Free Republic

Lisa Murkowski isn’t gunning down caribou on national TV like that other famous Alaskan, but the Republican lawmaker is going rogue in the Senate just weeks after staging the most stunning back-from-the-dead political win of the 2010 cycle. Murkowski is already showing a fierce independent streak, becoming the only Republican to cast votes for all four items on President Barack Obama’s wish list: a repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a tax cut compromise, the START treaty and cloture for the DREAM Act. The lame duck votes capped a strange political odyssey for the Alaska Republican — one that started...

Supporters of WikiLeaks around the world have downloaded a file the site calls an insurance policy, Palmer reported. The files are encrypted with a code so strong it's unbreakable, even by governments. If anything happens to Assange or the website, the plan was for a key to go out to unlock the files. There would theoretically be no way to stop the information from spreading like wildfire, because so many people already have copies. "What most folks are speculating is that the insurance file contains unreleased information that would be especially embarrassing to the U.S. government if it were released,"...

Rep. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, today will remove his name from Speaker Joe Straus’ list of supporters in the upcoming race for House speaker. Several House Republicans have announced this week that they no longer support Straus, who is facing challenges from fellow Republicans Ken Paxton of McKinney and Warren Chisum of Pampa. “After much thought, prayer and reflection on the priorities of my Denton County district and this historic Republican majority, I have decided today to formally withdraw my pledge to Speaker Joe Straus and offer my full support to Representative Ken Paxton,” Parker said. “Speaker Straus and I...

PLEASE sign this petition, and forward right away to ALL Texans on your Ping Lists and Email Address book: http://conservativespeakermandate.com/alt1 "The victory of nearly two dozen new conservative Republican legislators was a clarion call for conservative leadership in the Texas House – leadership that has been absent the past two years. A change to a more conservative Speaker is in order...."

This was a great Freep / Teaparty event! Freepers in attendance were: PuzzledInTX, JerseyDvl and myself (MeekOneGOP). Others may have been there, but I'm not sure who else at this time. Hopefully, any other Freeper attendees will post photos and comments on this thread shortly. Please come forward and do so! (Thanks!) The turnout was OVERWHELMINGLY Anti-Obamacare folks, for sure! The Pro-Obamacare goofs were very FEW in number. And we were MANY. I am not too good at estimating crowds, but would guess several hundreds of us to about 30 of them. I will post individual photos of folks in...

Frequently Asked Dead Presidents Questions Which Two Presidents Died On The Same Day?? I don't know why (maybe it's on a lesson plan for schools around the country) but this little question with a quick answer (and one that is quickly found in any ready reference) has been asked of me so often that I finally decided to list the answer here. The answer is John Adams (second President) and Thomas Jefferson (third President). These two men died on the same day. But that's not all; read on....The question with an even more interesting answer is, "On which day did...

The Most Interesting Man in the World Shares His Experience and Wisdom Nationally for the First TimeNew Dos Equis Ads to Air Nationally During Primetime Programming WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Dos Equis today announced that it is taking its iconic "The Most Interesting Man in the World" campaign to a national level. In 2009, Dos Equis will be premiering two new 30 second installments of The Most Interesting Man in the World's adventures and three 15 second spots that see him sharing more life wisdom with Dos Equis drinkers. Beginning today, spots featuring the Dos Equis...

Proof of lawful status now required for Texas driver licenses or identification cardsBeginning Oct. 1, the Department of Public Safety will require applicants who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States to present proof of their lawful status in the U.S. before they are issued an original, renewal or duplicate Texas driver license or identification card. Administrative rule 37 T.A.C. § 15.171 adopted on August 25, 2008, is intended to enhance the security of the Texas driver license and identification cards, protect the integrity of the licensing process and reduce the risk of identity theft...

Ex-Dallas Cowboy Hayes' Hall call is long overdue12:13 AM CST on Saturday, January 31, 2009 • E-mail TAMPA, Fla. – Bob Hayes, his body ravaged by disease, didn't know if he'd ever be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And if he did make it, Hayes wasn't sure he'd be alive to see the day. In 1999, he made an emotional October trip to Washington, D.C., to visit his older sister, Lucille Hester. In a hotel restaurant, they discussed a variety of subjects, including what he wanted her to say if his dream of getting into the Hall of...

Bush reviews unfinished business and his legacy11:37 PM CST on Saturday, January 10, 2009By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News tgillman@dallasnews.com WASHINGTON – Every president leaves unfinished business. For George W. Bush, the list includes two wars and the war on terror, saving Social Security, establishing an enduring Republican majority, and much, much more. In some cases, like immigration reform, he concedes tactical miscalculations. Mostly, though, Bush maintains that he did his best and did the right thing, even when it cost him. "I know this, that I never sold my soul for the sake of approval ratings,...

Craddick quits House speaker's race; Straus poised to take over08:55 AM CST on Monday, January 5, 2009By KAREN BROOKS and CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning Newskmbrooks@dallasnews.comchoppe@dallasnews.com AUSTIN – With a promise to end partisan clashes, newcomer and moderate Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio is poised to become the new Texas House speaker after toppling 40-year veteran Tom Craddick of Midland. In a meteoric rise, the two-term lawmaker won overwhelming support from 72 Democrats and 16 Republicans who said they were seeking a less combative atmosphere in the Capitol. Straus released a list Sunday night of 88 lawmakers –...

Holy Land Foundation case puts burden on Muslim charities07:53 PM CST on Saturday, January 3, 2009By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News jtrahan@dallasnews.com American Muslims are finding it more difficult to donate money to help Palestinian refugees and other Middle Eastern causes because of court decisions showing that some charities were using the money for terrorism. On Nov. 24, the formerly Richardson-based Holy Land Foundation and five of its organizers were found guilty in a Dallas federal court of sending millions of dollars to Palestinian charity committees controlled by banned group Hamas. A week later, the 7th U.S. Circuit...

Suspect in Dallas, Garland freeway shootings dies08:03 AM CST on Friday, December 26, 2008By RICHARD ABSHIRE / The Dallas Morning Newsrabshire@dallasnews.com A former Utah Highway patrol trooper suspected in a series of deadly roadside attacks in Dallas and Garland died Christmas Eve as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Brian G. Smith, 37, died Wednesday night at Parkland Memorial Hospital, said nursing supervisor Arthur Clarke. Family said Mr. Smith was taken off life support Tuesday evening. Garland police said Mr. Smith shot himself in the head hours after the freeway shootings, when officers, who knew he was wanted on...

<p>DALLAS — Darlie Routier, the suburban homemaker on death row following the fatal stabbings of her two young sons, will be allowed to have new forensic tests on evidence in the 12-year-old case.</p> <p>A federal judge in San Antonio granted testing a bloody sock with human hair that was found near the crime scene. The judge also gave permission to run four fingerprints through a national database and new analysis of a butcher knife presented at trial as the murder weapon and fibers from another knife. The decision signed Nov. 5 comes months after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals allowed for testing of some pubic and facial hairs.</p>

Oswald co-worker no longer silent about JFK assassination role01:56 AM CST on Sunday, November 16, 2008By HUGH AYNESWORTH / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News LEWISVILLE – Buell Frazier wants to tell it like it is – or was – on a very important day in U.S. history 45 years ago in Dallas. The quiet, thoughtful man of 64 is not as well-known as some of the others who skyrocketed to fame or infamy in November 1963. But Mr. Frazier played a defining, if unintentional, role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He drove Lee Harvey Oswald...

Obama must juggle high expectations, big challenges 11:59 PM CST on Saturday, November 8, 2008By GROMER JEFFERS JR., MICHAEL LINDENBERGER and DIANNE SOLÍS / The Dallas Morning News Barack Obama is going to fix the economy, provide health care to all Americans, win two wars, restore the country's standing abroad and put an end to centuries of racism. At least that's the hope of millions of voters who are looking to the president-elect to solve the nation's ills and improve their lots in life. Mr. Obama, who campaigned with soaring promises of change and hope, may carry a bigger burden...

It Ain't Over Till It's Over My take is that the MSM / Lamestream Media is out to suppress the GOP vote. They are WAAAAAAYYYY overpolling Democraps in their polls, IGNORING factual stories negative for Obama and doing EVERYTHING they can to SMEAR McCain and especially PALIN with their lies. I think this will blow up in their faces. When GOP voters see the tainted polls slanted to favor Socialist Obama, the GOP fence-sitters will crawl across broken glass to KEEP the Socialist Obama outta the White House !!! Here in Texas, the first day of Early Voting set...

Just made and uploaded this pic to my Photobucket this a.m.! My take is that the MSM / Lamestream Media is out to suppress the GOP vote. They are WAAAAAAYYYY overpolling Democraps in their polls, IGNORING factual stories negative for Obama and doing EVERYTHING they can to SMEAR McCain and especially PALIN with their lies. I think this will blow up in their faces. When GOP voters see the tainted polls slanted to favor Socialist Obama, the GOP fence-sitters will crawl across broken glass to KEEP the Socialist Obama outta the White House !!! Here in Texas, the first...

Analysts say McCain's 'socialism' claims may be a stretch12:25 AM CDT on Sunday, October 19, 2008By DAVE MICHAELS and TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning Newsdmichaels@dallasnews.comtgillman@dallasnews.com CONCORD, N.C. – As John McCain trails Barack Obama in swing states he needs to win to claim the presidency, his campaign has promoted the idea that his opponent's tax and health-care policies evoke socialism. The claim was made after Mr. Obama remarked in Ohio last week that he wanted to "spread the wealth around." But such comparisons to socialism gloss over important facts, analysts say. Both Mr. McCain and his running mate,...