Free Republic

The Belarusian ruler’s price controls have backfired. Alexander Lukashenko’s stubborn grip on the Belarusian economy plunged the potato-happy country into a spud shortage this spring. Critics of the authoritarian ruler, who in January grabbed a seventh term in power, say he has warped the economy with strict price controls on staples like potatoes — while encouraging citizens to snitch on grocery stores that flout regime rules. The limits, launched by Lukashenko in October 2022 as he aimed to keep prices low and stave off inflation, instead made potatoes far less profitable for farmers to produce. Opponents say that decisions made...

Mouaz Moustafa says Gabbard’s response to Assad’s atrocities is a worrisome sign of how she’d serve as director of national intelligence.As executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit established to respond to attacks on civilians by former dictator Bashar al-Assad, Mouaz Moustafa has shared crucial information with the U.S. government about the war in Syria. But he isn’t sure he’d continue doing so if Tulsi Gabbard is confirmed as Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence. And it wouldn’t surprise him if U.S. allies around the world followed suit.“If Tulsi Gabbard is running our intelligence services, France, UK,...

There may be only seven weeks left for meaningful fighting in Russia’s war on Ukraine, and both sides are gritting their teeth for what could be the last big push. -snip- As time runs short before the once-and-future president reenters the White House on January 20, Ukraine’s Western-backed military and the Kremlin’s invading forces are straining to take territory and whatever tactical advantage they can — with an eye on increasing their leverage before talks begin. -snip- Trump’s choice of peace envoy is also instructive. In April, Kellogg, 80, coauthored a strategy paper calling for continuing to arm Ukraine but...

Former President Donald Trump again drew outrage from pro-life organizations this week after he said he would not ban the distribution of abortion pills by mail if elected, drawing outrage from pro-life organizations. In an interview with CBS News on Monday, Trump answered whether he would enforce the Comstock Act if he won the 2024 presidential election. As explained by reporter Caitlin Huey-Burns, the 1873 law could "prohibit the … distribution of medication abortion by mail." "No," Trump responded. "We will be discussing specifics of it but generally speaking, no." When asked again if he would enforce the Comstock Act,...

Most people say former President Donald Trump should go to trial for his various cases regarding classified documents and attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election prior to the 2024 contest, in which he appears likely to be the Republican nominee. According to a new POLITICO Magazine/Ipsos poll, 62% of people said they believe Trump should stand trial for his storage of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, for which he was indicted in June, prior to the 2024 presidential election in November. Sixty-one percent also believed he should stand trial for cases regarding alleged attempts to subvert...

Ukrainian forces are unlikely to be able to recapture Crimea from Russian troops in the near future, four senior Defense Department officials told House Armed Services Committee lawmakers in a classified briefing. The assessment is sure to frustrate leaders in Kyiv who consider taking the peninsula back one of their signature goals. It’s unclear what led the briefers to that assessment. But the clear indication, as relayed by three people with direct knowledge of Thursday’s briefing’s contents, was that the Pentagon doesn’t believe Ukraine has — or soon will have — the ability to force Russian troops out of the...

Are the editors of Politico Magazine even aware of what they have previously published? One has to ask that question since a mere six weeks ago, that periodical published an article by Jack Shafer mocking the the notion of Beto O'Rourke idolatry in the media called "Stop the Press Before It Profiles Beto O’Rourke Again." So what did Politico Magazine do on December 1? It hyped O'Rourke as another Lincoln. I kid you not. Before we dive into Beto as Abe idolatry, let us look at some excerpts from when Politico mocked such silly puffery provided by NewsBusters' Executive Editor, Tim...

Do you feel sorry for Lois Lerner? A remarkable long feature article in Politico about the former high-ranking IRS official who pleaded the Fifth Amendment paints a remarkably sympathetic picture of her. The title of the piece by Rachel Bade tantalizingly suggests that some negotiations as to subject matter and tone might have taken place: “Exclusive: Lois Lerner breaks silence.” As Rick Moran pointed out to me, Lerner could have taken her exclusive to the New York Times or Washington Post, and almost certainly they would have been delighted to sit down and talk with her for two hours, as...

Right now the biggest political story of the day is the disgraceful ad released by the pro-Obama super PAC, Priorities USA, that shamelessly, openly, and falsely blames Mitt Romney for the death of a woman afflicted with cancer. In the ad, a man named Joe Soptic tells a tragic but completely misleading story that lays the unfortunate death of his wife at Romney's feet. The ad is so outrageous, even the mainstream media has demanded the Obama Campaign repudiate it. The response from the Obama camp has uniformly been to declaratively deny any knowledge of the content in the ad....

The active page has been pulled, but here is a screenshot of an earlier Politico report. The reporter claims that President Obama is showing his support of unions by flying a flag representing Wisconsin Local #1848.Sorry, lady. That is Wisconsin's State Flag.Donovan Slack is listed as Politico's "lead writer for '44', a living diary of the Obama presidency."