http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/109th/ en-us Mon, 2 Mar 2009 19:35:13 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2197450/posts Washington — Former Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Rick SantorumÂ’s acquisition of political-outsider status since his 2006 loss to Democrat Bob Casey is affording him a lot of bluntness. “We were unethical,” he said of congressional Republicans involved in the scandals involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the securing of earmarks for special projects in their districts. “LetÂ’s just be frank about it.” Speaking at the American Conservative UnionÂ’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Omni Shoreham Hotel Saturday, the copious applause he received bespoke the self-criticism abounding in todayÂ’s conservative movement. The GOPÂ’s performance on ethics, before the Democrats won Congress... The Bulletin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2197450/posts#comment Mon, 2 Mar 2009 19:35:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2173546/posts Even though the US congress has been mucking up the banking industry since 1916, few Americans are familiar with GSE’s, (Government Sponsored Enterprises). As a result, the people have hired the same people who destroyed the US economy to begin with, to fix the US economy. Those people are now attempting to save the nation from complete economic collapse via the same failed economic policies that caused the crisis… History repeats for benefit of those who have not yet learned the lesson Although the US Constitution affords the federal government no such power whatsoever to engage taxpayer revenue in banking... Canada Press (cause the American press SUCKs!) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2173546/posts#comment Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:56:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2154189/posts In between meaningful football games yesterday, I saw clips of Vice President Cheney with Chris Wallace and read some comments on the interview. Frequent readers of my blog understands that I am far from a Bush / Cheney apologist. In fact, I am pretty close to a non-entity in conservative Republican circles because of my early public support for Obama last January. However, in this case, I have to agree with the Vice President (almost) in his opinion that the Congress is equally culpable in both the breach of civil liberties but also the Constitutional idea of checks and balances.... examiner.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2154189/posts#comment Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:00:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153041/posts Dick Cheney's interview yesterday with Fox's Chris Wallace was filled with significant claims, but certainly among the most significant was his detailed narration of how the administration, and Cheney personally, told numerous Democratic Congressional leaders -- repeatedly and in detail -- about the NSA warrantless eavesdropping program. And, according to Cheney, every one of those Democrats -- every last one -- not only urged its continuation, but insisted that it be kept secret: WALLACE: Let's drill down into some of the specific measures that you pushed — first of all, the warrantless surveillance on a massive scale, without telling the... Salon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2153041/posts#comment Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:59:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2144526/posts WASHINGTON – When the Washington Nationals played their first-ever baseball game in the nation's capital in April 2005, two congressmen who oversaw mortgage giant Freddie Mac had choice seats — courtesy of the very company they were supposed to be keeping an eye on. Efforts to tighten government regulation were gaining support on Capitol Hill, and Freddie Mac was fighting back. The baseball tickets for home opener were means of influence. According to confidential company documents obtained by The Associated Press, Reps. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, and Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa., spent the evening in hard-to-obtain seats near the Nationals dugout with... AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2144526/posts#comment Sun, 7 Dec 2008 19:36:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2111780/posts WASHINGTON — A Capitol Hill sex scandal has reinforced public doubts about Republican leadership and pushed Democrats to a huge lead in the race for control of Congress four weeks before Election Day, the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows. Democrats had a 23-point lead over Republicans in every group of people questioned — likely voters, registered voters and adults — on which party's House candidate would get their vote. That's double the lead Republicans had a month before they seized control of Congress in 1994 and the Democrats' largest advantage among registered voters since 1978. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-09-poll_x.htm [poll suggests 59 to... vanity http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2111780/posts#comment Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:14:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2103246/posts Sen. John McCain's 2006 demand for regulatory action on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could have prevented current financial crisis, as HUMAN EVENTS learned from the letter shown in full text below. McCain's letter -- signed by nineteen other senators -- said that it was "...vitally important that Congress take the necessary steps to ensure that [Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac]...operate in a safe and sound manner.[and]..More importantly, Congress must ensure that the American taxpayer is protected in the event that either...should fail." Sen. Obama did not sign the letter, nor did any other Democrat. Human Events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2103246/posts#comment Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:54:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2098692/posts C O M P A R A T I V E R E T U R N S Range 12/30/94 - 12/29/06 Securities Prc Appr Total Ret Annual Eq SPX Index 208.82 % 279.45 % 11.75 % Range 12/29/06 - 10/ 3/08 Securities Prc Appr Total Ret Annual Eq SPX Index -22.50 % -19.73 % -11.71 % Bloomberg Terminal Calculation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2098692/posts#comment Mon, 6 Oct 2008 15:46:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2097000/posts Presidential Debate, Sept. 26,2008 "Obama:...Two years ago, I warned that, because of the subprime lending mess, because of the lax regulation, that we were potentially going to have a problem and tried to stop some of the abuses in mortgages that were taking place at the time. Last year, I wrote to the secretary of the Treasury to make sure that he understood the magnitude of this problem and to call on him to bring all the stakeholders together to try to deal with it." Source: http://cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/26/debate.mississippi.transcript CNN, NY Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2097000/posts#comment Fri, 3 Oct 2008 21:53:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2093420/posts I just want to be serious for a second, friends. This is a DEVASTATING video. It is absolutely unacceptable that this video is not being played on every news station and at every Democrat interview around the country over and over again. More Democrats denying there was an impending crisis at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - this time, outright denied by Maxine Waters (D), the moron who threatened to socialize...er, nationalize the oil industry. And Barney Frank (D). And more. So much more. Watch the whole thing, and send it to everyone you know. Link to it everywhere. Do... My Pet Jawa & http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2093420/posts#comment Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:45:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2092838/posts Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2092838/posts#comment Mon, 29 Sep 2008 03:45:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2091854/posts Here you go-- Video proof that Democratic leaders refused to reform over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. ...Don't expect to see this on the nightly news. Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs . . At this 2004 hearing Democrat after Democrat, including Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. Maxine Waters, covered up for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Democrats covered up and killed legislation that would reform their cash cows. Obama has received $105,849 from troubled mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/ .... http://youtube.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2091854/posts#comment Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:26:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2084843/posts A September 11, 2003 New York Times article shows that President Bush proposed “the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.” His proposal: An agency within the Treasury Department to supervise mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fearing that mortgages would no longer be available to people who were unable to pay them back, Democrats eventually killed the proposal. The current meltdown in the mortgage industry is a direct result of giving mortgages to people who could not pay them back, a practice protected by Congressional Democrats. New York http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2084843/posts#comment Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:01:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2084035/posts McCain was pushing for Fannie/Freddie regulation back in 2006, while the O was out giving campaign speeches. This strikes me as a pretty big deal. Obama is ridiculing the idea of Mc regulating this mess, and in fact Mc saw the problem in 2006 (maybe earlier). Meanwhile, O has 2 former CEO of Fannie/Freddie as economic advisors, and is a major recipient of campaign contributions www.govtrack.us http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2084035/posts#comment Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:42:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020943/posts As the war in Iraq grows more unpopular with increasing number of Americans, Democrats in collusion with the liberal mainstream media, continue to politicize the war by distorting the facts. Claim that President Bush lied about WMD in order to implement a grand strategy by neo-cons well before he took office supposedly aimed at using military force to install democratic regimes friendly to the U.S. throughout the Middle East. However, the left has never adequately answered the following question. If Bush knew there was no WMD, why would he send 150,000 troops into Iraq since his “lie” would be immediately... Canada Free Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020943/posts#comment Sun, 25 May 2008 04:46:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2010228/posts PART 1In just one year. Remember the election in 2006? Thought you might like to read the following: A little over one year ago: 1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high; 2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon; 3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%. Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen: 1) Consumer confidence plummet; 2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon; 3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase) 4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses)... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2010228/posts#comment Fri, 2 May 2008 14:19:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1986319/posts BARACK OBAMA (D-IL) Top Contributors (for 2006) 1 University of Chicago $156,054 2 Kirkland & Ellis $143,138 3 Henry Crown & Co $79,500 4 Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal $74,950 5 Northwestern University $72,930 6 Exelon Corp $71,850 7 Sidley, Austin et al $71,432 8 Mayer Brown $69,960 9 Jenner & Block $62,710 10 Soros Fund Management $61,605 11 Goldman Sachs $61,500 12 Clifford Law Offices $59,550 13 Simmons Cooper LLC $58,500 14 Tejas Securities $57,250 15 JP Morgan Chase & Co $56,600 16 Ariel Capital Management $55,650 17 Skadden, Arps et al $54,071 18 Winston & Strawn $52,450 19 Piper... Open Secrets http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1986319/posts#comment Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:07:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1982973/posts The retirement of Dennis Hastert, the former Speaker of the House, has led to the loss of his seat from the Republican ranks. In a low-turnout special election, political newcomer Bill Foster beat Jim Oberweis to win the seat for the Democrats. The loss leaves the GOP looking even more impotent in Illinois than ever before (via Memeorandum): In a stunning upset Saturday that could be a sign of trouble for Republicans this fall, a little-known Democratic physicist won the special election for a far west suburban congressional seat long held by former GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert.Rookie candidate Bill... Hot Air http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1982973/posts#comment Sun, 9 Mar 2008 20:12:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1745833/posts Frist Will Not Seek Presidency In 2008 CBS News Interactive: The 109th Congress CBS News: 2008 Republican Hopefuls (AP) WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will not run for president in 2008, Republican officials said Wednesday, as the field of White House contenders continued to shrink more than a year before the first convention delegates are chosen. Frist's formal announcement was expected later in the day. His decision caps a 12-year stint in electoral politics in which he rose from an underdog in his 1994 Senate campaign to the position of majority leader a mere eight years later. The decision... WCBSTV http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1745833/posts#comment Wed, 29 Nov 2006 16:38:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1967406/posts RUSH: I want to go back to the archives of this program. I want to illustrate for you my prescience. When I tell you that you are on the cutting edge of the societal evolution if you are a regular listener here, this will establish it. October 18th, 2006. This is prior to the November elections, the midterms, and I was getting phone call after phone call from conservatives saying they were not going to vote. They were mad as hell. They were sick and tired of the Foley thing and Macaca. They were sick and tired of Republicans not... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1967406/posts#comment Sat, 9 Feb 2008 01:09:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963009/posts Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions. In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist. Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) in the early months of 2001 about switching parties, but in McCain’s... The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963009/posts#comment Fri, 1 Feb 2008 03:52:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963047/posts Democrats say McCain nearly abandoned GOP By Bob Cusack Posted: 03/28/07 07:39 PM [ET] Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was close to leaving the Republican Party in 2001, weeks before then-Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) famously announced his decision to become an Independent, according to former Democratic lawmakers who say they were involved in the discussions. In interviews with The Hill this month, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and ex-Rep. Tom Downey (D-N.Y.) said there were nearly two months of talks with the maverick lawmaker following an approach by John Weaver, McCain’s chief political strategist. Democrats had contacted Jeffords and then-Sen. Lincoln... The Hill via Drudge http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963047/posts#comment Fri, 1 Feb 2008 05:35:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1962782/posts In the following list, 99 senators are ranked according to their overall composite liberal or conservative scores based on National Journal's 2006 vote ratings National Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1962782/posts#comment Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:23:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961988/posts When conservatives lay out their long list of apostasies committed by John McCain, one of them is always his role in the Gang of 14, the 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans in the Senate who agreed to a judicial compromise in 2005. The deal that was struck eliminated the use of the "nuclear option" by the then-GOP-controlled Senate, and also limited the Democratic minority's ability to use the filibuster to block certain judicial nominees (at the time the deal was stuck, there were no pending Supreme Court nominations, only Appellate Court nominations were being held up). To put it plainly,... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1961988/posts#comment Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:19:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1948944/posts Burns, a Republican, narrowly lost reelection to a fourth term in 2006 after Democrats made his relationship with Abramoff a key issue. Abramoff is at the center of a corruption investigation that has led to convictions of a former congressman, legislative aides, lobbyists and Bush administration officials. lost angeles times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1948944/posts#comment Sat, 5 Jan 2008 23:15:08 GMT