Free Republic

Does New Jersey really support redefining marriage? Or are some gay marriage-centric Democrats massaging figures and emailing them to their media cousins? They’re legitimate questions. Patrick Murray explains: “Well, the polling firm — a Democratic leaning outfit — put out a press release under the banner headline ‘New Jersey supports legal same-sex marriage.’ Go figure. But, “if you combine the 40 percent who prefer civil unions with the 17 percent who say that no status should be recognized, you arrive at a majority of 57 percent who oppose gay marriage when civil unions are available. Based on this question, a...

Full disclosure: I don't like Rick Perry for our next president. I have my reasons that aren't worth going into here. However, when I was watching the GOP debate and pro-Perry people started bringing up Rick Perry's job numbers as a cudgel against other candidates, I looked into the BLS data on Texas jobs. Having familiarized myself with the data, I started noticing claims on the Texas jobs data that started popping up that directly contradicted what I was seeing in the data. So I wanted to clear up a couple of these common misconceptions. (see the rest in the...

Article VII Section 1 Clauses 9-14. Enumerated Powers. Inferior Tribunals. Piracy and Punishments. Rebellions. Militia. War. In Convention. Art VII. Sect. 1. [FN1], [FN2] resumed. on the clause "to appoint [FN3] Treasurer by ballot." Mr. GHORUM moved to insert "joint" before ballot, as more convenient as well as reasonable, than to require the separate concurrence of the Senate. Mr. PINKNEY 2ds. the motion. Mr. SHERMAN opposed it as favoring the larger States. Mr. READ moved to strike out the clause, leaving the appointment of the Treasurer as of other officers to the Executive. The Legislature was an improper body for...

...Massachusetts finishes in tenth place for highest Cost of Government Day in 2011. The Cost of Government Day measures the calendar date by which the average American paid off his/her share of spending and regulatory burdens on all levels of governments: federal, state and local. Massachusetts taxpayers must work 227 days out of the year to pay for state, local, and their share of federal of government spending and regulations. Additionally, a heavier tax burden has been laid upon taxpayers in the last decade. From 2002 to 2011, Massachusetts taxpayers were saddled with an additional tax burden of $1,285.40 for...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3OPgDobGO4&feature=related Be sure to download on your hard drive using www.keepvid.com or by pressing prtscr on your key board and pasting these on ms paint and saving them as JPG or BMP images. I got banned from photobucket from posting this stuff! I also might get banned from youtube as well!

Enumerated Powers. Article VII Section 1 Clauses 1-8. Export Taxes. Direct Taxes. Commerce, Coins, Naturalization, Weights & Measures, Post Offices. Paper Money. Mark of the Beast. In Convention. Mr. RANDOLPH having thrown into a new form the motion, putting votes, Resolutions &c. on a footing with Bills, renewed it as follows "Every order resolution or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate & House of Reps. may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment and in the cases hereinafter mentioned) shall be presented to the President for his revision; and before the same shall have force shall be...

...The Verizon strike has grown particularly ugly in the past few days. In one Pittsburgh suburb, union members from Verizon have tried to block non-union employees from leaving the company’s offices by using chains and locks to close the exit. In many cities along the east coast, union workers intentionally cut fiber-optic lines, impeding phone, television, and Internet services for many Verizon customers. This behavior is not only juvenile, but extremely dangerous for customers trying to reach fire and police services via telephone. In addition to this disturbing behavior, many non-union employees have reported union members spitting at them, throwing...

...Wyoming, however, has an extremely high income per capita of $63,677 (4th highest in 2010), encouraged by some successful state policies such as no income tax and a favorable economic environment with pro-business state laws. This has led to the one of the nation’s lowest average unemployment and fastest growth rates in the last ten years. However, these policies suffer a high burden of federal taxation, increasing the amount of day Wyomingites work to pay off their government burden. Moreover, Wyoming is not without its own state-based problems that drive up the cost of government. Wyoming suffers from some of...

Article VI Sections 11-13. Money Bills Part III. Treaties. Council of Revision. Absolute v. Conditional Executive Veto. In Convention. Art: VI. Sect. 11. [FN1], [FN2] Agreed to nem. con. Art: VI Sect. 12. [FN1], [FN3] taken up. Mr. STRONG moved to amend the article so as to read-"Each House shall possess the right of originating all bills, except bills for raising money for the purposes of revenue, or for appropriating the same and for fixing the salaries of the officers of the Govt. which shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments...

There are many problems with parroting socialist-first studies, as Wilson does, especially from Scandinavia, where Orwellian speech codes prevent free-thinking academics from reaching the “wrong” conclusions. But I digress. You see, scientific truths always find ways of getting out, eventually, so one can detect a pattern. Take gay marriage and marriage-like unions and think about where children are more at risk. From The Ruth Institute: What types of unions have the highest rates of divorce? •Opposite sex married couples: men and women are so different, it is a wonder they ever stay married. •Male unions: men are naturally less committed,...

Over the past couple of months Rick Perry has been considering a run for POTUS. As of Thursday, August 11, it looks like the decision has been made and he’s in. Since he’s been Governor of Texas for over ten years, folks from the other “56 states” are asking Texans what kind of governor he’s been and what we think. I decided that what I “think” isn’t good enough – I could be wrong. So, I decided to do some research on Perry’s record and form a more accurate, fact-based opinion on his qualifications instead of relying on my general...

Article VI Sections 9-10. Office Holders & Corruption. Mercer & Aristocratic Property. A Junta. Confidence is the Road to Tyranny. Military Officers. Janissaries. Congressional Salaries. In Convention. Article VI. Sect. 9. [FN1], [FN2] taken up. Mr. PINCKNEY argued that the making the members ineligible to offices was degrading to them, and the more improper as their election into the Legislature implied that they had the confidence of the people; that it was inconvenient, because the Senate might be supposed to contain the fittest men. He hoped to see that body become a School of public Ministers, a nursery of Statesmen:...

Article IV Sections 2 & 5 Redux. Seven v. Three Years. Privileges & Immunities. Money Bills. Mason Speech. Evils in Republics. More Money. Dickenson Speech. In Convention. Art. IV. Sect. 2 [FN1], [FN2] reconsidered- Mr. WILSON & Mr. RANDOLPH moved to strike out "7 years" and insert "4 years," as the requisite term of Citizenship to qualify for the House of Reps. Mr. Wilson said it was very proper the electors should govern themselves by this consideration; but unnecessary & improper that the Constitution should chain them down to it. Mr. GERRY wished that in future the eligibility might be...

With Congress continuing to extend the FAA reauthorization rather than address a long-term measures, the airline industry has been held captive by the whims of hostile lawmakers. Now the debt limit negotiations have provided another moving front in the fight. It has been suggested that the Joint Committee may consider targeted taxes on the airline industry in the form of new fees in order to reach their $1.5 trillion deficit reduction goal. While we have outlined before why we believe a tax-hike would be a non-starter for the Committee, suggestion of "user fees" as code for tax hikes has been...

Part 2 of a new series on how universal healthcare and guncontrol, two of liberalism's virtues lead to the slaughter of millions in the holocaust. In this episode you will learn about the first ever million mom march in Babi Yar in 1942 Ukraine. The march that was made possible by disarmament and as you'll see in the following episode, universal healthcare. Also staring Rosie O'Hitler

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced her appointments to the "Super Committee," created by the debt deal, tasked with reining in $1.5 trillion in federal spending. Following the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, these political appointments mimic tax-and-spenders' efforts to prevent significant spending reform in Congress. With the appointment of former DCCC Chairman Van Hollen, Clyburn, and Becerra, House Democrats, like the Senate counterparts appear to be aiming to undermine any attempt at serious reform in the Joint Committee. Democrats have now chosen the former top fundraiser for Democrats in the House and current top fundraiser, DSCC Chair...

A new U.S.-financed “energy and climate change program” of unspecified proportions is about to be unveiled—this time in India. According to a presolicitation notice (#SOL-386-11-000002) dated Aug. 12, a goal of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) endeavor is to “accelerate India’s transition to a high performing, low emissions and energy secure economy…” USAID said it will award contracts to private vendors to carry out the five-year program, titled “Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Deployment,” also known as “PACE-D.” The notice listed three key components of the project: (1) Improved end use energy efficiency; (2) Increased supply of renewable...

“Celibacy has existed in one form or another throughout history and in virtually all the major religions of the world,” informs Encyclopedia Britannica. Whether it is for spiritual or health reasons – perhaps both – some creative types have embraced celibacy for years: Teen idols Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas Pop singer/songwriter Prince Rock star Lenny Kravitz (above) Actor Terrance Howard Writer Eve Tushnet For some artists, celibacy is seasonal. For others, a long-term commitment. Nevertheless, supporters say abstaining is often beneficial. With the support and guidance of a faith, it can also guard against diseases. Artists stand out probably...

This week, the Senate Leadership has announced their appointments to the “Super Committee” created by the debt deal, which will be tasked with finding $1.5 trillion in savings by the end of the year. Senate Democrats have not passed a budget in over two years and failed to propose a real plan in the debt ceiling negotiations. Senator Reid’s appointments infer he is willing to defer duty for the country’s fiscal mess even longer; by naming DSCC Chairwoman Patty Murray and Senators John Kerry and Max Baucus, Reid has made clear that Senate Dems are prepared to continue to avoid...

Every year, Americans for Tax Reform Foundation publishes its Cost of Government Day report, which calculates the day on the calendar year until which the average American must work to pay for the full costs of government spending and regulation. The study is available online at www.CostOfGovernmentDay.com “Highlights” of the report are as follows: Overall government burden: This year, Cost of Government Day falls on August 12, meaning Americans labor a full 224 days into the year to pay for local, state and federal government spending and regulations. Impact of Obama overspending: Americans have lost 29 days of the calendar...