Free Republic

The federal debt has increased by $4.47 trillion since President Barack Obama released his first federal budget on Feb. 26, 2009. That budget was entitled, “A New Era of Responsibility.” On Feb. 26, 2009, as Obama released his budget for fiscal 2010, the national debt stood at $10.88 trillion (10,881,159,722,022.36). At the close of business on Feb. 9, 2012, the national debt stood at $15.36 trillion ($15,355,838,921,022.16). That represents an increase in the debt of $4.47 trillion ($4,474,679,198,999.80).

An American Indian tribe sued some of the world's largest beer makers Thursday, claiming they knowingly contributed to alcohol-related problems on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota said it is demanding $500 million in damages for the cost of health care, social services and child rehabilitation caused by chronic alcoholism on the reservation.

On January 11th, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled on the side of Jessica Ahlquist, a 16-year-old who sought to remove a prayer banner from her school’s auditorium. Ahlquist argued that the “School Prayer” sign, which started with the words “Our Heavenly Father” and concluded with “Amen” violated her First Amendment rights. According to the 16-year-old, the removal of the banner represents “what true American values are.” However, in an attempt to ensure freedom “from” religion and religious influence, Ahlquist and her liberal supporters actually rejected her own possession of freedom at the same time. Perhaps this is best...

When I was younger I was constantly in a fight with at least one of my siblings. When we both got caught in our collective wrongdoing, the first words out of our mouths were “He (or she) did it!” My younger siblings and I were often incapable of taking responsibility for our own actions, but this isn’t unheard of. In fact, the “blaming” phase of childhood is one that we all have experienced. Personal responsibility and acceptance of consequences come later. Children aren’t expected to automatically take personal responsibility; they must learn to accept it. Unfortunately, however, many Americans have...

Is there a better way to do the people’s business in commerce, legislation, education, bureaucracy and even religion in a Constitutional Republic? Is chaos only violent disorder? The weather and climate change naturally operate on Chaos Theory. Chaos is not disorder unless it goads the ignorant into rioting in the streets, usually burning and pillaging the visions and labor of others. In human discourse, the beautiful freely formed fractals of natural chaos makes a free society work by creating infinite beauty, opportunities for new relationships, ideas, ventures and true diversity based on our individual endowments from God. Chaos Theory views...

The financial death spiral of the US Federal Government has been caused by financially irresponsible politicians during the last 80 years. Their lack of stewardship has resulted in them charging us with a National Debt of 14.8 TRILLION dollars, which must be paid back, plus interest, to those who we borrowed the money from. We have indeed allowed these same politicians to cruelly burden our own grandchild with this horrific National Debt. We have no one to blame but ourselves for electing them in the first place, and not impeaching them when they failed to spend our money within our...

Will the "Super Committee," otherwise known as the "Twelve Disciples of Congressional Partisanship," (TDCP), recognize that the Federal Student Loan Program is bankrupt by nearly 1 TRILLION dollars? Will the TDCP close the loan window to student loans? How much bankruptcy debt is required before the Federal Student Loan Program is closed forever?

Obama got his 500,000,000,000.00 dollars today from the US Senate, thanks in no small part to Senator Son-of-a-Mitch McConnell, and Robo-Senator Reid-in-the-Wind. Obama had asked last night in his unfinished Jobs give-away bill , (i.e. "targeted") , for only 450,000,000,000.00 dollars. This is an obvious attempt to avoid a financial deadline. This timing of the speech, Joint Session, amount transferred, suggest a pattern of a sudden increase in spending by the Executive Branch of the US Government. It is now time to begin The Articles of Impeachment against President Obama to prevent further dereliction of financial duty and other neglected...

At 7:33 AM CDT Rick Santelli asked guest host Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times foreign Affairs Columnist, and author of his new book " That Used to be Us, " the following question: " Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme ? " Tom replied, " Your question is idiotic ! " Rick then replied: " Your answer is idiotic! " GAME ON !

Frank Gaffney appears on Fox Business News with Eric Bolling to discuss the civil war in Libya. First, Aaron Klein of WND reports on Samantha Power's relationship with far-leftist George Soros and their common affinity for the 'Responsibility to Protect' provision in the UN's Libya resolution. The left correctly sees this 'Responsibility to Protect' as a blow to American sovereignty; it's time all Americans get to know the implications of this dangerous new precedent.

  Overdosed on Socialism: Great Britain, R.I.P. David C. Stolinsky Aug. 15, 2011 Want has been all but abolished. Today, fewer and fewer Britons want to work, want to marry, want to raise children, want to lead a life of any purpose or dignity.− Mark Steyn, “After America” Max Hastings is an eminent British historian. His scathing article on the recent riots in Britain makes enlightening but painful reading. Britain is further along the road to the welfare state than we are, so what is happening there is a warning to us. Our situations are not identical, but they...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday that if Republicans insist on passage of their budget plan as a condition for approving an increase in the nation's borrowing limit, they will be responsible for the consequences. Speaking to a New York audience, Geithner said that Republicans would bear responsibility for the first debt default in the nation's history if they insist they will not vote for an increase in the $14.3 billion borrowing limit unless they win approval of a House Republican budget plan. "If Republicans try to impose that plan on this country as a condition...

I grew up with an Olympic Champion as a Father. As a kid I didn’t realize how rare Olympic Gold was and how few people actually achieve becoming the absolute best in their field. I know what winning looks like and I realize it takes hard work, dedication and motivation to achieve success. But until the last few years I never took the time to appreciate how important my Father’s lessons are to my life. Today, I realize that not only are the lessons relevant to my goals in life but my journey to personal success has been made easier...

Williams, who had gambled away his life's savings, sued the casino, claiming, among other things, that the "cease admissions" letter was a fraud and that Aztar broke its obligation to keep him out. But a federal appeals court dismissed the case, noting that Aztar's letter didn't say Williams would be barred from entering and gambling, just that the casino could stop doing business with him if it chose. The Williams case and others like it show that, in the eyes of American courts, casinos have no legal requirement to stop compulsive gamblers from gambling. The rulings are vindication for the...

To some it seemed impossible. A struggling division of an international corporation had not been able to negotiate even one contract in over 2 years. But, by the Grace of God, in less than four months, he had over 200 international corporations deploying his company’s latest technological offering around the Globe and 13 top tier consulting companies committing up to 21 Million dollars each plus their Directors in charge of Sales personnel, bringing in 12 Million dollars per rep each year, leading with his companies’ solution to their clients. How did this person achieve his first 100 Million dollar plus...

... The "winner" of this survey will be recognized with an award announcement here on NaturalNews, along with a story exploring why that corporation is viewed as being so evil by people in the natural health community.

A federal district judge has struck down ObamaCare’s individual mandate as unconstitutional in a case expected to go to the Supreme Court. Judge Hudson is to be commended on his decision, for not only is the mandate unconstitutional, it is also immoral. Defending individual mandate, the president has told uninsured Americans “you’ve got a responsibility to get health insurance,” because “we’re not going to have other people carrying the burdens for you anymore.” Starting in 2014, the law will force virtually every American to purchase a government-approved health insurance package. Violators will be hit with fines of $695 or 2.5%...

Public Works: A fiscally responsible governor takes on the money-is-no-object school, and the taxpayers win. And no, killing that tunnel under the Hudson is not a blow to national greatness. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made it official this week, deciding to pull his state out of a project to build a new rail tunnel between his state and Manhattan. It was about the money, he said. He could not, in good conscience, leave his state's taxpayers on the hook for potentially billions of dollars in cost overruns. When you look at how the 8.8-mile tunnel was to be financed,...

It is news to no one that our educational system sucks. American students are consistently out-performed by students in other countries year after year. Why? Liberals, progressives, socialists, communists, “compassionate” conservatives (i.e., neocons, RINOs, liberal Republicans) , teacher unions, and other leftist groups would like you to believe that it is some combination of bad schools, teachers, and financing. The solution, as they see it, is to engage in a game of Three Card Monty where students are shuffled from schools that are “failing” them, to schools that will allow them to “succeed” –as though success is a magical elixir...

Back-to-School Virtues: Three qualities that help your child succeed in class and in life. By Louise Perrotta An editor for The Word Among Us.Slightly modified by the Central news desk of L'Effort CamerounaisAs the new school year begins discussions have come alive with suggestions for success in the schoolroom. There's enthusiasm, and often good advice, for parent-teacher teamwork, helping kids learn, believing in your child's potential, and making this "the best school year ever." Provided it's well directed, enthusiasm is a gift! Every effective educator has it; every learner needs it. So as we gear up for the academic year,...

Why Systems Crumple? by Ari Bussel We were going out to dinner in Tel Aviv, where there are thousands of restaurants catering to every taste and pocketbook. Living the moment has its benefits – midweek, eleven o’clock at night and all the restaurants are full. But the story is not about the economic success of Israel, nor is it about the culinary experience that was quite enticing. Rather, it is about the failure of attention to details, and people who simply do not care and do not take pride in their work and their word. Israel has excelled in promises,...

Well, the government class is up in arms over Senator Grahamnesty’s suggestion that we amend the 14th Amendment to end the practice of so-called “anchor babies” and automatic birthright citizenship for non-citizens. But perhaps the problem with the senator’s suggestion is that it doesn’t go far enough. One of Don Rumsfeld’s pearls of wisdom was that when a problem seemed unsolvable, the solution could be to enlarge it. Perhaps it’s time to rethink not just birthright citizenship, but citizenship in general, and what it means.

At issue are resources for cleaning up oil spills known as skimmers. They have a variety of designs, applications and capacities. But skimmer technology is proven and in daily use around the world. Recognizing large spills need large capacity skimmers, the Market has developed just such products. These products are being offered to the US from all over the world. But the Obama administration refuses to accept them. There are are two basic reasons why, one environmental and one rooted in protectionist labor policy. President Obama cares more about the interests of Labor Unions and Environmentalists than he does everyday...

source We as a people must actively, commonly learn and discuss liberty and responsibility, otherwise both will be replaced by apathy and tyranny. It is absolutely fundamental that we, the people, actively discuss our liberties, that those liberties are recognized and not impeded in any way. Also, so that we do not become a lazy people marred by apathy when faced with responsibility; relying instead on some government to take care of it for us. That is the path to serfdom. Only a people mindful of duty, freedom, and responsibility can manage to secure their freedom. Only a people mindful...

Political analysts may divide the world into liberals and conservatives, while theologians may distinguish religionists from non-believers. As the coarseness of our president's recent public rhetorical flourish continues to resonate, sociologists might also want to individuate two types of leadership models: the Problem-Solver and the "Butt-Kicker" (hereafter, the "Solver" and the "Blamer"). Tragically, America now has a team of Blamers sitting in the Oval Office at an epoch when our nation needs -- more than we have needed for a century -- Solvers. The Solver does not focus on affixing blame in a crisis, even though she may have to...

Note: The following text is a quote: Mullen Stresses Precision, Innovation to Graduates By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, Washington, D.C., June 10, 2010 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today told graduates of the National Defense University here that their careers will be dominated by their understanding of the precise application of military force and national power. NDU’s National War College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces graduated 603 people from the armed services, civilian agencies and many foreign countries. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and King Abdullah of...

The Democrats' political endgame requires citizens to accept subsistence as the new definition of freedom./snip/...Democrats tailor messages to disenfranchised groups explaining why each is not successful in America...Ultimately, every variation of the Democrats' message is premised upon removing personal responsibility from the equation and shifting blame elsewhere./snip/A person relieved of all personal responsibility and willing to submit to the government for basic necessities...simply subsists as a ward of the government.

The Responsibility Of Citizens "Cherish, therefore, the spirit of our people, and keep alive their attention. If once they become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, judges and governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature." - Thomas Jefferson (Letter to Edward Carrington January 16, 1787) Background And Original Intent "A good constitution is the greatest blessing which a socie­ty can enjoy." So said James Wilson, in his oration at Philadelphia on July 4, 1788, celebrating the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. Wilson,...

Would a straightforward, unbiased analysis of the presidential actions of Barack Obama through March 2010, lead to a demand for his immediate impeachment and removal from office? Yes, for a most transparent reason: Obama is purposely undermining the US Constitution. In doing so, his actions make unstable every institution and office below the presidency, since the Constitution is the foundation of every government power and official decision. In fomenting institutional unrest across the US, he threatens the safety of every American man, woman and child, and all our citizens abroad.

In the wake of the Enron, the federal government passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (commonly known as the SOX Act). The act was actually called the Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act in the House of Representatives. As is well known by now, the purpose of the act was to clean up and further regulate the reporting standards for corporations. Title III of the SOX Act states that senior executives, primarily the CEOs and CFOs of corporations, take individual responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of their respective corporations’ financial reports. That is where the accountability and responsibility...

I recently had an (imagined) conversation with my friend Julius, who calls himself a socialist. We met for coffee late on Christmas Eve and spoke about the Senate’s vote. Remember: it is not too late to contact your Congressperson to limit the worst excesses of the coming health care bill. Julius: It’s a day of celebration! Me: I thought you hated Christmas. Julius: Don’t be a putz; you know what I’m talking about. The Senate has finally recognized our rights. It’s time to party! M: A right, eh? So what responsibility is induced by that right? J: Oh, I’m too...

"Gun laws have some up in arms," reads the gainsvilletimes.com headline: Potential changes to the state’s gun laws have many wondering what would happen locally if the legislature votes to allow concealed weapons into more public places. I'm going to wander into Atlanta Gun Rights Examiner Ed Stone's turf today and offer some responses to some of the fears, because they really are more universal than local arguments. We're warned that men and women with gun carry permits will be able to do so in churches and on college campuses. Or to have their weapons in non-secured airport areas, or...

"Should the debt incurred by the United States be the direct result of one administration's actions, the reimbursement of that debt shall become the sole responsibility of that administration. Should that administration be unable to reimburse such debt by the end of their tenure, the reimbursement of that debt shall be carried out though the incarceration of appropriate parties for the appropriate periods." In other words, the United States could send their president(s) to jail along with others who are ultimately responsible for the debt that they personally produce during their administration; potentially for life!

After reading Sunday’s Herald, I’m thinking seriously about becoming a deadbeat. And you know what? I feel great about it! That’s because I read in Sunday’s Herald how people who owe more on their homes than they are worth should just stop making their payments. Better still, we shouldn’t feel any guilt about it, or any sense that we’re “doing something morally wrong” either. That’s according to liberal academic Brent White of the University of Arizona. (How liberal? He’s argued that patriotic activities like the Pledge of Allegiance don’t belong in public schools.) In a new academic paper White says...

By Michael Peabody The other day someone sent me a link to an “Antichrist Decoder” that has been posted online by an otherwise reputable Christian ministry. You can type in anybody’s name and the program will calculate the value of the name in Roman numerals. After checking my name to make sure that I was not the Antichrist I looked at the other names that people had plugged into the decoder and learned that Barack Obama is not the antichrist, neither is Barack Hussein Obama. Ronald Wilson Reagan’s name doesn’t add up to 666 even if you type in two...

It looks like Andrew Sullivan is taking a break from daily blogging. His assistants and other assorted bloggers are taking his place in manning the Daily Dish. Chris Bodenner highlighted the thoughts of two readers on “The Value of Shi**y Work.” The sentiment of this is one that I find really, really annoying: To the people who say that the unemployed should accept menial jobs, I would say… why should I? Speaking from personal experience, I put in 4 years getting an undergraduate degree and 2 years getting a professional certification so that I wouldn’t have to work in a...

If you ask Dr. Steven Spady, there are two important words missing from the nation’s conversation about health reform: “personal responsibility.” But Spady, a 54-year-old emergency physician in rural Kentucky, can’t talk about the topic right now. He’s too busy caring for people who he says don’t take care of themselves. “I just had to go take care of man that left our hospital this morning and now has gone and got drunk and will suck up more health care dollars,” Spady wrote in a hurried e-mail late on a recent weeknight. That same day, he cared for a 358-pound...

Children in adult bodies want to live in Neverland. But Neverland doesn’t exist, and it never will. That’s why it’s called Neverland. In fiction, people who never grow up enjoy amusing adventures in which the dangers are imaginary. In reality, people who never grow up may enjoy themselves for a time, but sooner or later the all-too-real dangers they ignored catch up with them. And then their fantasy world will be lost to foreclosure, and their real world will become distinctly unpleasant, or even lethal. But then it will be too late.

This week, he decided to take another shot at Tiger Woods, complaining yet again that Tiger doesn't do enough to promote social justice for minorities. In his recent interview for HBO's Real Sports, he said: "He'll run over you, he'll kick your ass, but as an individual for social change, or any of that kind of s*** Terrible. Terrible. Because he can get away with teaching kids to play golf, and that's his contribution. And in the real world, man, I can't teach no kids to play golf and that's my contribution, if I got that kind of power."

She's young, beautiful, articulate, patriotic, Christian, and most importantly, courageous. To many on the left however Carrie Prejean, the current Miss California, is a bigoted, shameful, and intolerant homophobe. What Carrie Prejean represents, in other words, is a modern day inkblot test of inestimable value to America's frustrated and exiled GOP. If there was ever a time in this modern day Alice in Wonderland cultural climate for conservatives to take a stand on something and shake the political world upside down, that time is now. What can Carrie Prejean do for America and the GOP? For starters, she can drive...

This past election showed that Republicans in America are in trouble.  The culprit may simply be the public's fatigue with an eight year Republican administration (not to mention the fact that McCain ran a singularly inept campaign).  President Obama's startling ascendency, though, a career trajectory that took place despite the absence of any meaningful resume and the presence of some very eyebrow-raising associates, indicates that the Republican Party's problems run deeper than fatigue and campaign ineptitude. So let's start with a question:  When was the last time America had more registered Republicans than registered Democrats?  1955?  1928?  I don't know...

Debt Day comes early this year. Unfortunately, it's nothing to celebrate. The symbolic "holiday," which falls on Sunday, marks the point in the fiscal year when government spending exceeds revenue. In other words, the government will stop making money and start borrowing on Sunday. And it's coming earlier than ever, according to House Minority Leader John Boehner, who's pointing to Debt Day as yet another symptom of a government he says is spending too much, borrowing too much and taxing too much. Last year's Debt Day fell more than three months later, on Aug. 5. "All the revenue for this...

Our President is working a list of nations he feels we’ve offended and he’s apologizing. Ultimately, that behavior will bite him back. Significant apologies drag sea anchors called consequences. You accidently bump into someone in an elevator and say “I’m sorry.” No consequences, unless they’re psycho. You accidently run over your neighbor’s cat and say “I’m sorry.” There may or may not be consequences, depending on your relationship with your neighbor. You drive drunk and cause an accident injuring others. “I’m sorry” doesn’t ease the consequences. As President Obama apologizes across the globe, eventually some recipients of his apologies will...

Polls show that the public is both nervous and angry as political leaders throw together massive financial bailouts. We instinctively know that high levels of public debt are dangerous for our future whether we voted for Obama or McCain in November. Concerned citizens want a sustainable recovery we can believe in not an inflationary quick-fix. We cannot have confidence in economic stimulus and bailouts that look, sound and smell like a giant Ponzi scheme. We have to begin by stipulating that government and many companies and individuals have been living beyond their means for quite some time. There was too...

BAGHDAD — The Sons of Iraq, security volunteers credited with helping reduce violent attacks and terrorist influence across the country, marked two major milestones Wednesday. Coalition forces completed the final transfer of Sons of Iraq members to Iraqi control, and the Government of Iraq secured the funds to pay back-wages to Sons of Iraq in four provinces. “These are big wins, and they affirm the Government of Iraq’s commitment to the Sons of Iraq,” said Col. Jeffrey Kulmayer, chief of reconciliation, Multi-National Corps – Iraq. The Sons of Iraq, numbering about 92,000 in nine provinces across Iraq, began in 2006...

Guess what? There's a one-ingredient recipe for healthier kidsWe’re fat. Really fat. And it’s not just us—it’s our kids, too. Have you seen them? They’re enormous.According to the mantra of obesity experts, however, it’s much like Robin Williams (correctly) told Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting: It’s not your fault. No, it’s not your fault, it’s not our fault, it’s not their fault. Unless “they� are restaurateurs, in which case it is their fault. That’s especially true for chain restaurants—the ones selling McAnything, blooming onions, and the like. They’re killing us by the greasy mouthful.And because it’s their fault, these...

FOR a guy who talks so much about wanting a new era of re sponsibility, President Obama spends an awful lot of time blaming Republicans for all the wild and reckless spending he crammed into his own budget. After running a campaign against the $1 trillion deficit he "inherited" from President Bush and the Republicans, Obama quickly matched it. During his first 50 days in office, he and his Democratic-controlled Congress spent $1 billion an hour. Under Obama's proposed budget, the overall national debt doubles in five years and triples in 10. Not exactly "moving from an era of borrow...

As anticipated, President Obama recently unveiled his proposed solution to America's educational tribulations, namely greater early childhood intervention, merit pay for teachers, more charters and national standards. Though this smorgasbord differs in details from his predecessor's No Child Left Behind, it is actually a quite similar restaurant-like order from the identical menu. And just as eateries typically have a common theme, e.g., Italian, so does this education carte du jour: Regardless of what is selected, learning is never the student's responsibility. Like a patient undergoing brain surgery, today's student lies passively while experts labor to insert knowledge, and to continue...

President Obama has mastered the art of employing rhetoric that makes it sound as if he's doing something uniquely virtuous and heroic when in reality he's doing stuff that political leaders often do. We've seen this with the way he touts bipartisanship while being unwilling to offer real compromises or the way he proclaims he isn't hiring lobbyists when he actually is. But he took this practice to more absurd proportions today when his big Harry Truman "buck stops here" moment was woven together with other statements blaming everybody but his administration for the handling of the AIG bonuses and...

"Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Patrick Henry...