Free Republic

Partisan Trends Number of Democrats in US Declines in July During July, the number of Americans who consider themselves to be Democrats fell two percentage points to 39.2%. That’s the first time since January that the number of Democrats has fallen below 41%. Among men, 34% are Democrats, 33% Republican. Forty-four percent (44%) of women are Democrats, and just 30% claim the GOP as their party. Forty-one percent (41%) of government employees are Democrats while 31% are Republicans. Among entrepreneurs, 36% are Republican, 34% Democrat. Those who work for someone else in the private sector lean Democratic by a 38%...

McCain catching up to Obama in the Rasmussen poll with Obama at 43% and McCain at 42%. Daily Presidential Tracking PollBy The Numbers

America's Recession-Proof Cities Nationally, home prices are falling, unemployment is on the rise and the economy is expected to grow slowly--or even contract--in the first half of the year. But some cities are doing just fine. Oklahoma City, OklahomaSan Antonio, TexasAustin, TexasHouston, texasCharlotte, N.C.Dallas, TexasSan Jose, CARaleigh, N.C.Salt Lake City, UtahSeattle, WA

Why are conservatives happier than liberals?FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty: Conservatives are happier than liberals. A study published in the journal “Psychological Science” says it’s because conservatives are better at rationalizing inequalities. Regardless of someone’s income, marital status or church attendance, people with right-wing ideologies report greater satisfaction with their lives than those with left-wing beliefs. Researchers found that conservatives also score highest when it comes to the ability to justify inequalities. For example, a conservative might support the idea of a meritocracy – that if you work hard and perform well, you’ll move up the economic ladder… and if you...

"Do you agree with the top U.S. military commander in Iraq that things are better than before the surge?" Yes 43% No 57%

Texas soldier's father calls son's death 'a waste'Sgt. Gregory Unruh, 28, died in vehicle rollover in Iraq Sgt. Gregory Daniel Unruh was in search of an adventure when he enlisted in the Army. But after five months in Iraq, the war was not what he expected, his father said Tuesday. The 28-year-old Unruh died March 19 in Mandali, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his military vehicle rolled over during a reconnaissance mission. The incident remains under investigation. ... "I think it's a waste of his life," said an emotional Anthony Unruh, his father. "I don't think anybody should die that...

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) — A Danish journalist came this close to getting shot Saturday by an elderly woman packing a pistol near President Bush's ranch here in what was easily the strangest incident I've ever witnessed covering the White House. Terkel Svensson, a writer for the Danish News Agency, could not get wireless Internet access at the schoolhouse to file a story. But Svensson could get his cell phone working so he called his editor in Copenhagen and started wandering across a quiet country road as he chatted away. "I was just so occupied dictating my story that I didn't...

(CNN) -- Bitter cold gripped most of the United States on Monday, with temperatures dipping below normal from coast to coast. Temperatures in the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains were about 30 degrees below normal, CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider said. "It's very hard to find any part of the country that's warm," Schneider said.

Reliving the Florida recount One of the most highly anticipated political telefilms being released next year is “Recount,” a fast-paced depiction of the behind-the-scenes drama that took place in Florida during the disputed 2000 Gore-Bush election. [snip] Earlier this year, the possibility was raised that this “Recount” might be swayed and history rewritten because writer Strong and executive producers Paula Weinstein and Sydney Pollack, as well as HBO Films President Colin Callender, are all Democratic supporters. [snip] “There have been many incarnations of the script,” the HBO representative said in response to questions about literary license taken in the film....

Guard's hands "didn't even shake" as she shot gunman The guard who saved untold lives at New Life Church gives credit to God for giving her cover, and boosting her firepower as she shot a heavily-armed gunman. "I give credit to God. I say that very humbly," said Jeanne Assam. "God was with me, the whole time I was behind cover. Based on the firepower he had, compared to mine." [snip] "I just prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide me my hands weren't even shaking."

I just received the strangest FReeper email from a "Be4Fred." I'll post it below. And did FReeper "pissant" really get banned for showing support for Duncan Hunter? This whole thing gave me a creepy feeling. ... Subject: Last Warning hello, this is a friendly reminder that you have not yet contributed to FRed’s campaign this month. Please take the time to do so now: https://www.fred08.com/contribute.aspx?RefererID=c637caaa-315c-4b4c-9967-08d864cd0791 And remember, we are coming down the final stretch and we must all rally behind FRed. Now is the time to say NO to RINOS like Duncan Hunter and Mitt Romney. Any show of support...

Baath Holds The White Flag The formation of a so called political council for Iraqi resistance was met by different reactions from the public and the politicians who are now divided into proponents and opponents. Whereas the Accord Front called for mediation between the council and the government some parties in the UIA see that the council cannot be negotiated with and declared it a continuation of the former regime. What is important in my opinion regarding this development and aside from whether to negotiate with it or not, is the very announcement of forming this new political entity. It...

I thought you all may enojoy reading the CRUSHING reviews from the regular movie audience of Robert Redford's new anti-America flick "Lions for Lambs." How Hollywood can contiue to dishonor our U.S. Armed Forces is simply beyond me. Anyway, at least these reviews by regular folks shows that real America is rejecting this nonsense. Some reviews: (more reviews at the link) Pure Garbage..... I had the opportunity to see this last week during a free screening (my wife got the tickets through work). I think I was robbed. About 20% of the audience walked out before it was over, the...

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Actor Mickey Rourke is in a Miami jail after being arrested for driving under the influence while riding a Vespa scooter erratically in Miami Beach. The police officer stated that Rourke got off the 2007 green Vespa scooter after being stopped and stated, "What the (expletive) did I do?"

The records of Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry's 1988 divorce from Wall Street heiress Julia Thorne were unsealed yesterday, revealing that Kerry has always been a condescending and uninteresting prick. It is uncertain whether revelations of sexual "JFK" role-playing and narcissistic orgasms will hurt his presidential campaign. Unlike Jack Ryan, whose Senate campaign was derailed when his divorce records revealed that he pressured ex-wife Jeri Ryan to attend sex clubs, Kerry's divorce records reveal a rather pedestrian, if not somewhat ego- and Kennedy-centric sex life. Thorne swore under oath that Kerry, "often made me dress up like Jackie O ['Nassis]...

Dear Avacado, The fundamental responsibility of the federal government is our national defense. Each year, Congress must pass legislation to fund our security, including critical resources for our armed services. This is particularly important for Texas, home to one in ten military personnel and 18 major, active-duty military installations. On Friday, Congress achieved a dubious new distinction. For the first time in 20 years, Congress failed to send the President a single one of the annual appropriations bill this late in the year. Moreover, of these funding bills currently under consideration, the majority party is proposing massive spending hikes they...

Coalition-caused deaths. Coalition forces, principally US as well as some UK, were identified to have killed at least 536 Iraqi civilians in year four (excluding a major incident in Najaf in January which is still under investigation by IBC). This compares with 370 in year three.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal became the nation's youngest governor and the first nonwhite to hold post in Louisiana since Reconstruction when he carried more than half the vote to defeat 11 opponents. Jindal, the Republican 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, had 53 percent with 625,036 votes with about 92 percent of the vote tallied. It was more than enough to win Saturday's election outright and avoid a November 17 runoff. "My mom and dad came to this country in pursuit of the American dream. And guess what happened. They found the American Dream to be...

Jenna Bush answers questions from people across America: If the war in Iraq is so noble, why aren't you and your sister serving our country there? —Donald Pence, San Francisco I understand that point, but there are many ways to serve our country, and I think my skills are better suited for teaching and representing the U.S. in Latin America through UNICEF. I respect the men and women of our country who are over there fighting. It is an unbelievably selfless thing to do. But if people really thought about it, they would know it's not even a practical question.

WASHINGTON — Michael Anderson can recount his son's last moments on earth down to the second. He knows that the night before his son, Marine Cpl. Michael Anderson Jr. , died in the battle for Fallujah he slept in a 17-degree room on a piece of cardboard and that he shared his blanket and iPod with a friend. He knows that on Dec. 14, 2004 , his son and comrades shimmied down a rooftop to ambush a group of insurgents, opened the roof's hatch, threw in a grenade and listened for screams before heading inside. And he knows that the...