Free Republic

The Democrats have named their price to end the government shutdown — an additional $350 billion for health care over the next decade. Critics say a big chunk of that money may go to ghosts. At issue are the generous subsidies the Biden administration created for Affordable Care Act policies, sweeteners that are slated to expire in December. Making health care essentially free for millions of Americans, those policies have sent enrollment in Obamacare plans skyrocketing. But a recent study found they have also sparked a curious phenomenon: an estimated 12 million enrollees “without a single claim — no doctor...

The Vermont senator, who has called for a ceasefire for the past two years, also used the moment to call for an end to the US-Israel allianceSen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) welcomed Israel's release of some 2,000 Palestinian murderers, rapists, and terrorists, adding that Monday's exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners presents an opportunity for the United States to end its military alliance with the Jewish state. Sanders, who spent the past two years pressuring Israel to accept a ceasefire deal, said he is encouraged by "the long-overdue release" of Israel's 20 living hostages alongside "the freeing of almost...

Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is eyeing a run for president in 2028, according to a report Friday. The socialist “Squad” member is gearing up to seek higher office as she’s attempted to grow her presence across the country and the Empire State, people familiar with her operation told Axios in a Friday report.

Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is eyeing a run for president in 2028, according to a report Friday. The socialist “Squad” member is positioning herself to seek higher office as she’s attempted to grow her presence across the country and Empire State, people familiar with her operation told Axios in a Friday report. Ocasio-Cortez and her team are deciding on whether to run for the White House or the Senate, sources told the outlet. The New York lefty has joined Sen. Bernie Sanders – a former presidential candidate – on his national “Fighting Oligarchy” tour while she’s also held...

Almost 200 local businesses in an idyllic college town have turned on its Democrat-run leadership as the city's 'crime crisis' threatens to destroy its once thriving tourism industry. Downtown Burlington, Vermont, where the University of Vermont is located, is now a crime-infested cesspool blighted by substance abuse, mental health and homelessness, according to fed-up locals of the artsy enclave. More than 170 businesses signed an open letter in May demanding the city intervene and do something to stop the violence, open drug trafficking and substance abuse directly impacting their revenue. 'We have reached a critical point where we must voice...

After burying multiple Democratic Senators intent on trying to destroy his political career, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got his chance to dunk on arguably the most notorious Senators in America. As expected, he did not disappoint. As NBC News reported, Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee to answer questions. This comes one week after Kennedy pushed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, Susan Monarez, to resign. The White House fired her when she refused, and three top CDC officials then resigned in protest. The hearing got testy in a hurry after far-left, Big Pharma hack...

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was asked on Sunday whether he is considering running for president again in 2028, but pointed to the fact he will soon turn 84 years old. During an interview with CNN, Sanders was asked “Is there another presidential run in you?” to which he replied, “Let’s not worry about that,” according to Fox News. He then said he will be 84 in September and he felt “that speaks for itself.” Sanders said he wants to see “the most progressive candidate that we can have” but what he thought was more important than him running for the...

During Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated that scientists are saying that “if we don’t get our act together within the next eight or nine years,” major cities will go underwater because of climate change. Sanders said, “We don’t have decades. What the scientists are telling us, if we don’t get our act together within the next eight or nine years, we’re talking about cities all over the world, major cities going underwater. We’re talking about increased drought. We’re talking about increased extreme weather disturbances. The United Nations is telling us that in...

A conservative pundit and former Republican leader says there's no doubt that Wednesday's shooting at an Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field was politically motivated. Several Republican lawmakers were practicing early Wednesday morning for the annual charity baseball game between them and House Democrats when the shooting occurred. Wounded in the attack were House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and several others. At press time, Scalise was in critical condition following surgery. The shooter, who has since died from gun battle with police, has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson. His Facebook page featured a photo of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders...

Democrats are tortured by what they should stand for now and heading into the 2028 elections. But a number of current trends suggest a likely answer: their own version of a populist, anti-establishment, MAGA-like makeover.Why it matters: The debate is usually framed as liberal vs. centrist, Rahm versus AOC. But big, fast changes in AI, media habits and general public angst point to a more sweeping shift in ideas and attitude.Four megatrends that are already shaping Democrats' efforts to remake their image and rewrite their agenda:Media: MSM is fading in its mesmerizing hold over liberals. At the same time, the...

The Justice Department is seeking the death penalty for the transgender vegan cult member who was charged with killing a border patrol agent back in January. Teresa Youngblut was hit with a new indictment on Thursday charged with four federal counts for killing Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Coventry, Vermont. Youngblut is reportedly a member of the ‘Zizian’ cult run by leader Jack ‘Ziz LaSota – Ziz is a radical group linked to at least six murders in three separate states. Jack LaSota, the alleged leader of a vegan transgender cult tied to several crimes across the country, reportedly...

Republican Sen. Tim Scott's goal in next year's midterm elections is not only to defend the GOP's 53-47 margin in the Senate, but to expand the majority. Scott, the conservative senator from South Carolina, told Fox News Digital soon after taking over late last year as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that he aimed to increase the GOP's control in the chamber to at least 55 seats. And he's standing by his goal. "The bottom line is, I believe that we can defend our current seats while adding at least two more seats to our numbers," the...

Senate Democrats have undergone a steady tonal shift on Israel, with a recent vote to block arms sales to the Jewish State giving a glimpse at the evolution on the Hill. More Democrats in the upper chamber than ever before voted alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to halt the $675 million sale of thousands of bombs and guidance kits for the bombs and to block the sale of automatic rifles to Israel. […] “What’s going on is unacceptable, and Israel has the power to fix it,” Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told Fox News Digital. Like Sanders, King typically caucuses with...

The family of a Newbury homicide victim is calling on Vermont officials to do more when it comes to protecting communities from those who suffer from mental illness and commit a crime. It comes after James Perry Jr. -- who admitted killing his own daughter in 2021 -- was found not guilty earlier this summer by reason of insanity. The Orange County Courthouse in Chelsea was packed Friday as loved ones of Karina Rheaume expressed their grief to the court over her tragic death at the hands of her own father. “The process never ends. Every hearing, every update re-traumatizes...

Restorative Justice is a state-funded program that helps people who commit crimes avoid jail time, fines and criminal records. Our Laura Ullman investigates how the program works and whether it’s successful. “I’ve lost a lot of trust, burned a lot of bridges and I can only pray over time that people can see change in me,” said Travis Merritt, a Restorative Justice client. Merritt went through the Restorative Justice program that gives people a second shot at freedom. Some 4,272 offenders were sent to Restorative Justice in 2023, the latest number on record. About 28,000 crimes are reported in Vermont...

Say hello to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Say hello to a blue wave in the 2026 midterms. Say hello in 2028 to President Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. If President Trump and congressional Republicans keep this up, it will only be the start of the progressive takeover. Left-wing populists are already winning over voters by raising hell about the rising price of clothes and groceries due to tariffs. The growing appetite for populist left voices damning the high cost of living made headlines earlier this year in the successful “Fighting Oligarchy,” tour featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ocasio-Cortez.

Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani have both said that billionaires should not exist. This information from Grok tells us which countries meet that criteria, and which ones do not.https://x.com/DanielAlmanPGH/status/1942015133875601709#BernieSanders and #ZohranMamdani have both said that #BillionairesShouldNotExist.This information from Grok tells us which countries meet that criteria, and which ones do not.#Socialism #DemocraticSocialism #Communism #Marxism #Capitalism #AynRand #Economics #Billionaires pic.twitter.com/L3qMsZI6ju— Daniel Alman from Squirrel Hill (@DanielAlmanPGH) July 7, 2025I asked Grok:Please list the per capita number of billionaires in each the following countries: the United States, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan,...

Joe Rogan had a big chat with Senator Bernie Sanders about climate change, and it got pretty spicy! Bernie told Joe that climate change is real and switching to things like wind and solar power could make lots of jobs. But Joe wasn’t having it. He pointed out that the Earth’s temperature has always gone up and down. There have been ice ages and hot times before.Joe even mentioned an article from The Washington Post saying that we might be in a cooling period now, contradicting Bernie’s idea that the last ten years were the hottest ever.Joe backed it up...

Too many Democratic party leaders would rather be the captains on a sinking Titanic than change course The Democratic party is at a crossroads. It can continue to push policies that maintain a broken and rigged economic and political system and ignore the pain of the 60% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck. It can turn its back on the dreams of a younger generation which, if we don’t change that system, will likely be worse off than their parents. It can continue to depend upon billionaire donors and out-of-touch campaign consultants and spend huge amounts of money on...

The Biden administration and the Saudis are reportedly cooking up a deal.Under the terms of the agreement, the Saudis will get nuclear capability, defense guarantees and a terrorist state inside Israel. And what will the United States get? Temporarily lower prices.The Saudis are not offering to boost oil production to bring down prices as a favor to America, but to Biden. And it’s an election quid-pro-quo that may cost millions of Americans their lives.After draining the strategic petroleum reserve ahead of the midterms, Biden has been unable to refill it because his environmentalist allies and the Saudis have kept prices...