Free Republic

Russia - Masque Of The Red Death Vladimir Putin has been hailed perhaps as the pivotal post cold war Russian leader. He has executed a skillful dog and pony show, convincing both the Bush and Blair administrations that the former Soviet Union was not only no longer a military threat to the West but was indeed now becoming a close ally. Obviously Russia's cooperation with the French and German UN delegation's intransigence in dealing with Iraq has done much to throw cold water on this heretofore-budding union. It's important to note that such a relationship offered hope, though ultimately unfounded,...

<p>As the celebratory atmosphere winds down in Sacramento following Arnold Schwarzenegger's inaugural, the stark realities of California's budget crisis will quickly take center stage. The scope of the problem facing our new governor is breathtaking. No adjective can adequately describe the budgetary hole dug by Gray Davis & Co.</p>