Free Republic

Pat Condell warns about Obama, speaks from his own experience about the creeping Islamic Sharia law and stifling of free speech in Europe.

I fly a lot. It’s gotten to be such a hassle that I’m cutting down on my air travel, and even turning down a number of engagements because I just don’t want to go through the ordeal at the airports. What ordeal? If you ask that question, you must not have flown anywhere since 9/11. I’m talking about the security gauntlet every passenger has to go through. If you have flown anywhere, you’ve had to get in the lines. Take off every bit of metal bigger than a dime, your jacket, hat, and shoes, perhaps your belt … and, if...

A party defines itself by what it stands for, and what it stands against. After the Bush era, the Republican Party has been given the opportunity to redeem and redefine itself -- in opposition to a party and a president who are further left than any in American history. A true conservative party would relish such an opportunity. After all, the Goldwater young did not lie down and die after a defeat far more crushing than the one the party suffered last fall. Is this Republican Party made of similar stuff?

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. _ Citing information he says is from God, Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson said Friday that America is headed for veritable socialism as well as an economic rebound under President-elect Barack Obama in 2009. "What the Lord was saying, the people are willing to accept socialism to alleviate their pain," Robertson said on a broadcast of "The 700 Club." Robertson hosts the program, which is aired from the Christian Broadcasting Network studios in Virginia Beach. Robertson said the economy, particularly the stock market, could start rebounding by the second quarter.

In his 1937 "Great Contemporaries," Winston Churchill wrote, "Whatever else may be thought about (Hitler's) exploits, they are among the most remarkable in the whole history of the world." Churchill was referring not only to Hitler's political triumphs -- the return of the Saar and reoccupation of the Rhineland -- but his economic achievements. By his fourth year in power, Hitler had pulled Germany out of the Depression, cut unemployment from 6 million to 1 million, grown the GNP 37 percent and increased auto production from 45,000 vehicles a year to 250,000. City and provincial deficits had vanished. ... "Eighty-six...

NEW YORK A popular Greenwich Village restaurant has settled a lawsuit with a lesbian who said a bouncer chased her out of the women's bathroom and forced her to leave because she looked masculine. The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund announced the settlement Tuesday on behalf of Khadijah Farmer. The Caliente Cab Company, while denying the allegations, has agreed to pay $35,000. Caliente also will add gender identity to its non-discrimination policy; amend its employee handbook with a section on customer restroom use; adopt a gender-neutral employee dress code; and train workers on the new policies. Farmer said the...

NEW YORK—A popular restaurant has agreed to pay $35,000 to settle a lawsuit with a lesbian who said a bouncer chased her out of the women's bathroom and forced her to leave because she looked masculine. The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund announced the settlement Tuesday on behalf of Khadijah Farmer. The Caliente Cab Company, while denying the allegations, also agreed to add gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy, amend its employee handbook with a section on customer restroom use and adopt a gender-neutral employee dress code. Farmer said the confrontation at the Greenwich Village eatery occurred June 24...

On Wednesday, Christian Broadcasting Network founder, Pat Robertson (photo), gave Rudy Giuliani his endorsement in the race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Robertson's announcement came as a surprise to many political observers who believe the TV evangelist's position on social issues were not compatible with those of the former New York Mayor. Giuliani graciously accepted Robertson's endorsement. Robertson said the most important issues facing America were terrorism and the defeat of Democrats. Robertson's backing of Giuliani also came as a shock to the other men seeking the GOP's presidential nomination. However, under further scrutiny, Robertson's announcement made perfect sense--for...

My wife and I have sent our condolences to Macel Falwell and her family. Jerry has been a tower of strength on many of the moral issues which have confronted our nation. Liberty University is a magnificent accomplishment and will prove a lasting legacy. Jerry’s courage and strength of convictions will be sadly missed in this time of increasing moral relativism. I join with the tens of thousands of his friends to mourn the passing of this extraordinary human being.

After an aggressive campaign, Kim Coco Iwamoto earned a seat on Hawaii's statewide Board of Education and, according to national advocacy groups, a place in history as the country's highest-elected transgender official. Iwamoto, a 38-year-old lawyer, did not tout her gender status in the campaign but has openly advocated for transgender youth and related issues at the state capitol. She placed third in Tuesday's election among six candidates for three seats on the board. She was not immediately available for comment. However, in a statement early Wednesday she said she was looking forward to "working in collaboration with the other...

"The war we fight today is more than a military conflict," said President Bush to the American Legion. "It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century." But if the ideology of our enemy is "Islamo-fascism," what is the ideology of George W. Bush? According to James Montanye, writing in the Independent Review, it is "democratic fundamentalism." Montanye borrows Joseph Schumpeter's depiction of Marxism to describe it. Like Marxism, he writes, democratic fundamentalism "presents, first, a system of ultimate ends that embody the meaning of life and are absolute standards by which to judge events and actions; and, secondly,...

“As Rome passed away, so, the West is passing away, from the same causes and in much the same way. What the Danube and Rhine were to Rome, the Rio Grande and Mediterranean are to America and Europe, the frontiers of a civilization no longer defended.” So begins a new work of warning from Pat Buchanan. And this time Buchanan goes all the way. STATE OF EMERGENCY: THIRD WORLD INVASION AND CONQUEST OF AMERICA hit the streets this week and it's designed to jolt readers with stats and analysis of illegal immigration gone dangerously wild. Buchanan warns: “The children born...

My country has been "torn to shreds," said Fouad Siniora, the prime minister of Lebanon, as the death toll among his people passed 300 civilian dead, 1,000 wounded, with half a million homeless. Israel must pay for the "barbaric destruction," said Siniora. To the contrary, says columnist Lawrence Kudlow, "Israel is doing the Lord's work." On American TV, former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says the ruination of Lebanon is Hezbollah's doing. But is it Hezbollah that is using U.S.-built F-16s, with precision-guided bombs and 155-mm artillery pieces to wreak death and devastation on Lebanon? No, Israel is doing this,...

If Marines did shoot and kill women and children, either in rage or reprisal after the killing of one of their own, and if this alleged atrocity was covered up, those responsible must be punished. That such things happen in every war, even "the Good War," does not excuse them. But if we are agreed upon that, Haditha, nevertheless -- and again assuming the charges are true -- is going to wound this country deeply and divide us bitterly. For two cultures are heading for a collision. The first is the culture of the Marine Corps, hierarchical and familial. Marines...

In another in a series of notable pronouncements, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson says God told him storms and possibly a tsunami will hit America's coastline this year. Robertson has made the predictions at least four times in the past two weeks on his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network, which he founded. Robertson said the revelations about this year's weather came to him during his annual personal prayer retreat in January. "If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms," Robertson said May 8. On Wednesday, he...

VIRGINIA BEACH-Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson is warning that, according to God, storms and possibly a tidal wave will pound America's coastline this year.

New York. After his second smash-up in three weeks, Patrick Kennedy was escorted home by obliging cops and to hell with any test for booze or drugs. Tests are for the lower orders, not Kennedys. Chappaquid-ding one’s way out of trouble is in the Kennedy tradition. A smash-up is followed by a cover-up, then by denial of responsibility due to circumstances beyond their control, all neatly presented in a press conference for genuflecting hacks, and then on to rehab. Congressman Kennedy says that he doesn’t remember anything about the crash. He would, wouldn’t he? He was speeding, driving in the...

Lawmakers seek to expand self-defense rights Associated Press ST. PAUL - Several Republican lawmakers are introducing legislation to expand the right of citizens to use deadly force against attackers. Court rulings in Minnesota have already recognized what's known as the Castle Doctrine, which is the notion that a person's home is their castle and they have a right to defend it against an imminent threat. But Representative Tony Cornish and Sen. Pat Pariseau want to enshrine that right in state law. They also want a broader definition of castle that includes personal vehicles, businesses and even public places. The lawmakers...

It's been nearly a month since Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakahan blamed "Zionists and neo-cons" for "manipulating" President Bush into invading Iraq - before blasting "wicked Jews" in Hollywood for promoting "lesbianism [and] homosexuality." Yet, outside of a few newspapers in Chicago, the same press that showers positive coverage on Farrakhan's Million Man marches has yet to get around to covering his Feb. 26 Saviours Day speech. "These neo-cons and Zionists have manipulated Bush and the American government and our boys and girls are dying in Iraq and in Afghanistan for the cause of Israel, not for the cause...

A former college teammate of Pat Tillman – the NFL player who left football to join the Army and was killed in Afghanistan – has followed in his footsteps and joined the Marines. Jeremy Staat, who also played professional football, left the game at age 29 to endure the rigors of boot camp and life in the military. Staat was an offensive lineman at Arizona State University while Tillman played there, and the two were roommates. After college, Staat moved on to the National Football League, playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams, plus...

WTO committed to ending agricultural subsidies, other trade barriers Keeping Doha Alive After more than four years of negotiations with no breakthrough on the toughest issues, and a failed ministerial meeting in Cancun, expectations for Hong Kong were low. The December meeting of the World Trade Organization in Hong Kong kept the Doha Development Agenda trade talks alive. Progress was made as more than 150 nations gathered to give developing countries a further stake in the global trading system and move forward in efforts to break down barriers to the free flow of agricultural and manufactured goods and services. We...

Yet, make no mistake. Summer is over for America – and George Bush. That unifying image of Bush atop the pile of debris in lower Manhattan days after 9-11 has been displaced by ugly accusations and recriminations over who lost New Orleans. Katrina has exposed the limits of federal power and the absence of a serious set of national priorities.

You guys hear the latest on Mr. Robertson, Apparently he is being sued by Hugo Chavez. (CBS/AP) President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that his government may ask the United States to extradite U.S. religious broadcaster Pat Robertson to Venezuela for suggesting American agents should kill him. Earlier Sunday, Rev. Jesse Jackson offered support for Chavez, saying the televangelist's call for the Venezuelan leader's assassination was a criminal act. The U.S. civil rights leader, who is on a four-day visit to Venezuela, called Robertson's statements "immoral" and "illegal." He urged U.S. authorities to take action, and said the U.S. government must...

Except for few desperate individuals driven to violence by U.S. imperialism, Islam is a Religion of Peace. Christianity, on the other hand, has been the engine of world suffering for over 2000 years. It was Christianity that nearly eradicated the indigenous peoples of this continent, the survivors condemned to the perpetual humiliation of cartoon stereotypes and offensive sports mascots. It was Bush's Christian cousin, Adolf Hitler, who sent hundreds of homosexuals and midgets to the gas chambers even as great agnostics like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought against racial injustice. And it is the Christians who constantly subvert our...

An interview with Pat Buchanan in the May 17 edition of The Washington Times has evoked a lot of discussion on the various message boards that self-identified conservatives visit. "The conservative movement has passed into history," said the three-time presidential candidate, commentator, and magazine publisher. He’s right. As a movement, a unifying force, the conservatism that mobilized people to vote in sufficient numbers to give control of Congress to Republicans in 1994 and, with the exception of eight years with Bill Clinton in office, has put Republicans in the White House has lost its momentum. Since then, the Democrat Party...

Pat Buchanan speaks of American conservatism in the past tense. "The conservative movement has passed into history," says the one-time White House aide, three-time presidential candidate, commentator and magazine publisher. "It doesn't exist anymore as a unifying force," he says in an interview with The Washington Times. "There are still a lot of people who are conservative, but the movement is now broken up, crumbled, dismantled." He is seated in his living room on a sunny afternoon. His wife, Shelley -- a member of the Nixon White House staff when he met and married her -- is upstairs in their...

When he was named president of the Club for Growth (clubforgrowth.org) last year, Pat Toomey didn't need anyone to tell him how important it was having the Republican lobbying group on his side in a tight political race. When the former Lehigh Valley congressman almost unseated Arlen Specter in the Senate primary last spring, the club — which specializes in helping candidates who favor small government, free markets and low taxes — contributed nearly $1 million to his campaign. I asked Toomey about his new job and his future political plans, when I called him at his offices in Washington:...

Wheeeew, came across this on a blog [GapersBlock.com]. That sound was my sigh of relief. I voted O'Malley in 2002, will do it in 2006. I want all Freepers to get on his case to run. I support this fan page. Patrick O'Malley supporters should rally for anything which allows him to win.

"The inked fingers was disgusting," Air America radio talk show host Janeane Garofalo declared on MSNBC in denouncing Republican lawmakers who, before and after the State of the Union, showed off an inked finger meant to demonstrate solidarity with Iraqi voters who dipped a finger in ink when they voted. To mock the display, Garofalo soon held up her hand in a Nazi salute as she predicted: "The inked fingers and the position of them, which is gonna be a Daily Show photo already, of them signaling in this manner [Nazi salute], as if they have solidarity with the Iraqis...

Below is an e-mail I recieved from the Club for Growth. Because you have been such an important part of the Club’s work over the years and such a generous supporter, I wanted you to be among the first to learn about a major new development here at the Club. After rejoicing over the election results, I decided that now was the time to start an exciting new venture which will complement the Club’s work. More about that in a minute. For that reason, I decided to resign as president of the Club for Growth and I’m happy to announce...

Pressure Cooker A Recipe for Chief of Staff Andrew Card is talking about his kitchen. "I know my kitchen really well, as evidenced by my rotund being," Card says, patting his belly. "I know where the oven is and I know where the microwave is and I know where the sink is and I know where the refrigerator is and the freezer and the cupboards and the table and the chairs." Card, 57, is sprawled on the couch of his West Wing office, describing the kitchen from his mind's eye. It is from here that the White House chief of...

The Liberal Press continues to sing the praises of Democratic President George W. Bush. It was bad enough four years ago when he won with a minority of the popular vote and we were subjected to endless lectures about the fairness of the Electoral College and how wise the Founders were. Now we keep hearing about the President’s so-called mandate from the pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, and others. Each move he makes seems to be greeted with more and more lavish acclaim. Consider some of these recent excerpts from the Establishment Press: ". . .The...

December 8, 2004 - Another victim in the death of Pat Tillman, the truth. When I first heard about the death of Pat Tillman, I was equally as saddened at the loss of any of our soldiers in Afghanistan. The fact that he had great talent as a football player had nothing do to with his skill and courage as a soldier. The amount of money he gave up was never as big as his love of country and freedom. I remember hearing an interview with him after he made his decision to enlist in the Army. Many of his...

In the old days, the indignities of air travel involved intrusive elbows from seatmates and toddlers kicking your seatback. In the last few years, they included removing your shoes to get through security and having your nail clippers confiscated. And now this: full-body pat-downs - including bra checks - for people who set off metal detectors or are unlucky enough to be randomly selected.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer was among about 50 former Arizona State teammates of Pat Tillman who gathered Saturday night to help the school retire the fallen soldier's No. 42 jersey in a halftime ceremony. Members of Tillman's family also were on hand for the second such tribute at Sun Devil Stadium, during Arizona State's home finale against Washington State. The NFL's Arizona Cardinals retired Tillman's jersey at their home opener on Sept. 19. "He would be the first one to appreciate us all having a beer on his behalf," Plummer said at a pregame gathering....

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has entered a "dangerous period" in the war against terrorism, and Americans should expect some U.S. combat deaths, President Bush said Monday. Other countries harboring terrorists could also face U.S. action, said Bush, who called on Iraq to allow independent weapons inspections. "This is a dangerous period of time," Bush said during a Rose Garden appearance with two freed U.S. aid workers who had been held for months by the Taliban. "This is a period of time in which we're now hunting down the people responsible for bombing America." The battle against terrorism would...

Young Conservatives Proudly Announce Addition of Commonwealth’s Conservative Leader PITTSBURGH – Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania (YCOP) today announced that the man who helped inspire its conception, Congressman Pat Toomey (R-Lehigh), has accepted the invitation to become Honorary Chairman of its Board of Advisors. “Young Conservatives of Pennsylvania has a very important role to play in the political arena in our Commonwealth – to promote conservative policies and candidates among our next generation of civic leaders,” Toomey said. “I commend the founders of YCOP for their vision, and I look forward to supporting their effort.” “Congressman Toomey is my hero, and...

NFL, Cardinals team with Tillman Foundation to honor late Silver Star recipient (Aug. 31, 2004) -- The National Football League and Arizona Cardinals will honor Pat Tillman, who was killed in military combat this spring in the Middle East, with several tributes during the 2004 season and by teaming with the Pat Tillman Foundation. Tillman left the NFL in 2002 to join the U.S. Army Rangers with his brother Kevin. Tillman served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before being killed April 22 in the Khost province of Afghanistan during a firefight with insurgents. He is the first NFL player to...

MICAH WRIGHT: "I WAS NEVER AN ARMY RANGER"On his Delphi forum, Micah Wright has posted a confession – he never was an Army Ranger, something he had claimed since shortly after his debut as a comics writer, as well as the author of remixed Propaganda, a book which lampooned World War II-era American propaganda posters. A version of statement had been on Wright's website since April 25th apparently, however, he opted to post it on his Delphi forum Saturday. Wright began his statement (which has since been edited) with a recap of what he used to tout as his...

<p>Tillman was killed while performing his duty "without regard to his personal safety," the Army said in a statement.</p> <p>Tillman left behind his NFL career as a safety with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army after the attacks of September 11, 2001.</p>

A healthy society needs censorship to survive, 1950s musical icon Pat Boone said yesterday. He added that he would welcome strong content restrictions governing movies and other artistic works. "I don't think censorship is a bad word, but it has become a bad word because everybody associates it with some kind of restriction on liberty," said Mr. Boone, who is in Washington making the rounds as the national spokesman for the 60-Plus Association, a conservative senior citizen lobby.

At the Latin Mass at old St. Mary’s, the church was packed and the line outside the confessional was unusually long. “The Passion,” I thought to myself. And so it was. “Worshipers Take ‘Passion’ Back to Church,” was the headline in that Sunday’s Washington Times. The sub-head ran: “Mel Gibson’s film is inspiring parishioners to join congregations, go ‘back to the faith.’” Thirty million Americans have seen “The Passion of the Christ.” According to Gallup, two-thirds of the nation intends to see the film in a theater or on DVD. By Good Friday, the crowds should be enormous. For this...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Lehigh Valley official said Thursday he was told his request for federal funding for a local rail project depended on whether he would support Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania's bare-knuckles Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. But when Lehigh County Commissioner Andy Roman said he acknowledged he is backing GOP challenger Rep. Pat Toomey in the April 27 election, he was told the rail project "will never happen." A Specter spokesman flatly denied that a staffer ever suggested that federal project approval was contingent on a primary endorsement. Toomey said the episode, if true, is "obviously...

Sometimes a political race--which is of no direct interest to folks outside the geographic boundaries of that contest--can serve as a metaphor for a greater issue, in this case, education reform. This April, Pennsylvania Republicans will go to the polls to nominate their choice of candidate to run in the general election in November for one of Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate seats. The choice is between incumbent Senator Arlen Specter (left) and Representative Pat Toomey (right). Technically, while only the 3.2 million PA Republicans can vote in this matchup--exactly 1% of the U.S. population (or one two-thousandth of the world total!)--this...

PENNSYLVANIA: Toomey Raises Specter to Competitive Race. The much-hyped Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary contest between four-term incumbent Arlen Specter and his conservative challenger, Rep. Patrick J. Toomey, appears to be approaching the competitive level some had expected. With less than six weeks until the April 27 primary, both candidates have stepped up their TV advertising, with most of it escalating the negative tone. Toomey has attacked Specter as a “liberal” on issues such as abortion and tort law; Specter has fought back with ads accusing Toomey of lackluster constituent service and of putting his own priorities ahead of the state’s....

The following is from OpinionJournal's Political Diary March 15,2004: Conservative Challenger Gains On Liberal Specter There is a reason that Pennsylvania GOP Senator Arlen Specter has been spending so much of his $9 million campaign kitty on ads attacking his conservative primary challenger, Rep. Pat Toomey: The April 27 race is surprisingly competitive. A new survey by the Polling Company finds Mr. Specter has only a 47% to 37% lead over Mr. Toomey, a surprisingly low figure for a four-term incumbent. The survey roughly mirrors a Quinnipiac poll last month that found that only 49% of Republicans believe Mr. Specter...

What’s a Republican? Ten-month-old Vanessa clearly has no clue. And yet she’s about to play a bit part in a political battle that may help settle that question -- at least in Pennsylvania, and possibly in the U.S. Senate. Vanessa and her 18-year-old mother, Mary, occupy one of a row of chairs arrayed along a wall of the Community Room at Washington Hospital. Both long walls are lined with teen mothers and fathers, dressed in drool-on-me-casual clothes and holding well-behaved babies. The center of the room features an oval of chairs occupied by more stylish teens, and no babies. That’s...

During his visit to Israel, Pat Robertson had the opportunity to meet with the country's finance minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is also the former prime minister, and is considered to be the leading candidate to succeed current Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Robertson and Netanyahu discussed the fight against terrorism and Israel's stance on the city of Jerusalem. PAT ROBERTSON: What about the Intifada and the initiative to give away the West Bank, East Jerusalem? When we talked some years ago, you said the status of Jerusalem is non-negotiable. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: It is still non-negotiable in my books. ROBERTSON: You still...

Here is a link to the guy on Kasich's show last night. This is the guy that got so upset when John called his bluff he walked out of the interview! http://www.mikemalloy.com/ TLR

Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter has landed in hot water — at least with some GOP members and Jewish groups — over efforts to arrange a congressional visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran. News of the proposed trip has sparked the ire of certain organizations, which are urging him to reconsider. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations last week fired off a letter to the four-term Republican, criticizing his stance toward a country that the U.S. government considers a state sponsor of terrorism. For his part, Specter said that the trip, currently up in the air,...