Free Republic

The race to recruit a credible third party challenger to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is on. But the hang up at this point: who will actually run? All sorts of names — some more serious than others — have been floated by disaffected conservatives after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee this week. There are lawmakers: Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton  There are generals: retired United States Marine Corps General James Mattis, retired Army General Ray Odierno and retired Army General Stanley McChrystal.

Is the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, or one of the world’s foremost bulwarks against terrorism? Numerous mainstream terror analysts in Washington contend that it is the latter. They have to ignore a mountain of evidence to do so. Arguing in the Washington Post that Congress should not designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, Marc Lynch of George Washington University and the Project on Middle East Political Science asserts: The Muslim Brotherhood’s firewall against extremism [was] a very real thing in the decade following 9/11. However, Lynch thinks that, because of the al-Sisi government’s crackdown on the Brotherhood: …...

“Crooked” Hillary Clinton and the Democrats have finally settled on the best possible retort to Donald Trump: “Dangerous Donald.” No, seriously: This is the nickname they came up with. “Dangerous Donald.” At least “Crooked Hillary” and “Lyin’ Ted” have an edge to them. “Dangerous Donald” sounds like a kid who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks that your parents don’t want you hanging out with.

US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said in an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail on Tuesday that Israel should continue building settlements in Judea and Samaria. Trump told the newspaper that if elected president, he’d love to negotiate a genuine peace, “not a peace that lasts for two weeks and they start launching missiles again,” between Israel and the Palestinians. In the meantime, regarding Jewish settlements in the territories claimed by the Palestinians, Trump said Israel should “keep moving forward.” Trump took the opportunity to again lambast President Barack Obama’s treatment of the Jewish state. “Look, missiles were launched...

Donald Trump will head to Capitol Hill next week to meet with Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and other GOP leaders. Ryan's office said in a statement Friday that he has invited the presumptive GOP presidential nominee to Washington next Thursday to meet at the RNC. "Having both said we need to unify the party, Speaker Ryan has invited Donald Trump to meet with members of the House Republican leadership in Washington on Thursday morning to begin a discussion about the kind of Republican principles and ideas that can win the support of the American people...

For the second time in his career, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore faces charges before the Alabama Court of the Judiciary and potential removal from office. Until that court hears and rules on those charges, Moore will be suspended with pay from his position atop the state's highest court. On Friday, the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission forwarded charges to the commission, accusing the chief justice of violating judicial ethics in his opposition to same-sex marriage.

Like father, like son: Poppy Bush looked the American people square in the eye and said, "Read my lips: no new taxes." Of course, the former Director of Central Intelligence welshed, because lying is what he did for a living. Now comes his son Jeb, who raised his hand and pledged to support the eventual nominee of the Republican party in the race for president, back when he thought he had a chance. Naturally, the chip off the old block has reneged. In a Facebook post, Bush announced that he could not in good conscience vote for Donald Trump, saying...

It is as iconic an image from the criminal underworld as the Tommy gun, or the getaway car, a grim last act for the unfortunate soul whose life is about to end in a new pair of footwear. Cement shoes.

Paul Ryan is becoming more and more disliked throughout the nation, and in his own House district, with voters approving of his challenger by greater and greater margins according to the new poll released by AMP Calypso, showing Mr. Nehlen capturing a jaw dropping amount of support. AMP POLL: 05/01/2016 452 Voters: Ryan 41%, Nehlen 48% Should Paul Ryan Endorse Trump? YES: 63% NO: 15%

Ryan's stand carries significant risk. With no competition, Trump is going to win more primaries, and pile up more votes, by the time of the convention. If Ryan changes course and supports Trump without some truly meaningful concession from the nominee, Ryan will look weak. If he opposes Trump the whole way, he'll anger a lot of people in his own party. At the moment, Trump does not appear inclined to accommodate Ryan. Shortly after the CNN interview aired, Trump released a statement saying, "I am not ready to support Speaker Ryan's agenda. Perhaps in the future we can work...

President Barack Obama on Friday called on Sen. Rand Paul to drop his “quirky” objections to pending international tax treaties so they can move forward in Congress. Obama said the treaties will help U.S. authorities investigate and crack down on offshore tax evasion. Paul has argued that they would infringe on Americans’ constitutional right to privacy because their tax data and personal financial information would be shared with other countries. Treaties cannot go into force unless ratified by the Senate, and the objection of any one senator halts action on legislative business pending in that house of Congress, as Paul...

WATCH LIVE: Donald Trump Rally in Eugene, OR Headed toward Oregon GOP Primary on May 17 May 6, 2016 by PoliZette Staff Donald Trump will host a rally in Eugene, Oregon on Friday, May 6, at the Lane Events Convention Center at the Fair beginning at 7:00 p.m. PT. Watch the event live here:

Every Trump critic had “Oh, hell” moments during the primary season. They were when Donald Trump demonstrated a keen, gut-level political instinct that even an exceptionally talented conventional politician would be hard-pressed to match. An example: During a Republican debate in Florida in February, Trump was asked about former Mexican President Vicente Fox’s comment that his country wouldn’t pay for Trump’s “[expletive deleted] wall.” “The wall just got 10 feet taller,” Trump shot back. The rejoinder was funny and memorable. A Republican senator told me that his cellphone instantly lit up with constituents thrilled at what Trump had said. In...

The Treasury Department on Friday rejected an effort by the Teamsters Central States Pension Plan to cut benefits for 270,000 retired workers starting in July. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a letter to members of Congress that while the decision blocks the pending pension cuts, it does not resolve the issue because the pension plan remains severely underfunded and is projected to become insolvent within the next 10 years. …

SEOUL, South Korea — After years of trying to separate fact from propaganda about North Korea’s nuclear program, American and South Korean intelligence officials say they have concluded that the country can now mount a small nuclear warhead on short- and medium-range missiles capable of hitting much of Japan and South Korea. The United States and its allies have sought for nearly a decade to prevent the North from gaining such capabilities, ever since it detonated its first atomic device a decade ago. Their failure is likely to raise new questions about the effectiveness of the policy toward North Korea,...

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told college graduates on Friday their diversity is “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare” and it’s their job to confront global issues ranging from terrorism to climate change. […] “You really do look spectacular,” Kerry told the (Northeastern University) graduates. “I want you to just look around you. Classmates from every race, religion, gender, shape, size. Eighty-five countries represented and dozens of languages spoken. You are the most diverse class in Northeastern’s history. In other words, you are Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.” […] A Department of State spokesman said Kerry’s comment about Trump was only a...

First Lt. Megan Joyner's recent swearing-in ceremony makes her the first openly-gay chaplain of the North Carolina Army National Guard. She'll be able to perform ceremonies such as weddings and military funerals while also doing her most important job: counseling soldiers. But gay advocates say her home state of North Carolina is taking away protections for the LGBT community with House Bill 2. She says it is likely she may be performing same-sex marriage ceremonies for soldiers in the future.

An illegal migrant with a long criminal history has brutally murdered a 54-year-old woman on a Vienna street while she was on her way to work. News headlines in Austria Wednesday morning were focused on one topic, the brutal killing of a 54-year-old woman by an illegal migrant from Kenya. The woman was walking down the street at 2:30am on her way to work with a colleague when the man, armed with an iron bar, bludgeoned her to death. The two women worked as cleaners for so-called gambling cafes reports OE24 .

NBC battleground map: Trump, GOP begin with disadvantage: In our first general-election battleground map of the 2016 race, Hillary Clinton and Democrats start with the advantage, while Donald Trump and Republicans are playing catch up. Likely Dem: CA, CT, DC, DE, HI, IL, ME (3 EVs), MD, MA, MN, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA (186 electoral votes) Lean Dem: ME (1EV), MI, NV, NJ, PA, WI (67) Tossup: CO, FL, IA, NE (1 EV), NH, NC, OH, VA (95) Lean GOP: AZ, GA, MS, MO, MT (46) Likely GOP: AL, AK, AR, ID, IN KS, KY, LA, NE (4...

Some party leaders on Wednesday said they will work hard to get Donald Trump elected president in this fall (SNIP) "We want to bring unity to the Republican party," Trump said in his victory speech Tuesday night. (SNIP) "Donald Trump will be a very competitive nominee in the general election and frankly we can do what we need to do to get him elected over Hillary Clinton," House said.