Free Republic

SAN ANTONIO – Proposition A was defeated by a large margin of 28-72 Saturday night. The measure was the biggest turnout driver this election: more people voted on the contentious proposal than in the San Antonio mayor’s race. Called the “San Antonio Justice Charter” by supporters, Prop A would have decriminalized marijuana possession and abortion, expanded the city’s expanded cite-and-release program, created a new “justice director” position, and embedded bans on choke holds and no-knock warrants in the city charter. The cite-and-release expansion proved to be the most controversial element, with opponents arguing it would increase crime. The proposition would...

Missouri voters delivered a resounding victory to unions Tuesday, rejecting a right-to-work law against compulsory union fees that had been passed by Republican state officials but placed on hold for more than a year after organized labor petitioned for a referendum. National and local labor unions spent millions of dollars to defeat Proposition A, hoping to reverse the momentum against them from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling and the adoption of similar laws limiting labor powers in other historically strong union states. Officials at the AFL-CIO called the Missouri vote "a truly historic moment."

(IsraelNN.com) The European Union is providing millions of shekels to organizations that promote the Palestinian Authority's claims in Jerusalem, according to NGO Monitor. In a report released Tuesday, the group detailed EU support for groups ostensibly committed to human rights and coexistence that are also overtly pro-PA on political issues. Among the offenders were Ir Amim and B'Tselem

The federal judge who ordered the removal of the Mount Soledad cross from city parkland yesterday rejected a bid by a private group to join the litigation, saying its efforts to save the cross come “much too late.” The decision means that San Diegans for the Mount Soledad National War Memorial cannot appeal the judge's decision ordering the city to remove the 29-foot concrete cross by Aug. 1 or pay $5,000 daily fines. The group was behind Proposition A, a public vote last summer to donate the cross to the federal government for a national park. It says it wants...

On November 5th, Missouri voters will head to the polls to decide a number of important issues, including a tobacco tax proposal called Proposition A. "Prop A," as it's called, would add 55-cents to Missouri's cigarette tax, raising the tax per pack to 72-cents. It would also levy a 20-percent tax on all other tobacco products. The increase is expected to generate around 343-million dollars for the state per year. According to the proposed legislation, all revenue would be designated to pay for tobacco prevention and other state healthcare programs. The controversial proposal is garnering a lot of support from...