Free Republic

From a Constitutional and therefore conservative(as in modern conservatism) point of view, the 14th amendment is a fantastic bit of work. I don't bring this up too often, because the 14th amendment didn't become a weapon of progressivism until somewhere in the 1950's(and it is thus generally outside of the scope of my focus), but the 14th amendment takes plenty of attacks from many who are not actually attacking that amendment, but rather, the courts' misuse of it. But they don't know that, which is sad. Most conservatives, if they knew the timeline, would be ardent, ardent defenders of the...

The Anthony trial of 1873 helped answer the important question of whether women as "citizens" under the recently adopted Fourteenth Amendment were entitled, as one of the "privileges and immunities" that came with citizenship, to vote. The answer given by prim and conservative Justice Ward Hunt will surprise few, but the trial also shows Hunt with his hands full, not quite knowing how to shut up his feisty defendant. Read now about what "Aunt Susan" described in her diary as "the greatest outrage in judicial history!"

As NewsBuster Geoffrey Dickens has noted, Ben Affleck appeared on yesterday evening's edition of Hardball. And while it's true that the actor/director/Dem activist offered a generally innocuous analysis, he did manage to engage in a bit of religious bigotry. Affleck's foul foray arose in the course of his discussion of the way the various Republican candidates have dealt with the issue of evolution and creationism. Talk turned to the former governor of Arkansas. BEN AFFLECK: I think Huckabee actually framed his position in a much less dramatic way than had been made out. Which was he said it could...

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas urged college graduates who seek to "preserve liberty" to do so by fulfilling the duties of their daily vocations rather than attempting to achieve sweeping political goals. "At the risk of understating what is necessary to preserve liberty in our form of government, I think more and more that it depends on good citizens, discharging their daily duties in their daily obligations," Thomas said Saturday during a commencement address at Hillsdale College, a small liberal arts college in Michigan.

Demonstrating the broad appeal of his in-depth immigration plan released Sunday, Trump’s proposal has won the accolades of one of the nation’s leading experts on the H-1B visas program. The H-1B is a visa designed to provided corporations with cheaper and less experienced guest workers to fill technology jobs. Norm Matloff, a professor at UC Davis, has written extensively about H-1B visa abuses, and his work is widely cited in the H-1B reform community. Matloff, a self-described Democrat and “longtime admirer of Sen. Bernie Sanders, gave Donald Trump’s H-1B policy “an A+” and was pleased that the Republican frontrunner was...

ination to the Supreme Court made by President Barack Obama, the White House is surely gearing up for a strategic nomination and epic battle for the future of the highest court in the country. Obama needs to move forward quickly with a transformative nominee who stands a chance of success on Capitol Hill. Diane Humetewa, U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona is perhaps the most likely person to advance through Senate confirmation during Obama's final year in office. Nominating her would transform the federal judiciary, bring Native Americans into the highest echelons of political society, and actually stand...

"...Some of the last fireworks of the night came when Cruz attacked Trump's supposedly "very, very liberal" policies."Flexibility is a good thing, but you shouldn't be flexible on core principles," Cruz said. "I like Donald. He is an amazing entertainer. But his policies for most of his life..have been very, very liberal."Cruz continued:For most of his life, he has described himself as very pro-choice and as a supporter of partial-birth abortion. Right now today as a candidate, he supports federal taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood. I disagree with him on that."You are the single biggest liar," Trump shot back. "You...

I first met Sen. Marco Rubio at a Republican fundraiser in 2014 where he was the featured speaker."Hi, my name is Mark Thies", I said. "I'm an Engineering Professor at Clemson.""Engineers!", he said. "Boy, we sure need a lot more of them, don't we!"I shook my head in wonder at his comment. Indeed, if you get your news from the mainstream media you might think there's a big shortage of students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The truth, however, is quite different. For example, Clemson's engineering enrollment has reached almost 5,300 students - an 80 percent increase since 2008! In my...

The biggest problem with Rep. Paul's (R-Texas) latest comments on immigration is that they are NOT just some ad hoc thoughts tossed off carelessly at some speaking event. These are engraved in a brand new book. Until the release of the book, Liberty Defined, Dr. Paul had a mixed record in Congress and the fact that he had taken the NumbersUSA "No Amnesty" pledge at the end of his Presidential campaign in 2008. That had earned him a C-minus on our 2012 Presidential Hopefuls Immigration Stances Report Card. Not impressive, but the third best (behind Rep. Bachman with a B-minus...

Pointing to the effects of "horrible" super-PACs, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday said America needs to come up with a solution to keep big money out of politics. "Well, I think you need it, because I think PACs are a horrible thing," Trump said on CNN's "State of the Union" when asked if he would pursue campaign finance reform. The billionaire businessman, who said he is self-financing his campaign, said the wall separating super-PACs and candidates running for public office is illusory. "First of all, everyone's dealing with their PAC. You know, it's supposed to be like this...

The ultimate goal of the antigun movement is this: the universal elimination of civilian firearms’ ownership and possession. This is true and incontrovertible. Everything the antigun movement does is directed to the attainment of that goal. Nothing the antigun movement does diverges from the path to that goal. When asked to admit the truth of the assertion, the antigun movement, and its sounding board, the mainstream corporate media, will deny it, curtly and vehemently. But, the antigun movement’s actions belie its blunt denial. Realization of the movement’s goal amounts to de facto repeal of the fundamental right of the people...

San Francisco police officers are being asked to combat racism in the ranks and take a pledge to turn in colleagues displaying intolerant behavior, such as slurs and jokes targeting people of color, gays and women. The pledge is part of a broader public relations campaign by the embattled police department to repair frayed relations with minority neighborhoods and community activists. The campaign comes amid growing tensions between police and black communities that are shaking up departments across the country and have led to the dismissal of top brass in some cities, including Chicago. Politically progressive San Francisco is not...

Did you ever think you’d live to see anchor babies discussed on TV every night? H1-B visas replacing American workers? Illegal alien murderers? Mexican rapists? Could you ever have imagined that instead of Republicans weeping over illegal aliens “living in the shadows,” we’d see them assailing one another for having once supported amnesty? It’s all Trump. Everything we’ve been begging politicians to talk about for the past decade, Donald Trump has brought up with a roar. But the conservative Miss Grundys complain that Trump isn’t satisfactory. They say he’s “not a serious person”; he’s “a clown,” a “vulgarian”; he’s not...

"It's boring." Actress and star of the blockbuster Twilight movie series Kristin Stewart spoke with Variety magazine about the supposed gender gap in Hollywood's paycheck. "Instead of sitting around and complaining about that, do something," Stewart said. "Go write something, go do something." "And that's easy to say," she continued. "Like, ****, it's hard to get movies made. It's a huge luxury. Who gets to just make movies? But that subject is just so prevalently everywhere right now, and it's boring." "Guys make more money because their movies make more money," she added. "Let's start making more movies. It makes...

We, the grassroots activists of the National Black Republican Association, are pleased to announce our endorsement of Donald J. Trump for President of the United States of America. As citizens who happen to be black, we support Mr. Trump because he shares our values. We, like Mr. Trump, are fiscally conservative, steadfastly pro-life and believers in a small government that fosters freedom for individuals and businesses, so they can grow and become prosperous. We are deeply concerned about illegal immigration, a major cause of high black unemployment, especially among black youth. Black Americans across America are beginning to wake up...

"All Robert and I want is the freedom to peacefully live and work faithfully on our family farm and according to what God says about marriage without fear of government punishment. The America we love is one where we respect each other's differences, and the government still protects the freedom to have those differences. Others have the freedom to say or not say what they want to about marriage, and that's all we are asking for, as well." -Cynthia Gifford (New York)—[CBN News] A New York court has upheld a state decision to fine a farm couple for refusing to...

MONTGOMERY, Alabama, January 8, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – Alabama's top justice has ordered the state's judges to uphold the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment, despite the U.S. Supreme Court Obergefell v. Hodges decision last June redefining marriage. Chief Justice Roy Moore said probate judges have a ministerial duty not to issue marriage licenses in conflict with the state marriage amendment pending a decision from the Alabama Supreme Court. "Confusion and uncertainty exist among the probate judges of this State as to the effect of Obergefell on the 'existing orders' in API," Moore said in a January 6 administrative order. "Many probate judges...

As President Obama prepares to announce new executive actions on gun control Monday, a newly released Gallup Poll shows that "guns/gun control" ranked near the bottom of Americans' most pressing concerns in 2015. In fact, guns/gun control ranked 19th out of 23 top problems facing the country last year.

While trying to soothe feelings among Hispanics for use of the term “anchor babies,” former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida appears to have offended some in the Asian-American community. Mr. Bush said on Monday that it was “ludicrous” to suggest that he was using a slur to talk about Hispanics when discussing birthright citizenship. He went on to explain that he was largely referring to people from Asian countries who sneak into the United States planning to give birth. “No matter which ethnic group you’re referring to, ‘anchor babies’ is a slur that stigmatizes children from birth,” said Representative Judy...

Usually affirmative action diversicrats are sneaky enough to disguise their efforts to discriminate against targeted racial groups – almost always whites (because they are the majority) and Asians (because they study and work hard and achieve). They use code word language like “goals” and “diversity,” and avoid giving the impression that certain groups are ruled out from consideration. That’s what makes the honesty of a job posting at the state-funded University of Louisville so unusual.  Inside Higher Education (hat tip: Legal Insurrection) reports: can a department specifically reserve a position for an underrepresented minority candidate? That’s what some are...