Free Republic

Senate Republicans on Saturday voted against extending the Bush tax cuts to only the middle class in a pair of votes Democrats are seizing to paint the GOP as guardians of the rich. The Senate voted 53-36 to extend all expiring tax cuts on individuals with incomes of less than $200,000 a year and married couples making less than $250,000 -- seven shy of the required 60 to advance. The other proposal, which drew opposition from White House officials, would have renewed them for all tax filers with incomes of $1 million or less. That also failed in a 53-36...

Harvard Professor Raj Chetty and a group of other researchers have performed a much-discussed study (via Gene Expression) that looks at what factors really affect things like income, your likelihood to own a home, and odds of getting married. The most startling thing they found? Your score on a very basic kindergarten test is a HUGE predictor. Other educational factors like class size and the quality of your teachers aren't nearly as important. Given the renewed interest in educational policy in America right now, it's fascinating.

For those of you who followed my every word raptly (sarc) and wondered where I went--I'm back. Moved from NJ to SC and already saving tons of money. I hope "sickoflibs" picks this up and adds me to his list of "regulars". It's so good to be back. Especially given the conservative tidal wave overtaking the country. Come on November!!

<p>John Grover, 52, a juror from Joliet, said he grew so frustrated after three days of deliberating on the same charge that he yelled at the woman who refused to join the other 11 in agreeing to convict.</p> <p>"I gave her a piece of my mind," Grover said. "If it wasn't for that one lady, we'd have had him convicted on probably 80 percent of (the indictment)."</p>

It is hard to imagine that anything has gone unsaid about the so-called Ground Zero mosque, but an important point seems to be missing. The mosque should be built precisely because we don't like the idea very much. We don't need constitutional protections to be agreeable, after all. This point surpasses even all the obvious reasons for allowing the mosque, principally that there's no law against it. Precluding any such law, we let people worship when and where they please. That it hurts some people's feelings is, well, irrelevant in a nation of laws. And, really, don't we want to...

I love living in the United States and love political debates! We had an important senate election here and I proudly chose Scott Brown for senate because Martha Coakley was totally clueless and incompetent. I looked at both candidates for president carefully. John McCain is a true military hero and even worked across the aisle on McCain-Feingold, McCain-Lieberman and McCain-Kennedy. Thry were three very good bills. However, McCain is anti-choice, anti-gay and too pro-gun. Barack Obama was short on experience, but I liked his postions on many issues except for the middle east and he's not agressive enough on the...

Obama isn't my President. ...The statement isn't offensive because the man in charge happened to be from my political party, but it offends me as an American. To disagree or even hate a President is one thing, but to declare that he isn't your President is something else entirely.... Obama is a Kenyan!/Where's the Birth Certificate? ...Initially I was open to the suggestion that Obama wasn't a natural born citizen and thus wasn't eligible for the Presidency, but as time went on I became less and less impressed with Birthers and their arguments.... Conservatives should treat Birthers for what they...

<p>1. If you were a state governor who was eight months pregnant--and remember, Sarah Palin already knew hers was a high-risk pregnancy because of her age (44) and, according to her book, her baby having been diagnosed via amniocentesis as having Down syndrome--and you were scheduled to fly some 4,000 miles from home to give a speech at a conference, would you (a) give your speech from home via teleconferencing, using modern real-time technology, and explain to your hosts that the high-risk nature and advanced stage of your pregnancy made you reluctant to fly; or, alternatively, send the deputy governor to give your speech or (b) dismiss any staff or security slated to fly with you and insist on flying 4,000 miles to the conference yourself?</p>

I deposit the Risk into the account of a dummy finance company for management, called the republican party. Then, I deposit the damage into the account of a dummy corporation for control, called the democratic party. I leave all the bible belt religions as spoilers, or third parties; putting them down as department store chains. To stave off the profit into the mints money burning facility, to insure that the money is worthless in terms of pragmatic value, and is only practical believed values. And the Black market is pimped as bad but, even losing even your kindeys in a...

Jim Rob gets what he deserves... Crappy response time on servers because he shut down those who would dare to question Bush and the epic failure that he was.... I got hosed because I dared pointing out Bush was an epic failure...sorry DAD...I didn't toe the line Free Republic used to be something else....it actually stood for something... Now this is just an echo chamber.... Too damn bad....this from the guy that spent thousands of dollars on Sore Loserman signs, stickers and FR donations.... and pushed that...the guy who pushed back tons of dollars to FR.... Now FR is slowly...

In what may be one of the most shocking stories of the year, a man in China died after having an eel inserted into his rectum. Doctors who treated the victim in the Sichuan Province, did not know how the man met his demise until they performed an autopsy and discovered an Asian swamp eel up his backside.

Its on Oregon voters fire first shots at the rich, The rich are trenched in and planning a stunning blow to the hungry,homeless,lifetime welfare class. Many of the rich are warm and comfortable in there homes and offices, they plan on getting signatures to bring the fatal blow in the conflict. The weapon of legislation by way of proxy. The money is coming in and soon the ballet box will be stuffed with ballots on them a law stopping all funding of welfare funding. Welfare troops are having a hard time focusing due to not having a leader to tell...

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA

The enemy you know is way worse than the enemy that acts like your friend only to stab you in the back. Once Republicans have the numbers again in the future they're not going to reduce the size of government in any meaningful way, ever. THAT'S A PROMISE. We're on a one way path to larger and larger government. The way Republicans talk you'd think when they're in power they'd put half the federal government and spending on the chopping block. Surely that's what the republican constituents want, right? I think politicians of both parties forget that they are not...

why do people keep banning me everytime I put up interesting articles? I work for a website I think some of you are familiar with called phantirath weekly world news and each time we put somthing up on FR no matter how conservative it is it keeps getting banned. Whats the matter with it?! Damn man what are you marxist socialists communists? I just got a call this mroning from a Juwish friend of mine who said that you banned an important article about Zionism and Noam Federman and about how we were to support israel. I thought you guys...

Some of the posts on here are so so so amusing! Let's see, the implication that any woman who doesn't support Sarah is a lesbian? That any one who supports Obama is "unwashed"? The more comments I read, the more taken aback. What happened to actual conservatism? Did you all catch the McCain bug where if you disagree with someone you vilify them? Anyone care to come out of the woodwork and speak realistically?

The U.S. and NATO were the one that first violated UN Charter by recognizing Kosovo independence. Russia was against it and warned that the U.S. would open the Pandora's Box by recognizing Kosovo. Of course, the US was arrogant and full of itself, and the US didn't give a damn. It was the U.S. that opened the Pandora's Box in the first place. So now Russia is returning the favor by recognizing the breakaway Georgian regions. The U.S. didn't give a damn about Russia before, so why should Russia give a damn about the U.S. right now? The U.S. can...

<p>Zots alone moves the wheels of history! Have you ever asked yourselves in an hour of meditation which everyone finds during the day, how long we have been striving for zotness? Not only the years we've been at zot. But from the moment as a child when we realized that trolls could be zotted. It has been a lifetime struggle , a never-ending zot!, I say to you! , and you will understand that it is a privilege to zot! We are moderators!! Americans I ask you, once more zot and be worthy of this historical hour! The liberals will conjure up images of our freepers and they will insult our patriots as murderers. This is our duty to zot their sorry arses into the next time zone. I say, Americans of the world, unite! We must never acquiesce!, for it is together, together that we zotvail! We must never cede control of the capacitor bank for it is together that we prevail!</p>

Has El Rushbo actually forgotten how our coalition was built? "Both McCain and Huckabee are actively seeking support from non-Republicans. If I didn't know better, I'd say some of these candidates have some sort of grudge against the Republican Party and are trying to harm it." Seems like he has. Think what you will about McCain or Huckabee, but Rush is not right on this one. In fact, there was another guy who appealed to Democrats and Independents in building a winning electoral coalition. Rush has heard of him... and even has an affectionate name for him: Ronaldus Magnus. I...

Promised Land ? by: Jeremiah J Here are two questions that are imposing themselves repeatedly in somewhat dimmed search lights of this age’s conscience: Is it possible to proclaim the excellence of the system and the country and in the same time betray the very principles on which these are founded on? Or to praise quality of life where the values of man’s privacy and dignity are trampled upon ? These are contradictions of this age when so many promises are promulgated but few ever fulfilled. There had been the voluminous theoretical varieties on the subject of responsible government and...