Free Republic

Mainers are going to decide in November whether to adopt a new flag, but the state needs to settle on a design first. Anyone can submit a design proposal as long as it's based on the state's original flag, which featured a simple pine tree and blue star against an off-white background. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced the flag contest Friday. The deadline is July 19.

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States is readying more than $2 billion worth of military aid for Ukraine that is expected to include longer-range rockets for the first time as well as other munitions and weapons, two U.S. officials briefed on the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.The weapons aid is expected to be announced as soon as this week, the officials said. It is also expected to include support equipment for Patriot air defense systems, precision guided munitions and Javelin anti-tank weapons, they added.One of the officials said a portion of the package, expected to be $1.725 billion,...

US refineries have upped their imports of Iraqi, Nigerian, Brazilian, and Angolan crude oil, with May volumes double that of April levels, data from Refinitiv Eikon showed on Monday. Oil imports from these countries to the United States spiked as oil supply from Iran and Venezuela dried up, and as reduced OPEC production made scarce heavy sour and even medium sour grades. Of note, Iraqi oil rose to 600,000 barrels per day in May, just in time for summer driving season to come, Refnitiv data showed.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican political figure and tea-party favorite Christine O’Donnell says she’s backing Mitt Romney’s presidential bid.</p> <p>O’Donnell cites executive experience as part of her reason for endorsing Romney. She announced her decision Tuesday night during an interview on Fox News Channel.</p>

He was born Gerald Rivera in NYC but added the "o" to his first name to help create the image of the macho-Hispanic male and benefit from affirmative action. How many times have you heard him tell you that his mother was Jewish? The truth is Rivera is a mountebank and a fraud who is a master of tabloid TV and trash reporting. He's been married five times, has had innumerable affairs and produced four bastards (at last count). He was deported from Iraq for drawing a map in the sand which treasonously exposed U.S. military troop positions. It's to...

The U.S. Agency for International Development is sending disaster response teams to Haiti to help the impoverished nation after it was hit by a major earthquake on Tuesday. USAID said in a statement it would be sending teams including up to 72 people, six search and rescue dogs and up to 48 tons of rescue equipment. The teams will be accompanied by USAID disaster experts...

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann says she regrets using the term "anti-American" while discussing Barack Obama's views. Bachmann told the St. Cloud Times on Tuesday that she "made a big mistake" by going on MSNBC's "Hardball" on Friday. Her statement that Obama "may have anti-American views" drew condemnation and helped her opponent, Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg, raise more than $1 million in just a few days. Bachmann says she walked into a trap and did not bring up the term "anti-American." She says she does not believe that Obama is anti-American or that members of Congress should be...

Sorry if the post I just made offended anyone. It was intended to make light of the idiocy on the view. If I got carried away and offended someone I am sorry. Jeff

KRASNODAR, Russia, July 24, (IslamOnline.net) - The United States has agreed to grant citizenship to 7,000 Ahiska Muslims who will be settled in Pennsylvania, reported a Russian newspaper on Friday, July 23. The first 11-strong batch of the Ahiska Muslims, living in the Russian province of Krasnodar, left for Geneva on Thursday, July 22, before flying to Philadelphia, reported Novie Izvestia. It added that the Muslims would be housed near the grand mosque in Philadelphia. The paper recalled that Krasnodar governor Alexander Tkachev was notified of the American decision on February 15. Izvestia said the Russian government does not treat...

Yipes! Looks like this whole America-healing thing has been a bit slower than earlier anticipated. We here at Iowahawk are all about keeping hope alive, so here's fresh batch of positives to keep our progressive friends warm during the upcoming Rovian ice age: On an up note, Democratic efforts to increase voter turnout was a major success story in 2004. Progressives have shown that they know how to get first-timers and young people to the polling booth. Next time, you can work on the problem of making them vote for you. Kerry's lack of success in the South was largely...