Free Republic

Asked by Capitol City Project’s Joe Schoffstall on Friday whether or not she had a stated position on Israel's recent foray into Gaza, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) couldn't be reached for comment. Instead, she did exactly what she did two years ago at Netroots Nation when facing tough questions from reporters: she ran away. In a sense, one might call this the Gov. Chris Christie approach. That is, if you're a politician, never answer loaded questions about sensitive political issues unless you absolutely have to (although, in fairness, Gov. Christie doesn't always follow his own advice). Nevertheless, better to be...

A prominent sign at the Detroit water protest..."Where do you expect us to sh**?"Detroit liberals marched to demand free water on Friday. The leftists don’t believe they should have to pay for it. It’s not their responsibility.Hollywood liberal Mark Ruffalo joined the protesters to demand free water as did many attendees from Netroots Nation. Mark Ruffalo is in Detroit fighting water shutoffs. The Avengers actor leading the march downtown. pic.twitter.com/HRik6VWxdn

Flint may be Michigan’s second city to plunge into bankruptcy unless retirees accept cuts in health benefits that threaten to unravel a balanced budget. As Crain's Detroit reports, Emergency Manager Darnell Earley (Flint’s third emergency leader since it was placed under state control in 2011) warned "If we have no ability to mitigate the cost of retiree health care, that’s going to make it very difficult for the city to remain financially stable over the next few years." As Eric Scorsone notes, "Flint's at the forefront, but a lot of cities are on the same train, and that train is...

The bankrupt city of Detroit has a water problem. The city is trying to collect over $90 million dollars in unpaid water bills. As part of that effort, thousands of residents have had their service cut off. On Friday, in conjunction with the Netroots Nation conference, a rally and march were held to protest the service interruptions and demand the water be turned back on regardless of any money owed. Congressman John Conyers spoke to the crowd at the march, demanding that corporations pay up what they owe so that residents who owe can have their bills covered.  "We're gonna fight...

VIDEO Our campaign to draft Sen. Elizabeth Warren to run for President in 2016 is gaining huge momentum. Warren came to Netroots Nation in Detroit and #ReadyForWarren was there to greet her in style alongside thousands of grassroots progressives. Americans of all stripes are calling for a leader who will fight for an America that works for all of us, not only the wealthy and the well-connected. Join us. http://ready4warren.com. Filmed at Netroots Nation 2014 in Detroit, MI. Song written and performed by Jessie Murphy & friends. Video produced, directed, and edited by The Self Agency.

The Daily Kos has come a long way since the days when  they merely rejoiced in being easily bribed at their YearlyKos conventions (now renamed Netroots Nation) by presidential aspirants such as Mark Warner who plied the Kossacks with free sushi and expensive liquor at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas in 2006. Yes, they have moved up in the world to the point where they perceive themselves as king, or rather queen, makers. Not only have they basically endorsed the presidential candidacy of Elizabeth Warren, they have even provided her with a campaign song, Run Liz Run. Oddly enough, even...

Should the Democrats nominate Elizabeth Warren for President in 2016, as a draft-Warren movement, some liberal pundits and enthusiasts at this week’s Netroots Nation convention believe? Should Republicans nominate Ted Cruz, who has kept his options open with frequent trips to Iowa and New Hampshire? In some ways, Cruz and Warren are mirror images, and the cases for and against them are surprisingly similar. But there are also some critical differences.Before 2008, the idea of a presidential contest between two first-term Senators in their (by then) fourth year in Washington would have seemed ridiculous; in 1988, Dan Quayle was roundly...

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) likes to present itself as the champion of the little guy. But officials of SEIU Healthcare—“the fastest-growing union of healthcare, child care, home care and nursing home workers in the Midwest”—aren’t averse to a little high-living. For example, in FY 2013 officials of SEIU’s Illinois-Indiana healthcare division (SEIU-HCII) chalked up more than $1.1 million in travel expenses—$13,000 of it on D.C. hotel expenses rung up at President Obama’s second inaugural. The union designated all that travel as “representation activity.” Also claimed as a “representation” expense: a $6,000 liquor store tab for “beverages for...

DETROIT — A young man who participated in a mob attack on a Detroit-area motorist needed a father to "beat the hell" out of him as a kid to discourage him from committing such a crime, a judge said Thursday. The stunning remarks by Wayne County Judge James Callahan came as he sentenced Latrez Cummings to six months in jail. In response to the judge's question, Cummings, 19, said his father wasn't around when he was growing up. Callahan said Cummings needed a dad, "someone to discipline you. Someone to beat the hell out of you when you made a...

Detroit Police Chief James Craig believes that citizens who carry guns are serving as an effective crime deterrent, the Detroit News reports. “Criminals are getting the message that good Detroiters are armed and will use that weapon,” Craig said. “I don’t want to take away from the good work our investigators are doing, but I think part of the drop in crime, and robberies in particular, is because criminals are thinking twice that citizens could be armed. “I can’t say what specific percentage is caused by this, but there’s no question in my mind it has had an effect.” Craig’s...

At least 50 people carting weapons, flags and posters expressing anger with the porous border took to Vassar, Mich., streets to rally against a plan to ship some of the illegal minor-aged immigrants to their community. Many in the crowd carried AR-15 rifles and handguns — the latest sign of the growing unrest around the nation that’s marking the federal government’s response to tens of thousands of illegals crossing into U.S. territories in recent months. They also carted “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and a “Second Amendment Revolution” flag, a design that includes the basic Betsy Ross pattern with the...

Democrats hold single-digit leads in the key Senate contests of Colorado and Michigan, as well as in Colorado’s gubernatorial race, according to new NBC News/Marist polls of these two states. But with less than four months to go until Election Day, Republicans are narrowly

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra has said he'll back U.S. Rep. Justin Amash's opponent in the upcoming August primary. Hoekstra is endorsing local businessman Brian Ellis in the Third District race. Hoekstra, who served in the House from 1993-2011 and was chair of the House Intelligence Committee, in a statement said Ellis will be a "strong partner" with other Michigan Republicans to promote conservative ideas. "Bottom line, I strongly endorse Brian Ellis because he will be an effective conservative voice and a consistent conservative vote for solutions that will help hardworking Michigan taxpayers," Hokestra said. "Brian...

A division of the Michigan Education Association's political action committee, which is funded in part by teachers, is urging its members to cast votes in Michigan's 47th House District Republican primary even if they consider themselves to be Democrats. In a letter labeled: "IMPORTANT!," the MEA/Livingston County PAC Screening and Recommending Committee pressed union members to cast votes for Handy Township Supervisor Henry Vaupel, a Fowlerville veterinarian who is one of five candidates on the GOP primary ballot. A designation at the top of the letter reads in bold print: "To: All MEA members residing in House District 47," then...

Former Michigan Governor Jen Granholm is one of the nuttier of the Democrats, and she didn’t fail to fulfill expectations on Meet the Press, when she claimed that Republicans denying what Obama wants to do is their “Katrina Moment.” (Video @ http://therightscoop.com/jennifer-granholm-not-doing-what-obama-wants-is-the-republicans-katrina-moment/ )

The Department of Homeland Security has asked Catholic churches in California to temporarily house and feed groups of Central American migrants until 2016, according to an official at the diocese of San Bernardino.But any unpaid cooperation is legally questionable, because it may be intended to bypass Congress’ authority to fund — or to not fund — federal agencies’ new practice of distributing the flood of migrant families to homes across the country.The department “has reached out to the diocese and the bishop, and asked us to shelter families in transition,” Maria Christina Mendez, at the Office of Hispanic Affairs, told...

College campuses often seem culturally biased against non-liberals. But in some cases, political bias so deeply and obviously pervades official campus policy that no one can even defend it when challenged. On that front, the Young Americans for Liberty declared victory in their legal battle with the University of Michigan after administrators agreed to pay out $14,000 and revise discriminatory funding policies. Last year, YAL asked the university for $1,000 to bring anti-affirmative action activist Jennifer Gratz to speak on campus. UM collects mandatory fees from all students and uses them to subsidize events hosted by recognized student groups. But...

The mainstream media tries to pretend that ice remained on Lake Superior “only” into June. “How about July?”asks reader E Stephens. “We should name icebergs still floating in Lake Superior in July after infamous AGW scientists. This one is Gavin,” says Tilly LaCampagne via Twitter. See photo dated 11 July 2014:

Referring to the man who brutally beat and raped her 77-year-old mother as an “animal,” the victim's daughter said she hopes that 31-year-old Shane Chambers gets the same treatment as he spends the rest of his life in prison. “I hope you get to think about this while someone is raping you,” the victim’s daughter said to Chambers who stood a few feet away during the sentencing hearing Wednesday, July 2, in Kent County Circuit Court. "I hope the same thing happens to you," she said. In May, Chambers was found guilty of first-degree home invasion, assault and criminal sexual...

There's a reason why bedbugs are nicknamed "hitchhikers." But Detroit city bus riders don't want to share a ride with them. "I never ever imagined they would be a problem on buses," said Anthony DeRamus. "It makes me uncomfortable."