Free Republic

The global warming fear mongers are at it again. Twice recently they’ve been caught in the act-- not only are they lying, they're so desperate that they're starting to look ridiculous. “Three years of observations show that the Antarctic ice sheet is now losing 159 billion tonnes of ice each year,” reports the UK’s University of Leeds, “twice as much as when it was last surveyed. A team of scientists from the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, led by researchers at the University of Leeds, have produced the first complete assessment of Antarctic ice sheet elevation change.” Like...

Kristen Bell. You were so great as sassy, wisecracking teen detective in Veronica Mars. And I teared up right along with you about sloths on the Ellen Show. But while your Mary Poppins spoof to pump up support for raising the minimum wage was definitely cute and well-produced, it was a little fact-challenged. Bell’s argument, made in rhyme, boils down to: raise the minimum wage three bucks to bump all workers over the poverty line. Seems simple, doesn’t it? And appealing. Who doesn’t want fewer people living in poverty? Who could object to a “living wage?” But in politics, the...

America is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. But as we become bogged down in our many problems, I see, unfortunately, a mentality in which we are becoming increasingly a nation of the unfree – the victim – and the timid, in how we’re approaching these challenges. Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman wrote a column this week drawing attention to the latest dire projections from the Congressional Budget Office. CBO projects the nation sinking deeper and deeper into an ocean of red ink. Under a business-as-usual scenario, the Senator notes, we’ll pile...

Perfect candor wasn't Richard Nixon's strong suit. But he spoke the gospel truth when he described himself as "an introvert in an extrovert's profession." He was one of the most successful political campaigners of the 20th century: winning election to both houses of Congress, serving two terms as Dwight Eisenhower's vice president, and twice winning the White House in his own right — the second time by a 49-state landslide. Nixon spent decades in the public eye, and was indefatigable in pursuit of votes. Yet rarely has a politician seemed less suited for the political life. When he resigned the...

Here's the question, not of the day, but of the month: Who's Winning the War in Ukraine? That may sound like a simple question, but it isn't. That question leads to a second question "In whose eyes?" It also depends on the definition of "war". And it also depends on the definition of "win". And finally it depends on which media source you believe. Military Aspect From a military aspect, I have seen reports from both sides. The Western media portrays Ukraine on the march with the rebels surrounded, and losing ground. Is that accurate reporting? I will let you...

The state of Arizona executed double murderer Joseph Wood this week. The convicted killer was injected with a combination of lethal drugs that eventually caused his death; however, it took too long according to some observers. After being administered the drugs, Wood lingered for almost two hours before dying. Witnesses included reporter Troy Hayden who said the execution was “botched” and that Wood’s last words were similar to “a fish on shore gulping for air.” While Hayden complained that the execution was “very disturbing to watch,” U.S. Senator John McCain noted that it was “terrible” and amounted to “torture.” During...

You won’t know whether to laugh or cry after perusing these stories that will be added to our “great moments in government” collection. For instance, did you realize that American taxpayers were saddled with the responsibility to micro-manage agriculture in Afghanistan? You’re probably surprised the answer is yes. But I bet you’re not surprised that the money was flushed down a toilet. Here are some excerpts from a report on how $34 million was wasted. American agricultural experts who consider soybeans a superfood…have invested tens of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to try to change the way Afghans eat. The...

Here are Professor Peter Morici's forecasts for upcoming economic data. Forecast Prior Observation Consensus Week of July 28 July 28 Pending Home Sale Index - June 103.3 103.9 104.2 Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index 13.0 11.4 12.0 July 29 S&P Case/Shiller Index - May Twenty City Y/Y 9.9 10.8 9.9 Consumer Confidence - July 85.5 85.2 85.5 July 30 ADP Employment Report - July 236K 281 235 GDP - Q2 (a) 2.7% -1.0 3.1 GDP Implicit Price Deflator 1.8 1.3 2.0 July 31 Initial Unemployment Claims 300K 284 305 Employment Cost Index - Q2 0.5% 0.3 0.5 Employment Cost Index -...

Just for once, wouldn't it be great if President Obama actually defended American business, instead of attacking it? Just once?Wouldn't it be great if Obama acknowledged that U.S. firms are overburdened by the highest corporate tax rate among developed countries, and as a result are becoming less and less competitive? Wouldn't it be great if he said he wants to fix this tax imbalance in order to grow the economy faster and give U.S. businesses a leg up on the global scene? Couldn't he just say that? He could say it like this: "Look, I don't want to drive businesses...

The world is a hot mess. Pro-Russian separatists shot down a passenger jet over Ukraine. Iraq is under siege from Islamic radicals, the Taliban is rebounding in Afghanistan and civil war grinds on in Syria. Israel is fighting in Gaza. Negotiations on Iran's nuclear program have come up empty. China is bullying its neighbors. When trouble flares up around the world, U.S. presidents get blamed. The latest polls show that only about 36 percent of Americans approve of Barack Obama's handling of foreign affairs -- down from 51 percent in May, 2011, after the death of Osama bin Laden. Republicans...

Are you ready to take a little test? I’m going to ask a series of short, informational questions followed by one philosophical question, so the test is in two parts. Part One: Informational Who said this and when did he or she say it? Quote: “I remain opposed to same-sex marriage. I believe marriage is an institution for the union of a man and a woman. This has been my long-standing position, and it is not being reviewed or reconsidered.” Answer: That was former President Bill Clinton in an interview with the flagship gay publication The Advocate in 1996. Quote:...

Any parent who tells you that they have never struggled with a child most likely is playing a little loose with the truth. Every family I have ever encountered, no matter how strong or faith committed, has had a challenge that has tested their resolve -- with most surviving the test. Then there are those who have to live through unimaginable tests of character. Bret Baier was floating through life on a trajectory that few ever experience. His career was reaching an apex: he was on a path to be named as anchor of Fox News’ Special Report. He had...

The FBI's motto is "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity." But given the FBI sting against Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow -- a convicted felon who was freed from prison in 2003 because the feds got him to testify against a confederate -- I suspect that a more apt motto might be "Fuggedaboutit." On Thursday, San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phil Matier and Andy Ross identified San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee as another public figure who was drawn dangerously close to the FBI's "Shrimp Boy" trap. According to their report, FBI operatives donated $20,000 to Hizzoner's 2011 mayoral campaign. Likewise, agents reportedly tried to cozy...

Back in January, Nancy Pelosi had an infamous interview with Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” that crystalizes what the 2014 election – just 100 days from today – is really all about. Pressed on the problems with the rollout of ObamaCare, Stewart asked Pelosi whether Democrats needed to make a stronger case for the “competence of government” if they were going to try to pass large, expansive programs. “Why is it so hard to get a company to execute that competently?” Stewart said of the ObamaCare website. Stunned, Pelosi responded simply: “I don’t know.” “What do you mean...

You gotta love the Left. They sure know how to make the people who don’t drink their Kool-Aid look like el Diablo’s nasty sister. For instance: 1. If you believe that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, then, according to them, you want to stone Elton John in a caliche pit and feed his gelatinous carcass to buzzards; and then use his cd’s for a heterosexual clay pigeon shoot. 2. If you think folks should have a legit ID before they vote, then you’d probably like to see slavery re-instated and you think Rosa Parks was...

Swift Boat Captn wrote: And things were so great before Obama took over. Let's go back to the Chimp's economy that he started by turning surpluses into deficits then finished by losing 800,000 jobs per month and Wall Street on the brink of extinction. - This Won’t End End Well: Obama Giveth X and Taketh Away 7.6 Percent More Dear Comrade Kerry, In February 2007, when the terrible, evil George W. Bush was president, there were 2,427,000 more jobs than there are today. In February 2007, when the terrible, evil George W. Bush was president, there were 5,167,000 fewer unemployed....

Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? It’s meaningless now. Sticks and stones still break your bones, but the names have become a hate crime, which now is worse than actually hitting someone with sticks, stones or just about anything else. The First Amendment protects you from government limiting the things you say, but progressives have sidestepped government to essentially render free speech irrelevant…unless you think like they do. I’ve written before about the Outrage Industrial Complex, the industry spawned by the professional victimhood class ready to be offended on...

Conservatism is the Ramones at CBGB – loud, fast and alive. In contrast, liberalism is the headliner at a state fair concert. It’s Foghat, serenading its anesthetized fans as America slow rides into decline. Back in the 70s, the Ramones put a steel-toed boot into the behind of a fat, flabby rock 'n roll world that has lost its way. That's what conservatives are doing today to American politics and culture. And the dinosaur rockers of the status quo hate it. But some things have changed. Back in the 70’s, it was alienated young people leading the way, yet today’s...

In his two presidential terms combined, President George W. Bush hosted a total of 318 fundraisers. Our current president, however, has already surpassed that number just two years into his second term. Most frustratingly, they often seem to come when we most need leadership from the commander-in-chief. The turmoil between Israel and Hamas rages on and the downing of a Malaysian Airlines flight which took almost 300 lives has left nations in mourning. Yet, in the midst of these tragedies, Obama decided to attend another fundraiser. Five, actually: Obama on Tuesday was starting a three-day West Coast trip, scheduled to...

A bill to permit the practice of "unlocking" a cell phone--meaning a consumer could use the same phone on different carriers--was passed by the House of Representatives yesterday and is expected to be signed into law by President Obama. The Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act passed with wide bipartisan support and was sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) in the House and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in the Senate. Unlocking a phone without the wireless carrier's permission was legal in the U.S. until a 2012 decision by the U.S. Copyright Office. That decision resulted in a grassroots campaign...