Free Republic

Extremes are called that for a reason. They are ideas that are on the far edges of reasonableness, and they are – rightly – destined to be tempered and reined in by more moderate ideas. That's what has just happened to the political party that holds sway in my home state. Elections across the nation Tuesday showed that voters have rejected Tea Party extremism, with all of its concentration on hating President Obama and its suggestion that anyone who disagrees is less than patriotic. These voters -- Republicans in states like Kentucky, Georgia and Idaho -- are definitely not tree-hugging,...

We’ve been told over and over that opposing President Obama’s socialist anti-American agenda is due to deep-seated racism and not any conservative values one might hold. Now, the National Public Radio (NPR), of all media outlets, has posted a piece on their blog saying that there might be something more to disliking Obama than just racism. I know, I’m shocked too. This refreshing revelation from a decidedly left-leaning news source starts out with a great premise: There’s no question we’re living in a time of divisive politics, when roughly half the country is likely to hate the president, no matter...

The Trifecta predictions are gloomy, but not necessarily correct if we get enough conservatives -- who say what they mean and mean what they say -- into both houses of the Congress. We need to try. Beyond that, and also beyond whether the apparently archaic word "integrity" has been removed from the congressional dictionary, even RINOs might reject a few of Obama's left-wing judicial appointees, and that's important. Spending reductions? Maybe. Perhaps a Senate majority might even agree with a Republican controlled House. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VApNBu_cXxI]Video link

Public Opinion Strategies, a Washington political shop, produced a chart last week that got much of the political press buzzing. The chart compared polling questions during incumbent friendly elections and, as they put it, "shellackings." Their data suggests 2014 will be a shellacking for the Democrats. But, contrary to what many say, it will not be a landslide at the federal level. In October 1994, when the Republicans rode a wave of anti-Democrat sentiment to Washington, 30 percent more Americans thought the nation was on the wrong track than the right track. In 2006, when the Democrats came back, 27...

Where is the condemnation? As a member of the Republican Party of Virginia’s State Central Committee, l am learning that some Republicans resemble chameleons. The Republican Creed of Virginia is ignored. The carrot of power is sought as principle replaces pragmatism. Honesty is not their best policy. Giving or raising money covers a multitude of sins. Is $15,000 enough penitence for Bolling’s return? “Can’t we all get along now?” Criticizing a Republican’s unethical behavior is shunned, unless condemnation is directed at one more conservative than you. “Don’t criticize a Republican.” When the six point message of our creed is rejected...

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services (S&P) warned on Thursday that climate change will force down the credit ratings of countries throughout the world. Will this be the straw that breaks the climate change-deniers' backs? "Climate change is likely to be one of the global mega-trends impacting sovereign creditworthiness, in most cases negatively," S&P notes, adding "Assuming that extreme weather events are on the rise in terms of frequency and destruction, .. The S&P report closely follows one published by the CNA Corporation Military Advisory Board on Tuesday, which found climate change to be a risk to national security. The study...

An urgent $3.00 appeal from only 341 donors went out Monday by the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee who just had to have those pledges by Midnight! Bill Clinton is warning that “if we can’t convince the people who vote for us in presidential elections to show up in midterm elections,” America will be a “profoundly divided country.” And it’s not one now? Those little $3.00 bills, to use an old non politically correct saying that refers to someone being rather odd, will be triple matched by wealthy Democrat money men, un-named in the urgent appeal sent out even to CiR....

First, take today’s Unconventional Logic pop quiz: If you were kidnapped by terrorists, whom would you want to come to rescue you? Captain Sweden Captain Denmark Captain Belgium Captain France Captain America OK, now back to economics. With both Thomas Piketty and Pope Francis in the news calling for government-coerced redistribution to reduce inequality, it is useful to ask, “Why this, and why now?” Piketty’s argument for additional government redistribution programs, which he bases upon numbers that don’t take government redistribution programs into account, is certainly—to put it delicately—creative, but the question still remains why Piketty’s ideas (which have been...

As America withers from the effects of falling incomes, a shrinking labor force, abysmal economic growth, and decaying social capital, our imperial capital city remains vibrant. Washington, D.C. is as prosperous and prominent as it has ever been. Parenting magazine has named DC as the best place in America to raise a family. The counties of Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland which surround the capital are seven of the ten wealthiest in America. While Houston does petroleum, New York finance, and San Francisco technology, the business of Washington is influence peddling, palm greasing, and sausage making. Perhaps this explains...

It's a cliche to say that Washington, D.C., is "out of touch" with voters, but there's something to it. Arguably, in 2012, the Republican Party seemed focused on a subject -- debt -- that wasn't a high priority for average Americans. Sincere Republicans (including this columnist) believe it should be. Nations that cannot pay their bills eventually fall into decline, hardship and worse when governments resort to inflation to pay off their debts. It's easier to make small adjustments now than to endure wrenching hardships later. But the voters remain to be convinced. The Democratic Party today is similarly situated...

Sean Penn — a friend to the late Hugo Chavez and one of the most liberal stars in Hollywood — will be surrounded by top Republicans next Sunday at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Chris Matthews mocked Republicans on Friday's Hardball over their hawkish stance towards Boko Haram, the Nigerian Islamist group that recently kidnapped hundreds of girls. Matthews made a thinly-veiled racial attack on the GOP during a panel discussion on the terrorist organization: " By the way, when did the Republican Party take this keen interest in Africa? I may have missed that one."

Democrats are thinking about using Internet balloting in 2016 to expand their voter base and select a president -- prompting Republicans to consider such a strategy to keep from losing ground. Iowa Democrats proposed the idea and several others during a recent Democratic National Committee meeting, saying Internet balloting could expand access to their unique caucus process to overseas military personnel, absentee voters and others. -SNIP- “I think it’s a very bad idea,” says the Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky, who thinks computer-based voting will never happen, or at least not in the “foreseeable future.”

Bloomberg writer Francis Wilkinson recently wrote a piece claiming that Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina--an African American--only became a senator because Republicans "lowered the bar" for his appointment. He also claimed that Scott’s candidacy serves as a "shield" for racist Tea Party members to hide behind. In an article that is more invective than analysis, Wilkinson essentially called Senator Scott a do-nothing senator. He said Scott acted like a "shield" for racist, Confederate flag-waving Tea Party members who need someone to replace Herman Cain as the favorite candidate behind whom they can hide their racism. Wilkinson made these...

A year after it began, the IRS targeting controversy has been overtaken by the Benghazi attacks on the oversight agenda of House Republicans. While Republicans are convinced that the Obama administration is stonewalling them on both matters, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and the House GOP have only set up a special committee for Benghazi. On the IRS, House Republicans have instead pushed the Justice Department to more aggressively pursue its investigation, and this week pushed Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor. There are a variety of reasons for the emphasis on Benghazi, including the chance to further...

After the Republican establishment gloated on Tuesday for surviving primary challenges against underfunded Tea Party challengers, conservative talk radio host Mark Levin ripped into the Republican leadership for preferring candidates they can coerce to support policies their conservative constituents oppose. Levin said the question of whether the Tea Party is dead is a stupid one, and he asked why establishment Republicans were spending "millions of dollars laundered through Karl Rove's group and Mitch McConnell's National Republican Senatorial Committee" to fight and trash conservatives: "These "Republican leaders" only want to be in the majority if they can control the people we...

Four years ago it was 61 percent. I had a theory to explain the most recent drop when I started reading the poll, but now that I’ve looked at the trends over time, it just doesn’t hold up. I thought this new low was a reaction to the shutdown last fall; the first big dip in tea-party popularity came after the first debt-ceiling standoff in 2011, after all, so it would stand to reason that a new economic disruption would drive the numbers down further. Ted Cruz was on camera throughout the process promoting “defund” so tea partiers are bearing...

C’mon. RINOs can’t do a little high-fiving after their guy (who’s not much of a RINO, by the way) pulled off a big win in North Carolina? Granted, granted, some of the celebrating is excessive, but let’s be real. If Ben Sasse nukes Shane Osborn next week and then Matt Bevin upsets Mitch McConnell, there’ll be fireworks lit throughout tea-party America. Why wouldn’t there be? Her full statement is at the first link above, but here’s the meat of it: "Congratulations to candidates in yesterday’s small pool of state primary elections who will now move on to their respective general...

C’mon now, guys. This gloating among establishment Republicans calls for the same reprimand we parents offer 12-year-olds who scuffle on the playground. I often remind my young daughter, especially, after her ball games, of the importance of being considerate and gracious in both victory and defeat. Congratulations to candidates in yesterday’s small pool of state primary elections who will now move on to their respective general elections. Now, knock off the gloating. The GOP establishment must ratchet any kind of arrogance way down and get in touch with independent, constitutional conservatives who build the base of the party. They do...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Republican National Committee wants to take more control over how the party picks a White House nominee. The RNC was to meet Wednesday in Memphis, Tennessee, to choose members who will effectively set the calendar for 2016's long list of potential presidential contenders. If the party's chairman, Reince Priebus gets his way, the GOP will pick its nominee more quickly than during past contests and have fewer debates in which candidates could criticize each other. The RNC also was expected to put penalties in place for candidates who don't follow the committee's plans. RNC officials described...