Free Republic

Ahead of President Obama’s annual picnic with members of Congress, the White House prohibited television cameras and photographer access to the event. Only allowing print pool reporters were allowed to cover Obama’s speech. That annoyed White House reporters including ABC News reporter Jon Karl, who pointed out that it was a change from year’s past. “In a break w/ past practice, the WH is prohibiting TV & photo coverage of today's Congressional picnic at the White House,” he noted on Twitter.

League City in Texas has banned the processing and detention of illegal unaccompanied minors in their community. Heidi Thiess, League City Councilwoman, told CNN’s Ashleigh Banfield that they don’t believe the federal government is following its own laws and the resolution they passed is aimed at the overall problem of illegal immigration and human trafficking. When Thiess was asked if she understood the criticism that they are turning their backs on these people who just need help, she disagreed pointing out that the unaccompanied children are only 18% of those in detention right now and if the federal government were...

Nearly half of all illegal immigrant children don’t show up for their deportation hearings, federal officials testified to Congress on Wednesday, underscoring just how easy it is for those surging across the border right now to disappear into the shadows. The number could be even higher for the current surge of unaccompanied children flooding across the border, who are often released to illegal immigrant parents who have no incentive to bring their children to immigration courts. And federal authorities specifically refuse to ask the legal status of the parents or relatives who come to claim the children, officials acknowledged. “We...

Today, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) vetoed A.2006/S.993, sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-6) and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-37). This legislation sought to arbitrarily lower New Jersey’s magazine restriction from fifteen rounds to ten

LYNNWOOD, Wash. – Michelle Obama’s national school lunch overhaul is getting a little ridiculous. The First Lady worked with federal bureaucrats to strictly limit what types of foods can be served in school cafeterias across the country in an effort to fight childhood obesity. The federal regulations on meat, vegetables, salt, and other aspects of the school lunch has been met with staunch indignation from students who have either trashed their mandatory fruit and vegetables or opted not to eat lunch at all. Now, the Edmonds School District in Washington state and others are cracking down on birthday cupcakes and...

It’s an Obama world.The US Air Force kicked Christian Gideon’s volunteers off base in March. The Bibles were too offensive and violated the separation of church and state rule.But US military personnel are expected to adhere Islamic practices during Ramadan.Stars and Stripes reported: U.S. personnel accustomed to drinking their coffee on the drive to work will have to put that habit on hold for about a month. It’s one of a few lifestyle changes Americans will have to make during the holy month of Ramadan.Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Officials expect Ramadan to begin at sunrise...

The Washington Free Beacon, which has broken several scoops related to Hillary Clinton, has been banned from using the Clinton archive at the University of Arkansas: A Hillary Clinton donor who serves as dean of the University of Arkansas libraries has banned the Washington Free Beacon from the school’s special collections archives, after the news outlet published revealing stories about Hillary Clinton based on documents available at the university library. The ban came days after the Free Beacon ran a story about Clinton’s 1975 defense of a child rapist that drew from audio recordings available at the University of Arkansas...

Last week, a bill was introduced but never heard in the Washington State Senate that considered a proposal to tax electronic cigarettes at 95 percent of their cost; the same as other tobacco or tobacco substitute products. A similar proposal is currently working its way through the Washington House as part of the House budget bill package. Whatever the intentions of policymakers, singling out a specific product or group of products for extra severe tax assessment is contrary to the principles of sound tax policy and will harm the state’s economy overall. First and foremost, the tax code is the...

Would you rather sip on unpasteurized milk or a cold glass of soda? Do you prefer Saturday lunch at a fast food joint or a farmers market? Regardless of your choices, your food freedom -- your right to grow, raise, produce, buy, sell, share, cook, eat, and drink the foods you want -- is under attack. Here are ten food freedom issues to keep an eye on in 2014. 1: FDA May Ban or Restrict a Growing Number of Food Ingredients. The FDA has proposed banning oils containing trans fats, an ingredient found in foods like coffee creamers and muffins....

Every day it seems that our country becomes increasingly insane and the further deterioration of our country becomes move evident. Nowhere is this trend more prevalent than it is in our schools. Over the last several decades, many physical activities have been banned at schools with dodgeball being the big baddie that had to be put down. Now comes news that at the Weber Middle School in Port Washington, Long Island, have banned footballs, baseballs, games of rough tag, and even cartwheels without the supervision of a coach or an adult. Yes, the wussification of America continues its relentless pace....

It's a small sign with a big message, but Bartow residents are now being ordered to uproot their "God Bless America" yard signs. About 300 of the signs were handed out at First Baptist Church of Bartow following a Fourth of July sermon. But three months later, City of Bartow Code Enforcement says the temporary signs have worn out their welcome. Residents have three days to pack it up or pay a minimum fine of $25 a day. "Being a veteran, I felt like I was just kicked in the gut. I couldn't believe it, that I couldn't display my...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri State Fair on Monday imposed a lifetime ban on a rodeo clown whose depiction of President Barack Obama getting charged by a bull was widely criticized by Democratic and Republican officials alike. The rodeo clown won't be allowed to participate or perform at the fair again. Fair officials say they're also reviewing whether to take any action against the Missouri Rodeo Cowboy Association, the contractor responsible for Saturday's event. The entertainment during the bull riding contest featured a clown wearing a mask of Obama with an upside down broomstick attached to his backside....

Comcast Cable, "the nation's largest cable provider," has decided it will not accept firearm and ammunition advertisers in the future. This decision comes after Comcast has been running ads for some gun and hunting groups for decades. Comcast chose this new position after purchasing NBCUniversal, which has a long-standing ban against firearm, ammunition and firework advertisements. This move brings Comcast in line with its competitors, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications. Cox already had a ban similar to the one Comcast has now instituted and Time Warner Cable announced in January that it was banning "ads showing semi-automatic weapons and...

Autocracy: Still pulsing with the power from outlawing big servings of sweet drinks, Michael Bloomberg now wants to run Styrofoam out of his city. Clearly, he believes that everyone has to live exactly as he wants them to live. During Thursday's State of the City address, New York Mayor Bloomberg called for a ban on Styrofoam food packaging. It's all a part of his crusade to eliminate smoking, sugary drinks, salt and other items he doesn't like — and, hence, thinks no one else should have. So what comes next, Mr. Mayor? What's the target after Styrofoam? Beef? Eggs? Cheese?...

Abstract: Recently, many jurisdictions have implemented bans or imposed taxes upon plastic grocery bags on environmental grounds. San Francisco County was the first major US jurisdiction to enact such a regulation, implementing a ban in 2007. There is evidence, however, that reusable grocery bags, a common substitute for plastic bags, contain potentially harmful bacteria. We examine emergency room admissions related to these bacteria in the wake of the San Francisco ban. We find that ER visits spiked when the ban went into effect. Relative to other counties, ER admissions increase by at least one fourth, and deaths exhibit a similar...

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)- Gov. Jack Markell is proposing background checks for private gun sales as part of a new package of gun control legislation for Delaware.

After Hungerford, the British government banned semiautomatic rifles and brought shotguns—the last type of firearm that could be purchased with a simple show of fitness—under controls similar to those in place for pistols and rifles. Magazines were limited to two shells with a third in the chamber. Dunblane had a more dramatic impact. Hamilton had a firearm certificate, although according to the rules he should not have been granted one. A media frenzy coupled with an emotional campaign by parents of Dunblane resulted in the Firearms Act of 1998, which instituted a nearly complete ban on handguns. Owners of pistols...

A&E doctors are calling for a ban on long pointed kitchen knives to reduce deaths from stabbing. A team from West Middlesex University Hospital said violent crime is on the increase - and kitchen knives are used in as many as half of all stabbings. They argued many assaults are committed impulsively, prompted by alcohol and drugs, and a kitchen knife often makes an all too available weapon. The research is published in the British Medical Journal. The researchers said there was no reason for long pointed knives to be publicly available at all. They consulted 10 top chefs from...

[snip] Under the ordinance, stores will be prohibited from offering customers plastic bags for carrying out purchases and will be required to charge a dime per paper bag. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, the price of paper bags will go up to 25 cent each. [snip] "Most of the comments I've gotten to date are not only supportive, but they are really enthused about it," said Moura, adding that the only complaint he's heard involves the paper bag charge. County officials are hoping as many of the bans will go into effect as possible by April 22, which is Earth...

LOS ANGELES – "Whatever it is, I'm against it!" Groucho Marx sang in a 1932 picture filmed on the Paramount lot here. Today's Southern Californians seem to agree. Once know for its sunny, freewheeling disposition, this region has long been as regulated as anywhere. Lately, however, cities, school districts and even libraries have been outlawing chunks of what used to pass for birthright at a startling clip. Bonfires on the beach? Sorry, Gidget: Newport Beach is waiting for permission from the California Coastal Commission to remove its long-cherished fire pits, which it banned this summer as health hazards. Newport's fleet...