Free Republic

How was commerce on Martha’s Vineyard this summer? If most business owners gave it only a passing grade, those catering to the wealthy had a different take. “The high-end market has been really great,” said Teri Perozzi, owner of Martha’s Vineyard Tours and Transport, in an assessment echoed by a range of hotel managers, shopkeepers and real estate agents interviewed last week by the Gazette. While businesses that rely on day trippers and the middle class said sales were down or flat this summer as vacationers grappled with budgets maxed out on the high costs of food and lodging on...

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA — Anticipating further migrant deliveries from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the leadership of Martha's Vineyard has begun constructing Planned Parenthood facilities on the affluent island. Residents of the Democratic stronghold say they support the move and are grateful for "Planned Parenthood's long history of supporting minorities by keeping their population under control." "Planned Parenthood has always supported giving minority populations a choice of whether to have babies, and you can't argue with our results – we're #1, bar none, in helping minority women ‘choose'!" Planned Parenthood Alexis McGill Johnson gave exaggerated air quotes around the word "choose"...

The migrants who crossed the southern U.S. border and were later flown in two planeloads to Martha’s Vineyard were given falsified addresses corresponding to “random homeless shelters” for their official paperwork, according to a Boston immigration attorney. Rachel Self suggested Friday that this was done purposefully by Department of Homeland Security officials to make it more difficult for the migrants to stay in the country. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) took credit for arranging and funding the flights, which landed Wednesday afternoon at the wealthy island community off the coast of Massachusetts. He aimed to make a point about the...

OAK BLUFFS, Mass. – At least one person on this oasis of leftist elites blames federal officials for the illegal immigration crisis that thrust Martha’s Vineyard into the national spotlight. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent 50 migrants by plane Wednesday to the Massachusetts island, which boasts one of the wealthiest and most hard-left voting blocs in the nation. "I think it was a political stunt," Paul Sinclair of Rhode Island told Fox News Digital on Saturday, as he sold t-shirts and surf gear during a street festival on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs, one of the commercial hubs of Martha’s...

Democrats on Martha’s Vineyard, the elite vacation hub of the nation’s wealthiest residents, are praising themselves as do-gooders for coming to the aid of illegal aliens sent to the island before having them shipped to a nearby military base. This week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) flew about 50 illegal aliens to Martha’s Vineyard — a wealthy enclave of liberals and home to former President Obama who owns a nearly $12 million estate. Even as Martha’s Vineyard residents vote almost entirely for Democrats, local officials put pressure on Gov. Charlie Baker (R) to intervene and have the illegal aliens deported...

When resident Obama returns to Martha’s Vineyard in August, Tri-Town Ambulance will be expected to dedicate a crew to the security detail. In the last year of his residency, and for the seventh time in eight years, resident Obama and his family will vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in August. Past vacation itineraries have included almost daily golf outings, trips to the beach, and dinner out with friends. Each time the resident sets out on Island roadways, he will be accompanied by a security contingent that will include State Police and Secret Service. And within the motorcade as it speeds along...

MVI is known as one of the wealthiest and whitest places on earth for its lack of racial and economic diversity, which makes it the perfect getaway for Democrat charlatans. Now, if your only source for information on Obama is the White House press blog, you’d never know he’s on vacation, because there’s been no mention of “Martha’s Vineyard” – and for good reason. Exotic presidential vacations don’t go over well when all those “hard-working Americans” Obama so often exploits in his stump speeches are barely making ends meet because of his failed economic policies. Indeed, illegal immigrants are streaming...

According to local reports, roadblocks surrounding the Obama vacation mansion in Martha’s Vineyard are frustrating locals, who can’t get to their businesses. “August is our make it or break it month,” Vineyard Artisans Festivals manager Andrea Rogers said to the Vineyard Gazette, “So this is the worst possible time of the year to block access. It impacts a lot of people.” Obama’s vacation week coincides with the heaviest time of the year in Martha’s Vineyard, known as Fair week. Patrick Jenkinson, who co-owns a gas station, says he “really rel[ies] on this third week in August, especially Fair week…We do...

As BO and MO enjoy a little “free” time on the Vineyards, controversies swirl. Plenty of time for that later; first, an update on our meals. Monday night, dinner at Sweet Life Café with 7 of our best Vineyard friends (unnamed, butt all members of the 1 percent-or-better club.) “A sizable crowd gathered while the president and his friends had dinner, and they cheered as he left the restaurant.” I’ve noticed people are doing that a lot more lately; cheering when Big Guy leaves. Yesterday Val-Jar sent Big Guy for takeout from the famous Nancy’s Snack Shack for lunch. BO...

"If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter." ― Martin Luther King In Martin Luther King’s day, being a drum major required a good deal more than bellowing a few commands. It required that you also be a teacher, a leader, a conductor and a decision maker. A good drum major facilitated a group’s optimal performance. Which is, of course, precisely...

You would think after spending $100 million dollars of taxpayer money on a recent trip to Africa would be enough for one summer. But it’s not. The Obama family have already booked their next getaway to Martha’s Vineyard. They will reportedly be staying in a $7.6 million dollar mansion the week of August 10th. Their vacation will last about a week. During the 2012 campaign, they couldn’t make a trip to an exclusive island so they are trying to make up for it up this summer. While families are struggling to make ends meet, the Obama’s are taking trip after...

People who rail against “fat cats” shouldn’t vacation with them.By Sunday afternoon, the Gallup tracking poll showed a 17-point spread in the president’s approval rating — 38 percent approval to 55 percent disapproval. Such polls are fickle and can go up and down quickly, often depending on unwarranted and unfair perceptions and media hype, hinging on everything from hurricanes to killing bin Laden. That said, these recent abysmal numbers might suggest that for the first time, a considerable number of Americans are starting to be turned off not just by Barack Obama’s economic policies, but by Barack Obama himself. But...

Talk about early warning. The majority of he White House press corps, camped out at a hotel at Martha’s Vineyard, was keeping a close eye on our computers and emails. We started seeing emails from our colleagues in DC that they were feeling a quake. Seconds…I mean seconds later…the meeting room we are in starts to roll and sway– comparable to being on a boat. No shaking. But it’s an earthquake. And it lasted for a good 15 seconds or more. The President was playing golf at the time.

OAK BLUFFS, Mass. -- Seizing on a day of bright summer sunshine, President Barack Obama headed to the links on Thursday for another vacation round of golf. The visit to the Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs was Obama's fourth golf outing since he arrived on Martha's Vineyard last week for a 10-day vacation. It came a day after skies over the island off Cape Cod finally cleared following four straight days of drenching rain. In the president's foursome at Farm Neck were White House trip director Marvin Nicholson, Obama's Chicago friend Eric Whitaker, and Cyrus Walker. White House...

Continuing my coverage of the revolt against the White House ocean grab, here’s the latest on today’s fishermen’s protest flotilla gathering at Martha’s Vineyard while President Obama plays Scrabble and golf with his Chicago cronies. Takeaway quote from this local news report from one of the fishermen outraged at the administration’s junk science-based catch limits: “All these politicians scream about is jobs, jobs, jobs. Why are they putting out of business?” Related: Corruption, waste, and anti-fishing vendettas at NOAA have been rampant. Background from Richard Gaines of the Gloucester Daily Times here and here. More from Andrew Malcolm at Top...

Apparently, Martha Stewart just couldn't resist the call of a yoga class. The design guru, who was slated to take off her ankle bracelet for good next week, violated the terms of her sentence by attending a yoga studio near her estate, according to reports. Stewart must now serve an additional three weeks of home confinement as a result of attempting to dupe authorities. "Martha Stewart has agreed to an extension of the terms of her home confinement until Aug. 31.," her lawyer, Walter Dellinger, said in a statement released Wednesday. Although Dellinger did not say explicitly why Stewart's sentence...