Free Republic

Are you ready for the next massive taxpayer bailout? Many of the same lawmakers who infuriated taxpayers by bailing out Wall Street, the auto companies, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently created a new program virtually guaranteed to require bailouts. And unlike those one-time bailouts, this one will become an annual taxpayer expense. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act is a new long-term care insurance program. The concept had floated around Washington for years before Congress inserted it into the Obamacare health law — most likely to provide a $70 billion piggybank that could be raided...

Bell, CA - The budget of a Los Angeles suburb is under scrutiny and has some people calling for an investigation. Bell, California has less than 40,000 residents with a median income of little more than $40,000. But Bell’s city manager makes almost $800,000 a year, while the police chief earns $450,000. Even the city’s part-time council members make nearly $100,000 a year. State records indicate council members for a city that size should only be making around $4,800. Bell’s city leaders recently took over running the neighboring city of Maywood. Maywood didn’t have enough funding to keep most of...

TMZ has learned Michelle Obama will be attending tonight's NBA Finals game between the Lakers and the Celtics at Staples Center in L.A. The White House just confirmed rumors that had been circling all day. We're told the outing is a "family event" -- so we're expecting one of the First Daughters to be with her.

After voting to spend hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars on TARP, Cash for Clunkers and other costly measures, RINO Republican U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri's 8th Congressional District says she opposes such waste.

President Barack Obama said today the US would send $400m of aid to the Palestinian territories following 10 days of international focus on Gaza, which Israel has blockaded for more than three years.

A prominent US climate scientist at the centre of the "climategate" leaked email controversy has been virtually cleared of professional misconduct by an internal university enquiry. Michael Mann, of Penn State University, featured regularly in the more than 1000 emails that were hacked from the University of East Anglia in the UK last November. His emails and comments have since then featured in countless blogs and news articles. Some have claimed the emails reveal that mainstream climate scientists have massaged data in order to demonstrate that climate change is caused by human activities. The scientists in the emails, including Mann,...

Seventy Republican members of Congress want Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to cancel up to $6 million in bonuses and deferred compensation -- approved before Christmas 2009 -- for the chief executive officers of the failed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. “(T)here’s a letter that’s going to Sec. Geithner from a number of us calling for a rescission of those bonuses,” Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told CNSNews.com Wednesday. On Christmas Eve, at the same time the Obama administration announced that it was removing any cap on the amount of taxpayer aid to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the failed...

The Democrats exhaled in relief yesterday after the CBO announced the Senate Finance version of health care would only cost 829 billion dollars and even better news...it will help decrease the deficit by 81 billion dollars. Oh happy day! You could feel the enthusiasm and back slapping from Washington D.C. out to the far reaches of the west coast. Obama was right, we could get this thing done for under a trillion dollars and reduce the deficit at the same time. Time to pop the balloons. There's nothing to celebrate here. Politicians in Washington never cease to amaze. They throw...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — General Motors’ new 60-day money back guarantee campaign seems to offer something for everyone — except taxpayers, the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU) pointed out today. This Sunday, General Motors launched a new marketing campaign, ‘May the Best Car Win,’ and will offer car buyers a 60-day money-back guarantee. It was broadcasted on nearly every Sunday football game.

The Obama Administration has transfered $200 million directly to the Fatah PA in violation of the criteria of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. The Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 has very specific criteria that the Palestinian Authority must be in compliance with in order to recieve any U.S. funding. Section 620K contains the following criteria: The President must certify to Congress that 1) no ministry, agency, or instrumentality of the Palestinian Authority is controlled by a foreign terrorist organization and no member of a foreign terrorist organization serves in a senior policy making position in a ministry, agency, or...

Soldiers of the 910th Quartermaster Company sort and count excess items at sorting tables in the Forward Redistribution Point warehouse, Joint Base Balad, July 15. As Coalition bases close throughout Iraq, excess inventory is sent here for processing and redistribution, saving U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. Photo by Spc. Kiyoshi Freeman, 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). BALAD — Shipping containers arrive here daily filled with every imaginable item: toilet paper, pens, pencils, turbine engines, Humvee repair parts, even a rock climbing wall. As Coalition forces continue their responsible drawdown from Iraq and close bases, Mobile Redistribution Teams (MRTs) comb installations looking...

PENCE AMENDMENT VOTE THIS MORNING - CALL NOW!! Washington, DC (24 July 2009) – We only have a few hours left to strip Planned Parenthood of their Title X cash cow! The Pence Amendment to defund Planned Parenthood of millions of our tax dollars is set for a vote THIS MORNING. PLEASE CALL THE FOLLOWING CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES NOW! 1. Rep. Dan Boren (OK) - (202) 225-2701 2. Rep. Jerry Costello (ILL) - (202) 225-5661 3. Rep. Lincoln Davis (TN) – (202) 225-6831 4. Rep. Joe Donnelly (IN) - (202) 225-3915 5. Rep. Brad Ellsworth (IN) - (202) 225-4636 6. Rep....

Stephen Moore, Mary O'Grady and Dan Henninger join Paul Gigot for a group discussion on the Obama "stimulus" package for the United States economy.

If you don’t understand the uproar in Friendswood about the city’s plan to issue $11 million in debt without voter approval, just ask yourself a couple of questions: What if city leaders are completely right about the legal question? Is it still a good idea to borrow money without asking voters for their approval? Is a good idea to obligate them when they have clearly indicated they want a say about any debt they’d be responsible for? City officials have asked a judge in Travis County for a ruling that says the city can issue certificates of obligation to finance...

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009 Contact: Nate Bullock Cell: 317-258-6276 E-Mail: nate@signbig.com SIGN BIG LAUNCHES STATEWIDE Tuesday, June 2, 2009 – Yesterday, Sign Big, an Indiana organization focused on taxpayer issues, announced its official launch. “Sign Big has one focus: Hoosier taxpayers,” said Nate Bullock, Sign Big treasurer and spokesperson. “Our top priority now is to inform Hoosiers and get them engaged in the process of fighting inequitable and higher taxes. So, in the spirit of John Hancock, who made his mark larger than life on the Declaration of Independence, we are asking Hoosiers who are...

President Obama has the star power to raise millions of dollars for the candidates and organizations he graces with his stump speech. But when the president hit the road Tuesday for a two-day fundraising tour to pack the party coffers, he also was racking up a $265,000 partisan bill for just one leg of the trip, according to a watchdog group -- part of which taxpayers, regardless of party affiliation, will have to pay.

The Obama administration task force is likely to recommend more aid for struggling U.S. automakers, a senior senator said on Wednesday. Carl Levin of Michigan said on Capitol Hill that "it is clear" more help is on the way and any assistance for General Motors [GM 2.99 -0.21 (-6.56%) ] and Chrysler LLC would be tied to new conditions on restructuring. The Wall Street Journal, citing interviews with task force members, reported late on Wednesday that the panel was preparing a recommendation for more help with new strings attached. The task force has a March 31 deadline to determine whether...

WASHINGTON – The top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee says the Obama administration is on the right course to save the nation's financial system. But Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire also says President Barack Obama's massive budget proposal will bankrupt the country. Gregg says he has no regrets in withdrawing his nomination to become commerce secretary. He pulled out after deciding he could not fully back the administration's economic policies. The senator said Obama's spending plan in the midst of a prolonged recession would leave the next generation with a country too expensive to live in. Gregg appeared...

Billions of American taxpayer dollars used to bailout insurance giant AIG are flowing to some of the largest foreign banks in the world, according to new documents released by beleaguered company Sunday. The revelation seemed sure to cause political complications for President Barack Obama and his economic team, already on the defensive Sunday over why they couldn’t stop AIG from doling out $165 million in bonuses to some of its top corporate officials – even as the company was receiving a massive infusion of taxpayer funds. The documents AIG released account for some of the more than $180 billion in...

By the choices we make we define ourselves. We reveal our biases and beliefs. And so, too, do our institutions. In writing the $789 billion stimulus bill, Congress revealed that, for all its "Buy American" blather, it does not truly put America first. It does not believe that 10 million jobless Americans, in the country their fathers built, should receive any preference in hiring 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens who broke into this country and owe her no loyalty, allegiance or love. Is this a slur on the patriotism of some of our congressmen? You betcha. What other...