Free Republic

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that...

Want your own country? Follow those who have started their own mini-states DAYTON, Nev.—The Republic of Molossia isn't on any road map, but if you get lost along the way, you can always ring the president, who is happy to give directions. -snip- Not every dictator gives travel tips to the tourists. But Molossia isn't any run-of-the-mill country. It's a micronation, a teeny republic that consists of—well, to be honest—Baugh's three-bedroom house and 1.3-acre yard. Baugh, a 45-year-old father of two, is a micronationalist, one of a wacky band of do-it-yourself nation builders who raise flags over their front yards...

The Shrinking Influence of the US Federal Reserve By Gabor Steingart in Washington Humiliation for Mr. Dollar: Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the United States Federal Reserve Bank, faces a general investigation by the International Monetary Fund. Just one more example of the Fed losing its power. The United States Federal Reserve Bank, or Fed, seems as much a part of America as Coca-Cola or Pizza Hut. But at least one difference has become apparent in recent days. While the pizza chain and soft-drink maker are likely to expand their scope of influence in the age of globalization, the US...

While much of the U.S. Constitution invites legitimate debate as to the “Framer’s Intent,” the twenty-eight words which comprise the Tenth Amendment are as unambiguous as they are forgotten. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” One of the clearest and most compelling proofs that our Founding Fathers indeed envisaged a limited federal government, the Tenth Amendment is a vital safeguard against an overreaching central authority. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most routinely discarded pieces of our...

The UN Human Rights Council said the UK must "consider holding a referendum on the desirability or otherwise of a written constitution, preferably republican". The council has 29 members including Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sri Lanka. It was the Sri Lankan envoy who raised concerns over the British monarchy. The resulting report said Britain should have a referendum on the monarchy and the need for a written constitution with a bill of rights.

STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 51st Legislature (2008) HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1089 By: Key AS INTRODUCED A Joint Resolution claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over certain powers; serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates; and directing distribution. WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."; and WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment defines...

The U.N. plans to examine Prince William County's aggressive crackdown on illegal immigrants during a visit next week. Jorge Bustamante, the United Nation's special rapporteur on migrants' rights, plans to receive briefings on local enforcement measures, and meet with local officials. County Chairman Corey Stewart said he is willing to meet with Bustamante, but sharply rebuked the international body for what he called an anti-American agenda. But the UN should not have a role, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. "Our immigration policy is not a subject for the U.N. or any foreign institution, pure...

WASHINGTON-The United Nations plans to examine Prince William County’s aggressive crackdown on illegal immigrants during a visit next week. Jorge Bustamante, the United Nation’s special rapporteur on migrants’ rights, plans to tour Manassas and Woodbridge, receive briefings on local enforcement measures, and attempt to meet with local officials. He contacted immigrant leaders in the county two months ago to begin preparing for a visit, saying he was interested in the landmark nature of the county’s actions. Special rapporteurs are tasked with reviewing human-rights issues of international concern to raise political pressure and shape public opinion, but cannot issue sanctions. The...

GENEVA (Reuters) - A special U.N. human rights investigator will visit the United States this month to probe racism, an issue that has forced its way into the race to secure the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. The United Nations said Doudou Diene would meet federal and local officials, as well as lawmakers and judicial authorities during the May 19-June 6 visit."The special rapporteur will...gather first-hand information on issues related to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance," a U.N. statement said on Friday.His three-week visit, at U.S. government invitation, will cover eight cities -- Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Omaha,...

I know Obama is getting record crowds, estimated as high as 75,000 in Portland, OR.  But is curiosity the same thing as support?  Are these massive crowds going to vote en masse? Obama is a draw, but is he selling liberalism like never before or are liberals simply coming out like never before? Given some of his more ludicrous statements one has to wonder how many Americans are ready for his hard core liberal stances: Pitching his message to Oregon’s environmentally-conscious voters, Obama called on the United States to “lead by example” on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which...

Imagine for a moment the race card had been used during the Republican presidential nomination process, and the United Nations was sending an envoy to investigate racism in America. Do you think the media would report it? Probably 24 hours a day, seven days a week until every person in the country had heard about it, right? Well, the U.N. announced on Friday that it is sending its "Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance" to visit our country from May 19 until June 6. Although Reuters reported this at 2:48 PM EDT Friday,...

Bui Tin was a colonel and editor for North Vietnam who later defected and became an opponent of the communist regime. His presence at Independence Palace (later renamed "Reunification Hall" by the communists) on 4-30-75 was in order to accept South Vietnam's surrender. He now lives in France. Below is an English translation of an article he wrote to DCVOnline, a Vietnamese language pro-democracy website, to state his views on the anniversary of April 30, on which date in 1975 the communists took Saigon. I am glad that the freerepublic can be one of the first sites this English translation...

Hawaiian Sovereignty Activists Barricade Iolani Palace An Unknown Amount of State Workers Trapped Inside By Malia Zimmerman, 4/30/2008 9:19:10 AM HONOLULU, HAWAII - Hawaiian sovereignty activists calling themselves the "Hawaiian Kingdom Government" surrounded Iolani Palace this morning, refusing to let state employees either enter or exit the historical site, saying the palace and surrounding grounds are property of the "Hawaiian Kingdom." An unknown amount of state employees who work in the state archives division were trapped inside this morning, according to Russ Saito, head of the Department of Accounting and General Services, but since were allowed to leave, his office...

A comprehensive national ocean governance bill written by U.S. Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, was approved this afternoon by a House subcommittee. The bill’s next stop will be before the full Committee on Natural Resources, the final step before a vote by the full House of Representatives. “I’m excited that this bill has taken the first big step toward passage,” Farr said following the vote. “We have the laws and agencies to safeguard our oceans, but we have no framework for them to function. That means our laws often intersect and our agencies are left with overlapping guidelines. This bill will...

Why does the world allow some counries to abuse their own people, attack others, and endanger the world? Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and others have no legitimate elected government and their actions endanger the world. They should have their alleged sovereignty rejected by every civilized nation on earth. Can my fellow FreeReppers please help me compile a list of the worst of these? Thanks.

London - You might want to take that vacation in England just as soon as you can – before its 1,000-year run as a sovereign nation comes to an end. This winter, 27 nations of the European Union (EU) signed the Treaty of Lisbon. You may think, "Innocuous enough," as Portuguese-inspired visions of the Tagus River and chicken piri-piri swirl before your eyes. But for England (Britain, actually) the Treaty of Lisbon isn't that appetizing. That's because, if ratified, it will become the decisive act in this creation of a federal European superstate with its capital in Brussels. Britain would...

The U.S. Treasury is struggling with how to handle any political or Islamic ramifications as Persian Gulf sovereign wealth funds look to make substantial investments in capital-poor American banks and securities firms. The crisis in mortgage-backed securities has created a need for new capital to enter financial markets after major financial institutions such as Bear Stearns and Carlyle Capital Corp. failed over the weekend. The crisis is an opportunity for sovereign wealth funds that have prospered as the price of oil has soared over $110 a barrel. WND previously reported sovereign wealth funds in six Persian Gulf countries, including Kuwait,...

One man's meat is another man's poison is never truer than in the case of a new born country. The independence of Kosovo has thrown up diagonally opposite views ranging from the ‘congratulatory note’ to the threat of ‘not allowing Kosovo to ever become a member of the international community and the United Nations’. This is an endless debate and each politician’s and commentator’s view depends on which side of the fence he is. The Serbian president has vowed revenge and has said, “Serbia has reacted and will react with all peaceful, diplomatic and legal means to annul this act...

Could the governments of North America be conspiring to turn the continent into one united country? A group of protesters scouring Pitt Street Saturday believe it's only a matter of time before Canada loses it sovereignty to a super-powered government made of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Dwight Dugas and several other Cornwall residents started their call to action against the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) outside the constituency office of MP Guy Lauzon, much the way they say similar grassroots groups did in 18 other Canadian cities Saturday. According to the Government of Canada website, the SPP is "a...

HOUSTON -- It did not take long Tuesday for the Texas Department of Transportation to find out what the Houstonians at a public hearing thought about the proposed 600-mile Trans-Texas Corridor, KPRC Local 2 reported. "George Washington, Sam Houston would vomit on you people," one attendee said. Chris Zora, who opposes the plan, attended the hearing at the Arabia Shrine Center in Southwest Houston. "I'd like to see a show of hands here of anybody that approves of this corridor," Zora said. "Is there anyone in this room who approves of this corridor? Raise your hands if you approve of...

I have the utmost respect for Senator John McCain's service to our country as a career officer in the United States Navy, however, because of positions he has taken as a United States Senator, I can never vote for or support him for any public office, especially for the office of President of the United States. While acknowledging and appreciating Senator McCain's support for the sanctity of human life, his positions in regard to illegal immigration and trade make it impossible for me to support his candidacy for President of the United States, even if he does receive the nomination...

American politicians are elected periodically to make sure that America remains a free and independent nation. But, based on recent national television reports and recent magazine articles, apparently some of America’s elected officials are attempting to destroy the greatest nation in the world from inside its own borders. If they succeed, the citizens of the United States will lose some of their rights, freedoms, and, of course, their national sovereignty. What is the rationale for doing away with the national sovereignty of the United States? Basically, it is to form a North American Union similar to the European Union. According...

Tribute video for Congressman Duncan Hunter, who ended his candidacy for president today.

European transnationalism is a utopian dream, Pierre Manent warns. The European Union’s grand project rests on the belief that nationalism is passé, indeed pernicious. Fascism’s mystic nationalism proved, on this view, that the nation-state impedes the spread of human rights, tolerance, and the rational adjudication of disputes—all essential to global peace. The nation-state should therefore give way to organizations like the E.U.: a transnational, secular institution that can bring about peace and prosperity by practicing what French intellectual Chantal Delsol calls “techno-politics”—a rational approach superior to the atavistic passions and superstitions that fired nationalism. But as the political philosopher Pierre...

CARTHAGE — James Mason doesn't want a new highway cutting him off from his property. James Boggs wants to keep American jobs here. They were just a sample of about 140 residents who asked, commented and listened during a public forum with state transportation leaders Wednesday night in Carthage. It was the second of several forums scheduled along the Interstate 69/Trans-Texas Corridor, a proposed superhighway that likely will parallel U.S. 59 from Texarkana to the Mexican border. "We haven't done a very good job of (communicating) in the past," said Steve Simmons, deputy executive director of Texas Department of Transportation....

Protect American Sovereignty Rally Sponsored by Eagle Forum of California Sacramento, State Capitol Building, West Side Steps Monday, January 14, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Please join us as we stand together to protect the sovereignty of our nation against the many influences that are seeking to destroy it: our porous, unprotected borders; the influx of millions of illegal immigrants; multi-culturalism that is dividing us and destroying our Judeo-Christian culture and traditions; the NAFTA Super Highways that are planned to crisscross our nation; the immense eminent domain taking that will be involved; the attack on private property rights; the...

WASHINGTON -- A former U.S. secretary of state says there are "strong reasons for opposition" to Kosovo's independence. Lawrence Eagleburger, who was also the United States ambassador to Belgrade, pointed out Monday that "the disagreement over Kosovo can in fact be narrowed down to a conflict of the principles of self-determination and sovereignty." "It is deeply distressing that the international community, including the U.S., is advocating the carving away of a part of the territory of one country, and is supporting the proclamation of that part of territory as an independent state," Voice of America quoted Eagleburger as saying. "This...

Since 1976, more than 2.6 million new citizens have entered America as legal humanitarian refugees according to reports of the US State Department. Humanitarian refugees have literally won the proverbial lottery. Typically, they receive green cards as resident aliens within a year of arrival and are eligible to become full US citizens within five years, unless they violate our immigration laws, commit a felony or are deported. In the process they are provided with cash stipend and social services assistance from federal, state, NGO’s and voluntary agency contractors. The irony is the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees...

Many in the media are intrigued by Rep. Ron Paul's success in the presidential campaign but usually focus on how much money he is raising. In terms of issues, some think he is rising in the polls because of his opposition to the Iraq War. That may be a factor, but my research convinces me that he is doing well primarily because he has a traditional Republican message of returning to smaller and less expensive government. More than that, however, he is talking about the threat posed by global institutions. The media, which adore the U.N. and believe it is...

European leaders on Friday hailed the expansion of the Schengen passport-free travel zone to nine mostly ex-East Bloc nations as a landmark moment for the continent's integration. "This is an historic moment for which we have been waiting for a long time," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in the small town of Zittau on the German-Polish-Czech border. Border controls were abolished at midnight as the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined 15 nations already in the Schengen Treaty. The huge expansion means that about 400 million Europeans can now travel from the Arctic Circle...

Top Story in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico 20 December 2007(TRANSLATION from Spanish)"A Thin Fence in Certain Zones El Paso--The double metallic fence that was supposed to be constructed between the United States and Mexico, will be "thinned out" to only a single fence in "more practical and effective" areas, instead of specific zones, with conditions placed on consulting local and state governments as well as the landowners before being erected."(Original): "Adelgazan" El Muro En Algunas Zonas (El Diario - 20 dic 01:30) AM El Paso— El muro metálico doble que se pretende construir entre Estados Unidos y México fue "adelgazado"...

FMCSA's website lists 10 Mexican carriers with a total of 55 trucks that are approved to transport goods throughout the U.S. The FMCSA was asked to comment but did not reply to phone calls or e-mails. About 40 more Mexican carriers will soon join the 10 already approved. The agency, according to its website, said it "has notified an additional 37 Mexico-domiciled motor carriers that they have successfully passed a Pre-Authorization Safety Audit." The FMCSA says there are four U.S. carriers participating in the cross-border program. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., continues to show frustration with the Bush administration. His spokesman,...

Critics have long believed environmentalists were planning global domination. The problem with making a credible case against such an ambitious plan was simple: no environmental leader had published one. Yet conflicts over global warming, world trade, multinational corporations, population control, sustainable futures, and transnational government left little doubt that environmentalists in fact shared the unspoken aim of wielding supreme power over a green future. But there was no proof. For years, critics, lacking hard evidence, were reduced to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle of suspicious environmentalist actions - funding from huge charitable trusts, ties to the broader "progressive" community, and...

There is, in fact, a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Why, on immigration, the difference can get into real money. The Democratic candidates were sitting around a big table in a radio studio the other day participating in an altogether civil and restrained debate on National Public Radio. There were no rallying supporters in the room to rile partisan passions and agitate competitive energy. The long-form format by which only three topics were discussed, those being Iran, China and immigration, served thoughtfulness over rancor. The moderator asked the hopefuls if they believed they should...

The Dubai government, whose purchase of six American ports sparked a political furor, is poised to acquire substantial stakes in Citigroup and other New York-based banks mired in subprime mortgage debt. Omar bin Sulaiman, the governor of the Dubai government's investment arm, DIFC Investments, is currently on a spending spree, spurred by the bargains that have resulted from the low value of the dollar and the sinking of the stock markets caused by the subprime mortgage crisis. Last year, Dubai caused a political storm in America when its Dubai Ports World company acquired six major American ports as part of...

WASHINGTON – The next giant step toward world government will be integration of the U.S., Canada and Mexico in European Union-style merger in the next few years, says the author of a best-selling book on the power of shadowy international organizations promoting the move. "I would say [it's just] a couple of years away," reports Daniel Estulin, author of "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group."Estulin, a Canadian now living in Europe, says the original plans for a North American Union involved the U.S. and Canada as the prime participants. It was motivated primarily by the desire to harvest Canada's...

Throughout the world, one of the most prevalent causes of war, terrorism and political instability is the ongoing weakening of the nation-state system. There are several reasons that the nation-state as a political unit of sovereignty is under threat. One of the most basic causes of this continuous erosion of national power throughout the world is the transformation of minority-dominated enclaves within nation-states into ungovernable areas where state power is either not applied or applied in a haphazard and generally unconstructive manner. While domestic strife between majority and minority populations has been an enduring feature of democratic and indeed all...

Published: 11/12/07, 10:34 AM Alternative 'Jewish Sovereignty' Summit Planned by Hillel Fendel (IsraelNN.com) Our political leadership has abandoned the goal of furthering the Jewish people in the Jewish state, and is working for the goal of building a Palestinian state. A dozen Jewish organizations have united to hold a "summit" calling for Jewish sovereignty over all of the Land of Israel, meeting on the same day as the Annapolis summit. The title: Sovereignty for the Jewish Nation Over the State of the Land of Israel. Spokesperson Susie Dym explained, "What is happening in Israel, and consequently among passive Jewish leaders...

Since Fred Thompson officially entered the presidential playoffs, I have been fascinated by some of the criticisms of him by the media, and even by some Conservatives. You know the main card played against Thompson has been the lazy card. Lazy? No, Thompson is laid back; he is not a rah-rah kind of person. Frankly, I enjoy that about him. I have worked with many rah-rah types and many laid-back types as well. Give me the steady, calm, laid back person any day. Another criticism of Thompson has been that he has offered no specifics on any of his ideas....

Once Britain ruled the waves, then the U.S. Navy. Now will it be judges from landlocked states such as Chad and Bolivia? It will be, if LOST, as it is commonly known, receives a two-thirds majority required for ratification of a treaty on the Senate floor. The administration supports the treaty that Ronald Reagan vetoed in 1982, arguing that it is not the same accord, but rather a version said to address Reagan's objections submitted by Bill Clinton in 1994.We find that hardly an endorsement of a treaty also endorsed by the National Resources Defense Council, largely because of the...

The debate about whether the United States should become a signatory to the U.N.'s Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) continues to swirl around Capitol Hill. Sen. DeMint has helped lead the charge in recent weeks against the treaty that experts have said would put "the U.N. on steroids". Both Sen. DeMint and his colleague, Sen. David Vitter (R.-La), voiced their concerns about the treaty during recent committee hearings (watch video clips of the hearing on Sen. DeMint's YouTube page.) Support for opposing the treaty rose this week as influential GOP Senators Trent Lott (Miss), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), John Ensign...

As predicted, the big guns of the liberal media are unloading on critics of the U.N.’s Law of the Sea Treaty. After ignoring the story of growing opposition to the pact from the American people, the New York Times and the Washington Post both have editorials in their Wednesday papers urging ratification. Since their arguments are full of holes, both papers resort to name-calling, with the Times editorial labeling the critics as “cranky right-wingers” and the Post declaring that opponents of the accord have “irrational fears about one-worldism.” The liberal media establishment has spoken. Will the Senate listen to...

At first blush, the treaty seems too good to be true, but there is a catch: the United Nations. The world body, under the treaty, has expansive powers to regulate international waters.The United Nations has more than a dozen alphabet soup-designated agencies. Some do good deeds; others do not. A great many have served little more purpose than a soapbox for anti-American speeches. LOST already empowers yet another one of these U.N. agencies, this one called the International Seabed Authority, based in Kingston, Jamaica. If the Senate ratifies the treaty, the ISA could become one of the most potent organizations...

All of America can see that prisoners from Mexican, Central and South America’s prisons have been released and sent to America. The illegal aliens crime wave continues with more murder, robberies, rape, drug dealing, gun running, abduction, and child molestation. We as America’s legal citizens should know that this crime wave will not be stopped or reduced until this country is secured and law and order is restored by removal of these law breakers. At this time, 30% of all prison inmates are illegals from south of the border. America’s political leaders have compounded this criminal problem by offering illegals...

A case now before the U.S. Supreme Court proves why the Senate must defeat the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty. The oral arguments heard this month by the justices didn't mention the treaty, but the parallels are powerful. The case concerns Jose Medellin, a Mexican national on death row in Texas. Medellin was convicted and sentenced to death after he confessed in 1993 to the rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston. Long after Medellin had received full due process of the U.S. legal system, in 2003 the Mexican government sued the United States in...

The More People Know About Sea Treaty, The Less They Support ItSenate Committee Approves Treaty, But With Sharp Increase in Opposition Statement of David A. Ridenour, Vice President, The National Center for Public Policy Research on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote on the Law of the Sea Treaty this morning:The more people learn about the Law of the Sea Treaty, the less they like it.  That's the message from this morning's vote of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Although the Committee voted to send the treaty to the full Senate for consideration, there was a marked increase in opposition...

Senate Panel Backs Sea Treaty By JIM ABRAMS – 3 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) — The Reagan-era "Law of the Sea" treaty was primed for its first-ever Senate vote, boosted by strong support from the Bush administration and an emphatic vote of approval Wednesday by the Foreign Relations Committee. With Senate ratification, the United States would join 155 nations that are party to a convention that sets rules and settles disputes over navigation, fishing and economic development of the open seas and establishes environmental standards. Treaty supporters, after making little headway for years, have gained momentum recently with concerns that...

Fred Thompson will be issuing the following statement in about the next half hour: "I oppose the ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty at this time. The Treaty threatens U.S. sovereignty and gives a U.N.-affiliated organization far too much authority over U.S. interests in international waters. The American people also deserve ironclad assurances that the problems with the treaty highlighted by President Reagan more than two decades ago have been fixed. At a time when customary international law in this area has proven sufficient, I believe the efforts of treaty proponents would be better spent reforming an ineffective,...

f they think of sovereignty at all, most Americans view it as the right of a nation to govern itself. Academics take an approach that may not only be at odds with that view but with the dictionary as well. “The definition of sovereignty is that sovereign states acknowledge no superior,” Harvard professor J. Bryan Hehir said in a seminar sponsored by the Center for American Progress. Actually, the dictionary defines sovereignty as “freedom from external control.” The question is rapidly becoming more than merely academic although academics themselves are playing a key role à la Hehir, in redefining American...

True confession: I've never followed local politics closely enough. I've always been drawn more to the interplay of nations than of neighbors. But now, with illegal immigration out of control and our border a shambles — the very baseline of the interplay of nations — it is our neighbors, our local representatives, who are increasingly taking charge of this crucial chunk of national policy. City Hall, the local planning commission, and the county clerk's office are where the action is. And, not coincidentally, where the grown-ups are. Take Frank Merola, county clerk of Rensselaer County, New York. When New York...