Free Republic

A friend of mine recently was surprised when I told him that I am not voting Republican this fall. "You are one of the most conservative people I know," he said. "Exactly," I said, "and that is precisely why I am not voting Republican." For me, illegal immigration has been the final straw. And the GOP's recent decision to pull funding from Randy Graf's campaign shows the writing on the wall: CONSERVATIVES, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME IN THE GOP. Of course, the GOP will take conservatives' votes and money, but if a real conservative runs for office, he almost certainly...

VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez accused his American counterpart George W. Bush overnight of ordering his assassination for calling the US leader the devil during his speech at the United Nations this week. "The devil appears very sulphurous, and a few people say that he has given the order to kill me," Chavez said during a speech before scientists in western Venezuela. "Many concerned friends have called me, (saying) that because I said 'devil' over there (at the UN), they have sentenced me to die. They will not kill me, I have much faith in life," Mr Chavez added.

Why I am Not Voting Republican This Fall By William H. Calhoun on Sep 23, 2006 A friend of mine recently was surprised when I told him that I am not voting Republican this fall. “You are one of the most conservative people I know,” he said. "Exactly,” I said, “and that is precisely why I am not voting Republican.” For me, illegal immigration has been the final straw. And the GOP’s recent decision to pull funding from Randy Graf’s campaign shows the writing on the wall: CONSERVATIVES, YOU ARE NOT WELCOME IN THE GOP. Of course, the GOP will...

How did our country stray so far from the founding principles of limited government, states' rights, self-reliance and moral integrity? Most Americans blame it on Congress. Americans have little faith in members of Congress, but we keep re-electing our own congressman and senators, often with little or no serious thought on the matter. In 1994, after 40 years in the political wilderness, Republicans assumed control of Congress with the promise that they would get back to those founding principles. A few tried. Fewer are still trying, but we are torpedoing their efforts. Even if we are alert enough to know...

Remember the "Republican Revolution," remember "The Contract With America" of 1994? Newt Gingrich nationalized the congressional elections by appealing to Americans' distaste for Bill Clinton's fiscal and social liberalism and swung fifty-four seats from the jackasses' to the elephants' camp. Gingrich's young Turks were champing at the bit to finish the job Reagan had started. A dozen years later, the Republicans have made a farcical shambles of the Reagan revolution: The term limits they promised never seemed to materialize (they all voted for term limits, technically, by spreading their votes among a handful of competing bills, none of which conveniently...

Members of Meretz's youth movement protest outside vice premier's office after he signed Shas' petition against pride parade in Jerusalem. 'Israel is not Iran,' demonstrators chant The members of Meretz's youth movement and the Our Colors movement (Meretz's gay youth movement) protested Tuesday afternoon outside the office of Vice Premier Shimon Peres, chanting "Peres, Peres, don't worry, we will soon see you in drag," and "Peres, Peres is a loser, Israel is not Iran." The reason for their protest was the fact that Peres signed Shas' petition against the World Pride parade in Jerusalem. About 15 people participated in the...

I don't recall even being in a situation where the closer Election Day gets, the less likely I am to vote for the GOP nominee. Yet, that is where I find myself vis-a-vis Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'm one of many conservatives who voted for Arnold in the recall, despite my preference for Tom McClintock. I found the prospect of Cruz Bustamante in the governor's office horrifying and wasn't convinced McClintock could win. The stakes so too high I though it prudent to back the Republican with the best chance of winning, and so I cast my vote for Arnold. Like...

Open House: We'll stand up for right to hold gay parade Representatives of Open House in Jerusalem for Pride and Tolerance, organizers of next month's gay pride parade in Jerusalem, meet with minister for Jerusalem affairs to discuss holding of parade Representatives of the organization supporting gay rights and tolerance, The Open House in Jerusalem for Pride and Tolerance, met with Minister for Jerusalem Affairs MK Jacob Edery (Kadima) Wednesday afternoon, the organization told Ynet. In the meeting with the MK, the Open House representatives – the incoming Director-general Noa Satat, outgoing Director-general Hagai Elad, and acting Chairman Elena Kant...

Open House plans to hold World Pride parade on Septembers 21, but Jerusalem police announce they will not allow parade due to busy holiday season Only one day after the Open House for Pride and Tolerance announced that the World Pride parade would be held in Jerusalem on September 21, the Jerusalem police announced on Tuesday afternoon that they would not allow the parade to be held next month due to the busy holiday season. Police officials said that if other dates are provided, they would reexamine the decision. In the summer, the Open House members asked to hold the...

An Open Letter to President Bush Dear Mr. President There are times when tough things have to be said and this is one of them. I voted for you twice and for the first time in my life, I am sorry I did. Sir, you lied to us and let us all down. I have been a loyal conservative since the days of President Reagan. You sir are no conservative. In that day following 9/11, you tried to bring this country together to face and fight our enemy. You tried to heal the divisions that exist. Both attempts were a...

A major terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight has been disrupted by police, Scotland Yard says. It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on board aircraft in hand luggage. During the night, police arrested a number of people in London after a counter-terrorist operation they said had lasted several months. Police believe the attacks would have been particularly targeted at flights from the UK to the US. The Department for Transport said security at all UK airports has been increased. Passengers on all flights will not be allowed to take any hand luggage on...

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela will install an advanced air-defense system with anti-aircraft missiles capable of shooting down approaching enemy warplanes, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday. Chavez, who has repeatedly accused the United States of plotting to overthrow him, said the missiles would help defend the oil-rich country against any "aggression." "We're going to acquire the most modern anti-aircraft defense system," Chavez said during a televised speech in the coastal state of Falcon, where military planes and newly purchased Russian helicopters swooped overhead during a military parade. "We're going to armor Venezuela." He said the air defense system would protect...

President Bush's electronic surveillance program has been a festering sore on our body politic since it was publicly disclosed last December. Civil libertarians, myself included, have insisted that the program must be subject to judicial review to ensure compliance with the Fourth Amendment. The president has insisted that he was acting lawfully within his constitutional responsibilities. On its face, the program seems contrary to the plain text of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which regulates domestic national security wiretapping. The president argues, however, that his inherent constitutional powers supersede the statute. Without knowing the exact contours of the...

Dear Mr. President, Thank you for the letter you sent explaining the wonderful things the Republican party is doing for me and asking for money. A truely proper response would be too lengthy. As I wish not to take up too much of your valuable time, let me respond briefly and ennunciate the conditions under which the Republican party is eligible for what remains of my money. I will donate $250.00 to the Republican party upon verification of the following: 1. FairTax enacted and IRS disbanded. 2. Borders 100 percent secure, Illegals rounded up and sent packing, those who hire...

The Germans and Italians meet in Dortmund on Tuesday (2:55 p.m. ET, ESPN) to play for the right to go to the World Cup Final on Sunday. The loser will play in the third-place game Saturday against the losing team of the other semifinal to be held Wednesday.

Nation cringes as the worst president ever continues long, painful slog to the end - It is like some sort of virus. It is like some sort of weird and painful rash on your face that makes you embarrassed to walk out the door and so you sit there day after day, waiting for it to go away, slathering on ointment and Bactine and scotch. And yet still it lingers. Some days the pain is so searing and hot you want to cut off your own head with a nail file. Other days it is numb and pain-free and seemingly...

The World Cup is generating record television audiences for soccer in the U.S. But some diehard fans think the coverage deserves a red card. Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and ABC have been hit with complaints from soccer devotees that their telecasts are unsophisticated and mistake-ridden. The popular Web site Big Soccer has a thread titled "Pick your favorite insane thing said by the announcers so far."A major gripe: ESPN selected an announcer, Dave O'Brien, who had never called a soccer game before this year to serve as the tournament's lead play-by-play man. Some English-speaking viewers have switched to Spanish-language Univision,...

Penn, Sarandon Unite for Hunger Strike July 5, 2006 SEAN PENN, SUSAN SARANDON and WILLIE NELSON are just some of the big names who will be lending their support to anti-war activist CINDY SHEEHAN's hunger strike. Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed while serving in Iraq, began her "Troops Home Fast" protest outside the White House on Independence Day. Her plan is to abstain from eating and consume only water and juices throughout the summer. Penn, Sarandon and Nelson, meanwhile, will participate in a "rolling fast" along with actor DANNY GLOVER, author ALICE WALKER and nearly 3,000 activists nationwide. The...

IN MANY QUARTERS it has long been taken for granted that George W. Bush is an aspiring dictator, ravenous for power and all too willing to shred the constitutional checks and balances that restrain presidential authority. Of course this kind of paranoia is routine in the ideological fever swamps . But you can hear such things said about Bush even in respectable precincts far from the fringe.For example: When it was reported in May that the National Security Agency has been analyzing a vast database of domestic telephone records for possible counterterrorism leads, CNN's Jack Cafferty went ballistic. Thank goodness...

Portugal takes on France at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN) in Munich. Discuss.