http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/news-forum/ en-us Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:15:50 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391251/posts Senate Democrats' health care bill would create a new marriage penalty by imposing a tax on individuals who make $200,000 annually but hitting married couples making just $50,000 more. "If you have insurance, you get taxed. If you don't have insurance, you get taxed. If you need a life-saving medical device, you get taxed. If you need prescription medicines, you get taxed," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, who is leading the fight against the bill. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391251/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:15:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391250/posts Colombia warned its forces were on "maximum alert" and were prepared to defend against any attack, amid rising tensions with neighboring Venezuela. Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva issued the warning after a meeting of the country's national security council in Arauca, a city on the eastern border with Venezuela. He said President Alvaro Uribe and the military forces of Colombia were intent on remaining calm "because they know there are provocative forces on the border that must be avoided at all cost." But this "does not mean that we are not prepared or are not on maximum alert to prevent... AFP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391250/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:14:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391249/posts AUSTIN – Here's what I did not hear at the annual confab of Republican governors held here this week: The words socialist, extremist, or government takeover. With the focus on jobs, jobs and jobs, the only red meat was the Texas barbecue. And by design, there was no Obama-bashing. [snip] Barbour cautioned Republican candidates to refrain from attacking the president, period: "People want the president to succeed; good Lord, they want the country to succeed, and particularly the first African-American president has a lot of goodwill. . . . We need to be careful, we need to treat the president... Politics Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391249/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:11:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391248/posts Landrieu's Vote Will Reveal her integrity (or lack of): WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's health care bill has millions of dollars to help Louisiana finance Medicaid at a time when he is hoping that state's wavering Democratic senator will support overhaul legislation. The bill provides at least $100 million for Louisiana in extra funds for Medicaid, the state-federal health program for the poor. Louisiana's Democratic senator, Mary Landrieu, has said she is undecided about the Democratic health care package. Reid needs the votes of all 60 Democratic senators for the Senate debate to begin. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391248/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:10:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391247/posts Anxious to avoid raising taxes too much to pay for their healthcare proposals, the Obama administration and its congressional allies hit on a great new idea: Make the states raise their taxes to fund the program instead. Both the House and the Senate bills require that states cover a larger percentage of their people under Medicaid — a joint state and federally funded program. The idea was to force the states to raise their taxes to cover a big part of the healthcare bill for treating poor people. Since the Feds simply can charge any increase in spending to their... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391247/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:05:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391246/posts Sarah Robinson was just a teenager when World War II broke out. She endured the Blitz, watching for fires during Luftwaffe air raids armed with a bucket of sand. Often she would walk ten miles home from work in the blackout, with bombs falling around her. As soon as she turned 18, she joined the Royal Navy to do her bit for the war effort. Hers was a small part in a huge, history-making enterprise, and her contribution epitomises her generation's sense of service and sacrifice. Nearly 400,000 Britons died. Millions more were scarred by the experience, physically and mentally.... Daily Mail (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391246/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:57:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391245/posts The investigation began after the AmeriCorps inspector general, Gerald Walpin, received reports that Johnson had misused some of the $800,000 in federal AmeriCorps money provided to St. Hope, a non-profit school that Johnson headed for several years. Walpin was looking into charges that AmeriCorps-paid volunteers ran personal errands for him, washed his car, and took part in political activities. In the course of investigating those allegations, the congressional report says, Walpin's investigators were told that Johnson had made inappropriate advances toward three young women involved in the St. Hope program -- and that Johnson offered at least one of those... Washington Examainer http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391245/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:53:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391243/posts Now that unemployment has topped 10 percent, some liberal-leaning economists see confirmation of their warnings that the $787 billion stimulus package President Obama signed into law last February was way too small. The economy needs a second big infusion, they say. No, some conservative-leaning economists counter, we were right: The package has been wasteful, ineffectual and even harmful to the extent that it adds to the nation’s debt and crowds out private-sector borrowing. These long-running arguments have flared now that the White House and Congressional leaders are talking about a new “jobs bill.” But with roughly a quarter of the... New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391243/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:51:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391242/posts He died a hero, doing the job he loved. PC Bill Barker became the tragic face of the 'Biblical' floods yesterday after the heaviest 24-hour downpour in British history. Without regard for his own safety, the police motorcyclist stood in pitch darkness at 4.40am desperately trying to direct traffic away from a stone bridge above a perilously swollen river. Then the bridge collapsed and the torrent surged through - sweeping him away to a Cumbrian beach where his body was found yesterday afternoon. His assistant chief constable, Jerry Graham, said: 'We must pay tribute to the emergency services who run... Daily Mail (UK) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391242/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:50:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391241/posts Let us give New York Times environmental writer Andrew Revkin credit. He is one of the few in the mainstream media reporting on the hacked global warming e-mails story which has gone viral in the blogosphere and was covered in-depth by NewsBusters' Noel Sheppard. If you aren't yet familiar with this brewing scandal then I recommend you get up to speed on this controversy by reading Sheppard's blog post. Despite Revkin's commendable willingness to at least cover this controversy, he is still stubbornly clinging to his global warming belief...for now. Perhaps his stubborness against veering away from the global warming... NewsBusters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391241/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:48:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391240/posts Link only, per FR copyright rules The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Ariz. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391240/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:46:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391237/posts It has always amazed me how unconcerned evolutionists seem to be about entropy and the problems it poses both for a natural origin of life and for macroevolution. The argument from entropy is one of the most powerful arguments against the spontaneous formation of life from a random association of non-living chemicals... Creation Matters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391237/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:40:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391236/posts With the introduction of Harry Reid's health care bill - talk will inevitably focus on whether the public option or the Stupak amendment will undermine the legislation. Yet, if the bill dies, I do not think either of these will be the primary cause of death. I think this will be the culprit: (See chart in link) This is the CBO's analysis of how the Reid bill will cut Medicare. The total reductions come out to $491 billion over 10 years when everything is factored in. The following has been said by other commentators, but I have to add my... Real Clear Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391236/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:36:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391235/posts The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday. The shooting in busy Nisoor Square left 17 Iraqis dead and inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad. It touched off a string of investigations that ultimately led the State Department to cancel the company's lucrative contract to guard diplomats in Iraq. Iraqis have said they're watching closely to see how the U.S. judicial system handles the five men accused of unleashing an unprovoked attack on civilians with machine guns and grenades.... yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391235/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:35:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391233/posts Media: Newsweek's fixation with Sarah Palin's legs has aroused controversy. But the art selection for last week's cover story and the hit pieces inside draw even more attention to the editors' recent bizarre choices. Using a Runner's World photo the former vice presidential candidate posed for earlier this year, Newsweek's editors certainly found a saucy way to stand out at the check-out counter. But the real issue surrounds the headline, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah?" If you don't quite get that (biased) drift, a subheadline conveniently makes the point: "She's Bad News for the GOP — And... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391233/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:33:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391232/posts On Veterans Day, Christine Devlin stood in the cold in Westwood for the unveiling of a new memorial to local soldiers lost overseas, including her son Michael, one of the 241 servicemen killed in the bombing of the US Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983. Devlin is among 30 Massachusetts relatives of victims of the Beirut attack who have been fighting for more than a decade to get compensation for what many consider the first major terrorist attack against the United States. After a federal judge ruled in 2007 that Iran was liable for $2.65 billion in damages to be... boston.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391232/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:31:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391231/posts John F. Kennedy believed that being passed over for vice president by the Democratic convention in 1956 saved his political career. That year, Adlai Stevenson, the presidential nominee, had left the selection of his running mate to the convention delegates—the last time a nominee did so. The choice came down to Kennedy and his Senate colleague Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, who had lined up too much early support even for the attractive young war hero to overcome. In the end, Kennedy had it both ways. He benefited from the television exposure and was spared the blame—which as a Catholic, he... Slate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391231/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:30:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391230/posts A Democratic lawmaker has a message for Americans voicing concerns over rising unemployment, record federal deficits, the health care debate and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: Stop complaining so much. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri is seeking to pass a resolution that would officially make the day before Thanksgiving "Complaint Free Wednesday." "From time to time, we all experience anxiety, frustration, stress, and regret. And often, we respond to these feelings with a criticism or complaining," Cleaver wrote to his colleagues, seeking co-sponsors. "Regrettably, complaining keeps people stuck on current problems, inhibiting them from thinking constructively to find solutions.... Fox News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391230/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:30:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391228/posts Days before India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to be welcomed in the White House for his first state visit with President Obama, two perceived missteps by the Obama administration have concerned Indian officials that New Delhi suddenly has been relegated to the second tier of U.S.-Asian relations. Singh arrives Sunday on a four-day trip that is meant to solidify a relationship transformed under the Bush administration by a deal on nuclear technology, increasing trade and investment, immigration, educational exchanges and unprecedented security cooperation. But ever sensitive to perceived slights, Indian officials and analysts say two statements made by the... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391228/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:29:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391227/posts The Senate Finance Committee recently approved a 10-year, $829 billion reform package which has served as the starting point for negotiations on a final bill – the first health reform bill considered in Congress in decades. But as leaders in Washington move forward with healthcare reform, we would like to remind them of one thing: good health is more than medical care. It is a complex puzzle of individual, family, community and institutional factors that can’t be fully understood by any one piece of the puzzle. However, for the last several decades, we have focused on only one piece of... Resident News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391227/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:27:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391225/posts Sometime in the next few months, a small group of experienced criminal-defense lawyers will be assigned to what is likely to be the case of a lifetime: the defense of admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, or, to those enamored of sinister acronyms, KSM. Their work will not be easy, obviously. No jury on this continent is going to acquit their client, the government is certain to insist on the death penalty, and KSM will almost certainly try to put the government on trial. So what's a team of hardworking criminal defense attorneys to do? Everything they can, which, in... Slate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391225/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:26:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391223/posts A who's who of Christian right leaders, including Chuck Colson and Tony Perkins, have partnered with a handful of more moderate religious voices, including National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson and New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, to release a document that reasserts the primacy of three culture war issues for Christians in the public square: abortion, marriage, and religious liberties. A handful of those who signed the document, called "The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience," gathered today at the National Press Club for the launch event. The declaration reads like a throwback to the culture wars of... US News & World Report http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391223/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:22:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391222/posts Foreclosures Will Keep Rising Through 2010, Report Says Mortgage Bankers Assn. says delinquencies and home repossessions have hit a new high. Blaming job losses for most of the pain, it sees a continued surge in foreclosures through all of next year. Number of people seeking mortgages to buy homes drops again 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dip below 5% again E. Scott Reckard November 20, 2009 Home foreclosures are likely to keep climbing through all of next year despite stabilizing housing prices in some areas, a major lender group said Thursday as it reported that the level of delinquencies and repossessed homes... LATimes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391222/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:21:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391221/posts Sens. Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman have been working overtime to craft a climate bill that can attract significant GOP support. But they aren’t exactly scoring points with their mutual best friend in the Senate, John McCain. “Their start has been horrendous,” McCain said Thursday. “Obviously, they’re going nowhere.” McCain has emerged as a vocal opponent of the climate bill — a major reversal for the self-proclaimed maverick who once made defying his party on global warming a signature issue of his career. Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391221/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:20:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391219/posts Note: The following text is a quote: Dallas Resident Uriel Palacios Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering Conspiracy Related to Mexico's Gulf Cartel DALLAS—Uriel Palacios, 23, of Dallas, was sentenced this morning by Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to 360 months (30 years) in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Palacios pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and one count of conspiracy... DALLAS.FBI.gov - DOJ Press Release http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391219/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:17:56 GMT