Free Republic

Once upon a time, America was struck by a financial quake that shook unemployment to around 25%. It took a world war and tremendous economic upheaval to pull out of the carnage. The Rat party was the immediate political beneficiary. It became the habitat of callous power seekers, masters of manipulating the millions addicted to envy and sloth.

In the ensuing years calamity after calamity was blamed on Rat opponents and believed by millions content to let Cronkite etc. do their homework for them. Hopefully LBJ etc. and their Rino accomplices in vote buying have finally brought us to a chance for redemption.

The Clintons, Obamas, Bidens and Pelosis etc. have no use for any cause other than their holding power. They use collectivism in that cause only because of its attractiveness to the lazy, envious, emotional and imbecilic.

The capitalist system has generated such great prosperity that even unproductive elements such as welfare sponges can obtain televisions. When added to that segment of society ruled by emotion, there is plenty of space for progressive manipulators to obtain political office, broadcast careers and the fortunes that go with them.

Kimmel etc. are the symptoms of a society infected with the mental defectives who could have never created the system that ironically makes termites like them possible.

No law requires anyone to stash their cash in any particular bank etc.. After listening years ago to Brian Moynihan being interviewed by Charlie Rose on PBS, I got out of BOA as fast as I could.

“Q” got around...

I’m not defending anybody. Naughty or nice, he was a major player in the music industry. All of the moral pontificating on earth won’t change that. And I never have or would buy one of his albums.

LOL...Well nobody’s perfect. But as it turns out people like Sinatra, Elvis etc. don’t go into show biz just for kicks. The strange one’s sales is around 400 million, and one album is probably the biggest seller of all time. It’s business, and the guys I listed dominated that business for decades.

Nat King Cole?...He was one of the best...Sinatra and the others I listed were my choices because they dominated their eras based on sales, longevity on top and their “chops” in my ear. I wouldn't question anyone's taste in preferring Como, Laine, Cole etc. over my preference for Sinatra. And then there is the aspect of certain artists “owning” certain songs.

That’s a solid list.

I personally rank the top male, non-classical singers of the past one hundred years chronologically, as follows:

• Bing Crosby
• Frank Sinatra
• Elvis Presley
• Michael Jackson

"...no places left for a new kid to be bad at first."

Yep...Vocal coaches in my day told their young singers to remember that one half of a crowd was probably tone deaf and one quarter didn't care. That left just one quarter to please...

Sinatra was irreplaceable.

His 1993 Duets album sold over three million in the US alone...Not bad for a 78 year-old.

But the decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the causes of destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and, as soon as time or accident had removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight. The story of its ruin is simple and obvious; and, instead of inquiring why the Roman empire was destroyed, we should rather be surprised that it had subsisted so long.

Every time I read Gibbon's general exposition of causes for Rome's decline, I experience discomfort as to America's prospects. Our conquests have largely been in the world marketplace and global political intrigues.. But these have no less led to resentment from abroad.

Meanwhile, we are increasingly occupied with internal factionalism... Madison's great fear...I am feeling more uneasy now than I did as a kid during the hide-under-your-desk drills at school.

With a rare, almost unheard of, frequency; politicians are more concerned with the good of the nation than they are with reelection etc..

Paul is a slave to ideology and is incapable of practicality. Tillis is probably thinking only of 2026. In 2020, Tillis beat the Rat by about 1.75 % of the vote. Libertarian and Constitutional party votes totaled about 4.37 % of the votes cast. Tillis is a wing-walker.

Also owned by ASR...And still going after 99 years in Crockett.

Iran will suspend its cooperation with the IAEA until the security of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed...M. Ghalibaf, Speaker- Iranian Parliament

It would appear there will need to be an Iranian air defense system beyond their capability to build, before Iran's nuclear program will be secure. These people live in a fantasy world. Guarantees don't exist in the real world.

I don't know, but I been told Bill of Rights protections extend to law-abiding, visiting foreign nationals; who behave themselves. Anyone trying to incarcerate a visiting foreign national not violating US law or international statutes recognized by treaty etc., ought to face civil rights charges.

The path to unification might require fundamentally reconsidering the nature of physical reality itself...

Whaddya you mean "might", prof? I've been "fundamentally reconsidering" reality since observing progressive politics for the last sixty years.

Iran sovereignty was diddled by J.F. Dulles etc. in the 1950s to keep Mosaddegh from disrupting our oil interests. America's economy advanced, and much of the world benefited. But Iran's hate for the US smoldered until it flashed white-hot in 1979. And the Mullah's have been a thorn in our side ever since.

Iran's backing of Hezbollah, Hamas etc., along with seeking atomic weapons has reached the limit of my tolerance. Trump, IMO, reads America better than any president in my informed memory...IKE to the present. Russia is distracted in Ukraine, China has economic trouble, Europe is a sick old man...It's time to give the Iranian populace a chance to fashion their freedom, now while the iron is hot. Hope Trump keeps maximum pressure on Iran...

LOL...Button your shirt; your heart is falling out!

Carlson has one of the most annoying ninny-laughs in existence. Unfortunately, he has now demonstrated its authenticity.