Free Republic

I will not go quietly. I have not forgotten, nor will I abandon, the values of freedom and self reliance instilled in me, nor will I hush my voice. Socialism be forewarned, I am not going away I published and emailed a short letter the day following the election of Barack Obama for a second term in 2012 in answer to a friend’s question, “What do we do now?” A few asked me if I was going to give up up my fight to help save our Constitutional Republic. Needless to say, I was saddened and very disheartened. I still...

While all three GOP-backed members voted against restrictions, they were opposed by the three Democratic-backed members, including FEC Vice Chair Ann M. Ravel, who said she will lead a push next year to try to come up with new rules government political speech on the Internet.

Next Monday, October 27 marks the 50th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s iconic “Time For Choosing” speech. It was a speech that sparked the modern Conservative Movement, ignited a fire in the hearts of conservatives, and launched Ronald Reagan’s public policy career. This week as part of a year-long “Time for Choosing: The Next Generation” initiative, Young America’s Foundation is releasing a series of videos in conjunction with the anniversary of this significant speech. The fourth video focuses on the private sector. Ronald Reagan understood the evils of communism and socialist policies. He knew by diminishing the role of the private...

These Four Walls A little bird dropped a News item in my lap the other day; with the cacophony of anti-gun rhetoric driving emotional responses on all sides, I found it impossible to not see the irony juxtaposed with current events. It’s no secret that those who promote obtuse gun control want a range of controls in place to prevent the mentally-ill from acquiring weapons to facilitate violent tendencies; aside from the patently obvious objections to the rhetoric, my objection here is the widening definition of mentally-ill and its application. Suggesting that medical doctors may serve as officers of this encroachment is...

Former Clinton Administration Labor Secretary Robert Reich recently called on the government to force young people to spend two years either "serving" in the military or performing some other type of government-directed "community service." Neoconservative Senator John McCain has introduced legislation creating a mandatory national service program very similar to Reich's proposal. It is not surprising that both a prominent progressive and a leading neocon would support mandatory national service, as this is an issue that has long united authoritarians on the left and right. Proponents of national service claim that young people have a moral obligation to give something...

People say America is one of the most religious countries in the world. But is it religious in the way that you think it is? You’re bound to learn something new in this list:

Powers to amend seven different articles under the constitution, including freedom of movement, speech, religion, confiscation of private property, and elections Last week on October 7, it was reported that Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, asked for more emergency powers to help contain and prevent the current Ebola crisis. Liberia is already under a state of emergency and curfew, which began in August. But according to VOA News: “In a letter to the Plenary of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Sirleaf asked for powers to amend seven different articles under the constitution, including freedom of movement, speech, religion,...

90 Percent of Checkout Food Options Unhealthy; 60 Percent of Drink Options Sugar-Sweetened A study of checkout aisles at a wide variety of supermarket and non-food retailers found that 90 percent of food options for sale were for candy, energy bars, chips, cookies, and other junk foods, and 60 percent of the beverage options were for soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. Researchers at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public characterized only eight percent of food items as "healthier," and just two percent of foods as actually "healthy," such as nuts and fruit. Their assessment of drinks for sale...

<p>That’s the bottom line of a harshly-worded letter written by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to Houston City Attorney David Feldman.</p> <p>Feldman’s office sent subpoenas to five Houston pastors last month demanding that they turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality and gender identity issues. They also wanted sermons or correspondence that referenced Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor.</p>

Earlier this week, FBI Director James Comey gave an interview to “60 Minutes” during which he revealed a flawed understanding of personal freedom. He rightly distinguished what FBI agents do in their investigations of federal crimes from what the NSA does in its intelligence gathering, when the two federal agencies are looking for non-public data. The FBI requires, Comey correctly asserted, articulable suspicion to commence an investigation and probable cause to obtain a search warrant. It does this because its agents have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution, and their failure to comply with that oath may very well...

A meal in the White House mess before taping the “Between Two Ferns” episode credited with boosting enrollment in ObamaCare, gave comedian Zach Galifianakis the idea for a new nickname for President Obama. “Before we went to interview the president, I ate in the White House with his staff - you know, young, six to eight of them. There’s a restaurant in the White House,” Galifianakis said during an appearance on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” “You don’t have to pay, but there’s a dessert menu,” the comedian continued. “And on the dessert menu, there’s something called Chocolate Freedom.”...

The city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, punished one of its own veteran police commanders for his refusal to attend a Muslim religious service being held at a mosque he said practiced radical Islamic dogma, according to court records. He also "dared" to refuse to order his officers to visit a mosque he alleges has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

We must react as concerned, committed, and compassionate people who have the facts, rather than as people have historically reacted in times of distress, disease, and death If the Ebola virus disease (EVD) explodes across America we can expect many oppressive but necessary laws to be passed. There will be limitations on personal liberty, but hopefully lawmakers will think these issues through, debate them, and implement only those most necessary. Reasonable people will argue that, in times of emergency, extreme measures must be taken for everyone’s good; however, there is always a problem. When extreme measures are taken “for the...

A widely read study of economic freedom in the world has America ranked 12th out of 152 countries measured. As recently as 2000, we were 2nd.The biggest reason for our decline has been a drift away from the rule of law. Breitabart: A new report of "economic freedom" around the world finds the US ranked 12th among 152 countries, tied with the United Kingdom, and lower than neighbor Canada or Australia. The index, published by the Cato Institute and Canada's Fraser Institute, has been published since 1996. As recently as 2000, the US ranked 2nd in the world, in terms...

A new report of "economic freedom" around the world finds the US ranked 12th among 152 countries, tied with the United Kingdom, and lower than neighbor Canada or Australia. The index, published by the Cato Institute and Canada's Fraser Institute, has been published since 1996. As recently as 2000, the US ranked 2nd in the world, in terms of boasting a free economy. The US's declining ranking will lower future economic growth.

A bipartisan group of senators from across the political spectrum—from Elizabeth Warren and Patrick J. Leahy to Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio—wants President Barack Obama to speak out and act to support Hong Kong’s democracy movement.They don’t specify exactly what they want Obama to do—they say “demonstrable, meaningful steps”—but note that a 1992 law “authorizes you to suspend trade and economic provisions should Beijing not provide sufficient autonomy for Hong Kong.”Leahy, the Vermont Democrat who is president pro tempore and Judiciary chairman, leads the letter with Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Rubio.“The people of Hong Kong have sent a strong...

There was a time, not so long ago, when the United States was considered the world standard for economic freedom. Yes, there were countries out there, like Hong Kong and Singapore, that might have had lower taxes or fewer regulations. But the world could still speak confidently of the American free-enterprise system. No longer. This week, a consortium of think tanks from almost 90 countries released their Economic Freedom of the World Report. The USA is no longer among the top ten countries when it comes to size of government, rule of law and property rights, soundness of the money...

Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) sued the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, intensifying its battle with federal agencies as the Internet industry's self-described champion of free speech seeks the right to reveal the extent of U.S. government surveillance. The lawsuit, which Twitter said follows months of fruitless negotiations with the government, marks an escalation in the Internet industry's battle over government gag orders on the nature and number of requests for private user information.

Outright tyranny, the loss of our freedoms, and a totalitarian regime the likes of which the world has never seen before. “Let your motto be resistance! resistance! Resistance! No oppressed people have ever secured their liberty without resistance.”—Abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet The perils of resisting the police state grow more costly with each passing day, especially if you hope to escape with your life and property intact. The thing you must remember is that we’ve entered an age of militarized police in which we’re no longer viewed as civilians but as enemy combatants. Take, for example, Mary Elizabeth VandenBerg who...

To see how the politics of gay marriage has changed in this country in 11 years, revisit this Nov. 19, 2003 New York Times piece after the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the state: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay denounced what he said was a “runaway judiciary”; the Republican National Committee said the decision “could be an issue” in the upcoming presidential contest; and an aide to a Democratic presidential candidate predicted the subject “is going to come up again and again.” And, well, in 2004, a strong argument can be made....