Free Republic

A family in Concord, New Hampshire, is at a loss of what to do about a growing homeless encampment that is directly behind their historic house. Robin Bach and her husband have worked hard to restore their 19th century Walker residence for their children, ages 8 and 11, to enjoy for years to come, the Concord Monitor reported Saturday. However, there is an expanding homeless encampment in the woods on their property that has given them cause for concern because no one seems to know who is responsible for it. Bach said her children are afraid to play outside and...

Upstate Democratic pols have been caught in a snowstorm — of cocaine. The three northern New York lawmakers were all been busted in the last two years for possession of the drug — and one defiantly remains in office. They all held office in the sprawling 21st congressional district, which stretches from Saratoga to the Canadian border. “North Country elected Democrats have a cocaine and crime problem,” upstate GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who also serves in the district told The Post.

WASHINGTON – Washington is moving to assist California and other cash-strapped states that face the prospect of raising taxes or cutting spending again in 2010 to balance their books. The House took the first step Wednesday evening, passing a $75 billion jobs bill that would help states pay for infrastructure projects and prevent more public employees from being laid off. Some are calling it Stimulus II, and the sequel would come as good news for 35 states that face budget gaps totaling $31.5 billion by the middle of next year. California is projecting the largest shortfall, at $6.3 billion, followed...

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States has one of the world's most advanced but also most complicated health care systems, plagued by widespread waste and costs that have escalated as the US population ages, experts say. Venturing where others have failed, President Barack Obama is now proposing to spend 634 billion dollars on reforms aimed at expanding health care coverage among the nearly 46 million uninsured Americans. How he should do it -- and whether it should be done at all -- are likely to be the subject of fierce debate. But, in the words of one economist, the system...

<p>Dooley Benassi, chief executive of a 25-year-old San Jose paper-packaging business, can't explain why his worker's compensation insurance premiums rose 72 percent this year, to nearly $25,000, and will likely rise 23 percent more next year.</p> <p>His 20 workers have filed only a handful of claims in the past 10 years, none more than $1,000. Benassi feels helpless and is hoping something comes along to ease his burden. Soon.</p>