Free Republic

Half a generation ago a Wall Street Journal editorial declared Canada an “honorary member of the Third World.” The shock of that scolding helped return a country that had begun to think of itself as ungovernable back to fiscal and economic sanity. Might a similarly sharp rebuke from its friendly northern neighbour aid in turning an apparently increasingly ungovernable United States back to sanity? Probably not. But we would feel bad for not trying: This summer’s disgraceful spectacle of a U.S. political system seemingly incapable of addressing the country’s dire fiscal condition makes the United States worthy of honorary banana...

More stores across the U.S. that offer deeply-discounted products are seeing their sales decline after years of growth amid America’s “Great Recession” — and one analyst said on Monday it’s another sign of even deeper downturn. SNIP “I think what’s going on in those stores is that we are in a depression for 80 percent of Americans,” SNIP “In other words, the economy is continuing to be worse, the Obama depression continues to explode,” he added.

For her long friendship with the Obamas, 65-year-old Kaye Wilson has been lavished with invitations to state dinners, Camp David and trips aboard Air Force One. But the Olympia Fields woman — "Mama Kaye" to the president and other friends — is one of the least known people in his inner circle and seems to like it that way. Her ties to the Obama family are many, and in some cases, uniquely hers.

Soaring food prices have been, perhaps, the most pressing global issue of the past two years – yet the U.S. Federal Reserve has taken a "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" approach to the global crisis. Instead, the Fed has dutifully maintained its focus on so called "core inflation" in the United States – even as Americans suffer the consequences of the "hidden inflation" the government refuses to account for. The Federal Reserve excludes food and fuel prices from its preferred gauge of inflation because they are often influenced by erratic weather patterns and political turmoil. That...

The system for financing mortgages and regulating that financing has failed, completely and utterly. The mortgage and real estate markets are now in collapse. Yesterday I wrote about how positive feedback loops lead to collapse. Welcome to the U.S. housing and mortgage markets. As I have documented here numerous times, the entire U.S. mortgage market has already been socialized: 99% of all mortgages are backed by the three FFFs--Fannie, Freddie and FHA--and the Federal Reserve has purchased a staggering $1.2 trillion in mortgage-backed assets in the past year or so to maintain the illusion that there is a market for...

Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will LOVE him more?” Luke 7:42 The BP shakedown is the perfect example of the brainwashing of America. We have been transformed over the past 70 yrs into believing in an all compassionate gummit over capitalism. We have been taught from baby to grave into believing our govt is the only interest powerful enough to stand up to evil industry so the slaves can get their fair share of the pie when nothing could be farther from the truth....

Lt. Col. Terry Lakin refuses to be deployed to Afghanistan under the orders of Barack Hussein Obama until the government proves that Obama is qualified to be president of the USA according to the Constitution of the USA. The military is using a court martial to force his compliance. Lakin is trying to use discovery in the court martial about Obama’s citizenship as per his rights to defend his actions and the court is blocking his ability..... Obama promised to be transparent. It is time for our courts, our media, and our military to force him to keep his promise….....

When it comes to business climate, California ranks last among the states according to the latest attack on the rules and red tape despised by the respondents to a survey by CEO Magazine.

The radicals in Washington are giving the Marxists in Venezuela a run for their money. Senate Democrats have gathered in the Rules Committee to eliminate the filibuster. Republican.Senate.Gov reported: THEN-SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): “What [The American People] Do Not Expect Is For One Party, Be It Republican Or Democrat, To Change The Rules In The Middle Of The Game So They Can Make All The Decisions While The Other Party Is Told To Sit Down And Keep Quiet.” “What they do not expect is for one party, be it Republican or Democrat, to change the rules in the middle of...

Experts on third world banana republics from the IMF and the Federal Reserve have said the U.S. has become a third world banana republic (and see this and this).Are they right?Well, let's look at Wikipedia's description of the four factors which make a country a banana republic. Profits Privatized and Debts SocializedThe first feature of a banana republic as "A collusion between the overweening state and certain favored monopolistic concerns, whereby the profits can be privatized and the debts socialized." ✓ Check. As I pointed out in November: Nouriel Roubini writes in a recent essay: This is a crisis of...

As I wrote Monday: In really bad times, people who are evicted from their houses will not rent. Instead, they will move in with friends or family for some time. As the Wall Street Journal explained last October: Driving the change [i.e. large numbers of rental vacancies and lower rents] is the troubled employment market, which is closely tied to rentals. With unemployment at 9.8% — a 26-year high — more would-be renters are doubling up or moving in with family and friends during periods of job loss. Landlords have been particularly battered because unemployment has been higher among workers...

If you thought the health care bill was just about, well, health care, guess again! It's about income redistribution as much as anything: For all the political and economic uncertainties about health reform, at least one thing seems clear: The bill that President Obama signed on Tuesday is the federal government’s biggest attack on economic inequality since inequality began rising more than three decades ago. Over most of that period, government policy and market forces have been moving in the same direction, both increasing inequality. The pretax incomes of the wealthy have soared since the late 1970s, while their tax...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The No. 2 Senate Democrat accused Republicans on Wednesday of refusing to accept the finality of health care changes, a day after President Barack Obama signed the most sweeping medical system remake since Medicare. "This is a political exercise for too many on the other side of the aisle," said Sen. Dick Durbin. "We're going to tell our people back home, 'It's time to govern. It's time to lead.' "

A nation in decline By Tom DeWeese web posted February 1, 2010 Many politicians are asking the question today: "Why are the American People so angry?" The following may lend a clue to the clueless. According to the annual "Index on Economic Freedom," produced by the Heritage Foundation, the United States now ranks 8th, just behind Canada. That's a drop of two full points since last year, and the largest drop of all nations in overall economic freedom. . The index ranking is based on 10 measures of economic openness, regulatory efficiency, the rule of law, and competitiveness. The basic...

Some take comfort in pointing out that the national debt is "only" 60 percent of gross domestic product. That ranks the United States about 25th in the world. By comparison, Japan's public debt is 180 percent of its GDP. So we are at least better off than the Japanese, right? Wrong, says Robert D. Arnott, chairman of Research Affiliates, an institutional money management firm based in Newport Beach, Calif. Our debt burden only appears to be lighter than Japan's because we don't count all of it. State and local government debt is not included; neither is corporate debt nor household...

MCALLEN - The U.S Consul General at Matamoros visited McAllen today. U.S. Consul Michael Barkin says Mexico is a safe place visit, but security is also the number one concern for Americans traveling there. Barkin was honored today at a reception at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. He has been on the job as U.S. Consul General in Matamoros since September. CHANNEL 5 NEWS asked him, given the ongoing shoot-outs and violence in Mexico, is it safe to visit? We wanted to know what people who call his office are most concerned about. Barkin says, "People are concerned about the...

<p>FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin promises to limit her enthusiasm during her visit to North Carolina's Fort Bragg.</p> <p>The former Republican vice presidential candidate planned to sign copies of her new memoir at a post store Monday. Army officials say Palin will not make a speech, pose for photos, or personalize notes in the books she signs.</p>

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics ruled Tuesday that a proposed ballot initiative defining marriage as between a man and a woman cannot go forward, reaffirming an earlier ruling that such a vote would be discriminatory. The board cited the city Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination against gay men and lesbians. The board decision, which will probably be challenged in court, means the D.C. Council can move forward with its plans to vote on a bill next month to legalize same-sex marriage. The council on Tuesday scheduled a vote for Dec. 1. "We have considered all of the...

Depending on your perspective, the Oath Keepers are either strident defenders of liberty or dangerous peddlers of paranoia. In the age of town halls, talk radio and tea parties, middle ground of opinion is hard to find. Most Popular Stories READY TO REVOLT: Oath Keepers pledges to prevent dictatorship in United States U.S. SENATE SEAT: Two could beat Reid, poll finds NORM: Garth Brooks, Wynn to team up NORM: Yearwood exacts her recompense Woman struck, killed by car while crossing street Friends, co-workers honor fallen police officer Friends, co-workers honor fallen police officer NORM: Rumor about ring wrong, Fator says...

Senator Judd Gregg made an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" yesterday. Gregg described the budget deficit under the current administration and the devastating impact it will have on quality of life for us and our children: See video at the link