Free Republic

HassanAs Iranian and American chief diplomats continue to meet to find ways to speed up nuclear negotiations and strike a final nuclear deal that would lead to the removal of all international sanctions on the ruling clerics, the Obama administration persists in ignoring the recent revelations about the Islamic Republic and its covert operations in the region.

Up to 10,000 Syrian refugees, most of them Muslims, will be resettled in cities throughout the U.S. in 2015, with that figure expected to surge to near 75,000 over the next five years. While some of the planned destinations for these refugees are starting to leak out, the big question is: where will they be going? The U.S. State Department does not announce where it plans to send foreign refugees for resettlement within the United States, although the locations do eventually show up in a government database some weeks after they arrive in their host cities. Word of their anticipated...

When professors do pay attention to religion, they usually get it wrong. “Conservatives would rather have [social welfare] provided by religious organizations, which is incompatible with other aspects of Catholic social teaching,” Robin Sowards, an adjunct professor at Duquesne University told an audience at the Modern Language Association (MLA) convention in Vancouver, Canada. Here are a few highlights from the history of Catholic Charities: October 24, 1727—“Ursuline sisters arrive from France to open an orphanage, school for street girls, and health facility in New Orleans. It is the first formal Catholic charity in the present United States.” January 1, 1845—“The...

A larger number of Americans oppose President Obama’s executive actions on immigration than support it, according to a new survey. Among blue-collar workers, the opposition is even more stark. A new poll conducted by Paragon Insights finds that 58 percent of registered voters oppose the president’s actions to block the deportation of up to 4 million immigrants in the country illegally, compared with 36 percent who support it. As the pollster notes, the question does not mention the White House’s decision to bypass Congress, but solely focuses on the president’s policy by asking, “Do you support or oppose Obama’s...

At a time when many potential 2016 presidential contenders appear to be starting the ignition of their campaigns, Hillary Clinton has pressed the brake pedal. Or so it seems. Clinton’s calendar, which was jam-packed throughout most of last year with paid speeches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, book tour stops, campaign appearances and official Clinton Foundation business, is now virtually empty. (SNIP) At a time when many potential 2016 presidential contenders appear to be starting the ignition of their campaigns, Hillary Clinton has pressed the brake pedal. Or so it seems. Clinton’s calendar, which was jam-packed throughout most of last year with...

This is one of those odd Obama moments the mainstream media is almost certain to ignore — a moment that some in the Obama-supporting press will see as trivial, while others might consider it too hot to touch. The Washington Times reports that during a speech in New Delhi, India, President Obama himself — without any questioning or prompting — raised the issue of whether he is secretly a Muslim and not a Christian. Obama was speaking on the subject of religious inclusion and equality: “…the president said India must learn to treat both women and religious minorities equally. India...

Media Yawn at Obama and Biden Snubbing Auschwitz Anniversary; Mocked Cheney’s Appearance in 2005 By Curtis Houck | January 28, 2015 Tuesday marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and, naturally, the event attracted plenty of media coverage. In addition to each of the three major networks devoting segments to it on their evening newscasts, the Associated Press, The New York Times, and The Washington Post and published stories on the topic. Over on cable, CNN covered it multiple times throughout the day for a total of 10 minutes and 27 seconds worth of airtime. At the other...

The $US90 trillion cities proposal came from former vice president Al Gore and former president of Mexico Felipe Calderon, and their colleagues on the The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. That group hopes to persuade the world’s leaders to do something about humanity’s suicidal effort to heat the Earth’s climate. Part of fighting climate change will mean redesigning, or building anew, towns and cities without cars, Calderon says.

This is National School Choice Week, but I want to talk about parents’ school testing choice. Moms and dads, you have the inherent right and responsibility to protect your children. You can choose to refuse the top-down Common Core racket of costly standardized tests of dubious academic value, reliability and validity. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I’m reminding you of your right to choose because the spring season of testing tyranny is about to hit the fan. Do you object to the time being taken away from your kids’ classroom learning? Are you alarmed by the intrusive data-sharing and...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, announced Tuesday it would back legal efforts to protect LGBT people from discrimination along with religious freedom protections. This middle ground approach is consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ, church leaders said. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, called the effort "well-intentioned but naive." LDS leaders acknowledged that the LGBT community has faced discrimination and violence against them. LGBT people should be protected from discrimination in housing, employment and other places where discrimination exists, they said, but religious...

Here’s a refreshing change of pace for you. Normally when we have to talk about politicians caving in on a position they’ve staked out, it winds up being the Republicans. This week, however, the collapse took place in the White House. Barack Obama had been pushing for what amounted to another tax increase by eliminating the 529 college savings program whereby parents could set aside pretax money for their kids’ education and not pay taxes on it upon withdrawal provided the money was used to pay for tuition. But in the face of bipartisan opposition and negative feedback from...

The latest data on Obamacare analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office shows that 10 million Americans are likely to lose their employer-based insurance by 2021 as companies dump their workers onto the Obamacare exchanges. That's 10 times the number originally projected by the CBO. About 1 of every 16 workers will be affected. The latest CBO report has not garnered a lot of attention, even though it contains the modestly good news that Obamacare is not costing as much as the CBO thought it would in 2010. That said, another reason the left and the administration may not be touting...

Recently Fox News apologized for referring to several areas in Europe as “no-go zones.” The apology followed an interview with Steven Emerson, Executive Director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, who incorrectly claimed Birmingham, England was a Muslim city. The apology claimed the “no-go zone” statement was also incorrect. Julie Banderas asserted, “we have made some regrettable errors on air regarding the Muslim population in Europe, particularly with regard to England and France. To be clear, there is no formal designation of these zones in either country and no credible information to support the assertion there are specific areas in...

The Graduate Center of the City University of New York issued a memo advising staff not to address any students as “Mr., Mrs. or Ms.” beginning this spring because some could find it disrespectful. The policy is intended to “ensure a respectful, welcoming and gender-inclusive learning environment . . . and to accommodate properly the diverse population of current and prospective students,” according to the memo, signed by interim provost Louise Lennihan. School spokeswoman (wait – can I call her that?) Tanya Domi said the initiative was also part of the school’s “working within a regulatory framework to comply with...

More than half of American teachers support school choice, A Democratic pollster said at the National Press Club on January 22, 2015. “Fifty-five percent of teachers support the concept of school choice,” Debbie Beck said. Beck’s previous clients have included the National Education Association (NEA). “The 2014 election shows that nearly every candidate who campaigned on school choice won,” Kevin Chavous, a former Democratic councilman from Washington, D. C., said at the same event. “Teacher’s unions spent at least $80 million in 2014 to express opposition to candidates supportive of such education reforms—and lost nearly every race,” according to the...

By the time you read this, director Clint Eastwood’s blockbuster about the late warrior Chris Kyle will have become the top-grossing war-themed film of all time in North America. And that box office success has exposed the stark contrast between an American audience starved for patriotic Hollywood fare on the one hand, and a radical left viciously trying to maintain control of their narrative on the other.

The Obama administration has ordered immigration agents to ask immigrants they encounter living in the country illegally whether they might qualify under President Barack Obama's plans to avoid deporting them, according to internal training materials obtained by The Associated Press. Agents also have been told to review government files to identify any jailed immigrants they might be able to release under the program.

....In a country that demands women adhere to a strict dress code in public (face and hair covered, and long, flowing robes), Obama went with a flowing blue top, black pants and no head covering..... .....Obama does not make fashion choices lightly, particularly on the world stage. Her fashion choice comes as the late Saudi King Abdullah's legacy on women is considered in light of the ascension of Crown Prince Salman to the throne. It's also a more social-media-friendly version of political messages delivered overtly by other first ladies.

Waiting lists are one sign of the desirability of school choice. Graduation rates are another, and they seem to rise in tandem. In Washington, D.C., the “waiting list for students in the DC area for charter schools was 20,000 students,” first-term U.S. Senator Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, pointed out in some brief remarks to kick off National School Choice Week at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He compared D.C. public schools to charter schools in the nation’s capital: “About 56% of students graduate [from DCPS]. When you go to an Opportunity Scholarship Program [OSP, also known as a charter school]...

Legal Marijuana Blooms into the Fastest-Growing Industry in America Back in 1938, Popular Mechanics ran an article about how cannabis (specifically, hemp) was the new "billion dollar crop." It may have taken nearly eight decades, but according to a report released this week, the legal cannabis industry is now worth well over twice that. The report by ArcView Market Research, the research arm of cannabis-focused angel investor network The ArcView Group, finds that the U.S. cannabis industry has a value of $2.7 billion. That's a 74 percent increase from 2013, making it the fastest-growing industry in the country. If all...