Free Republic

Not only was Congressman Joe "Grandma Doesn't Need That Pacemaker, And We Don't Like Children Anyhow" Sestak (D-7Pa.) among the 220 votes last night for socializing American medicine, he was also among the 194 opposing the Stupak Amendment that would have kept the public tax-supported plan from covering abortions. Approval of the Stupak Amendment was required for the socialism to proceed. I guess we know where Joe's priorities lie -- socialism is good but abortion is better.

FReep this poll: Will passage of the Health Care Reform bill have a positive impact for the United States? Yes, It's a move that's long overdue. Yes, the public option will help lower health care costs. No, the new system will result in reduced availability of benefits. No, It's a big move toward socialism that will do more harm than good. No opinion

Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Democrats in the House are about to pass possibly the worst piece of legislation ever to come out of Washington and force it on the general public of America. The 2009 House version of Health Care Reform for the country. Take note of the word reform, because it actually means takeover, as in government takeover of the health care industry. This is the bill from Hell! Almost 2000 pages of legislative language that glosses over, covers up, and side steps every major issue and concern that has been brought out in the debate....

Please FReep this poll: Do you believe the economy will get better in 2010? Yes, the economy it turning around and things look positive. Yes, things can't possibly get any worse. No, the economy will not truly recover until unemployment begins to drop. No, things will get worse before they get better. The economy will stay the same. No Opinion

Lessons from Virginia for the GOP By Ed Gillespie Thursday, November 5, 2009 After losing Virginia's governorship for the first time in eight years, some Democrats are trying to console themselves that Virginia is at its core a "red" state. This ignores not only that they won back-to-back governorships but also that Democrats defeated a sitting senator in 2006, took control of the state Senate in 2007 and won an open Republican Senate seat and three House seats in 2008 while carrying Virginia's electoral college votes for the first time since 1964. Some in the White House are trying to...

Today Rush Limbaugh gave out his own list of Top 10 Republican Moderate Moments. You can see a liberal example of the Top 10 at http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/11/top_ten_moments_in_moderate_go.html

Belief in manmade climate change has dropped off in recent years and support for cap and trade measures also is losing steam. This latter trend is picking up speed as it becomes more obvious that climate scientists are sharply divided on whether humans play any role in global warming/global cooling/climate change. However, the U.S. Congress races blindly on with plans to enact sweeping, intrusive legislation, undaunted by either the lack of convincing evidence that human activity affects the environment, or the public’s increasing disaffection with this legislation. ... Each house of Congress has its own version of this legislative misadventure,...

Please FReep this poll.

Until now, the healthcare debate has included very little in the way of specifics. The President, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid all preferred to speak of healthcare in a broad sense. Even the Senate bill was not a true bill, but rather an outline of what should be in a bill. With the House releasing its 1990 page juggernaut document on health reform, we can finally look at some specifics; and with specifics we can judge the veracity of the preceding debate. Throughout the last three months, Barack Obama has repeatedly shown up on our TV screens and told the...

Vice President Joe Biden and the woman who ran against him last year did some long-distance sparing today. Biden, at a rally for New York congressional Democratic contender Bill Owens, took a verbal shot at former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who's a supporter of Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in Tuesday's crazy special election for New York's 23rd district (where Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava has dropped out and endorsed the Democrat). Using energy as an issue with which to score some rhetorical points, Biden said that "the fact of the matter is, Sarah Palin thinks the answer to energy is...

We hear a lot today about our struggling economy, even about the failure of capitalism; we are told that our economic system, not just our economy, is broken. However, the notion that our system, that the American system is broken must be rejected. Our economy and our banking system were mismanaged to the brink of disaster by a special interest beholden congress. But is our free enterprise system broken? No, not until politicians silence Middle America; not until the people return the same bad apples back to the congressional barrel. The economic brinkmanship embodied in massive spending bills threatens to...

Cap and Trade will be a disaster for what is left of manufacturing in this country. Right now, the Rust Belt is just rusty. With Cap and Trade, the rust will inevitably turn into dust. And, for what? Because some politically-driven environmentalists have trumped up a phony belief that mankind is completely killing the planet?

At a time when our economy is struggling to produce jobs, the left is still intent upon keeping Americans from earning a livelihood. On Saturday, Democratic Representative Gabriella Giffords held a public hearing on a proposed copper mine in her district in Southern Arizona. But rather than being a public hearing designed to share information on the project, some felt it was more accurately a public hearing designed to present only one point of view. Not surprisingly, Ms. Giffords, all four panel members and all but one speaker were against the project. In a letter to the editor, one attendee,...

Just weeks after overwhelming votes in the House and Senate to protect tax payers by barring federal funding to ACORN, Democrats have found a way to throw a life-line to their de facto campaign organization. Democrats on the House Committee on Financial Services adopted an amendment by Maxine Waters that will allow ACORN and other activists groups to share a regulatory role over our financial institutions.

Why is it that a country that has produced some of the most beloved authors, prolific inventors, and has advanced the fields of science, medicine, and technology, recently found itself at the epicenter of moral and financial decline? Our current president has become the butt of Marxism jokes in the same week that he is appeasing Islam– how sad for America and its people. Yet, I fear it is our people that have become complicit in this deterioration, for more often than naught, we take for granted our freedoms and the responsibilities tied in to those freedoms. One of our...

Corporate CEO salaries have been a target of criticism for a long time, and that criticism increased during the mortgage banking collapse, when bank CEOs also became targeted for doing a lousy job. The heads of large companies do make huge salaries, as shown by this sample from the 2008 AFL-CIO CEO Pay Database: Robert A. Iger, The Walt Disney Company, $51 million; Lloyd C. Blankfein, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., $42.9 million; Mark V. Hurd, Hewlett-Packard Company, $34 million; and Rex W. Tillerson, Exxon-Mobil Corporation, $32 million. There are a few reasons for this criticism, including envy and not...

Is Congress about to sell out the American people in the name of progress and change? The healthcare debate is the epicenter of a larger fight, one that resurfaces every few decades; one that began with the writings of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. The role of the Federal Government in our lives is growing quicker than Congress can print the money to support it. Are there no better options than those that we are faced with today? The current debate is misguided. If you take out abortion funding, it is still a bad bill. If you take out illegal...

Try making sense of President Obama’s foreign policy and you might start wondering what it is that guides this Administration. Most of our leaders have followed a few guiding principles, whether it be promoting freedom and democracy, containing the spread of communism, or resisting terrorism. Whether right or wrong as judged by history, each American President has sent a clear message to the world that America was squarely on the side of freedom. What about Obama? Candidate Obama stressed that he would change the “failed policies of the past eight years.” He said he would do this on the economy...

Just a heads up that it looks like Karl Rove is on GOP.com. Here's a link to his profile Karl Rove

"Why do people hate you?" asked little Terrance to the President of the United States. His answer is the most interesting part of the conversation, however: Well, now, first of all. I did get elected president, so not everyone hates me, nah. I got a whole lotta votes. I wanna make sure everyone understands. Here, once again, we witness the president dismissing honest disagreement and opposition to his ultra left wing government takeover to being "poke(d) a little bit" so that we can "keep him on his toes". Or, as he more succinctly puts it, it's just "politics". Let us,...

Peggy Noonan had a great OpEd in today's issue of the Wall Street Journal entitled It's His Rubble Now. In it she describes the huge disparity in approval ratings and overall demeanor between George W. Bush post 9/11 and Barack Obama post 01/20/09. In the aftermath of 9/11 Bush didn't stand before the American people making excuses. Nor did he stand around pointing fingers at previous administrations, scrambling to find a scapegoat. He stood before international media and vowed to keep America safe and he did just that for the remainder of his administration. Comparatively, Obama seems content to stand...

In his on going effort to demonize Fox News Channel, President Barack Obama and his advisers attempted one of the most egregious abuses of executive power in it's short history - and only one of the firsts, no doubt - by attempting to ban Fox News White House correspondent Major Garrett from interviewing one of the mysterious White House "czars". The White House's "war on Fox News" has even involved senior advisers telling other media outlets that they "ought not treat" Fox as a legitimate news organization: White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel told CNN on Sunday that President...

While exiting the Constitutional Convention, Ben Franklin was asked by a bystander, “What have you given us, a republic or a monarchy?” His answer: “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.” This year the celebration of America’s independence comes at a time when we are in danger of failing to keep that Republic. The continued troubles of auto makers, insurers, and banks in the wake of bailouts shows that throwing money at noncompetitive companies, choked with bad debt and overburdened by labor contracts, is not the answer. What our leaders have done, in the guise of economic stewardship, is...

In a Daily Beast op-ed the former Bush speech writer says Sarah Palin is still the class of the 2012 field, and she's not going away anytime soon. Why? Because the rank and file are fed up with the establishment Republicans who have almost drained all of the "Grand" out of the Grand Old party, and they see Palin as the cure for the disease they carry. A few excerpts: The latest news in Washington is that the conservative Minnesota governor (and potential 2012 presidential contender) has caught the eye of the city’s top Republican gurus. You remember them. The...

The Land of Make Believe. Those words form the title of a great song and the name of some amusement parks. But they also describe President Barack Obama’s perception of the health care reform process. Mr. Obama recently announced from The Land of Make Believe that all of the objections to the health care reform plan have been heard: "This is another milestone on what has been a long, hard road toward health insurance reform. In recent months, we’ve heard every side of every argument from both sides of the aisle." Annuit Coeptis

President Obama visited my home town of New Orleans last week, promising more federal aid and fewer bureaucratic snafus for a city still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. His message was echoed by several senior members of the President's cabinet as they toured the hard-hit region. And yet, I think most of my fellow New Orleanians, while delighted with his visit, were underwhelmed with the President's rhetoric. Too many of us have heard this message before. Instead of promising more federal funding to rebuild New Orleans, I would like to see President Obama promise less. That's right, less!...

Many people reading the op-ed piece in The New York Times co-authored by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) titled “Yes We Can (Pass Climate Change Legislation)” might scratch their head at this odd alliance of political personalities. Some would give up reading after a couple of paragraphs, since the article proceeds from the deeply flawed premise that man’s activities produce harmful air pollutants in sufficient quantities to negatively affect Earth’s environment. Those who listen to only one side of the climate change argument hold this position. They accept as fact a theory with at least as...

Earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee approved the health care bill proposed by Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.). Without a doubt, this bill will increase government spending and increase taxes for Americans ..... We need more people to voice their opposition to the Democratic leadership. Will you help us get this message out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UBFkzGMADU

The Dow crossed back over 10,000 today and many in the media are touting an economic recovery. But the signs of a robust economy are low unemployment and a strong middle class. What is being done to make sure that those two indicators are going to follow the market? President Obama offered only platitudes on the economy during the election. Since he has been in office, he has continued to talk about putting Americans back to work, rebuilding the economy, and securing our economic future. On the economy, just as on healthcare, Obama seldom gives details. Today we have little...

If the next election is the first time you will vote there is something called a "spoiled ballot" and they will not count your if challanged and it is spoiled. In Minnesota, incumbant Republican Norm Coleman lost to radio talk show host Al Franken in a very close election. The election was decided by a few hundred votes. Each of the states have their own rules about conducting elections. In Florida the Bush v. Gore election was close and "voter intent" seemed to be the Florida standard with the hanging chad. Take a look at this ballot. Here the voter's...

This is absolutely absurd. An the Oaks Apartments complex in Albany Oregan has told its residents that they cannot fly or display the American flag on its premises.

Dede Scozzafava, the GOP nominee in a key upcoming House special election, is running dangerously low on campaign cash, according to several GOP sources familiar with her spending and fundraising. While Scozzafava’s official fundraising numbers will not be known until next Thursday, the third-quarter Federal Election Commission reporting deadline, the GOP sources acknowledged to POLITICO that she’s unable to compete financially with her two opponents.She’s also being outspent in the sprawling district by Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman, the third-party candidate who has peeled off conservative support from the moderate state assemblywoman. Scozzafava has drawn fire from the right over...

Our Presidents and the Congress swear to defend it. Men and women have died to preserve it. Groups as diametrically opposed as the ACLU and NRA defend the rights enumerated in it. So why do average Americans seem so indifferent toward the Constitution? Make no mistake that there are those without who wish to destroy our Constitution and those within who profit from its demise. The only thing left to impede their success is an apathetic American public. Americans should demand that Congress make a simple resolution and reaffirm their commitment to our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and particularly...

Sign petition to expel Snowe from GOP at http://gopetition.com/online/27432.html

What do Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand have in common? An odd assortment, to be sure, they share the fact that each of them has a greater degree of economic freedom than the United States. The Index of Economic Freedom is an annual analysis of world economies, now totaling 183 countries. It is a collaborative effort of The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal. The rankings are an average of 10 components analyzed during the last half of 2007 and the first half of 2008, on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the highest degree of...

And we thought McCain was bad.... Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, known through out the country for his no nonsense stance on illegal immigrants in his home county, has been reprimanded by the Obama Administration. Sheriff Arpaio (better know simply as Sheriff Joe) and his deputies were authorized by the federal government to detain, question and verify the status of suspected illegal immigrants in the area. After receiving a litany of complaints from liberals various individuals, the Obama Administration revoked his ability to make immigration arrests. Sheriff Joe responded by stating that he would continue to make arrests...

The Tusk has mentioned his prospects in this race before, but now it looks like it's all over for Senate Democrat Leader, Harry Reid of Nevada. Polls are consistently showing him lagging behind his two potential competitors, Sue Lowden and Danny Tarkanian. But the surest factor indicating his assured retirement is this: Though respondents can't decide whom they want to win the Republican primary, they're certain they don't support Reid, the Senate majority leader seeking his fifth consecutive six-year term. In one general election scenario, 49 percent of respondents picked Lowden and 39 percent chose Reid. In another, 48 percent...

You really have to hand it to Barack Obama and his crew over at the Democratic National Committee for their abiity to turn virtually nothing into a whole lot of something. In his weekly address, President Obama touted what he seems to think is a wave of bipartisanship over his healthcare reform bill. It doesn't exist, of course, but that didn't stop the DNC from releasing an ad just hours after the address. Why, it almost seems like a concerted effort by liberals to fool the American people into thinking Republicans (the good guys) are now for this heaping pile...

The State Department speaks out on the Nobel Peace Prize and slams President Bush in the process. "From our standpoint, you know, we think that this gives us a sense of momentum … when the United States has accolades tossed its way, rather than shoes," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters on Friday. It's good to know we have people in the State Department that condone that type of conduct toward a President. Someone should tell him that the State Department represents the United States and as an employee his job is to promote and protect our interests. An...

Republican strategist Mike Murphy has never been a timid talker, and he unloaded on Sarah Palin during NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. Addressing the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee’s chances of getting her party’s nod in 2012, he acknowledged that she has a constituency. But he said, “She’ll never be the nominee. It would be actually a disaster if she was the nominee.” He joined conservative columnist David Brooks in trashing talk show hosts such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, and their efforts to steer the GOP’s direction. “The noisiest parts of the conservative media machine have far...

Another miracle! As Obama walks on water, he drops a load of crap "AND IT ALSO FLOATS". Published by Ripley's Beleive it or don't. Nothing more to add. HE (THE CHOSEN ONE) Has said it all - (apparently).

I admit it: I've been sceptical in the past about Barack Obama. I thought he was weak on terror and an incompetent diplomat who managed to alienate America's allies while making nice with dictators everywhere (and when I say everywhere, I mean places like North Korea, Birma, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and Russia. Oh I'm sorry, I forgot: Vladimir Putin isn't a dictator, he's the duly elected deputy leader of his country. Just like Mahmoud Ahmedinejad). That was then, this is now: U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for giving the world "hope for a...

The Democrats exhaled in relief yesterday after the CBO announced the Senate Finance version of health care would only cost 829 billion dollars and even better news...it will help decrease the deficit by 81 billion dollars. Oh happy day! You could feel the enthusiasm and back slapping from Washington D.C. out to the far reaches of the west coast. Obama was right, we could get this thing done for under a trillion dollars and reduce the deficit at the same time. Time to pop the balloons. There's nothing to celebrate here. Politicians in Washington never cease to amaze. They throw...

What did you think of Rush's newest parody? Rush Limbaugh's own parody of the children singing to Barack Obama. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNCFCVHPd7k

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 "TAKE A COAT...TAKE A SEAT!" Image via Wikipedia The President once again turns to the cameras of the media to push his bid for a public option in the health care bill. Yesterday he invited some 150 doctors to the White House to be with him when he faced the cameras. All of them were supposedly Obama supporters. There was however, a problem. It seems that not all the doctors got the memo reminding them to wear white coats. Not to worry though, the President's staff happened to find a supply of white coats in varying...

<p>As if Michigan isn’t having enough trouble with the effects of the recession and the ailing auto industry, some of its citizens are suffering under laws and enforcement policies that simply defy common sense.</p> <p>But Michigan is not alone in having goofy laws and dopey bureaucrats. Vermillion County, Indiana, Prosecutor Nina Alexander said that she is proud to be "enforcing the law as it was written" by prosecuting a grandmother for buying two boxes of cold medication in less than a week.</p>

Chris Burgard of Big Hollywood Blog has a great entry out today entitled the War on Propaganda. Burgard writes: "From Sun Tzu to Psy Ops, propaganda has won wars, toppled cultures and changed civilizations. As a self-identified enlightened and educated culture, we thought ourselves beyond such base manipulation. We were wrong." Burgard continues "On Sept. 20, 2009, President Obama stated that he would look into bailouts for print newspapers because he is concerned that blogs will take over the world and be a threat to democracy. Imagine that: the President of the United States is concerned free speech may be...

The Senate Judiciary Committee will be conducting an inquiry into the role and proper function within government played by czars and czardines and the wisdom of allowing unconfirmed, unvetted individuals to control a trillion dollars of taxpayer money without being subject to Congressional oversight. High time too. While some czars follow the traditional Congressional vetting process, and their budgets undergo the traditional authorization and appropriation funding process, some do not. Some czars have enormous budgets and enormous responsibilities; some have modest budgets and modest responsibilities, and some have neither budget nor responsibilities. Czars, such as the Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikoske...

Not quite satisfied with having run one of the worst presidential campaigns ever, Senator John McCain is now seeking to reshape the Republican Party in his on image. In other words, to make it a "centrist" party, or as I prefer to call it, "a group of dithering cowards who wet themselves at the slightest sign of liberal hostility". It’s all part of an approach that is at odds with most other recent failed presidential nominees, whose immediate response to defeat was to retreat from the electoral arena. But those familiar with McCain’s thinking say he has expressed serious concern...