once we show them that we are their bosses and that they won’t be hired once again.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 23% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19.

Human rights groups are raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the country's Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims. "This is reminiscent of the Holocaust," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, the dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. "Iran is moving closer and closer to the ideology of the Nazis." Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear...

Magnitude 8.1 earthquake near Island of Tonga in South Pacific more to follow

WASHINGTON - White House chief of staff Andy Card has resigned and will be replaced by budget director Joshua Bolten, President Bush announced Tuesday amid growing calls for a White House shakeup and Republican concern about Bush's tumbling poll ratings. Bush announced the changes in an nationally broadcast appearance in the Oval Office. "I have relied on Andy's wise counsel, his calm in crisis, his absolute integrity and his tireless commitment to public service," Bush said. "The next three years will demand much of those who serve our country. We have a global war to fight and win." Card, 58,...

US forces have detained 61 rebels linked to Al-Qaeda in Iraq frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi near Fallujah, in western Iraq, Major-General Rick Lynch told a news conference Thursday. The rebels were detained on Monday during a raid on a rebel bomb-making and training base, the US-led coalition spokesman said. "In an area 30 miles (20 kilometres) northeast of Fallujah, coalition forces had intelligence of an Al-Qaeda in Iraq facility used for training and bomb-making," Lynch said. "Detail planning and execution led to the apprehension of 61 members of Zarqawi's network in Iraq." Those apprehended include "critical facilitators" of Zarqawi, he...

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday, his first to the country where U.S. forces ousted the Taliban following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Bush met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a five-hour unannounced stopover en route to India and Pakistan.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Cindy Sheehan, the California woman who has used her son's death in Iraq to spur the anti-war movement, was arrested Monday while protesting outside the White House. Sheehan and several dozen other protesters sat down on the sidewalk after marching along the pedestrian walkway on Pennsylvania Avenue. Police warned them three times that they were breaking the law by failing to move along, then began making arrests. Sheehan, 48, was the first taken into custody. She stood up and was led to a police vehicle while protesters chanted, "The whole world is watching." Sheehan's 24-year-old son, Casey,...