Free Republic

By Mr. Curmudgeon:Many reading this column are no doubt familiar with the shocking, embarrassing, and very public fight that occurred on the floor of the Charlotte Convention Center when President Obama called for a hasty re-inclusion of God and Jerusalem into the Democratic Party platform. When convention chair, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, put the president's motion before the delegates for a voice vote, those shouting "No!" carried the day. Villaraigosa disingenuously ruled that, in his "opinion," the "ayes" won and the president's motion was carried.Critics charged that overriding the delegate's wishes was a cynical attempt by Democratic Party elites...

An alliance of more than 60 labor, peace, student, immigrant rights, gay and lesbian and other groups says it's ready for a 5,000-person march on the first day of the Republican National Convention. "There will be nothing that will stop us from marching in the streets to demand good jobs, health care, affordable education, equality and peace and to oppose the party of legitimate rape," said Corey Uhl of the local chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. ...........Protesters are expected to come on buses from as far away as New York, Minnesota, Illinois and the state of Washington, organizers...

Police: Suspicious items found on rooftop prior to RNC Posted: Aug 21, 2012 12:03 PM CDT Updated: Aug 21, 2012 1:03 PM CDT   Chief Castor takes questions about Friday's find. TAMPA (FOX 13) - Tampa police say they've confiscated suspicious items from a rooftop in Tampa in the buildup to the Republican National Convention. The items included bricks and pipes, which were found along with anarchist-style graffiti Friday evening atop a business at 1000 North Florida Ave., which is at the corner of Florida Avenue and Tyler Street. "We are appreciative that the business owner called us," TPD Chief...

TAMPA — They've painted their posters and planned their marches. Now the question is, where are the 15,000 protesters expected to come and shake their fists at the Republican National Convention next week going to stay? ....City rules prohibit just crashing on the sidewalk, and Hillsborough sheriff's deputies have asked local residents and sanitation workers to look out for signs that protesters are illegally squatting in vacant homes. ....... Urban camping:... Closest to the action is Romneyville, a hive of mostly pink tents set up behind the Army Navy Surplus Market on N Tampa Street. Bruce Wright, who runs the...

TAMPA — In a showcase role on his party's biggest stage, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will introduce Mitt Romney for his speech to accept the nomination for president on the last night of the Republican National Convention. It is an introduction aimed at giving Romney a boost from a rising star in a must-win state, but it will almost certainly further enhance Rubio's standing, too. ....The GOP expects the audience to be huge. Four years ago, Sen. John McCain's acceptance speech drew 38.9 million viewers nationwide, a figure that approaches the viewership of the opening ceremonies at the London Olympics...

...........................The ordinance also will ban weapons, except for concealed firearms carried with a permit, in the Event Zone, which covers downtown north to Interstate 275 and Interstate 4, Ybor City, the northern part of Harbour Island and an area across the Hillsborough River that includes the University of Tampa. City officials wanted to restrict the carrying of concealed firearms inside the Event Zone, but a 2011 Florida law prohibits them from passing any local regulation of guns or ammunition. Two weeks ago, Mayor Bob Buckhorn asked Gov. Rick Scott to issue an executive order that would allow the city to...

"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat," the American humorist Will Rogers once said. He also said, "Democrats never agree on anything. That's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they would be Republicans." Will Rogers must be turning in his grave because this is the year that Democrats are organized and do agree on something — the need to defeat the Republicans. That means if Republicans want to win this election, it's time to unite behind the only candidate that can still win the party's nomination, Mitt Romney, and then...