http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/government-news/ en-us Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:20:00 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051394/posts (The Politico) On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the Washington press corps for failing to report what he believes is unprecedented Republican obstruction. So Friday afternoon, Reid reached out to the liberal blogosphere. "You need to keep doing the job you're doing, but you need to move on," Reid said in a Webcast hosted by a handful of progressive bloggers. "We need your help to push back against the Republican harangue ... that we're not allowing votes" on oil drilling amendments. The Webcast was hosted by meetthebloggers and included bloggers from HuffingtonPost, OpenLeft and thesmogblog.com. Reid seemed flustered... CBS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051394/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:20:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051402/posts Welcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Will we hear… Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051402/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:27:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051390/posts Obama’s behavior toward American troops in Germany was so egregious, even the New York Times this morning is picking up the story. The Times writes, “It wasn’t perfectly clear whether the Pentagon asked the Obama campaign to cancel the trip outright or the campaign decided on its own -- after quiet pressure from military officials -- that a political trip to the base was inappropriate.” “The trip” was a scheduled trip to visit American troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, one of the world’s largest military hospitals. Initially, Obama claimed it would be inappropriate because he was in... humanevents.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051390/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:11:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051384/posts (Seventh in a series of ten. For other articles in this series, click on View all articles by John Armor--and "Blogs by this author.") There has been a radical shift in how justices conduct themselves on the Supreme Court, beginning in the 1930s. Not coincidentally, 1925 was the first year that anyone who was nominated for the Supreme Court appeared in person before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Not until 1955 did the committee hold public hearings on all nominees before making a recommendation to the whole Senate. Before those changes, nominees were considered based on their probity of character and... Special to FreeRepublic http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051384/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:04:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051373/posts There is reason for conservatives to be troubled about this bill and its likely passage, but not for the inevitable complaining that will follow when the President signs it into law - as he has said he would. And, certainly enough there is little or no justification for the - equally inevitable - charges of "capitulation" that will emanate from those quarters to accompany and trail along after the Presidents action in doing so. (note: the author will be available online to reply to comments after the Jewish Sabbath is over) Red State Blue http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051373/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:46:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051369/posts Thank you for that kind introduction and warm welcome. I want to begin by talking about an issue in this campaign that I know concerns you as it concerns all Americans: the war in Iraq. Thankfully, the news from Iraq today is much more encouraging than I could have reported to you last year. Eighteen months ago, America faced a crisis as profound as any in our history. Iraq was in flames, torn apart by violence that was escaping our control. Al Qaeda was succeeding in what Osama bin Laden called the central front in their war against us. The... realclearpolitics.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051369/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:41:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051361/posts He told CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "We have various options. The Nuremberg Trials are certainly an example of the kind of tribunal that we could move forward with. I don't think we'd have any difficulty in devising an international -- internationally supported mechanism that would mete out justice. There's no problem there." McCain said it would be a "good thing to reveal to the world the enormity of this guy's crimes, and his intentions, which are still there." CNN.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051361/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:20:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051357/posts Do as Al says, not as Al doesOn Thursday, former U. S. vice-president Al Gore delivered a major address calling on his country to abandon all fossil fuels within 10 years. By 2018, U. S. electricity and fuel should come entirely from "renewable energy and truly clean, carbon-free sources," he said. Tickets to the event encouraged attendees to "please use public transit, bicycling or other climate-friendly means" to reach the lecture hall. So how did Mr. Gore and his retinue arrive? In two Lincoln Town Cars and a full-sized SUV that sat idling with the air conditioners blasting while the... National Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051357/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:14:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051355/posts For painter and decorator Gordon Williams, his van is simply a means of getting from A to B. But council officials chose to give the vehicle a more lofty status. When they spotted him behind the wheel with a cigarette, they handed him an on-the-spot fine of £30 - for smoking in his place of work. The Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051355/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:13:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051354/posts California will be the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants and bakeries under legislation signed today by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The measure requires restaurants to quit using trans fats by January 2010, and for bakeries to follow suit one year later. "Consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease, and today we are taking a strong step toward creating a healthier future for California," Schwarzenegger said in a written statement. The legislation, Assembly Bill 97, was proposed by Democratic Assemblyman Tony Mendoza of Artesia and opposed by most Republicans. Trans fats, also known as trans fatty acids,... Sacramento Bee http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051354/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:12:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051351/posts Declaring that "there is no task more important for this Congress than to seriously consider whether our nation's leaders have violated their oath of office," Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin on Friday morning told the House Judiciary Committee, "I now firmly believe that impeachment hearings are the appropriate and necessary next step."The Madison Democrat's opening statement to the Judiciary Committee's "Hearing on Executive Power and Its Constitutional Limitations" was one of many pointed and at times passionate declarations delivered during an extraordinary session that saw both Democratic and Republican representatives engage in serious discussions about how best to address what committee chair... Madistan.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051351/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:10:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051349/posts SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court dealt a setback to California and environmental groups today in their battle with the Bush administration over the state's efforts to restrict vehicle emissions of gases that contribute to global warming. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco dismissed a lawsuit filed by California and 15 other states in January over the Environmental Protection Agency's refusal to let the state enforce its limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and trucks. The court said the suit was premature because the EPA hadn't yet taken formal action to deny the... San Francisco Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051349/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:07:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051345/posts Wayne County Judge Ronald Giles has revoked Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's previous bond and ordered random drug screening on Friday based on testimony from two detectives in the accusations that Kilpatrick assaulted Detective Brian White. www.clickondetroit.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051345/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:01:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051338/posts It’s time for the Mexican government to take some responsibility for the immigration crisis. Now that more Mexicans are failing to make it across the northern border, or find themselves back in Mexico after being deported from the United States, it’s time for the Mexican government to demonstrate that it — and not the U.S. government — is primarily responsible for the welfare of its citizens. Raymundo Pacheco, 28, is a Mexican citizen deserving of government help. In June Pacheco, originally from Santa Cruz Nexila, a small indigenous village in central Oaxaca, was deported from California to Tijuana....he had no... La Prensa San Diego http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051338/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:51:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051332/posts As most of Washington met last week to fret over the economy, Harry Reid was attending a less-noticed summit. The Senate majority leader had summoned the titans of more than a dozen industry trade groups to a Capitol Hill meeting, where he delivered a crisp message: Get with our program, or get demolished. Anyone remember the "K Street Project"? Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and conservative activist Grover Norquist designed it to pressure the business community into hiring GOP lobbyists, supporting GOP causes, and giving money to GOP candidates. The press was shocked, shocked, to discover such behavior, and... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051332/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:42:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051307/posts (The Politico) On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the Washington press corps for failing to report what he believes is unprecedented Republican obstruction. So Friday afternoon, Reid reached out to the liberal blogosphere. "You need to keep doing the job you're doing, but you need to move on," Reid said in a Webcast hosted by a handful of progressive bloggers. "We need your help to push back against the Republican harangue ... that we're not allowing votes" on oil drilling amendments. The Webcast was hosted by meetthebloggers and included bloggers from HuffingtonPost, OpenLeft and thesmogblog.com. Reid seemed flustered... CBS News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051307/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:00:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051298/posts An Israeli newspaper is under fire after publishing a private prayer which Barack Obama left at Judaism's holiest site. The row broke out as the U.S. Presidential candidate visited France as part of his whistlestop tour. Obama had tucked his prayer into the cracks of the Western Wall early yesterday morning. 'Lord - Protect my family and me,' read the note, published in the newspaper Maariv today. 'Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.' Many visitors... Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051298/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:47:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051293/posts http://boortz.com/nuze/index.html It would seem that I slept in just a bit. OK, just why does Obama have such a difficult time identifying the terrorists he admits we have to fight as ISLAMIC! Know your enemy, pal ... and don't be so afraid to identify them. I wonder how many of our esteemed minimum wage folks were fired yesterday because now they have to be paid way more than they're worth. If you work longer than about 20 pay periods at the minimum wage, and can't manage a raise, just fold your tent and go home. You aren't going to amount... NEALZ NUZE http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051293/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:37:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051286/posts Global warming is likely to reduce the number of hurricanes that occur each year, according to two new studies by forecasters who previously claimed global warming would cause more hurricanes. Heartland Institute http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051286/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:26:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051272/posts When CBS's Katie Couric interviewed John McCain on Tuesday, her producers edited one exchange to include part of McCain's answer to a previous question on Iraq -- and, in the process, deleted comments that have touched off a controversy. The "CBS Evening News" interview began with Couric quoting Barack Obama as saying that "there might have been improved security even without the surge. What's your response to that?" But what viewers saw next was not what the Arizona senator said next, an out-of-order sequence that news organizations generally do not allow. It was McCain's earlier comment that "Senator Obama has... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051272/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:58:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051271/posts A cry for help goes out from a city beleaguered by violence and fear: A beam of light flashed into the night sky, the dark symbol of a bat projected onto the surface of the racing clouds . . . Oh, wait a minute. That's not a bat, actually. In fact, when you trace the outline with your finger, it looks kind of like . . . a "W." There seems to me no question that the Batman film "The Dark Knight," currently breaking every box office record in history, is at some level a paean of praise to the... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051271/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:55:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051250/posts Ok folks, its time for a long sit-down type of Ticker - the sort that I usually don't write. Let's start with Fannie and Freddie. As anyone who has been reading The Ticker knows, I have been saying for quite some time that Fannie and Freddie are in fact "short to zero" candidates for the common stock. This is simply due to the mathematics of their financial situation - they are levered up anywhere from 60 to more than 200:1, depending on what you include and exclude from "capital" and "credit book." I use the worst-case set of numbers, because... Market Ticker Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051250/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:24:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051235/posts H.R. 3221*, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, was passed by the House 272-152 on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. (*The government website may not yet be updated following yesterday’s vote.) The Senate is expected to vote on the housing bill on July 25th or 26th. Enactment of this legislation would be a victory for socialism and big government, but a travesty for U.S. taxpayers and limited government. This one-time energy bill was transformed into a vehicle for mortgage foreclosure prevention, then very recently revised again to include plans for preventing the failure of Fannie Mae and... Stiff Right Jab http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051235/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:10:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051221/posts BANGOR, Maine - The city’s taxicab drivers and owners didn’t have to do much convincing to get local officials to entertain their request for a pay raise. Like everyone else who depends on fuel, members of Bangor’s taxi industry say they are being driven to their knees by skyrocketing gasoline prices, which currently are close to $4 a gallon. For relief, they have turned to the City Council, which regulates how much they can charge. Bangor Daily News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051221/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:41:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051212/posts (BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss.) - Some people receiving FEMA assistance admitted to NBC 15 cameras thet they are getting a free ride and not looking for work. We asked one of the nation's top democrats, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, where your tax dollars are really going. When NBC 15 News first met Gwenester Malone a month ago, she was receiving three catered meals a day, while housekeepers made sure her hotel room stayed clean. None of it was costing her a dime. "Since the storm, I haven't had any energy or pep to go get a job," Malone... WPMI NBC 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2051212/posts#comment Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:06:32 GMT