Free Republic

Lady Justice has tossed aside her blindfold and tipped her scale. A border-crossing drug smuggler walks free while the officer who arrested him has been jailed. In the age of Obama, the law has been turned upside down. U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jesus E. Diaz Jr. is set to spend the next two years behind bars after being sentenced last month for what the Justice Department called deprivation of an illegal-immigrant suspect’s constitutional right to freedom from the use of unreasonable force. The unnamed Mexican suspect, who was 15 at the time of his arrest in 2008, received immunity from...

... Maybe there’s something else about Santorum that just rubs the average Republican the wrong way, or causes the average Republican to ignore him. ...

Sarah Palin will not run for president. She made the announcement in a letter to supporters Wednesday night. Read Palin’s letter here: October 5, 2011 Wasilla, Alaska After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order. My decision is based upon a review of what common sense...

Take it for what you will...posted on Mark's page just now: BREAKING: GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN TELLS MARK LEVIN SHE IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012.

Just a heads up.

(WARNING: The video on LGF goes to Soros Funded Think Progress. I didn't know why LGF linked to them at first, but I can't find the video anywhere else.)HUNTER: This is it folks. This is it. There is nothing after 2012. [...] I don’t care if it’s a more moderate/former liberal like Ronald Reagan, who would never be elected today in my opinion. If it’s someone like him or a hardcore conservative, you gotta elect the most winnable person this time. I know it sounds bad, but Congress makes the law. You’ve got a conservative Congress. You’re one third there....

By Associated Press, Updated: Wednesday, July 6, 2:34 PM SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has barred further enforcement of the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay service members. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Wednesday the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy must be immediately lifted now that the Obama administration says it’s unconstitutional to treat gay Americans differently under the law.

The Navy's weighing a decision to name a cargo ship now under construction after labor activist Cesar Chavez has drawn sharp criticism from one veteran lawmaker who says that a military war hero should receive the honor instead. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he understands the Navy's desire to honor Hispanic leaders, but the Navy may want to skip the politically divisive names and opt for an outstanding service member. "If this decision were about recognizing the Hispanic community's contribution to our nation, many other names come to mind, including Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael...

U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) disagrees with the Navy's decision to name a cargo ship under construction in San Diego for California farm labor leader Cesar Chavez. The decision, announced Tuesday, "appear[s] to be more about making a political statement than upholding the Navy's history and tradition," Hunter said in press release....

A House panel approved a defense bill early Thursday that would delay President Obama's new policy allowing gays to serve openly in the military and limit the commander in chief's authority on slashing the nation's nuclear arsenal. By a vote of 60-1, the House Armed Services Committee approved the broad, $553 billion defense blueprint that would provide a 1.6 percent increase in military pay, fund an array of aircraft, ships and submarines, slightly increase health care fees for working-age retirees and meet the Pentagon's request for an additional $118 billion to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The committee, on...

The question of which candidates get invited to the primary debates can be a tricky one. In any given year, the field of presidential candidates is vast. It includes many candidates who have never held office or who have almost no name recognition. It includes some serious candidates and likely frontrunners. And it includes a lot of candidates who fall somewhere between....

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) says he agrees with how President Obama has used the nation’s military to handle the crisis in Libya. In a phone interview with The Hill newspaper, Hunter defended Obama against critics on the right and the left who have questioned his decision to use force against Libyan strongman Moammer Qaddafi. “I agree with the president. I agree with what he’s done so far on his use of force. I agree on his timing. I agree on the fact that he went in with a coalition,” Hunter said. A former Marine captain who did combat tours in...

Any decision involving the commitment of American military personnel and combat resources is never easy. It requires as much personal reflection as it does strategic evaluation, all with the understanding of what is at stake and what is at risk. With Libya, it is improbable to think that the decision to create and enforce a no-fly zone was treated any differently. The president and his administration were confronted with a tough choice. Either avoid the fight altogether and watch a humanitarian crisis unfold, or stand with the international community to protect others and assist rebel elements that are outnumbered and...

U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) Tuesday introduced bipartisan legislation, the Unlawful Border Entry Prevention Act, to allow for additional infrastructure to be built along the Southwest border. The bill provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with full discretionary authority to build as much as 350 miles of additional infrastructure on the border. The legislation is co-sponsored by congressmen Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.), Vista’s Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.), Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Ted Poe (R-Texas). It follows a report by the Government Accountability Office, stating that only 44 percent of the Southwest border is under operation...

A bill introduced in Congress today could lead to an additional 350 miles of fencing along the southwest border and would require the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress when apprehension activity climbs 40 percent year over year, if it is approved. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, authored the bill, titled “Unlawful Border Entry Prevention Act,” in response to a Government Accountability Report that found 44 percent of the southwest border is under “operational control” and 15 percent is totally secure. The legislation is co-sponsored by Republicans Brian Bilbray, Solana Beach, Ed Royce, Fullerton, and Ted Poe, Texas, and...

March 7, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) recently introduced legislation aimed at curtailing what he views as frivolous lawsuits against small businesses that are allegedly in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The bill, entitled the ADA Notification Act, would provide businesses accused of an ADA violation with a 90-day grace period to make necessary modifications. “It’s bad enough that small businesses are facing enormous challenges due to the current economic downturn,” Rep. Hunter said in a press release. “What they don’t need to contend with are any other unnecessary obstacles that...

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A faster, high-tech seafaring tank for U.S. Marines has hit countless setbacks and cost overruns during the past two decades, and now it is one of the pricier items on the Defense Department's budget-cutting list. Even the Marine Corps' top brass agrees the estimated $12 billion program has to go. But that doesn't mean the debate is over. A group of Republican lawmakers is questioning the Marine Corps leadership's sudden change of heart over the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. Generals have long said the amphibious tank under development had come to symbolize the force's very identity and...

Reps. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), John Campbell (R-Calif.), and Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) have cosponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011 introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). All four Members signed onto the bill shortly after it was introduced in the 112th Congress. The bill currently has 56 cosponsors and amends current U.S. code to require at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident for a new born to receive automatic citizenship. The Fourteenth Amendment extends citizenship to all persons born in the U.S. and "subject to the jurisdiction"; it also grants Congress the...

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., says the Egyptian turmoil and the threat of rising tensions in the Mideast make it the wrong time for Congress to consider slashing the defense budget, despite calls from some of his GOP colleagues that cuts are needed to contain the soaring national debt. “I disagree with those in my own party who think that we have to cut duncan,hunter,defense,budgetdefense now for appearances’ sake, so that we seem like we are serious about taking on the national debt and the deficit,” Hunter – a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – said in an...

When the conversation about achieving budget savings within the Pentagon started gaining momentum about a year ago, there was no disagreement on the value of identifying efficiencies and redirecting dollars to modernization and development - where funding is needed most. The annual defense budget is by no means exempt from the spending debate, but Congress and the administration must exercise a certain degree of caution when agreeing to any cuts without first considering their implication. The renewed focus on finding budget savings and efficiencies is necessary and long overdue. For defense, the budget is not sacrosanct. It can be cut...

The repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy may hit a road block in Congress next week. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California, is drafting a bill that would change how - and possibly if - the repeal is implemented. The repeal law passed in December requires the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to certify that the military is ready for the change. Hunter's bill would require the four service chiefs to also sign off on the policy change. At a December hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Army, Marine Corps and...

A member of the House Armed Services Committee plans to introduce legislation next week designed to put the brakes on repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay troops. The measure by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) would add the four military service chiefs to the list of those who must sign off on repealing the policy before it can be officially scrapped. Hunter, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, is concerned that the bill passed in December repealing the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy “excluded the service chiefs from the certification process,” said one congressional aide. The repeal bill, signed...

Three San Diego-area U.S. congressmen have re-entered the Mount Soledad cross fray with a bill that would allow religious symbols to be a part of military monuments. On Wednesday Rep. Duncan Hunter of Alpine introduced the War Memorial Protection Act in response to the federal Ninth Circuit Court’s Jan. 4 ruling, declaring the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial unconstitutional. Joining Hunter as co-sponsors are Congressmen Brian Bilbray of Solana Beach and Darrell Issa of Vista. A cross was first erected atop Mt. Soledad in 1913. It wasn’t until the cross was rebuilt after a 1952 storm that it became a war...

LA JOLLA — Two San Diego County congressmen wrote a letter Thursday urging the Obama administration to “vigorously defend” the Mount Soledad war memorial in La Jolla in the wake of a court ruling that said the giant cross there is unconstitutional. The letter was signed by Republican Reps. Brian Bilbray of Solana Beach and Duncan Hunter of R-Alpine. It was sent to Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the latest ruling in the 20-year battle over the presence of the Latin...

Folks, please welcome back former Congressman Duncan L. Hunter to Free Republic. It has been three years since he last joined us for a live interview. Back then, he was in the midst of vying for the GOP nomination for the presidency. The GOP instead turned to a moderate in 2008, and as easily predicted, the Marxist is now in the Oval Office . Though he is not contemplating another run right now, at just 62 years of age, and being of a restless nature when it comes to promoting conservatism, he is not sitting quietly in retirement either. Aside...

When: Wednesday Jan 5. Time: 12:00 noon PDT (3:00 pm Eastern) You may recall, last time he was scheduled to come on live before Christmas, FR had some technical difficulties. This is the re-scheduled live cyber-interview event. Mr. Hunter will talk about his book, politics and answer some follow up questions you post. It'll be fun and informative, as it was last time he came by FR to say hello.

Duncan Hunter: His [Mitt Romney] company Bane Capital, is partnering with a Chinese company, a Chinese defense contractor, called the Wah-Way corporation, which helped Saddam Hussein set up his air defenses against American pilots, and Bane Capital is partnering with that outlawed Chinese defense contractor to buy an American defense contractor. You may know about that proposed deal, it's right now before the commitee on foreign investment... Duncan Hunter: I think its a security problem, and I think it is a real disservice to the two and a half million Americans. I think Mitt Romney is a no go for...

Over the last couple months I have been bringing books, two sackfuls at a time to Maxwell’s House Of Books in exchange for store credit. So far, my schlepping of about 70 books has yielded a credit of $38. Yesterday I gobbled up twenty of it so I could own a copy of Duncan L. Hunter‘s new book, Victory In Iraq: How America Won. Why? Because that’s a great title and because Hunter was going to be in La Mesa, at Maxwell’s signing copies. The photo above shows Hunter signing my actual book. After he signed it we chatted for...

I’m posting the interview I had been planning to excerpt from for a lead-in to today’s canceled “live FR cyber-interview” with former Congressman Hunter. Due to technical difficulties at the site this morning, we’ll have Hunter re-scheduled for sometime after Christmas. But he had a lot to say while we talked the other day as he drove a lonely stretch of freeway late at night in Texas, returning from a hunt. AJM: Hello Congressman. Let me ask a few questions about the book. When you come onto FR live, we obviously want to emphasis the book a little. And I’ll...

Actually, I think it's Obama's Net Neutrality scheme already being implemented that is to blame. FR has been slower than a Brett Favre 40 yard Dash. Between FR's doldrums and Hunter's typing skills, it will be a better use of an hour of the former Congressman's time (and our time) when JR finally beats back the special agents in the Matrix. We'll reschedule for another day, post-Navidad. He did say to tell JimRob and the Freeper faithful to have a 'MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS and thanks for what your do for the country' (I'll post an interview we did prepping...

Folks, please welcome back former Congressman Duncan L. Hunter to Free Republic tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec 22) at 9:30 am PDT. It has been three long years since he last joined us for an interview. Back then, he was in the midst of vying for the GOP nomination for the presidency. Though he was and remains a rock-ribbed conservative, the GOP money and the voters chose the path of moderation, as personified in John McCain. And we know how that turned out. This time, Hunter will not be in the running, but at just 62 years of age, and being of...

Washington DC – Immediately following a Department of Defense briefing for members of the House Armed Services Committee on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” report released today, Congressman Duncan Hunter, a Marine combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, reiterated his opposition to overturning current policy. “If anything, the survey results make a compelling case for keeping current policy in place and avoiding any type of distraction for our nation’s military and its combat mission,” said Congressman Hunter. “When breaking down the specifics, more respondents answered unfavorably or remain uncertain about a policy change than those who favor...

Retired Congressman Duncan Hunter released this statement today regarding this weekend’s critical votes in the United States Senate: The so-called DREAM Act does one thing – and that is it disserves the men and woman of our Border Patrol and our other border control agencies. It increases the magnet for illegal immigration into the United States. It is one more way of saying that if you get past the immigration officers, and you violate our laws and come into the United States, and you cut into the line in front of the people who are patiently waiting, you will be...

Citing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy governing homosexuals in the military, Senator Barbara "Don't call me Ma'am" Boxer (D-CA) recently compared the United States to Iran, North Korea, and Pakistan.According to an article at Fox News, the recently re-elected Senator from California said: “We now stand -- with this rule -- with countries like Iran, North Korea and Pakistan in banning gays and lesbians from military service ... Now our brave young men and women fight alongside allies like Australia, the United Kingdom and others who allow gays and lesbians to serve openly," she said. "Let's not stand with...

Since Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is apparently going to explore the possibility of running for president in 2008, I thought I'd dig up some of his roll call votes. Like most Republicans, he's strong on tax cuts, but he's been part of the big government spending spree of the last 6 years. He also has a protectionist streak in him. Here are some of the more troubling votes: NO on NAFTA YES on No Child Left Behind YES on Sarbanes-Oxley YES on the 2003 Medicare Drug Benefit NO on CAFTA YES on 2005 Highway Bill YES on the 527 bill...

As many of you know, Duncan Hunter was one of only 32 Republicans who voted in favor of the automaker bailout. Even 20 Democrats voted against it. While some folks may be surprised by that, it's actually fairly consistent with Hunter's overall track record on federal spending: "Given many, many chances to restrain the size and scope of the federal behemoth, Duncan Hunter all-too-often went the other direction." "Case in point : Duncan Hunter's 2007 Club for Growth rating was 26%." "He did receive an 82% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste in 2003, but the rest of the years,...

I need an Advil... [...] Maybe Huck promised him a Cabinet position. Nothing else makes sense.

8:30am Duncan Hunter, Author, “Victory in Iraq: How America Won” (Eastern Time)

WASHINGTON -- After researching the Iraq war in depth for the last few years, former House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter has a simple message for the American public: We won. Hunter, an Army veteran and a California Republican who served in the House of Representatives for 28 years, is releasing his book, “Victory in Iraq: How America Won,” later this month. The goal, he said, is to highlight the heroics of troops who served in the combat zone (the book includes interviews with more than 100 Silver Star recipients) but also to “set the record straight” on the legacy...

The true and detailed account of America's victory in Iraq. "As the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the House of Representatives for most of the Iraq War, Duncan Hunter not only participated in the major debates in Congress concerning the war. . .he led them. . .His work to provide equipment and force protection to our troops was unequaled. Hunter knows the story of the Iraq War from the inside like no one else. He provides a clear, accurate portrayal of the War, well researched and documented--superb, exciting reading. His detailed accounts of heroism bring to the front...

The United States Military has performed superbly in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating unprecedented courage and ingenuity in the war against islamic terrorists. A major characteristic of America's military is the bedrock of Judeo-Christian beliefs and heritage, which maintains unit cohesiveness, which in turn translates into combat effectiveness. Now, liberal extremists, backed by a single activist judge, a Clinton appointee, are trying to inject homosexuals into the ranks of America's fighting forces. This is something that our troops strongly object to. This is the same homosexual lobby which is attempting, through a judicial fiat, to undo what 31 States (out of...

In a shift in tactics, the U.S. military in Afghanistan plans to rely more on old-fashioned surveillance, as compared with new-age technology, to stop the biggest killer of American service members in the field. Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Marine Corps veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, said he was informed by the Pentagon in recent weeks that the command is building up a special task force to defeat improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Task Force ODIN (Observe, Detect, Identify, Neutralize) is designed to constantly watch troop and convoy routes to catch the enemy planting IEDs, which account for more than 50 percent...

A call to end automatic citizenship for the children of illegal immigrant parents is gaining momentum among leading Republicans in Congress, who recently called for hearings on the subject. Some North County congressional representatives, who are among the most vocal against illegal immigration, have pushed for the public debate, but the issue seldom received much attention from the party's leadership. Then last month, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wanted to have hearings, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he would like to propose a constitutional amendment to prevent illegal immigrants' children from being declared citizens. With a...

President Obama addressed America on August 3l, 20l0, as the 4th Stryker Brigade is making its way home from Iraq. The President marked the occasion by praising the troops, tossing a bouquet to former President George W. Bush, and announcing that he was "ending" the war. The President omitted an important word that describes the 7 year U.S. operation. The word is victory. We won. More than one million Americans have served in Iraq since the 1st Marine Division and 3rd Army Division breached the tank traps at the Iraq/Kuwait border in 2003. Victory in Iraq is undeniable. The Sunni...

This interview is part of an ongoing 2010 series of conversations with former Congressman and conservative icon Duncan Lee Hunter. Though he is in the final days of editing his new book on the Iraq War, he has been involved in a number of campaigns for conservative congressional candidates and is still keenly interested in getting his views out to the public. With any luck, Hunter will toss his hat back in the ring for the 2012 presidency, but for now he’s trying to reinvigorate the GOP with a return to Reaganism. AJM: Today is primary day for a couple...

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Pork Parade has another member, and he’s a chip off the ol’ block. Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-CA-52) has picked up where his father, former Congressman Duncan L. Hunter, left off. The freshman member is doing his best to bring home the bacon for some of his biggest campaign donors, one of which is a company founded by his uncle. At the same time, Congressman Hunter touts his commitment to cutting government spending on his own website. It seems the best way to maintain government funding is to donate to Mr. Hunter’s campaign. “The rotten apple doesn’t fall...

Oh, good grief!! This little piece of news gave me a nice laugh this morning. Two California Democrat candidates, Mike Benoit and Ray Lutz, have decided to starve themselves until Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) agrees to a debate with them! Politico reports: “My hope is that he holds out and doesn’t expire before October because that’s when we’re going to debate him, and we’ve told him that several times,” said Dave Gilliard, a spokesman for Hunter. So far, Lutz has had a rough ride: He’s missed 17 meals, lost 14 pounds, taken an enema to avoid toxic shock, talked to...

....two congressional hopefuls have gone on hunger strike to demand a debate with Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.). "The hunger has almost disappeared except when there's food around and TV ads and stuff. The Hometown Buffet commercial is one of the worst. They are an all-you-can-eat buffet," said Mike Benoit, the libertarian candidate in the three-way race. The strike started with Democrat Ray Lutz, who said he got the idea from former California Rep. Jim Bates. Benoit immediately joined in. The pair are on their fifth day of a hunger strike they started at sundown on Aug. 12. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41193.html#ixzz0wxccdx3P

August 12, 2010 (El Cajon) – In the 52nd Congressional District, Democratic candidate Ray Lutz is dishing up a new campaign tactic: a hunger strike. He hopes to convince Rep. Duncan D. Hunter to participate in a series of debates before absentee voting by mail begins. “Until Hunter steps up to the plate, I’ll be stepping away from the dinner plate,” Lutz said in a press release. He added, “Starting this Thursday, August 12, I will refuse to eat until he agrees to debate. I hope my sacrifice will make him realize the community expects him to take their issues...

AJM: Got time for a couple of questions, Congressman? DH: Sure, go ahead. I’m just writing away, trying to finish up this book. AJM: I’m glad you’re writing it. I’m looking forward to reading it. Did you find that 2007 Odierno press briefing you were looking for? DH: Yeah, on June 15th, 2007 is when we really went after al Qaeda, and the kill rate, or the attack rate in Iraq dropped off the cliff. And that’s why when Petraeus testified on September 7th, the Dems were out of ammo. I mean, if you look at the statements made by...