Free Republic

The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.-Thomas Jefferson

The United States would be ready to support the extension of the European Financial Stability Facility via an extra commitment of money from the International Monetary Fund, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. "There are a lot of people talking about that. I think the European Commission has talked about that," said the U.S. official, commenting on enlarging the European stability fund. "It is up to the Europeans. We will certainly support using the IMF in these circumstances." "There are obviously some severe market problems," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. [....] The IMF, whose biggest single...

A senior administration official confirms that President Obama will not be allowing new drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for at least seven years. This is a result of the BP oil spill.

People often turn to their faith to ease their minds. Now first lady Michelle Obama is hoping people will turn to churches, temples and synagogues to lose weight as well. The first lady launched a new addition to her Let's Move! campaign. Things might be changing at local services. Starting Monday, faith-based organizations of all kinds will begin a new crusade to end childhood obesity in a generation. It's called Let's Move: Faith and Communities, and the First AME Church of Los Angeles is leading the charge....

WASHINGTON – The State Department severed its computer files from the government's classified network, officials said Tuesday, as U.S. and world leaders tried to clean up from the embarrassing leak that spilled America's sensitive documents onto screens around the globe.

First Lady: 'Have pie! Eat the dressing!' By Elise Viebeck - 11/27/10 11:36 AM ET First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged American families to enjoy their food over the holiday weekend and not to worry about "how much you eat." Obama, who is spearheading a nationwide campaign against childhood obesity, explained to 20/20 host Barbara Walters that "this is the time" to let go a bit. "I would urge people to use this time to come together, as families and community, and don't take it for granted. Be kind to each other and laugh a little bit. And don't worry about...

WASHINGTON — Cabinet secretaries, top congressional leaders and an exclusive group of senior U.S. officials are exempt from toughened new airport screening procedures when they fly commercially with government-sanctioned security details. New heightened security procedures by the Transportation Security Administration, which require either a scan by a full-body detector or an intimate personal pat-down, have spurred passenger outrage in the lead-up to the Thanksgiving holiday airport crush. The senior government officials can opt out of such measures if they fly accompanied by government security guards approved by the TSA. The agency would not explain why it makes these exceptions, but...

When I was 11, my father thought it was time to show my sister and me the nation's capital. I have only vague memories of that trip — the heat, the expanse of the White House's grounds, the Jefferson Memorial. I do remember we took Route 1 through Baltimore (no I-95 yet), and it was there that I saw my first sign with the word "colored" on it — a rooming house, I think. This was 1952, and the United States was an apartheid nation. It is Sarah Palin who brings back these memories. In her new book, she reportedly...

Obama Whines: American Journalists 'Never Say Thank You' By Lachlan Markay Created 11/15/2010 - 7:16pm By Lachlan Markay | November 15, 2010 | 19:16 President Barack Obama is peeved with the American press. They never say "thank you," he whined to journalists in Japan on Monday. According to the pool report from the press conference, one reporter said "Thank you, Mr. President." Someone said the reporter was Australian. "I knew it must have been an Australian because my folks never say thank you," Obama said. At that, the entire American pool said in unison -- admittedly with a bit of...

So Chris Christie likes to stay at the Four Seasons in Washington D.C.   What other travel fraud blockbuster might the Department of Justice release next?  Don’t hold your breath.  If the violation of travel rules don’t involve Republican-appointed U.S. Attorneys, the DOJ is in no hurry to release reports. The Justice Department Inspector General this week published a report that showed Chris Christie went outside of travel guidelines to the tune of about $2,000 during  his term.  The report doesn’t identify Christie by name, but other information in the report makes it an elementary exercise to identify him.The report...