Free Republic

Barack Obama benefited from strong support among a number of demographic groups during his 2008 presidential campaign. In an economic sense, after two-and-a-half years of his presidency, those same groups which showed him the greatest support have suffered disproportionately more than others in the United States. It begs the question as to whether these groups will be political lemmings for Obama both in their support of his campaign and when they pull the lever in the 2012 presidential election. If their votes are based upon how their financial lives have changed since Obama took office, then they cannot reelect Obama...

Many German mothers-to-be are reportedly trying to delay labour so their births coincide with a generous new government scheme. Parents of babies born on or after 1 January will be entitled to up to 25,200 euros (£16,911, $33,300) to ease the financial burden of parenthood. [German mums-to-be are avoiding actions that may bring on labour] But those born even a minute earlier will not be covered by the scheme. The cash subsidies are part of a government initiative to boost Germany's dwindling birth rate. German women have an average of 1.37 children, well below the average of 2.1 needed to...

All my life, I believed in Republican values -- individual responsibility and limited government. Then it happened; I found myself with a small child, unemployed and disabled. I turned to my church, and after years of regular tithes, suddenly I just wasn't their problem. My Republican friends? I was now a pariah to them. My only relief was to turn to government assistance for housing, food, and other needs and I was able to survive with dignity. So chalk me up as one who no longer drinks the GOP koolaid.

BOSTON -- NStar has canceled the health benefits of more than 1,900 striking workers -- a tactic one labor expert called unusually aggressive and an indication that the electric and gas utility is digging in for a long strike. NStar linemen, engineers and other workers walked off the job Monday after a five-year contract expired and negotiations toward a new agreement collapsed. That same day, the company canceled union members' medical, dental and vision benefits through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts, NStar spokeswoman Caroline Allen said Wednesday. SNIP "When employees do not report for duty and instead strike the company,...